Adventures in Food in Ann Arbor and Beyond "Food with a story tastes better" -- Wendell Berry | The Farmer's Marketer

Farmer's Marketer's CSA Guide

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:52:25 -0400

Want to get fresh, local food at a discount? A CSA subscription is the most direct way to support a farm and get the best price for locally grown produce, meat, eggs, prepared meals and more!

In addition to the downloadable guide describing the many CSA options in the Ann Arbor area, the Farmer's Marketer is offering a "CSA matchmaking" service. This is $25 for a one-hour consultation to help…

Signs of Spring

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:28:10 -0400

I don't know what's bringing the spring so early this year (global warming?), but the easter egg colors everywhere make me smile. It's a heart-lifting time of year. More signs of spring:

- WCC Farmer Panel and Job Fair: 1-5pm on April 19th at WCC
Washtenaw Community College and FSEP have teamed up to offer the first ever local food system job fair. They're calling it the "Small Holder Farm…

The Farmers Marketer's Local Food Consultation and Help Finding Your Summer CSA Farm Share ("Finding a CSA is like dating")

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:46:50 -0400

Whew! I've spent hundreds of hours tracking down the CSAs that are in our area and I've interviewed a couple dozen CSA farmers and other CSA owners (for prepared meals, meat, frozen foods, and more). There are so many great CSA options here - with summer produce, winter greens, microgreens and beyond. This obsession has given me a pretty good handle on what's currently available in the CSA…

CSA Series: Two Creeks Organics

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:58:00 -0500

Owners: Amie and Mark Sanford

Phone: 734-678-1984

Email: twocreeksorganic@aol.com
Season: Late May-Early October, 20 weeks (also did a 10 week share season)
Pick-up: Thursday at Westside Farmers Market in Ann Arbor, Thursday through Saturday at the farm, Friday at Saline Farmers Market
Cost: $600 for full share, $325 for half share
Cost per week: $30/week (full share), $16.25/week (half share)
…

CSA Series: Tantré Farm

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:32:52 -0500

Owners: Richard Andres and Deb Lentz
Phone: 734-475-4323

Email: tantrefarm@hotmail.com
Season: Early June-Mid October (20 weeks)
Pick-up: Saturday - Community High in Ann Arbor and Chelsea Farmers Market; Wednesday -Ann Arbor Farmers Market; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday pickup available at Tantre Farm
Cost: Full share $600 for 20 weeks ($575 for farm pickup).
Cost per week: $30/week
Growing…

CSA Series: Pregitzer Farm Market CSA

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:45:50 -0500

Owners: Shannon and Wade Pregitzer
Phone: 517-769-2768

Email: shannon@yourfarmmarket.com
Season: July-October, 14 weeks
Pick-up: Thursday afternoon Ann Arbor Westside Farmers Market; Friday at the farm; Tuesday Jackson “duck pond” park and water treatment center on Lansing Ave.; Wednesday Chelsea Hospital Farmers Market and Stockbridge Veteran's Park
Cost: Full share (4-6 person) $395, Half…

CSA Series: Portage River Farm

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:20:47 -0500

Owners: John and Janet Adelman
Phone: 734-648-0244

Email: prfarmstand@yahoo.com
Season: March-January
Pick-up: At the farm in Pinckney - Tuesday and Saturday. In the future planning to go to farmers markets or have drop-off with CSA members.
Cost: Starting out with $350 for a share that feeds 4. $270 for half share.
Growing practice: Organic practice. In process of organic certification.
…

CSA Series: Old Pine Farm Meat CSA

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 13:05:29 -0500

Owner: Kris Hirth

Email: Oldpinefarm123@yahoo.com
Season: Full season one-year shares and half-shares from November-October; and four-month shares and half-shares from March-June, July-October, and November-February.
Pick-up: Once or twice per month at locations in Ann Arbor or at the farm
Cost: 1 year full share: $1290, 1 year half share: $775. 4 month full share: $525, 4 month half share:…

CSA Series: Needle Lane Farm

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 10:34:59 -0500

Farm Manager: Beverly Ruesink
Phone: 517-263-5912

Email: needlelane@tc3net.com
Season: Full season: May-October (20 weeks); Summer season: July-September (12 weeks)
Pick-up: Tuesdays at Morgan and York after 12pm; also Tuesdays at Needle-Lane Farm in Tipton, Saturday at the Tecumseh Farmers Market, Saturday at the Adrian Farmers Market
Cost: Full Season/Family (20 weeks) for 3-4 people: $620;…

CSA Series: Frog Holler Organic Farm

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:53:17 -0500

Owners: The King Family
Phone: 517-592-8017

Email: kings@froghollerorganic.com
Season: June-October (18 weeks)
Pick-up: Saturday-Ann Arbor Farmers Market, or at the farm Saturday or Sunday
Cost: $450 for 18 weeks ($400 for pickup at the farm)
Cost per week: $25/week (or $22/week)
Growing practice: Organic practice
Website: http://froghollerorganic.com/

