Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is a mutually beneficial farmer-to-consumer connection. Members purchase CSA shares direct from the farmers in advance of the season; the members' payments cover the farm's operating budget. This allows the farmers to devote their energy to sustainable farming practices and to grow an entire season's harvest of fresh, nutritious produce for CSA members. The farmers pledge to do their best to provide a wide variety of vegetables to members. Much more detailed descriptions of the CSA concept are available from sites listed on our links page.

CSA's depend on members' effort. Volunteering is a great way to be part of the CSA community, meet other members, and support regional, sustainable agriculture. Talk with your site coordinator or click on the orange Contact Us button to the left about how you can help. We always need help setting up the pickup site on delivery days, unloading the truck and packing everything up at the end of the night. Other jobs include manning the intake table, recruiting new members, typing up, printing and distributing documents for circulation to members, coordinating deliveries of special items like locally raised meat, eggs, maple syrup and honey, and offering to drive other members up to the farm on visiting days. We are very family friendly and encourage you to bring children along wherever feasible. A commitment of 2 to 4 hours per year would be a tremendous help.

Click on the brown Community button to the left to get information on becoming a member of the Carnegie Hill / Yorkville CSA.

Carnegie Hill / Yorkville CSA Schedule

The Carnegie Hill / Yorkville CSA is about to commence its 12th season in partnership with Stoneledge Farm. Once the CSA season begins in mid-June, members pick up their share of the weekly harvest at their CSA distribution site. Members continue to receive a supply of vegetables and herbs for 24 weeks, ending in November with the winter frost. Each week's share consists of about 9-12 different vegetables. The weight of the share varies; the springtime crops are generally lighter than the summer crops. From late summer on into fall, shares can way more than 12 pounds per week.

The specific crops planted and harvested depend on the judgment of the farmer along with the input of members and the ultimate cooperation of nature. While every year has variations, a week by week listing from the last several seasons is typical of what to expect.

As the name implies, an organic garden is a living system that cannot be fully controlled. Members understand that they share the risk of poor harvests and the surpluses of abundant harvests.

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