Are you looking to engage in a transparent and profitable food system near you? Joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) system is one way of doing it. The main goal of CSAs is to improve health across communities. A CSA links buyers and farmers or producers in order to build a more prosperous and honest local food infrastructure. A family buys a share from a farmer at the start of the planting season. So every week, they’ll go pick up their “share” at the farm or an agreed drop-off point.
In the last few years, farmers have been striving to customize their CSA program to fit the needs of their customers. This includes offering diverse share sizes, providing flexible pickup or delivery times, permitting customers to select what is included in their share, and collaborating with other local producers to include premium add-ons.
If you are looking for a local CSA, you can attend a CSA fair in your area. However, we’ve got you covered if you’re looking for a CSA near Candler, NC.
Hominy Valley Organic Farm
Open on Saturday: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Hominy is privileged to have the opportunity to sustainably manage their small farm, which includes raising cattle for natural beef, having a flock of broiler chickens on pasture, keeping a small flock of laying hens, and growing a vast array of vegetables for their summer tailgate customers. They strive to work with joy, skill and integrity, so as to keep on experiencing the blessings of their lifestyle and be of service to those who appreciate our farm’s products. Through community engagements, restaurants, social media presence, and local farmers markets, Hominy inspires the next generation of home bakers and healthy eaters.
Products
Berries and fruits: watermelon, cantaloupes, and strawberries.
Fresh herbs
Vegetables: asparagus, sweet potato, tomatoes, beets, winter squash, broccoli, sweet corn, cabbage, sweet peppers, spinach, turnips, kale, collards, cucumber, peas, radish, onions, eggplant, carrots, lettuce, kohlrabi, green onions, okra, pole beans, summer squash, and Swiss chard.
ShipShape Farmer & Chef
Open: Thursdays for weekly pick-ups. Farm visits are by appointment only.
ShipShape Farmer are devoted to providing vegetable produce, herbs, and flowers that are healthy for both the land and the consumer. The 7-acre property has an acre in production, and also has a flock of egg layers that roam around the pasture and three goats that are more like pets. Their focus is on best practices and they do not use any pesticide sprays, so you may find some “bugs” in the produce. You can find them at the Enka-Candler Tailgate Market on Thursdays from 3-6pm (May-October).
Alternatively, you can also sign up for a produce CSA or flower CSA, or schedule a farm pickup. This runs for 16 weeks (May 23 to September 5) with the option of extending your subscription from September to November. The Flower CSA operates for 8-10 weeks from the middle of July to the end of September. Each box contains in-season produce, herbs, and fruits produced on the farm, and members have the option to add produce, eggs, and/or flowers at an extra cost when ordering. CSA participants will be granted access to the farm for an appreciation day.
Products
Dairy and eggs: eggs
Flowers: fresh and edible flowers
Fruits: blueberries and blackberries
Fresh herbs
Vegetables: arugula, asparagus, tomatoes, Asian greens, sunchokes, turnips, beets, winter squash, broccoli, sweet corn, cabbage, sweet peppers, celery, spinach, kale, green beans, cucumber, parsnips, radish, pumpkin, onions, eggplant, nettles, garlic, lettuce, rhubarbs, green onions, hot peppers, okra, dry beans, summer squash, and Swiss chard.
Jake’s Farm
Established in 1998, Jake’s Farm is a certified organic farm that cultivates its fields without animal manure and uses drip irrigation. This farm grows over two hundred heirloom varieties and specialty vegetables for chefs and families. During summertime, their products can be found at the Black Mountain Tailgate Market and the Asheville City Market on Saturdays. Furthermore, for year-round availability, Carolina Organic Growers at the WNC Farmers Market, as well as the Farmers Fresh Market website, which delivers Jake’s Farm’s produce in the Charlotte area. For a decade now, Jake’s Farm has been providing Certified Organic CSA subscriptions.
Products
Edible flowers
Berries and fruits: figs, blackberries, and strawberries.
Fresh herbs
Vegetables: sweet potato, arugula, tomatoes, Asian greens, zucchini, turnips, beets, winter squash, broccoli, sweet corn, cabbage, sweet peppers, celery, spinach, chiles, kale, collards, salad mix, cucumber, salad greens, daikon, peas, edamame, onions, eggplant, nettles, garlic, lettuce, green beans, kohlrabi, green onions, hot peppers, mustard greens, okra, pole beans, summer squash, and Swiss chard.
Feed Asheville Farm
This is an urban farm in Asheville, NC that is owned and operated by queer individuals, in addition to being an anti-racist establishment. They collaborate with local distributors and organizations to bring free produce to the community. They have a full-season Veggie Box Program that is available, with weekly boxes that can be delivered to your doorstep or picked up in West Asheville. Furthermore, they give BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) individuals and families in the area a FREE veggie box, regardless of income. For more information on the Veggie Box Program, please visit their website.
Products
Fresh flowers
Fruits: strawberries and watermelons
Fresh herbs
Vegetables: arugula, broccoli, tomatoes, cabbage, sweet peppers, okra, collards, spinach, eggplant, green beans, radish, peas, green onions, salad greens, lettuce, onions, potatoes, hot peppers, garlic, kale, salad mix, cucumber, carrots, summer squash, leeks, Swiss chard, beets.
Mighty Gnome Market Garden
This garden firmly believes that even a modest farm can generate positive change in our local food economy. They grow their produce based on organic methods and aim to do so in the most sustainable manner possible. To benefit from the freshest seasonal produce for a period of twenty weeks, you can select from their customer and farmer CSA plans. Both of these options offer multiple regional pickup locations and dates, which are stated on their website.
Additionally, you can visit them at the Haywood Historic Farmers’ Market or any other local farmers’ markets they might participate in during the 2023 season. For added convenience, you can also place orders ahead of time and collect your items directly from the market!
Products
Fresh herbs
Fruits: watermelons and cantaloupes
Vegetables: arugula, turnips, Asian greens, tomatoes, brussels sprout, carrots, spinach, cauliflower, radish, celery, salad mix, cucumber, peas, daikon, pumpkins, eggplant, onions, garlic, okra, green onions, hot peppers, kohlrabi, kale, lettuce, green beans, potatoes, salad greens, collards, summer squash, cabbage, sweet peppers, broccoli, sweet potato, beets, Swiss chard, winter squash.
If you’re looking to join a CSA near Candler NC, these farms are worth a shot.
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