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For more information
about The Food Bank Farm, call (413) 582-0013 or send an
e-mail to
foodbankfarm@yahoo.com
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Community Supported
Agriculture farms (CSAs) are
supported by members who buy a
share in the farm and receive
fresh, organic produce throughout
the season. The Food Bank Farm is
one of the largest and most
efficient CSAs
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2008 Farm Share Pickup Hours:
Mon & Weds, 12-7
Fri, 11-3
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in the country and
the first with the primary mission
of helping to feed those in need.
The Food Bank Farm provides half of its annual harvest to Food Bank member agencies and our Brown Bag program - that's an average of 200,000 pounds of fresh organic produce each year going to people who are hungry or food-insecure.
The Food Bank Farm
is about building community. On
your weekly pick-up you will see
where your food comes from and
meet the folks who grow it. You
will experience the harmony of the
seasons. The farm is a great
place to bring kids, meet your
neighbors, and celebrate a way of
farming that nurtures the land.
At the same time you enjoy your
bounty, your membership helps the
farm raise healthy organic produce
for the Food Bank of Western
Massachusetts. Over the last five
years, the farm has produced more
than 900,000 pounds of food for
the Food Bank and its member
agencies. Share the Harvest!
The Harvest Season
Each week, from
June through October, shareholders
bring home a bounty of freshly
picked organic produce. From
gourmet salad greens and heirloom
tomatoes to our delicious carrots,
squash and sweet red peppers, the
farm raises more than 250
varieties of vegetables, flowers
and herbs.
Uncompromised Quality
At the Food Bank Farm, we harvest
your vegetables the same day you
pick them up. We select all of our
varieties for superior flavor,
rather than how they look.
Supermarket varieties are chosen
for their uniformity and ability
to be shipped long distance, using
millions of gallons of gasoline.
This is not only destructive to
our environment, it also
compromises the nutritional value
and flavor of your food. Join the
Food Bank Farm and eat tomatoes
and melons grown solely for taste
- you will notice the difference.
The bounty will be picked, washed
and ready for you to collect at
your weekly pick up. There is no
work requirement on your part. Of
course, the farmers love it when
members show up to lend a hand and
you are invited to do so anytime.
Beyond the Season
In both November and December you
will receive a month’s supply of
storage crops. These will include
carrots, beets, winter squash,
cabbage, leeks, rutabagas, and
more.
U-Pick Vegetables
There are some crops that you can
U-Pick. These vary from year to
year but will always include:
Green beans, strawberries, sugar
snap peas, more than 20 types of
herbs (including 3 kinds of
basil!), plum and cherry tomatoes.
U-pick is generally unlimited; you
take what you need. Some years,
when a crop performs poorly, we
impose limits on one or two crops.
U-pick Flowers
We also offer unlimited U-pick on
our “Acre of Flowers”. We raise a
spectacular assortment of more
than 50 different flower
varieties. This is by far one of
the most popular spots on the
farm. One of the farmers’ favorite
things to do is watch members
quietly cutting their bouquets
against the backdrop of Holyoke
Range; we know they will bring the
farm’s beauty back home.
Other Local Products
In addition to the produce
included in your membership, the
farm also makes available a wide
assortment of fresh local
products: organic sour dough bread
baked in a brick oven, local and
organic eggs, tofu, goat cheese,
tempeh, miso, our own dressings,
granola, tasty baked goods,
organic and low spray fruit,
naturally raised beef, lamb and
chicken, fresh pasta, and
biodegradable detergents. We even
sell a soap which is made locally
by bicycle powered equipment!
Farm Shares
A Farm Share feeds
a family of 3-5 and is $475 for
the season. A Farm Share Plus
feeds 5-7 and costs $640.
According to an independent study,
a share costs less than half
of what you would pay for the
same amount of organic produce in
a supermarket.
We are sold out for the 2008 season. If you would like to join our wait list, please email us.
Volunteer at the Farm.
Look at the Farm's
crop list and harvest schedule.
How to contact the farm:
Call (413) 582-0013
For general farm questions,
e-mail
foodbankfarm@yahoo.com
For membership and billing
questions, e-mail
foodbankfarmmembers@yahoo.com
Visit The Food
Bank Farm at 121 Bay Road (Route
47) in Hadley, (just south of
Route 9).
From
the south, take I-91 north to exit
19. Turn right off the exit and
cross the Calvin Coolidge bridge.
Just after the bridge, turn right
onto Bay Road and drive about 2
miles. The Farm is on your
right.
From the north, take I-91 south to
exit 20. Turn left at the first
intersection off the highway exit
onto Damon Road. Follow Damon
Road until it intersects Route 9,
just before the Calvin Coolidge
Bridge. Turn left and cross the
bridge. Just after the bridge,
turn right onto Bay Road and drive
about 2 miles. The Farm is on
your right.
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