Welcome to your Local, Home Town, CSA Urban Farm!

 

Eden's Garden CSA Farm

Join Our CSA Today! Orientation and Farm Tour Date TBA

 I am currently accepting applications for the wating list only. Farm Year 2021 is full!

Reserve your share in the harvest today!

This is not a week to week food co-op or on-line delivery service. I am a real farmer growing locally in Balch Springs, for you!

 

This is a traditional Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model with market style and you pick options. It's an annual membership and year round access to the farm. Eden's Garden CSA Farm is a proud CSA Charter Partner

Fresh produce is grown and available to you, from this farm, nearly year round. Scheduled seasonal weekly or bi-weekly distributions generally run late winter (Feb.) through December. "Pick your own" options at the farm for current members are generally available during "off-weeks" in the dog days of summer and between shares in the winter.

What is the difference between on-line food delivery groups or co-ops and a CSA? Click Here for A Comparison Chart - CSA vs Co-Op, etc.

To summarize the main difference;

CSA is FARMER DIRECT - 100% of your membership dollars go directly to support this small, local, urban farm in Southeast Dallas County - No Middleman!

To receive a more detailed email about our CSA program, a link to the application and pay pal payment option to join, sign up here.

Click Here For More Details

Try eating seasonally for a year! Click above link for application and details.

Annual membership payments are due quarterly; 1st of Jan., April, July & Oct.

Join us any time of the year, but sorry, I don't pro-rate into a season once distributions begin. Your membership will begin the quarter following the month you sign up/pay.

"CSA is not just a clever, new approach to marketing. Community farming is about the necessary renewal of agriculture through its healthy linkage with the human community that depends upon farming for survival."  - Steven McFadden - author Farms of Tomorrow

 

WHAT IS CSA?

Simply put, CSA, (community supported agriculture), is a relationship of trust between a local farmer and local consumers for the benefit of both parties and the local community in which both live. There is a shared risk and return.

Farmers form a relationship with you, the community, (instead of a banker), to assure the farmer a built-in market for their crops & help to stabilize their budget. They work the land, plan the crops, grow and harvest the freshest in-season produce money can buy, right in your community!

You, the consumer, form a relationship with a local farmer, (instead of the produce department at your supermarket or a middleman distributor), provides you with peace of mind regarding your food source and how it was grown. You can literally see where your food is growing! Providing income ahead of the harvest, gives the farmer seed money to pay her bills, buy seed and transplants, fertilizer, supplies and other soil amendments as needed, without going into debt.

Click the link to see how the presence of an in-town farm also has many other benefits to the community.

This is a win-win-win relationship!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Eden's Garden CSA Farm asks members to pledge an annual financial commitment towards the farm's budget.

The farmer works the fields, tending crops throughout the year to provide a wide variety of produce.

Members receive a distributed share of the farm's harvest each week or bi-weekly during peak growing time, with pick your own access to the farm year round, as weather permits.

Choose your share market style from 2 pick up locations, Saturday or Sunday or take a farmer's choice share in Lakewood, picking up at The Green Spot on Buckner. Exploring home delivery service of a farmer's choice share for our super busy families for 2019. There will be a small extra charge for this delivery service. 

I do not supplement your shares with national or imported food from wholesale sources. So due to weather, some weeks harvests are more abundant than other weeks. Fruit trees, including peaches, pears, plums, fig, apple and mulberries, are currently planted and slowly coming on line. A unique partnership with fellow woman farmer/owner Beverly Thomas of Cold Springs Farm in Weatherford, will help round out our shares with items that don't grow at my farm, such as sweet corn, potatoes and sweet pototoes as available.

I also grow produce for an on-farm 2x month farmer's market for the food desert community here in s/e Dallas County and surplus for the local food pantry. Your support of the farm through the CSA helps the whole community have access to the farm! 

The CSA model has evolved since it's introduction to the US, and here is an informative article from one of the "founders" of the CSA movement in the US.

