Community Supported Agriculture is the basic principle of pairing local consumers who want fresh organic produce with local growers who want a stable and appreciative market for their produce. A group or "community" of consumers supports a local farm by purchasing, in advance, shares of that farm's next season's harvest. The farmer grows organic produce for this community and divides the harvest among shareholders.
The benefits of participating in a CSA are many. As a member you will not only enjoy all of the food but also the following benefits:
- All produce is Organically grown, which means no pesticides and no herbicides
- Produce that tastes better because it is straight off the farm and only hours old.
- Weekly distributions of quality produce such as broccoli, cabbage, green onions, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, radishes, lettuces, tomatoes, bell peppers, a variety of hot peppers, squash, zucchini, eggplant, kale, melons, and Irish potatoes, turnips, kale, collards, beets, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, turnip greens, sweet and hot peppers.
- Supporting local farming business, which in turn brings more money to local community.
- Knowledge of where your food comes from.
- Developing a mutual trust and friendship with a farmer.
In a time of increasingly industrialized food production and the environmental problems that accompany it, won't it be good to know where your food is coming from? A share will consist of 24 weekly distributions of organic vegetables, beginning in May and lasting through the end of October.
A full share is distubuted every week from May - October and costs $700.00 for a half bushel of freshly harvested certified organic produce. We offer a half share, which is a half bushel every other week, (May - October) for $400.00. The vegetables and fruit you can expect in the spring include strawberries, broccoli, cabbage, green onions, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, radishes, and lettuces. Summer will bring blueberries, tomatoes, bell peppers, a variety of hot peppers, squash, zucchini, eggplant, kale, melons, and Irish potatoes. Fall crops include turnips, kale, collards, beets, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, turnip greens, sweet and hot peppers.
For distribution we offer eleven pickup sites in the Nashville and surrounding areas. All pickup times are 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Wednesday sites are:
1. The Farm, Delvin Farm Lane off of McDaniel
2. East Nashville Farmers Market, 210 S. 10th Street,
3. Glendale School in the Oakdale Community, 3:30 to 5:30
4. Linden Corner School in West Nashville at Sharondale and Hillsboro Road
5. Mt. Juliet/ Hermitage, 3672 Central Pike, Hermitage
6. Murfreesboro, 315 John Rice Blvd
7. Alive Hospice, Charlotte Avenue, Nashville.
Thursday Pickup sites are:
8. Vanderbilt University, 3 to 5 p.m. Medical Center Plaza (across from Langford Auditorium)
9. St. Henry's Chuch, 3 - 5 p.m.
10. Brentwood High School, 3 - 5 p.m. (note fundraising location, CSA is $25.00 additional)
Saturday Pickup location is:
11. Franklin Farmer's Market at the Factory 8 a.m. to 12 Noon.
Besides receiving a weekly box of fresh, high-quality organically grown produce, shareholders also know that they're directly supporting a local farm. CSA's allow shareholders to re-establish a connection with the land people feel they have lost. To familiarize you with the growing conditions, we will host a day on which you may visit the farm and see first hand how your food is being produced. Recipes and other surprises will accompany your weekly baskets.
To become a member and start your distributions of quality, organically grown produce fill out the form here and fax or mail in.
If you have questions about the program, feel free to email us at: Delvin Farms. You can also contact us using the information from our Contact Information page. We'll be happy to answer any questions you may have and talk to you about our program.
