Buy a CSA Share from These Local Farms
Community-Supported Agriculture, also known as “CSA” or “crop-sharing,” is a system that directly connects farms with customers by allowing them to subscribe to their harvest before the season begins. CSA farms offer different types of shares for purchase. Share prices and signup processes vary by farm, but most require payment at the beginning of each season and then deliver shares to different locations for pickup each week until the harvest season ends. Our store is currently a pickup location for four local CSA farms so you can conveniently pick up your share on your usual weekly trips to get groceries.
There are many benefits of purchasing CSA shares, for both you and local CSA farmers. Some of these benefits include giving you the opportunity to get to know local farmers on a more personal level, allowing you to learn more about the farm’s growing practices directly from the farmers, and eliminating the middleman in the packaging, transportation, and selling of the farm’s products, which keeps prices low, saves you money, and guarantees that 100% of the dollar goes directly to the farm. It also allows the farmers to receive income at the beginning of the season, ensuring they can plan for expenses more accurately throughout the year.
If you’re interested in signing up for a share from a local CSA farm, there are several in Western Wisconsin! These are a few. Several of them even deliver their shares to one of our stores for pickup throughout the season.
EB Ranch
Multiple Shares • Ridgeland, WI
Pick Up at our Store: No
Erin and Bob raise a small herd of endangered San Clemente goats, as well as chickens, ducks, and guineas. They offer goat milk soap shares, as well as multiple meat shares that are available for purchase online and can be picked up at their farm in Ridgeland.
Mary Dirty Face Farm
Fruit Shares • Menomonie, WI
Pick Up at our Store: Yes
Rachel, Anton, and their two children grow certified organic fruits, including apples, berries, and more. They offer full fruit shares and apple shares for purchase on their website in early spring. Both are available for pickup from our Menomonie store.
Racing Heart Farm
Produce Shares • Colfax, WI
Pick Up at our Store: Yes
Les and Els are first-generation farmers who grow a variety of fruits and vegetables using the no-till method. They offer shares for purchase online in the spring, which can be picked up from our Menomonie store.
Wagon Wheel Gardens
Multiple Shares • Woodville, WI
Pick Up at our Store: Yes
Wagon Wheel Gardens is a family farm that offers vegetable, fruit, egg, and honey shares available. Each is available for purchase by calling 715-441-4808, and all can be picked up at our Menomonie store.
This article was originally published in the March/April 2023 issue of our bi-monthly newsletter, The Morsel. If you’d like to read more stories like this one and stay up to date on the latest co-op news and events, pick up a print copy in-store on your next grocery run or find more news on our website here.
