Eat Local-Stay Local-Know Local!
Hanson’s Farm
CSA/ Community Supported Agriculture
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a partnership between a farm and its community of shareholders; sharing both the benefits and risks associated with farming.
The Shareholder buys a “Share of the Harvest” up front, which helps the farmer cover early season operating expenses (i.e. seed, greenhouse heating expenses, labor, etc.). In return, the shareholder receives a weekly share of the harvest on a regular pick-up day throughout the growing season.
The CSA model encourages the involvement of the community and promotes the understanding of farming -how, when, where does my food come from? The shareholder money goes directly to the farm, the shareholder benefits without the costs associated with traditional marketing of produce. (Trucking, packaging, middlemen etc.). CSAs encourage environmentally safe, sustainable , local food production.
For 20 weeks the shareholder receives his “share of the harvest”. It is enough to feed a family of four. The share varies weekly depending on what is in season and weather conditions. A full size paper bag is filled with approximately 5 to 15 lbs of the produce being harvested that week.
Alternating SharesMany families find our shares too large. Therefore, we are offering an ALTERNATING SHARE for the 2012 season. How does this work? Alternating share holders will pick up a share every other week instead of every week. There will be 10 pickups instead of 20, beginning in mid June and ending at the end of October (the same as a full share). The cost of an alternating share is $350.
We grow approximately 185 variety of produce!
If there is something in the selection that your family doesn’t care for, you may place it on our “sharing table” and someone else may pick it up or we bring it with us on Wednesday to Somerville where a nonprofit organization "Food for Free" picks it up and distributes it to area shelters, pantries and needy families.
Pick up day is EITHER Tuesday from 10am to 7pm OR Friday from 10 am to 7 pm at our farm stand at 20 Nixon Rd. in Framingham. Once you choose you pick up day you MUST stick with it for the season.
There are certain items that are Pick-Your-Own. These items are: Strawberries, Raspberries(summer/fall), Blackberries, Blueberries, Peas, and Cherry Tomatoes and flowers. These items can be picked in their season during regular farm stand hours (everyday 9am-6 pm, Sunday 9am-5:30 pm).
Your share is packaged for you. You many bring your own PYO containers or we will provide you with them.
Half shares/Split sharesIf you have a smaller family or if it is just you, then a regular share might be too much produce. If you have a person to split a share with then you can do this by just buying one full share and splitting it between you. If you do not have a person to split the share with then we can give you the information of someone else who is also interested. From that point on, you and that person will be responsible for splitting the share amongst yourselves.
Cost
The Season Share
The Season Share is a 20 week share beginning in early June and ending in late October. The pick up day is EITHER Tuesday from 10am to 7pm OR Friday from 10am to7 pm. ONCE YOU CHOOSE YOUR PICK UP DAY YOU MUST STICK WITH IT FOR THE SEASON. The PYO times are any time during our regular farm stand hours (everyday 9am -6 pm, Sunday 9am -5:30 pm).The cost is $650 a share.
You-Pick Flower Share
This share starts in mid-July and ends with the first frost. It is for 20 stems of annual flowers per week or 3 stems of gladioli per week. The cost is $100. Please bring your own clippers and a bucket for water
Other Important Information
As always, our farm stand will be open seven days a week from early June through Halloween. In addition to your share, you can obtain any of our produce there for your BBQ’s, unexpected guests, and parties everyday at regular farm stand prices. We will be happy to set aside orders for you and help you choose fruit, produce and flowers any day of the week.
We will be attending our regular farmers' markets as well. You can find us at Davis Square in Somerville on Wednesdays (12-6), the Village Green in Framingham on Thursdays (12:30-5:30), Town Common in Winchester on Saturdays (9:30-1:30), and The Wayside Inn in Sudbury on Saturdays (10:00- 3:00). The prices are usually the same as the farm stand and we bring everything we possibly can with us.
