A New CSA in Town!
January 28, 2009
Boy, have I got exciting news for those of you that live in Philadelphia and are looking for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share for the upcoming 2009 growing season! Since CSA shares of all kinds sell out quickly in this city that is so passionate about buying local, having the brand new “Henry Got Crops” CSA is a welcome addition to the mix. This CSA is being organized/overseen by Weavers Way Farm, but it is anticipated that the majority of the produce in the shares will be grown by the great students at W. B. Saul High School along Henry Avenue in Roxborough (for those of you familiar with the area, it’s the unexpected little farmstead with the horses and cows on Henry just past all those big apartment complexes).
Weavers Way has been working with Saul students for awhile now in the greenhouse and this expansion to field production and a CSA seemed like a natural next step in helping educate and employ these ambitious kids. In addition to the weekly share of vegetables (large enough for a family of four), there will be opportunities for CSA members to pick their own flowers and herbs at the farm as well as buy additional local products such as cheeses and meats. Awesome, right? I think so!
You can join or get additional information by emailing henrygotcrops(at)weaversway(dot)coop [just convert the (at) to @ and the (dot) to . at the time you compose your email]. If you’re wanting more information about Weavers Way Farm and its staff, check out the Garden/Farm page here and the co-op’s webpage.
Entry Filed under: Farm Notes. Tags: CSA, Philadelphia.
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1. Elizabeth | January 29, 2009 at 6:50 am
This is great news! thanks for updating and keeping us locals informed! Quick question – will the produce be organic?
2. Mangochild | January 29, 2009 at 7:34 am
Wonderful to hear. I don’t live in the area (I’m in CT) but hearing that there is an expansion of options for locally grown food just brings a smile to my face. I hope that many people hear and take advantage of the opportunity to provide the momentum to keep such projects going. From what I have been reading, Philly does a good job with that.
3. Jennie | January 29, 2009 at 8:33 am
Elizabeth – Yep, the produce will be grown using organic growing practices. It won’t be certified organic since the cost of getting certified is way out of reach for a small operation like this. I vouch for the farmers being incredibly dedicated to sustainable practices, including using no chemicals. Hope you’ll consider joining!
Mangochild – Thanks!
Hopefully there are some CSAs around you in CT….
4. A. Woz | January 29, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Want to take a stab at defining organic vs Chemical free…not one in the same?
5. Jennie | January 29, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Oh gosh, A. Woz, this could be a long reply…
The thing about “organic” is that it means so many different things to so many different people, particularly to the “regulators” in the food production chain. Some states are super strick and some states aren’t nearly as much when it comes to the certification process and what you can apply to your crops. In almost all cases, something that is certified organic does not mean it was never sprayed with a pesticide. There are “organic” pesticides; quite a few of them actually. There have been whole volumes written on the subject (would highly recommend this one: http://www.amazon.com/Buy-Not-Organic-Healthiest-Earth-Friendly/dp/1569242682/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233263016&sr=1-1) so I won’t go into the politics (yes, hardcore politics!) of being certified organic. Suffice to say that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. What IS what it’s cracked up to be is getting to know your farmers (or growing your own) and finding out how the food you eat is cultivated. Thus I often promote “sustainable” and “chemical free” food production, rather than “organic”. For instance, at Weavers Way Farm the only sprays used on the crops are soaps and oils (completely harmless to humans and biodegradable), which serve to either suffocate the bugs or dry them up (sorry to be blunt; if you’re a vegan who’s concerned about bug life, you might need to stop eating even your veggies). And the only nutrient supplements given to the plants are compost processed right on the farm. BUT, Weavers Way Farm is only a very small urban farm and couldn’t even begin to afford the cost of getting certified as “organic”. And yet the sustainable and organic growing practices there are almost certain to far outstride every big “organic” producer in California. Hopefully I’m not muddling this topic for you…I’m very passionate about it to the point that it sometimes makes it hard to be succinct. 
The short answer is: go to a farmers market and ask a lot of questions about how the produce is grown and you’ll soon get a sense of how each farmer approaches this complicated topic. Thanks for asking such a great question! Sometimes I forget to explain some key concepts around here so please always ask!! 