
The MSU Student Organic Farm Offerings and Facilities: The MSU program offers both summer shares and year-round shares. At various times of the year, extras are available for purchase on “pickup” day. Such extras include raspberries, pears, strawberries and truly free-range eggs. The MSU farm has four passive greenhouses and two additional greenhouses that are heated for starter plants. To learn more about MSU’s program see http://www.msuorganicfarm.com/

Payment and operations: A CSA member makes a single payment at the start of a season or cycle. This payment allows the farmer to purchase seeds, meet expenses during the growing season, and purchase and repair equipment. Some CSAs are for the primary growing season from about June through October. Others are year-round and offer root vegetables and greens raised in passive solar greenhouses (hoop houses) during the cold season.
Delivery: Many CSAs require that the member pick up the share each week at the farm or other designated location. In some cities such as New York and Chicago, delivery to the member’s doorstep is offered for an additional small fee.
CSAs around the United States: The USDA estimates that there are about 2,500 CSAs in the U.S. . For more information see: What is a CSA?, CSA in NYC, http://www.justfood.org/csa (last visited Nov. 6, 2013).
Copyright © 2013 for photos and text by Paulette L. Stenzel