Frequently Asked Questions
How can I purchase Sweetwater produce?
- Sweetwater Sunday Farmers' Market - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - Every Sunday 12-4pm, November through May at the farm.
- CSA Membership Program
How does the Community Suported Agriculture (CSA) membership work?
Members pay a membership fee at the beginning of the season to cover the costs of operating the farm. In turn, they get a share of the harvest every week or every other week, depending on whether they are a full or half member. However, we also sell produce to non-members at our market that runs every Sunday 12-4pm through the season (November to May).
What's in a typical CSA share?
There are two forms of membership: full and half. Full members pick up a share every week and half members pick up a share every other week. Each week the shares vary based entirely on what's coming out of the fields that week, but we try to have 10-15 different items in each share. The best way to get an idea of what a typical share might look like is to come to one of our Sunday Farmers' Markets (Sundays 12-4pm, Nov-May) and see what our members are picking up that day.
How much does CSA membership cost?
For the 2008-09 season, full membership costs $675, and half membership costs $385. In addition, we ask each member to contribute 4 hours of volunteer work each season, to encourage community involvement.
We also offer working member rebates for members who work beyond their 4 hour volunteer commitment. Members who want to volunteer must complete an orientation session (held in the fall) and keep a log of their work hours (logs are kept at the farm). At the end of the season, an amount equal to $5 per hour will be rebated to members who volunteer. Maximum season rebate for Half Membership (Half Sprout) is $100. Maximum season rebate for Full Membership (Sprout) is $200. A minimum of 5 hours worked is required for rebate.
So the cost for the CSA membership works out to approximately $16-$25 per pickup, depending on membership type and rebates.
How do Sweetwater prices compare to those at local health food stores?
The cost of a share to CSA members is $16-25 per pickup. In periodic price comparisons, we have found that our shares would have cost $35-$50 at local health food stores. We often hear that our Sunday Farmers' Market prices are also very competitive.
In addition, when you buy Sweetwater produce you're also supporting sustainable practices, local agriculture and environmental education.
How can I get involved?
There are numerous ways to get involved, from making a charitable donation to help support our educational and community programs, to volunteering on the farm or with our education program, to participating in our on-line community forums. Check out our Programs page to see how you can get involved!