New grant will help low-income people access local food

A new grant of $20,000 from the Allen Foundation arrived just at the right time for GardenShare.  These funds will be used over the next two years to subsidize low-income and working families to either purchase shares in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms, or to help those families purchase food at farmers markets.  In addition, the grant will support the distribution of farmers markets vouchers to children who receive backpacks of food from school.

We had 14 families on the waiting list for our CSA subsidy program for 2017.  While we have already served 30 other households with funds from other grants and individual donors, we had run out of funds to cover all who applied.  Happily, this grant means that we now have provided all 14 families on the waiting list with CSA assistance.

In addition, we had some funds to help families whose children receive backpacks of food from school during the summer, thanks to grants from the United Methodist Women and Stewart’s Shops.  But it was not enough to reach the three schools that we hoped to.  With this grant added to the mix, we distributed cards that can be redeemed at the farmers markets to students in the Canton Golden Bear Pack program, the Potsdam Snack Pack program, and the Massena Back the Pack program.  All three communities have farmers markets where families can use the cards to help purchase nutritious food while school is out for the summer.

GardenShare also has a new program in 2017 that will be funded by this grant.  In order to help lower-income and working families who do not receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly called food stamps) benefits, GardenShare is implementing a subsidy for purchases at the farmers markets.  Families with annual incomes of approximately $50,000 or less can double their purchasing power at the farmers markets by buying cards that have a $10 value for just $5.   The cards are purchased from GardenShare and can be redeemed at the farmers markets in Canton, Gouverneur, Massena, and Potsdam.  Full details on eligibility and an application form are available at gardenshare.org  or by calling GardenShare at 315-261-8054.

The grant from the Allen Foundation is for two years and will support these same programs next growing season, though it does not cover the full cost of the programs.  GardenShare will seek other grants and donations to ensure the continuation this important work to help lower-income and working households obtain healthy food and to support local farmers.

Expanding GardenShare's work to help families afford healthy, locally grown food

Have you heard about the expansion of GardenShare’s Bonus Bucks program?  This program is a way for lower-income and working families to double their buying power at local farmers markets, or to receive a financial assistance for 50% of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share.

Our goal with the program is to reach families that may be struggling to put healthy food on the table while supporting local farmers.  Interestingly enough, the USDA is just starting research to determine if these kinds of subsidy programs can help improve nutrition for low-income families, and strengthen local economies by increasing farmers sales.  Read a synopsis of the planned study and early steps here.

Full details on GardenShare's program, including income eligibility guidelines, and an application can be found here.  Below is a quick summary:

Subsidized CSA Share - The customer chooses a CSA from the list of participating farms. Every farm works differently and offers different products and pricing, so it is important to research and call the farm to determine which one works best for a specific household. GardenShare can cover half the cost of the CSA share for eligible households, up to a max value of $250.  The customer pays the balance..

Double your money at the farmers market - For households that receive SNAP benefits, just take the SNAP card straight to the market manager to get double value. If you are not on SNAP, you can still double your purchasing power with our new punch card program.  If your household meets the income requirement, you can purchase up to 25 punch cards per year, meaning $250 dollars worth of farmers market coins will only cost you $125, each individual $10 punch card costs you $5 out of pocket and each card can be purchased in single quantity or in bulk. Punch cards are taken to the market manager in exchange for $2 tokens which can only be spent on food at the farmers
market.

Funding for Bonus Bucks is generously supported through the Health Initiative in partnership with Alcoa and generous GardenShare donors.  If you would like to help support this program, go here to make a tax-deductible donation.

This program will be operating as long as funds are available

For more information reach us at 315-261-8054 or at info.@gardenshare.org

Today is CSA Day - buy your CSA share early to help your local farmer

February 24 marks the third annual National CSA Sign-Up Day when you can join other like-minded people around the North Country who are committed to eating healthy foods, supporting their local farmer, and being adventurous in the kitchen.  February sounds like a crazy time to be thinking about buying food from a local farmer.  But the concept behind Community Supported Agriculture or CSA is to share both the risk and the rewards with the farmer.  By purchasing a CSA Share early in the year, you help the farmer plan for the growing season and offer the farm an important infusion of cash for the purchase of seeds and equipment.

