CSA Bonus Bucks program opens for 2016

The GardenShare CSA Bonus Bucks application is ready to be filled out for the 2016 season! You can download it at http://gardenshare.org/content/csa-bonus-bucks or request one through mail by calling GardenShare at 315-261-8054. Have you wanted to invest in a community supported agriculture (CSA) share but always felt it to be a bit outside your budget? Bonus Bucks could be the solution you're looking for! This program allows recipients to purchase their share at a reduced price, courtesy of grants and donations. To see if you qualify based on income guidelines, visit the website or take a look at the guidelines box on the front side of the application.

CSA uses a pay-forward model that allows the consumer and farmer to share in the bounty if a harvest is plentiful, and to bear the deficit together if a season is unfruitful. This provides a financial security net for the grower. The North Country offers a wide selection of CSA farms to choose from, each offering shares that are a bit different in the variety they offer. If you're looking for a share large enough to feed the entire family, pick a share from any of the participating farms, such as the Family Share from Birdsfoot Farm or Whitten Family Farm. If you'd rather get a share to supplement your diet during the cold season, choose the Winter Share from Kent Family Growers or the Year Round Share from littleGrasse Foodworks. Not sure you'll be able to use all the food in your CSA? Pick the Half Share from Bittersweet Farm or the Partial Share from Fullers Farm.

Another thing to keep in mind is the pick-up locations offered by the CSA farm you are considering. Except for Kent Family Growers, all the participating farms allow shareholders to pick up their box right on site, providing the opportunity to get a firsthand look at how the food is produced. All farms besides Whitten Family Farm have pick-up locations in Canton, and aside from Bittersweet and littleGrasse, all offer shareholders a Potsdam pick-up option. Shares from Bittersweet can also be collected in Ogdensburg, Kent Family Growers shares from Madrid, and Whitten Family Farm shares from Massena. Now’s the time to sign up for any type of CSA share, so don’t hesitate to send in your Bonus Bucks forms!