CSA (community supported agriculture) shares are purchased in advance and provide the farm's operating budget for the growing season. Full shares cost $500.00, and Half shares cost $300.00. Also, new for 2012, learn about "Marketshares" below. All shares must be paid in full no later than May 01, 2012. Discounts are available when you pay early.
Shares are picked up at Great Brook Animal Care on Rt 202 in S. Lebanon, Maine from 4:-7:00 pm each Monday during the 18-20 week season (late May to early October). The farm grows a HUGE variety of USDA Certified Organic vegetables and herbs for the CSA, and what is in your share will evolve over the growing season.
Marketshares: NEW for 2012! Buy farm products in advance at a 20% discount. For each $100.00 marketshare purchased before May 01, get $120.00 worth of any of our products at any of our markets. Including Portsmouth (Saturdays), Sanford (Wednesdays and Saturdays), and North Berwick (Fridays) markets all season long! This option is great for those who want to support local agriculture, but don't want to commit to weekly pickups, or want to choose their own veggies as needed. This option is also great for churches, food pantries, or other organizations that want to help provide local, Organic food for other community members in need.
Also new! -- This year we will be giving tomato seedlings as part of the CSA share so you can supplement the tomatoes in your share with fresh picked tomatoes whenever you want. They will include: Sungold Cherry (everyone's favorite sweet snack), some large red, some heirloom, a paste/saladette, and also Husk Cherry (sweet berry-like fruit related to Tomato).
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who is Two Toad Farm Summer Vegetable CSA for?
This CSA is for people who like to eat a lot of vegetables and are looking to lock in a price on a diverse selection of Organic produce. More specifically it is for homes that want to eat healthy, support local agriculture, connect to the land where the food is grown, try new things, and help preserve the rural character of Lebanon, Maine. It benefits everyone in the community whether or not they purchase anything from Two Toad Farm. However, if all you want is corn, tomatoes, and cucumbers during the summer, then this CSA is not for you. Come visit Two Toad Farm at one of many different farmer’s markets in the surrounding area and purchase things by the pound at affordable retail prices instead. We will also be posting a list of restaurants where you can eat our veggies cooked by local chefs.
Where is the produce picked up?
Produce will be picked up each Monday at Great Brook Animal Care on Rt. 202 in S. Lebanon, Maine. The pick-up with be from 4-7:00 p.m. in the "Rec Hall" behind the clinic to the left.
How much does it cost, and what is the payment deadline?
Full shares cost $500 ($475.00 if paid in full by March 15, 2012) and must be paid in full by May 01, 2010. If not paying in full, a non-refundable $150.00 deposit is required to reserve the share. Although limited, a number of half shares are available for $300.00, but the farm encourages full shares paid early. If shares are too large, members should freeze/ can extras for the winter or split their share with a friend or another family. Remember, CSA members share in the risk of the farming season. 2009 proved to be terrible for tomatoes due to diseases spread across the Northeast region by seedlings bought at “Big-Box” stores, and as a result, CSA members received a only a fraction of what was planned of the tomato crop (the farm lost 5,000 lbs of mostly heirloom tomatoes).
How do I sign up and how do I pay?
Complete the form on http://www.twotoadfarm.com/csa and return it with your check, and follow the payment plan it describes. If you need to work out a different payment plan, call me at 207-252-1103 or email a proposed payment plan, and we will discuss it. For a CSA to work, the bulk of the money needs to be received before major production expenses come due. Without this CSA money, Two Toad Farm would not be able to produce vegetables for ANY market, retail, wholesale, or CSA share. Being a shareholder supports local agriculture in Lebanon, Maine WHERE THE RUBBER MEEETS THE ROAD and makes it possible for non shareholders to buy our produce at retail markets.
Can I split a share?
Yes. You can split a share any way you like, but you do the splitting. You pick up the veggies, and do your own splitting, dividing, or even alternate who picks up each week. Splitting a half share is NOT reccomended as the beginning distributions are small until the season gets rolling. Don't be afraid to buy a full share.
How much produce is in a share?
Your weekly share is designed for the average family of four (two adults and two young kids) that prepares veggies as part of dinners at home and will contain vegetables in season. The amounts and types of vegetables vary each week, and early in the season, there will be less produce. At the peak of the season, you may get as much as 25 pounds, allowing you to freeze, can, or share any extra veggies. It should go without saying that things like cucumbers or winter squash won’t be available in the spring, and other vegetables are only available in the spring. A CSA vegetable share is all about what grows well and tastes great in your area and allows a community to consume more local products. A full share may be appropriate for two adults if they are vegetarians and eat almost exclusively fresh or raw vegetables.
What is in a share?
Vegetable shares vary from week to week, and are dependent on the growing season. It should go without saying that if you need tomatoes and cucumbers in your salad in early June (when tomato and cucumber plants are still tiny, little seedlings) you will have to purchase them elsewhere until they are in season.