CSA is like a subscription to a season’s worth of locally grown produce.  You pay for your share now, the farmer grows the food, and then each week you pick up your share of the harvest.  It is a form of investment that allows small farmers to continue growing on a scale that may not be sustainable without the CSA model. CSA members enjoy the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables for their family, while supporting their local farmer.

Getting food from a CSA is different from going to a farmers market or the grocery store. As a CSA member, you make a seasonal commitment to a small farmer in your area and receive a weekly box of assorted local food. CSA members take pleasure in knowing where and how their food is grown and experimenting with new foods or recipes they may not have tried before.  CSA farmers typically teach members what’s in season throughout the year and help them appreciate and cook food to which they may not otherwise be exposed.

One challenge of the CSA model is the need to spend a larger than usual sum of money in the next month or two, without the immediate return of food for those dollars spent.  While, over the course of the season, you’ll likely get more than your money’s worth, this can pose a challenge for lower-income and working families, as well as seniors.

In St. Lawrence County, GardenShare is working to address that problem by raising money to subsidize CSA shares for working families and low-income households.  GardenShare also helps the farmers accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly called food stamps) as a form of payment.

To find a CSA here in St. Lawrence County or learn more about support for lower-income families to purchase CSA shares, go to gardenshare.org. 

Farmer Friday - 8 O'Clock Ranch

Intern Amands Korb offers us another reflection on food and farming issues on the last day of her internship...

In the 21^st century, the rise of grass-fed, all-natural, free-range, cage-free, pasture-based animal products is certainly evident. We buy the bloodless package of ground beef with a sticker of a picturesque red barn and white chickens in the yard and the cleanly washed pearl-white eggs. We are living in a food illusion, and the lack of transparency between the farmer and the consumer is only getting wider. I believe we must ask ourselves what are our personal beliefs are in terms of food, or rather, what do we demand as consumers when we purchase items. On a more personal level, we might ask what is it like for a chicken to live in a cage, to be given certain feeds or various medications? And furthermore, do we care?

From pig to cow to chickens, the large-scale production of animal meat (think 2 million hens per “warehouse”) personifies the broken American food system. We all know the horror stories of the industrial farm—some of us turn a blind eye, thinking, “How else will be feed the world?” while others choose to eliminate the product from their diet as a form of animal solidarity.

These were a few questions Kassandra and John Barton asked when they first started 8 O’clock Ranch in 2001. Their 200-acre mission to raise non-GMO, soy-free, pasture based meat is far from the images Food Inc. portrays. On the larger farms, “ag gag laws” forbid any form of filming or photography of farms without the consent of owners. Even with consent, the images do not portray the full story. This was not the case with Kassandra, who specifically invited me to come on butcher day. I pulled into the ranch’s driveway, greeted by her amiable face. She instructed me to the barn where her sons and neighbors were at the head of the butchering assembly line. They were in charge of killing, scalding and then chilling the birds. I was impressed by the cleanliness, efficiency and humaneness of the process. One might think the birds would be squawking as they faced death, but these hens cooed sweetly.

After chilling, the hens were then cleaned and split into parts. All portions of the bird are consumed except for the head. (Customers do actually ask for them, but Kassandra hasn’t figured out a way to package them safely.) The liver, heart, necks and feet are packaged for sale elsewhere. 8 O’clock Ranch used to work at the Canton Farmers market, but slow demand led the couple to “follow other marketing strategies,” like shipping all over the east coast or delivering milkman style to one’s doorstep.

“We wanted to do what they used to in the 1700’s,” Kassandra remarked. “Sure I use new technologies, and I utilize YouTube a lot too, but a lot of what we do now comes from old books. If it worked then, why can’t it work now?” Their land is called a ranch and not a farm to reflect how they believe animals should be raised—free to roam with ample amount of fresh land, air and grass. They practice block pasturing and intensive grazing, which has reduced the unwanted growth of thistles and instead encouraged clovers to flourish. As Michael Pollan writes, “It is doubtful you can build a genuinely sustainable agriculture without animals to cycle nutrients.”

