What is a CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture is a great way for farmers and eaters to connect and form a relationship. Frog Hollow Farm delivers boxes of seasonal organic fruit from our Orchard, or one of our organic Farm Partners, to an established neighborhood drop site – often the front porch of a generous neighbor, or a school or business in the community. Joining our CSA provides the opportunity to become more in tune with the seasons and to get to know the farm through our weekly newsletter and fun family-friendly farm events. By joining our CSA you are taking an active role in supporting a family run farm that is committed to environmental sustainability and to fostering community health.
Frog Hollow Farm We call our CSA the Happy Child CSA because it was built with children in mind, featuring healthy fruits that are kid-friendly in size. Add-ons are available for dried goods like granola or olive oil, veggies, and eggs, but the core Happy Child farm box is 100% fruit for your children, or the child in you, to enjoy. The CSA program helps Frog Hollow reach broader neighborhoods, show families ways to bring fruit into prepared meals through recipes in our weekly CSA Newsletter, and teach children to enjoy fruit as easy, tasty snacks. Your support helps Frog Hollow become a sustainable financial business as well as a sustainable, organic, fair-labor business. We farm sustainably, organically, and fairly because we believe in our hearts you reap what you sow – what we put into our neighborhood is exactly what we get out of it.
How does it work?
Our CSA operates year-round. New members can sign on for a box at any time and either pay weekly with an Auto-Renew option, or receive a 10% discount when subscribing as a Sustaining Member and committing to the CSA for six months.
Members decide which location they’d like to pick up their fruit box. Depending on where a pick-up site lies along our driver’s route, boxes arrive in the morning or early afternoon, however pickup times are from 3pm to 8pm at most locations. On delivery day, all you have to do is swing by to pick up the box with your name on it, make sure you sign your name on the manifest, and then head home to enjoy your delicious, hand-picked fruit. There’s no need to ring the host’s doorbell, and because members pre-pay directly to the farm, no money changes hands at the delivery site.
How do I become a member, and how much does it cost?
We are using the CSAWare software to manage our CSA and give members more control over their account. Click on the button below to check out the shares and payment options or call us for help at 925-634-2845 option 4.
The cost for a Happy Child CSA share depends on three things: size, frequency, and membership option. A single share is one box of fruit, a double share is two boxes of fruit, and a triple share is three boxes of fruit. The most popular size, the single share, is $25 per week, with a 10% discount available if you choose to commit as a Sustaining Member and pay for all weeks in advance. We offer both weekly and bi-weekly pickup options. Because we realize that paying for and committing to six months can be overwhelming, we offer a weekly Auto-Renew Membership option where you are charged weekly if a box is delivered.
What’s in a Happy Child CSA box?
In the summer and fall, our members enjoy Frog Hollow’s legendary fruit, which throughout the harvest season includes cherries, apricots, plums and pluots, peaches, nectarines, apples, European pears, Asian pears and grapes. During the winter months when our Orchard is largely dormant organic fruit from other local, family farms that share Frog Hollow’s community-centric values will find its way into the boxes to make sure members receive diverse, beautiful fruit boxes weekly. Winter boxes include a seasonal assortment of apples, citrus, kiwi, and avocado.
All in all, Happy Child CSA is a great way to experience the variety of California’s seasons!
What size should I order?
We recommend that you start with a single share with the weekly Auto-Renew option to discover the right amount of fruit for you or your family.
In general, a single share is recommended for 2-3 people, a double for 3-4, and triple shares for 4 or more. Each CSA box includes 7 lbs. of fruit. How much fruit you or your household might need depends on how much fruit you eat. If you regularly eat two servings of fruit a day, make smoothies, enjoy baking, or cook and can preserves, one box may be perfect for you alone. If you eat only one piece of fruit every other day and have some finicky eaters in the house, a single box might last you two weeks. If there are kids in the house who need fruit for their lunches and frequent hungry guests dropping in, a double box might be more appropriate. These are just general recommendations and we’re happy to both talk to you about your needs, or to adjust your box size during your membership. Take a look at photos of our recent boxes in our weekly newsletters to see examples of the size and variety of fruit you’ll receive.
Are add-ons available?
Extra fruit and various Frog Hollow goodies like frozen pastries, dried fruit, granola, extra virgin olive oil, as well as conserves, chutneys and marmalades are available for members to order and be picked up along with the regular Happy Child weekly box. We have some add-ons from other small farms and producers as well, giving members the opportunity to order local eggs, veggies, and beauty products.
Where can I pick up?
Click here for a list of sites and the ability to find the site closest to your zip code.
Are there any other benefits to being a member?
Our CSA Members are invited to events at the farm aimed around fostering a connection to the place their food is grown. We seek to help our members become more aware of sustainable production and food systems through our weekly CSA Newsletter.
CSA members are able to purchase additional fruit or our kitchen items at an exclusive price. Members also enjoy a 15% discount in Frog Hollow Farm’s online store, and discounted rates to events we host for the public.
In addition to picking up a box of great tasting certified organic fruit on a weekly basis, CSA members can request donations of fruit for suitable functions. We have provided snacks for troop hikes so kids can have a healthy alternative to junk food, to neighborhood gatherings or block parties, as well as meetings and events where members are involved in topics like food justice or where they are working to improve the eating choices for their school or business.
Above all, a membership in Happy Child CSA will bring you closer to the local farming community.
As always, if you have further questions, please give us a call at 925-634-2845 option 4 or
contact us online.
