The Ultimate Guide to CSAs in DC, MD and VA

Who still has capacity? How do I choose the right CSA?

By Gina Chen | Edible DC Contributor | Part 1 in a Series on CSAs in the Washington, DC Region

About CSAs

If there is a silver lining to the current pandemic, it’s that it has led to the rise of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

With restaurant dining (when they open up) and grocery shopping seeming like risky excursions, the CSA – with fresh, local produce packaged for you from the farm, and in some cases delivered to your door – is a godsend. Many farms that haven’t sold out their CSAs in years now have waitlists. Almost overnight, a farm share has become the sought-after ticket, replacing a reservation at the hottest Michelin-starred restaurant.

While CSAs have become more popular, they’re still not understood to the general public.

For one thing, ask three people what a CSA is and you may get three different answers. The CSA Innovation Network defines a CSA as “a model of seasonal food production and distribution that connects individuals and local farms in a mutually supportive relationship.”

When you join a CSA, you make an upfront payment to a farm at the beginning of a season to receive shares of the farm’s harvest. Think of it as co-owning a vegetable garden except that the farmer does the planting and harvesting. This financial partnership with the farmer ensures that every dollar you spend on your food goes directly to the farmer who grows it.

Lindsay Smith, Regional Food Systems Value Chain Coordinator for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, advances programs and policies that promote CSAs and sustainable food systems. According to Smith, it’s really important for farmers to have a solid financial foundation at the beginning of the season. “Farmers have been receiving a declining share of the consumer food dollar over the past several decades. [The CSA model] is the easiest, clearest cut way to know that everything you’re spending on food is going to the farmer,” she says.

Red Wiggler Farm, an organic farm in Germantown, MD, has a mission of creating a farm environment where people with and without developmental disabilities come together to work, learn, and grow healthy food. There are a few shares open there in th… — Red Wiggler Farm, an organic farm in Germantown, MD, has a mission of creating a farm environment where people with and without developmental disabilities come together to work, learn, and grow healthy food. There are a few shares open there in the fall, and a waiting list for summer options.

One hallmark of the CSA is the required initial upfront investment that allows farmers to have the money they need to buy supplies and plan for the season. In exchange, members get a reliable source of fresh, local produce. This mutual benefit explains why CSAs have become so of the moment.

Farms have their normal channels of distribution to restaurants and wholesalers disrupted indefinitely, and are looking directly to consumers for upfront income to carry them through the season. Likewise, consumers are looking to farmers for a safe, local and nutritious source of food.

Carrie Vaughn is a vegetable production manager at Maryland’s Clagett Farm, which has had a CSA since 1991, making it the region’s longest running CSA program. Vaughn says, “There is something innately reassuring about getting your food from a farm.” During uncertain times like these, having the direct connection to a farm is reassuring to people in a way that showing up to a grocery store prepared with a mask, gloves and sanitizer is not.

Mary Ackley, owner of the popular microgreens farm Little Wild Things, credits her 6-week-old CSA for saving her business. As owner of an urban farm in DC with high operating costs, she knew that she had a short runway to figure out how to survive after 90% of her revenue from restaurants and wholesalers disappeared overnight. Luckily, the farm already had a large social media following, a website, and a perfect value proposition – fresh, immunity-boosting greens that could now be delivered to your door. Ackley calculated that she needed to sell 100 shares at $250 a share to save her farm and quickly reached out to her customer base for help. The response was overwhelming – she sold 170 shares.

“The CSA model is amazing because it provides you the financing up front, which was exactly what we needed,” says Ackley, “It gave us a breath of life and unlocked a whole new community and market that I didn’t know was there.” Because she typically sold wholesale and ran vendor tables at a few farm markets, she knew her customer base existed she now feels connected to them in a whole new way. “Having never done the CSA model before, now I know what farmers are talking about, how their customers are part of their family. I can just see it growing over time in such an awesome way,” she explains. Little Wild Things recently opened registration for their summer salad share – an 8-week program running in June and July – and is almost at capacity.

Tom McDougall, founder of 4p Foods says, "We at 4P Foods are fighting for a more equitable and sustainable food system. Our mission is one of duality: We are working to ensure that independent farmers and ranchers can not just survive, but thrive.… — Tom McDougall, founder of 4p Foods says, "We at 4P Foods are fighting for a more equitable and sustainable food system. Our mission is one of duality: We are working to ensure that independent farmers and ranchers can not just survive, but thrive. We do this while also working with partners to build a food system such that all people – regardless of income, race, or zip code – have equitable access to good food that nourishes our bodies, our planet, and our communities.”

With the growth of consumer demand, other CSA-type models have cropped up (pun intended) to connect consumers and local farms.

