Community Supported Agriculture
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Urban Roots Farm grows fresh vegetables for your enjoyment. Most of our customers enjoy these veggies through our Community Supported Agriculture program, or CSA.
Already know about CSAs? Go sign up!!! Otherwise here's the scoop: When you become a member of Urban Roots CSA you are entering a local food partnership with your farmer. The farmer and the members agree to share in the cost and risk of growing food as well as in the bounty of the harvest. It's like you signed up for a weekly vegetable subscription. From the first pick-up to the last you will get a box of naturally grown, prime harvested, wonderfully fresh in-season veggies. Members pay for a portion of the season in advance, which helps the small farmer cover his/her "seed money" (ever wondered where that term originated?). Then you and other members reap the benefits of investment all season long. The member also shares the risks of vegetable production with the farmer, and we talk a little bit about that below. |
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Our intention is to provide you with a variety of different vegetables per week during the summer CSA season. A Large share will feed a family of four or two adults who cook at home regularly and eat a lot of veggies. We are offering Small shares for those of you who cannot use a Large share each week. Every week what's in the share will change. Typically our winter shares take on a little different size and frequency due to sunlight and temps.
Veggies we grow include: Spring: Spinach, green beans, baby beets w/ greens, green onions, carrots, salad mix, kohlrabi, radishes, brussel sprouts, broccoli, chard, potatoes, celery, kale, head lettuce, bok choi, pak choi, cabbage, turnips and a variety of herbs. Summer: tomatoes, Basil, peppers, eggplant, fennel, okra, celery, cucumbers, green beans, edamame, edible flowers, onions, summer squash, herbs, ginger, radish, lettuce, greens, carrots, beets. Fall: Tomatoes, lettuce, winter squash, green beans, peppers, cabbage, beets, herbs, onion, swiss chard, kale, radish, salad mix, potatoes, winter squash, garlic, ginger, spinach. Winter: Kale, Chard, Lettuces, Spinach, Bok Choi, Arugula, Salad Mix, Turnips, Radish, Leeks, Green Onions, Napa, Fennel, Ginger, Carrots, Beets, Cabbage, Choy, Sunflower and Pea shoots. Shared Risk? There is an important concept woven into the CSA model that takes the arrangement beyond the usual commercial transaction. That is the notion of shared risk. When originally conceived, the CSA was set up differently than it is now. A group of people pooled their money, bought a farm, hired a farmer, and each took a share of whatever the farm produced for the year. If the farm had a tomato bonanza, everyone put some up for winter. If a plague of locusts ate all the greens, people ate cheese sandwiches. Very few such CSAs exist today, and for most farmers, the CSA is just one of the ways their produce is marketed. They may also go to the farmers market, do some wholesale, sell to restaurants, etc. Still, the idea that "we're in this together" remains. Many times, the idea of shared risk is part of what creates a sense of community among members, and between members and the farmers. If a hailstorm takes out all the peppers, everyone is disappointed together, and together they cheer on the winter squash and broccoli. Most CSA farmers feel a great sense of responsibility to their members, and when certain crops are scarce, they make sure the CSA gets served first. Still, it is worth noting that very occasionally things go wrong on a farm. We promise to work hard, and grow the very best vegetables we know how. We have a strong belief in “community” and feel this is where we fit within ours. Additional options we offer through the seasons: Fruit: At this time we do not have berries or producing fruit trees on the farm, but we source local fruit from other farmers, and make it available for purchase during CSA pickup. Bedding plants and transplants: We have our Spring Plant Sale every year right around Earth Day! We carry garden starts and some bedding plants as well as succulents. Egg Share: With this option you get one dozen eggs per week for 30 weeks. The hens who lay these eggs are happy and free range from Stewart Farms, just North of Springfield. Mushrooms: If you sign up for this additional share, you will receive a package of mushrooms from MO Mushrooms each week. The mushrooms are generally Oysters with an occasional variety pack or surprise variety thrown in. Bread: We are excited to offer bread from Collective Kitchen every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month during the CSA season. Collective Kitchen is a cottage bakery in the heart of Rountree in Springfield. Their intention is to blend old world baking philosophies into modern day living. They specialize in hand mixed, naturally leavened, artisan sourdough breads. Each loaf is fermented for 30 hours, ensuring easy digestibility. Their CSA menu will consist of a rotation of breads that your whole family will love. From their signature Pain au Levain to seasonal specials like Polenta and Rosemary, they’ll bring you flavors that will make a happy household. Coffee: Special blend from Coffee Ethic made especially for our CSA members. "Living Matter" has great flavors of milk chocolate and brown sugar. Goat Cheese: Terrell Creek Farm keeps us in supply of their Artisan Goat Cheeses. How do I sign up? Sign up is very easy and convenient this year. Simply fill out our CSA signup form and answer the questions. Once you've completed and submitted the form you will receive an email within 48 hours with your invoice. The invoice will be for the entire season total but will have the 30% deposit due immediately. There will also be the option to save your credit card information for faster future payments. Every month you will get a reminder with your total season amount still due and the portion we expect paid that month. If you need a hand getting signed up, please don't hesitate to give us a call at 417-597-4858. Follow this link for additional details about the current CSA season that is open for sign up: Summer CSA Season. Feel free to contact us for any reason! |
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