CSA Basics
Q: What is the Prospect Heights CSA?
A: Founded in 2006 with support from Just
Food, we are a partnership between Brooklyn residents
and the farmers of Windflower Farm in Valley Falls, New York.
We work together to bring farm fresh, organic produce to Prospect
Heights.
Q: How do I join your mailing list or sign
up for a share?
A: We use Local Fork to communicate with prospective members
and track active shareholders. To sign up for our mailing
list and to receive information on purchasing shares, you
must register for a free account.
- Visit our Local
Fork homepage and click on the “subscribe”
link on the upper right hand of the page.
- Those with existing accounts should log in, and the request
to join our list will be sent.
- New users should sign up for an account. Be sure to enter
your home address and phone number. Although Local Fork
doesn’t require your contact information, CSA participation
does.
- Once your registration is complete, Prospect Heights
CSA will accept your request and you’ll be added to
our mailing list.
- Each adult participating in a share should complete this
process in order to receive email announcements.
Q: Where does the produce come from?
A: Vegetables, fruit, and flowers come from Windflower
Farm, eggs from Elihu Farm, and supplemental products from
a collective administered by Lewis Waite Farm. For
a detailed description of each share, click here.
Q: Who runs the CSA?
A: A core group of CSA members volunteer their time to
work with our farmers, recruit members, run the distribution
site, maintain records and accounting, manage member work
shifts, write the newsletter, and perform community outreach.
The $20 administrative fee helps to cover expenses associated
with running the CSA.
If you would like to volunteer to join the core
group, your support would be much appreciated! Email us at
[email protected] for more information.
Q: What are member work shifts?
A: Our CSA is a collective effort that relies on members
to run the distribution site. This includes unloading produce
from Ted's truck, organizing vegetables for easy pick up,
checking in members as they arrive, and cleaning up the school
cafeteria at the end of the evening.
The purchasers of each single vegetable share are
responsible for covering two work shifts from 3:30-4:45pm,
4:00-6:00pm, or 6:00-8:00pm. You'll be asked to sign up for
your shifts before the start of the season, and we'll do our
best to ensure that members are assigned times that work well
for them.
Please keep in mind that enjoying the fruits of
a well-functioning CSA requires a small commitment from every
member of the group. The failure to fulfill your work shifts
places undue stress on the core group and your fellow shareholders
and could jeopardize your eligibility to participate in the
CSA.
Q: What if Prospect Heights CSA sells out of
shares?
A: Try our friends in neighboring CSAs: Fort
Greene, Clinton
Hill, Bedford-Stuyvesant
and Prospect-Lefferts Gardens.
Q: Do you offer winter shares?
A: Windflower Farm makes four once-a-month deliveries
during the winter months. We'll pass along information on
how to sign up directly through Ted in the fall.
Purchasing Shares
Q: What are the different types of shares available?
A: Please visit the Share page
for more information.
Q: Why are there different membership prices?
A: Because our CSA strives to make fresh organic produce
available to families at all levels of income, we offer a
sliding scale based on household income, with high-income
shareholders subsidizing low-income shareholders. Our cost
breakdown is an estimation of what we think are fair and reasonable
prices. However, members should feel free to select the price
level that best fits their household budget and personal circumstances.
We will honor requests for financial assistance on a case-by-case
basis, as subsidy funds permit. If you would like to contribute
to our subsidized share program, please feel free to make
a donation when you purchase your share. We are accepting food stamps for the 2009 season. For more information contact [email protected] or 646-918-0701.
Q: Are there any other costs affiliated with
CSA shares?
A: Each share will be assessed a $20 administrative fee
to cover expenses associated with running the distribution
site. Members may also choose to contribute to our subsidized
share program (see previous FAQ).
Q: When are payments due?
A:
Administrative fees and fruit, flower, and egg shares must be paid in full by TBD. Lump sum payments for vegetables are also due on this date. If you prefer to pay in installments, two equal payments must be submitted 1) at time of registration, and 2) by June 1. If you would like to propose an alternate payment plan, email us and we will gladly work out an individual schedule for you.
Q: Why do I have to pay before distribution
begins?
A: Early payment provides our farmer with income to cover
the expenses for the seeds, supplies, and equipment necessary
for the growing season. This advance income, at a time of
year when there are usually no crops to harvest, enables CSA
farmers to avoid the usual pattern and pitfalls of farm loans.
In addition, knowing the number of CSA members early on takes
the guesswork out of how many crops to plant.
Q: Do you offer half shares?
A:
Starting in 2009, we will be offering half shares to or members. If you are interested in having a half share, please download the half share form (from the join page) and submit it with your payment. Please note that fruit, flower and egg shares are only sold as full shares. If you want to split these shares, email [email protected] and we will try to connect you with another half share member who wants the same.
Share Distribution
Q: When and where do I pick up my produce?
A: Shares are ready for pick up on Thursdays, from mid-June
to late November, between 4:30 and 7:30pm at PS 9, located
at 80 Underhill Avenue. You can access the cafeteria via the
St Marks entrance at the foot of the stairs, adjacent to the
playground.
Q: How does the distribution work?
A: Members should bring their own bags to distribution.
Eggs, flowers, and meat are pre-portioned. Fruits and vegetables
are placed in bins, and members select a predetermined quantity
or weight from each category (for example, 2 heads of lettuce,
3 pounds of zucchini, 2 beefsteak tomatoes, etc.).
Q: What exactly am I going to get each week?
A: Please visit the Share page
for more information.
Q: Can I select the produce I want from what's
available?
A: Due to the variety of vegetables offered at distribution,
you'll often have some flexibility in picking a combination
of vegetables within each category. However, to ensure that
popular or labor-intensive crops—like corn, peas and
tomatoes—are distributed equitably, we may limit the
number of pieces or the weight of a particular item per share.
There will be clear signage at the distribution site each
week to help ensure you get the right combination of vegetables.
Q: What if I can't pick up my share?
A: If you can't make it to distribution, send a friend
in your place! Just be sure to let that person know if they
should pick up any items in addition to vegetables.
Q: What do you do with leftover produce?
A: Leftover produce is donated to an emergency food provider that serves our neighborhood: Church of God Feeding the Hungry on Classon Avenue, led by Pastor Urlin Gray.
Contact us: prospectheightscsa at gmail dot com