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CSA 
The Basics Sign-Up FAQ Newsletter Recipes Praise 
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FAQ Frequently Asked Questions ABOUT THE VEGGIE BOXES 1. What's a CSA and why does Foggy River Farm have one?
LOGISTICS (PAYMENT, PICK-UP, etc.) 5. How much does a Full Share cost?
ABOUT THE FARM
13. Are you organic?
For those who aren't familiar with the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model, here's how it works: At the start of the year, community members can buy a share of the farm's produce; each week, members receive a box of freshly-harvested produce straight from the farm. It's a way for Sonoma County eaters to become more closely connected with our food and the land, animals and farmers responsible for bringing it to our plates. It's also a great way for us farmers to be more closely connected to the people who are eating the food we grow, and it provides our farm with the stability of knowing at the beginning of the year that we have a market for our produce. We strive to give our members a great value for their dollar. Boxes cost $22/week, but during the 2010 season the average weekly value was $27 (when compared with grocery store prices.) On top of their weekly veggie shares, members get added benefits: U-pick items; seasonal farm parties; a weekly newsletter with recipes and tips, and extra treats like pumpkins for carving in October.
A full share is a weekly box of mixed produce that changes with the seasons. We strive to make each week's box enough to fulfill the weekly produce requirements for a family of four-but of course this will depend entirely on your personal eating habits. A vegetarian, plant-loving couple can go through a full share a week. Each week's share comes with an email newsletter with recipes, cooking tips, and news from the farm. Check out some newsletter examples. Check our the 2010 Weekly CSA Share Summary (Click to enlarge)
An example Spring season share might include Waltham broccoli, bagged spinach, baby carrots, butter leaf (head) lettuce, Swiss chard, French breakfast radishes, and green garlic. An example Summer season share might include Brandywine heirloom tomatoes, Genovese basil, cilantro, Romanesco zucchini, Armenian cucumber, Yellowstone carrots, Tuscan kale, a head of garlic and a red or yellow onion. An example Fall season share might include Sungold cherry tomatoes, arugula, Early Wonder beets, cauliflower, delicata squash, Russian Banana fingerling potatoes and a head of garlic. (Occasional treats to look forward to include: sweet cantaloupe, delicate squash blossoms or garlic scapes, and Jack-O-Lanterns at Halloween.)
Yes, you can choose to add pasture-raised, organic eggs to supplement your produce share ($3/half-dozen.) The eggs come from our flock of free-range hens, a mix of heritage and commercial breeds. You can expect brown, white and green/blue eggs--with deep orange yolks and excellent cooking quality. We are offering only half-dozen shares, because our hens can only lay so many eggs each week and we want as many CSA members as possible to be able to enjoy them.
If you price-check organic, pasture-raised eggs at Safeway, you'll find that they generally cost more than $5 per dozen. We realize this might seem like a lot to pay for eggs, but there are a number of factors that make our pasture-raised organic eggs more expensive than conventionally-raised, battery-farm eggs. First, we have raised our hens from day-old chicks (and some from the egg itself!), caring for them and feeding them for the five months before they start laying. Second, we feed them mostly organic grains, for which we pay a premium. The hens go through at least 100 pounds of feed a week-at over $20 per 50lb bag (feed they were also eating for the 20+ weeks before they started laying)--as well as frequently changed bedding material to keep them healthy and clean. And importantly, our chickens roam freely, enjoying a balanced diet of grasses, grubs, and Foggy River organic produce. This requires space but also results in eggs with deep orange yolks, delicious and highly nutritious, packed with omega-3's. Finally, we're so proud of our chickens' lifestyle that we encourage you to come visit. You'll see that they're quite content-and receive plenty of TLC. ******************* LOGISTICS (Payment, pick-up, etc.)
The cost is $22 per week. The cost for the 27-week season (mid May through mid November) comes out to $594, but if you pay for the entire season upfront, you get your first box for free (i.e. $572 total). There is a $3/week additional fee for members who opt to have their boxes delivered to central location in town instead of picking up on the farm. For those who sign up mid-season, we simply adjust the cost to reflect the number of weeks you will be receiving.
