CSA FAQs

Features

  • What are the perks of becoming a member vs. buying from the market from you when I want?
    • Our Market Membership CSA folks receive a few perks including:
      • 10% bump in funds to their farm debit card (so joining at our $500 tier, actually gives you $550 to spend with us)
      • Reserve & pre-order items that we have a small supply of & order items in bulk for preserving, canning, freezing, etc. 
      • Reserve garden seedlings when our Seedling Sale launches and choose where you pick them up (farm or market)
      • First-chance to learn about & purchase holiday shares, special offers, and class tickets
      • Weekly Wednesday email with a list of what is going to be brought to the market, tips, and recipes
        • Plus! I’ll share the list of other vendors that will be at the market so you can get more of your food shopping done in one place. 
      • Our digital CSA Members-Only Library that includes dozens of resources for you to make the most of your CSA & local food experience, including:
        • CSA Recipe E-Book with 150+ recipes, so you can have new recipe inspiration at your fingertips
        • A-Z Produce Storage Guide to help you store and prolong the life of your produce, so you don’t waste your money or veggies! 
        • Veggie 101 documents, detailing the ins-&-outs of new-to-you veggies for cooking, storage, and cooking inspiration 
  • Can I use the Market Membership CSA to purchase garden seedlings from you in the spring?
    • Yes! Whether you want to purchase garden seedlings, harvested veggies, cheese or flower bouquets – everything that I sell at the market is available for purchase with your Market Membership CSA. I will also be allowing Market Membership CSA members the first opportunity to reserve seedlings and pick up at the market or from the farm. More details will be released in April, as we get closer to the garden planting season.
  • Will there be a chance for me to buy or reserve any items in bulk?
    • Yes! Items that we have in bulk throughout different times in the season will be available for bulk pre-orders. Items like cucumbers for pickling, string beans and greens for freezing, and tomatoes for sauce making will be available. (and when you sign up we ask you what items you’d like the possibility of bulk purchasing so that we can plan our crops effectively). You’ll still be able to pick these bulk purchases up at the market. 
  • Will you be taking pre-orders of any items throughout the season?
    • Yes! Our Market Membership CSA members will have a chance every week to pre-order items that we are in short supply of (this will vary each week) so they don’t have to arrive at the market at 9:05am! 
  • Will I have a chance to say what crops I would like to buy the most? 
    • On the sign up form I ask folks what they would anticipate buying 3 or more times throughout the season – basically, what are the crops that you love. Having this information helps me plan planting and harvesting..

Logistics

  • Are you doing any promos for the Market Membership CSA around Black Friday?
    • Yes! If you sign up for the Market Membership CSA by December 6, 2024, then you will have instant access to:
      • Our payment plan – join now and don’t make your deposit payment until January 15, 2025. 
      • 5 digital guides to help you master your CSA experience 
        • A-Z Produce Storage Guide 
        • Freezing Veggies Guide 
        • How to Substitute This Veggie for That One
        • Nutrition & How to Use Guide 
        • 6 Ways to Eat More Greens
        • How to Level Up Your Salads
  • When does Market Membership CSA sign ups close?
    • Market Membership CSA sign ups close on March 1, 2025, or sooner if we hit our maximum capacity for the season. 
  • Where can I use my Market Membership CSA farm debit card?
    • You can use your Market Membership CSA farm debit card at our stand at the Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market. We are at both the summer market & winter market, from April to December. The market is held on Saturdays, 9am-1pm. The summer market is May 31-October 12 at Academy Park and the winter market is April 19, May 10, and May 24, as well as October – December at 505 Cayuga St (1st Presbyterian Church). Get the detailed locations on our “Find Us” webpage. 
  • What happens when I’m late to the market on a Saturday, and the things I’ve come to buy have already sold out? I love how with the traditional CSA model you know you’re going to get every week. 
    • With the transitioning to this type of CSA model I anticipate & plan on being able to actually bring more high demand items – like the radishes- every week, as compared to this past year. I plan on bringing a lot more to the market to account for my typical market demand & making a guess that about 75% of Market Membership CSA folks will also want that crop each week. I also ask Market Membership CSA members on the sign up form what they would anticipate buying 3 or more times throughout the season – basically, what are the crops that you love. Having this information helps me plan planting and harvesting.

