Community Supported Agriculture
We are proud to purchase 100% of our produce from local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms. The CSA model allows consumers to purchase fresh produce directly from local farms. Consumers buy a “share” of produce before the growing season. In return they receive a distribution of produce each week throughout the farming season.
The CSA model is mutually beneficial for consumers and farmers alike. Consumers benefit from accessing nutritional produce, supporting local farms, and reducing their carbon footprint. Farmers benefit from receiving payments earlier in the year, marketing produce before the growing season, and developing relationships with new, highly-motivated consumers.
Our Model
1
Our model allows us to purchase Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares of fruit and vegetables from organic farms near the communities we serve.
2
By utilizing existing distribution networks and pick-up locations, we connect food deserts and other in-need communities to fresh, organic produce.
3
We provide the educational resources to manage and prepare healthy meals from home through partnerships with community-based organizations.
Our Farms
Our long term vision is to create a network of farms working together to serve food desert communities. We are proud to have The Conservation Foundation’s Green Earth Harvest of Naperville, Illinois as our first farm partner. Green Earth Harvest is an all-organic farming operation that provides healthy, organic vegetables to the community through sales of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) “shares.”
When you become a Green Earth Harvest shareholder, you are purchasing a portion of the harvest. Shareholders will come to the McDonald Farm in Naperville, or one of Green Earth’s off-farm pickup sites, every week or every other week to pick up produce. The farm has three growing seasons:
Spring: The spring harvest is comprised of tender spring vegetables grown in a greenhouse. These shares include a variety of salad mix, bok choi, arugula, baby turnips, baby chard, spinach, head lettuce, radishes, and more.
Main: The largest variety of vegetables will be available during the Main Season – you’ll see all types of greens (kale, chard, spinach, head lettuce, arugula & collard greens), scallions, turnips, tomatoes, sweet peppers, hot peppers, tomatillos, celery, broccoli, potatoes, cabbage, squash, garlic and green beans, just to name a few!
Fall: Items often included are salad greens and spinach; cooking greens such as kale and Swiss chard; broccoli and cabbage; root crops like carrots, beets, rutabagas, and turnips; winter squash such as butternut and pie pumpkins; potatoes, onions, and garlic.
Our partnership with Green Earth Harvest will allow us to:
Distribute Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares of vegetables to our families throughout the growing seasons
Provide our participants with family-friendly recipes that incorporate fresh produce, as well as preparation and storage resources
Allow our families to connect with local farmers and understand the importance of eating organic produce
Our Communities
Bridge Communities: Our program started local, close to the hometown of our founders, with the vision of expanding across the state and nation. We are excited to continue our partnership with Bridge Communities of Glen Ellyn, Illinois to help serve families in the Chicagoland area. Bridge provides free transitional housing to more than 100 DuPage County families experiencing homelessness each year. Families are provided with mentors, learn budgeting skills, and participate in a wide variety of programs such as employment enhancement workshops so they progress towards living self-sufficiently.
We chose Bridge Communities as an initial community partner because they are an organization driven to bring about sustainable change. They work to ensure each person involved in their Transitional Housing Program will experience positive growth. The client family must have the desire and willingness to work hard and learn the skills necessary to become financially independent. That financial stability paves the way for stable housing and a brighter future for their family.
Chicago Hope Academy: Chicago Hope Academy is a college and life preparatory high school dedicated to nurturing and challenging the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – to the glory of God.
Our partnership with Bridge and Chicago Hope will allow us to:
Serve families living in Chicago, Illinois who desire to create long-term lifestyle and dietary change
Provide virtual cooking lessons and recipes corresponding to the produce harvested each week
Offer educational resources on cleaning, chopping, and storing the fresh vegetables that participants receive
Measure program success through frequent check-ins, updates from the client team, and survey feedback
Instill accountability and independence in fostering lifestyle, dietary, and wellness choices for family members
