Goose Creek Berries community members will buy into the farm’s production at the start of the growing season and in exchange receive a share of the farm’s harvest. Shares (a box containing berries and vegetables) are distributed each week throughout the season. At Goose Creek Berries we will offer a subscription CSA starting Spring 2010. We do the work (planting, weeding, harvesting) and you do the eating. Options will be offered for lower-priced subscriptions for those willing to help with the work. Community Supported Agriculture is just one way we market our products at the farm.

The share holder benefits from a constant supply of locally grown produce offered weekly or bi-weekly, ripe and fresh. The farmer gets the benefit of a positive cash flow in March and April when there are a lot of expenses from buying seed, supplies and labor to begin the spring growing season.

Buying food locally keeps small farms economically viable, keeps land in agricultural production, and preserves open space. Why spend money on produce brought 3000 miles when it can be purchased at your local farm just 10 miles away from June to October? At Goose Creek Berries we research seed catalogues and companies to find the best tasting varieties for flavor, eating quality, yield and disease resistance. Because we pick fresh daily for your delivery and our farm stand, we do not grow “shipping” varieties that you would find in a supermarket. That’s what local farm-fresh is all about – tastier vegetables, juicier ripe fruit, and better quality food.  Most of Goose Creek Berries produce is naturally grown. For a few crops that is not feasible. For these particular crops we use an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. That means we utilize many strategies to avoid or solve a pest problem. In this program we scout the fields for insects and disease, we seek protection with beneficial insects and biological controls, we use disease resistant varieties, and bug-excluding row covers. If the problem reaches the economic injury level, where the pest problem would cause enough damage for us to lose money, then we use the safest pesticides. The farm soil is kept alive and fertile by plowing down soil building cover crops, compost, lime, and commercial fertilizer.
CSA members share the risks and rewards of the growing season. In the last few years we’ve been through both extremely wet and dry years, and we had abundant harvests and happy customers. Of course, major weather related catastrophes could really set us back. Each year, certain crops do better than others. We overcome the variability of the weather by planting multiple plantings of different varieties of dozens of crops.  However, all CSA Members must be aware that the weather, over which we have no control, plays a major part in our production. Therefore, we may not have available, at all times, the vegetables and/or fruit on the distribution list. We will substitute appropriate fruits and/or vegetables accordingly. Each CSA Member must realize that our farm and its staff will work as hard as possible to meet your expectations. Your investment as a CSA Member will provide for your family the freshest fruits and vegetables during our growing season, while at the same time, your investment will support local family farming, allowing us to survive and grow in our changing economy.

The Standard Full Season Goose Creek Berries CSA Share option is 20 weeks long and is available at the Farm and other drop-off locations. It is suitable for two to four people who eat vegetables and berries on a regular basis. The standard share consists of 3 pounds of berries(during season) and 12 pounds of vegetables. (See monthly crop list)  After berry season (or if you don't like berries), the share would be for 15 pounds of produce.  Seasonal Price = $600  (Total of 300 lbs produce)

The Small Share option is 20 weeks long just like the standard share. It can be picked up at the farm or at a drop off location. It consists of 2 pounds of berries and has 8 pounds of vegetables. It is suitable for 2 people. After berry season (or if you don't like berries), the share would be for 10 pounds produce.  Seasonal Price = $400  (Total of 200 lbs produce)

The Pick Your Own Share option is 15 weeks long. It allows the share holder to personally pick strawberries, red raspberries, tomatoes, blackberries, and other vegetables at the farm.  The share holder can come 15 times during the season and would be able to pick a choice of: 5 lbs of strawberries; 3 lbs of raspberries; 3 lbs blackberries; or 8 pounds of whatever crop is available (per week).
Check out the Pick-Your-Own schedule below. Seasonal Price = $200  (Total of 120 lbs produce)

The Dirty Hands Share is an option whereby if you are willing to help with the labor involved in the operation (planting and weeding) you can save money on the produce in a Full Share or Small Share option.  For example, if you'll commit to an hour a week(per family) you'll save $150 off the price of a Full  or Small Share.  This lets you get out in the great outdoors and actually have an investment of time and effort into your own food.  It would be a great learning experience for your kids, too.  They get to see where food comes from and have a sense of involvement in putting food on their own table.  This program will not be available for the Pick Your Own Share option due to the already low price.

In all cases, if you wish to have more than the share allows, you can pay a discounted price for the extra or apply it to your share.  For example, during sweet corn season, if you wanted 100 ears of corn on top of your normal share, you could add that to your order at a 10% discount.  A running tally will be kept of the total amount redeemed, so if you are on vacation and don't need a delivery or pick up, you can still get your total pounds of produce.  I think this flexibility, while a small accounting burden for us, will make the whole process much more enjoyable for everyone.  This would allow you to actually have all your season's produce before the end of the season and provides some cushion against the weather.

Click the CSA Application link below to download and print out our application.  Mail it, along with payment to address listed on the app.

MAY and JUNE Strawberries, lettuce, spinach, radish, broccoli, beets, sugar snap peas, carrots
JULY Lettuce, sugar snap peas, radish, beets, green beans, cucumbers ( pickling and regular), broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, tomatoes, green peppers, banana peppers (hot and sweet) blackberries and raspberries
AUGUST Red raspberries, blackberries, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, sweet corn, summer squash, zucchini, green beans, cucumbers (pickling and regular), melons, green peppers, hot peppers
SEPTEMBER  Blackberries, lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes, sweet corn, summer squash, zucchini, winter squash, green beans, cucumbers, melons, green and red peppers, hot peppers, spinach, celery.
OCTOBER  Lettuce, beans, heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, winter squash, red, green, and hot peppers, beets, celery, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant.

NOTE:  the above listed produce is subject to change....I'll poll each family to see what your favorites are and try to accomodate your taste buds!

Pick-up times at the farm are Thursday 2 pm to 7 p.m., Friday 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.