What is a CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture or CSA is an alternative food network in which together members purchase the farm’s harvest, splitting the cost and the volume of the harvest into “shares.” These shares help support the farmers and the farm to produce fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the seasons. In the upcoming months of May and June, vegetables such as asparagus, cucumbers, peas, squash, beans, rhubarb, potatoes; and fruit such as cherries and strawberries are ready to be harvested in Maryland. With the warmer weather, CSAs are expanding their crop selections, so swing by to one of these to enroll in a program near you, and pick up your produce!
Where can I find a CSA in Maryland?
Three Part Harmony CSA is a small-scale agroecological farm, located in Washington, DC. They grow vegetables as well as herbs, cut-flowers, and have a greenhouse nursery operation that supplies local community and school gardens as well as two locally owned hardware stores. They proudly use sustainable practices, without chemical pesticides or herbicides.
The Farm at Our House, a 12 acre, organically-certified vegetable farm in Brookeville, MD, with the help of their landlord, Our House Inc., offers young men at Our House and high school boys in the area the opportunity to explore agriculture. A whole list of their produce each season can be found here.
Located in Baltimore, the Zahradka Farm is a small produce farm twenty minutes outside of downtown Baltimore. Passed down through four generations and operating as a CSA for 9 years, the Zahradka Farm sells mainly veggies but also fruit, herbs, heirloom and specialty varieties, eggs, and meat. The owners promote “Real Farming. Real People. Real Food” by using non-GMO seeds and practicing farming methods modeled after the Certified Organic guidelines for Maryland.
Photo by Zahradka Farm
With 10 years of service to Prince George’s County Maryland, Gorman Farms/CSA in Laurel provides fresh home grown produce to over 600 local families through their CSA program. They offer a host of different vegetables for each season, and strawberry picking in the summer! Gorman advertises a high customer retention rate, and doesn’t waste its unpurchased crops, instead it donates them to the Maryland Food Bank and other food pantries each week.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Clagett Farm has everything. Located in Upper Marlboro, the farm raises crops, beef cattle, and sheep, and supports a CSA program and tree farm.
Owl’s Nest Farm, also in Upper Marlboro, grows flowers, fruit, vegetables, and herbs on 5 acres. Owl’s Nest allows you to customize your CSA needs, choosing from a full share or half share, your season, and where you prefer to pick it up.
For Breezy Willow Farm in Woodbine, 2019 will be their 16th season as a CSA. They use sustainable and ecological organic and natural growing methods to produce high quality fresh fruits and vegetables, all the while maintaining care and respect for the land.
Want to find a CSA near you? Use this website and put in your location to find your local CSA.