Our CSA

When it comes to a CSA, the first question people ask is…what is a CSA?  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  The basic idea of a CSA is that you financially support your local farmer and he returns the favor by supplying you with food.  There is a set cost that you pay before the season starts that helps the farmer buy his supplies and equipment and then there is a set number of weeks that you will receive what is called a “share” of the harvest.  A “share” is usually enough produce to feed a family of four for a week.  Many CSA’s have measured this amount as about a half bushel of food.  You will pick up your “share” on a predetermined day at the farm or at another location.  So that’s your basic CSA program.

Rousedale Farm CSA 2010

Beginning the week of 5/16/10 through the week of 10/25/10 your shares will be available.  That’s 24 weeks of fresh wholesome food.

You can pick up your share at Rousedale Farm in Fallston near Upper Crossroads or at our drop off location near Park Heights and Greenspring Avenue.  Pick up days and times to be announced.

People picking up at the farm will use their own bags or boxes and choose their produce from bins.  People picking up at the drop-off location will receive their items already bagged or boxed.

At the farm we will have a trade bin where you can trade in something you may not care for in exchange of extras of an item you love.

The cost for the 2010 season is $500 for 24 weeks.  We must receive full payment by 2/28/10.  We will not be offering half shares this year, but if you think a full share is just going to be too much for you, think about splitting a share with friends, family or neighbors.

Everyone needs to realize that we all assume risks being involved in a CSA; such is the nature of farming.  When you’re in the business of farming, you are at the mercy of weather, pests and disease.  There is always the chance that blight, insects, drought or early frost could wipe out a particular crop.  What do we do if that happens?  Well, we do what our great-grandparents would have done.  If potato beetles get to the spuds, then we eat more sweet potatoes, if blight kills the tomato plants, after we’re done crying, we eat more squash and zucchini.  We were actually quite lucky in 2009.  We were hit by a far-reaching tomato blight, but were able to harvest a lot of tomatoes before the plants were wiped out.  Most of our sweet corn last year was thoroughly enjoyed by the deer, but I have found a natural product that seems to work, so we’ll hope for the best in 2010.  In most of our planted areas we have installed drip irrigation, which will help if we ever lack rain again.  We sure didn’t in ’09.