Kassandra is a firm believer in healthy soil: “If the soil is healthy, then the rest falls in line.” They regularly add minerals to the ground, although they recognize it takes 18 months system integration. Prevention, it seems, is a better method of treatment. In fact, John and Kassandra have only called the vet 4 times in 8 years. “If you’re calling the vet, then there is something lacking in your management practices.”

Around 1,000 hens a year are processed at the ranch, alongside 40 lambs and 100-120 beef cattle. I asked the inevitable, given their success, would they consider getting bigger? “Any bigger and our job would be harder, especially since we insist on sticking to our standards,” John responded. Their morals are tried and true—a few years ago the couple threatened to shut down when USDA regulations had them shipping their meat to far off processing units. Kassandra and John are firm believers in giving their customers what they desire- transparent, healthy, truly natural meat because “customer service is what keeps [them] going.”

“Taste is our biggest advertisement,” she further commented. “When selling meat, the hardest part is getting people to actually cook the meal. But once they taste it and show their friends, they understand why we do what we do.” On average, Kassandra and John have a 90% CSA renewal rate. The word of mouth sales are certainly proving to be fruitful.

Promoting local healthy food is an easy feat, but to actually execute the philosophy is a more strenuous process. 8 O’clock Ranch used to participate in GardenShare’s Bonus Bucks program, but had to demure their participate due to USDA regulations. When I asked Kassandra what role she thinks government should play in small-scale meat production, she quickly responded none. “Because they [the government] is involved the cost of food increases. People who can afford food don’t care that much and we secure their business no problem; however, this makes access to low-income or working households difficult.”

Currently, out of house sales are illegal unless permitted otherwise. This means Kassandra’s customers must pre-order meat, a process deemed inconvenient due to our instantaneous society. “If a customer could simply come and go it would be easier. Also, this would help keep prices lower for people to try new meat. It would be easier for people to say, ‘I want to eat healthy, local food.’”  

When I asked how to fill the gap the USDA creates between her meat and the customer’s plate, Kassandra further said, “Many mothers ask, how do I cook, look up recipes, share that knowledge, and have the ability to eat? You can’t expect to cook all meats equally. Visits to a farm, where a meal can be shared, are conversational and relatable way to cook food.” I invite all North Country residents to give Kassandra a call. 8 O’clock ranch is a 100% transparent operation that produces ethical and sustainable meals for families and friends. 

Have you ordered your CSA share yet?

It's time, maybe even past time, to order a CSA share.

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a concept where consumers buy a share in a local farm.  By paying the farmer up front, you help him or her plan, purchase seeds and equipment, and so on.  Then you get to have a great box of fresh, nutritious, locally grown produce every week of the growing season.

Find the CSA farms in the area here on GardenShare's website.  Just click on the CSA tab to narrow down the list to CSA farms.

Think you'd like a CSA, but can't afford it?  Check out GardenShare's Bonus Bucks program to see if you qualify for a subsidy to help you purchase one.

Farmer Dulli from Birdsfoot Farm in Canton sent me these photos of how some of the crops are progressing this week!

Apple trees in bloom

Onions coming up through the mulch and under the netting

First peas are up, next ones planted

Tomatoes are planted right in the bed of mixed greens in the high tunnel.
The tomatoes will take over as the greens are done.

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!

The "community" in CSA

When the first CSA models emerged in Japan around the 1960s, they were called “teikei”—literally meaning ‘relationship’ or ‘partnership¹.’ Similar to why consumers today invest in CSAs, these original shareholders wanted to know the people producing their food so as to support local economies and protect the health of their families. With the onslaught of modern technology, however, the ‘middleman’ is often reintroduced into this relationship. For instance, some farms now offer a CSA delivery service, meaning that shareholders don’t even need to visit the farm to receive their produce. Other farmers are forming online communities that organize multiple farms into one sign-up platform, allowing consumers to decide which CSA shares to purchase without actually coming face-to-face with the producer. These new takes on community supported agriculture are designed to increase the accessibility of fresh produce, but considering the high emphasis that original teikei models placed on consumer-farmer relationships, is a CSA that fails to foster this type of connection really a CSA at all?

