Seasonal Bounty In a Box: Farm Shares (CSA) in Houston
As the interest in local agriculture has strengthened over the past several years, the initials CSA have become more commonplace. A community-supported agriculture (CSA) harvest subscription program is a way for farmer and consumer to cultivate a direct, mutually beneficial relationship.
A CSA begins with a commitment made by the consumer to support the farmer for an agreed-upon length of time. The benefits are twofold: The farm gains the financial support it needs to purchase seed and grow crops while the consumer is provided with a variety of locally grown vegetables from a known and trusted source every week.
CSAs offer a stress-free way to add more vegetables to your diet. They take the guesswork out of grocery shopping, providing you with an assortment of fresh produce from which to begin crafting healthy meals. Often a CSA share will come with varieties of vegetables you don’t see in supermarkets, bringing different greens into your kitchen. And, they have the added benefit of increased nutrients as the vegetables typically are making their way from farm to plate in just a day or two.
Intrigued? Consult this list of farms that deliver shares to the Houston area.
Originally a personal vegetable garden, Animal Farm has grown into a 25-acre sustainable farm built upon the principles of permaculture. The farm offers a wide variety of organically grown vegetables and flowers through their CSA program yearround. The CSA runs on a pay-as-you-go system with three pickup options throughout the week: Tuesdays at the Rice University Farmers Market, Thursdays in the Heights area and Saturdays at the Urban Harvest Farmers Market. The shares cost $25 per week with the option to add in a fresh flower bouquet at an additional charge.
Farming for four generations has allowed the Gundermann family to become quite adept at meeting their customers’ needs. As such, they have adopted an unconventional CSA system for their sustainable farm in Wharton County. Members can call ahead or show up at the farmers market to fill their own share. This is a unique system that gives members full control over what vegetables they go home with. Shares are offered in two sizes: full for $50 or half for $25. Payments for shares may be made online ahead of time or at the farmers market when picking up.
Operating out of four urban farms in the Houston area, Plant It Forward offers refugees arm training and mentorship so they can earn a fair wage and become self-sufficient. The farmers are able to grow, harvest and sell produce under the Plant It Forward brand. They offer weekly CSA shares throughout the year with the option to sign up for four, 12, 24 or 52 weeks at a time. The small share costs $21 while the large share is $30. Pickups are offered Wednesday through Sunday at various locations around Houston.
Located in Houston’s historic East End, Finca Tres Robles grows a wide variety of organic vegetables, fruits and herbs. Their goal is to make organic produce accessible to Houstonians, especially those in their immediate East End community. Finca offers full shares (6–10 different vegetables, feeds two to four people) and half shares (6–8 vegetables, feeds one or two people).CSA options that require a commitment for the entire 12- to 14-week season. Shares can be paid in full or in monthly installments and are available for pickup at the farm or two other Houston locations. Full shares cost approximately $490 for the season while half shares are $280. Residents living in the East End are offered shares at a discounted rate.
Run by local nonprofit Recipe for Success, Hope Farms is a seven-acre urban farm located in the historic Sunnyside neighborhood. They offer farm training for military veterans in addition to providing jobs and internships for neighborhood youth. Their CSA program runs for 13 weeks at a time during the four seasons of the year and requires an up-front payment at the beginning of each season. Shares cost $585 per season with free delivery to locations inside the 610 Loop. Each weekly bag has 6–10 different vegetables and feeds a family of four. Discounts are offered for on-site pickup, group deliveries to six or more families, and annual share commitments.
Johnson’s Backyard Garden (JBG) began as a humble vegetable garden in the backyard of an East Austin home. To keep up with the area’s growing appetite for local, organic produce, JBG has expanded into a 186-acre operation that grows over 60 varieties of vegetables and herbs. JBG offers weekly CSA options for Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston. Shares are offered in four sizes to suit your needs, ranging in price from $22 to $41 per week. Pickups in Houston are offered at several locations on Wednesdays and at the Memorial Villages Market on Saturdays.
Blackwood Bounty is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program hosted by our partner organization, Blackwood Living. In exchange for your financial commitment to the farm, you will receive weekly deliveries of the freshest, most nutritionally dense vegetables available. Additional items that might appear in your weekly bag include eggs, prepared foods, syrups, teas, mixes, fresh bread, lotions, candles and more. When you join the Blackwood Bag family, your kitchen will become a chef’s kitchen at every meal and take you back to how a dining experience was meant to be: delicious, seasonal, and nourishing. By purchasing a seasonal share you are also directly supporting our educational programming.
Following organic guidelines as well as permaculture and Biodynamic farming principles, Laughing Frog Farm operates on a tract near Hempstead. Originally a personal garden, Laughing Frog has expanded into a full-scale farm that offers farm dinners and classes on topics like permaculture. Their CSA program runs seasonally for 10 weeks at a time. A full share has about eight different vegetables, and a half share has about four. Payment is due in full upon signing up for either the full ($250) or half share ($140) options. Shares are available for pickup during the Urban Harvest Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.
Located in Cleveland next to the Sam Houston National Forest, Wood Duck Farm was established during a time when Houston-area farms seemed to be an endangered species. Since its establishment, Wood Duck has evolved into a sustainable farming operation offering a wide variety of produce. Their CSA program is offered seasonally for 12 weeks at a time. Members can choose from five share options (5–8 vegetables in different sizes) ranging in price from $396 to $162. Payment is due in full, with free home delivery to members in The Woodlands or the option for several drop sites around Houston.
