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NWR: Anyone here buy CSA shares?

eouelleteouellet member
100 Comments
in Massachusetts-Boston
Hey guys!  I want to start doing a CSA farm share this summer - does anyone have any recommendations for good farms?  Ideally, pickup would be available in or near Boston. Also, I'd really prefer a program that offers half shares as a full one is just too much for us!  Thanks!
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Re: NWR: Anyone here buy CSA shares?

  • killian09killian09
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I have done Red Fire Farm and Parker Farm in the past.  Both are good, for different reasons.  Red Fire Farm is a larger operation--more professional feel, more organized.  But I got less volume of produce with them, and was slightly less satisfied with the quality.  Parker Farm is a smaller scale thing, but the volume of vegetables we got was fantastic, and I felt it was a very good value.  I hear that they hit some bumps last year (when I had a Red Fire share), but I decided to go back to them this year anyway, because the value and quality was better.  Plus I liked the inclusion of some apples and fruit occasionally in the fall (without having to pay for a fruit share).  I would really recommend either though; it just depends on what you value more/what you are looking for in a share.  Parker Farm definitely does 1/2 shares.

    Both have pick up in Cambridge, and some other locations (I'm not sure exactly).

    Parker Farm:

    imageimage BFP #1 7/2011 natural m/c at 11.5 weeks. BFP #2 3/2012 ectopic pg, MTX at 7.5 weeks. BFP #3 10/2012, EDD 6/24/2013 over the moon to be expecting our baby girl in June!
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  • killian09killian09
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    p.s. the "bumps" that I heard Parker Farm hit were specifically related to the horrible weather we had last summer for Massachusetts farmers, just to clarify.  The rain all summer with very little sun lead much of the state to be declared an agricultural disaster zone last year.  As I see it, this is the risk you take when you sign up for a CSA.  If your farm is in a disaster zone, you have to be willing to absorb a bit of the risk.  That said, looking at photos of the shares from last year, it looks to me like people still got a good value from the share.  

    Red Fire Farm suffered last year too, btw.  We got very few tomatoes, and the ones we got weren't in great condition.  They had issues with tomato blight on their farm.

    BUT, I don't think you should be discouraged.  I loved our CSAs both years.  It is a great way to get local organic produce at an affordable price.  And it is really fun to try all the new veggies that come.  I'm really looking forward to this year's share!
    imageimage BFP #1 7/2011 natural m/c at 11.5 weeks. BFP #2 3/2012 ectopic pg, MTX at 7.5 weeks. BFP #3 10/2012, EDD 6/24/2013 over the moon to be expecting our baby girl in June!
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  • BostonGayGalBostonGayGal
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I don't have a share, but I get deliveries of local produce (dogma box) from Boston Organics.  They buy from a number of farms and deliver.  Not quite the same thing, but another great option.
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  • jkeprosjkepros member
    Ninth Anniversary 1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I don't have a share--so I don't have first hand experience, BUT I've volunteered at Waltham Community Farms (http://communityfarms.org/index.php).  They are awesome.  I took a quick look at their page, and it looks like they might be sold out of shares for 2010...but they had this link for other CSAs:
    www.localharvest.org/" title="www.localharvest.org">www.localharvest.org

    (It seems like you can find reviews of some of them on yelp & other such sites)

    Good Luck!  :)
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  • eouelleteouellet member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thanks jkepros, I had already been searching Local Harvest for a good CSA program - they are a great resource but I wanted to hear some first-hand experience, too.  I'll check Yelp too like you suggested.

    BGG, I've heard good things about the organic delivery.  I very well may look into that for the winter!  I really like the idea of actually having a share in the farm though, so I think we'll probably stick with a CSA for at least the summer.

    Killian, Parker Farms looks great!  It's nice to see a farm offering smaller shares!  I've also been looking into Silverbrook Farms which is around the same price and has delivery at City Hall (and I work in the Financial District, so that's ideal) but I haven't heard of anyone with first-hand experience with them.  Cambridge isn't ideal but it's definitely not awful either, so I will definitely give Parker Farms some thought!  Thanks so much for all the feedback!
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