As a family, we love taking control of our health, and knowing where our food comes from is one of the healthy choices we made. We joined a CSA to get a better understanding of what goes into growing vegetables, raising animals, and producing the food we consume.
In Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a relationship is built between farmers and consumers in which both parties share the obligations, potential gains, and risks that come with farming. CSA is a response to the lack of clarity, sustainability, and durability in our food system. It is a way for us to reclaim control and ownership of our food system. The basis of CSA is the community aiding the growers through a direct link—there are no third parties, and the products grown on the farm go straight to the consumer.
For farmers, there is a greater sense of financial stability and connection with their community. Consumers benefit from being able to eat fresh, healthy local produce and feel more connected to the land from which their food originated. This also has a positive environmental impact due to the shorter supply chain.
If you’re looking to join a CSA farm near Black Mountain, NC, here are a few farms to consider:
Flying Cloud Farm
Pickup: At the farm, River Arts District Farmers Market (Wednesday 3-6 pm) and North Asheville Tailgate Market (Saturday 8 am-12 noon).
The valley of Fairview is home to a family farm that practices sustainable agriculture. Crops are grown with the help of cover cropping, soil amendment, rotation, and OMRI-approved products; all of which aid in the prevention of insects and weeds. Customers can choose from half or full shares of produce, with the option of adding flowers, or a market-style share.
From mid-May to the end of September, members receive a 19-week box of freshly harvested produce that changes as the season progresses. They also get an email with recipes and cooking tips included. An extended season CSA is also available, providing 8 weeks of produce up to Thanksgiving. Alternatively, members can opt for a market share, which comes with an additional 5% of produce and can be spent at any market or farm stand for the duration of the season.
Products
Flowers: Dried, edible, and fresh flowers
Fresh herbs
Artisan foods: sorghum molasses, jam, and preserves.
Fruits: blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, melons, cantaloupes
Specialty products: floral, decorative, and Christmas wreaths.
Vegetables: arugula, Asian greens, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chiles, collards, cucumber, daikon, edamame, eggplant, garlic, ginger, green beans, hot peppers, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, onions, parsnips, peas, pole beans, potatoes, pumpkins, radish, rutabagas, salad greens, salad mix, shell beans, spinach, summer squash, sweet corn, sweet peppers, sweet potato, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turmeric, turnips, and winter squash
Encompass Farm
Pick up: East AVL Tailgate Market (East Asheville 3-6 pm Friday), Urban Orchard West (West Asheville 2-8 pm Thursday).
This farm is passionate about Beyond Organic practices, biodegradable packaging, and making seasonal eating simple. Their Custom Weekly Veggie Box is available year-round from various locations around AVL! You can customize your subscription, pause whenever you’d like, and even add on a flower subscription. With each box, you will receive meal ideas based on the produce it contains. They are dedicated to growing nutrient-rich staples and keeping the Veggie Box Program running all year. It is the most convenient way to get locally grown vegetables to your table!
Products
Dried and fresh flowers
Strawberries
Dried and fresh herbs
Sprouts
Vegetables: arugula, Asian greens, beets, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chiles, cucumber, daikon, dry beans, eggplant, garlic, green beans, green onions, hot peppers, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, microgreens, mustard greens, okra, onions, peas, pole beans, potatoes, pumpkins, radish, rutabagas, salad greens, salad mix, spinach, summer squash, sweet corn, sweet peppers, sweet potato, Swiss chard, tomatoes, and winter squash
Bloom WMC
Pick up: At the farm stand. Deliveries are also done.
The farm is committed to sustainable, pesticide-free, no-till farming. Pollinators have been on the decline, yet the astonishingly large numbers attracted to the flower farm are a joy to behold. To produce a plentiful amount of flowers on a small plot of land, succession farming is employed. Soil amendment is necessary and accomplished through composting and the use of seaweed and fish emulsion. No-till farming preserves the topsoil from erosion and the organisms in the ground that are vital to biology. They have learned how to maximize production while staying true to no-till and sustainable flower farming.
Products
Blueberries
Fresh herbs
Dried and fresh flowers
Decorative and floral wreaths
Cane Creek CSA
Pickup: Filmon Process Corp, Troyer’s Country Amish Blatz, Frugal Decor & More. They also offer limited deliveries to Fletcher, Arden, Asheville and Biltmore.
This CSA farm has been running for over 20 years in Western North Carolina (WNC). All income is derived from farm share sales as they don’t sell in tailgate markets. Cane Creek uses water-saving drip irrigation from an inspected water source. Boxes are made five days a week to ensure freshness. They offer multiple pickup locations and delivery for select areas. Signing up for a CSA membership provides recipients with an every-other-week or weekly box of farm-fresh vegetables. Payment can be done via check or cash, and paying in full for the season is optional.
Products
Fruits: melons, cantaloupes and blueberries
Vegetables: Asian greens, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, green onions, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, onions, peas, pole beans, potatoes, radishes, salad greens, spinach, summer squash, sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, and winter squash
Red Scout Farm
Pick up: Saturday morning – Black Mountain Tailgate Market. Wednesday afternoon – Downtown Black Mountain.
As a family-owned and certified organic farm in North Carolina, they provide over one hundred types of fresh, nutritious, and visually appealing produce. Additionally, they offer delectable baked goods. All of these are produced with the use of sustainable agricultural approaches intended to maintain a healthy and flourishing ecosystem. They offer a 20-week CSA program running from May – September.
Products
Eggs
Fresh flowers
Fresh herbs
Blackberries and blueberries
Artisan foods: jams, preserves, baked products
Vegetables: arugula, Asian greens, beets, broccoli, cabbage, chiles, collards, cucumber, daikon, eggplant, garlic, ginger, green beans, green onions, horseradish, hot peppers, kale, lettuce, microgreens, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, onions, peas, pole beans, radish, salad greens, salad mix, spinach, summer squash, sweet peppers, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turmeric, turnips, watercress, and winter squash
Walker Town Farm
Pick up: Wednesdays: Thirteen Pennies Cafe (8 am to 4 pm)
This is a small-scale flower business that is run by a female proprietor in Black Mountain, NC. Utilizing sustainable and chemical-free practices, they specialize in the production of heirloom and specialty cut flowers. During spring and summer, their products include fresh flower bouquets, arrangements, and bulk buckets, whereas fall and winter offerings consist of dried flower bouquets, arrangements, and wreaths.
Customers can also access services, such as bouquet subscriptions, workshops, farm tours, local arrangement delivery, event florals, a la carte weddings, and wholesale to florists and designers. The blooms can be accessed through the website, and they also participate in various local markets and pop-ups in and around Black Mountain and Asheville.
Products
Dried and fresh flowers
Dried and fresh herbs
If you are local and care about diverting waste from our landfills, we would love to have you join our mission to make WNC a greener place to live.
Become a member today! https://compostavl.com/join