Frequently Asked Questions

 What is Community Supported Agriculture?

CSA brings together farmers and people in neighboring communities into a mutually beneficial and direct relationship. The Cobble Hill CSA farms, all small scale, provide sun-ripened, freshly picked, organically or otherwise sustainably grown or humanely raised produce to the CSA members via weekly delivery to a central spot in the neighborhood. In turn, the CSA community provides its farmers with a reliable and steady market throughout the season, whether the growing conditions and harvests are ideal or otherwise. Click here to learn more about Community Supported Agriculture.

 Our farmers: Green Thumb (South Fork, Long Island) for vegetables, fruit and flowers, all organic; Hepworth Farms (Hudson Valley) for minimally treated fruit; Dines Farms (Catskill Mountains) for pasture-raised, humanely treated meat, poultry and eggs.

Membership entails purchase of a share of Green Thumb organic produce, which includes lettuces, greens, herbs, corn, tomatoes, some fruit and many other bio-diverse vegetables. Family-run for many generations, with longstanding, beneficial relationships with its workers, Green Thumb only grows organically. As additional options, they also offer us flower shares, honey, a pantry share (additional quantities of certain vegetables) and 25-pound bags of tomatoes for canning or sauce-making.

 Members can also opt for a Hepworth Farms fruit share consisting of: cherries, strawberries, peaches, plums, nectarines, melons, apples and pears. Although not certified organic, Hepworth Farms, family run, minimally treats its produce and is strongly committed to sustainable agriculture and fair labor practices.

 Humanely treated meat, poultry or eggs are optionally available from Dines Farms, which is family owned and located in the Catskill Mountains on more than 120 acres of natural grass. Livestock at Dines live on pastures, enjoying fresh air and sunshine and feed on grass and chemical-free grain. No hormones, pesticides, animal by-products or antibiotics are used and all of the meats are processed on the farm without preservatives or nitrates.

 How much does a basic share cost?

$420 ($15 a week, 28-weeks--June 5 to December 11--plus $15 administration fee) for a Green Thumb share; this provides a weekly supply of produce.  The vegetable consumption for individuals and families differs considerably; for some, a share might last a week, for others, a share would only be enough for a few days.  Click here for a list of representative shares. Although many single people will easily use a share in a week, some single households may want to split a share. The CSA coordinators can put people seeking share partners in touch with each other. 

How do I get my produce?

Members pick it up on Tuesdays, 4:00-8:00 PM , during our season, at Christ Church, 326 Clinton Street, at the corner of Kane Street in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn . The produce will be orderly arranged and members, bringing their own bags, pick up the allotted amount of each item.

Do I get to pick which vegetables are included in my share?

Green Thumb delivers a splendid variety of produce; however, while responsive to our suggestions, they cannot provide custom shares. We find that the majority of members are pleased with the overall selection.

What if I can’t make it to the CSA site?

If you can not pick up in any particular week, you can arrange for a friend to do so for you, however we cannot refund money for any missed pickups.

Are there any work requirements of members?

Yes, all members are asked to sign-up to work a single 2-hour shift on a week of your choice. The work involved: keep the produce well arranged on the tables; post signs identifying the fruits and vegetables; staff the sign-in table. At the end of the evening we box any residual produce, which gets donated to a charity, and tidy up the area.

Can I join after the season has started?

We encourage members to join for the entire season, however there are people who discover our CSA after the season opening. Therefore, as long as spaces are still available, members can join beyond June 6 at a prorated cost ($15 deduction for each missed week.)

Who coordinates the CSA?

There is a core group of 12 CSA members who, working with the farmers and members, prepares and runs the: pick-up site, ordering forms and newsletters, web-site, member records, finances, solicitation of member input, community outreach, member work schedules, etc. In recognition of their contributions, the core group receives a free basic share and a 38% discount on a fruit share. Any member of a year or more who wants to devote their energy, time and talent is eligible to join the core group upon an opening.

What are some of the other benefits of joining the CSA?

Farmer Bill at Green Thumb also treats us to late spring strawberry-picking and fall pumpkin-picking/hay ride outings/tours at the farm. We also have a bi-weekly newsletter, which offers recipes for our produce items and news from the farm. And the weekly pick-up is a community experience shared with neighbors who care about healthful eating and sustainable agriculture.

 For more info call Angela
(917) 609-9899