What is a CSA? The concept of Community Supported Agriculture is relatively new, and very simple. Farmers and consumers come together before the growing season for mutually beneficial reasons. Family farms are disappearing at an alarming rate. Big agribusiness and big chemicals are pushing them past the point at which they can compete and make a living wage. Consumers are increasingly offered food grown thousands of miles away, picked green, ripened in a box on a truck, and delivered nationwide. Tasteless, chemical laden, but blemish-free and shiny, this is how our nation is fed.
We think something is wrong with that. Good food should be full of flavor. It should be grown for taste, not for how long it will last on the shelf. It should nourish your body, not fill it with chemicals. I should contribute to good health, not induce illness, trigger allergies, or fill us with empty calories.
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does DWFarms operate its CSA? We are
a membership-supported farm. Our members are called shareholders,
and they subscribe for a season at a time. This is a shared
commitment. Our shareholders agree to be customers for the entire
growing season, which runs from May through September, relieving us of
the most time-robbing job a small farm has, that of searching for a
market. this gives us a welcome measure of certainty traditionally
missing for farm families. We in turn direct our talents and
energies to being your growers, providing you with a nutritious box of
organically grown vegetables, small fruits and herbs, full of real
taste, all in season, each week. We use only organic methods
and amendments. Because we grow locally for local customers, we
are able to concentrate on quality. Since shipping and shelf-life
are not drivers for us, we are able to grow varieties not available in
grocery stores. You can taste the difference.
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 Roma Green Beans, Okra, Carrots, Eggplant, Corn, Several kinds of tomatoes (cherry and large), Red Noodle Beans and underneath Red Potatoes and a dozen Free-range Eggs |
What does DWFarms grow?
This is a sampling of things that
will be in your basket over the growing season. Each basket will
have 8-12 different items each week. Beans (snap & shell),
blackberries, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, salad greens
(lettuces, spinach, mustard, plus different and unusual kinds like Pak
Choi and other Chinese cabbages), turnips, tomatoes (large variety of
heirlooms, large small different shapes and colors), peppers (sweet and
hot) peas (sugar snap, shell, southern cowpeas, English), sweet corn,
squash, strawberries, radishes, carrots, potatoes (red, white, Yukon
Gold & sweet), garlic, onions, pumpkins, melons, pears, and 10-15
different kinds of herbs. We do have blueberries, raspberries and
figs growing. We do not grow peaches or apples because they
require spraying with chemicals to be productive, but we sometimes
purchase these and include in the baskets. We do sometimes add
extras such as fresh pear butter, jellies or jams or homemade bread to
make the baskets special. You will also receive a newsletter in
your basket with updates on the farm, musings from Danny, and recipes
for the varieties in your basket that week. Requests for specific
things are always welcome and we will plant them if possible.
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How long has DWFarms been operating? Danny and Wanda have been gardening on a much smaller scale since 1993, providing family and friends with fresh produce. In the spring of 2003, they started the CSA with 15 members. Each year they have added members and more items. They added another partner, Wendy Melvin in 2005 to help with the increase of members and to help with more animals on the farm to provide fresh, pork, lamb and beef as well as our raw milk share program.
How long is the season? The season begins the first of May and continues through September. We provide milk and eggs all year long.
How do I get my baskets? You have 3 options. Option 1 is our favorite. This is to pick up at the farm, so we can visit with you and you have a chance to enjoy the farm also. This is available on Monday, Thursday or Saturday. Option 2. We deliver to a central point on Mondays to the Franklin/Columbia/Pulaski area or to the Madison/Athens/Harvest/Huntsville area on Thursdays. The exact location and time is TBD per preference to the majority of members. There is an extra charge of $50 for area delivery. Option 3. (This may change in 2008) For $100 extra per season we offer home delivery. All baskets will be picked up or delivered after 3:00 PM - 7:00 depending on location. We will do our best to accommodate everyone. Everything is picked fresh within 48 hours, with the majority picked the morning of delivery.
What else does DWFarms offer? We offer free-range eggs, hormone free, grass fed beef and lamb, and pastured pork. All of our animals are on pasture and grass fed. They are not given any hormones and are only given antibiotics when absolutely needed and then they are not processed until after the antibiotics are out of their system. All our meat is USDA certified and we sell it whole, by the side or piece. It is amazing the difference in taste in fresh meat as opposed to the stuff you purchase in a grocery store.
We want to be your farmer. We believe the best way to insure good health is to buy good food from people you know, in season, that is free of chemical contamination or genetic alteration. That is what we grow. Come get to know us.
