General FAQ
What is a CSA?
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture which is a way for people to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Farmers offer “shares” which allows CSA members to “fill a box” with a weekly selection of vegetables and fruits.
Why join a CSA?
CSAs allow farmers to refine their garden plan, improve their financial stability throughout the year, and provide opportunities for farmers to get to know the people who eat their food. For the consumer, a CSA provides all the flavor and nutritional benefits that come with ultra-fresh foods. CSA Members also get to visit and enjoy the farm and are introduced to new varieties of produce and ways of cooking.
Why choose our CSA?
One of the best parts about choosing our CSA is that you get a great price for an abundance of fresh, local produce. We also think we are a good choice because of our larger mission of providing a vocational program to young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders. This has really been the impetus for our farm all along and as a customer, you are helping us to provide a great place for our interns to learn agricultural skills that will hopefully lead to permanent employments at other locations. Learn more about our CSA here.
Absolutely!! If you are interested in a membership, we are happy to show you around as well. Please use the contact information link and let us know ahead of time.
When is the Farm Store open?
Items can be purchased from our on-site or online store seven days a week, year round. The Farm Store is always open to both members and non-members! If you purchase your items online, you will receive two emails. The first is a confirmation email and the second one will let you know that your order is ready for pick up.
Are you organic?
We have been practicing organic methods since inception.
Member FAQ
When can I pick up my share?
Pick up times for the CSA shares are Thursday 4-7 pm and Saturday from 10-12 noon. Items purchased from the Farm Store are available seven days a week.
Can I choose my own vegetables?
Yes!! We use a software program called Farmigo that allows seasonal and Buyers Club Members to customize their shares. We generally have 18-23 different items available. Half share members have about 8-10 credits to use and Full Share folks have 13-15. You can use credit on the same item to get a greater quantity if you would like or select 8-10/13-15 individual items.
What if I don’t know how to use a vegetable or I am not an experienced cook?
Using vegetables and herbs can be as simple or complicated as you want to make it. In order to help you explore the use of new products, we have included a resource guide on our website. This page has a great selection of recipes and tips on how to stock your pantry to make the most of your share each week. As farmers, we often don't have much time for cooking during the growing season, so we personally focus on recipes that are quick and easy to prepare after a long day at work! And of course, we always welcome questions about the vegetables, as well as YOUR suggestions on how you like to use them. A big part of CSA is sharing knowledge and passion for food.
What if I can’t pick up my share at the allotted time or I am on vacation?
Our desire is to be accommodating as much as possible. We understand things will come up from time to time. These are some of the options we have offered to members in the past:
- If you are on vacation but would like to have someone else pick up your share, that is no problem. Just please let us know by Wednesday.
- If you know that you will be able to pick up your share by Sunday, we can prepare a box for you and leave it in our fridge and we will work with you about the best time to pick up the box.
Where do I park?
Please park behind the barn and if these spots are all full, you may park in the grass along the exit driveway.
Is there a deadline to sign up, or what happens if I want to upgrade my membership?
No, there is no deadline to sign up. We are happy to be flexible with our customers. If you sign up mid-season, we will pro-rate your membership. If you have a half membership but would like to move to a full membership, we will be happy to pro-rate your upgrade. And if for some reason you know that you just want more produce for one week, we are happy to sell you additional items a-la-carte. The additional a-la-carte items will depend on availability and advance notice will help ensure we can fill your order.
Can you tell me more about your add-ons?
We hope that one of the aspects you will enjoy most about our CSA are the add-ons. Our all-natural beef and pork comes from our family farm, Wyebrook Farm, in Honey Brook PA. We sell eggs from our Downingtown chickens that are fed organic feed. We raise bees for honey and pollination, and we will be looking to sell nucs in 2024. We also raise all-natural lamb in Downingtown. We carry other local farm products such as sheep's milk cheese from Locust Hollow Farm, goat and cow's milk cheese from Haven Farmstead, and honey based beauty products from #scrubwithpurpose as well as many other pantry items from local farms in our farm store. We are also excited to partner with North Star Orchards for a fruit share. Members will sign up for a fruit share through North Star Orchard's website and a cheese share with Collective Creamery also found on their website.
What is your refund policy?
Our aim is to provide you with the products you want.
Farm Store Purchases: We stand by the quality of our products. If you find any items missing or poor quality, or have any other questions of concerns, please contact us directly and we will discuss any applicable refunds.
CSA Memberships: We regret that we cannot offer refunds for CSA shares once the season has begun unless there is someone on the waiting list who can take over your membership.