4P Foods is one example of an innovative version of the farm-food-to-people model based off the CSA. It allows consumers to source food from multiple farms. 4P Foods acts like an intermediary, providing value-added services to farmers and consumers like marketing and delivery. Lani Furbank, a food writer and Annandale resident, joined 4P Foods after sheltering-at-home began in Virginia and finds the flexibility to be the greatest asset. “I have always wanted to join a CSA, but under normal circumstances, we travel frequently so it was never possible. Now that we’re staying at home and cooking so much more, it was the perfect time to commit to getting a weekly supply of product. 4P’s flexible model allows me to choose from a variety of quality local produce each week and skip anytime without a fee, which means I can stay a member even after travel becomes safe again.”

While models like 4PFoods bypass typical commercial transactions at grocery stores, they are different from CSAs in two key ways: 1. Members don’t have a direct relationship with any one farm, so their dollars don’t go directly to a farm; and 2. Farmers are not guaranteed the upfront revenue needed to plan out their season like in a traditional CSA model.

However, the 4P Foods model has meaningful benefits to the consumer by way of convenience and flexibility. Most CSAs don’t have at-home delivery capabilities; members pick up their shares on the farm, at farmers’ markets or designated pick-up locations. In addition, a typical CSA cannot offer the flexibility to skip deliveries because payment is made completely upfront. Companies like 4P Foods offer a weekly subscription service, so customers have the flexibility to skip deliveries. Since they are in the service business and not operating a farm, they are also able to focus on building additional capabilities like door-to-door delivery. An aggregate farm-to-consumer model like 4P Foods is a great option for consumers who want to support local farms but cannot commit to receiving weekly product and greatly value the convenience of delivery.

With so many options for CSAs and CSA-like businesses, finding the right one for you and your family can feel overwhelming. There are a number of considerations consumers should think about in choosing a CSA, including location/convenience, share type, product variety, seasons, price and mission.

How to Choose a CSA

Location and Delivery

For many families, especially during the pandemic, being able to pick up their food quickly and conveniently is key. Fortunately, many CSAs offer multiple pick-up locations and have even hired more staff to box up food for quick, contactless pickup. Food vendors like Number 1 Sons, a company that produces fermented products, have partnered with local farms and food makers to offer a variety of local produce, bread, eggs, and pantry items for convenient ordering on their website and home delivery. Little Wild Things Farm partnered with a spinoff of Compost Cab (a compost pick-up service) to deliver its spring salad shares directly to customers’ homes. As demand for CSAs grow, no doubt similar partnerships will form to provide more delivery options for consumers. For a directory of CSAs in the DMV organized by communities served and pick-up and delivery locations, check out this resource from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments: https://www.mwcog.org/documents/2020/02/28/metro-dc-csa-directory/

Share Type

When researching CSAs, look for information on a farm’s website about the types of CSA shares that they offer. Farms may either distribute their shares weekly or bi-weekly, or offer you a choice. Some farms offer market shares where you buy a credit and pick what you want at their farmers’ market stand. This allows the added flexibility of determining the size of your weekly box. For those who want specific foods, look for farms that offer online market shares where you can create a custom packed box online or switch out items through an online swap system. If finance is an issue, some farms like Clagett Farm offer worker shares where you can work a certain number of hours on their farm in exchange for a CSA share.

Product Variety

Unless you have the luxury of joining multiple CSAs, belonging to a CSA means that you are committed to the food that a particular farm plants for the season. Naturally, you should be aware of what is traditionally grown on the farm season-by season and what you will be receiving in your share. Most CSAs offer produce and fruit, but some offer options to add eggs, meat, bread, and specialty products like honey, flowers, mushrooms, and grains based on their seasonal partnerships with other growers.

Seasons

Depending on their harvesting schedules and financial needs, farms offer CSAs for different seasons. Most CSAs offer 22 to 26-week shares for pickup in the peak seasons of summer and fall with sign-ups open from January to May. However, some farms may offer shares during the winter and spring. Some may break up each season individually and offer multiple times of year when people can sign up.

Price

Prices of CSAs can depend on a variety of factors, including share type, product variety, number of weeks in the season, and even pick-up location. Vegetable/fruit shares can range from $20-$45/week depending on the number of people the share size is designed to feed, resulting in a upfront cost of anywhere between $450-$1200. A small family of 1-2 people can expect to pay the bottom of the range while a family of 5 can expect to pay at the top. Adding options like meat and eggs would increase costs proportionately.

Mission

Because joining a CSA means you are making an investment in a farm, one of the most important factors to consider is whether you connect with the farm’s mission. Little Wild Things Farm is an all women-owned and operated farm with the mission to attract the best and brightest to the farming industry to help advance our food system. Clagett Farm is committed to helping feed low-income communities, and partners with Capital Area Food Bank to distribute 40% of what they harvest to low-income communities. Three Part Harmony Farm’s owner Gail Taylor has made it its mission to dismantle inherent racism in our food system by expanding urban farming in DC. Red Wiggler is a sustainable farm where people with and without developmental disabilities come together to work, learn, and grow healthy food. And there are many other farms that have important missions deeply rooted in wanting to propel a more fair and sustainable food system. It’s worth taking the time to research and understand a farm’s mission to see if it aligns with yours. When you value a farm’s mission, you can feel good knowing that every dollar of your investment through a CSA is going toward that mission.

