What are the dates for each share season?
How do I receive the weekly newsletter?
What if I can’t make it to pick up my share this week?
What do I do with the leftover box each week?
This is my first time picking up a share. Is there anything I need to know about my pickup site?
What if I want to join part way through the season?
When can I pick up my first share?
Can I bring my payment to my pickup location?
What kinds of fruits and veggies can I expect to get in my share?
Will I know ahead of time exactly what will be in my share each week?
What kinds of payments do you accept?
I signed up for a CSA share. When will I receive a confirmation?
How much do the different size shares weigh?
What does CSA stand for? What’s a farm share?
What are the dates for each share season?
Winter Share: Nov 26, 2012 - May 5th, 2013
Summer Share: Jun 1 - Nov 10, 2013
Spring Academic Share: Jan 30 - May 1, 2013
The People's Share pilot: Jan 30 - May 1, 2013
Fall Only Share: Sep 1 - Nov 10, 2013
How do I receive the weekly newsletter?
The green bar at the left of this page has an option to "Join Our Mailing List". Just add your email address and hit "Go". For the weekly CSA newsletter select "Farm Share News". If you unsubscribe for a season and would like to re-subscribe, just add your email address again. You will be prompted to change your subscription settings.
What if I can’t make it to pick up my share this week?
We understand there may be times that you can’t make it to your pickup site. While our pickup locations can’t hold your share for you beyond the set hours, and we can’t compensate you if you miss your share one week, there are some things you can do:
1) Designate a few alternate people who can be added to the pickup list under your name. If this is your first time signing up you can do this directly on the sign-up form. Otherwise email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and let us know the names you’d like added to your account.
2) If you know ahead of time that you won’t be able to pick up your share, email us and we can add you to a different pickup site for that week. We need two weeks' notice during the Winter Share and one week's notice during the Summer/Fall Share for any changes. Please note that we can’t honor requests to switch pickup locations if they’re made in the same week as the switch.
3) Do nothing. Any shares that aren’t picked up will be donated to either a food pantry or a local person or family who can use it.
What do I do with the leftover box each week?
If you haven’t found any good uses for your CSA box, you can return them to your pickup site each week and our driver will collect them to be reused. Check with the coordinator at your drop site to see if they can accomodate holding your box. The boxes are currently not recyclable due to the wax coating, but we are in the process of getting recyclable boxes for future shares.
This is my first time picking up a share. Is there anything I need to know about my pickup site?
Most pickup locations are staffed with a coordinator who will check your name off the member list and ensure that you receive the proper size share. If you get to your pickup site and find there is no coordinator, please check your name off the list and make sure you take the proper size share—there are just enough boxes at each location for the exact number of members—no extras are sent.
A few of our sites may be confusing if it’s your first pickup. Here are some special instructions:
Calvary Church, East Arlington: Shares are located through the side door labeled "Elevator Entrance"
St. Susanna Church, Dedham: Pick up is in the garage behind the rectory—use the pedestrian door at the side of the garage.
First Churches, Northampton: Pickup is inside the lobby on Center Street.
What if I want to join part way through the season?
As long as the CSA isn’t full, we’re happy to offer you a pro-rated price for joining partway through the season. Pro-rated prices are listed on the "Pay for your Boston/Western Mass. farmshare" pages linked on the left of this page. Scroll down to the PayPal buttons to see the current pro-rated price. Please take note of the start date next to the PayPal button to see when you can pick up your first share. If you would like to sign up for a subsequent week, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a personalized PayPal invoice to pay online.
When can I pick up my first share?
If you’re unsure of your specific pickup day and time, find your chosen location on the Boston or Western MA sign up form for further details. If you’re joining us partway through a season which is already underway, you will be able to pick up your first share the week after we receive your payment during the Summer, and in two weeks in the Winter.
Can I bring my payment to my pickup location?
No. Unfortunately our pickup locations aren’t equipped to handle payments. All payments must be made either by check sent to the farm, paypal, at the farm in person, or at one of our booths at a farmer’s market.
What kinds of fruits and veggies can I expect to get in my share?
Check out our crop list to see what kinds of produce will potentially be available throughout the year. We strive to give our members a variety of vegetables each week, with at least one type of fruit weekly when it is available.
Will I know ahead of time what will be in my share each week?
We send a newsletter to members every Tuesday that includes a list of items that will most likely be in your share (To receive the newsletter, see "Join our Mailing List" in the green bar to the left of this page and choose "Farm Share News"). Because Mother Nature can be fickle, we will sometimes have varying amounts of each item and will split them up in a way that makes sense for each size share. With that said, we do strive for variety, quality and value in each and every share.
What Kinds of Payments do you Accept?
The two most common ways to pay are by a check sent to the farm or on our website via PayPal. If you’d like to pay with cash, credit card, or EBT, we can take payments at the farm or at one of our farmer’s market booths in the Boston or Western MA area.
I signed up for a CSA share. When will I receive a confirmation?
Your CSA sign-up is not complete until we receive your payment. As soon as payment is received, we’ll send you a confirmation that you’re officially signed up. At the start of the season we’ll send a more informative email containing any pertinent information you may need to know. If you're signing up partway through the season, we will send you an acknowledgement email that includes the start date for your share.
How much do the different size shares weigh?
The different size shares are not set by weight but by the value of the produce. The different box sizes are 3/8 bushel, ½ bushel, and 1 bushel (in Western MA known as a Small, Medium and Large) and ½ bushel, and 1 bushel (in the Boston area known as a Small and Large). For an example or what items you might get in each size share, check out our Summer and Winter Farm Share pages.
Please see the Boston or Western MA sign up form for a current list of available pick up locations. When signing up, you must commit to picking one location—although if there is the off week you like to make a one-time switch to your pick up location, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we’ll send your share to a different spot. Please note that we do require at least a full week’s notice to accommodate a switch during the Summer/Fall Share, and two weeks' notice during the Winter Share.
What does CSA stand for? What’s a farm share?
We realize that some people may be new to this whole concept—it’s ok! CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It means that local farmers are able to sell their produce directly to the people who eat it. When you become a member of a CSA, you pay upfront for an entire season vegetables, and pick up a portion of them every week. The farm benefits by having enough cash flow to keep the farm operating, and members benefit by having fresh picked, nutrient-rich produce each week from a farmer they know.
Our Saturday pickup at the farm in Whately is also called the ‘Market Share’. The prices are the same as other shares, but you get to choose what you want in your share every week as opposed to us choosing for you. Love dandelion greens? Take extra. Not a fan of eggplant? Skip it and have some tomatoes instead—what you get in your weekly share is up to you. The Market Share is also available at the Brookline Farmer's Market during the Summer/Fall, Thursday pick-up at the farm in Summer/Fall, and at the Northampton Survival Center as part of The People's Share.