As inflation balloons the cost of weekly grocery trips, asking New York customers to shell out almost $8 for a carton of commercial eggs, Community Supported Agriculture programs offer a more sustainable, healthy and community-oriented alternative.
Here's how it works: Community members pay farmers a hefty upfront fee at the beginning of the growing season, and, in return, receive boxes of fresh produce every week until late fall, when the harvest season slows down.
Each plan is different: The more expensive ones offer large weekly bounties of different vegetables and the cheaper ones promise a smaller assortment every other week. Most vary in weekly payments between $10-$40 per week, and some accept food stamps or have a sliding price scale for low-income households.
As summer approaches, many CSAs are opening — or are close to opening — their sign-ups for this year’s growing season. BK Reader put together a list of some around Brooklyn.
Hearty Roots Farm
Hearty Roots Farm is based in Germantown, New York and runs CSAs around Brooklyn. Sign ups are open now.
When: June 1-Oct. 31
Where: Bay Ridge, East Williamsburg, and Greenwood Heights.
Prices:
- Weekly vegetable shares: $700/season
- Bi-Weekly vegetable shares: $370/season
- Fruit shares: $14 per week
- Egg shares: $7.50 per dozen or $4 per half dozen
Garden of Eve Farm
Garden of Eve Farm is a CSA with many pick-up options around Brooklyn. Sign ups are open now.
When: June 10-Nov. 18
Where: In Bay Ridge, Williamsburg, Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn Heights, Bushwick, Carroll Gardens, Forest Hills, Glendale, Greenpoint, Park Slope
Prices:
- Weekly vegetable share: $31.46
- Bi-weekly vegetable share: $34.17
Lancaster Fresh Farm Co-Op
With pick-up options all around Brooklyn, Lancaster Fresh Farm’s CSA offers a variety of shares, including vegetables, meat and herbal remedies. This farm’s prices are for the entire season, offering weekly vegetable assortments for 27 weeks. Sign-ups are open now.
When: April 24-Oct. 28
Where: Pick-up locations in Greenpoint, Gowanus, Prospect Heights, Cobble Hill, Clinton Hill
Prices:
- Small Veg: $532.99
- Medium: $775.99
- Large: $998
Hattie Carthan Community Garden and Farm
All produce from Hattie Carthan Community Garden and Farm comes from local farms within 150 miles of Bed-Stuy. Sign-ups are not available yet.
When: July-November
Where: Bed-Stuy
2022 Prices:
- Single weekly veggie basket: $60/month, or $280 upfront for the entire season
- Family-sized weekly veggie basket: $100/month, or $440 upfront for the entire season
- Stay tuned on their website for their 2023 prices and sign up.
Brooklyn Supported Agriculture
This CSA offers online shopping for delivery or in-person pickup around Bed-Stuy. It sources from small food businesses, with a preference for worker-owned cooperatives and farms owned by people of color, women and members of the LGBTQ community.
When: Year-round
Where: Bed-Stuy free pickup, $9 delivery fee for Brooklyn and Queens
Prices: Prices vary since this model offers a-la-carte choices, but BSA has a sliding scale of prices.
Mitch's Provisions
A hybrid CSA and farm stand, Mitch’s Provisions offers another online, a-la-carte shopping model. Customers purchase food online, then pick it up in Bed-Stuy.
When: Year-round
Where: Bed-Stuy
Prices: Prices vary since this model offers a-la-carte choices.
Crown Heights Farm Share
This CSA supports local agriculture and brings fresh and unique farm produce to Crown Heights. This CSA has a sliding scale of prices based on income. All of the prices are for the entire season, which gives customers a weekly bounty of vegetables for 24 weeks. Sign-ups are open now.
When: June 6-Nov. 14
Where: Crown Heights
Prices:
- Level 1: By inquiry only
- Level 2: Partial Share $685 / Full Share $915
- Level 3: Partial Share $710 / Full Share $955
- Level 4: Partial Share $735 / Full Share $995
Central Brooklyn CSA
The Central Brooklyn CSA teams up with Windflower Farm to serve fresh produce to Crown Heights and surrounding communities. This CSA also offers a tiered pricing system based on income.