We don't sell half shares, because the logistics of organizing boxes becomes exponentially more complicated when some are half and others a full. However, you are more than welcome to team up with someone else who only wants half a share--and split the produce however you see fit. (Some of our members trade off every other week with a neighbor; others divide up the produce each week.) We generally keep a waiting-list of people who are interested in pairing up with someone else, so please contact us if you are looking for someone to split a share with and we can help facilitate a these arrangements.
Signing up is easy. You just need to send in an application and deposit check. Note: After June 1st, please contact us before submitting an application/payment. Visit the Sign-Up page to get started.
There are two primary payment options: 1) pay for the full season upfront, and get your first box for free ($572 for the season); or 2) pay in two installments: $297 at the start of the season and $297 midway through the season ($594 total for the season). If a quarterly payment plan works better for you, please contact us and we are happy to accommodate. Check or cash are both acceptable. Checks payable to "Foggy River Farm." The first payment deadline is April 15th (Note: for newcomers, the 1st payment deadline has been extended to May 1st); the second August 15th. For delivery of your box to a central location in Windsor or Healdsburg, add $3 per week. This comes to $675 for the full season ($650 if you pay for the season upfront; or two installments of $337.)
Pick-up time is 4:00pm - 7:00pm on Wednesdays.
You will have four primary pick-up options: 1) at the farm stand at 8250 Eastside Road (where you can custom-fill your own box); 2) at our central drop-off point in Healdsburg (off of Mason Street near the Memorial Bridge), with a $3 delivery fee; 3) at our central drop-off point in Windsor (Sweet Peas Preschool & Daycare on Starr Rd.), with a $3 delivery fee. 4) at our central drop-off point in Santa Rosa (location TBA), with a $3 delivery fee. 5) at a new drop-off site (if you can meet the criteria outlined below), with a $3 delivery fee.
If we do not have a pick up site near you but you are able to gather at least 5 members who would like to pick up in your neighborhood--within a 20 minute radius of the farm--then we will add a new pick up site. (This could include locations in Santa Rosa, Forestville, Geyserville, etc.) Ideally, the drop-off sites will have an easily-accessed outdoor area where the boxes might be left in the afternoon shade until members come by to pick up their boxes. If we opt to use your home as a drop-off point we will waive the delivery fee from your box.
If you're out of town on the pick-up day, you have two options: 1) have a friend pick-up your box and enjoy it for you; or 2) notify us that you'll be gone and we will donate your box to the Healdsburg food pantry or another local charity. ******************* ABOUT THE FARM
We are not certified organic due to the cost of certification, which is several hundred dollars per year. However, we give your our word that we grow using organic practices and we strive to be more sustainable than the basic organic certification requirements. We don't ever spray any conventional pesticides/herbicides/etc (and we vary rarely even use any organic-certified sprays), and we use natural, organic soil amendments to enhance the fertility of our soil. We also do much of the work at the farm by hand, to minimize our carbon footprint. And the best part is, as a CSA member you're welcome to stop by for a visit to walk the fields and talk to us about our growing practices.
Many of our vegetables are heirloom varieties, and our chickens are a mix of hybrid and heritage breeds. We strive to offer rare and endangered varieties that can occasionally spice up your diet and dazzle your dinner guests--purple beans, candy-striped beets, tiger-stripe tomatoes, purple potatoes--as well as plenty of the old classics that we all know and love.
Yes, our CSA members are always welcome to walk around the farm. Just give us a call, or send us an email, and we're more than happy to show you around. If you choose to pick up your box on the farm, you can visit every week! (You can also stay up-to-date virtually by way of our online blog: www.wisdomoftheradish.com)
We will be hosting community workdays during the CSA season, which will offer you the some organic growing techniques. If you choose to join the CSA Field Team (check the option on your CSA application), then you can participate in at least 20 hours of fieldwork during the growing season; Field Team membership costs $100 less than regular membership.
Emmett's grandparents bought the property in the 1950s, moving the family up from southern California to Sonoma County. His father grew up picking prunes and pears on Eastside Road, and now grows wine grapes on the fertile floodplain soil. We have carved out a little space for our vegetables and hens, and are living in a house on the property. Take a look at the Farm page to see some vintage photos of past decades on the farm. ******************* Want to sign up?
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