Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Vegetable Membership Program
Again this year, CAUSES will be offering a limited produce purchase program, featuring produce grown at Firebird Farm and the UDC Green Roof. The program is open to students, faculty and staff of the University of the District of Columbia.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a mutual commitment between a farm and a community of supporters that provides a direct link between the production and consumption of food. Supporters cover an integral part of a farm’s yearly operating budget by purchasing a share of the seasonal harvest before it is grown. CSA members make a commitment to support the farm throughout the season. Members payment help cover costs for seeds, water, equipment maintenance, labor, etc. In return, the farm commits to providing a consistent supply of high quality vegetables each week throughout the growing season. At Firebird Farm, our goal is to grow and deliver a combination of vegetables and herbs valued at $30 each week, which is an additional 15% over what you pay.
In addition, we also recognize that smaller families may not have the same needs as large families or people sharing produce. Our full-shares will feed up to 6 people on average per week, or 2-3 people who love veggies. We are now offering half-shares, which will feed up to 4 people on average per week or 1-2 people who love veggies.
In 2017 we will offer 3 seasonal shares: Spring, Summer, and Fall. Download the application!
For those of you who aren’t so crazy about greens and root crops, but can’t live without summer squash and tomatoes (or vice-versa), we have structured our membership options to allow you to choose your produce seasonally. In 2017, we will offer Spring, Summer, and Fall shares. Though not exhaustive, what follows is a list of crops typically available by season:
SPRING – Head Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, Collards, Beets, Turnips, Radishes
SUMMER – Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers, Hot Peppers, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Carrots, Potatoes, Beets, Swiss Chard, Eggplant
FALL – Arugula, Kale, Collards, Swiss Chard, Beets, Turnips, Radishes, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Winter
Squash, Asian Greens, Sweet Potatoes
Details about seasonal shares and costs:
Limited participation is available due to growing space and we can only support 10 full shares and 15 half shares each season. To guarantee your season’s availability, you must sign up by May 18th, even if you will not begin receiving weekly deliveries until Summer or Fall. You may sign up later in the season, but may be waitlisted.
As an incentive, you can receive a discount for signing up for all three seasons and paying a lump sum to UDC. See below for more information on costs:
- Full Year share (lump sum) at $525(full)/$262(half) for all twenty-two weeks (May 25-Nov 16)
- Best Deal!! PAYMENT DUE MAY 18
- Full Year share (payment plan) at $550(full)/$275(half) for all twenty-two weeks (May 25-Nov 16)
- PAYMENT DUE MAY 18
- Spring shares at $125(full)/$62(half) for five weeks (May 25-June 22)
- PAYMENT DUE MAY 18
- Summer shares at $225(full)/$112(half) for nine weeks (July 13-Sep 7)
- PAYMENT DUE JULY 6
- Fall shares at $200(full)/$100(half) for eight weeks (Sep 28-Nov 16)
- PAYMENT DUE SEP 21
All pick-ups are in front of Building 44 in the breezeway on Thursday afternoons
Completed applications along with a check made out to “CAUSES CSA Membership” should be returned to Ms. Williett Hunt in Building 44, Room 120. For more information about the CSA, contact Matt Gardine with the Center for Urban Agriculture & Gardening Education matthew.gardine@udc.edu. Not in CAUSES but want to know more about the program which we hope to open to the public in the future? Contact causes@udc.edu.