The following shows what may be included in a weekly vegetable share:
Early: spring salad mix, kale, arugula, beet greens, radishes, and young onions, baby beets, baby sweet turnips
Summer bounty: Anything from above plus:
peas, beans, beets, Asian greens (pac choi, tat soi, joi choi…), broccoli, cabbage, carrots, onions, summer squash, zucchinis, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, garlic scapes, sweet corn, peppers, parsley, basil, cilantro, and Swiss chard
Fall harvest: Anything from above plus:
sweet potatoes, winter squashes, rutabagas, parsnips, fresh garlic, spinach, Jerusalem artichokes, pumpkins, and some winter storage crops.
Please see the "BLOG" for some examples of actual shares from 2011.
What if I miss a pickup, Can I come the next day?
No. If you miss a pickup, the veggies will likely get composted or fed to the pigs. We do not have a storage facility for missed shares. You cannot simply pick up a share on the off day, because the veggies that you missed were grown and harvested just for you. If you know you can’t make it, let me know and it will get added into the mix to make everyone else’s shares that much bigger. You can also arrange for someone else to take it.
Does Two Toad Farm only offer vegetables?
The CSA share will contain Herbs and Veggies, but we also produce smaller amounts of flowers, fruits, sustainable wood products, seeds, cover crops, mulches, wild mushrooms (wild harvest), honey, propolis, compost, and hope. We want to expand to include eggs, poultry, pork, lamb, dairy (goat only), mushrooms, native and wetland restoration perennials, and a full range of processed (value added) products. Two Toad Farm also offers a range of land planning and consultation services like farmland management and restoration, Organic systems planning, and public lectures.
How is the produce grown?
Two Toad Farm is MOFGA Certified Organic, but our practices and attentiveness to food purity and soil health far exceed those minimum standards. The health and management of the soil is the number one consideration in the decision-making process. Two Toad Farm produces all of its own seedlings.
Where is the farm?
Two Toad Farm is comprised of three separate growing locations, and more are on the way. Most of the land is leased from community members who are passionate about local food and preserving farmland. These locations are called South Lebanon Field, West Lebanon Field, and Center Lebanon Field. We have more locations on the way in and around surrounding towns.
Is the farm open to the public?
No. The farm does not own the land and we are unable to allow the public at this time. We are working on bringing events like work days, tours, educational workshops, and maybe even on farm share pickup in the future. After all, building community is part of the mission of a CSA and the vision of Two Toad Farm, but it takes time to get everything in order. One step at a time!
Is Two Toad Farm looking for more farmland lease more land?
Yes. We are always looking for more farmland in Lebanon to protect by actively farming it. This means buying, leasing, or accepting donations of acreage of at least 2 tillable acres for each location. Water for irrigation, solid access, and a commitment of at least 5 years from the landowner(s) are also strongly considered.
Does Two Toad Farm offer work shares?
Not yet. See: “Is the farm open to the public?”
What if I don’t like the vegetables I get?
Two Toad Farm believes that vegetable growing is all about the flavor of the food they go into and the health of the person it becomes. Some things that grow well and taste great in Maine are things that you may have never heard of. With anything new, it may take a couple of tries to get it right. Remember, if you are starting with superior ingredients, it’s almost impossible to make an inferior meal. A periodic newsletter with recipes and tips on cooking and storing is another member benefit. If there is still something that you don’t want to try for third time, then swap with something else at the member’s swap table, or give it to a neighbor.
What if I need more vegetables?
If you have a larger family, regularly feed guests, or simply eat more of a particular vegetable than average, you can purchase additional produce at markets in and around Lebanon, or buy 2 shares. Please give me feedback on the amount of veggies you receive throughout the season.
Is the non-refundable deposit really non-refundable?
Yes! ... and no. If for some reason you do back out of your membership, you can receive a retail credit of $125.00 for produce at fresh market (if/ when available), or $50.00 cash only if cancelled before April 1, 2011—but not both. Any remaining balance paid over the initial deposit will be refunded ONLY IF CANCELLED BEFORE APRIL 1, 2011. If you back out during the distribution season after having already received some produce the deposit will not be refunded and the remainder will have to be pro-rated on an individual basis only if there is someone on the waiting list to take your place. If a disagreement occurs, it will ultimately be decided by rest of the CSA members. Basically the farm encourages full shares paid early and is more interested in growing top notch, local foods than chasing people who owe the farm money.
What is on Two Toad Farm’s wish list?
Plain grass clippings and leaves, one row potato digger, ANY old toolbar or wheel hoe attachments (shanks, blades, hillers, wedges, ect..), blueberry winnower, mulch-layer, dry-bean thresher, and a comprehensive plan for the Town of Lebanon.