Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a system in which customers purchase a share in a farm at the beginning of the season and then receive a box of produce selected by the farmer each week. Customers usually pick up their share at the farm, and some farms offer the option for customers to work on the farm and pay a lower price for their share.

 

In addition to the many farms offer CSAs during the summer, some also offer winter CSA shares, with produce distributions in November, December, and sometimes January and February. Winter CSA shares include vegetables that are still being harvested from the fields in November (depending on the weather), vegetables that can be stored for many months in a root cellar, and often greenhouse-grown salad greens. Examples of common winter share vegetables are beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, celeriac, garlic, kale, onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkins, rutabaga, turnips, and winter squash. 

 

Purchasing a CSA share in the winter is a great way to continue to eat local, even after many farmers markets have ended and locally grown produce is harder to find (the last day of the Winchester Farmers Market is October 31). The sign up for most winter CSA shares usually takes place in September. Following are links to some information about local farms that offer winter CSA shares.

 

Drumlin Farm, Lincoln

Shared Harvest, Multi-Farm Winter CSA, Lexington 

The Food Project, Lincoln

World PEAS Cooperative - New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Dracut, Boston, Medford

Waltham Fields Community Farm, Waltham