Community Supported Agriculture in Twin Cities (co-op, homes, buying)

[Gibby3000]

I'm interested in signing up for a CSA farm this year. I've not done this before and as I'm looking into it I wonder how you know which one to pick. There are several that deliver near where I live. There aren't many that are anywhere near me and I'm not free during the day so I think going to pick up my stuff would be pretty challenging. I'm wondering how you decide which is a "good" CSA particularly since it looks like you pay in advance. Anyone have any experience with this?

[MnMomma]

I have done Community Homestead the last few years. I think they are close to being full for this year. Organic produce. Great quantities (we split with another family) and ability to order additional items (baked goods, meat...). Also helps people with special needs so there's an additional benefit. Community Homestead

[Gibby3000]

Thanks Barbara. Do you pick up at a drop off location? If so how does that work? Do you have to be there at a specific time? Is it during the week or on weekends? I'm trying to figure out logistics. I work during the day and I'm gone a lot on weekends. I'm planning to do this with another household so we can share the goods and the pick up responsibility.

[golfgal]

My sister used one last year, I want to say it was out of Cumberland, WI. They had enough people in her town that they brought the food to their town and met in a parking lot at a school. The one they used was a joke. Their basket would contain an onion, a few leafs of lettuce, a tomato or two. They had friends that used other and would get baskets full of produce.

My FIL loves to garden so we get plenty of stuff from him or from the great farmer's market in town otherwise the CSA's are a nice option.

[Gibby3000]

Thanks for the info. I heard back from Community Homestead so I am signing up with them.

[MnMomma]

They drop off on the same day each week and I can pick them up anytime--but it must be before noon the next day (or I can call to make arrangements). If we were out of town, we'd just tell a friend when/where to go so they could enjoy it that week instead. Glad to hear you heard back from them already. Enjoy!

[silverjet]

You've already chosen a place, but for anyone else, I know that places like the Seward Co-op have CSA fairs every spring where you can talk to the farmers and get brochures on what each of them offer, etc. Also pay attention at farmers markets when they start up again. If there's someone you like buying from, just ask them if they also offer a CSA buy-in.

Also check out this link - the Land Stewardship Project (http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/index.html - broken link) has a listing of all the different CSAs (right now they only have 2009 up but they'll have 2010 up by mid-month).