There is of course another important consideration in choosing a CSA right now – availability. Many farms have maxed out their CSA capacity for the year, but there still options.We have gathered a list of CSAs that are still accepting new members or may have open waitlists as their capacity expands. This list is not exhaustive and we encourage you to use the resources from this article to find additional opportunities to support local farms. If you’ve been considering joining a CSA, there is no better time than now.

CSAs with availability or capacity to expand availability based on demand

Even’ Star Farm has space in its summer CSA with several pick-up points in the DMV. The farm may be able to add pick-up sites along its current delivery route (St. Mary’s County – Waldorf – Alexandria – Arlington – Chevy Chase – Bethesda – Rockville – Gaithersburg – University Park) if there are a minimum number of orders.

Heronthere Farm in Upper Marlboro, MD will have a 6-week CSA from mid-June through July and a 12-week CSA starting September 1. Sign-ups for both will begin soon.

Calvert Farm in Cecil County, MD has spaces available for its 20-week summer CSA with pick-up sites in Rockville, Greenbelt, Silver Spring, D.C., Annapolis, Baltimore and more.

If you enjoy having flowers in your home or want to give an act of kindness to someone who does, Pale Blue Dot Farm offers seasonal flower CSAs. They still have shares available for Summer and Fall, and serve the Crofton/Bowie/Greenbelt area (Thursdays) and Brandywine/Waldorf area (Fridays).

Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op is a farmer’s cooperative of 120+ family farmers in Lancaster County, PA, and has space in its summer CSA, which offers produce, meat, eggs, bread, cheese, and herbal medicine. They have many pick-up locations in the DMV and ability to add more. Check their website for details.

In Baltimore, Oak Spring Farm has space available for its summer CSA with the option to add an additional 6-week share for fall. Oak Spring is a woman-owned farm and offers members the flexibility to rank produce preferences and customize weekly boxes of food.

Little Wild Things Farm has a few spaces left for its 8-week summer salad share. They offer door-to-door delivery anywhere in DC and select zip codes in MD and VA. Check their website for a full list of zip codes that they deliver to.

Prince George’s County’s ECO City Farms offers affordable CSA shares and is looking to add more capacity to its CSA in the coming months. Although the spring CSA is at capacity, you can contact the farm to be added to the waitlist.

Charles County’s Dicot Farm has closed its CSA registration but has a waitlist in case they are able to expand capacity later in the year.

Several Montgomery Country CSAs are at capacity but will add more spaces as they become available. Check out Dodo Farms, Eat the Rainbow Farm, and The Farm At Our House. Sign up for their waitlists to be notified when space opens up. Red Wiggler Farm has some fall shares available and has a waiting list for summer.

Other Local and Regional Food Options

FRESHFARM will be accepting sign-ups for its market share program beginning mid-May. The program will be subscription based and offer a weekly bundle of products from FRESHFARM’s market vendors for pick-up at their farmers’ markets and other designated locations. Discounts are available for residents paying with SNAP and WIC and delivery is available for seniors.
From the Farmer offers weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly subscription of boxes of seasonal produce, fruit, coffee, and artisanal bread sourced from small, local producers. They offer home delivery to select zip codes in DC, MD, and VA.
Some farms offer buying clubs that allow customers to “shop” through their inventory online and pick up their boxes at the farm. Miller Farms in Clinton, MD offers a weekly produce box for $25 available for curbside pickup. Shlagel Farms in Waldorf, MD emails information on available produce and meats through a listserv and allows customers to place orders by Thursday evening for pick up on Saturday. In both cases, there is no upfront payment at the beginning of a season like in a traditional CSA.
4P Foods sources weekly produce, protein, and dairy shares from a network of farmers in the DC area and offers convenient door-to-door delivery to zip codes in DC, MD, and VA. Because it is a subscription-based model, you can skip or cancel anytime.
The Common Market Farm Share offers bi-weekly deliveries of produce, poultry, egg, and cheese shares from 80 family farms within 250 miles of Philadelphia. Pick-up sites include Alexandria, Public Schools in VA, and Johns Hopkins Hospital Farmers Market in Baltimore, MD. They can add new pick-up sites with a minimum of 20 interested participants. Contact info@cmfarmshare.org or 215-275-3435 to get started.
Number 1 Sons is delivering not only their fermented products, but also has partnered with local farmers and food markers. Ordering opens 7 days before delivery days. Read more about their program here.