A Guide to Texas Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) for Fresh Fall Produce
Discover > Farm to Table Eating in Texas > A Guide to Texas Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) for Fresh Fall Produce
CSA or Community Supported Agriculture is an agricultural business model where consumers would purchase in advance portions of what the farm will be harvesting. Before the growing season, consumers would buy these shares and these advance payments would be used to buy seeds, fertilizers, and other farm inputs aside from providing growers with an immediate income at the beginning of the planting season.
By paying in advance, the consumers share in the risk of the production and unburden the farmers of the time and effort that would have been spent on marketing their products, thus allowing them to focus on growing their crops.
In return for their advanced payments, the consumer/members will receive weekly allotments of produce per week. Several CSAs have tweaked the setup, allowing consumers to pick and mix their allotments.
The First CSA in Texas
The concept originated in Japan way back in the 1960s. In the United States, the first CSA was introduced in 1984. Texas had its first CSA in 1994 when Katie and David Pitre established the model at their Tecolote Farm in Manor. There are nearly 600 CSAs spread across the state today.
For those thinking of getting farm-fresh produce this fall, we got some recommended CSA in Texas where you might want to get your regular supply of fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and cheese.
Texas CSAs to Check Out This Fall
Walnut Creek Farm
Located in Alvarado, Walnut Creek Farm grows vegetables all year round. This CSA delivers weekly to its members. The weekly box received by the member-consumers contains a bountiful, hand-selected mix of seasonal fruits and vegetables with an option to include beef, chicken, and eggs at per item cost.
For those who wish to hand-select their items, you can browse their shopping page.
Fernandez Family Farms
The 20-acre farm in Natalia is known for its organic pesticide-free vegetables and fruits. Their farm products include Kale, Beet, Turnips, Oranges, Tomatoes, and Potatoes. They usually sell their crops and farm products at the Legacy Farmers Market on Weekends, but they have their CSA Co-op that offers fresh, flavorful, and well-priced mixed boxes of produce. You can call them at (210) 995-7005 or message them on their Facebook Page
Fisher Family Farm and Ranch
The Fisher family had been into farming and ranching for the past 150 years. And just the older generation of Fishers, couple David and Boonpeng are continuing the venture using good sustainable agricultural practices.
The Fishers sell to farmers' markets and their CSA customers fresh vegetables, fruits, and beef. At their farm in Fruitvale, they raise Black Angus Cattle and offer custom-tailored cuts. To inquire you can visit their Facebook page
Red Moon Farm
This 38-acre farm in Van, East Texas is planted with organic vegetables, fruits, and flowers; those subscribed to its CSA are assured of getting fresh, healthy, chemical-free produce. It also assures its subscribers that the farm offers what it grows (though subscribers would get speedy updates on certain fruits like blueberries that the farm doesn't grow.)
Aside from fresh produce they also have a herbal apothecary created by Red Moon farmer/owner Jessica Bullock. These herbal products consist of soaps, shampoo, skincare, and first aid items. The natural ingredients are sourced from the farm itself and grown with the same sustainable, chemical-free method.
For customized orders, you can visit their online farm store.
Farm to Kitchen Collective
This CSA collective located in Cypress gathers different farm produce coming from different growers and delivers it to the subscribers of its CSA every week.
The farm boxes contain 6-9 different fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown in multiple farms around Cypress. The crops in the boxes are dependent on the season. Among their partner, farms include Lone Star Mushrooms, Three Sister Farm, and PEAS Farm. The Farm to Kitchen supports several local farms which provide subscribers with a variety of fresh in-season ingredients while at the same time supporting these local growers and their rural communities.
For details about their CSA, you can visit their website.
1915 Farm
This farm in Victoria raises organic grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken, and heritage breed pasture-raised pork. The humanely treated naturally raised livestock provides healthier meat options for consumers.
Their popular CSA program is the Grassroots Meat Club which is a $179 meat box made up of assorted meat cuts and products which are shipped every two to eight weeks. To shop online you can visit their site.
Farmhouse Delivery
The solution to accessing great-tasting organic healthy food delivered to your doorstep is provided by Farmhouse Delivery. With its headquarters in Austin, the company partners with farmers and growers using organic and sustainable agricultural practices.
Consumers can have the option of produce boxes, meal kit subscriptions, or locally sourced groceries delivered to their homes or offices. With a wide range of farm and grower suppliers, you’ll have great-tasting healthy food choices regardless of the season. For details, you can visit their website.
