Our CSA boxes from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative tick, well, all the boxes: Local. Organic. Sustainable. It’s basically a farmers’ market in a box delivered to your door.

 

Founded in 2006 by nine small family-farms who realized they were traveling to and competing in the same marketplaces, Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative is a non-profit cooperative of over 100 Pennsylvania family-farms headquartered in Lancaster County. The idea is a simple one: instead of competing for the same business, the farms work together as a cooperative, sharing resources and ideas.

The question our produce merchant, Philip, gets asked the most is what does CSA stand for? “CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture,” explains Philip, “but the program is also known as a farm share. Most CSA box programs require a subscription because the consumer is buying a “share” from a farm or co-op, but the best thing about ours is that it doesn’t. So our customers can enjoy unique vegetable varieties with no commitment whenever they feel like it!”

Another great thing about our CSA boxes is that they allow our customers to experience a diverse selection of the best in local and seasonal produce. For example, in early-to-late spring, you can expect veggies like carrots, leafy greens, greenhouse tomatoes, and radishes. In late summer, you’ll get produce like squashes, cucumbers, eggplants, and heirloom tomatoes. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, you’ll get something delightfully unusual, like kohlrabis, cardoons, or Jerusalem artichokes. We also offer a larger box with dairy products such as cheese, eggs, and yogurt.

And if you’re thinking that the cold and snowy winter months would mean no fresh local veggies, well, then you’d be wrong, because many of the farmers use greenhouses to continue growing their crops. The coolest part of using greenhouses, or warmest part, if you will, is that some of the farms use wood stoves as a sustainable way to control the climate.

Every piece of produce in a Lancaster box is certified organic unless otherwise noted, and inside you’ll also find a cheat sheet letting you know exactly what you have. There’s really no better way to eat the best in locally grown products and feel good about it, too.

Shop Lancaster Farm veggies here.