Community Shared Agriculture (CSA)

Community Shared Agriculture is a system of growing and distributing organic produce which restores the link between farmers and consumers.

There are now over 1000 CSA farms in North America. In early spring each year, local households purchase subscription shares of the year's harvest from a local organic farm.

By paying for their produce at the beginning of the growing season, CSA shareholders provide the start up capital necessary for farmers to purchase seeds, supplies and soil ammendments. This eliminates the farmer's dependence on bank loans and chemical inputs to guarantee the harvest. CSA farms happily bond farmers and those who consume their food.

The farmer gains a healthy, economically viable farm business and the consumers receive affordable, fresh, local organic produce.

A share is 14-20 items each week for 20 weeks and is enough vegetables for a household with 4 adults. A half share is 7-10 items each week for 20 weeks and is enough vegetables for a household with 2 adults. As a "shareholder" you also recieve our monthly newsletter with recipes and suggestions and invitations to our open farm day celebrations.

Produce is delivered weekly to local community "depots" in Hamilton, Burlington, Dundas, Oakville, and Toronto or you can pick it up at the farm. Written by: Melanie Golba - Plan B Organic Farm Empower yourself and support your community... get involved with a CSA near you! Text and photo provided by Plan B Organic Farm.

Environment Hamilton - Eat Local

Hamilton Eat Local was formed in 2005 by Environment Hamilton and other community partners to support programs that encourage Hamiltonians to buy food grown by local farmers and harvest food from urban gardens and other settings that would otherwise go to waste. Hamilton Eat Local aims to increase the consumption of local food in Hamilton through two major initiatives: the Buy Local! Buy Fresh! map and the Hamilton Fruit Tree Project.

The Buy Local! Buy Fresh! Hamilton and Area Local Food Map, first launched in 2007, forms the cornerstone of our local food campaign. The map features over 60 locations where consumers can purchase locally grown food directly from those who produced it. The 2008 map which features even more local food sources than it did in the previous year was released last spring in conjunction with the grand opening of the Ottawa Street Farmers' Market. Most of the 40,000 copies will be distributed at highly trafficked community institutions such as Bennet's Apple Orchard, Carluke Orchards, the new Ottawa Street Farmers' Market; Tourism Hamilton kiosks; all participating local farms and many other locations throughout the city. Check out our blog for the latest locations for picking up your copy of the map.  Quantities are limited. For 2009 Hamilton and Area "Let's Eat Local" Food Map please contact Juby Lee at jlee.eatlocal@environmenthamilton.org or call the Environment Hamilton office at 905.549.0900. 

Please also visit our web-site:  www.hamiltoneatlocal.blogspot.com or contact us by e-mail kburson.eatlocal@environmenthamilton.org

Hamilton Area

Plan B Organic Farm

It was established in 1997 by Rodrigo Venturelli, Alvaro Venturelli and Melanie Golba. This will be our 13th season growing organic produce here at our 50 acre farm in Flamborough. Our farm is Certified Organic by OCCP-Pro-Cert Canada.

For more info contact us at 905-659-2572 or by email at info@planborganicfarms.ca. Plan B Organic Farms website www.planborganicfarms.ca.

Simpler Thyme Organic Farm
Our organic produce includes vegetables, Asian vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Our farm is owned by Mike and Ann Lanigan and operated in partnership with Bill Orosz. We are located on Hwy #6 midway between Hamilton and Guelph, just south of Hwy 97. 1749 Hwy #6 RR#2, Hamilton ON - L8N 2Z7. Contact Ann Lanigan at 905-659-1576 or 905-659-4179 - simpler_thyme@hotmail.com

ManoRun Organic Farm 
We are located in Copetown near the intersection of Hwy 52 and Governor's Road. Copetown is situated on the rural border of Ancaster and Dundas - just a short 5 minute drive from either town. Our farm is a model of how people can eat healthy, support the local economy and the environment all at once. Chris Krucker and Denise Trigatti have been farming organically for over 10 years and offer organic vegetables, meats, and bread through a "farmer to eater" relationship known as Community Supported Agriculture or CSA. The farm is 40 acres in total and includes 10 acres of vegetables, herbs and fruits, 20 acres of hay/pasture and 10 acres of grain. For more info please contact us at 905-304-8048 or by e-mail manorun@hwcn.org. Web-site: www.manorun.com 

Brantford Area

Devon Acres Farm 
Robin and Marie Kirby - 519-752-3980

Heart's Content Organic Farm 
Our 57 acre organic farm is just off Jerseyville Road, 8 km east of Brantford. It is a beautiful setting, right on the rail trail running from Hamilton . We farm with our two haflinger horses, Morgan and Missouri , as much as possible to reduce pollution and our dependency on oil. We grow over 100 organic varieties. For more info please contact Richard Tunstall at 519-647-0307 or by e-mail rtunstall@hotmail.com or hearts.content.farm@gmail.com. You can also visit us at http://heartscontentfarm.blogspot.com/   

Foxcroft Organic Growers 
Bernie and Karen Fox - For more info contact us at 519-443-5009,  fax 519-443-5009 or by email at foxcroft@sympatico.ca.

Simcoe Area

Nature's Way Organics 
Edward and Simona Dirse - located near Longpoint Ont. in South Walsingham. Contact info 519-586-3343, e-mail:  naturesway@sprint.ca, web-site: www.natureswayorganics.ca Produce from June till November. We deliver. We also offer a painting workshop in the summer. You can also use this link to find organic growers in your area - www.planetfriendly.net/organic.html.

Fergus Area

Irvine Creek Organics
David & Kat Fletcher and a handful of enthusiastic helpers operate this small family farm with firm beliefs in the importance of sustainability, education, community, small scale independent craft, and local economy.  Located near Belwood (just outside of Fergus), Irvine Creek is a constantly growing CSA and Market Garden with a small apiary & sugar shack, a growing apple orchard, and a 200 plant hopyard.   They can found at the Elora Farmers’ Market Saturday’s mid-May through October, at their CSA pickups in Guelph, Fergus, Elora, and Orangeville, or at the farm. e-mail: irvinecreekorganics@gmail.com phone: 519-787-2356 website: http://irvinecreekorganics.com/

If you operate a Community Shared Agriculture Farm and would like to be listed on this website, please contact Green Venture.