Heirloom Harvest Community Farm and CSA

What is a share?

Families or individuals receive a weekly selection of fresh, seasonal produce grown by organic methods. The value of the share often exceeds the cost of the membership.
Share samples harvested from farmer John MitchellÌs crop plan (2002 season)
Sunday, June 30th

• 3 pounds summer squash
• 1 head green cabbage
• 1 bunch Hakurei turnips
• 1 head cauliflower
• 8 sprigs basil
• 1 bunch beets
• 1 head green Romaine lettuce
• 1 head summer crisp lettuce
• 1 bunch mustard greens
• 4 garlic scapes
• 1 quart sugarsnap peas (pick-your-own)

Sunday, September 15th

• 2 small, 1 large watermelon
• 2 pounds carrots
• 3 leeks
• 1 pie pumpkin
• 1 acorn squash
• 4 pounds heirloom tomatoes
• 2 eggplants
• 3 Bell peppers
• 2 heads lettuce
• hot peppers (take some)
• 3 sweet ethnic peppers
• 1 bunch Swiss chard
• basil (pick-your-own)
• flowers (large bunch)

What are split shares?

It is not uncommon that several individuals or households will choose to split one share. Shareholders who are splitting shares with someone must arrange to have only one person pickup at the farm and distribute the produce elsewhere, or that split share participants arrive at the same time and collect their share together as the staff and distribution coordinators cannot keep track of who took what produce. Taking too much of one item can result in shortages for other shareholders who pick up later.

What is a CSA shareholder's work commitment?

Each shareholder, or group of people who buy a share together, is obligated under the terms of the shareholder agreement to provide 7 hours of work in an agricultural activity at some point during the growing season - most likely weeding, harvesting, washing, seeding or transplanting.

This labor is vital to the success of the farm, but it is also central to the idea of CSA - it puts the community into the Community Supported Agriculture. Subscribers have an opportunity to connect in a meaningful way with others who care about the food they eat and how it is grown. Adults and children find many kinds of sustenance in their volunteer experience - physical, emotional, ethical, spiritual and educational.

The work commitment does not fulfill the farm's need for volunteer labor, and shareholders are encouraged to find the time, energy and joy in the work that will carry them beyond the 7 hour commitment.

The work commitment allows the farm to charge a lower price, as your labor takes the place of farmhand work hours. Not completing your work hours is tantamount to stealing. You may be billed at the end of the season for the hours you don't work.

The farm accepts volunteers and work commitment participants 5 days a week, from Sunday through Thursday, from 8:00 am to 5 pm. The hours we are open changes seasonally and with staffing, so make sure you read your newsletters and other announcements from the farm.

Important: Shareholders will not receive credit for their hours on the farm if they do not write their names and the times they worked on the desk calendar posted in the greenhouse.

What towns, cities and counties are served by Heirloom Harvest?

Heirloom Harvest serves the towns and cities of Ashland, Attleboro, Auburn, Bellingham, Berlin, Blackstone, Boston, Boylston, Cambridge, Clinton, Foxboro, Framingham, Grafton, Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, North Attleboro, Northborough, Northbridge, Oxford, Plainville, Shrewsbury, Somerville, Southborough, South Grafton, Sudbury, Sutton, Upton, Uxbridge, Westborough, West Boylston, Wrentham, Worcester.
Counties of Worcester, Suffolk, Middlesex.