About CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

A CSA is a community of people coming together to support a local farmer in producing food for their table.  CSA brings together community members and  farmers in a relationship of mutual support based on an annual commitment to one another. It is a commitment that helps ensure the survival of small farms, a local food supply, and of agricultural land.  CSA assures the farmer a prepaid local market for the crop while providing community members access to the best and freshest local produce available. Members pay an annual fee and receive a weekly share of the farm’s produce.

Community Supported Agriculture is an international movement that is providing people with an alternative to the global food system. Over 1000 CSAs have formed in the United States since 1985. The movement arose as a local and human scale response to the worldwide damage to farmers, farm communities, and the environment, which has occurred with large scale conventional agriculture. Small farmers everywhere are faced with leaving the land because of low food prices. In a region that is “developing” as rapidly as ours, making small farms profitable is one way to assure there will be agricultural land, green space, and locally grown food. The CSA movement seeks to restore direct contact between farmers and consumers, putting a human face on agriculture and the food supply.

About Maple Spring Gardens CSA
Maple Spring Gardens has been in operation marketing our produce in the Chapel Hill and Durham area for over 20 years. The 2004 season was our first year offering a CSA and we feel that it was very successful. To connect with more of the community in a direct and personal way and achieve a wider distribution for our organically grown crops was rewarding for both us and our customers.

Here are some of our first year customers’ comments:

   “ We have felt privileged to be part of your program this year and have enjoyed reading the newsletter. It has been rewarding to be part of the movement to buy locally grown organic food.”

   When asked about the quality of the produce one customer wrote “ Excellent, and everything was fresh and flavorful. Made me feel more in tune with nature’s rhythms, getting things while they’re in season.”

    “ This is our first time and it is exceeding our expectations.  We have prepared and served kale, turnips and beets for the first time as a family.  It is a great adventure for us each week as we try to identify the vegetables in the box and as we introduce new foods to our kids and expand their palates.  It has been a real success thus far because we follow your recipes and cooking instructions.  We find your cooking ideas and recipes simple and realistic for busy people.”

 How a CSA Works

·     Subscribers pay an annual fee before the season begins to reserve their share. This helps us plan our production and provides needed cash to get the crop planted.

·         Members will receive a weekly box of produce for the duration of the season. Our season will run from May through September, a total of 22 weeks. We will deliver the boxes mid week to pickup locations in town, at least one location in Durham, one in Hillsborough, and one in Chapel Hill/Carrboro. Subscribers may elect to pick up their shares at the farm.

·         We grow approximately 40 different kinds of vegetables and berries. Boxes will contain as much variety as we can manage and will change with the season. (see Harvest Calendar.)  Due to the unpredictability of farming, we cannot guarantee every item listed in the Harvest Calendar will be available. We do not customize boxes for individual members. A cut flower share is also an option.

·         We will provide a regular newsletter, containing recipes and keeping members apprised of what’s going on at the farm.

At least once during the season we will have a members-only open house and tour at the farm. Members are welcome to come at other times and look around, with the understanding that our work must go on.

The membership fee for a 22-week season is $510 for a Regular Share, $350 for Smaller Household Share. A Regular Share box will contain an average of $23 worth of produce per week, a Smaller Household Share, $16.

A Cut Flower Share is $110 for a 18-week season running May through August – a $5 bunch of flowers each week.

A subscriber may initially make full payment,  or pay a deposit, with the balance due by May 1. (See registration form.) The balance will be due in the spring before the first delivery and can be made in payments.

We encourage you to register early, as we expect to fill up quickly.

How to Subscribe to the Maple Spring Gardens CSA

We are now full for the 2008 season. Check back again earlier next year. Click here to view our Agreement and Registration Form.