Volunteer Days
We would like to have a few days each season when interested shareholders can participate in some of our most time consuming jobs. (Pruning and tying trellis tomatoes, transplanting, pinching chrysanthemums, uncovering strawberries in the spring...) Stay tuned for this opportunity to get to know your farm, farmers, and some of the behind the scenes goings-ons.
Pot Luck Supper under the Harvest Moon
a share.
FAQ’s about CSA’s
Can a share be shared?
One share is meant to be used by one household. If the share is too large for your family you can place extra on the share table and it will be used to help the elderly, women’s shelters, and food pantries. Also, every Wednesday we donate surplus food to “Food for Free” who deliver to food pantries, shelters and needy in the area. This produce is picked up at our Davis Square Market in Somerville.
Is Hanson’s Farm organic?
Many of you are very interested in how your food is grown and if it is organic. Hanson's Farm is not a certified organic farm (that takes a load of paper work!) but this does not mean that we do not have organic produce. Approximately two-thirds of our crops are raised using organic methods . This list includes lettuce, swiss chard, beans, peas, carrots, basil, kale, rhubarb, peppers, pumpkins and all of our small fruit. The strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are never sprayed. However, under federal regulation we are not allowed to call these vegetables organic. For our other produce we use a system called IPM, which is a low spray method of growing. It involves using insect traps, scouting, and crop rotations that allow us to only spray when threats are high. This eliminates the need for excessive spraying and sometimes eliminates spraying altogether. When we do need to spray, we use the newest and safest materials that the market has to offer. For this reason, we had not grown potatoes in 25 years. The materials used for spraying were simply not the safest. However, for the last two years we have grown about 6 different varieties of potatoes on over one and a half acres using an organic method! This method is called BT and has worked great!
When you buy produce in the supermarket, unless it is certified organic, the majority of it is grown by a large agriculture business that heavily sprays for everything and anything that that could be in the field or the packing line. In order to ensure the vegetables make the long trip to the supermarket in good shape, many are sprayed with radiation in order to kill all the living bacteria. Ever wonder why 20 years ago a head of iceberg lettuce would last up to 6 days and is now lasting 2 weeks?
At Hanson's Farm we grow over 185 varieties of fruits and vegetables and work everyday to ensure the quality and safety of them. We are always looking into new and safer ways to grow our vegetables and fruits.
If you have anymore questions please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to answer them for you!
Can we purchase other products through the CSA?
We offer you local milk, apples, pears, and other local products that are available in the farm stand to shareholders. We also have our very own eggs when the chickens decide to lay!
What crops are grown?
We grow more than 185 varieties of produce. Almost everything has its own season- you will be amazed at the variety and how quickly the seasons change! Naturally, weather will play a large role in what is available and when a particular crop is in short supply.
What does a typical share consist of?
Week 3: Radishes, lettuce, beets greens, scallions, peas, rhubarb.
U-pick this week: strawberries.
Week 10: Corn, Italian eggplant, Oriental eggplant, basil, summer squash, zucchini, peppers, hot peppers, tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley
U-pick this week: Cherry tomatoes, flowers.
Week 14: Corn, tomatoes, peppers, beans, broccoli, carrots, beets, eggplant, kale, Italian and Oriental eggplant, potatoes
U-pick this week: Cherry tomatoes, flowers, fall raspberries.
Week 20: Beets, butternut squash, buttercup squash, sweet dumpling squash, Indian corn, kale, sugar pumpkins, potatoes.
****All dates and produce offered are subject to change at any time****
CSA DropoffHere at Hanson's Farm, we have a very successful CSA that is operated from our farm at Nixon Road in Framingham. In 2012, we are looking to expand our CSA to folks in the Boston Area who have a harder time getting out to our farm. We are looking for groups, businesses, or individuals who would be interested in providing a place for a CSA dropoff. If you can get 10 shares together of people who would like to pick up their share at your location once a week, you can receive a share for free!
