Poplar Wood Farm
2013 Community Supported Agriculture Program
Poplar Wood Farm’s CSA program is our way of bringing our locally grown vegetables, herbs, flowers, and eggs to communities seeking food grown without the use of chemical or synthetic- fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. Shareholders in our program are entitled to a “share” of our harvest and receive a weekly box of seasonal vegetables during the growing season. Community supported agriculture is a mutually beneficial arrangement between farmer and consumer.
Benefits to farmer:
- Receiving commitments from consumers in advance allows better crop planning and provides resources to purchase seeds and other supplies early in the growing season
- During the growing season, the farmer can focus on producing high quality food rather than marketing it
Benefits to consumer:
- Organically managed, fresh, locally grown produce for you every week
- Develop a relationship with the farmer and learn about how your food is grown and where it comes from
- Exposure to unique varieties of your favorite vegetables along with some new vegetables you may not have tried otherwise
Community Supported Agriculture allows you to purchase your vegetables flowers and eggs directly from the farm where they are grown. This gives you peace of mind in knowing that your food is being grown using healthy, sustainable, environmentally conscious methods. Since our products won’t travel long distances, they will maintain their fresh picked flavor and nutrition. Farming does come with risks that threaten crops, weather, sudden increase in a disease or pest and animal damage can all at times threaten our crops. While we do all in our power to limit these risks there are times when a crop is lost. With a CSA, that risk is shared by all participants and there may be some items that fare better or worse than others in a given season.
Growing Methods
We use no GMO seeds, chemical or synthetic – fertilizer, pesticide, or herbicide. Our organic growing methods rely on the use of cover cropping, compost, beneficial insects, and other environmentally conscious ways of growing our crops. All of our transplants are nurtured in our own greenhouses prior to going out to the field so that we can ensure our growing standards are adhered to and the varietal selection is diverse.
Growing Season And Crop List
Our 2013 CSA will run for 25 weeks, with our first harvest slated for the first week of June. Items we plan on growing this season for our shareholders include : Arugula, Beans, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Escarole, Asian Greens, Kale, Lettuce, Onions, Peppers (hot & sweet), Potatoes, Radishes, Spinach, Squash (summer & winter), Swiss Chard, Tomatoes (cherry, heirloom, jersey reds), watermelon, and a variety of herbs.
Share Supplements
Flower shares are available and offer you a way to treat yourself every week to the beauty of our fresh flowers. Flowers we will be growing include: Sweet Peas, Oriental Lilies, Zinnias, Calla Lillies, Tuberose, Cockscomb, Dahlias and Sunflowers.
New this year is our egg share. We have planted a 2 acre field to serve as pasture for our new flock. These birds will live in mobile coops that we will rotate through the pasture ensuring the hens a supply of healthy greens to forage which will give our eggs exceptional flavor. The flower and egg shares are available to those who purchase a vegetable share.
Pick Up Locations
Our shares will be available at the farmers markets we attend
- Hoboken, NJ - Hoboken Family Farmers Market - 14th & Garden Street on Saturdays from 9:00am-2:00pm
- Jersey City, NJ – Historic Downtown Jersey City Farmers Market – Grove Street PATH station on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:00pm-8:00pm
- Jersey City, NJ - Hamilton Square Park - The Hamilton Park Gazebo, 8th Street on Wednesdays from 3:00pm-7:00pm
We will also have a pick up point at the farm in Mansfield. If you live in an area we don’t have listed we will consider additional drop off points if there is a group of 10 or more shareholders interested in signing up. Call or e-mail to discuss a new location.
Visit The Farm
2013 looks to be a year where we plan to provide opportunities for our shareholders and the communities that we are involved in to visit our farm. We are planning a spring open farm day with a tour of the farm and an opportunity to assist in a planting project for those who want a hands-on experience. Throughout the year we will post on Twitter, Facebook, and through e-mail,
opportunities to come out and lend a hand. We are also looking for a few interns who are seeking extensive experience. At the end of the season a Harvest Celebration Day will occur. Our hope is to link with the people and communities we serve to enrich the lives of all involved.