By joining a CSA, you enjoy the following benefits of buying locally grown food:

• Fresher, superior tasting produce compared to that of the grocery stores. Produce being trucked in from around the country simply cannot compete in taste and freshness with produce coming straight to you from the garden, picked at the optimal time of ripeness.
• The satisfaction of contributing to your local economy. In addition to supporting local farmers and helping strengthen the national food system you are also making an investment which helps promote greater strength and diversity in your area's marketplace.
• A relationship with your food and your farmer. We are a family owned and operated farm serving families in the northern Illinois region. Every vegetable has a story, and every season is a unique journey to bring forth the harvest that will feed your family. By being apart of a CSA, you not only know exactly where your food has come from, but you get to share in the story of how food gets from the garden to your table. Every time you look down at your veggies you are connected to the challenges and joys of growing that simple tomato or cucumber!
  
• A better deal than the grocery stores. Each share costs approximately $37.50 a week for one and a half paper grocery sacks of fresh organic produce. This is a significant savings over purchasing the same organic produce from the local grocery stores! After doing a full inventory of what we sold last year and comparing it to the local grocers our members saved over 75 percent from grocery store prices!
  

WHAT DO I GET WHEN I PURCHASE A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) SHARE?

We offer a twenty week season share which runs from mid June through October. Each week customers will receive a variety of fresh, delicious, organically grown vegetables as they ripen, along with recipes and tips for how to use, store and clean what has been harvested that week.

HOW MUCH DOES A SHARE COST?

The following is our pricing for the 2013 season:

                       For a FULL 16 Week Main Season Share                            For a HALF week Main Season Share

                                      $600                                                                          $300

All of our shares are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis depending on when we receive orders. We expect to have approximately fifty full shares availible for purchase in the 2013 season.

DO I HAVE TO PAY THE FULL SHARE AMOUNT UP FRONT?

In most CSA models, the farmer receives payment before the season begins in order to provide for growing expenses. In a sense, you are "hiring" your farmer for the year and share the risks and good fortunes of harvest with him. Even so, it is our desire to not turn anyone away because of finances.  As a result, we do offer a payment plan that is broken into three segments for those who cannot pay in full at the beginning of the season.

                                 FULL Share Installments                               HALF Share Installments

June 1st                        $215                                                                             $110

July 15th                      $215                                                                            $110

September 1st          $215                                                                           $110

(An 8% fee has been added for those exercising the payment plan option)

HOW MUCH PRODUCE WILL I GET IN A SHARE?

Members who purchase a full share receive a box of produce each week containing 8-12 varieties of vegetables, depending on what is in season. Each share is roughly equivalent to 3/4 of a bushel, or about 1 and 1/2 paper grocery sacks, and will furnish a family of four with vegetables for the week. A half share is exactly that, half of the above measurements and enough to feed a family of two. The beginning of the season will focus on leafy greens and herbs, and as the season progresses, the boxes will get heavier as fruiting crops and root vegetables begin to ripen.

WHERE DO I PICK UP MY BOX?

We offer two pick up days on location at our farm:

Tuesdays 3pm-7pm                                                                                                                       

Thursdays 3pm-7pm                                                                                                   

For exact dates, please visit our "Event Calendar". If you need driving directions, please visit the "Directions to the Farm" link for info on how to get here.

DO I HAVE TO COMMIT TO A CONSISTENT PICK-UP DAY?

Since we will be preparing your baskets with fresh from the field produce, in general it is extremely helpful to us to have each member commit to a consistent pick-up day. If scheduling conflicts arise and you need to switch things around, all you need to do is contact us and we will have your box ready for you!

WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT A SHARE IF I AM UNABLE TO PICK IT UP?

You can always call and let us know you will not be needing that week's share, but instead of forfeiting the week, we recommend having a friend or family member do the pick up for you! You can have fresh from the garden produce waiting for you when you get home or let the person picking it up for you enjoy it!

DO I HAVE TO COMMIT TO THE CSA TO BUY PRODUCE FROM ANDERSON ORGANICS?

Anderson Organics is primarily a Community Supported Agriculture program focusing on supplying families and individuals with fresh locally grown produce - we love the idea of being your personal farmers! However, if you want to sample some of our produce, or buy on a more limited basis, you can sign up for an e-mail list and we will notify you each week of extra produce we have avalaible for sale. You can then choose to come to the farm and purchase particular items you are interested in. To get on the e-mail mail list, simply go to the "Buy Surplus Vegetables" link.

HOW DO I SIGN UP FOR A 2013 SHARE?

Please visit our "Buy A 2013 Season Share" located under the "Join Our CSA" tab.

I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT ANDERSON ORGANICS, BUT IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEASON, CAN I STILL SIGN UP?

Yes, you can if we still have room! Please contact us to inquire about availability and pricing.

Maxibel Haricot Vert Bean 

Grazia Arugula

Yellowstone Carrot

Green Towers Romaine Lettuce 

Tadorna Leek

Antago Lettuce

Red Burgundy Okra 

Conservor Shallot

Batavia Broccoli

Garlic Chives

Habenero Pepper

New Tomatos (Bing Cherry, Peacevine, Black Cherry, Indigo Rose, Green Zebra, Prudens Purple, Yellow Perfection)

Purple Top Turnips

Scarlet Ohno Turnips

Caribe Cilantro

We are looking forward to all the bounty!

The storage share will consist of two pick-ups—the first on Tuesday, November 6 and the second on Tuesday, November 20 and the price will be $100. We have structured the quantities and pricing of the storage share to be roughly 60% off retail prices.

This will be a one size share with estimates and projections of the items we plan to offer listed below:

1. 15 lbs of potatoes (Red Pontiac and Gold Rush Russet varieties)

2. 10 lbs of fully dried storage onions (Red wing and Cortland yellow varieties)

3. Honey mini butternut squash-approx. 8

4. Waltham full size butternut squash-1

5. Long Island cheese sweet pie and stewing pumpkin-1 

6. Baby arugula-3 pounds

7. Baby Spinach-3 pounds

8. Carrots-purple, white, and yellow bunching—10 pounds

9. Beets– 5 pounds (Italian heirloom candy striped, gold, and Red Ace varieties)

10. Turnips– 5 pounds (Golden Globe variety)

11. Celery-3 heads

12. Red Russian Kale–4 pounds

13. Additional possible items: Baby lettuce mix, leeks, Brussels sprouts, garlic.

 To sign up for our winter share click here!

At Anderson Organics, we have three options avalable for 2013 shares. Our Main Season CSA Share runs for 16 weeks, from mid June through September. We also offer a 4 week Fall Share for the month of October and a 4 week Winter Storage Share for the month of November! Members may purchase a full or half share at the beginning of the season and will receive a box of produce each week for 16 weeks. A full share box of produce  containes 8-12 varieties of vegetables, depending on what is in season. Each full share is roughly equivalent to 3/4 of a bushel or about 1 and 1/2 paper grocery sacks and will furnish a family of four with vegetables for the week. The beginning of the season will focus on leafy greens and herbs, and as the season progresses, the boxes will get heavier as fruiting crops and root vegetables begin to ripen.

Please visit our "Buy a 2013 Season Share" link under "Join our CSA" to purchase a share of the upcoming harvest!