GRUB C.S.A. Farm
3269 West Sacromento ave.
How does our CSA work?
Our CSA begins in April and runs through the third week of December. You can join at any point after the season gets underway. Once you become a member our expectation is that you stay on for the season. In the off season we also offer Winter Shares. The shares are picked up each week by you at the GRUB CSA Farm located just 3½ miles from the heart of downtown Chico. We think you'll enjoy picking up your share at the farm. Take the opportunity to talk to your farmers, share recipe ideas or gardening tips, walk the fields where your food is grown, pick cherry tomatoes with your kids, and connect with others who value these things. The majority of share items are harvested the same day you pick them up, with the exception of storage crops such as garlic, onions, and winter squash, and when heat waves require us to harvest some share items the evening before. Once harvested the crops are field washed and cooled, and just before you arrive, set out for you on tables in our barn at the back side of our farm. Then you arrive with a box, bag, or basket to gather your share during your pick up time Tuesdays between 4-6 PM. Slate and chalk instruct you in how much of each item to take as you move down the tables laden with the vegetables that make up your share for the week. While we determine the what and how much of your share items, you make the final selections. Perhaps choosing only the smallest zucchinis because your family likes them the best, or selecting same-sized potatoes as you weigh them out so they cook off at the same time. Our alternative to a pre-boxed share gives you more choice, and fosters a sense of community, creating an environment where people feel welcome to hang-out and chat while children bounce on the trampoline
Considering joining the CSA? Come check us out.
If you are considering joining the CSA and have any questions the best way to get a feel for what the CSA is all about and how it works is to just drop by the farm during a CSA pick-up on Tuesdays from 4-6 pm to see the CSA in action, check out the fields, and get to know your farmers. Or, if you can't make it out please contact us at grubchico@gmail.com or call (530) 680-4543. The farm is at 3107 West Sacromento toward the river and we are lucky to live next to the farm at 3297 West Sacromento ave.
How big is my share?
The size of the share will increase with the bounty of the season. Starting smaller early in the season, growing as the season progresses, and tapering off a bit towards the end; but generally if you cook at home often, one share should meet most of the seasonal vegetable needs for two to three adults or a family of four for the majority of the season. Some members find it beneficial to split a share, usually with a friend, neighbor, relative, or co-worker. There are many different ways to go about sharing a share with more than one household, contact us for ideas, or if you are having trouble finding a share partner.
The cost for a CSA share is
$84 per month, due at the first weekly pick-up of each month. There is also a once per season $100 annual membership fee due with your first payment upon joining. Make checks payable to: GRUB CSA Farm. Bring your payment with you to CSA pick-up or send it to: GRUB CSA Farm; 3269 West Sacramento Ave, Chico, Ca 95973. If paying in cash please put your payment in an envelope clearly labeled with your name on it and the month(s) you are paying for. An annual membership fee paid in January, February, or March before the season begins reserves your place in the CSA and allows us to invest in farm infrastructure and make capital improvements for the upcoming season. Early payment also provides us with cash flow at a time when operating costs are high (purchasing seeds) and income is low. If you join the CSA after the season is underway your membership fee helps us meet operating costs as the season progresses. With the cash flow generated by the annual membership fees received in the winter months we are better able to meet our start-up costs without having to charge members for a larger portion of the season up front to do so. These early annual membership fee payments are what allow us to offer our more affordable monthly payment schedule, helping us meet our goal of making fresh, healthy, sustainably grown produce more accessible to the greater Chico community. If you are interested in paying for a larger portion of the season up front to help make our shares more accessible to others and to keep the farm running smoothly, please let us know.
Late pick-ups.
If you will not be able to pick up your share during your pick-up time please contact us so we can make you a share. Even if you forget to contact us, don't worry we will still make one up for you.We will box it up and leave it in the late share pick up shed on the front corner of the drive way in to the farm for you to pick up at your convenience within 24 hours. The sooner you pick it up the fresher it will be.
Please if you do not intend to pick up let us know.