What is a CSA?

CSA = Community Supported Agriculture

The purpose of the Farm Share Adventure is to provide to you with a range of locally grown produce through our peak growing season. Local for us is Fresh from Florida. We make this bounty available to you through a biweekly subscription to the Farm Share Adventure. The Farm Share Adventure is part of the Urban Farming Institute. UFI is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.

This season UFI is offering a terrific FarmShare Adventure. UFI is known for some pretty great hydroponically grown produce.  Grown right here in Oakland Park. We’ve expanded the approach by nearly doubling the size of the Chef’s Hydroponic Garden as well as sourcing locally.

There are a  couple of very big changes in the FarmShare program this season. 1. Most importantly is that the share will be offered every 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month through April.  We’ve made this change because nearly all of our subscribers choose every other week pickup.  This schedule evens out the sourcing process and should make the FarmShare program more efficient. 2. The cost of the share will be $294 for the season.  That’s 7 pickups if you start this weekend. However, you can start at any time and pay only for the remaining weeks in the FarmShare season.   

Some things will remain the same: 1. Regular pickup times for the FarmShare will be Saturday mornings between 10 and 2 at the UFI Community Garden in Oakland Park.   2. We’ll be providing a heads up as to what to expect in your share. However, this selection cannot be guaranteed due to weather, insects, and general pickiness of the farmer making the selections for the FarmShare Adventure.   Every week there will be from 10 – 12 food items in the share.  Sometimes there will be more than 12 but this depends on our partner farms.   We think you’ll really like this approach and we look forward to your comments and suggestions.

Cherry Tomatoes      Spring Onions          Dinosaur Kale          Arugula

        Pac Choi               Leafy Greens Mix       Collard Greens         Micro Greens

How Does a CSA (Farm Share Adventure) work?

We grow, we harvest and we pack a good portion of the produce that you’ll find in your share every week. But given our small size it’s impossible to grow everything so we partner with other farmers and growers to help meet the needs of our subscribers. We do the work … you enjoy the effort.

We’re asking you to make a financial commitment to the Farm Share Adventure and to also share in the risk taken by the farmer. When you do this you support our efforts here and UFI along with supporting local growers and small family farms. If we and our partner farms have a super year you’ll have a super season as well. But there is very large risk in farming and we ask you to share the risk. It’s a risk well worth taking.

When does the season begin?

The Farm Share Adventure begins in January and runs for a 3 month period. This is our peak growing season.

How big is my share?

Your share is the box or bag of locally grown produce you receive every week or every other week. We offer one size of share that contains 10 – 12 items of local produce and products. Sometimes there will be more but not never less. You chose which schedule is best for you. We always include honey in the share.

The share is sufficient for two people for one week. If you’re a big eater this might be a good choice for you. For single subscribers a share every other week might be the best choice. There are always additional products available in the Warehouse Market for purchase.

Can I buy extras?

We also operate the Warehouse Market where you can purchase additional produce and products from local growers and producers over and above those products you find in your share.

Where do I pickup my share?

The pickup location is at the Urban Farming Institute located in Oakland Park, Florida. The pickup time is between 10 and 2 on each Saturday during the subscription period. However we do not provide service during holiday breaks. The season begins in January and runs for a 3 month period.

Are my vegetables organic?

For a product to be named as “certified organic” it must carry the USDA Certified Organic label. The USDA organic certification process is expensive, time consuming and overly burdensome for the small family farmer. It is our opinion that it’s very difficult and unprofitable for a small family farmer to seek organic certification from the USDA.

Having said that, what we see, and what we look for on the farms we work with, are growing practices which would be described as sustainable and naturally grown.

While you will not always see a USDA label on the products provided in the Farm Share program you can rest assured that the growing practices used by our partner farmers are sustainable and your fruits and vegetables are naturally grown.

We feel that the best product is a local product provided by a known producer working to support the family farm and the local community. Through the good efforts of Florida farmers their natural and sustainable products which are produced throughout the State are superior to certified products grown far away.

Are any of my vegetables a GMO type?

We want all of our subscribers to know that we do not grow or provide genetically modified food products in the Farm Share Adventure. It is always our purpose to seek out and to provide the best foods and products that local farmers and producers are able to provide.

Will you deliver my share?

We do not offer a delivery service at this time. Pickup at the farm on Saturday between 10 & 2 is necessary and it’s pretty convenient. We will hold your share if you’re going to be late or our out of town for the weekend. If we don’t hear from you we’ll put your share to good use.

What kind of vegetables do you grow?

