Local Action for a Sustainable Tomorrow

In the CSA system, the consumer purchases a season’s worth of vegetables (sometimes flowers, fruits, herbs and even milk or meat) in the Spring, and then receives weekly shares throughout the growing season. In some CSA systems, the consumer may actually do labor on the farm or help administrate the CSA program in lieu of payment.
Typically, CSA farms are small, independent, labor-intensive, family farms. By providing a guaranteed market through prepaid annual sales, consumers essentially help finance farming operations when the farm needs it most—during the planting season.

This allows farmers to not only focus on quality growing, it can also somewhat level the playing field in a food market that favors usually large-scale, industrialized agriculture over local food. Vegetables and fruit are the most common CSA crops. The cost of a share is usually competitively priced when compared to the same amount of vegetables conventionally-grown, partly because the cost of distribution is lowered.

Local farms that offer CSA programs include:
o Salt Creek Farm, 310 Salt Creek Rd., Port Angeles. 928-3583. The farm features heritage varieties of fruits and vegetables, organically grown. CSA members may also include eggs and/or breads in their weekly shares.
http://www.homestead.com/saltcreekfarm/csa.html

o Nash’s Produce, 1865 E. Anderson Rd., Sequim. 681-7458. Weekly farm share boxes include a wide variety of organic produce, July–December. http://www.nashsproduce.com/

Nash's Seasonal Guide

Apples - September - March
Arugula - July - February
Artichokes (Globe) - July - mid-August
Basil - July - October
Beans (Green) mid-July - mid-September
Beets - July - April
Boc Choy - mid-July - November
Broccoli - mid-July - November
Brussels Sprouts - September - March
Cabbbage (Red/Green) -
Carrots - July - March
Cauliflower - July - November
Chard - (Rd/Grn/Rainbow) - August - December
Collard Greens - September - March
Corn - mid-August - mid-October
Cucumbers - mid-July - September
Dill - mid-July - mid-September
Fava Beans - May - October
Fennel Bulbs - September - November
Garlic - October - February
Kale (Red Russian) - September - March
Leafy Greens - July - March
Leeks - August - April
Lettuce (4 varieties) - June - October
Onions (Green) - August - November
Parsnips - November - March
Peas - mid-August - mid-October
Pototoes (Red & Yellow) - October - March
Pumpkins - September - October
Spinach - May - NOvember
Squash (Winter Varieties) - July - December
Strawberries - June - July
Tomatoes - August - October
Zucchini - July - October