CAUSES CSA Produce Purchase Program

This year, CAUSES will be offering a limited produce purchase  program, featuring produce grown at Firebird Farm and the UDC green room. The program is open to students, faculty and staff of the University of the District of Columbia.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a mutual commitment between a farm and a community of supporters that provides a direct link between the production and consumption of food. Supporters cover an integral part of a farm's yearly operating budget by purchasing a share of the seasonal harvest before it is grown. CSA members make a commitment to support the farm throughout the season. Members payment help cover costs for seeds, water, equipment maintenance, labor, etc. In return, the farm commits to providing a consistent supply of high quality vegetables each week throughout the growing season. At Firebird Farm, our goal is to grow and deliver a combination of vegetables and herbs valued at $30 each week, which is an additional 15% over what you pay.

In addition, we also recognize that smaller families may not have the same needs as large families or people sharing produce. Our full-shares will feed up to 6 people on average per week, or 3-4 people who love veggies. We are now offering half-shares, which will feed up to 4 people on average per week or 1-2 people who love veggies.

In 2016 we will offer 3 seasonal shares: Spring, Summer, and Fall. Download the application! 

For those of you who aren’t so crazy about greens and root crops, but can’t live without summer squash and tomatoes (or vice-versa), we have structured our membership options to allow you to choose your produce seasonally. In 2016, we will offer Spring, Summer, and Fall shares. Though not exhaustive, what follows is a list of crops typically available by season: 

SPRING:  Head Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, Collards, Mustard Greens, Beets, Turnips, Radishes, Arugula

SUMMER:  Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers, Hot Peppers, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Summer Squash, Carrots, Potatoes, Beets, Swiss Chard, Eggplant

FALL:    Arugula, Kale, Collards, Swiss Chard, Beets, Turnips, Radishes, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Winter Squash, Asian Greens, Sweet Potatoes

Details about seasonal shares and costs:

Limited participation is available due to growing space and we can only support 10 full shares and 10 half shares each season. To guarantee your season’s availability, you must sign up by June 2, even if you will not begin receiving weekly deliveries until Summer or Fall. You may sign up later in the season, but may be waitlisted. Interested in starting deliveries a bit closer to summer? If you sign up in the spring season after the first delivery, we will prorate your future deliveries. Signup deadlines for summer and fall are stricter, as shareholder spaces will be more limited.

As an incentive, you can receive a discount for signing up for all three seasons and paying a lump sum to UDC. See below for more information on costs:

·        Full Year share (lump sum) at $625(full)/$310(half) for all 27 weeks (June 2-Dec 1) Best Deal!!

o   PAYMENT DUE JUNE 2 (PRORATED SPRING RATE AVAILABLE AFTER THIS DATE UNTIL JUNE 23)

·        Full Year share (payment plan) at $650(full)/$326(half) for all 27 weeks (June 2-Dec 1)

o   PAYMENT DUE JUNE 2 (PRORATED SPRING RATE AVAILABLE AFTER THIS DATE UNTIL JUNE 23)

·        Spring shares at $150(full)/$75(half) for five weeks (June 2-June 30).

o   PAYMENT DUE JUNE 2 (PRORATED SPRING RATE AVAILABLE AFTER THIS DATE UNTIL JUNE 23)

·        Summer shares at $275(full)/$138(half) for twelve weeks (July 7-Sep 22)

o   PAYMENT DUE JUNE 30 (CANNOT BE PRORATED)

·        Fall vegetable/flower/herb share at $225(full)/$113(half) for ten weeks (Sep 29-Dec 1)

o   PAYMENT DUE SEP 22 (CANNOT BE PRORATED)

All Pick-ups are in front of Building 44 in the breezeway on Thursday afternoons

Completed applications along with a check made out to "CAUSES CSA" should be returned to Ms. Williett Hunt in Building 44, Room 120. For more information about the CSA, contact Matthew Gardine with the Center for Urban Agriculture. Not in CAUSES but want to know more about the program which we hope to open to the public in the future? Contact causes@udc.edu.