When Ken and Cathy King started Frog Holler…

CSA Series: Community Farm of Ann Arbor

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:01:15 -0500

Farmers: Anne Elder and Paul Bantle
Phone: 734-433-0261
Email: N/A

Season: May-November, about a 26 week season.
Pick-up: Wednesday or Saturday at the farm
Cost: Sliding scale: $700-$1800 (target average $1175)
Cost per week: $27-$69/week
Growing practice: Biodynamic/Demeter Certified
Work requirement: 15 hours/season (or additional $125)
Website: http://www.communityfarmofaa.org
Plus: Honey,…

CSA Series: Sunseed Farm

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:01:26 -0500

Owners: Tomm and Trilby Becker
Phone: 517-980-0893
Farm Location: at the end of Boyden Drive, near the corner of Joy and Maple Roads, just northwest of Ann Arbor.
Email: farm.sunseed@gmail.com
Season: Three 16 week sessions offered throughout the year. Spring share starts January-April (16 weeks). The Summer share May to mid-August (16 weeks). Fall share end of August-December (16 weeks). A…

CSA Series: Carpenter's Greenhouse and Organic Produce

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:19:48 -0500

Owner: Dwight Carpenter
Phone: 517-320-9619

Email: ddcarpenter7@yahoo.
Season: Mid May-mid October, 20 weeks
Pick-up: Wednesday and Saturday at Ann Arbor Farmers Market; Thursday at Northville Farmers Market; Saturday at Farmington Farmers Market. Monday at Carpenter’s Greenhouse in Allen, MI
Cost: Full share $340; Half-share $170.
Cost per week: $17/week
Growing practice: Certified organic
…

CSA Series: Capella Farm

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:13:48 -0500

Owners: Jennifer and Dave Kangas

Email: capellafarm@gmail.com
Phone: 734-761-3554

Season: May - October, plus large Thanksgiving share (which has about 2-3 weeks worth of produce) in November is included

Pick-up: Wednesday and Saturday at Capella Farm on Scio Church Rd.

Cost: $650, with 15 hours of work for the season. For people who can afford it, $750 and no work hours.

Cost per week: $29…

CSA Series 2010: Time to Sign Up

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:07:27 -0500

I'm going to try a bit of a challenge for myself here - I want to do a series on the CSA farms in our area. I've been doing some in-depth information gathering on this, and as you know I think there are a million reasons to become a member of a CSA farm. Among which are that once you pay an upfront fee, in exchange you get a box of gorgeous vegetables and the chance to talk every week to the…

Sweet Valentine for You and ... Food Gatherers

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:50:25 -0500

So Tammy over at Tammy's Tastings has been hosting her TT Supper Club fundraising dinners for almost a year now. For $50 per person she serves a small group an incredible multi-course menu, based on what's in season at the farmers market. All funds beyond the cost of the food go to help organizations like: Preserving Traditions, Earthworks Urban Farm and Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit, Growing…

Choosing Your CSA Farm Share: Seven Selection Criteria (plus a consideration)

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 14:27:56 -0500

Mary Wessel Walker of Community Farm Kitchen says "Oh Say Can You CSA?"™

It would make a fitting new national anthem this year in particular. Among our Local Food Victories of the past year, one is an amazing proliferation in the number and kinds of CSA farm shares that are available to the good people of fair Ann Arbor and environs.

In case you haven't heard of it before, Community Supported…

Resolutionary Road

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:26:27 -0500

It seems like a lot of people are getting into this local eating thing, taking the 3rd Annual Dark Days Challenge, and since it's the first of the year, making resolutions to do more with the local. I did the first annual Dark Days Challenge a couple of years ago and now it seems hard to believe how I used to shop and eat. Resolved: I will not buy or eat food-like substances. Resolved: I will…

Farmers Marketing in San Diego Christmas 2009

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:16:48 -0500

December is the season for Persephone's mythical pomegranates, honey-sweet persimmons, meltingly rich avocados, rare red walnuts, aromatic guavas, and bright citrus - in southern California. If you read Edible San Diego, you'll see that the tents that line the street of the Little Italy Mercato, on a hill with a view of the sky-blue ocean and within a persimmon-throw of the airport, form one of…

Eating Our Greens

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:19:20 -0500

We currently have 9 kinds of greens in our refrigerator. All from the Ann Arbor Farmers Market - and most from our Brines Farm winter greens CSA. That nine counts the salad mix - which probably also has nine different varieties in it - as just one. And it doesn't count the cabbage and brussels sprouts lounging in the fridgidaire either.

I spent over an hour yesterday listening to Prairie Home…