While I respect and understand there are many models of "CSA", this CSA remains pretty traditional, following some of the original programs from the early days out east. I do not require members to work, but I do include members in key decisions including feedback on crop selection. Think of it as having your own personal farmer!

I do encourage frequent visits to the farm and have opportunities for helping in various ways, including volunteer days involving farm work if so desired.

I also offer a limited number of  sliding scale "work shares" for students, families on a tight budget and those interested in learning to farm. It is one of my missions not to exclude anyone's access to this food solely on the basis of their budget. Please click here for information on availability and requirements.

WHAT ABOUT THE CO$T?

To spread the annual commitment out over the course of the year, and to help create a more balanced income stream to the farm, members pay a portion in advance of each upcoming season, breaking up the payment into quarterly, $300 installments, (January 1st, April 1st, July 1st, and October 1st). Some members choose to pay a full year in advance and this is acceptable as well.  

*(Full upcoming season must be pre-paid prior to distribution or pick your own access. Sorry, I am not set up to accept weekly payments or pro-rate memberships at this time. The annual commitment translates to about $23/week for virtually year round access to fresh, local food here at Eden's.)

WHAT DO WE GET?

Each season I strive to grow a variety of nutritious, heirloom, open pollinated (and always non-GMO), veggies, fruits and herbs, as well as unique varieties of things you may not find in your local supermarket including native/wild edibles.

I try to provide at least 5-7 different veggies, fruits plus fresh herbs each week of distribution for you to choose from. I grow over 30 different items some seasons!

Some weeks will be more bountiful, others will be less abundant, depending on the time of the year and weather. Everything will be harvested and distributed fresh each week and you can expect it to last much longer than what you're used to from the supermarket.

During weeks when there's not an organized distribution planned, the option of Pick Your Own is usually offered. Basically that means nearly year-round access to the farm if you want it! 

 (Please see our list of FAQ's for more detailed information and policies for our CSA program.)

 

In North Texas, I grow both warm and cool seasons of veggies, growing virtually year round if the weather cooperates. I grow fresh produce and culinary herbs seasonally, by working with Nature and nurturing out soils.

Working with nature using sustainable, natural methods, we call it "Real Food Grown with Integrity". (Because the USDA wants us to pay them to let us call it "organic".) Plus, being an old homestead, there's a whirlwind of native edibles on the property to pick from!

"We must consider it a scientific fact that you are what you eat. The same molecules that make up the food we consume become the molecules of our minds and bodies. So, unless you are your own farmer, you should choose one as carefully as you would chose your doctor or your pastor. Therefore, it is fitting that farmers, like doctors, lawyers, professors, and pastors, should command a high level of respect and income, commensurate with this level of responsibility. I consider it an honor and a privilege that you have chosen me to be your farmer." Tom Willey of T&D Willey Farms 

 

What some of our CSA members are saying.... 


 "There's nothing like knowing the person who grows your food, why they are doing it, and what they want you to gain from it...."

"I must admit, my taste buds never got too juiced up at the thought of tomatoes. When we picked up our share on Saturday, I couldn't believe the variety of colors, sizes, and flavors! They looked too pretty to eat! (almost)" - Iris - founding CSA Member since 2008

"I'm very grateful to have access to delicious local vegetables! Thanks so much for all your hard work."  - Nancy Member since 2009

"...three years ago, at age 6 he declared war on veggies other than carrots, broccoli or artichokes. That was until last week's visit to Marie's farm! My son ate it all and and declared: "vegetables taste great when you know who grows them and when you help cleaning them."  - Olga - 2 Year Member before relocating out of state

"Grocery store greens don't touch farm-fresh. Yum!" Tina - New CSA Member in 2014

"Best Brussels sprouts ever!" Nanci - CSA member since 2010

Clark and brother Leif, "lifelong" members, enjoying a sunny, brisk Pick Your Own

opportunity at the farm.

 

Watch for an upcoming orientation about Eden's CSA and a farm tour.

Kids are welcome to the farm, but please do not bring your dog.   

No Smoking Please.

 

Not affiliated with EDEN FOODS, INC
(yes, we REALLY have to put this on here.)