The food we want to eat and the nourishment we want to share with our family and friends made us join a CSA. We care about what we put in our bodies and fresh, whole foods from our CSA ensure we practice clean eating. Additionally, eating local produce means a lesser carbon footprint.
CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a mutual collaboration between local communities and farmers. The CSA share, referred to sometimes as a membership, comes in various sizes and combinations of products from farm to farm. It is basically a subscription that provides access to fresh farm food on a regular basis, either with pick-up or delivery.
This form of market has been in existence for a while but has been altered to accommodate new developments such as subscription packages and other customer desires. Here’s how to join a CSA:
- At the beginning of the season, people investing in a CSA make an up-front payment.
- This money is used by farmers to purchase supplies like seeds, tools, and other materials.
- In return, buyers will receive regular distributions of produce, meat, or other items from the farm.
If you’re in Fairview, here are some local CSAs you can join:
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 this 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, winter squash
Cane Creek CSA
Pickup: Filmon Process Corp, Troyer’s Country Amish Blatz, Frugal Decor & More
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
Hickory Nut Gap
Pickup: At the farm Sundays and Saturdays (10 am- 5 pm) and Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays (12 pm – 5 pm).
This farm is dedicated to providing the most nutritious and delicious meats from animals treated humanely and raised on high-quality pastures. They have been connecting with the community through agriculture since 1916. They supply 100% grass-fed beef, pastured pork, and chickens from family farms in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky. In addition, they raise animals on the farm in Fairview, NC. After more than a year of implementation of Ecological Outcome Verification systems, Hickory Nut Gap has achieved certification as a Savory Institute Hub.
As a Savory Hub, the farm works to bring the advantages of holistic management and ecological health monitoring to the local area through its own distinct impact plan, supported by the Savory Institute and other similar hubs. Customers may also join the Hickory Nut Gap CSA Program for a 10% discounted price and receive either 10 or 15 (approximate) lbs of a variety of grass-fed beef, pastured pork, and pastured chicken each month, along with any extra meat or egg purchases.
Products
Rice
Pumpkins
Dairy and Eggs: cheese, milk, ice cream, goat cheese, eggs
Fruits: apples
Meat & Fish: turkey, chicken, pork, beef, fish
Artisan Foods: beer, wine, vinegar, sodas, flour, cider, jam, salsa, teas, juice, preserves, grit, sorghum molasses, pet food, honey, hot sauce, pickles, butchery, charcuterie, and bread.
MysticRoots Farm
Pick up: At the two farms in Fairview and Old Fort.
Headquartered in Fairview and with a farm in Old Fort, Mystic Roots Farms is a young and rising two-farm enterprise that started in February 2022. In Fairview, they have a 5-year-old permaculture farm with an acre of perennials, medicinals, and event space devoted to medicinal herbs and edible flowers. They have a half-acre forest garden with a diversity of fruits, nuts, and berries.
Their all-female team is devoted to cultivating nutrient-rich food and medicine following organic, regenerative, and biodynamic practices. They are there to care for the land and support the community, local ecosystems, and you! They offer a CSA with a selection of Certified Naturally Grown produce for an extended season. They also provide educational workshops, farm dinners, and even days when visitors can get their hands dirty.
Products
Eggs
Edible and fresh flowers
Dried and fresh herbs
Wheatgrass
Fruits: apples, figs, paw paw, blueberries, wineberries, strawberries, raspberries, and elderberries.
Chestnuts and walnuts.
Vegetables: Asian greens, asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussels sprout, carrots, cauliflower, chiles, collards, daikon, garlic, ginger, horseradish, hot peppers, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, microgreens, mushrooms, nettles, okra, onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkins, radish, rhubarb, salad greens, spinach, summer squash, sunchokes, sweet peppers, sweet potato, Swiss chard, tomatillos, tomatoes, turmeric, watercress, winter squash.
Warren Wilson College Garden
Pick up: WWC Garden Tool Shed
The Warren Wilson College Garden is celebrating its 40th year of cultivating uncertified organic vegetables to serve the Swannanoa Valley. From lettuces to melons, they offer a broad selection of produce during all four seasons and sell them at their own farmers market weekly. Moreover, they are available for seasonal bulk orders and custom sales from the packing shed.
Additionally, the tailgate market is open seasonally in the Gladfelter cafeteria. Here you can find in-season fruits and vegetables, handmade herbal products, eggs, and a variety of pasture-raised meats, such as chickens, pork, lamb, and beef, all harvested from their 1,000-acre campus.
Products
Fresh flowers
Fruits: apples blueberries, blackberries, melons, cantaloupes, watermelons
Herbs: basil, mint, rosemary, cilantro, winter savory, parsley, dill.
Speciality products: salves, beeswax, ornamental corn
Vegetables: kale, summer and winter squash, lettuce, eggplant, onions, potatoes, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, arugula, mustard greens, spinach, cucumbers, garlic, leeks, cabbages, salad mix and peppers.
If you’re looking to join a CSA near Fairview 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