Nov/Dec Shares and Metro PedalPower

[real-green-tea.livejournal.com]

I just realized my normal (May-Oct.) CSA /farm-share last-delivery date is next Monday. I have gotten a lot of mileage out of my half-shares over the last several months, and am not looking forward to not having a share after next week. I am now contemplating winter share(s). 

Most farms appear to do a Nov.-Dec. share, and then a Jan.-March or 'deep winter' share.

Suggestions for a (mostly-) organic, local farm share that delivers to the Davis Square area? Any success stories with these types of shares would be most appreciated! 

Comments

[misterthorn.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I understand why Metro PedalPower is in the title of your post... are you asking for leads for CSA's that use this service?

[real-green-tea.livejournal.com]

Or a similar service, yes!
Alas, I have no car, so centralized Cambridge or Somerville pickups are not feasible for me.

[nu-luba.livejournal.com]

found this on the metro pedal power website

http://metropedalpower.com/about/csa-delivery/enterprise-csa

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I think you could probably contract with Metro to pick up and deliver *any* share that drops off locally, even without the farm's involvement. It would be no different than having a friend pick up for you.

[teresaelsey.livejournal.com]

Oh! I just compiled some info on winter CSA in a Google Doc for my house, which you might find useful: http://bit.ly/9it1Nx

There's similar info on Boston Localvores: http://bostonlocalvores.org/winter-csas (I think it's from 2009.)

My house hasn't decided what to do yet this year, but we did Enterprise last year, and I'm pretty sure it's the most straightforward and similar to a summer CSA (in the get-a-box-every-week and pick-it-up-at-Kickass-Cupcakes -- or have it delivered -- way). There is debate around how "local" it is (stuff comes from as far as Florida), if that's important to you.

[real-green-tea.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Have you had experience with Enterprise Farm? Did you like them?

[real-green-tea.livejournal.com]

Oooh, this is really helpful! Thank you so much for sharing your Google Doc compilation of CSA.
Did your house like Enterprise in the past? The only qualm I would have is if they supplied any of the super-pesticide foods in the winter, like strawberries, bell peppers and the like, from non-organic producers. However, I doubt they would be supplying these foods in the winter months.

[sville-sponzi.livejournal.com]

We have a winter share and are looking for someone to split it with. It is with Waltham Fields Community Farm http://www.communityfarms.org They are great.

You could get the half share from us near Davis Square. Cost is $75 for half, two installments 11/13 and 12/4. Lots of squash, root veggies, lettuce, and other good stuff! Let us know if you are interested.

lbanzi@yahoo.com

[magid.livejournal.com]

I've gotten Enterprise the last 2 years, and there are strawberries and other things like that, but all organic.

(If you want to see what I got, I have a "farm share" memories that has a week by week listing.)

[notnatalie.livejournal.com]

There is supposed to be a winter farmers market at the Armory in the works. You could stock up when it happens - not sure if it will be weekly, monthly, or what.

[teresaelsey.livejournal.com]

We've gotten Enterprise continuously for a year and a half now (two summers, one winter). I think I'd say it's good but not great; we felt like the quality was not as good in the winter share as in the summer share. (Some winter items, like grapefruit, were consistently great; others, like avocados, were consistently not.) They do seem very receptive to feedback, and I suspect this winter's share will be more consistent.

We blog about the Enterprise share (http://farmsharestories.blogspot.com/); a couple other Enterprise bloggers are http://misadventureswithfood.blogspot.com/ and http://farmshareeating.blogspot.com/.

[real-green-tea.livejournal.com]

I won't be able to take you up on this offer though perhaps someone else in Davis Square will! :)

[withinmywill.livejournal.com]

I love my Enterprise farm share, but I've never gotten the winter share.