CSA DETAILS
(Psst! The sign-up link is at the bottom of the page. But please read this stuff so you understand how it works.)
CSA deliveries are bi-weekly on Thursdays, from the beginning of April through the end of October. Shares can be picked up from noon on Thursday through noon on Friday of the following day. Items not picked up by noon on Friday will be removed from the site and considered a "missed pickup." Residential pickup sites should be visited during normal waking hours. Pickup sites that are also a place of business should be visited during the business's "open" hours.
Egg Shares
ABOUT EGG SHARES: Egg shares are $7 per dozen, or $3.50 per half-dozen, paid in full in advance. Minimum egg share is a half-dozen per delivery; Maximum is 4 dozens per delivery. There are 15 bi-weekly deliveries in the season, so a share of a half-dozen eggs per delivery is $3.50 x 15 = $52.50. A share of 2 dozen eggs per delivery is $7 x 2 x 15 = $210, etc. We accept paper (via mail) or electronic checks for payment. AS OF MAY 1st, 2012, EGG SHARES ARE SOLD OUT. PLEASE CHECK BACK IN LATE MAY, JUNE, AND JULY FOR ADDITIONAL SHARES TO OPEN. IF YOU SIGN UP FOR ANOTHER CSA ITEM THAT *IS* AVAILABLE (LINK BELOW), YOU CAN PUT YOURSELF ON OUR EGG WAITING LIST FOR PRIORITY SIGN-UP FOR FUTURE SHARES.
ABOUT THE EGGS: Eggs are typically laid by our hens in the day or two prior to delivery, washed, packed in cartons, and delivered in ice chests. Our hens are not allowed to sleep in their nest boxes; this keeps the nests very clean, and consequently the eggs stay clean as well. One hen with muddy feet can ruin it for everyone though, especially in the rainy season or right after we've filled up their water trailer. Eggs that need a little cleaning go through our egg washer, which gives them a good brushing and a water-only wash (i.e. no detergents or chemicals are added to the wash water). You can request eggs that do not go through the egg washer, so they still have their natural "bloom" (protective coating) intact. In this case, expect to see the work of the Hen-With-Muddy-Feet on some of your eggs and plan to clean them a little before cracking into a pan.
EGG SAFETY: In general, you should use eggs within 30 days, cook them thoroughly, keep them refrigerated, and wash off any dirt/debris prior to cracking into a pan or bowl. We cannot recommend otherwise. As you may know, not everyone (especially in other cultures) refrigerates their eggs. If you choose not to refrigerate your eggs, or to keep them longer than 30 days, you may at some point come across a spoiled egg or two. Also, you should know that ALL eggs (even wonderful eggs from pasture-raised hens) carry a tiny risk of Salmonella. Those who choose to consume our eggs unrefrigerated, raw, undercooked, or after 30 days are taking a risk. Debris from unwashed eggs that falls into your cooking pan is also a potential food safety risk. It is your Constitutional right to consume food as you wish, and we very much support traditional food customs. But please assume the personal responsibility that goes along with that.
Please see our CSA Policy page for answers to questions about what happens if you miss an egg pickup.
ABOUT THE EGGS: Eggs are typically laid by our hens in the day or two prior to delivery, washed, packed in cartons, and delivered in ice chests. Our hens are not allowed to sleep in their nest boxes; this keeps the nests very clean, and consequently the eggs stay clean as well. One hen with muddy feet can ruin it for everyone though, especially in the rainy season or right after we've filled up their water trailer. Eggs that need a little cleaning go through our egg washer, which gives them a good brushing and a water-only wash (i.e. no detergents or chemicals are added to the wash water). You can request eggs that do not go through the egg washer, so they still have their natural "bloom" (protective coating) intact. In this case, expect to see the work of the Hen-With-Muddy-Feet on some of your eggs and plan to clean them a little before cracking into a pan.
EGG SAFETY: In general, you should use eggs within 30 days, cook them thoroughly, keep them refrigerated, and wash off any dirt/debris prior to cracking into a pan or bowl. We cannot recommend otherwise. As you may know, not everyone (especially in other cultures) refrigerates their eggs. If you choose not to refrigerate your eggs, or to keep them longer than 30 days, you may at some point come across a spoiled egg or two. Also, you should know that ALL eggs (even wonderful eggs from pasture-raised hens) carry a tiny risk of Salmonella. Those who choose to consume our eggs unrefrigerated, raw, undercooked, or after 30 days are taking a risk. Debris from unwashed eggs that falls into your cooking pan is also a potential food safety risk. It is your Constitutional right to consume food as you wish, and we very much support traditional food customs. But please assume the personal responsibility that goes along with that.
Please see our CSA Policy page for answers to questions about what happens if you miss an egg pickup.