Blessing Falls Family Farm
This farm/CSA serves Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown, Hutto, Taylor, Manor, Elgin, and surrounding areas in Central Texas. Blessing Falls Family Farm focuses on providing consumers and subscribers with farm products sourced from organic vegetables, grass-fed cattle, pastured pork, poultry, and eggs.
CSA members have the option of getting half or full shares. A full share is good for three to six adults and teens while a half share is ideal for couples or couples with one or two children.
For more details, you can visit their farm website.
Texas Farm Box
Headquartered in Waco, the Texas Farm Box was founded by people with a diverse set of backgrounds not just limited to farming. But when the opportunity to bring the best of Texan farms to the homes of consumers and provide a one-stop shop of locally sourced healthy goodness, the founders all hopped into the idea. Thus Texas Farm Box was born.
TFB is more than just a CSA, it curates different food items from various farms and growers giving consumers an accessible one-stop shopping platform.
Yahweh All Natural Farm and Garden
This organic farm was established by couple Saul and Diana Padilla who relocated to Texas from Indiana in 2004. The farm grows over 40 different types of vegetables and herbs. Each week members will receive a share box filled with organically grown farm produce which is fully sourced from Yahweh All Natural Farm and Garden.
CSA membership includes weekly or bi-weekly shares, invites to events, the option to add to your CSA share, and online recipes. To learn more or if you are interested in subscribing you can visit their website.
Eden’s Organic Garden Center
Founded by Marie Tedei, this CSA brings healthy, clean food to communities in Dallas and Balch Springs. This farm is a CSA Charter Partner which means it is faithful to the tenets of a CSA.
The farm provides scheduled seasonal weekly or bi-weekly distributions to its members that run from late winter (February) to December. Eden’s grows nutritious, heirloom open-pollinated, Non-GMO vegetables, herbs, and fruits alongside native/wild edibles you may not find in your local supermarket.
For more details about the CSA, you can visit Eden’s Organic Garden Center website.
Bonton Farms
It started as a garden in a small lot and now has expanded into two functioning farms. Bonton Farms works alongside the community providing healthy nutritious food to Bonton residents. Before the farms existed cardiovascular diseases were 54% higher than in Dallas, (also diabetes in Bonton is 45% higher than in Dallas) due to a lack of access to nutritious food.
From a “food desert” where urban blight has limited access to nutritious food, Bonton Farms has provided an abundance of fresh healthy food and provided livelihood to the community. For more details about the farms and to support their advocacy you can visit their website.
Love Sick Farms
Josh and Haley Sickler established this farm in Nevada, a small town in the northeastern part of Texas. They raised pasture-raised meats and chemical-free vegetables. Through the farm, the couple shares their vision of providing meats, vegetables, fruits, and other products raised through chemical-free sustainable agricultural practices. That buying from small farmers is not just buying their products but also believing in and cherishing their values as well.
The CSA shares are through eggs and pasture-raised chicken meat. For more details, you can visit their website.
EIEIO’s Organic Farm
A scenic farm along the Blanco River in the Texas Hill Country. EIEIO’s Organic Farm was established in 2007. Using a drip irrigation system the farm is cultivating and harvesting their organically grown vegetables planted alongside apple, pear, and peach trees.
CSA membership is available all year round aside from CSA baskets, members can opt to purchase value-added items such as garlic “aioli” mayonnaise or their famed cilantro pecan pesto, and sun-dried tomato bruschetta. For more info, you can visit EIEIO’s Organic Farm website.
Steelbow Farm
Originally from Maine, this CSA had recently moved its operations to Austin. Their new farming operation is located at the Tecolote Farm which was bought by David and Katie Pitre in 1993 and a year later would establish the first CSA in Texas. A few years ago the Pitre’s decided to discontinue the CSA and stepping in to sustain the program were Finegan Ferreboeuf (who previously worked at Tecolote Farms) and Jason Gold of Steelbow Farms.
The continuation of the historic CSA means subscribers would still receive a weekly delivery of vibrant, organic, and seasonal vegetables. Steelbow Farms are advocates of sustainable farms and regenerative agriculture and subscribers to their CSA help Steelbow Farms create a community-driven, local food system. To support their CSA advocacy you can visit their website.
Here are the 15 top CSAs in Texas that you can order for your weekly supplies of fresh, healthy, and organic produce this Fall season. There are lots of CSAs in localities nearest you and would deliver your weekly or biweekly shares right to your doorsteps. Our website has listings of CSAs near your communities.
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