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Applications for the 2008 Season are now available!
Contact Ben Abell (ben.abell@uky.edu)
for an application.
Shares will be first-come, first-serve basis.
Visit Local
Harvest for other CSA opportunities in Central Kentucky.
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What is the UK-CSA Project?
The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Sustainable Agriculture Program is operating a Community Supported Agriculture Project (CSA). This project is an integral part of the Sustainable Agriculture Undergraduate Curriculum and links local community members (shareholders) with the Organic Farming Section located at the UK Horticulture Research Farm.
The Program’s
CSA project is not a commercial farm and is not managed for profit. The
Program operates the CSA as a working classroom where
All financial proceeds from the sale of CSA shares support the production of food during the growing season and student educational activities at the Horticulture Research Farm.
Learn more about the UK Sustainable Agriculture Program!
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What is Community Supported Agriculture?
Robyn Van En
helped introduce the CSA concept to the
Food production and consumption have largely become impersonal and anonymous actions. Personal relationships are important in a CSA and there is actually a web of relationships that exists. There is the relationship of the farmer with the shareholder, shareholders with each other, and the relationship of everyone with the Land. These relationships develop community and nurture a deeper appreciation for food production.
CSA is a mutual commitment and partnership between a farm and supportive members of the community. The farmer(s) provide the wisdom and labor needed to nurture a harvest of produce, and shareholders provide adequate financial support needed for the farm to operate in an economically sustainable manner. The farm benefits from having a reliable market at an equitable price, and shareholders receive fresh, local, and affordable produce grown by people they know and trust.
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How does a Community Supported Agriculture Project work?
The CSA is essentially a season-long contract between shareholders and the farm. The shareholders commit to a pre-determined price for an equivalent portion, or share, of the farm’s total production. The farm harvests vegetables, herbs, and flowers at the peak of readiness, divides them into shares, and delivers them to shareholders at a central distribution point on a periodic (usually weekly) basis. The farm selects seed varieties and coordinates planting dates to provide, with Mother Nature’s cooperation, abundant, diverse, and fantastically flavorful shares. Shareholders know that they are receiving premium seasonal produce from a local farm in a conveniently packaged share at a fair price. It’s all of the pleasures of the farmers market, but with all your produce ready when you arrive!
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Who
is eligible to join the
All members
of the
The first share distribution date is scheduled for mid-May with the last being in late October.
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How much does it cost to join the CSA?
The CSA Program offers a regular share option to accommodate the needs of a two or three person household. Share prices are listed on the CSA Application form. The CSA Program is committed to engaging students, and the reduced share prices offered to students are in recognition of their limited financial resources.
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Can I pay for a share under an installment arrangement?
Although full payment at the start of the season is encouraged and appreciated, you may spread your payments over three equal installments. The first installment is due upon signing a share agreement, the second on or before May 1, and the third on or before July 1.
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What can I expect to find in a weekly share?
The average weekly share will contain a variety of 8 to 12 items, be three-quarters of a bushel in size, and weigh between 6 to 16 pounds (averaging 12 pounds). This amount of produce should provide for a small family (2 to 3 persons) of non-vegetarians.
Because shares contain the freshest produce available and because there is no way to precisely predict growing conditions during a season, we won’t know the actual content of a share until it’s time for the weekly harvest. However, we have chosen our plant varieties and planting schedules to provide a diverse assortment of vegetables, herbs and flowers throughout the growing season. Based on a typical growing season, you should expect to find a selection of these items in your share:
May: salad mix, radishes, spinach, kale, collards, mustard, beets, bok choi
June: beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, flowers, lettuce, mixed greens, peas, turnips, spinach, swiss chard
July: basil, beets, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, greens, green onions, garlic, eggplant, bell peppers, hot peppers, okra, yellow squash and zucchini
August: basil, beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, corn, melons, onions, garlic, bell peppers, hot peppers, sweet corn, thyme, rosemary, yellow squash and zucchini
September: salad mix, basil, beets, broccoli, corn, carrots, melons, onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, yellow squash and zucchini
October: salad mix, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, onions, potatoes, spinach, yellow squash and zucchini
Please keep in mind that a core principle of the CSA concept is the shared commitment between the farm and shareholders. This means that shareholders not only share in the bounty of the farm but also in potential problems that may arise during the growing season. For example, an extended period of drought or a serious insect infestation may mean that the quantities of certain produce are reduced or even eliminated from a weekly share. The farm production team will attempt all reasonable strategies to avoid such situations but shareholders should be aware that there are no “refunds” or “rebates” of share prices.
In addition to your share of produce, you will also receive a periodic flier containing seasonal recipes, updates on local food issues, and information about the UK Sustainable Agriculture Program.
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Where do I pick-up my share and what happens if it rains?
Shareholders can pick-up their shares in the parking lot of the E.S. Good Barn between 4:00 pm and 6:00 p.m. every Thursday during the season. This is the only time that weekly shares will be available and produce will not be stored by the farm for later distribution.
Share distribution will take place, rain or shine, unless genuinely catastrophic weather or another natural disaster intercedes. You will be notified in advance (preferably through e-mail) should distribution be cancelled.
Click
here for the location of the Good Barn on the
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What does organic certification mean?
Organic certification provides independent verification that all produce from a farm has been raised and handled in compliance with the USDA organic standards. There is much more involved in organic farming than the common misunderstanding that it means “no pesticides were used”.
The USDA defines an organic farm as one that responds to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Organic production is a pro-active, environmentally sensitive approach to farming that builds a healthy, vibrant soil as the foundation for crop and livestock vitality. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture conducts organic certification for the CSA.
To learn more about Organic farming, visit the ATTRA resource page:
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Want to learn more about Community Supported Agriculture?
Please visit these websites:
Last Updated February 19, 2008 • Contact Webmaster • An Equal Opportunity University