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Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an alliance between farmers and eaters. Families and individuals who join the CSA receive a share of produce every week during the growing season (mid-May thru October). In exchange, members sign a contract for the season, agree to pay in advance, and help with some of the work of harvest and distribution of the food. Both partners share in the risks and rewards of small-scale farming: weather, insect damage, and bumper crops.
Who Is Fair Share Farm CSA?
The Fair Share Farm Community Supported Agriculture began in 2004. Farmers Rebecca Graff and Tom Ruggieri grow the food at Fair Share Farm near Kearney, MO. Members pick up their food weekly in Kansas City, in Liberty, or at the farm. Fair Share Farm CSA also holds social events to celebrate community and the harvest.
What Is My Share of the Food?
The weekly food share includes an average of 7 to 9 items for full shares, and 4 to 6 for partial shares (less early and late in the season, and more at peak season). A full share should be ample for a family of four or two adult who cook at home regularly and eat a lot of veggies. A partial share is a good size for a single person or two adults who don’t cook at home every night. Bulk quantities can be purchased for canning, freezing, and storage, as available.
Every week the share of produce will be different depending on the season. Here are examples of what a full size share might look like:
Spring: green peas (sugarsnap or snow), baby beets w/greens, green onions, carrots w/tops, lettuce, kohlrabi, radishes, chives
Summer: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant or okra, melons, cucumbers, onions, green beans, summer squash/zucchini, basil
Fall: lettuce, broccoli or cauliflower, cabbage, winter squash, swiss chard, carrots, potatoes, garlic, dill
Who Can Join?
Membership is open to anyone in the Greater Kansas City area or the local
Kearney/Liberty area. Families with children are especially welcome,
and we will arrange the farm work schedule to include children to the
greatest extent possible.
What Does It Cost?
An initial $75 deposit is required
to join (click here for the form). The deposit will hold
your place until sign-up in March and will then be applied to the
cost of your share.
Again this year the FSF CSA is offering a payment policy called a sliding scale. Sliding scales allow for everyone in our community to pay based on their ability, while maintaining a fair wage for the farmers. At the center of the scale is the actual share cost of growing the food. The low end of the scale is about $5 less each week of the 24 week season, the high end $5 more. Cost examples for this year are noted below.
We also have a "veggie voucher" fund that provides an additional $100 to those families in need. A short form will be provided with your contract at sign up to apply for the veggie voucher,
The share may be paid in full at sign-up or in increments, with the entire balance being due by the end of July. Bulk and special orders are paid for separately when ordered.
2012 SHARE SIZES & COST
A) Full: Approx. 7-9 items depending on time of
season.
Share cost: $595 plus tax for 24 weeks
Annual Membership Fee: $25
Total: $620 (sliding scale: $500 - $740)
B) Shared: Same size as a full share. Cost, work and produce divided
between 2 or more households by members themselves.
Share cost: Same as full share.
C) Partial: Approx 4-6 items depending on time of season
Share cost: $437 plus tax for 24 weeks
Annual Membership Fee: $25
Total: $462 (sliding scale: $342 - $582)
How Does It Work?
Each member household contributes by assisting with the harvest of
the shares a few times each year. This farm work takes place either
Wednesday or Saturday mornings (8am to 12 noon) and includes harvesting,
washing, and packing that day’s CSA shares with the farmers.
Several shifts can be satisfied in one morning depending on the
number of participants a household brings. Members will schedule
these shifts at the sign-up in April. A Core Group of members
helps administer the CSA and provide input. Voluntary participation
in the Core
Group is open to any member. Work on the core group replaces the
farm work requirement.
FARM SHIFTS
Full or Shared Share:
3 Farm Shifts of 4 hours each (8 AM - Noon)
Total of 12 hours
Partial Share:
2 Farm Shifts of 4 hours each (8 AM - Noon)
Total of 8 hours
CORE GROUP: All administration is done by a
volunteer group of members who take on specific jobs for the
year and attend semi-monthly meetings.
Membership in the Core Group relieves the member of farm or distribution
work.
SEASON:
24 Weeks – mid-May through October. We are planning for distribution
to begin May 18th.
FOOD PICKUP
There are three locations to pick up your share of the harvest.
Members need to choose one location & time for the season.
Farm: 18613 Downing Rd.
t Wednesdays: after 1:30 pm
t Saturdays: after 1:30 pm
Liberty: at the home of Fred & Carole Barth, 104
Nashua Rd. in Liberty, MO.
t Saturdays: 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Midtown Kansas City: at the Bad Seed Market
1909 McGee, KCMO 64108
(between 19th and 20th St. in the Crossroads District)
t Wednesdays: 5:00 –7:00 pm
Other Products:
Fair Share Farm members will again have the opportunity to purchase shares
of other local food products to supplement our vegetables:
t Meat shares: contact Parker Farms, parkerfarms@peoplepc.com
t Egg shares: contact Parker Farms
t Bread shares: contact Bread of Life Bakery, breadoflifeorganics@yahoo.com
How Do I Join?
An initial $75 deposit is required to join. The
deposit will hold your place until sign-up in March and will then be applied
to the
cost
of
your
share.
We are limited to 125 shares in 2012, and there is a waiting list to join. In
addition, of the 125 shares only 65 will be available for pickup at The Bad
Seed.
If you have any questions, comments, etc. please feel free to contact us at the farm. Our phone number is (816) 320-3763, or contact us through the website.
