Celebrate Community Supported Agriculture

Photo courtesy of Blackberry Meadows Farm

Celebrate community supported agriculture (CSA) during CSA week, February 20-26, 2023. It’s the most popular time of year to pledge support to a local farm. “Now more than ever, people recognize the value of local food that they can track to its source. CSA Week is all about connecting communities to their farmers and to the land their food comes from,” said Sadie Willis, coordinator of the CSA Innovation Network.

By paying for “shares” you receive a percentage of the products harvested from local farms while supporting your community and boosting Western PA’s food shed and the local economy. Becoming a shareholder in a CSA provides consumers with locally grown, nutritious, farm-fresh products. The volume of products received, as well as the frequency, varies dependent upon the particular CSA and the specific plans offered within the CSA. Shares are typically available for pickup at a designated site, some even offering home delivery.

Learn more about CSAs in our article “What is a CSA?”, here.

Or head over to Farm to Table, Buy Local for information regarding local farms participating in CSA programs for the 2023 year.

Photo courtesy of Amboy Urban Collective

Amboy Urban Collective, LLC

Rafael Vencio was born and raised in the Philippines and immigrated to the U.S. at nineteen. After investing in his career as a professional chef, Rafe decided to take a different approach to sharing his passion for Filipino cuisine through urban farming. He is building his dream from the ground up by bringing to Pittsburgh a variety of common Filipino and Asian vegetables with Global heirloom varieties. A typical CSA portion will include the following, but not limited to: herbs, foraged, leafy vegetables, root vegetables, fruiting vegetables and artisan foods.

Blackberry Meadows Farm

Jen Montgomery and Greg Boulos purchased Blackberry Meadows Farm in 2008, nurturing the oldest certified organic produce farm in Allegheny County along with one of the first well established regional CSAs, dating back to the late 1980’s. Blackberry Meadows Farm is a Certified Organic fruit and vegetable CSA farm which also raises pigs and chickens for producing pork, poultry, and eggs, and partners with a local cattle farm for all local beef hot dogs. They serve neighbors in the Alle-Kiski Valley with fresh meat and vegetables from their Farm Store and serve the Pittsburgh Region through Garden Shares, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership program, and food system support.

Harvie Farms

Simon Huntley, founder and CEO of Harvie Farms believes that ” local food has the potential to transform our economy and our environment through the way we use and respect natural resources.” Harvie Farms partners with local producers and farmers to source fresh, seasonal foods. Their flexible CSA membership plan allows consumers to shop online for home delivery, offering dairy and eggs, meat and seafood, vegan and gluten-free products, fruits, vegetables, and locally packaged prepared foods, Harvie customers may order as often as weekly, but are able to skip orders without being penalized.

Tiny Seed Farm

Tiny Seed Farm, largely made up of volunteers and work share individuals from the community, was founded by Todd Wilson with the idea that everyone should have access to fresh local produce. He has been involved in Western PA agriculture for many years and found it quite troubling that his food was more well traveled than he. Tiny Seed uses organic techniques to provide flowers and vegetables to people in the greater Pittsburgh Community. Their CSA program offers multiple pick up locations and share options.

Who Cooks For You Farm

Aeros Lillstrom and Chris Brittenburg are co-owners of Who Cooks For You Farm, a first-generation family farm serving the greater Pittsburgh area. Their belief that “food is the foundation upon which healthy communities thrive,” is evident in their determination to provide high quality herbs, fruits, and vegetables to local communities. Who Cooks For Your Farms offers both a Traditional CSA and Market CSA memberships.

STORY BY STAR LALIBERTE