North Star Orchard • Veggie Share Info

Veggie Share Info

We are no longer accepting memberships for 2008.

If you would be interested in joining us in 2009, please email me and I'll notify you in winter as soon as open enrollment begins.

You are welcome to learn about the Veggie Share below. If you'd like to be notified in winter when Open Enrollment begins so that you can sign up early for the 2009 season, please email me.

Pickup locations include Eagle, Havertown, Cochranville, and Philadelphia. Enrollment is very limited, so always sign up early!

The veggie share runs for 22 weeks, starting the week of June 2nd, and includes many favorites, such as salad greens and tomatoes, as well as vegetable specialties such as pod radishes, kohlrabi, and pumpkins with hulless seeds (ideal for roasting!).

Background Info: Farmer Ike's experience growing veggies dates back to childhood when he used his mother's garden plot to grow for a local tailgate market. Since then he has kept a garden and was a Section Gardener at the Longwood Gardens 'Idea Garden' where he grew all sorts of new and heritage vegetable varieties. Last year, with the help of Farmer Dan (our farmer-in-training), he grew vegetables at our new Cochranville property, which were offered for sale at selected farmers' markets. The vegetables are grown using organic practices, although they are not certified organic. This year, in 2008, Ike and Dan are looking forward to growing a wide range of veggies to put into an exciting CSA share!

1. When will the share run? The share will start during the week of June 2nd, and run for 22 weeks ... to finish at the end of October. If we have a nice warm fall, members may be given the opportunity to extend their shares for a few more weeks after that.

2. Where are the pickup locations? There will be four pickup locations offered in 2008. Specific directions to the locations will be provided prior to the start of the share. You will need to choose the location that is most convenient for you:

Please note that the locations below are for the 2008 season.
Some changes may occur in 2009.

a. Eagle on Tuesdays from 4:30-6:30 PM. In the Eagleview development located just around the corner from the Downingtown Exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike at the Chester County Economic Development Council Building.

b. Havertown on Wednesdays from 2 to 7 PM . Located just around the corner from the Broomall exit of the Blue Route at a private residence.

c. Cochranville on Fridays from 4:30 to 6:30. Located at our farm near the intersection of Rte. 10 and Rte. 41.

d. Philadelphia on Sundays from 10AM to 2PM. Located at 2nd and Lombard at the Headhouse Square Farmers' Market. You can do all of your market shopping at the market when you pick up your share!

3. What is the size of a share? One share should be a good amount for a family or for two people who like their veggies! A half-share will suit a smaller family with family members who aren't veggie-crazy, or a couple who eats out frequently, or a single who likes his/her veggies!

4. What will be in a share? What is in a share will vary over the season. Very early and very late shares may have less in them than the couple of 'main season' months.

Examples of shares are:
mid-June:	mid-July:	early September:	late October:
Arugula Beets Broccoli Chinese Cabbage Kohlrabi Leaf Lettuce Salad Mix Shell Peas Spinach Swiss Chard Radishes	Lettuce Salad Mix Carrots Summer Squash Tomatoes Heirloom Tomatoes Cherry Tomatoes Cucumbers Bush Beans Green Onions Eggplant New Potatoes Pole Beans Fresh Herbs	Lettuce Salad Mix Carrots Summer Squash Tomatoes Cucumbers Pole Beans Onions Potatoes Peppers Eggplant Edamame Sweet Potatoes Lima Beans Fresh Herbs	Cauliflower Spinach Salad Mix Carrots Onions Potatoes Broccoli Rabe Kale Turnips Chinese Cabbage Radicchio Fennel Radishes

Additional things to know about the shares:

a. We will not be growing sweet corn or melons. Both of those crops take up too much space, which we just do not have available at our small farm. Please visit your local farmers' market if you need a supply of sweet corn or melons.

b. We will occasionally have a 'special recipe' week, where we'll supply you with a host of ingredients (and the recipe!) to make certain yummies. A 'tomato sauce' week at the height of tomato season, for example, as well as a 'salsa' week when tomatillos are in abundance.

c. There may be special opportunities in November, particularly if we have a warm fall, to get several more weeks of veggies, and perhaps a one-week 'Thanksgiving' share opportunity. These are weather-dependent options that we'll let you know about as the season progresses.

5. What is the price of a share? Each shareholder will receive more veggies in their share for the money than if they bought the produce by the pound or bunch at the farmers' market.

A share in 2008 is $700.

A half-share in 2008 is $450:

Please note that what we call a half-share is really more than that. While many items, such as greens, tomatoes, and beans can be divvied up into smaller amounts, certain items such as fennel, winter squash, celery, etc. cannot be easily split in half. Rather than not giving 'half-share' members any of those items, we plan to supply some of those 'onesies' to the half-shares. Additionally, some of the costs associated with running a CSA (administrative, packaging and handling, etc.) are essentially the same for both full and half-share members. This is why a 'half-share' is not half the price of a full share.

Read our CSA FAQs • Get a membership application

If you have additional questions about the CSA, please email us.