About our CSA

Snowline Tree Farm

Veggies:

Lettuce, radish, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, cabbages, greens, beans, carrots, turnips, corn, cucumbers, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos, potatoes, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts,  pumpkins, egg plant,

 

Fruit       Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries,  Blackberries, Plums, Hardy Kiwi (small with no fuzz), Rhubarb

We have recently planted and hope in the next few years to have Apples, Cherries, Grapes,

Other:

Herbs, flowers, decorative items (gourds, corn stalks, etc.) Christmas Tree, wreath,  cedar garland garland

What is a CSA?  CSA is short for Community Supported Agriculture.  It is a way for us to spread out our income a bit in the year and  for you to get fresh produce from people and a place you know.  We are not organic, but we grow our garden in a sustainable method without using chemicals.   I like to let my kids and their buddies have a snack out of the garden without having to worry about what has been sprayed on the plants. 

 

What’s in a basket?  A basket will contain whatever vegetables and fruits we have ripe for that week, we will also include recipes and tips on how to care/prepare your produce that you receive.  We plan for a family of 4 for each basket, if your family differs from that let us know, we don’t want to leave you short vegetables, especially when it comes to corn time.    As long as the chickens are laying (where we can find the eggs) we will also include eggs.  The girls are free roaming for most of the year so at times we don’t have as many eggs as I would like.  We also have add-ons such as fire wood, extra portions (if you have a larger family)  and extra off farm fruit.   A list is on the side of the page with some of the produce we offer.   Any produce you do not wish to keep can be left at the farm or drop off location and we will donate it to the local food bank.

 

How many baskets do I get?  Baskets will start in June and go through October with a fall basket available in November or December (depending on when you want to pick it up).  As we get better at this we hope to be able to expand the season so we can give you more produce.    It will be at least 20 baskets, with possibly up to 25 depending on weather conditions.   Because of our higher elevation, we cannot start quite as early as other farms down in the valley. 

 

Where do I pick p my basket?  Currently our pickup is at the farm.  After I get a list of subscribers I will  figure out pickup locations that are central to everyone.  You will always have the option of picking up your basket at the farm, we  just need notice so we can be sure to leave someone home to help you.    If you cannot pick up your basket you can make arrangements for someone else to get your basket for you.  Any basket you do not pick up will be donated to a food bank. 

 

What else is available to me?  If you come up to the farm to get your basket you are more than welcome to spend an afternoon wandering around the farm.  The tree fields you see when you come get your tree is  around 25% of the actual farm.    We are working on a nature trail and making a few picnic spots.  We would even like to get a small disk course set up if there is interest.  When the trees have stopped growing you can wander the fields and find  your Christmas tree for this year; you can even do the trimming on it.   We have an apple press that is available for you to use (on the farm) and if it is berry time I can show you a few patches where you can pick some wild berries (amounts are limited).   We can also help you with preserving you harvest.   Canning is a big part of our summer and we are more than happy to teach you  what we know and share our recipes with you.  

 

How Much does this cost & how do I pay?   A full share costs $450.  A half share is $250.  A full share will be enough for a family of four.  Add-ons include extra portions  $100 per person.  Firewood, $175 per cord from the farm or $225 delivered.   There are a couple options for payment.  For 2010 we can only accept checks or cash at the farm for payment.  Payment can be made as one payment or two or three payment plans.  1st payment is due by May 1st.  2nd payment is due July 1st and 3rd payment is due September 1st.  For the 2011 season we can accept payments on credit/debit cards  during our tree harvest when we have a credit machine at the farm.   

 

What’s the risk to me as a subscriber?  There is always some risk in farming.  Late freezes affect fruit production, too much/not enough heat/rain effect how well the garden grows.  The zucchini could have a really good year, or the local deer population could break in and riot in the garden.  You will have the same risk we do for the garden, we promise to do our best but we can’t control weather (or the deer).  Some years there will be better crops than others.  The premise of the CSA is that when you stick with it the production will average out over time.  We cannot give refunds if a crop fails for some reason.    This is the garden we use for our family and yearly canning so we do our best to make sure we get the best production possible. 

 

Bonus for this year  If you sign up with us this year, we will lock in your rate for the next three years.  Although we will try to avoid them, we anticipate a couple rough patches at first with this venture.  This is our way of asking you to hang in there with us as we take on this new project.    We anticipate as we bring more garden into production and get more variety of fruits the costs will go up. 

Questions?  Please give us a call or email and we would be happy to talk with you.  We can also mail an information packet and application for this year’s shares.