Moraine Farm - CSA FAQs

Thank you for your interest in the Moraine Farm Community Supported Agriculture Program (CSA) in Beverly. We've tried to collect the most frequently asked questions about our CSA for you here. Let us know if we've missed anything!

Is Moraine Farm CSA organic?
At Moraine Farm CSA, our vegetables are grown in an environmentally sustainable manner: crops grow from greenhouse to harvest without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. The farmers use compost and organic fertilizers. Green manures and legume cover crops are planted to fix nitrogen, build soil organic matter, and prevent erosion. Seeds are organic when available, with inclusion of heirloom and open-pollinated varieties. We control pests through the use of crop rotations, biological insecticides, and cultural practices such as the use of row covers. Some bugs we'll just tolerate. Our practices are guided by the National Organic Standards and by our own goals for achieving a sustainable system.

Who can purchase vegetables from Moraine Farm CSA?
Next season’s CSA shares go on sale to current shareholders in October and November. Shares are available to the public on December 1. All Moraine Farm CSA shareholders must be dues-paying members of The Trustees of Reservations.

Moraine Farm vegetables are sold to Beverly and Salem public schools and a number of small CSA farms in eastern Massachusetts including Apple Street Farm, Newton Community Farm, Lands Sake and Medway Community Farm. Financial support from our CSA shareholders makes it possible for us to divert produce to several local community food security organizations. Beverly Bootstraps and Open Door/Cape Ann Food Pantry are our primary food access partners.

What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
The Moraine Farm CSA is a partnership between farmers and shareholders in which we share the risks and rewards of the growing season, and in the process become more deeply connected to and appreciative of the land that sustains us all. Bad weather and pests pose the greatest threat to our crops. Generally, the consequence of such threats is a less diverse harvest. The potential rewards, of course, are a summer season of fresh and delicious vegetables! As a shareholder you agree to take part in the adventure of this CSA, sharing with the farmers the risks and bounties of small-scale, New England agriculture. For more information about Community Supported Agriculture, visit Local Harvest, which gives a great overview.

How much produce is in a share?
Moraine Farm CSA shares are perfectly sized to give you all the joys of the growing season without overwhelming your table or refrigerator. Shares are just the right size for two adults who enjoy vegetables, a small family with limited time to cook, or someone new to Community Supported Agriculture.

What should I expect to receive in my Summer CSA share?
CSA crops planned for Summer CSA include arugula, beets, broccoli, broccoli raab, carrots, cantaloupe, cauliflower, cabbages, sweet corn, chard, collard greens, celery, celery root, cucumbers, edamame, eggplant, escarole, fennel, herbs (basil, cilantro, dill, marjoram, parsley, summer savory, sage), kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, leeks, onions, potatoes, peas, pie pumpkins, parsnips, peppers, radishes, radicchio, sweet potatoes, spinach, scallions, summer squash, salad turnips, tomatoes (slicing and cherry), watermelon, winter squash and zucchini. Pick your own crops will include peas, cherry tomatoes, pole beans, tomatillos, husk cherries, and some herbs. The Farm Shop is open to Summer season shareholders during share distributions. We carry a small number of locally produced items in the Farm Shop, including flowers, Baer’s Best Beans, and maple syrup.

What should I expect to receive in my Extended Season share?
Crops planned for the Extended Season CSA include beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, chard, celery root, escarole, kale, gilfeather rutabagas, herbs, purple top turnips, winter squash, winter radishes, salad turnips, lettuce, sweet potatoes, potatoes, kohlrabi, onions, shallots, leeks, herbs, kale, lettuce, radicchio, spinach, radicchio and spinach,. Extended-season shareholders will be able to purchase single-item shares including Valley View cheese shares, as well as bulk storage apples from Cider Hill Farm and bulk storage vegetables from Moraine Farm when they are available. The Farm Shop is open to Summer and Extended Season shareholders during the bi-weekly share distributions. We carry a small number of nonperishable locally produced items in the Farm Shop, including Baer’s Best Beans and maple syrup.

When and where do I pick up the share? When does the CSA start?
The Summer CSA share distributions and pick-your-own are from 2–7PM on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Fridays. Shareholders select a share pick up day when signing up for a CSA share. The pick up location is at the Ag Barn at Moraine Farm, 735 Cabot Street in Beverly. Extended Season CSA shares begin the first Friday after the Summer CSA has ended, and distribution continues every-other-Friday, 1–6PM through mid-December.

Our Summer CSA season runs for 20 weeks from late May/early June through October. Extended Season shares begin the first Friday after the Summer CSA has ended and distributions are bi-weekly through mid-December. Shareholders are notified of the exact starting date week by email.

Can we share a share?
The Moraine Farm share has been designed to address the needs of single individuals with time to cook and preserve their farm share, two adult households, and households with limited time to prepare food. Approximately 20 percent of our shareholders split their share. In most cases, the share is shared split between two one-adult households. Due to limits on our parking space, we ask that only one vehicle per share come to the farm to pick up a farm share.

I'm familiar with The Trustees' Appleton Farm CSA. Will Moraine's shares be similar?
The Moraine Farm CSA is share is not like the Appleton CSA share in a number of significant ways. The Moraine share is designed for individuals or small households. Our share is about 1/3 the size of Appleton's share. Pick-your-own-crop hours are during the share distribution times. Moraine Farm CSA provides CSA shares late May/early June through December. We are on-track to become a year-round CSA in the next few years. Like Appleton, we offer shareholders opportunities to know their farmers and volunteer on the farm, grow and harvest more than 40 different crops using organic methods and send out regular updates about the farm.

Do you have workshare and staff volunteer positions available?
We have several workshare positions available. Harvest worksharers work with the farm crew on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, 7–12Noon. Farm Shopkeeper help manage the CSA distribution and shop on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 1:30–6:30PM. We are developing a number of volunteer staff positions. Check our Volunteer Opportunities for more information. Contact Gretta Anderson at ganderson@ttor.org for a workshare description and to schedule an interview.

How do I contact you?
Please email us at ganderson@ttor.org or call our office at 978.969.1738.

Does the farm offer any delivered shares?
All CSA shares are picked up at Moraine Farm in Beverly.