CSA
The Washington DC region is home to many small scale farms and community supported agriculture (CSA) programs. I have been very lucky to try three wonderful CSA’s: Potomac Vegetable Farms, Licking Creek Bend Farm, and Star Hollow Farm. If you are new to the area and interested in joining a CSA, I highly recommend all three. Please note that you will need to reach out to coordinators for each program in January in order to join these popular CSA programs.
Licking Creek Bend Farm is located at 28 Donahoe Lane, Needmore, PA 17238. Growers Michael and Esther Tabor grow a variety of fresh, certified naturally grown, produce for sale at area farmers’ market and their CSA. One share feeds a family of 4 or 2 people who eat a lot of vegetables. There are several CSA pick-up sites: Adams Morgan (Saturday between 10:30am and 1pm at 18th St & Columbia Rd); Gaithersburg at NIST (Tuesdays between 10:30am and 1pm); Bethesda at NIH (Tuesdays between 10:30am and 1pm); and Brookland Metro Station – under bridge (Tuesdays between 3pm and 7pm). Licking Creek Bend Farm offers the following seasonal shares:
- June-July (9 weeks for $315 or $35/week)
- August-September (9 weeks for $315 or $35/week)
- October-November (9 weeks for $315 or $35/week)
For more information about our experience, click here.
When Rex and I were living in Alexandria, VA, we joined Potomac Vegetable Farms CSA. In February, we signed up for the summer and autumn CSA shares (June through November):
- Summer Share (June 1 to September 14): 16 weeks of summer produce including tomatoes, summer squashes, swiss chard, garlic, peppers, celery and basil (Regular Share = $460)
- Autumn Share (September 21 to November 9): 8 weeks of fall produce including butternut squash, sweet potatoes, celery root, kale, asian greens and salad greens (Regular Share = $230)
Unfortunately, Potomac Vegetable Farms does not have a DC CSA program. So, when we moved to the District, we had to give up our CSA share. To our surprise, in the first few months on the job, Rex found out that they deliver the summer share to some worksites. Last summer, we became members of their summer worksite CSA share and received a fabulous bag of produce delivered directly to Rex’s work every Thursday afternoon. This summer, PVF will be delivering to Rex’s work on Tuesday afternoons. To see what we’re currently doing with our summer share, check out the PVF page.
Beyond the CSA, growers Hiu and Hana Newcomb (a mother and daughter team) welcome visitors and host two potluck gatherings on the farm in Vienna for CSA subscribers.
Growers Randy and Chris, a husband and wife team in Three Springs, Pennsylvania, started Star Hollow Farm’s Online Farmer’s Market & CSA in 2003. During the winter, Star Hollow Farm partners with Tuscarora Organic Growers Co-Op, several local orchards and dairies, and other family farms to provide a variety of high quality organic and conventional, locally grown and raised, products for Washington DC residents. CSA members pay $300 up front in January, which opens up a “debit” account on the online system. Every other week, beginning at 7am on Wednesday morning through 7am on Thursday, CSA members can shop at Star Hollow Farm’s Online Store. Members have the option of choosing the traditional share (a box of preassigned produce) or purchasing things a la carte or both. After all orders are submitted, Star Hollow Farm delivers the produce on Saturday mornings between 10am and 1pm to the Adams Morgan Farmers’ Market at 18th St and Columbia Rd in front of SunTrust. This innovative CSA model provides financial support up front for the farmer and flexibility to the customer.