When forming opinions about this widened definition of community supported agriculture, consider that 13.6% of the St. Lawrence population is food insecure.² Transportation to places selling nutritious food—including farms, markets, or even grocery stores—proves a major hurdle for many people in this rural region. It’s unreasonable to believe that everyone can easily afford and physically access farm-grown produce, so isn’t anything that acknowledges this difficulty and facilitates innovative solutions—such as delivery CSAs—a step toward bridging the farmer-consumer food gap? With our food system currently in the clutches of factory farms and corn monocultures, isn’t any CSA model, however abstract, better than no CSA model at all?

If the issue preventing you and your family from accessing fresh produce is price, GardenShare may be able to help. Through our CSA Bonus Bucks program, recipients pay a reduced price for a CSA share and the rest is covered by grants and donations. For more information on this program, please be in touch with us at office@gardenshare.org and we will send you an application

¹ http://modernfarmer.com/2013/06/state-of-the-csa/

² http://gardenshare.org/sites/default/files/project-documents/hunger%20facts.pdf

What to expect in the box if you order a share in a CSA

Fearing an onslaught of zucchini and the lack of creativity necessary to use it all, many would-be shareholders have refrained from joining a CSA. It’s typical for shares to periodically contain a bounty of one item and a deficit of others, so what’s a well-meaning veggie lover to do when there’s only so many plates of squash noodles a person can consume? For one, it helps to have an idea of what produce to expect when, allowing you to anticipate the colorful vegetable procession that will grace your kitchen counter in the coming months, and to prepare your cookbooks accordingly.

A garden’s harvest time scale inevitably differs from year to year, but there are basic patterns shareholders can expect. Uncommon but possible, some shares start promptly in late May. Be ready for a whole lot of salads if you decide to subscribe, since these boxes are dominated by lettuce, arugula, and other greens, as well as herbs like oregano and lemon balm. Generally, most shares begin in mid to late June, when variety such as scallions, garlic scapes, and beet greens are added. Moving into early July brings young beets and herbs such as dill, and maybe some fresh green garlic. Mixed greens are still common in these boxes.

Mid July offers summer squash and cucumbers, along with collards and cauliflower. The kale leaves get hardier and the beets get larger as the weather heats up. Snap and sweet peas become ready for harvest. Late July brings the true variety, with the addition of chard, small carrots, eggplant, and string beans. Potatoes and onions make their appearance in early August, along with kohlrabi (here’s where the creative recipes come in handy!). Mid to late August brings the tomatoes, and early September brings sweet peppers.

For farms that offer them, September typically marks the start of fall shares, which begin with a continuation of the produce that thrives in late summer’s heat—tomatoes, beans, eggplant, peppers, and the like. A continuous supply of favorites like onions, carrots, and potatoes are also offered. Since cabbage is readily available by this time of year, slaws take precedence over leafy salads, although the kale and collards still come in strong. Winter squash begins to take center stage in late September, holding this place throughout the fall. Brussels are offered by the stalk in October.

Some farms offer CSA shares in the winter, but because the growing season wilts away for most fruits and vegetables with the coming frosts, the produce provided must store well. Thus, winter squash like butternut, which can store for several months at room temperature, is a cold-season staple. Parsnips and carrots, which actually become sweeter the longer they stay in the ground, are also common in these shares, along with cabbage, which can be stored in a cool place or made into sauerkraut for enjoyment throughout the winter. Some farmers even make fermented veggies to give out in their shares, or offer canned produce prepared during the summer or fall in anticipation of the cold months.

If all else fails during the brunt of zucchini season, you can turn to this zucchini bread recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant to hold you over until the next veggie comes to fruition and overflows every nook of your fridge.

