2019 Summer CSA

  • Pickups: Mercy, Smiley, Edgemont, Pagosa Springs
  • Delivery dates: June 5 - October 2
  • Number of weeks: 18 
  • Cost: $630
  • Weekly Newsletter
    • what's in your box, notes from the farm, & recipes
  • Private Facebook Group
    • easy recipes, educational videos, and more

Community

Supported
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Agriculture
  • How it works
  • Seasonal varieties
  • Where is it delivered
  • How much it costs
  • FAQ's
"Best CSA we've every been involved with. We really appreciated how clean and fresh the veggies were. Love that you used recycled boxes. Refrigerated trailer was something I had no idea would make such a difference. It really did. What a great idea."
Nancy and Mike ~ 2016-18 summer and winter CSA members
"The amount of food was plentiful and the variety amazing. I love having fresh greens so I loved the bags of mixed greens for salads. All of it was amazing."
Lauren ~ 2016 Summer and Winter CSA member
How it works:  
​A CSA customer is buying a share of what the farm produces. You purchase your share at the beginning of the year and then receive weekly deliveries all season long. It is an agreement between consumer and farmer that provides benefits to both.  
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  1. CSA shares are bought for the entire season: This allows the farmer to know how much to grow and that what is grown will find its way to families that will enjoy the food.  Knowing that all the hard work and intention will be valued is everything to us. At Tierra Vida Farm, CSA customers are our priority. Which means, top quality produce is grown each week all season long specifically for them. 
  2. Weekly pickup: Food is about life, connection, and joy.  Having a relationship to a local farm and farmer provides a deeper connection to the food and an appreciation for where and how food is grown.  Each week members pick up their box of food, meet the farmer, and share stories. It's more like Christmas than an item on a to-do list. You'll pick up your share of fresh veggies from the yellow Tierra Vida Farm trailer each week. 
  3. Seasonal Bounty: Growing food at the base of the San Juan Mountains has its challenges. During bountiful years means it's easy to ensure boxes are bursting with a variety of seasonal foods. Other years, we have to work a lot harder to ensure shares remain full. At Tierra Vida Farm rigorous planning, greenhouses, row cover, soil fertility, and pest management are combined to ensure every family gets the value they are paying for.​
Are you a preschool or other small institutions looking to incorporate local, nutritious vegetables in the menu?  Check out the WSA (Wholesale Supported Agriculture) page. It might be a better fit for you needs than a CSA!
For every family that buys a CSA with a child attending a participating preschool, we will provide a $20 discount to their preschool's seasonal WSA cost (up to a total discount of $100). When signing up for a CSA, write in the preschool your child attends in the "How did you hear about us field".
"I liked the flexibility and personal service of being able to switch out varieties if we wanted. It was nice getting a bit of fruit too with the melons."
 Darcy ~ 2016-18 Summer and Winter CSA member
​Seasonal varieties:  
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​Expect the variety and quantity to change throughout the season. Some varieties are weekly staples, like carrots, salad mix, and various cooking greens while other varieties are more seasonal.
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  1. ​Spring, deliveries start June 5:  Expect the first 2-3 boxes to have lots of greens.  It is a great time for salads and varieties include: spinach, arugula, salad mix, lettuce, pac-choi, radish, carrots, beets, chinese cabbage, and garlic scapes.
  2. Summer - July, August, and September:  Now things are cranking in the garden. Expect the boxes to become heavier, starting with kale, chard, broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, and herbs. By late July: summer squash, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, melons, and basil.
  3. Fall - Harvest season:  As the nights get colder and begin to freeze, boxes in late September and October will have kale, collards, winter squash, potatoes, carrots, beets, salad mix, onions, and garlic.  ​
  4. Winter CSA:  The last delivery doesn't have to be a sad day, there is a winter CSA too, so you can keep eating fresh local produce until Christmas.

These lists are not exhaustive. For a complete list, visit our growing this year page. 
Deliveries
Convenient & reliable weekly deliveries at two great locations 

When:  First pickup: June 5, Last pickup: October 2. 

