There are few dining experiences greater than opening your front door on a hot summer morning to a bright and colorful box of locally grown or sourced foods. Now, with the arrival of spring, this delight can be yours. The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) 2022/23 cycle begins and we have a guide to help you get started.
A cherished springtime tradition in the Roaring Fork Valley, CSAs offer residents the opportunity to become members of a farm by purchasing small shares of the farmer’s assets. By registering for a CSA, members not only receive a nice box of products, meat, eggs or mushrooms, and more. They also support the local economy, resilient agriculture, the land we love, and their own bodies with nutrient-dense food.
Additionally, CSAs are a great way to get to know farmers directly, as many will personally deliver food or invite members to visit the farm to pick up their items.
See page 13 for a small compilation of CSAs available in the Roaring Fork Valley. If we missed any, please let us know.
CSAs fill up quickly, so register early! If your chosen CSA is full, you can ask to be put on a waiting list or keep this guide for next year; and if cost is a concern, please speak with farmers directly, as many offer sliding scales and payment plans.
Specialty CSA
Single Source Specialty Farms
WHO: Dooley Creek Farm, LLC | Carbondale
970-963-2452
Schedule: First week of the month beginning in August for one year
Pricing: small ($1,565) and family ($3,095)
Delivery: Monthly door-to-door delivery within 50 miles and on-farm pick-up option
Agricultural practices: regenerative and organic
Offerings: Frozen cut meats including chicken, beef and pork — see website for specific meat portions
Complement: Eggs
Registration: www.dooleycreekfarm.com/csa
Fast Food Fact: The Valley’s Only Local Meat CSA
WHO: Toadstool Traditions LLC | Carbondale
www.toadstooltraditions.com
Delivery: Pick up at Craft and Launchpad in Carbondale
Agricultural practices: Organic
Offerings: Lion’s Mane and Oyster Mushrooms are available in three sharing options: half pound, one pound and two pound
Registration: Contact Mateo: [email protected]
Fast Food Fact: Growing Rare, Gourmet, Functional Mushrooms Out of Season
Photo by Will Sardinsky
Single Source CSA
WHO: Two Roots Farm | Basalt
970-376-6039
Hours: May to September
Price: $995 for the whole season or $585 for every other week
Agricultural practices: regenerative
Offerings: Typical boxes contain about 10 items that include greens, root vegetables, alliums, seasonal treats, herbs, and fresh snacks.
Extras: U-pick flowers, local farm-fresh eggs, local pasture-raised meats, prepared food items made with Two Roots Farm produce (e.g. salad dressings), and local organic fruit
Delivery method: Pick-up at the farm weekly or bi-monthly
Signup: www.tworootsfarm.com/csasignup
Fast food fact: Two Roots Farm has partnered with local food banks, Lift-Up, Pitkin and Eagle Health and Human Services, Pitkin County Senior Center, Safe and Abundant Nutrition Alliance and individual local families, according to the owner Harper Kaufman
WHO: CSA Peach Valley Farm | Silt
970-876-2850
Hours: June to October
Pricing: Several options available on their website
Delivery: Weekly home delivery with possibility of pickup at the farm
Agricultural practice: Biodynamic
Offerings: Each sharing box includes a wide range of root vegetables, leafy greens, herbs, main vegetables and seasonal fruits
Supplements: honey, heirloom turkeys and bouquets of flowers
Registration: www.peachvalleycsa.com
Fast food fact: A small family farm, Peach Valley is entering its 32nd year of CSA sharing.
WHO: Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) at Rock Bottom Ranch | Basalt
970-927-6760
Hours: June to September
Price: $650 for 18 weeks
Delivery: Weekly farm pick-up
Agricultural practices: regenerative
Offerings: Each stock includes six to nine “main crops” (eg, green vegetables) and seasonal rotation crops (eg, broccoli); the latter part of the season includes fall storage crops (eg onions, potatoes and winter squash)
Registration: www.aspenature.org/rock-bottom-ranch-2022-csa
Fast Food Fact: One of three ACES Education Centers in the Valley
WHO: Seeds of Peace / Wild Mountain Seeds | Carbondale
www.seedpeace.org / www.wildmountainseeds.com
Hours: June to October
Price: $30 per week
Delivery: Pick up at local farm stands with locations to be determined.
Agricultural practices: regenerative
Offerings: Sample box includes a pint of cherry tomatoes, a bunch of carrots, two onions, a cucumber, half a pound of lettuce, Swiss chard or kale, and a small bag of basil
Registration: Contact: [email protected]
Fast Food Fact: Seed Peace offers many beautiful farm-grown vegetables grown from their own seeds.
WHO: Borden Farms, LLC | Delta
970-874-5383
Schedule: mid-June to September
Price: $550 for 16 weeks
Delivery: Weekly deliveries to Aspen, Carbondale, Edwards, Crested Butte, Ridgway and Telluride, with pickup points at Farmers Markets
Farming Practices: USDA Certified Organic
Offerings: seasonal produce including herbs, fruits and vegetables (e.g. heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, beans, melons, etc.); juicy peaches are available in August and roasted peppers in the fall
Registration: www.bordenfarms.com/csa/
Fast food fact: A family farm that has been supplying fresh, locally grown produce to the West Slope for over 27 years, according to farmers Guy and Lynn Borden
WHO: Sustainable frames | Carbondale
www.sustainablesettings.org
Schedule: Beginning of June to mid-September
Price: $800 for 16 weeks
Delivery: Weekly farm pick-up
Agricultural practices: biodynamic and organic
Offers: Eight to 10 seasonal items each week
Registration: Contact: [email protected]
Fast Food Fact: Co-Founder Rose LeVan says, “Supporting one of Aspen’s amazing farms at Rifle is supporting your local food shed; they all do a great job! Choose one and join us today!
Multi-source CSA
CSA Food Distribution supplies products from various farms
WHO: farm runners
Schedule: June 7 to October 18.
Price: Full-size ($850), half-share ($500), flex-share ($50 per week), and full-size share with an extra egg ($1,000) for 20 weeks
Delivery: Weekly home deliveries in the RFV and Gunnison Valley
Deals: All actions include rotating items of fruits, vegetables and occasional products (eg juice, canned goods. ); full shares include eight to 12 rotating elements, and half shares are four to six elements
Complements: Eggs
Registration: www.farmrunners.com/csa/
Fast Food Fact: A weekly newsletter is included featuring farmers, recipes and storage information
WHO: CSA Happy Belly | Hotchkiss
719-439-9778
Schedule: mid-June to October
Pricing: Regular share ($44/week) and a family share ($62/week) for 16 weeks; delivery is added at the end
Delivery: Weekly deliveries with pickup in Montrose and Roaring Fork Valley
Agricultural practice: Organic and holistic
Offerings: A regular slice contains about seven varieties of vegetables, while a family slice contains up to nine varieties; both portions include fruit
Extras: eggs and weekly flower sharing starting soon
Registration: www.happybellycsa.com
Fast Food Fact: Working closely with several local farmers, in addition to her own farm, Blue Tractor Farms, owner Carin Frantz said: “We combine a holistic, multi-farm experience and provide weekly menus and recipes delivered to your box. reception. You will never wonder how to use your products every week. »
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