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Frequently Asked Questions
- What exactly is a CSA share?
- What comes in my weekly CSA share?
- How do you sign up for a CSA share?
- How much does a share cost?
- How many people does a share feed?
- Can I buy a half-share?
- Where do I pick up my share?
- What is a Cluster?
- What do we require to establish a World PEAS CSA Cluster?
- What are the roles and responsibilities of a Cluster Coordinator?
- Do Cluster Coordinators receive compensation?
- Can I switch my pick-up day?
- What happens to my share if I go on vacation?
- I don't recognize the produce in my share. What do I do with it?
- What other benefits do shareholders receive?
What exactly is a CSA share?
A CSA share is a way to buy into the production of the coop-- the food grown by World PEAS Coop's farmers. For 18 weeks of the growing season, you will receive a box full of fresh produce, ranging from ground cherries to tomatoes to amaranth greens and lettuce. You, as a shareholder, accept some of the risks and benefits of dealing with nature: we may have an excess of tomatoes one season and shortage of peppers, so you will receive more tomatoes and fewer peppers. The growing season starts in June and generally extends through October, weather permitting, and your box will change throughout the season to reflect what is ripe and ready for harvest.
What comes in my weekly CSA share?
World PEAS Coop farmers grow a wide range of foods that vary every year as our farmers find new varieties of their favorite vegetables that grow well in our climate. Some familiar favorites include heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, swiss chard, peppers, beets, sweet potatoes and carrots. More exotic crops include amaranth greens, sweet potato greens, bitter melon, pea tendrils, bitter ball eggplants and more. See World PEAS Products and the CSA Newsletters for more information and recipe ideas.
We also offer additional fruit and winter options for shareholders interested in adding fruit and/or extending their CSA season. The winter share consists of hardy vegetables like kale and potatoes, and will be distributed from the end of October through mid-November. The fruit option allows you to add fruit to your vegetable share purchase. Fruit is distributed from the end of July through mid-October,
Click here to see a slideshow of weekly share distributions in 2007.
How do you sign up for a CSA share?
To sign up for a:
- Vegetable Share
- Vegetabe with Fruit Share
- Winter Share
Please complete the form available in the World PEAS Cooperative CSA brochure and mail it with your check to:
World PEAS Cooperative
Attn: CSA Coordinator
9 Central St., Suite 402
Lowell, MA 01852
Note: Registration for CSA shares beings during the winer.
How much does a share cost?
For our 2009 season, each share costs $550.
In addition, there is a yearly membership fee of $50.
Shares sell out quickly, so try to contact us earlier if possible. Please see the World PEAS Cooperative CSA brochure for details on how to join, and the form to mail with your check. In 2009, the winter share cost $75. The vegetable with fruit share cost $710. Payment is due by March 30th.
How many people does a share feed?
Generally, a share feeds two to four people, depending on your diet and appetite. A general guideline is that it will feed two adults and two children, although vegetarian and vegan families may need to buy more. Please note that the shares which are distributed at the beginning of the growing season generally contain less produce than the shares distributed later, due to lack of availability of produce in the early weeks.
Can I buy a half-share?
Unfortunately, no. We recommend that you find a friend to split your share with. Just be aware that the entire share must be picked up by one person, so if you are splitting a share, you must arrange to allocate the share amongst yourselves. Otherwise, you could experiment with preserving and freezing any excess for the winter. We suggest The National Center for Home Preservation, run by the University of Georgia, for guidance on safety and effective methods.
Where do I pick up my share?
You pick up your share at Richardson's Farm in Dracut, just two miles from Lowell. You can also pick up your share at a Cluster distribution point in your community. New for 2008! Please see Cluster Program, below.
What is a Cluster?
You can start a Cluster in your community! World PEAS CSA Cluster is a group of at least 25 members, organized around a central point where weekly CSA shares from the World PEAS Coop are distributed. The distribution point could be a community center, place of worship, hospital, farmers market, someone's home, school, or other locations deemed appropriate by that community.
This initiative allows World Peas CSA to deliver its produce to residents outside its immediate area, who are organized to take charge of their own CSA communities.
