CSA FAQ's
What is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)?
Here’s how it works: CSA is a mutually beneficial relationship between you and your neighborhood farm. We offer limited “shares” to our community. Each share is a package of our farm’s produce. You have two share sizes to choose from. Once you commit, an up-front payment helps your farm with seasonal costs. In return, you receive a weekly package of seasonal produce at a significant savings from retail.
All CSA produce is Certified Naturally Grown—a standard stricter than USDA organic—100% chemical free, soil grown, and hand-harvested. No synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, hydroponics or GMOs here. By nurturing the soil, we assure you’ll receive nutritious, vibrant, and delicious produce week after week. In joining our CSA, you’ll experience a meaningful and memorable connection to your food, your community, the land it’s grown on, and the people who grow it!
What type of food is in a CSA package?
The CSA share contains a wide variety of fresh, seasonal food. Each week the CSA share contains a different assortment of seasonal produce, and there are often additions that only CSA members will receive. Our goal is to provide you with top quality produce in quantities that you can use. CSA equals seasonal eating, and that means eating everything in its prime season, peak flavor and nutrition! We offer add-ons such as pasture-raised eggs directly from our farm and fresh flower bouquets.
How much food is in a weekly CSA share?
Farmer’s Basket: 5-7 items—suitable for one or two people.
Farmer’s Friend: 10-12 items—suitable for a small family.
Members may purchase any combination of shares to meet their individual needs. Summer guests might be accommodated with the added purchase of a Beach Share.
How do I get my CSA?
We offer several different options for you to get your share:
- On-farm pickups on Saturdays 8am-11am
- Pickups at the MT Burton Gallery on Friday mornings from 9am-11am, located at 1819 Long Beach Blvd, Surf City, NJ 08008
- Home delivery on Fridays ($15 fee/week)
Times and locations may change, but we’ll communicate any changes the week of your CSA.
How Does CSA Home Delivery Work?
CSA deliveries are on Fridays. You do not have to be home for delivery, but a cooler outside your door or a specified shady spot large enough for your delivery is recommended.
Delivery to Manahawkin, Barnegat, and LBI.
What if I’m on vacation?
If you’re not available to pick up your share, please call to let us know. We highly suggest sharing your share with a friend or family member. It’s a great way to introduce the Farm and the CSA program to others, or we will donate your package to someone in need.
What’s the difference between a traditional CSA and A Harvest Card?
A Harvest Card offers the convenience of one-stop shopping at the farm or one of our farmers’ markets. Similar to a traditional CSA, members support the farm with an upfront payment. The market share differs in that members shop for the produce they want instead of receiving a pre-determined CSA share. Members begin the season with a pre-paid credit, allowing one to shop throughout the current season. The value of each purchase is simply deducted from ones account. In appreciation for your support of our farm, we offer our gratitude by way of a 10% pre-season discount on your Harvest Card purchase.
Is Sassafras Hill Farm organic?
Sassafras Hill Farm is Certified Naturally Grown, an alternative certification program to USDA Organic. CNG sets a stricter standard for cultivating and maintaining soil health and fertility. Unlike the USDA Organic, CNG requires crops to grow in soil, and prohibits soilless aggregates with liquid/chemical nutrients, such as used in hydroponics. We use the same, and exceed, the National Organic Program (NOP) standards as the USDA Organic farms. Of course, GMO’s are absolutely prohibited. In contrast to the USDA Organic standard, Sassafras Hill Farm prohibits CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations). Animals should be pasture raised, For more details check out Certified Naturally Grown.
Where is the CSA food coming from?
CSA produce and eggs are produced right here at Sassafras Hill Farm. In the event of a crop failure or shortage, it may be necessary to supplement with items from our network of organic, sustainably grown farms.
Can I choose what’s in the CSA share?
For those picking up their share, occasionally you’ll have the option to choose between two items. For example turnips or radishes, okra or eggplant, parsley or basil.
How can I find information about cooking the produce in the CSA share?
The weekly CSA email features recipes related to the specific items in each package. In addition to that, we provide different ideas for what you can do with your produce throughout the season, for example, how to make pesto. We love talking with our members, so feel free to ask us for ideas. We also have recipes and cookbooks displayed at our farm shoppe and our farm stands at the Surf City & Beach Haven Farmers’ Markets.