CSA

Why sign up for a Harvest Share?  Our Harvest Box is based off the CSA model, standing for Community Supported Agriculture, a CSA is a mutually beneficial commitment between customer and farmer, where the farmer commits to growing a weekly share of vegetables for a customer who has committed to purchase them upfront, simple as that.

Why a CSA?  As farmers, we strive to be able to earn an honest living while keeping a healthy balance between providing the care and attention this living farm ecosystem demands, and finding some time for other projects and pursuits.

Growing food for small communities is tough work, we have to keep diverse and grow a bit-of-a-lot of things, rather than a more efficient lot-of-a-bit of things, and we have to reach out further to find enough of a market for our harvests.  A CSA provides surety at the outset, relieving some of the inherent uncertainties in farming for small communities, and provides a level of stability for our three farmers earning at least a portion of our livelihoods in the garden.

What’s the benefit to the shareholder?  CSA shareholders receive first pick!  Never miss out on those first harvests of spinach or bok choy that disappear so quickly at the farmers’ market, our best crops each week will be freshly harvested and selected for you in your share.  At pickup your share is already packed and paid for, just grab and go!

What’s the benefit to the farmer?  Certainty!  In crop planning, harvesting and cash flow. Farmers’ market sales are highly speculative and uncertain, after all the work that goes into growing our vegetables each week we harvest in the hope that enough customers will turn out to buy them, because what goes unsold at the end of a market is a loss to our business. But the success of each market is very much dependent on such vagaries of the weather, holidays, other events in town, etc.  A CSA replaces this reliance on hope with certainty on harvest day.

What’s in my share?  Our best pick of certified organic vegetables each week, revolving throughout the season as new crops come on to ensure maximum freshness, variety, peak quality and flavour.  Here’s a taste of the 4-6 items you may find in your Spring Harvest Share each week:

• April/May: Tender mild radish, spinach, lettuce, kale, swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula
• end of May/early June: Sweet Hakurei turnips, baby onions, fresh herbs, more of the above delicious spring greens, rhubarb, green garlic, carrots, beets

How many people will a share feed?  Depends on how much you love your organic vegetables!  A Harvest Share is one or two paper shopping bag’s worth (depending on the time of season), and a reasonable amount for a single person or a couple.  If you are a larger family or really love your fresh veg, consider multiple shares.  You can also gift or donate the bounty of a share to the Hazelton Community! All donated shares will be distributed by Community Services or the Learning Shop Food Pantries.

When is the 2025 CSA season?  For a limited time during spring! Weekly on Fridays from April 25 through June, there will be 10 weekly shares.

Where and when do I pickup my share?  Your choice when you sign up, either at the farm in the Kispiox Valley on Fridays between 3-6, or in the parking lot of the Hazelton Health Food Store between 3-5pm on Fridays.

What if I can’t pickup my share one week?  You can gift or sell those weeks to a friend or neighbour, who are welcome to pick up your share on your behalf.  It is your responsibility to make arrangements to have someone pick up your share (so that we can go about the business of growing the food).

What if I don’t get my share picked up?  This is where the mutual commitment part of a CSA comes into play, your share of vegetables were grown and harvested just for you, and you are responsible for making sure they are eaten and enjoyed! If we do not hear from you and your share does not get picked up, we will donate your share to the community through one of two local food pantries in the Hazeltons: Community Services or the Learning Shop.

Can I make substitutions in my share? CSA programs operate on a ‘Farmer’s Choice’ basis. Shareholders put trust in their farmers to select the best, freshest, in-season crops each week and provide maximum variety throughout the CSA season. That being said, we will do our best to accommodate any preferences you may have and are happy to exchange a non-preferred item for a similar valued item based on availability. Just let us know your preferences when you sign up!

Is my share of the harvest guaranteed?  Yes, with the caveat being to the extent that anything can be guaranteed down on the farm!  Your share of any given crop is proportional to the amount harvested; in the event of a crop failure the risk is shared with the shareholders.  However, we are a diverse market garden with over 10 years under our belt, and a lean year in one crop usually means a bounty in other crops.  We guarantee there will be on average at least $37 worth of our best vegetables each week in your Share; if some weeks are on the lean side we will make it up in subsequent harvests (the first couple shares might be a bit light with only the earliest and tenderest greens, volumes will increase as the season progresses, balancing out to $37 of the freshest vegetables each week).  And if we have a bumper season, our shareholders will share in the bounty above and beyond the guaranteed amount.