Community Supported Agriculture Programs Serving the Boston Area

Want to get involved with a Community Supported Agriculture Program (CSA), but live in Boston? No big deal! Plenty of CSAs are cropping up in the Boston Area, although you'd better sign up quickly because spots are filling up fast (many are already full).

Before we begin, many Community Supported Agriculture Programs use the term "share". As someone who subscribes to a CSA, you are a "shareholder", which means you pay for a certain amount of food per week that is grown on the farm. Each CSA charges different amounts for one share, as you'll see below, and offers different amounts of produce for each share.

Here is a compilation of 5 of the best Community Supported Agriculture Programs in the Boston Area:

Brookfield FarmCSA

Overview

1 Share: $490, includes 14lbs

Pickup Locations: At the farm, Boston Areas: Arlington, Cambridge, Lexington, Jamaica Plain, Newton

Delivers: Weekly

Season: June-Thanksgiving

Website:

What's Special: Brookfield Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) offers shareholders the opportunity to purchase Brookfield raised beef and pork, as well as pick-your-own fruits and flowers!

Growing Practices: While not certified organic, Brookfield does not use any of the following: synthetically produced chemicals; petroleum based fertilizers; antibiotics; artificial hormones.

Parker Farm CSA

Overview

Small Share: $325, 7-8 items

Large Share: $500, 15-16 items

Pickup Locations: Boston Areas: Davis Square, Central Square, Cambridge, Porter Square,

Deliveries: Weekly

Season: June-November

Website

Growing Practices: Most crops are grown chemical free, no GMO crops.

Bay End Farm CSA

Overview

1 Share: $500.00 ($25/week), 11-15 items

Pickup Locations: at the farm, Boston Areas: Cambridge, Plymouth areas

Deliveries: Weekly

Season: June-November, 20 weeks

Website

What's Special: Want to learn about where your food comes from? Volunteers are welcome and encouraged at Bay End Farm.

Growing Practices: Certified Organic

Drumlin Farm CSA

Overview:

1 Share: $575.00

Pickup Locations: at the farm, Boston Areas: Cambridge (Central & Porter Sq), Dorchester, Quincy

Deliveries: Weekly

Season: June-October

Website

What's Special: We have to eat in winter too, right? Drumlin Farm has a CSA that runs during the winter season too. If you volunteer 8 hours from Drumlin, they'll give you a $50 discount.

Growing Practices: unspecified

Red Fire Farm CSA

Overview:

Main Share: $575.00, 10lbs (discounts available for low income families)

Abbreviated Share: $475.00 (20 weeks)

Pickup Locations: at the farm, Boston Areas: Greenfield, Springfield, Jamaica Plain, Somerville, Brighton, Cambridge, or Montague

Deliveries: Weekly

Season: June 9th-December 15th (24 weeks)

Website

What's Special: Red Fire Farm has a variety of different CSAs, including a unique Cut Flower CSA for only $100 for 10 weeks. Red Fire Farm also offers fruit-only CSAs if that's all you want.

Growing Practices: Certified Organic since 2001.