It is with much excitement that we invite you to be part of the 2012 Heart of the City CSA. Now in its second year, the Heart of the City CSA is a collaboration between Urban Growth and Erie’s Edge (two urban farms on Cleveland’s near west side) that brings fresh, healthy, gourmet vegetables from our gardens to your kitchen each week for 25 weeks.
Please read the following letter to see if our CSA is right for you. If you are interested, please fill out the attached application and return it by mail with your deposit as soon as possible – there are only a few shares left..
What is a CSA?
A CSA (which stands for Community Supported Agriculture) is an arrangement between a farm and its customers in which customers pay up-front for a full season’s worth of produce and receive a share of what is harvested on the farm each week. CSAs benefit farmers by providing up-front payment (to buy seeds, supplies, equipment, etc.) as well as a guaranteed market for what they grow. They benefit customers by providing a convenient weekly share of delicious vegetables, an opportunity to cook creatively with what’s in season, and a true connection to their food and the people who grow it.
What can we expect to receive each week? Each week you will receive a share of 8-14 items with an average value of around $28. Shares consist primarily of fresh vegetables but also include a half-dozen eggs about every other week as well as bonus items like local honey and fresh fruit (all from local farms) that we add every now and then to round out the shares. Below are example shares for each of the seasons:
Spring share:
Salad mix
Swiss chard
Spring onions
Radishes
Carrots
Beets
Snap peas
Green garlic
Chives
Half-dozen eggs
Fall share:
Baby spinach
Kale
Beets
Heirloom dry beans
Potatoes
Winter Squash
Onions
Garlic
Parsley
Half-dozen eggs
How much does it cost? We offer full-shares which run 25 weeks (May 28th thru November 12th) and cost $700. Payment can be made in full when you send in your application OR you may include a deposit of $200 with your application and pay the balance at our first pickup. While we do appreciate up-front payment, we do not want the payment schedule to deter anyone from joining. Please contact us and we can make an arrangement that will work for both of us.
Where and when can we pick up our share?
You have two pickup locations to choose from. The first is at the Tremont Farmers Market (map) on Tuesdays from 4-7pm and the second is at Erie’s Edge Farm (map) in Ohio City on Thursdays from 5-7pm. You can indicate your pick-up location preference on the CSA application.
What if I want a half-share? If you are interested in a half-share you are welcome to find a partner with whom to split the share. We find this arrangement works best when you alternate pickup weeks rather than splitting the share in half every week. Because the vegetables are so fresh, much though not all of what you receive will with proper storage last the two weeks until your next pickup. If you are interested in a half-share but cannot find a partner please let us know and we will do our best to find another interested member.
About Urban Growth
Peter McDermott and Virginia Houston founded Urban Growth Farms in late 2008 with a passion for good food and a desire to make Cleveland a better place. For the last three years they have grown vegetables on a half-acre of leased land on West 48th Street and sold at a farmers markets and to local restaurants. They are growing most of the greens, root crops, potatoes and beans for the CSA.
About Erie’s Edge
Erie’s Edge Farm began in 2010 when Molly Murray returned to Cleveland after teaching and farming in southern Ohio. She bought a house in Duck Island and turned her backyard into a market garden. Erin Laffay returned to Cleveland last year after working on CSAs in PA and NC. She rented land next to Molly’s and started Island Pulse Farm, which focused on dried beans. They decided to partner and expand with the goal of reaching more people with organic, sustainably grown food from their neighborhood. We believe CSAs connect their shareholders to the seasons, helping them develop a lifestyle of wellness and less energy use. Erie’s Edge Farm hopes members develop a bond within the CSA and find excitement as they cook, eat and share time with their families and friends. We will be growing most of the fruiting crops (tomatoes, squash, peppers, etc.) for the CSA.
Thanks and we look forward to growing for you in 2012!