Chicken (meat) Shares
ABOUT CHICKEN SHARES: A single chicken share consists of 1 whole, fresh chicken per bi-weekly delivery. Past members have told us our chickens are cleaner than what they get at the grocery store. Members can sign up for up to 4 chicken shares each (i.e. 4 chickens per delivery). Chicken meat is priced at $5.75/pound, and each share requires a $15/bird deposit. There are 15 deliveries, so the deposit on a single chicken share is $15/bird x 15 deliveries = $225. Deposit on 2 shares is $450, etc. A $225 deposit covers a total of 39.1 pounds of meat (or 2.6 pounds per bird).... about 75% of your total cost. We can accept paper checks (via mail) or electronic checks for payment. WE **ARE** CURRENTLY ACCEPTING SIGN-UPS FOR MEAT SHARES. PLEASE FIND THE SIGN-UP LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.
When you pick up your chicken(s) at the delivery site, you will record the weight(s) on a checklist. Since most of the chickens weigh more than 2.6 pounds (i.e. cost more than $15), most members will owe an additional payment, which we will collect towards the end of the season.
ABOUT THE CHICKENS: Chickens are available only as "whole chickens." Because we process chickens on our own farm, which is not a USDA-inspected slaughterhouse, regulations prohibit us from further processing chickens (i.e. cutting them up into parts), even in a commercial kitchen. We do, however, offer a "giblet bag" (i.e. liver, heart, and neck) for an additional $0.50. You can also get the feet and head from your chicken for an additional $0.50. We highly recommend that you learn to use and enjoy the entire chicken. If you prefer not to use these parts, they will be enjoyed by others.
If you are not used to cooking with whole chickens and it feels like you have more to think about than with frozen chicken parts from the grocery store, that's because you do! But prepping a whole chicken for roasting or soup is actually one of the quickest kitchen activities there is. Learning to cook with whole chickens will save you time and money! (This is not a sales pitch... this is not a sales pitch... this is not a sales pitch... you're getting sleepy...)
CHICKEN SAFETY: Chickens are harvested the day before delivery, and are kept in individual sealed plastic bags, fully covered in food grade ice overnight. They are either delivered to a refrigerated pickup site, or are delivered in ice chests, fully immersed in ice, within 24 hours of harvest. Full immersion in ice maintains a holding temperature colder than that required by food safety regulation. ALL chickens (even really clean, really cold, and really fresh ones) can carry Salmonella, Lysteria, and other bacteria on their surface. Even so, chickens are not toxic! They are food! They just need to be kept cold and cooked thoroughly. Also remember to sanitize your hands, utensils, and surfaces that come into contact with raw chicken or its juices.
If you're not going to use your chicken within a few days of pickup, you need to freeze it. The approved method for thawing frozen chicken is to place it in your refrigerator... this can take a couple of days, so be sure to plan meals accordingly.
Please see our CSA Policy page for answers to questions about what happens if you miss a chicken pickup.
When you pick up your chicken(s) at the delivery site, you will record the weight(s) on a checklist. Since most of the chickens weigh more than 2.6 pounds (i.e. cost more than $15), most members will owe an additional payment, which we will collect towards the end of the season.
ABOUT THE CHICKENS: Chickens are available only as "whole chickens." Because we process chickens on our own farm, which is not a USDA-inspected slaughterhouse, regulations prohibit us from further processing chickens (i.e. cutting them up into parts), even in a commercial kitchen. We do, however, offer a "giblet bag" (i.e. liver, heart, and neck) for an additional $0.50. You can also get the feet and head from your chicken for an additional $0.50. We highly recommend that you learn to use and enjoy the entire chicken. If you prefer not to use these parts, they will be enjoyed by others.
If you are not used to cooking with whole chickens and it feels like you have more to think about than with frozen chicken parts from the grocery store, that's because you do! But prepping a whole chicken for roasting or soup is actually one of the quickest kitchen activities there is. Learning to cook with whole chickens will save you time and money! (This is not a sales pitch... this is not a sales pitch... this is not a sales pitch... you're getting sleepy...)
CHICKEN SAFETY: Chickens are harvested the day before delivery, and are kept in individual sealed plastic bags, fully covered in food grade ice overnight. They are either delivered to a refrigerated pickup site, or are delivered in ice chests, fully immersed in ice, within 24 hours of harvest. Full immersion in ice maintains a holding temperature colder than that required by food safety regulation. ALL chickens (even really clean, really cold, and really fresh ones) can carry Salmonella, Lysteria, and other bacteria on their surface. Even so, chickens are not toxic! They are food! They just need to be kept cold and cooked thoroughly. Also remember to sanitize your hands, utensils, and surfaces that come into contact with raw chicken or its juices.
If you're not going to use your chicken within a few days of pickup, you need to freeze it. The approved method for thawing frozen chicken is to place it in your refrigerator... this can take a couple of days, so be sure to plan meals accordingly.
Please see our CSA Policy page for answers to questions about what happens if you miss a chicken pickup.
To sign up for a CSA share, click here --> SIGN UP!
