Members support a SUSTAINABLE, CERTIFIED-ORGANIC farm: The Garden of Eve Farm uses earth-friendly methods to farm in an environmentally sustainable way. The CSA allows the farm to plan a full-year budget, and helps the farm cover up-front costs of seed and labor before the crops come in. In return, members benefit in the bounty and the healthy lifestyle related to having a personal connection to a local organic farm.
Members who sign up for vegetable shares receive healthier, fresher vegetables: Enjoy a variety of seasonable vegetables and herbs with no synthetic herbicides, fertilizers, or pesticides, picked the day before for freshness. Eating a diverse selection of vegetables weekly means we are eating a larger range of foods and nutrients.
Members who sign up for fruit shares receive fresh, locally picked fruit: Members get fruit that ripens on the plants. The fruit is grown organic when possible, but approx. 80% of the fruit is low spray. Much of that fruit is grown using the lowest amount of spray and fertilizer possible in New York State to maintain a marketable production of the crop.
Members who sign up for egg shares receive free-range chicken eggs: Garden of Eve’s chickens are free-range, grass-fed, and are not fed any hormones or antibiotics so their eggs are healthier and fresher than what members will find in most grocery stores.
Members who sign up for flower shares receive fresh flowers for their homes weekly without damaging the environment: Our bouquets are put together using a variety of local, organically grown flowers. Unlike commercial florists, these flowers are grown using an environmentally sustainable method without pesticides.
Members reduce their carbon footprint: Less gasoline is used in the transport of produce from the Garden of Eve Farm in Long Island. Most produce found in grocery stores is shipped across the country or around the world.
Members taste the difference! Members are getting healthier, tastier organic produce that ripens on the plants before it is picked.
Members will be more connected to our food source: Visits to the farm let members see where our food is coming from and how the food is grown. Knowing our farmers puts a face to our produce. It also connects us to our local environment’s ecosystem by providing us with produce in season and showing us how our weather conditions affect the crops weekly. When the farm experiences a particularly good season, CSA members will receive a surplus of good crops.
ECONOMIC VALUE: When averaged prices were compared with NYC’s major competitors the cost of the Greenpoint-Williamsburg CSA shares came out on top! The CSA weekly vegetable share is $20.60. The cost of the average equivalent produce from the Garden of Eve Farm stand would cost $25. The average of equivalent produce at Whole Foods Market is $30.49*. And at Fresh Direct it’s $39.90*. These distributors rarely supply produce that is both local and organic.*****These prices are an average of winter prices and do not reflect seasonal price changes of the major competitors vegetable produce.
Members will have the opportunity to be a part of a HEALTHY, ENVIONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY: This CSA is a community of people who are committed to sustainable farming, to lowering their negative impacts on the environment, and to living healthy lifestyles. There are CSA work shifts, mixer events, field trips to the farm, and fundraisers organized by the CSA members to encourage the strengthening of our community.
Members understand that Organic does not always mean “pretty”: Members accept that using natural methods of farming means that the produce is not pumped with fertilizers, or genetically engineered. Therefore, it will not be the giant, cookie-cutter produce that we may be used to seeing in the grocery produce sections. Also, pesticide-free farming means that occasionally there will be green worms or holes in the leaves from bugs in the fields. This is the reality of organic farming. Consider it the stamp of TRUE ORGANIC.
Members understand that seasonal produce varies from week to week: Members receive produce that is in season. This means we will not always get all of our favorites, and it will change from week to week. This cuts down on our choices, although there is a large variety each week, but it also will pose new, exciting challenges in the kitchen. (See the website for recipes).
Picking thru the CSA bins: We encourage CSA members to come early during pick-ups. We do not expect any members to take inedible produce or a smaller share. The CSA is committed to making sure every member be provided with equal shares. But since members pick their own produce from the bins, the selection to pick from may be smaller towards the end of pick up hours. We ask that members voice their concerns to the distribution leaders at the pick-up centers when they see something that they are concerned or unhappy with (uneven rationing, un-edible produce, etc.) In order to maintain quality control we need all of our member’s participation. This will ensure that we can regularly voice our legitimate concerns and problems to the farmers in order to make necessary adjustments and improvements.
Members accept that there will be dirt on the produce: Produce comes from the earth and naturally touches dirt on the farm. The facilities at the farm are not set up for perfect presentation the way a mega-farm is.
Members understand that the production and delivery of farm produce relies heavily upon weather and natural conditions: Members accept that in the case of a season of bad weather, a natural disaster, or wild animals picking off the chickens, the farm is not liable to distribute produce it does not have to the CSA. This means that there may be times when the farm asks that the egg shares be reduced, or that the quantities of the produce are smaller**. Working together and supporting the farm thru these difficult times means that the farm will be able to recover and continue to help sustain a source of quality produce for the CSA community. *****In the case of a miscalculation on the farm’s part, the farmers have been known to reimburse CSA members for items that ran out during distribution.
Members are COMMITTING to the Greenpoint-Williamsburg CSA community: the Greenpoint-Williamsburg CSA members ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY to arrange to have someone pick up their shares at the weekly pick-up point or forfeit that weeks share. Members also COMMIT to working for at least one work shift for Saturday members, or 2 distribution work shifts for Wednesday members. Saturday member work-shifts can include working at our distribution center, market stand, or working on the farm. Member involvement is what keeps the CSA alive. We welcome and encourage members who would like to volunteer to do additional shifts and who participate in the CSA mixers, and events. Remember, this is fun! The more our members participate, the more they help create the community they envision!
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION = SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CSA COMMUNITY/FARM: Member’s understand that the Greenpoint-Williamsburg CSA is run and maintained by the CSA core members, the Garden of Eve Farm, and the CSA member community. This is a community-organized project that benefits all members involved, not a typical business venture. The farm relies on the CSA community to maintain its sustainable, organic farming. CSA members rely on the Farm to provide us with healthy, local, organic produce. Without our member’s participation the CSA cannot sustain produce delivery or our community. Members are committed to help do their part, and realize that PARTICIPATION is the key to SUSTAINABLE LIVING.
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