What is a “CSA”?

Community Supported Agriculture is a relationship of mutual support and commitment between local farmers and community members who pay the farmer an annual membership fee to cover the production costs of the farm. In turn, members receive a weekly share of the harvest during the local growing season. The arrangement guarantees the farmer financial support and enables many small to moderate scale, organic and/or bio-intensive family farms to remain in business.

The word “member” doesn’t’ really do justice to define what a CSA member is to us. Members are really partners. Living Kitchen Farm and Dairy could not exist without individuals and families like you willing to take a chance by literally paying us money before even seeing a sprout. The faith members put in us not only inspires us and drives us to be the best we can be, but ultimately allows us to operate as a viable farm, even in the winter. We see our CSA members as partners working together to provide pure, wholesome, healthy food with integrity and passion.

Spring/Summer 2012 CSA

The CSA will start on Wednesday, April 18 and will end Wednesday, September 26. We will deliver each Wednesday in Tulsa at a central location from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. CSA members will also have an option to get additional produce (the value of which will be deducted from their initial balance) at our booth at Cherry Street Farmer’s Market on the first Saturday of each month.

Our shares during the spring/summer season will include vegetables (such as gourmet greens, beets, turnips, onions, carrots, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, corn, and watermelon), goat milk, goat milk cheese, yogurt, and eggs. Memberships will cost $300 for the season, due by February 1. A two-payment option is available for those who prefer; first payment of $150 is due by February 1, the second payment is due March 1.

A typical share might include a 1/2-lb bag of mixed lettuces, a bunch of beets, a 1/2-lb bag of spinach, a bunch of carrots, one or two 7-oz containers of fresh goat cheese, a dozen eggs, and a quart or 1/2 gallon of goat milk.  You will be sent an e-mail the day before your pick up listing what will be available.  You do not have to take anything you will not use.  We will help you customize your share at each pick up, ensuring that you get only what you want.  However, we encourage you to push yourself to try new things.  You  may find that fresh produce directly from the farm tastes very different than what you buy in the grocery store.

We will record what you take in your share and calculate the value of it, based on the price we would charge if we sold the produce to you at a farmer’s market.  We’ll deduct 10% from that value for a member discount and subtract the total from your initial investment.  Once your balance reaches zero, you will have the option to reinvest, if there is enough time left in the season, pay for each share as you get it, or simply stop receiving shares for the remainder of the season.

The Benefits of Supporting a CSA:

• Encourages proper land stewardship by supporting farmers in transition toward low or no chemical inputs and utilization of energy saving technologies;
• Strengthens local economies by keeping food dollars in local communities;
• Directly links producers with consumers allowing people to have a personal connection with their food and the land on which it was produced;
• Makes nutritious, affordable, wholesome foods accessible and widely available to community members;
• Creates an atmosphere for learning about non-conventional agricultural, animal husbandry, and alternative energy systems not only to the farmers and their apprentices, but also to members of the community, to educators from many fields of study, and to students of all ages.

How to Get the Most Out of Our CSA

It’s true that CSAs are a partnership between you and the farmer but you want to get the most for your money so we’ve come up with some key things to help you maximize the value of your share:

• Pick up every delivery. If you can’t come, send a friend. The cheese can be frozen. The eggs and produce are great gifts for someone, so share your bounty if you’re not going to be in town on a drop off day;
• Plan a menu incorporating the share items and always keep a nice jar of homemade salad dressing for a salad of spinach or lettuce or arugula every night;
• Don’t be afraid to try new things and new recipes;
• All greens and things that come out of the hoop house and garden are triple cleaned and certified organic, so the best way to store them is right in the bag we brought it to you in.

We hope you will consider partnering with us this coming season. Our goal is to have all 40 partners signed up by February 1st.  E-mail us at LivingKitchen@gmail.com to let us know of your desire to join or for more information.