2012 Heart of the City CSA
It is with much excitement that we invite you to be part of the 2012 Heart of the City CSA. Now in its second year, the Heart of the City CSA is a collaboration between Urban Growth and Erie’s Edge (two urban farms on Cleveland’s near west side) that brings fresh, healthy, gourmet vegetables from our gardens to your kitchen each week for 25 weeks.
Please read the following letter to see if our CSA is right for you. If you are interested, please fill out the attached application and return it by mail with your deposit as soon as possible – there are only a few shares left..
What is a CSA?
A CSA (which stands for Community Supported Agriculture) is an arrangement between a farm and its customers in which customers pay up-front for a full season’s worth of produce and receive a share of what is harvested on the farm each week. CSAs benefit farmers by providing up-front payment (to buy seeds, supplies, equipment, etc.) as well as a guaranteed market for what they grow. They benefit customers by providing a convenient weekly share of delicious vegetables, an opportunity to cook creatively with what’s in season, and a true connection to their food and the people who grow it.
What can we expect to receive each week?
Each week you will receive a share of 8-14 items with an average value of around $28. Shares consist primarily of fresh vegetables but also include a half-dozen eggs about every other week as well as bonus items like local honey and fresh fruit (all from local farms) that we add every now and then to round out the shares. Below are example shares for each of the seasons:
Salad mix
Swiss chard
Spring onions
Radishes
Carrots
Beets
Snap peas
Green garlic
Chives
Half-dozen eggs
Head lettuce
Heirloom tomatoes
Eggplant
Peppers
Summer squash
Potatoes
Onions
Garlic
Basil
Half-dozen eggs
Baby spinach
Kale
Beets
Heirloom dry beans
Potatoes
Winter Squash
Onions
Garlic
Parsley
Half-dozen eggs
How much does it cost?
We offer full-shares which run 25 weeks (May 28th thru November 12th) and cost $700. Payment can be made in full when you send in your application OR you may include a deposit of $200 with your application and pay the balance at our first pickup. While we do appreciate up-front payment, we do not want the payment schedule to deter anyone from joining. Please contact us and we can make an arrangement that will work for both of us.
Where and when can we pick up our share?
You have two pickup locations to choose from. The first is at the Tremont Farmers Market (map) on Tuesdays from 4-7pm and the second is at Erie’s Edge Farm (map) in Ohio City on Thursdays from 5-7pm. You can indicate your pick-up location preference on the CSA application.
What if I want a half-share?
If you are interested in a half-share you are welcome to find a partner with whom to split the share. We find this arrangement works best when you alternate pickup weeks rather than splitting the share in half every week. Because the vegetables are so fresh, much though not all of what you receive will with proper storage last the two weeks until your next pickup. If you are interested in a half-share but cannot find a partner please let us know and we will do our best to find another interested member.
About Urban Growth
Peter McDermott and Virginia Houston founded Urban Growth Farms in late 2008 with a passion for good food and a desire to make Cleveland a better place. For the last three years they have grown vegetables on a half-acre of leased land on West 48th Street and sold at a farmers markets and to local restaurants. They are growing most of the greens, root crops, potatoes and beans for the CSA.
About Erie’s Edge
Erie’s Edge Farm began in 2010 when Molly Murray returned to Cleveland after teaching and farming in southern Ohio. She bought a house in Duck Island and turned her backyard into a market garden. Erin Laffay returned to Cleveland last year after working on CSAs in PA and NC. She rented land next to Molly’s and started Island Pulse Farm, which focused on dried beans. They decided to partner and expand with the goal of reaching more people with organic, sustainably grown food from their neighborhood. We believe CSAs connect their shareholders to the seasons, helping them develop a lifestyle of wellness and less energy use. Erie’s Edge Farm hopes members develop a bond within the CSA and find excitement as they cook, eat and share time with their families and friends. We will be growing most of the fruiting crops (tomatoes, squash, peppers, etc.) for the CSA.
Thanks and we look forward to growing for you in 2012!
- Peter, Virginia, Molly and Erin