In 2007, we had only one distribution point, and we served members from 15 Massachusetts and New Hampshire communities. This required some members to travel great distances to pick up their products from the farm. In 2008 we established cluster locations in Andover and East Boston. Reorganizing our CSA into "Clusters" aligns with our environmental mission to conserve energy resources by concentrating deliveries to community locations, rather than expecting dozens of members of a community to individually drive to our farm to pick up products. We encourage local production by local farmers, so we hope to help you keep your travel as local as possible while still enjoying fresh, high-quality food.
Each World PEAS CSA Cluster will be managed by a Cluster Coordinator, a self-driven community leader willing to take responsibility for this initiative. The Cluster Coordinator will have absolute day-to-day management responsibilities of his/her cluster. He/she will coordinate with the World PEAS Marketing Coordinator.What Do We Require to Establish a World PEAS CSA Cluster?
A volunteer (s) in the community who is available to manage all aspects of the CSA cluster, including recruiting at least 25 registered CSA members who each purchase a minimum of one vegetable share; A Secure, convenient, safe, and approved distribution site in the community.
What are the Roles and Responsibilities of a Cluster Coordinator?
- Recruit at least 25 vegetable share CSA customers in your community.
- Arrange a regular distribution site (free of charge to WPC) by communicating intentions to site managers and address any issues regarding site liability.
- Work with CSA members you recruit to schedule a convenient pick-up day/time.
- Collect CSA share payments and issue members a receipt/proof of payment.
- Report payments to the WPC Marketing Coordinator and submit supporting documents (receipt copies, payments to be deposited, etc.).
- Establish and update a detail roster of CSA members at your cluster and provide copies to the WPC marketing coordinator.
- Prepare to receive produce for immediate distribution on the scheduled day and time (organize tables, signs, parking information, etc.) – general site readiness to unload and display 20+ boxes of produce for member pickup.
- Prepare a pick-up checklist and make sure each CSA member or proxy signs off when they receive their produce box and return their empty boxes.
- Make sure all CSA members receive a copy of the World Peas Pod Newsletter.
- Disassemble and store produce boxes until the next weekly distribution.
- Bridge cluster group participation in the overall World Peas CSA community by encouraging your members to participate in WPC organized meetings, farm tours, potlucks, cooking demonstrations, fundraising activities, etc.
Do Cluster Coordinators Receive Compensation?
This is a voluntary position. However, a reduced price or work-trade for a regular CSA share could be negotiated.
If you are interested in becoming a World PEAS Cluster Coordinator, please e-mail us at nesfp@tufts.edu, or call 978-654-6745.
Can I switch my pick-up day?
There will be one designated day for share pick up at Richardson's Dairy, and all produce will be prepared for that day. We cannot arrange to staff another pick-up time. You can, however, have a friend pick up your share for you.
If you are picking up from a Cluster center, you must speak with your Cluster Coordinator regarding your pick-up day.
What happens to my share if I go on vacation?
Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to hold a share until the next week. You may have a friend or neighbor pick it up for you. With some advance notice, we can arrange to donate your share to an emergency food program.
If you are picking up from a Cluster center, you must speak with your Cluster Coordinator regarding shares which you do not plan to pick up.
I don't recognize the produce in my share. What do I do with it?
Don't worry. There are a number of handy resources, which we have provided for you, so that you can become familiar with the produce, and prepare easy delicious dishes for your family. First, please visit our Ethnic Crops page for a searchable database of vegetables, which our farmers grow. We have included a recipe to correspond with each crop.
Also, if you join our CSA, you will receive a weekly newsletter with recipes, which use ingredients included in your share. In addition, we have provided links to all of our prior CSA newsletters, annotated with the crops that were highlighted for the week.
What other benefits do shareholders receive?
As a CSA shareholder you will enjoy 18 weeks of seasonal, local and sustainable produce. New and exciting varieties will provide new tastes and an opportunity to learn about other cuisines.
You will also be part of a vibrant agricultural community that works to support and promote local agriculture, and support beginning immigrant and refugee farmers. You will be able to meet the people who produce your food—our growers—and learn about the techniques they use. On the farms, we also host events and gatherings, volunteer opportunities, and potlucks that our members, friends and neighbors are invited to enjoy. Our weekly newsletter (see back copies of the CSA Newsletters) will keep you informed of all the opportunities to get involved in the World PEAS community.