Zucchini Nut Bread

Prep time: 20 mins, Cook time: 1 hour, Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 16

Ingredients

●       1 cup vegetable oil

●       1 cup brown sugar

●       3 eggs

●       1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

●       2 cups grated zucchini

●       1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour

●       1 ½ cups unbleached white flour

●       1 teaspoon cinnamon

●       1 teaspoon salt

●       1 teaspoon baking powder

●       ½ teaspoon baking soda

●       1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

●       1 cup raisins

Instructions

1.      Preheat the oven to 325°

2.      Oil two 5 X 9-inch loaf pans.

3.      In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil and brown sugar.

4.      Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

5.      Stir in the vanilla and zucchini.

6.      In a smaller bowl, sift together the flours, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and soda.

7.      Stir the dry ingredients into the oil and egg mixture until just moistened.

8.      Fold in the raisins and walnuts.

9.      Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pans.

10.  Bake for about 1 hour, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

For this recipe and more Moosewood favorites, visit: http://www.moosewoodcooks.com/2012/08/zucchini-nut-bread/

National CSA sign-up day in three weeks!

According to the indisputable knowledge of Punxsutawney Phil, spring is officially on it's way. Soon enough, vibrant tomatoes will once again grace green vines, and the mysterious kohlrabi will present itself to eager and adventurous kitchen pioneers. Meaning, it's the perfect time to sign up for a share of summer vegetables, especially with CSA Signup Day approaching on Friday, February 26th.

CSA, which stands for community supported agriculture, is a mutually supportive business model between farmers and consumers. The consumer purchases a certain amount of boxes (or shares) of farm-produced foods, which differ depending on the share and the consumer’s needs. They can range from vegetables to shares of meat, eggs, and even maple syrup or honey. The pay-forward model provides farmers with the revenue they need ahead of the growing season to buy necessary supplies, as well as ensures that if the harvest is plentiful, the consumer and farmer share in the bounty. The same goes for an unfruitful season—a financial security net for the grower.

Last year, most CSA signups happened in late February, so Small Farm Central—a organization that supports the economic success of farmers as a means of developing a viable local food system—has set the 2016 CSA Signup Day to reflect this. It's a time to celebrate what it means to be part of community supported agriculture, both in terms of bringing together local farmers with local eaters, as well as in highlighting the culinary enjoyment that fresh, nutrient-rich food can induce.

Meaning, it's also a great time of year to live in the North Country. With multiple local CSA farms holding varying degrees of shareholder commitment—ranging from those that distribute produce right to the consumer, to those that require shareholders to work a certain amount of hours per month as part of their membership—there's bound to be one to fit the needs of any veggie lover.

If you and your family would like to enjoy the healthy, fresh, local food offered by a CSA but feel as though purchasing a share is outside your budget, GardenShare may be able to help. As part of the CSA Bonus Bucks program, qualifying recipients pay a reduced price for their share, and the rest is covered by grants and donations. For more information on this program, please email GardenShare at office@gardenshare.org.

More information on Small Farm Central and CSA Day 2016: http://www.smallfarmcentral.com/Blog-Item-Announcing-CSA-Day-2016

Announcing the 2015 Growing Community Award

Each year GardenShare recognizes an individual or organization whose efforts strengthen food security in northern New York State with the Growing Community Award.  Past recipients have included farmers, food service staff, a food bank, community groups, and others.  Individuals, families, or organizations who are making progress in solving the problem of hunger through policy and advocacy work or by building a stronger food system to better serve all North Country residents may be nominated for this recognition. 

We are pleased to announce that the recipients of the 2015 Growing Community Award are:

Bob Washo and Flip Filippi of 

littleGrasse Foodworks in Canton

GardenShare intern, Anna Kowanko, wrote this profile of Bob and Flip and their work:

Bob Washo has said, “we’re not in the business of selling food, but in the business of feeding people.” While this statement may seem obvious, it is actually a paradigm shift from the industrial food system so many of us must rely on today where there is a vast disconnect between growers and consumers. Bob Washo and Flip Filippi, the founders of littleGrasse Foodworks in Canton, NY, have a farm surrounding this principle, the principle of creating more than food, but forming a community. According to Bob and Flip, "litleGrasse is a community farm open to all people interested in engaging with our local food system in a meaningful way."

