The “Community Supported Agriculture” CONCEPT
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) refers to a model of farming in which farmers sell harvest shares directly to people in the local community. The CSA represents a direct connection between consumers and farmers and a shared commitment — shareholders commit to the farm for the season, sharing in the risks of unpredictable growing conditions and the benefits of abundant harvests of sustainably grown food. By paying for a share of the harvest upfront, members provide farmers with a secure customer base and resources to invest in seeds and supplies. In exchange, farmers commit to doing their utmost to provide their shareholders with the best quality and most nutritious food around. The CSA builds community and connects people with the source of their food. At Brookwood Community Farm there are numerous opportunities for members to get involved on the farm and for getting to know each other.
Brookwood’s CSA model
Since late in 2019 we have offered a Choice Model for our vegetable CSA shares. Each week members receive an email with our produce list of the week, and then members come to the farm on the day selected at purchase and choose a certain number of items according to the list displayed on a board. See an example of the CSA Choice Model here! The list of crops available within the same week may vary slightly from that week's newsletter list of crops, due to weather conditions and other factors that affect the farm. We require members to pick-up their shares on the day selected at purchase, please see our pick-up policy here. In addition to Brookwood-grown produce, we also work diligently to partner with other local farms, growers, and purveyors to supplement veggie shares as needed and to offer egg and fruit shares.
How to Join the CSA
Enrollment opens online in January!
Renew or become a member. All CSA shares require a Brookwood Community Farm membership.
Please note: Membership is required for all veggie, fruit, egg, and flower shares.
Member benefits include:
Early access to the Seedling Sale in May
Early access to the End of Season sale in November
Early notice of CSA share availability for the following year
Discounts on workshops & classes
Subscription to weekly email newsletter
Priority access to Harvest Boxes in November
Invitation to Brookwood Community Farm Events
Select your shares. Each season has a variety of share types (vegetable, flowers, fruit, eggs, etc) and sizes (full or half) so please read the details below.
Make payment online to secure your share.
See the policy below for CSA shares.
See Online store
Alternative Payment Options
Brookwood Community Farm aims to support the participation of members from all income levels. We offer SNAP, discounted, and fully funded veggie shares.
You can use your SNAP benefits for a half-veggie CSA with pick-up on the farm. Please fill out this form and send it to the email below. If you would like to utilize SNAP benefits and not pick up on the farm please send an email to the address below to get our form in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.
With HIP, you can expect the CSA cost of $40/month to be returned to your card automatically. Please send a message to president@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org or call 339-502-0826. Scanned/photographed forms will be accepted by email ahead of the mailed copy to get the process started. Once a signed application is received and it is approved by DTA your share can be reserved.
If you would like to request a discounted or funded share please send a message to president@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org or call 339-502-0826. If you request financial assistance please be prepared to share a copy of your most recent tax form with your income data or provide an explanation of your situation, which will be kept in confidence.
If you do not qualify for financial assistance, we can consider other options like a payment plan. This should also be requested by using the email or number above.
CSA Pick-up Policy
Pick-Up Location: All CSA members come to Brookwood’s Blue Hills location for their pick-up under the “pink tent” at 11 Blue Hill River Rd, Canton, MA 02021.
Pick-Up Procedure: Check-in under the pink tent with the tent monitor at the red desk. The harvested crops are set out in bulk and members are instructed on the amounts of each to take. To support the environment, Brookwood does not offer plastic bags, please bring reusable bags or containers to transport your produce!
Pick-Up Day: You must pick up your share on the day you selected. In 2024 we will allow 3 pick-up change requests for every share holder.
You must request a pick-up day change 1 week in advance, the last chance to request a change is 5 PM on Friday the week before your pick-up week. You may only switch days of your pick-up week, you may not switch pick-up weeks. (For instance: you may request a Tuesday instead of your assigned Saturday, but not a week two share instead of a week one share)
To request a day change: email csa@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org Please include your full name, assigned pick-up day, and requested pick-up day.
Alternatively to requesting a day change and you can’t make it, send a friend!
Shares not picked up or requested a change in the time frame outlined above will be donated to a food access partner organization.
The pick-up days and times are:
Tuesdays, 2:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Thursdays, 2:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Saturdays, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Types of CSA Shares
We offer shares over 26 weeks, starting in late May and ending the weekend before Thanksgiving. We offer spring (4 weeks), summer (14 weeks) and fall (8 weeks) veggie and egg shares. Our fruit share is available in the summer (14 weeks) and fall (8 weeks). We also have a pick-your-own flower share which starts in late June and runs for 12 weeks. Please see below for the 2024 dates of each share.
2024 Season Timeline by Week
Veggie Shares
share sizes
A veggie share size typically feeds four moderate veggie eaters or two dedicated veggie eaters. Members are welcome to split the share with a neighbor, family member, or friend.
Full and Half Shares are the same size, the difference is that half shares are picked up EVERY OTHER WEEK, while full shares are picked up every week during the season you signed up for. For Half Shares, Week # 1 is an “Odd Week”, Week #2, is an “Even Week”, and so forth. See the timeline above or our website CALENDAR for the Half Share breakdown.
share value
The CSA share cost is based on the value of the produce that will be distributed during the season and provides members a slight discount of the market value for paying in advance and sharing in the uncertainty of the farming season. Produce is valued at retail prices/levels. The produce in each weekly share will vary depending on growing conditions but should include a variety of seasonal crops each week.
Participation in any share requires an annual membership fee. This is a one-time annual fee that supports the basic operations of the farm and our food access mission.
CSA Fund: Support your neighbors in need when you purchase your CSA share! Purchase here
whats in a share?
more share details
Egg Shares
The egg shares are supplied by Lilac Hedge Farm. The eggs come from free-range chickens, read more about Lilac Hedge farming practices here. The full share receives 1 dozen eggs per week, half shares receive one dozen eggs every other week.
Fruit Shares
If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to our CSA Manager Megan at csa@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org
CSA Workshare Volunteer Opportunities
Brookwood is a community farm that depends on volunteer labor to keep us going. We want our members to get involved and encourage shareholders to volunteer throughout the growing season.
If you are a person who has time on their hands and would like to use it to pay for a CSA share in “sweat equity” there are a limited number of work-share opportunities available. This option allows members to trade approximately 5 hours of labor weekly (harvesting or working otherwise) for a share. Please contact our Farm Manager, Hannah, hannah@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org if you are interested in one of these spots.