When: June
Where: Crown Heights
Prices:
- Tier 1 (SNAP-eligible): Full share: $206.50, half share: $103.25
- Tier 2 (less than 50k): Full share: $590, half share: $295
- Tier 3 ($50-$70k): Full share: $590, half share: $295
- Tier 4 (over $70k): Full share: $796.50, half share: $398.25
Cobble Hill CSA
Teaming up with Green Thumb Farm and Wilklow Orchards, Cobble Hill CSA provides the area with fresh veggies, as well as offering a variety of other locally-grown goods. Stay tuned for sign-ups.
When: June 6-Dec. 12
Where: Cobble Hill
Prices:
- Veggie Share full season: $621 plus 1-2 CSA Co-op Work Shifts
- Fruit Share Full Season: $353
- CSA Membership fee $25
Brooklyn Bridge CSA
A part of Just Food’s CSA network, Brooklyn Bridge CSA is committed to providing access to good, healthy, nutritious food, regardless of income. Sign-ups are open now.
When: June 7-Nov. 15
Where: Brooklyn Heights
Prices:
- Half veggie share: $473.08, 12 weeks,or $422.11,12 weeks reduced price
- Full veggie share: $926.69, 24 weeks, $824.75, 24 weeks reduced price
Red Hook Initiative
Red Hook Initative’s CSA model supports urban agriculture and youth empowerment while providing the community with fresh produce. Red Hook Initiative offers tiered up-front pricing based on income. Stay tuned on its website for 2023 prices and sign-up.
When: June-November
Where: Red Hook
2022 Prices:
- Level 1: Household income: under $45,000: Full share: $330, Small share: $215
- Level 2: Household income: $45,000-$65,000: Full share: $440, small share: $286
- Level 3: Household income: $65,000 and higher: Full share: $550, small share: $358
- Level 4: Supports level 1 shares: Full share: $660, Small share: $429
Park Slope CSA
Also working with Windflower Farm, Park Slope CSA distributes farm-fresh produce each week at the Garden of Union. This CSA charges one large upfront fee to cover the entire season. Sign-ups are open now.
When: June 1-Oct. 26
Where: Park Slope
Prices:
Full Share
- Veggies (22 weeks) $620
- Fruit (20 weeks) $208
- Eggs (22 weeks):
- $85.00 (one-half dozen per week)
- $165.00 (one dozen per week)
- $330 (two dozen per week)
Sunset Park CSA
Sunset Park CSA partners with immigrant family farmers to provide their customers with quality local produce. Sunset Park CSA offers tiered up-front pricing based on income. Its prices reflect the cost for its entire season of 24 weeks.Stay tuned for 2023 sign-ups and prices.
When: June-November
Where: Sunset Park
2022 Prices:
- Tier 1: over $50k individually or $75k household: Weekly veggie share: $748 for the entire season, every other week: $382 for the entire season
- Tier 2: under $50k individually or $75k household: Weekly veggie share: $537 for the entire season, every other week: $269 for the entire season
- Tier 3: EBT/SNAP eligible: Weekly veggie share: $348 for the entire season, every other week: $174 for the entire season
Brooklyn Grange
Farming on rooftops in Brooklyn and Queens, Brooklyn Grange grows food for its neighbors and promotes sustainable urban living. Brooklyn Grange offers a sliding scale pricing model based on income. Sign-ups are open now.
When: May-October
Where: Brooklyn Navy Yard, Sunset Park
Prices:
- Solidarity share: $363 for the season
- Low-income share: $484 for the season
- Middle-income share: $671 for the season
- Upper-income share: $805 for the season
Flatbush Farm Share CSA
Flatbush Farm Share partners with Farm at Miller’s Crossing to organize its CSA. Open to all Brooklyn residents, this CSA allows BK residents to support their local farmers and access farm-fresh produce. Flatbush Farm Share CSA offers tiered up-front pricing based on income. Stay tuned for 2023 prices and sign-up.
When: June-October
Where: Flatbush
2022 Prices:
- Tier 1 (under 50k): Single share: $200, double share: $400
- Tier 2 (50k-150k): Single share: $375, double share: $750
- Tier 3 (150k+): Single share: $550, double share: $1100