Where: 
  • Mercy Day Care: Wednesday, dropped off at 3:00 for you to pick up when you get off work. 
  • Smiley Building: Wednesdays from 4:00-6:00 (1300 East 3rd Avenue in Durango)
  • Edgemont Highlands Postoffice Room: Wednesdays, delivered by 6:30 ​​and left in the post-office if you need to pick up later. 
  • Pagosa Springs: Thursday, 4:00 - 5:00 at Higher Grounds Coffee (bags will be left for those who need to pick up after 5:00 but must be picked up by 7:00). 
​Missed your pickup?  No problem, sometimes it happens, our refrigerated trailer will keep it fresh. You can pick it up at the farm on Thursday or Friday.  We do ask that this option is only used when necessary as we have limited refrigerator space to hold shares that weren't picked up.
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* Mercy Day Care shares can only be dropped off if you have a child at the daycare center. If you do not, you'll need to meet us at 3:00 to pick up. 
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* Edgemont shares are left in the post-office room which requires a key. If you are not a resident of Edgemont you'll need to meet us at 6:30 to pick up.
Value:  quantity, quality, cost:  

  1. Quantity -  Expect 8 to 12 varieties in each box:  Fewer varieties early and late in the year and more at the height of the harvest season. Each box provides enough veggies for a family of four to incorporate into their home cooked meals. A couple who eats primarily vegetarian or paleo can work through the same box each week.
  2. Quality -  picked ripe and delivered fresh:  CSA customers are our first priority. Vegetables are harvested, washed, and refrigerated to ensure each share is full of top quality produce.
  3. Cost: Summer CSA is $630 for 18 weeks. The value of each box ranges with the season from $30 to $45 with an average value of $35 per week.
  4. An average box:  As an example, a June box would contain: 1/2 pound of spinach, 1/2 pound of salad mix, 2 pounds of carrots, 1 pound of pac Choi, 1 bunch of Kale, Garlic scapes, peas, and radish. July box may contain: 1/2 pound salad mix, carrots, 1 bunch of collards, bunch beets, Cabbage, 2 Zucchini, 2 cucumbers, 3-4 tomatoes, and fresh beans.  
"Seriously, these were some of the best quality vegetables I've had the pleasure of eating."
​Darcy ~ 2016-18 Summer and Winter CSA member
More questions:  Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions. Learn more about our growing practices if that's of interest to you and please contact us if your question is still unanswered.  
  1. What if it's too much food?  A valid concern for those who eat out often. If you are interested in trying new vegetables and learning new recipes you'll be able to utilize the entire share. Freezing, canning, and pickling are all great ways to utilize store excess produce for the winter. We're committed to your CSA success and support you with a weekly CSA newsletter and a private Facebook group where you'll find recipes, produce descriptions, video tips, and more.
  2. No Half share?  No, but we have several members that co-own a share with another friend or family. If dividing the share you can pick up on alternating weeks or divide each box after pickup. Because of our refrigerated trailer, we find that produce easily lasts two weeks. Most people who share, decide to pick up on alternating weeks instead of dividing up the share each week. 
  3. I don't know how to cook with..."________"...?  As mentioned above, we are committed to your CSA success. If you're unsure of how to use something ask us when you pick up your share or on the private Facebook group. The Tierra Vida Farm newsletter is sent out each week and includes recipe suggestions as well. You can never go wrong with sautéing veggies in butter or bacon fat with some salt and pepper, put it over rice or chicken for a full meal.  
  4. What if I go on vacation?  Have a friend pick up the box for you while you're away.  If your friends are vacationing with you, let us know and we'll donate the box to the food bank, preschool, or non-profit. 
  5. How long will the vegetables last? Not that you will be able to test this, but spinach from the farm has been known to stay good for more than six weeks in the fridge. Carrots harvested in November can still be crisp and delicious in February! When its picked fresh and handled properly it will last much longer than grocery store produce.
  6. I forgot to pick up my box, can I still get it?  CSA shares not picked up on the delivery day can be picked up at the farm.  It's one more reason we have a large refrigerator. We do ask that you only do this when absolutely necessary as it does add to our work load.
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