Do I like vegetables? Am I willing to try new ones? Although we try to make sure that the bulk of any weekly share is made up of classic, well-known vegetables, it would be really boring if we didn’t include fun, weird veggies that some members may have never heard of. Some of the “classics” are also very difficult to grow, take up a lot of space, or have very specific seasonal/temperature needs (e.g. broccoli, potatoes, and tomatoes), so we can’t ensure that they’re in the share every week. If you’re willing to take our word that the little-known or underappreciated veggies that we’ve curated are delicious (we don’t grow anything that we ourselves don’t eat), and you have an open mind and palate, a CSA might be right for you.

Am I willing and able to invest in my food up front? While we try to make the CSA more accessible with payment plans, seasonal shares, and different share sizes - buying a share still requires a large amount of trust in the farmer that they will work diligently to make your experience a good one. The CSA model was founded on shared risk and shared reward, so if you’re willing to embrace the community that surrounds the farm, a CSA might be right for you.

Do I have time to prepare produce for meals at home? Do I have an interest in cooking? We strive to include salad fixings in every weekly share, and with the free-choice model you can choose easy-to-prep vegetables that are commonly eaten raw. But bringing home fresh, organic vegetables every week still requires time spent preparing them - time that some of us don’t have, or would rather spend elsewhere. If you like to cook often, a CSA might be right for you.

Do I have the time to pick up my share every week? This one is simple but exceedingly important. It can be difficult to remember to make it to pickup at the same time every week. A weekly alarm, smartphone reminder, or jotting it down on the calendar can help, as can assigning the responsibility to one member of the family. Farmers rely on members being able to take home the produce that has been picked specifically for them. Handling the logistics of multiple members a week needing alternative pickups or forgetting until three days after their pickup is something we simply don’t have time for. If you can make the commitment to come to pickup every week, a CSA might be right for you.