Primarily we produce hydroponically grown leafy greens and other fruit and vegetable products. These crops are grown using organic methods and are pesticide free. Product grown for your share from our farm is typically less than 24 hours old at the time of pickup.

Can I pick and choose what’s in my share?

We do our best to provide a range of quality products every week from our farm as well as partner farms. But your share is completely dependent on what’s available at the time of harvest and of course quality. Every farm is subject to the whims or Mother Nature … and sometime the best laid plans go array. We don’t call this the Farm Share Adventure for nothing.

What if I don’t like a particular selection or I am allergic to what is being offered?

If there is a product provided in your share that you’re unable to eat or something you absolutely can’t stand …. we’ll do our best to provide some sort of substitution.

Allergies are something we do our best to work with. For example if you don’t eat nightshades (tomatoes and eggplant for example)) and we know that in advance than we will trade out those items for other ones that are ready and available. We organize the shares to meet the number of subscribers we have, and we harvest these vegetables just for you. Having everybody get the same thing is what makes organizing something like this possible for us.

We often see members trading things that they don’t like with each other when they pickup, and we will sometimes trade you items from our market table if you really can’t handle something that we have included in the share.

What if I don’t know how to prepare a certain item?

We hear this quite often. You’ll see fruits and vegetables that you may not have seen before or tasted. That’s why we offer a complementary food demonstration on Saturday during your pickup time. You’ll learn something and enjoy a nice sample as well.

Can I skip a share or make up a skip if I’m out of town?

If you’re going to be out of time we suggest you give your share to a friend or neighbor or coworker. We’ll gladly hold the share until Monday. So easy pickup is possible with advance notice. However, skips and make up shares are not permitted.

Can I order extra product in addition to my share?

From time to time we’ll find exceptional product that we can make available in sizeable quantities to subscribers. We’ll make sure you know of this opportunity in advance. Extras are also permitted. Just let us know and we’ll do our best to make arrangements.

Will I still have to go to the grocery store?

Yes! Depending on how often you cook at home and what your diet is like. Even we farmers visit the grocery store for things like grains, potatoes, apples, nuts and anything we can’t grow here in the subtropics. Farmers Markets provide a great alternative to shopping at the grocery store so give them a try as well.

How much will my share cost?

We ask that you pay the amount of the subscription in advance. This way the farmer knows what to expect as to production and payment throughout the season. You can choose either a 2-pick up trial over the course of a month or the biweekly program.

Payment Options

Seasonal Pre-Payment

The Farm Share Adventure CSA subscriptions are available throughout the season. The payment plan would be $42 / share times the number of weeks remaining in the 3 month season.

For every other week subscribers, your fee would be $42 x 7 pickups or $294.

The season will conclude 3 months after it starts in January. We try to shoot for the first week of the month. However, sometimes Mother Nature does not cooperate.

At the conclusion of the 3 month Fall / Winter season The Farm Share Adventure may be extended.   This may happen if the season is especially productive and product remains in good supply and at a high quality. Subscribers will be given the opportunity to continue their subscription at that time, at the same rate as the main season. This “Mini Season” benefits will conclude at the end of May.

FarmShare Package and Pick Up

The FarmShare Adventure CSA bag contents vary from week to week. Visit the top of this page each week to see what we have.

Your share can can be picked up at the UFI Community Garden in Oakland Park.

January – April

1st & 3rd Saturday| 9am – 2pm

If you have questions, please feel free to call us at 954-696-9577

Become a Subscriber

We accept cash, check and credit cards. If you prefer to join in person, please visit us at Urban Farming Institute, 1101 Northeast 40 Court, Oakland Park, FL 33334

Payment can also be made online using our convenient online PayPal system above.

Late Subscriber?

Not to worry…late memberships to the Urban Farming Institute’s FarmShare Adventure CSA are available throughout the season.

Contact us and state that you would like a Late FarmShare Adventure CSA Package.

Farm-to-Table Chef Demo

During the FarmShare Adventure CSA, you can not only taste but take home delicious farm fresh recipes from Master Chefs at the Urban Farming Institute’s Farm-to-Table Chef Demo at the FarmShare Adventure CSA and Market Warehouse.

Volunteering

‘Cause we love volunteering ourselves. As a non-profit, educational farm, the Urban Farming Institute relies on the help of individual and group volunteers to help us with the day to day operations of our community farm.

Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds have the opportunity to learn and gain hands-on organic farming experience. All are welcome to volunteer; including groups, student clubs, businesses, and individuals.

(Volunteers under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult.)

Programs

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