COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE

• Participants pay Deep Run Farms the cost of crop production up front: $650 for a Full Share | $330 for a Half Share | $225 for a Mini Share (new for 2023!)
• Deep Run Farms provides the participant with vegetables each week (by pick-up only).
• The vegetables provided will be based on what Deep Run Farms produces seasonally and will be equally proportioned to the dollar amount contributed by each participant.
• Quantities of each item are based on the type of produce.
• A Half Share and Mini Share will receive a reduced amount, but requires the same number of pickups.

Pick-up Times at Our Farm:
Sunday: 10:30am to 1pm
Tuesday: 5:30pm to 7pm

Deep Run Farms will provide our CSA participants with the designated amount of vegetables once a week for a guaranteed 18 weeks starting in the middle of May or as soon as the weather permits. The vegetables provided will only be vegetables that are produced from our farm.  Deep Run Farms guarantees that we will only provide fresh vegetables that are of the highest quality possible.

Please note that CSA participants get to choose whatever items they want. Deep Run Farms will set up a bunch of vegetables that will be available that week and they can choose what they want. There are 4 items for a Mini Share, 6 items for a Half Share, and 12 items for a Full Share.

• Enjoy the nutritional benefits and superior flavor of ultra-fresh food.
• Incorporate a wide variety of new vegetables into your cooking.
• Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows your food and learn more about how your food is grown.
• Get an opportunity to visit your farm.
• Find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm – even veggies they’ve never been known to eat.

The weather is beginning to break, and Spring is now upon us. “Soon we will be plowing the fields and preparing for the first batch of plants. As soon as the fields dry out, it won’t be long until we are in full swing working from sun up until sun down to produce the best crops we can for our CSA members,” says Greg Horner, Manager of Operations at Deep Run Farms.

Deep Run Farms has been running a successful Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program for customers in Carroll County and Baltimore County for several years now. “We’ve had a great response from people in the community,” says Greg, “I think people are tired of paying high prices for supermarket food, and feel better knowing exactly where their food comes from.” Many people are fed up with the less-than-fresh food and high prices that line supermarket aisles and, instead, are joining local community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs.

New Varieties of Crops for our CSA Members

A Community-Supported Agriculture program gives local residents the opportunity to purchase shares of Deep Run Farms crops and goods. Joining a CSA is growing in popularity as a way of bringing fresh fruits, vegetables, milk, meat and other foods home, ending the dependence on nationally-run supermarkets. This year we are growing a new variety of cantaloupe that is a bit smaller but has a super high sugar content. We will also be trying hand picked green beans and peas. We also now have raspberries, blackberries and peaches. Other big changes that are coming in the future are that we are planting an asparagus patch that should be ready in a few years.

Here are five reasons you should consider joining a CSA:

1. Support Your Community

When you purchase foods and goods at nationally-run supermarkets or online, your local community often won’t see much of a return on that purchase. On the other hand, food purchased from local farmers helps support local businesses and invigorates your community and state.

It’s a sad fact, but many local farms have been driven out of business by national food manufacturers that are able to produce low cost (and low quality) products at fast rates. The only way to ensure the survival of local farms that produce fresh and healthy foods is by supporting them through such programs as CSAs.

“All of the vegetables that my CSA members receive are grown right here on our farm. I never purchase from other farms or at produce auction as, unfortunately, many other CSA programs or farm to home programs have been known to do.“

2. Enjoy Fresh and Local Foods

Flip over the box of many pre-packaged meals and you’ll face a lengthy list of unreadable and unnecessary ingredients. The health problems caused by these preservatives and other ingredients are still largely unknown, but the rapidly rising national obesity rates should be one indicator of their effects.

Joining a CSA program allows you to enjoy fresh and local foods, without any concerns about their origins. By learning to cook with these fresh ingredients, you can supply your family with healthy and wholesome meals every day. You can also begin learning more about seasonal ingredients and how to use them properly. Canning or freezing any excess produce ensures a year-round supply of low cost, locally grown food.

Our CSA members are the first people who have access to the crops, and they get it even fresher than wholesale or farmers markets. All the vegetables you receive through your CSA membership are picked fresh, usually the same day!

3. Save More Money

The exact amount you can save by joining a CSA program depends on where you live and which shareholder options you select. However, considering the ever-rising costs of supermarket goods, your CSA shares ensure a steady supply of fresh food at a low cost.

Maximize your savings by never letting your CSA shares go to waste. This is done by making properly portioned foods for your family and by learning how to can and freeze any excess. Canning your leftover fruits and vegetables ensures you’ll have a year-round supply of wholesome ingredients to serve at the dinner table.

“I make sure that my CSA members get their money’s worth, cheaper than they would if they purchased them at a grocery store, farmer’s market, or even at my own roadside stand.”

4. Support the Environment

Many national food producers have one main concern: making a profit. Unfortunately, this is often achieved at the environment’s expense. By joining a CSA program, you’ll be supporting local farmers that are concerned about the condition of their land and whom grow crops in sustainable manners. Eating truly local produce also reduces your carbon footprint, as you reduce the effect transportation of goods can have on the environment.

5. Connect Your Kids with Nature

Many children are disconnected from nature and know nothing about the farm-to-table process. Our CSA program gives their shareholders the opportunity to visit the farm on a weekly basis, the perfect opportunity for reconnecting your children with nature, and with the source of the food they eat. When kids are actively involved with growing the food that’s served at your dinner table, they’ll be all the more likely to eat healthier.

“The fact is, fresh food just tastes better. That’s the comment I’ve heard every year I’ve run a CSA – people love how fresh the food is.”

Looking for a local CSA in Maryland to join? Click here to contact Deep Run Farms. We’ll provide you with fresh, healthy food and get you involved in the farm-to-table process.