Have you ever been a part of a CSA? If so, you may have found it difficult or left you feeling a bit under-satisfied. So, what's the next step? You love fresh local veggies and you want to find a source for pastured protein for your family. Well, Ledgeview Gardens is here to solve both of the conundrums for you. Stick with me and I'll explain how we go about doing just that!
In a time where almost every small farm is offering some sort of share program to put healthier food on the tables of their local community, the decisions can become challenging at best. After extensive research into the mind and life of a CSA member I have deduced the four main points of interest for almost all locally minded families.
- Quality- High value produce and an extensive selection for the duration of the season and protein should be pastured and if fed a supplemental feed it needs to be GMO free. Our shares are spread out over a 24 week season with high quality, desirable produce starting in June and going through November. And our chicken shares are filled with nutrient dense, chemical and GMO free broilers. They spend their days in clover pastures getting a high amount green grass and all the bugs they could ever want.
- Convenience- When deciding to join a CSA, pick up times and places play a big roll to most people. Having a pick up window of at least 6 hours suits most members, and if there are multiple pickup locations offered then they can choose the one that works best for them. We offer three pick up locations in the Green Bay Area: At the Farm, Luna Cafe, and Kavarna Coffee House. Accompanied to our pickup locations we also offer CSA shares to be dropped off at the workplace if there are 10 people who want to sign up for that location.
- Customization- Being able to choose the products your family is most likely to use is by far the most important to most members; other than getting a mix of fruit and vegetables. If that lines up with your desires then you will surely enjoy our Market style CSA. It gives the most flexibility to all members involved, the products are labeled and you can choose up to a specific amount of your favorite things!
- Price- Price effects all purchases, some more than others. When your putting up a fairly large portion of money at one time and the product you purchased is being broken up into shares it makes it a little harder to see the value. We offer payments to be made as long as the total is reached before the first share is taken.
We know choosing a CSA to join can be challenging, and there are more factors to making this decision than the ones I laid out here. But please consider joining a CSA this season even if it isn’t ours, because the best way to help our local food economy survive and thrive is to vote with your wallet. Thats right! One of the only times your vote will actually matter is when you are choosing what products are used in your family. So next time you’re at the grocery store and you see that “organic” tomato from Mexico think, “If I buy this I am casting my vote for more foreign produce”. All of the sudden your tacos will taste just fine without the bland, mealy excuse of a vegetable.
Join a CSA and cast your vote for real food from a local farm, and feed your family the best.
Ledgeview Gardens
Buy Local, Vote With Your Wallet