Welcome Prospective Members!
Growing Washington is proud to announce its second year of the Growing Whatcom Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project. This multiple-farm CSA benefits farmers by adding to their sales in addition to providing a transportation system to move their produce. You, the consumer, are provided access to some of the most appetizing local produce. This CSA is a great opportunity to get to know several farms in your area.
What is CSA?
You may or may not already know what Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is, but just in case you don’t here are the basics:
The first official CSA farms originated in Asia and Japan, and were introduced to North America in the early 1980s. In a traditional CSA, people in the community invest in a local farm by purchasing a “share” of that farm’s harvest. Shareholders--or members--in turn receive a portion of the farm’s produce every week, typically for 20 weeks of the growing season (although some CSAs now go year round). CSAs form strong connections between community members and farmers.
Shares are generally paid for prior to the growing season in order to provide CSA farmers income needed for the costs associated with the beginning of the growing season. In this sense, a CSA creates a market for the farmer in a time when the amount of produce available for sale is limited. The price of a CSA share is meant to be fair for both producer and consumer. Because the producer saves money by avoiding distributors and retailers, savings can be passed on to consumers who pay less than they would at grocery stores or farmers markets.
Some Specifics
The price of the Growing Whatcom CSA is $450 for a full share and $250 for a half share. In the full share members receive a weekly Whatcom County harvest box for 20 consecutive weeks (ready for pick-up every Thursday from June 19th through October 30th)! A half share received a harvest box every other week between June 19th and October 23rd.
The typical box will include 12-15 items from a multitude of local farms, each offering participating members the best of which the farm has to offer. In addition, members receive newsletters that highlight the activities on participating farms and recipes for one or more items in the weekly box. The food in the CSA boxes varies, and contents follow the seasons. During the 20 weeks of harvest boxes, members can expect to receive as many as 75 different products! Many of the food items are unique varieties that can’t be found in stores, and many are standards popular in our region. Customers can expect such items as:
- Salad Mixes
- Tomatoes
- Berries (Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Strawberries)
- Apples
- Pears
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Onions
- Beets
- Radishes
- Turnips
- Stone Fruit (Peaches, Plums, Nectarines, etc.)
- Celery
- Lettuce
- Corn
- Summer and Winter Squash
- Potatoes
- Peppers
- Bunched Greens (Chard, Kale, Spinach, Collards etc.)
- Asian Greens
- Peas (Sugar Snap, Snow, Shelling)
With seasonal produce coming from some of the best farms in Whatcom County, customers can expect a delicious variety each and every week.
A Non-Traditional CSA
The Growing Whatcom CSA is a non-traditional CSA. We live in a place where many varieties of fruits and vegetables can be cultivated, and it only seems fair that people living in Whatcom County should get a taste of what our farmers are cultivating. The Growing Whatcom CSA focuses on giving the customer the very best variety and quality from growers who specialize in different crops. Therefore, this CSA promises the absolute best that Whatcom farms have to offer.
Our CSA is unique in that a single purchase also goes to strengthen over a dozen participating farms. And, through our CSA customers feel a connection to a number of farms in our community, creating tangible and lasting connections between consumers and farmers.
History of Growing Whatcom multiple-farm CSA
The idea for many farms to collaborate in a single CSA was borrowed from the now defunct CSA at Pike Place Market in Seattle. Studying their system and learning from the strengths and weaknesses of their operations, Whatcom County farmers decided to develop a collaborative CSA of their own. Growing Washington acts as the managing body for this CSA, coordinating and providing the most efficient transportation network to collect produce and deliver it in family-sized boxes to the CSA members. One box is normally adequate to provide a week of side-dishes for a family of 4 or 5. While in a traditional CSA one farm is responsible for 8 to 12 different items in a box, a multiple-farm CSA allows each farmer to concentrate on just a few of his or her best items of the week. In 2007, 20 weeks of appealing produce came from farms throughout Whatcom County, primarily in the Ferndale, Lynden, and Everson areas.
Our Farms
Participating farms of 2007 were:
This season, there will be additional farms joining the dozen that contributed in 2007.
What’s in the box
Having over a dozen farms contributing, this CSA is able to provide a vast variety of local produce. Some favorite items in 2007 were carrots from Hopewell Farm, Japanese cucumbers from Nooksack Nine, raspberries from Alm Hill Gardens, Spanish garlic from Rabbit Fields Farm, Honeycrisp apples from BelleWood Acres, Italian prunes from Hauck’s Orchard, sage from DEVine Gardens, Sungold cherry tomatoes from Double Rainbow Farm, and Arugula from F.A. Farm, just to name a few.
Specifics for 2008
Distribution point
The 20 week season will begin June 19th and run till October 30th. Pick-up will either be at the Local Food Exchange at 1314 Railroad Avenue in downtown Bellingham between noon and 6pm every Thursday for full-share members and every other Thursday for half-share members. Or, customers may also pick up at Alm Hill Gardens at 3550 Alm Road just north of Everson between noon and 6pm every Thursday for full-share members and every other Thursday for half-share members.
June 19th is the first day for all members, full-share and half-share alike.
Our prices
Full share (One box every week for 20 weeks): $450
Half share (One box every-other-week for 20 weeks): $250
- Half payment is due May 19th and full payment is due June 19th. Growing Washington offers a few alternatives to paying the full share price.
- Discounts are available in three ways: by referring other members to our CSA, by work-trade, or by qualifying for a low-income share.
Customer referral program
If you have referred someone who is purchasing a CSA through us this season, request that they write your name on their application. For each person you refer to us that joins the CSA this year, you will receive a $20.00 credit toward the total cost of your CSA. We feel that the best way to get our program advertised is by word of mouth. It is even possible to get your entire CSA for free if you refer enough people!!
Work-trade
We offer discounts in exchange for regular help in transportation and packing of the CSA boxes. The rate of discount will be negotiated and depends on the amount of time you can give to helping facilitate the CSA. The number of members we offer a trade to is limited by the amount of work we can offer. If you are interested, you may wish to contact us immediately, as it is offered on a first-come-first-served basis.
Low-income shares
Through our Just Food CSA program, we offer a sliding-scale share price for our CSA. Click here to see if you qualify and to apply for Just Food. Funding is limited and this service is on a first-come-first-served basis. If we do not have space for you now, you will be placed on a waiting list and we will do our best to provide you with this opportunity to pay according to your financial means.
‘Add-ons’
Make the Growing Whatcom CSA your one-stop shopping. In addition to the variety of vegetables, this year’s CSA offers the option of receiving other local products, including locally crafted bread, milk, coffee, and eggs. You may choose to add any one or all of these items to your box either weekly or bi-weekly. When applying to the Growing Whatcom CSA, check the box next to your desired option. The price of the standard CSA is $450 for 20 weeks of produce or $22.50 per week. Below are the ‘add-on’ options and the additional cost for each option.
Accountability of our farms
Though not all farms within the Growing Whatcom CSA are certified organic, all of us practice sustainable agriculture.* It is our belief at Growing Washington that accountability strengthens the integrity of a farming system. One of the virtues of buying locally is that consumers know the people who grow their food and farmers know the people they are feeding. This creates an atmosphere where the farmers take pride in growing the best possible food for their customers. Growing Washington maintains a close rapport with its farmers and is able to guarantee the integrity of each one.
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Copyright © 2008 Growing Washington