Pierce County CSAs & CSA Video...

What is Community Supported Agriculture or CSA?  Have you heard friends or TV folks excitedly throw these letters around and you aren't quite sure what they mean?  Or maybe you are a “seasoned” CSA veteran already?  Newbies and veterans alike should enjoy this trip Pride of Pierce (http://www.prideofpiercecounty.com/farmvideos.html) took out to the farm to talk about CSA with Terry Carkner, owner of Terry’s Berries in Tacoma.

 

When you buy a CSA share from a local farm, you receive a weekly (or whatever your arrangement) box of farm fresh produce during their growing season.  The farm gets a stable financial base for the season and you get wonderfully fresh local products and a direct connection to a local farm.  Here’s an idea… share the box as well as cost and pick up duties with a family member or friend and you’ll also share in the discovery of some great new varieties of fruits and vegetables. 

You could even give the gift of CSA for the Holidays.  Wow.  What a cool gift.  This gift is an investment not only in the health and happiness of the recipient who will be munching away at the freshest foods available, but also in a healthier environment and local economy.  It's a win-win.

Schedules vary and some farms now have fall, winter, and early spring shares!  Terry’s Berries for instance, offers a fall, winter, and spring share--winter share beginning in January.  Check out their website for sign up info and product details (www.terrysberries.com).  Terra Organics, a home delivery service based in Tacoma, will also deliver a box of local products to your doorstep all year round (www.producehomedelivery.com).

 

Size, price, and options for pick up and drop off also vary among different CSAs.  For more information, including factors to consider when choosing the right CSA for you or your family, talk to a local CSA farmer or visit Puget Sound Fresh (http://www.pugetsoundfresh.org/csa.htm).

Pierce County CSAs:

 

Little Eorthe Farm    (253) 576-8950

Orting, littleorthefarm@gmail.com

 

Mosby Brothers Farms    (253) 939-9431

Puyallup/Auburn, www.mosbyfarm.com

 

Peace of the Earth Farm

Rosedale, http://www.localharvest.org/peace-of-the-earth-farm-M34663

 

Tahoma Farms   (253) 376-8604

Orting, http://www.tahomafarms.com/

 

Take Root Farm    (253) 891-FARM (3276)

Buckley, www.takerootfarm.com

 

Terry’s Berries     (253) 922-1604

Tacoma, www.terrysberries.com

 

Zestful Gardens    (253) 232-0811

Tacoma, www.zestfulgardens.org

 

Home Delivery

Terra Organics      (253) 627-1581

Tacoma, www.producehomedelivery.com

 

Other CSAs around the Puget Sound can be found at: www.pugetsoundfresh.org

Terry's Berries Winter Farm Store Hours

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You can still pick up fresh local produce throughout the winter season by making a stop at Terry's Berries farm store off of River Road towards Puyallup.  Winter hours for the farm store are Tuesday and Wednesday 10am - 6pm. They also offer a winter CSA beginning in January 2011.  More info on farm store and CSA: http://terrysberries.com/

Proctor Farmers Market - Winter Market

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Who says you can't find local products all year long?  Now Proctor Farmers Market has made it easier for you and I to get our hands on great local grub.  Currently open Saturdays right up until Thanksgiving, in Dec, Jan, Feb, and March, Proctor will offer a once a month winter market.  Winter market is scheduled for the second Saturday of the month from 10 am - 1 pm. 

Featured Producer: Local Hazelnuts from Filbert Acres, Puyallup

Come visit Alison and Jonathan Nichols on their farm, Filbert Acres, in Puyallup, WA and pick up some of the fall harvest of local hazelnuts.  Open Monday thru Saturday, you can stop by the farm at 6625 Pioneer Rd, just outside the main city of Puyallup. They usually open up their gate around 8:00 am and stay open until around dark.  Look for their cheery Filbert Acres and "OPEN" sign.  Then take the drive down along the trees, as stray nuts pop from under your car tires.  Oh, and don't forget to catch a view of WSU's test fields--currently full of pumpkins--and an epic view of Mt. Rainier. 

Filbert Acres is truly a unique farm with a very special local product.  More about hazelnuts here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazelnut.  How lucky are we to be able to source locally produced nuts!?!  We keep a bowl full of these with a cracker in our kitchen for a quick snack, but Ali and Jon have great recipes that will give you hazelnut inspiration if needed.

For directions and more information, visit their Puget Sound Fresh page: http://www.pugetsoundfresh.org/farm_profile.asp?farmID=438 or Local Harvest page: http://www.localharvest.org/filbert-acres-M33816

Current prices for unshelled hazels are $3.50/lb (what a deal!) and bulk discount of $3.00/lb for 30 lbs or more. You can also meet up with Jon or Ali at the Saturday Proctor Farmers Market until Nov. 20th.  How about some hazelnuts in your Thanksgiving stuffing? 

Winter Garden Workshops

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Winter Garden Workshop

 

Register now for a free “Winter Garden” workshop at 10:30 am Wednesday, Sept. 29 at the City of Tacoma EnviroHouse (Tacoma Landfill, 3510 S. Mullen St.). Learn what you can still plant to harvest in the coming months and how to winterize your garden for healthy growth plus tips and resources to begin planning for planting next spring. Topics include winter hardy greens and vegetables, bare root berries cover crops, green manures and mulches

 

Space is limited.

Register at www.cityoftacoma.org/envirohouse or call (253) 573-2426.

Workshops are open to Tacoma and Pierce County residents.