Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS COMMUNITY SHARED AGRICULTURE?

In a nutshell, Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) is a model of direct-food-marketing that allows farmers and consumers to support one another through mutual commitment and community building. Although it is a relatively new phenomenon, the CSA model is rapidly gaining popularity, with thousands of CSA farms popping up across North America over the last few decades.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

1- At the beginning of the season, customers pre-pay for a “share” in the harvest.

2- The farmer uses the upfront capital to purchase seeds, tools and all of the other resources needed to grow! 

3- When the season begins, veggie are harvested on-farm and delivered to a central location where members come to pick them up. This is a great time for folks to meet each other, chat with their farmer, exchange recipes, and ask questions about the farm and the produce.  

WHEN AND WHERE ARE THE PICK-UPS?

In 2024, CHG is offering a bi-weekly Winter CSA, available for pickup in Saskatoon (Haultain neighbourhood) from October 1st to February 18th.

WHAT IF I AM UNABLE TO MAKE A PICK-UP?

You’ve got a few different options:

  1. Send a friend or family member in your place!

  2. Get in contact with us as soon as possible to find a solution. We may be able to find an alternate pickup time, or double your share a different week.

NOTE: If you anticipate bi-weekly pick-ups to be a challenge, this might not be the program for you!

WHAT WILL I FIND IN A SHARE? 

Winter CSA shares will contain 6-7 items with a total value of $45-50. Each week will be slightly different, but the crops we are growing include carrots, beets, potatoes, garlic, onions, winter squash, cabbage, parsnips, fall greens (like kale and chard), micro greens, and drying beans.

Here is an example of what a typical share will look like:

-2.5 lb of beets

-3 lb of carrots

-1 head of cabbage

-2 bulbs of garlic

-2 lb of onions

-4 lb of potatoes

-0.25 lb of sunflower shoots or pea shoots

A “swap-bin” will be present at each CSA pick-up, allowing members to trade 1 unwanted items for ones they prefer. 

WHAT IF I CAN’T USE THAT MANY VEGGIES?

If you are keen to join the CSA program but worried it will be too much, we encourage you to coordinate with friends or family to “split” a share. The easiest way to do this would probably be to find somebody who is willing to reimburse you 50% and then take turns picking up veggies. Or make a bi-weekly veggie-pickup date! Just let us know if you are planning to do this so we can make sure everybody gets a weekly newsletter.

WHAT IF THE CROPS FAIL? 

CSA farming is about sharing both the risks and the bounties associated with agriculture. If the season goes well, members are rewarded with high quantities of inexpensive, fresh, and high-quality local vegetables. If something goes wrong (ex. a pest destroys the onion crop), the farmer does not have to bear the full brunt of the cost because they are supported by their members.

At Crocus Hill Garden, we’ve accounted for a certain amount of failure by planting 30% more than the anticipated need. With 5+ years of successful CSAs under our belt and over 20 varieties of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and perennials, our farm is extremely resilient and highly unlikely to experience total crop failure. In the event of a significant failure (i.e. 50% or more), we would consult with members to come up with a fair solution, and refund those who cannot afford to take the loss. We also may consider buying in produce from nearby farms to make up for losses.

WHY BECOME A CSA MEMBER?

  1. It tastes great!

  2. Support your local economy: Keep your dollars in your community and help the local economy grow.

  3. Support local biodiversity: By nature, CSA farms are highly biodiverse. How else could they provide their members with such a wide variety of veggies?

  4. Reduce your food miles and contribute to local food security.

  5. Reduce waste: The CSA model is one of the most efficient ways to grow food. CSA farmers know exactly how much to seed, harvest, and bring to market. This saves on time, labour, and most importantly, food waste.

  6. Get to know your farmer, get to know your food: Joining a CSA is a great opportunity to learn and build relationships with the food you eat and the people who grow it.

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?

Please email us at info@crocushillgarden.com and we’ll respond as soon as possible.