CSA

CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) creates a direct connection between farmers and members of the local community. Individuals make a commitment to a farm by purchasing a "share" of the harvest in advance of the growing season, providing the farmers with early season cash flow and a guaranteed market for their crops. In return, members receive a weekly "share" of the farm's harvest - fresh, in-season, high quality vegetables grown and harvested by farmers they know.

At Stout Oak Farm, CSA members play a critical role in our farm system, providing us with the capital we need early in the year to buy seeds and supplies, and get the growing season underway.  The CSA also provides us with the opportunity to connect directly with CSA families, building relationships that help sustain the farm (and friendships that help sustain the farmers).

At our new farm location in Brentwood, we are busy preparing for the 2012 growing season, tackling the ever-expanding list of projects we have ahead of us. In the first few years at the new farm, we will need to make significant investments in farm infrastructure, starting from scratch with things like irrigation, fencing, greenhouses, chicken coops, converting part of the old dairy barn into a farm store, etc... and now that we have long-term land tenure, we also plan to establish perennial plantings like berries, fruit trees, and herb gardens. It won't all happen at once, but with the support of our CSA members we will be able to make steady progress toward building a viable, sustainable farm business.

Our 2012 CSA shares are sold out. To add your name to our waiting list for next year, please email stoutoakfarm@gmail.com. To find out about other CSAs in the area, visit Seacoast Eat Local's CSA page. Many farms still have shares available, including Willow Pond Community Farm in Brentwood (for membership info email willowpond.farmer@yahoo.com).

ANOTHER OPTION:  OUR FARM STORE CREDIT SHARE

If you're interested in supporting Stout Oak Farm, and you'd like to become a regular customer at our Farm Store, please consider purchasing a Farm Store Credit Share for the 2012 season. Click here for more info.

Our Vegetable CSA Share

We are expanding our CSA program this year, as we put more acreage into production at the new farm. Based on feedback from 2011 shareholders, we have increased the size of our shares a bit, tweaked our crop list, and we're offering a new pick-up option on the farm.

The CSA will run for 20 weeks, beginning in early to mid-June (exact start date depends on weather). Each week our shares contain 8 to 10 different crops, reflecting what's in season on the farm. Our shares are designed for one household, and typically feed 2 - 4 people. The cost is $550. 

CSA member benefits include:

• Flexible share contents: You are welcome to swap items in your share for any vegetables available at our Farm Store or farmers' market booth on pick-up day.
  
• Weekly email updates from the farmer with links to recipes, storage tips, and news from the farm.
• Optional extras (at added cost):
• Bulk orders: Bulk vegetables for canning and storage will be available in late summer and fall.
• Farm Store: Members who pick up at the farm will be able to supplement their shares by shopping at our new Farm Store, which will be stocked with our own vegetables, cut flowers, herbs, and seedlings as well as products from other local farms.

Choose from 3 pick-up options: (members will pick up on the same day every week)
- At the farm on Tuesdays, 2:00 - 6:00pm
- At the Exeter Farmers' Market on Thursdays, 2:15 - 5:30pm (limited availability)
- At the Epping Farmers' Market on Fridays, 3:00 - 6:00pm (limited availability)

Work shares:  We are seeking a few "work share" members who will exchange regular work shifts at the farm for a discounted CSA share.  If interested please email stoutoakfarm@gmail.com for more details.

Frequently Asked Questions about our CSA

What are your farming practices?
Kate has been an organic vegetable grower for the past 12 years, having worked for and managed Certified Organic vegetable farms in California, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. We choose to use ecologically sound farming practices, demonstrating our commitment to enhance soil health, use resources efficiently, create a safe working environment for ourselves and our crew, and grow safe healthy food for our community. As of January 2012, we are in the process of completing our application for Organic Certification for our fields at our new location.

What's in a share?
We plant a diversity of crops in order to provide a wide variety of vegetables and herbs to our members. Shares contain 8 to 10 different items each week, depending what's ready for harvest. To get a sense of the  types of vegetables we harvest throughout the season, see our Harvest Calendar page. 

Can I share a share with my friends?
Splitting a share among two households is okay with us, BUT we ask that shareholders take the entire weekly share in one visit to the farm/farmers' market. Please do not come to pick up your share and take a "partial" or "half" share. Keep in mind that our shares are designed for one household, and the contents can't always be divided equally.  If you decide to share a share, we suggest that you either come to pick up your share together, alternate pick-up weeks, or split the share at home.

What happens if I need to skip a week?
If you're going away on vacation and won't be able to pick up your share, we encourage you to ask a friend to pick up your share for you.  If that's not possible, please call or email us in advance of the pick up day to let us know you're going to skip a week. If you notify us at least 1 week in advance, you'll get a $25 credit to be used later at our Farm Store or farmers' market booth (valid for 1 missed pick-up). All CSA credits must be used by Halloween. After that, any unused credits will be forfeited. 

What happens if I forget to pick up my share? 
With all that's happening on the farm, we are not able to keep track of forgotten shares. Unclaimed shares will be forfeited. 

Do I have to volunteer on the farm? 
No, there is no volunteer work requirement for CSA members. For those who are interested in spending some time working on the farm, we will occasionally organize volunteer work days in order to tackle big projects like weeding onions in the summer or harvesting potatoes in the fall. Volunteer opportunities will be announced in the weekly CSA email update.  

How do I find out about other CSAs in the area?
So many choices! There are many local farms offering lots of different types of CSA shares. For a searchable list of CSA farms in the NH seacoast area, go to www.seacoastharvest.org.  For a nationwide directory, visit www.localharvest.org.


If you would like join our CSA, please email stoutoakfarm@gmail.com and we'll send you a sign-up form.