fresh food. thriving farms.
fresh food. thriving farms.
what
is
csa?
about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is like a subscription to the freshest, most flavorful food your local farm has to offer!
When you become a CSA member, you invest in the farm at the beginning of the season. In return, you'll receive a share of the harvest throughout the growing season.
Each produce box is a celebration of the season, filled with farm-fresh food that's carefully grown, harvested, and packed by your farmer right before it gets to your table.
CSA is about more than food. When you join a CSA, you’re also building a partnership with your local farmer. The CSA farmer-member relationship allows you to connect with your community while learning the story behind your food, who grows it, and how. It’s a delicious way to eat seasonally, explore new flavors, and become part of a story that goes far beyond your plate.
With your CSA membership, you're saying YES to delicious fresh food, thriving local farmers, and a stronger connection to where your food comes from!
Spinach
Collards
Mint
Mushrooms
Corn
Special
Product
Kohlrabi
Mustard
Greens
Turnips
Kale
Lettuce
Spring share - Squashington Farm
May share - Tipi Produce
Summer share - Winterfell Acres
Winter share - My Fine Homestead
CSA members join a farm early in the season by purchasing a share of that farm’s products in advance. In return, members get a delicious weekly or bi-weekly box of foods, carefully grown, harvested, and washed by the farmer, all season long.
Members pick up their shares in their neighborhood or at their farm, and can participate in on-farm events, work days, potlucks, u-pick gardens, and more. Some farms offer choose-your-own or “market shares” where you can compile your own box of vegetables at their weekly farm stand!
Pick a farm that fits your needs.
Purchase a “share” from a farm and become a farm “member.”
Choose the pick-up location from a list of options the farm provides.
The farm provides a box of vegetables regularly throughout the growing season.
Attend events and activities on your farm, if you want some quality time with your farmer.
Finding the farm that works best for you can be daunting with so many high-quality farms in our community. A FairShare Endorsed farm promises to:
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Be certified organic or in transition to organic certification.
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Grow or produce the vast majority of their products on their farm.
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Provide a high level of customer service.
how does csa work?
It's as simple as that!
Why choose a FairShare Endorsed Farm?
1.
2.
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5.
WHAT TO CONSIDER
FARM
LOCATION
Are you interested in
on-farm activities? Then
you might be interested
in a farm that is located
closer to you!
PICKUP
LOCATION
With so many different pickup locations to choose from, you can find farms that deliver near your house or workplace.
SHARE
SIZE
How many people are using the share? A standard share may be perfect for 3-4, and a small/half share for 1-2.
PICKUP
DAY
Pick up your share on a day that best fits your schedule.
PRICE
Find the CSA share that works for your budget! (Check out our
for financial assistance options)
ADD-ONS
Interested in meat, dairy, coffee, or other specialty products? See which farms offer add-ons.
# OF DELIVERIES
Different farms offer longer/shorter CSA seasons.
SPECIAL FARM
FEATURES
Some farms offer special tours, activities, or events just for their CSA members.
what to consider
HOW TO PICK A FARM
1.
2.
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4.
Use the tools at csacoalition.org
Our website has lots of great resources to assist in your farm selection. Learn about CSA through our CSA Farm Guide. Explore share types with the interactive Farm Search tool and find pick-up locations convenient to your home, workplace, or community.
Get to know your farmer
Become familiar with the farms in your community by clicking on their profiles, reading about farm offerings, and finding more information on pick-up locations and shares.
Contact the Farmer
As you narrow your search, visit the farm’s website and Facebook page, and then contact the farm if you still have questions. Farmers welcome inquiries from potential members.
Sign up
Fill out the farm’s CSA sign-up form and start receiving fresh food and priceless farm and cooking information.
Check out these additional resources:
Looking for a CSA farm, but can't find what you're looking for in the FairShare Farm Search? Below are additional resources to find a CSA farm that is near you and is a great fit for your household or organization:
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Bayfield Foods CSA (WI)
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Farm Fresh Atlas (Across Wisconsin)
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Good Earth Guide (OH)
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Iowa CSA Directory (IA)
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Local Food Guide (Central Ohio River Valley)
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Local Harvest (National)
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Minnesota Grown (MN)
how to pick a farm
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Thanks to our sponsors for helping connect eaters to fresh food through CSA!
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Published quarterly with the seasons, Edible Madison shares the inspiring stories of local farmers, food producers, chefs and the organizations that continue to shape our dynamic local food movement across Southern Wisconsin. Edible Madison supports the work FairShare does to strengthen the CSA movement because we believe a healthy local food economy depends upon deep and loyal relationships between eaters, producers and growers.
Heartland Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative specializing in farm and producer lending. Their services ensure that small-scale farmers, CSA farms, farmers of color and beginning farmers can access the financial services they need to thrive. Heartland Credit Union's expertise in small to medium-sized farm financing is a valuable tool for farmers and FairShare farms which are often overlooked by larger financial institutions.
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Isthmus has served Madison as a source of news and culture since 1976, converting to a nonprofit organization in 2021. We believe in the power of storytelling to expose wrongdoing and injustice, provide solutions and uplift communities. That includes reporting on Madison's inextricable link to the vibrant farms that surround us. Isthmus is proud to partner with FairShare in supporting the food growers who enrich our lives.
