CSA
CSA Information
What is a CSA?
CSA, short for Community Supported Agriculture, is an arrangement between members of a community and a farm. It is a pre-paid share of fresh, organically grown vegetables that members receive on a prearranged schedule for their membership fee. Members agree to allow the farmer to select and provide the produce for the box, with an understanding that the farmer will offer the best availability of crops in season. Members also understand there is some risk involved in farming and agree to share this risk with Sang Lee Farms with the possibility that there may be variability in what can be given to them over the course of each season.
What are the benefits to a CSA?
CSA programs are beneficial to both the farm and the CSA member. Memberships help support the farm with early revenues so that start up costs for purchases of fertilizer, seeds and other supplies can be met. Having a set membership number also helps the farmer to plan what he has to grow and to get the crops started early.
For the members of the CSA, there are many benefits. Share members help preserve open space by supporting the continuation of a viable, working family farm. Participation also helps to reduce their individual carbon foot print by purchasing locally grown organic vegetables and lessening the amounts of food trucked in from distant areas. Members come to know who grows their food, become more aware of how it is grown, and come to understand the seasonality of produce.
Joining our vegetable CSA gives you the oppoprtunity to provide more fresh organic vegetables to your family's diet. The CSA helps you make healthy choices for your family meals. The best benefit is of course simply enjoying the fresh, delicious, local organic vegetables.
What will I get as a Sang Lee Farms CSA member?
Each week you will receive a box ( 1/2 to 1 Bu. box ) of fresh certified organic vegetables. We have 2 size boxes, a FULL and a PARTIAL. Please refer to the 2011 HARVEST LIST under the CSA tab above to help you decide which size is best for you and your family.
Some items may be the same in the full and partial boxes, and at other times it may be different. We will always try our best to distribute the varieties of produce we have available to both full and partial shares somewhere over the course of the season. We grow over 100 different varieties of vegetables, so there is plenty of opportunity for variation.
In addition, our best efforts will always be made to maximize the value of your weekly share. Our goal is to give you more value than what it costs you to participate in each of our vegetable CSAs. Excluding any major inclement weather issue, our pledge is to provide you with an abundant weekly supply of delicious Certified Organic "Fresh-Lee-Cut"@ vegetables in a mix and variety that will please you. For the 2012 season, we hope to continue to expand the variety of vegetables we offer.
Additional CSA Programs: Once you are a vegetable share member you may join our other CSA programs. For 2012 we have joined with other local farmers to bring you additional products.
These include:
- Fruit Share from Briermere Farm
- Cheese Share from Catapano Dairy, Mecox Dairy, Goodale Farm, Harperfield
- Eggs Share from North Fork Egg Farm
- Oysters Share from the Noank Cooperative
- Dairy Share from Goodale Farm
- Flower Share from Salt Air Farms and Andrews Farm
When does this start?
START DATE: May 29th & 30th, 2012
When does the CSA Stop?
END DATE: November 20th & 21st, 2012
The CSA is a 26 week program. CSA memberships will be granted on a first come basis for the season. We may also limit the numberof CSA shares depending on the number of memberships received.
The EARLY BIRD SPECIAL DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 15,2012
This means, the early bird price of $399.00 for a Partial vegetable CSA membership is valid only if paid by February 15th, 2012. The price of a Partial Vegetable CSA increases to $425.00 if paid on or after February 16th, 2012. The postmark on your envelope determines your payment date.
Accordingly, the price of an earlybird Full Share Vegetable CSA is $599.00 only if paid on or before February 15th, 2012. The price of this Full Share vegetable CSA increases to $665.00 if paid on or after February 16th, 2012.
The deadline for all Vegetable CSA memberships is May 1st, 2012.
Where do I pick up my weekly share?
FARM PICKUP Pickup will be at the farm in our barn. Members can go there directly to get their box. Families on vacation or unable to pickup their share on a particular day can have others, such as a neighbor or friend, pick up their share at the farm.
FARMER MARKET PICKUP Pickups can also be made at the Westhampton Beach Farmer's Market, the Northport Farmers Market or the East Hampton Farmer's Market only while those markets are operating. Since the CSA share schedule extends ahead of and after the operation of some of the Farmer's Markets by a couple of weeks, the members normally picking their shares up from those markets will have to come to the farm to pick up their shares on those weeks that the market is not in operation. This arrangement of picking up CSA shares at a picticular Farmer's market is by prior arrangement only. Members can not switch back and forth for their pickup arrangements by week.
East Hampton Market - Fridays 9:00 - 1:00 2012 dates TBD
West Hampton Beach Market - Saturdays 9:00 - 1:00 2012 dates TBD
Northport Market - Saturdays 9:00 - 1:00 2012 dates TBD
Jericho LIE Exit 41: pickups are at the Jericho Kosher Deli located off exit 41 in the Whole Foods Supermarket Shopping Plaza Tuesdays 2:00 - 6:00 PM
When do I pick up my share?
PARTIAL SHARE - TUESDAYS 2PM - 7PM
FULL SHARE - WEDNESDAYS 2PM - 7PM
Please note: Our staff is often packing and finalizing the boxes between 1:00PM and 2:00PM. Likewise, our staff must close up the barn each evening before finishing for the day. We ask you therefore, to please pay close attention to the scheduled times.
It is the CSA member's responsibility to pick up his/her share on the designated day. We cannot promise to hold your box if it is not picked up on the designated day. Special arrangements must be made ahead for any changes to this schedule. All shares not picked up will be donated to a local food pantry.
Possible New CSA Drop Sites
If groups of (50) members/families or more can designate a particular site away from the farm, delivery options can be considered. We will look at the options to facilitate efficiencies in distributing the weekly shares to certain neighborhoods depending on the distances of those groups from our farm in Peconic.
What happens to my box if I don't pick it up?
Your box will be given away to a family of need or donated to a local Food Pantry. During the past CSA seasons, we made many donations to individuals and families, CAST of Greenport and North Fork Parish Outreach.
Brooklyn CSAs
If you are interested in joining any of our Brooklyn community CSAs, please contact the coordinators directly for these neighborhoods:
Dumbo Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn, NYC
Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn, NYC