Growing up in Pennsylvania, Bob made it to Canton in 2000, and as he put it, “fell in love with the place.” Outside of the farm Bob is a chair of the Canton Sustainability Committee and has recently been elected to the Town of Canton Board. He was also an active member of the discussion and planning at the Local Food, Local Places planning project. Growing up in a homestead in the North Country, Flip returned in 2008, excited to become part of the community again in a meaningful way. Flip is currently earning an M.Ed. degree at St. Lawrence University. Her thesis investigates how individuals who were shareholders at littleGrasse as college students are interacting with food systems in their post-graduation life. Generally, she is interested in experiential teaching environments that immerse students in the subject matter in meaningful and engaging ways.
Bob and Flip started littleGrasse in 2009, fulfilling both of their passions,  little Grasse itself is a CSA with about 55-60 shareholders. Bob is now in his third decade as a CSA grower.  At the farm they teach shareholders about seasonality and the constraints of a Northern climate. They provide workshops to show families how to begin feeding themselves locally for twelve months a year.

They are in close contact with local college students providing them with summer internships, Community Based Learning volunteer positions, as well fall farm shares. littleGrasse also participates in GardenShare’s Bonus Bucks Program, receiving about six applications this past year, which helps to support a wider range of local residents. Monthly potlucks are held at the farm to encourage community members of all ages to come together.

Carol Pynchon explained in her nomination submission, “Bob and Flip are a force in the local food movement in the Canton area, and in educating people about the benefits of growing and eating locally.”  

“Bob and Flip both take the time to explain and teach with such patience and incredible knowledge,” wrote Jenelle Matthews in a separate nomination, “they both deserve recognition for their time and efforts, which they display to spread their 'growing' knowledge on a daily basis.”

With two separate nominations coming in, the choice was clear for the GardenShare Board of Directors!  We hope you will join us to honor Bob and Flip's work.

GardenShare Growing Community Award

January 30, 2016

2:00 PM

TAUNY, Main Street, Canton, NY

GardenShare offers subsidy on CSA shares from local farms

GardenShare still has room for more families to receive a subsidy to purchase a share in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in the area.  The concept of a CSA is that a household can purchase, in advance, a share of the farmer's crop for the season and then pick up a box of produce each week during the growing season.  This helps the farmer plan what and how much to grow and gives the farmer the upfront cash to get the season started.  And, generally, it's a win for the consumer who will get more than their money's worth over the course of the season.

However, for a family on a tight budget, paying for the whole season's worth of produce in the spring can pose a challenge.  For families who qualify, GardenShare's "Bonus Bucks" will offer a subsidy of $50 on CSA shares costing $200 or less and $100 for shares that cost more than that.

To qualify, the total gross yearly income of all household members cannot exceed the following levels:

                Household of          1              Income of                $30,000

                                                2                                              $37,000

                                                3                                              $44,000

                                                4                                              $51,000

                                                5 or more                                 $58,000

An income-eligible household would then select one of the following farms. Each farm is a little different with different prices, various pick-up locations and times, and a different number of weeks included in the share.  So it is important for the consumer to pick the farm that works best for their household.  After selecting a farm, the household submits an application to the farm with payment for their share of the cost.  The farmer will give the application to GardenShare for reimbursement of the subsidy portion.

CSA Farms taking part in the program include:

                Birdsfoot Farm, Canton, 315-386-4852

                Bittersweet Farm, Heuvelton, 315-344-0443

                Fullers Farm, Canton 315-379-1412

                Kent Family Growers, Lisbon, 315-212-7502

                littleGrasse Foodworks, Canton, 315-386-3513

                Steps 2 Grow, Ogdensburg, 315-394-0597

                Whitten Family Farm, Winthrop, 315-328-5559

This program is generously supported by Price Chopper's Golub Foundation, Stewarts, Potsdam Youth Philantrhopy Council, Corning, and individual GardenShare supporters.

For more information on this or other GardenShare programs, visit www.gardenshare.org

Sign up for a CSA share this weekend!

February 28 is the most common day to sign up for a CSA share - have you signed up yet?

Find a list of St. Lawrence County farmers here.

Not familiar with CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture?  CSA has become an important model to support local agriculture since it was introduced to the United States in the 1980s and since grown to over 6,000 farms across the country. To join a CSA, members buy a share of the harvest in the Winter and Spring and then get a box of local produce each week throughout the growing season.

Read an article  about CSA's in The Journal.