Now that spring is here, you may be asking yourself, “Should I sign up for a CSA?” As much as you want to eat locally grown fruits and vegetables, there are lots of questions about whether or not a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is right for your family. Will it be worth the money? Will your family eat it? Will I know how to cook everything I receive? The answer to all of those questions is YES! But first: let’s talk about a few things regarding CSAs and why for the fifth year in a row my family is joining the Sycamore Spring Farm CSA. With a variety of convenient pick-up locations (New Market, Frederick, Gaithersburg, or Rockville), a CSA makes life easier, tastier, and healthier.
Every year my family looks forward to the start of CSA season. A CSA membership provides families like mine with guaranteed fresh, local, minimally handled produce.
So why invest in a CSA?
- It’s better for your family’s lifelong health. Sycamore Spring Farm’s locally grown, better-than-organic fruit and veggies are vital to a healthy life—that’s no secret!
- Consuming produce becomes a norm for your kids, who will learn that fresh food comes from a farm, not just a grocery store! Think: lifetime habits. Plus, your children can spend time on the farm learning hands on from Farmer Carol about how the food they find on their plates grows.
- A variety of produce is guaranteed each week - something that grocery delivery cannot promise to have in stock!
- Know your farmer = know your food! With a CSA, you can have peace of mind about what your family is consuming. Sycamore Spring Farm grows their produce naturally, without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, with an emphasis on soil health, conservation, and permaculture practices.
- Enjoying produce in season takes all the guesswork out of seasonal eating. Eating in season foods are way more satisfying. Ask anyone who has ever ate a strawberry in December. It simply can’t compare to a ripe June strawberry.
- Experimenting with new foods can bring diversity and richness to your plate! And you’re not alone—recipes are posted each week that help you to make the most out of the items in your share. Becoming a shareholder also means becoming part of a community.
- Offered solely to Sycamore Spring Farm CSA members: Pick-your-own (as nature provides): berries, cherries, tomatoes, figs, grapes, flowers and herbs; farm tours and access/use of cook-out and picnic areas for family and friends; and monthly harvest recipe sheets.
While these are all great reasons to join, what about those who wonder if the cost is worth it? You might be surprised to find out how inexpensive a CSA actually is when broken down on a weekly basis! On average, over the course of the growing/harvest season, Sycamore Spring Farm beats retail “organic” or “health food store” prices by 35-45%. Plus, all of their produce is grown or produced locally. Most years, they estimate members have received over 300 lbs. of product, which averages out to about $1.98 lb. Now that is a GREAT DEAL! The farm also offers the option to purchase eggs and ground beef with your weekly share.
Pick-up at the New Market location is on Thursdays from 4-6PM at The Village Potter on Main Street. Besides pick-up in New Market, Sycamore Spring Farm offers CSA pick-up right on the farm in Frederick, and in Gaithersburg and Rockville. A full membership share runs from April – October, but there are a variety of timeframes to choose from.
In addition to your weekly CSA share, Sycamore Spring Farm also offers farm-fresh eggs and Scottish Highland beef available as add-ons for their members. Not only can you feel good about what you are feeding your family, but it's so much easier to make just one stop to get all of your produce, eggs and meat for the week.
To sign-up for a Sycamore Spring Farm CSA membership, click here to register and pay online. If you have any additional questions about the Village CSA in New Market specifically please join The Village CSA Facebook group or e-mail thevillagecsa@gmail.com. All other CSA questions can be directed to by filling out this form. There are a limited number of shares available, so sign up today and join my family in this amazing community!
