Chestnut Hill Farm: Expanded CSA and offerings

Above: Chestnut Hill Farm CSA members can enjoy 20 weeks of access to more than 40 varieties of fruits and veggies this year. Or, if you’re more of a carnivore, sign up for TTOR’s new summer Beef CSA. (Omnivores can sign up for both!) (top row images from brochure, bottom from website)

Chestnut Hill Farm has become quite a hub of activity over the past couple of years, and it’s not slowing down.

The Trustees of Reservations is again offering the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program with bountiful produce. This year, the farm will also be a pickup site for the new Summer Beef CSA:

The Trustees Summer Beef CSA includes mixed beef cuts ranging from steak to roasts to ground beef, all raised on Trustees farms by Trustees farmers. Our cattle are raised on the open pastures and in the oak forests of Moose Hill Farm in Sharon, Powisset Farm in Dover, and Weir River Farm in Hingham. The meat they produce is high quality and delicious. When you join a Trustees Meat CSA you are helping to support a strong local food system.

The meat program will offer 2 pounds per week for 20 weeks. Click here for details.

In addition, the farm is continuing to hold events. (Most are for a small fee, but there are occasional free community events, too.) 

Some of the upcoming happenings include Preschool Farm Explorers and a Father’s Day Blue Grass BBQ. Check out the farm calendar here.

As for the traditional CSA program, here are some of the important details:

• The 20 week program runs from mid-June – October
• Shareholders have access to more than 40 varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs (including favorites like carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and peas)
• There are two fill-your basket sizes to choose from. The large share is pitched as for a family of 4-6 and the small for 2-3 people (or larger families who also have a home garden).
• Members select which items and how much to fill their baskets with. (Though, sometimes with limits on specific items to ensure all members get to enjoy them.)

• 

  Produce includes some pick-your-own offerings (popular with children): cherry tomatoes, strawberries, flowers, beans and more.

• Share pick up is scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays from 2:00 – 6:00 pm
• TTOR posted a projected timeline of offerings (which appears to be the same as last year’s). Click on the image right to enlarge.
• To join the CSA, you must be a member of TTOR. But that membership does provide discounted admission to most events at the farm and other TTOR properties.

Since so many residents go away for a couple of weeks in the summer, last year I asked Farm Manager Desiree Robertson-DuBois how that is handled. Here’s her response:

I usually suggest to folks who take a vaca during the summer is that they can offer their share to a neighbor, friend or family to pick up (they can change their pickup day to make it more convenient for that person) or they can donate their share for that week to the Southborough Food Pantry to help our neighbors in need of fresh produce. Sometimes we can do a ‘make-up’ pick up, but most folks find that that is too much produce for them and they would rather donate or give away their share for another to enjoy. It makes a great gift.

For more details on the CSA, or to sign up, click here.