Our Farm to Table CSA is a subscription-based produce purchase plan. Your one-time subscription payment provides the funding for the farmer(s) to grow the produce, and it then provides you, the consumer and subscriber, with a weekly bounty of fresh produce starting in June and going through October.
Purchase Your 2018 Farm to Table CSA Subscription Today!
Questions?
Email Ben Tyler, CSA Coordinator or call the St. John store at (219) 365-7407 to speak to him.
Here's a What Some of Our Returning Customers Have to Say About the CSA...
What’s Included in our Farm to Table CSA?
- 22 Weekly Shares – June through October (2018 Dates: 6/2 – 10/27) Click here to see what was in weekly shares in 2016!
- Pick Up: Saturdays 10 AM – 2 PM *There is often flexibility available here, as long as arrangements are made in advance with the CSA Coordinator. Contact for questions about pickup day/time
- Prepayment for the whole season’s produce = HUGE savings (We’ve calculated 20-40% on average.)
- A community of like-minded people.
- Weekly recipes to go along with your veggies; especially to help you use items that may be foreign to you.
- A forum for sharing healthy recipes and tips.
- Farm to Table Market Bag. One for a half share and two for a full share.
- CSA Membership keytag for exclusive savings at Alsip Home & Nursery! See below for more information
What Can a CSA Subscription Mean for Me?
- Most of your weekly produce needs will be provided through CSA shares
- Your savings on produce will leave more room in your budget. Fuller pantry AND fuller wallet
- You won’t have to worry about whether or not your produce is coming from Mexico
- You will be supporting local farmers, non-profit organizations, and foundations who provide resources and training to our developmentally-disabled citizens.
About Our CSA Subscription Plans
Learn more about each subscription plan to determine which is best for you and your family!
CSA Half Share $352
One bag each week.
- Includes membership badge and one (1) tote bag upon full payment
- Usually good for 1-3 people
- One bag-full of produce each week
- Tax added at checkout. (Illinois purchases only.)
- Use your CSA member card to save 10% on Alsip Home & Nursery products on CSA pick-up days June – October, 2018. Discount is taken before tax; excludes delivery, Weber products, and discounted livestock or rescue animals. Cannot be combined with Military Discount.
CSA Full Share $595
Two bags each week.
- Includes membership badge and two (2) tote bags upon full payment
- Usually good for 4-6 people (Or 2 small families)
- Two bag-fulls or produce each week
- Tax added at checkout. (Illinois purchases only.)
- Use your CSA member card to save 10% on Alsip Home & Nursery products on CSA pick-up days June – October, 2018. Discount is taken before tax; excludes delivery, Weber products, and discounted livestock or rescue animals. Cannot be combined with Military Discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where does the food come from?
A: A few sources: Alsip Home & Nursery and local farmers who have teamed up with our Farm to Table program.
Meet our CSA Farmers/Growers
Alsip Home and Nursery grows some of the produce found in a CSA subscription but we also rely on local growers.
- Bothwell Farms - Manhattan, IL
- Hardin Farms - Eau Claire, MI
- Planting Possibilities - Schererville, IN
- Peep, Inc. - Dixon, IL
Q: What comes in a share?
A: It varies by time of season and what is ready at a given time but a typical half-share has 7-8 items, such as the photo to the right: 4 ears of corn, 2 bell peppers, bag of mixed salad greens, 5 apples, 2 bunches of herbs, 4 tomatoes, 2 zucchini, and 3 banana peppers. View here what our shares consisted of through the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Q: Is the food all organic?
A: All of the food is organically grown, but not certified organic. We are not adding any chemicals or pesticides. Organic fertilizer and pest control methods are used.
Q: Do you allow mix and match?
A: We typically try to give an even assortment of what is ready at a given time, but we will make exceptions. We’ll sometimes have an either/or selections.
Q: Is the produce NON-GMO?
A: Much of the produce is heirloom and/or NON-GMO. All produce that is NON-GMO will be labeled as such.
Q: What are the pickup times?
A: Saturdays 10 AM – 2 PM, June through October
Q: Where do I pick up?
A: Pick up locations are our 2 store locations, Frankfort, IL or St. John, IN. You choose your preferred location when you sign up for your share. Your pickup location will stay the same for the entire season.
Q: What happens if there is extra produce available?
A: If we have excess food for a given week we will have it available for sale to people both members and non. We then try to donate as much as possible to families in need in our communities.
Q: What do I do with all of these strange vegetables?
A: So glad you asked! Here’s some recipes and tips to make the most of your bounty! We also encourage you to network with other members and share ideas and recipes. Our Farm to Table Facebook page is perfect for this!
Have More Questions?
Email Ben Tyler, CSA Coordinator or call the St. John store at (219) 365-0882 to speak to him.
More Information About CSAs
“Community-supported agriculture (CSA; sometimes known as community-shared agriculture) is an alternative, locally-based economic model of agriculture and food distribution. A CSA also refers to a particular network or association of individuals who have pledged to support one or more local farms, with growers and consumers sharing the risks and benefits of food production. CSA members or subscribers pay at the onset of the growing season for a share of the anticipated harvest; once harvesting begins, they receive weekly shares of vegetables and fruit, in a vegetable box scheme. Often, CSAs also include herbs, honey, eggs, dairy products and meat, in addition to conventional produce offerings. In theory a CSA can provide any product to its members, although the majority of CSA operations tend to provide produce, fruits, and various edibles. Some CSA programs also include cut flowers and various ornamental plants as part of their weekly pickup arrangement. Some CSAs provide for contributions of labor in lieu of a portion of subscription costs. While some CSAs include small community deliveries, other CSAs expand to large neighborhoods and beyond, centering with a farmer’s market type setup where members can pickup their shares and establish an open forum for other topics that members may be interested in discussing. The farmer’s market type CSA usually leads to a more dynamic community stemming from this pickup location.”
Also read: Biodynamics.com – Introduction to CSAs