Payments

  • I’m interested, but not sure what membership tier to join. I’m not sure how much I’ll spend at the market on a typical week 
    • These are our tiers and a rough estimate of how they would divide out, if you spent the same amount of money from week-to-week. 
      • Radish  = $200 (10% added = $220); Spend $9 each week (approx. 27) or $16 every other week (approx. 13)
      • Tomato = $350 (10% added = $385); Spend $14 each week (approx. 27) or $30 every other week (approx. 13)
      • Celery = $500 (10% added = $550); Spend $21 each week (approx. 27) or $42 every other week (approx. 13)
    • This is a list of prices I charged at the market in 2024 to give you a sense of how far your week-to-week dollars will stretch.
      • Salad Mix – $5/bag
      • Microgreens – $6/2oz. bag
      • Herbs – $3/bunch
      • Radishes – $3/bunch
      • Kale – $3/bunch
      • Fresh Onions – $4/bunch
      • Cherry Tomatoes $5/pint
      • Shishito Peppers $4/pint
      • Garlic – $2/bulb
      • Winter Squash – $3/each
      • Flower Bouquet – $10/each
      • Granola – $8/8oz. Bag
      • Cheese Curds – $7/each
      • Cheese Wedge – $9/each
      • Flower Bouquets – $10-$15/each
  • When are Market Membership CSA payments due?
    • If you join our Market Membership CSA during our promotion period, before December 6, 2024, then your deposit payment ($100) is not due until January 15, 2025. Your remaining balance is then due March 15, 2025.  If you join after December 6, 2024, then your full payment is due within 2 weeks of joining. 
  • Will I be able to know the balance on my farm debit card?
    • Yes. I will be providing members with a balance update at the end of July and end of September. However, I will also provide you with the instructions for how you can check your balance at any time on your own.  
  • If I use all my money on my farm debit card, can I add more?
    • You can certainly always add more money to your farm debit card, however any money that is added will not be eligible for the 10% increase. 
  • Should I throw my farm debit card away when I’ve finished using the funds?
    • No, please don’t! If you’d like to (or think you might) renew your membership, please keep the card so we can add funds to it in 2026. If you will not be renewing your membership, you are welcome to drop off your card to our stand at the market or mail to: Schul Farmstead, 5340 Cambria Road, Sanborn NY 14132.  The cards can be reused indefinitely and we’d love to help keep more plastic out of the landfill if possible. 

General CSA Questions

  • What is a CSA?
    • Great question. Basically, a reciprocal relationship between a farm/farmer and customer for a season. I like this definition best, but you can also learn more about CSAs in this blog post. 
      • Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a reciprocal partnership connecting farmers and customers to share in the bounty of the local food. Throughout the growing season, the farm provides a weekly share of agricultural products to customers, or “members“, in exchange for the financial support they received during the off-season for the purchase of seeds.
  • Why do farms offer CSAs?
    • Every farm would likely answer this question differently. I’ll say that our farm offers a CSA to allow customers to become very connected to a local farm, learn & experience the successes and failures of farming, and support their local food system. And TBH, having a CSA program provides income during a time of year when farms are spending LOTS of money on seeds, supplies, equipment, amendments, etc. but aren’t necessarily having a lot of income. I buy seeds, etc. in December/January, but don’t actually start making any money until early May. That’s quite different then say, a baker, who can buy a large supply of flour, etc. and then start making their money back the next day when they go to sell their products at the farmers market. It’s just a totally different type of small business. 
  • Why are you offering this instead of a traditional CSA?
    • A few reasons, but mainly I’m trying to meet people where they are at. I recognize & can relate that we all have busy lives. You might want to join a CSA but seeing a 20-week season can feel limiting, inflexible, and might take an army to coordinate pick up depending on what other commitments life is throwing your way. You also might love the idea of a CSA but feel intimidated with knowing there’s going to be vegetables that you don’t like, aren’t sure what to do with, etc. And as much as I have provided CSA members with resources like a recipe book and suggestions in the weekly email, I can’t stand in your kitchen to walk you through the decision making process of what to do with that kohlrabi this week. This new way I’m structuring the CSA will hopefully avoid the feelings of overwhelm, decision fatigue, and allow you the ability to customize what veggies, etc. you pick up from us each week, in a quantity that permits you to not have many things go to waste. 
  • I love your veggies, but know I won’t be able to make it to the market to shop with you as a member. Are there other farms I can support with a more traditional CSA that I can pick up from their farm or off-site location? 
    • Yes of course! And while it might seem counterintuitive for me to tell you where else you can buy your weekly produce from, I believe that sharing information is caring! I recognize that everyone’s life and needs are different, so you need to do what’s right for your family. If you’re wanting to join a CSA with another farm, here are some that I recommend in Western New York.
  • If I don’t join the Market Membership CSA, can I still buy from you at the market?
    • Yes! Our tables of veggies, herbs, microgreens, flowers, and more are open & available to anyone who shops at the Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market on Saturdays, from 9am-1pm. Find out the location & dates for the Winter Market & Summer Market on our “Find Us” webpage.