What is Community Supported Agriculture?
CSA brings together community members, farmers and agricultural land in a relationship of mutual support based on an annual commitment to one another.
There are many kinds of CSA. At Indian Line Farm, members of the community purchase a “share” of the anticipated harvest, and make payment in advance at an agreed price. In exchange, the farmers plant, cultivate, harvest, wash and distribute a bountiful selection of vegetables, fruit, flowers and herbs. In short, the farmer and members become partners in the production, distribution and consumption of locally grown food.

One of the first CSA farms in the United States was formed in 1985 at Indian Line Farm. Currently, there are perhaps 1,700 CSA farms feeding hundreds of thousands of people throughout North America. You can learn more about CSA farms at the following web sites:

• www.csacenter.org (The Robyn Van En Center)
• www.biodynamics.com/csa.html

What is a share?
Each week within the growing season, farmers at Indian Line Farm are responsible for harvesting the fresh crops which are then distributed as part of the “share” Usually, crops are distributed within 24 hours of picking, and members come to the farm once per week. Members have a choice of pickup days, either Tuesday or Friday, between 3 pm and 7 pm. Click on the following links for detailed descriptions of the available shares and a Commitment Form (PDF).

Why shouldn’t I just buy my vegetables at the supermarket?
You can...but there are a host of reasons why joining Indian Line Farm might be for you!

First and foremost, Indian Line Farm distributes the highest quality, freshest and healthiest produce available. When you pick up a bag of our produce, most of which was harvested the very morning of your pickup, you KNOW you’re getting the very freshest possible food. Vegetables at the supermarket have been trucked great distances, and are often many days older than what you’ll pick up at Indian Line Farm.

In addition to the great produce, flowers, and herbs grown at Indian Line Farm, we also sell a variety of locally produced, high-quality products from others. These include bread, meat, granola, eggs, etc. Our goal is to provide you with an opportunity to eat locally, and we seek to fill your basket with healthy goods.
You’ll also have the opportunity to become intimately acquainted with our activities, struggles, and opportunities at Indian Line Farm. For example, you can learn about farming by reading our frequent newsletters. Within our newsletter, we offer timely information about what’s going on at Indian Line Farm and within the larger food system as we know it. Other times, we might feature the perspective of our apprentices, offering their fresh, first hand look at what we do. How often have you purchased vegetables at the supermarket and had no idea of the story behind that food?

You can stroll around and participate in the farm, observing the state of the fields, animals, flowers, etc. For many of our members, this opportunity to get some fresh air at the farm is a highlight of the week! Though we harvest most of what’s contained within a share, members are encouraged to get their hands dirty, with a variety of “u-pick” items. Flowers, strawberries, beans, and sugar snap peas are just some of the examples of u-pick items that we offer. Occasionally, we offer our members the opportunity to participate in planting, such as our now famous annual garlic planting festival in the fall. With the earth under foot, and the sun sometimes bearing down, you are greeted with the chance to experience directly the life and work of farmers throughout the world and throughout history. Again, when you buy produce at the supermarket, you are separated from the history and hands involved in your food.

The farm is a place where children are especially welcome. As they develop, we provide a unique opportunity for them to become acquainted with where food comes from. We have historically kept animals on the farm - chickens, cows, dogs and cats - Your children will love them! Many of our members report their increased success in persuading their children to eat vegetables. When children have a positive experience at the farm and learn where their food comes from, they become much more likely to reinforce their positive experience by eating what they’ve seen here. Can your children get the same experience riding in the seat of a metal carriage? No way!

And, of course, the same goes for all of us. And, in turn, finding fun ways to incorporate vegetables into our diets leads to better health! One fantastic way to learn about vegetables is to share your cooking experiences with others. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to do this, as the distribution room is often abuzz with cooking ideas and suggestions. Also, our newsletter typically features a recipe highlighting one of the weeks vegetables. In this way, you’ll become a resident expert on how to eat seasonally and locally.

My life is busy. What’s the minimum working requirement for members?
We ask that all members help us a minimum total of just 2 hours a season at the farm. We would prefer that the hours correspond with pick up times, Tuesday or Friday, 3-7 pm. We often need assistance in the distribution room. We will have a sign up sheet the first week of June.