Looking for Farm Shares? Local and Regional Options for CSAs Near You
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Spokane is a fresh food-lovers paradise! If you love Spokane farmers markets, which are in almost every Spokane neighborhood, chances are you wish you could visit a farmers market year round. If that’s true, you’re in luck with local and regional veggie delivery.
This is also known as: community supported agriculture! Known to many as “vegetable delivery boxes”, “fruit and veggie boxes”, “farm shares” or “farm boxes” these truly farm-to-table options are popular throughout the country. Some local farms deliver straight to your house, and more CSA organizations are offering plenty of ways for you to customize your own boxes, with meat options, veggie options, bread options and much more!
If you’re interested in community supported agriculture or just want to get a tasty, local vegetable delivery box weekly, check out our full list below of all the options around Spokane.
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What is Community Supported Agriculture?
First, what is a CSA or what is CSA? Community support agriculture, also known as CSA, has been around for a while now, and they’re pretty simple. Basically, membership to a vegetable delivery box service (delivered weekly or twice a month, depending on the farm and your preferences) helps local farmers. Many CSAs are local harvests, from local farms, or specific CSA farms. You can find farm shares near you in almost every corner of the US, but it’s particularly prevalent here in the Northwest.
By purchasing a veggie and/or fruit delivery service, membership to a CSA helps pay for seeds, water, equipment and labor throughout the season for local farmers, when expenses are high and income is low. In turn, the farm provides seasonal produce throughout the harvesting season each week, typically beginning in June. Many CSAs participate in local organic farming, supporting local farmers and community farms in our area.
Check out this video to learn more about CSAs and how they help local farmers and the community:
CSA members then receive weekly boxes of seasonal produce, all paid for by their membership to the CSA. By purchasing a CSA membership, members are supporting the farm throughout the year, which ensures the survival of local agriculture.
Why Join a CSA?
Being a farmer nowadays isn’t cheap or easy. Community supported agriculture helps farmers plan for the year ahead, by knowing how many people are interested in purchasing a membership and veggies/fruit in the coming year.
Some CSAs charge a membership fee up front, and you receive the bounty throughout the following year. Other CSA services charge you weekly and you can cancel at any time.
In addition to supporting local farmers, you’re also benefiting from fresh, delicious produce delivered straight to your door (in many cases). With some CSAs, you can also get access to tasty local products, like bread, artisan cheese, jams and more.
No two CSAs are exactly the same, so let’s see what options best fit you and your family. Below, we’ll cover what kind of options you can find throughout Spokane.
Quick links:
- One of your most local and customizable options? LINC Foods
- Don’t want to commit to a CSA? FarmBox Direct
- Looking for a meat-centered options, including seafood? Farm Foods
- Looking for a Spokane Valley CSA? Thompson Creek Farm
- Fruit fanatic? Tonnemaker Hill Farm
- Want a hyper-local option? Urban Eden Farm
- Want to your dog to enjoy a CSA subscription? The Farmer’s Dog
Spokane Community Supported Agriculture (CSA Vegetable Box Delivery/Pick Up)
LINC Foods (Local Inland Northwest Cooperative)
LINC Foods is probably one of the most well-known community supported agriculture services in the Spokane area. LINC Foods is a farmer and worker owned “food hub” in Spokane, WA and provides farm-to-table options for individuals.
Each week, LINC members can take home a box full of fresh produce, dairy, meats – and even bread! The CSA is available June through November, and produce changes as the season progresses. Produce in the box is all grown and harvested at the farm, brought to the LINC Foods warehouse and delivered the next day.
Can’t wait until June? LINC Box also offers a Spring CSA box. Learn more here.
LINC Foods offers several options depending on your family size and how many vegetables you want to receive. Called shares, here is how LINC breaks down their share boxes:
- Half share – $22 every other week for 5-6 items
- Base share – $42 every other week for 9-12 varieties of produce
- Large share – $82 every other week 9-12 varieties of produce in double quantities
In addition to their summer share LINC Box, you can now also subscribe to LINC’s Brewery Box! As LINC describes it:
Each month, we’ll work with 3-4 breweries across the state to handpick four beers crafted with care and made to be flavorful. Choose your preferred number of four packs to add to your LINC Box or Subscribe to Brewery Box solo.
You can sign up for LINC’s Brewery Box here.
Benefits to signing up with LINC Foods:
- Locality – all of the 50+ member farms part of the LINC Cooperative are located within 250 miles of Spokane, and all farmers use environmentally sustainable and socially just growing practices (no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers)
- Ordering is easy – you can order online through the LINC Foods Marketplace for contact-free, farm-to-table grocery shopping
- Don’t want a box? You can choose exactly what you want from LINC’s marketplace
- Can order delivery at home (within 10 miles of downtown Spokane), or pick up options around Spokane and Spokane Valley
- Also offers dairy products, including Cougar Gold, yogurt, milk and more
- At the Marketplace, order cookies and handpies from Bean & Pie as well as bread from award-winning The Grain Shed
- You can sign up at any point in the season, and you can place a hold on your account if you’re not able to pick up your box
- Receive a newsletter with recipes using ingredients from your box – perfect for those of us who receive a vegetable and think ‘what do I do with this…’
Farm Foods
Looking for meat-based options, including beef, pork, chicken and even seafood? FarmFoods CSA is for you! FarmFoods connects customers to farms in a variety of locations, but there are local options for us, including Howard Farm (in Idaho), 4K Cattle (Montana), and Grass Valley Beef (PNW).
There are plenty of options no matter what you’re looking for, from salmon from Alaska to chicken value packs, pheasant, turkey, duck and more. Just take a look at a few of the beef options below!
Benefits to signing up with Farm Foods:
- Prices vary depending on the type of meat you’re looking to buy, and you can even buy ‘value packs’ to save more
- Not locked into a subscription service – simply order when you’re ready
- Whether you order from a local farm or not, you’re always supporting a local harvest and local farm – most are family run!
- Non-GMO, no antibiotics, hormone-free, grass-fed – however you want to support sustainability, it’s covered with Farm Foods
Agape Farm and Flowers
Agape is a local farm in Spokane offering CSA produce boxes along with flowers and more. In addition to ordering CSA boxes from Agape, the farm is also a U-Pick farm, too!
Currently, you can still subscribe to this season’s CSA box from Agape Farm. You can purchase a subscription at the Perry Thursday farmers market, at the Little Market, or at Cheney Market. You can also contact Agape to sign up online and via phone. Agape Farm is located just west of Latah Creek Golf Course, off the 195 and south of the Moran Prairie Spokane neighborhood.
Benefits to signing up with Agape:
- Supporting a local farmer
- Variety of products – from produce to flowers and even eggs!
- Convenient – you can pick up from Agape in a variety of locations all around the surrounding Spokane area
- Flexible – you can buy a subscription to Agape Farm’s CSA box whenever you want – a full subscription is optional, plus you can mix and match with add-ins
Ace of Spades
Aces of Spades is definitely a local farm! Located only four miles west of downtown Spokane, Ace of Spades farm is based on deep organic principles and offers gourmet and specialty produce.
When farmer’s markets are in season, you can find Ace of Spades at the Thursday Market at Perry from 3-7 pm.
Ace of Spades has already released its share produce information, which spans from June to October (or beyond – “end of season”):
- Share 1 (June 13): spinach, radishes, kale, arugula, peas, lettuce mix, micro greens
- Share 2 (June 20): lettuce, turnips, beets, radish, spinach, arugula, kale, mustards and micro greens and herbs
- Share 3 (June 27): lettuce, radishes, turnips, beets, cucumbers, summer squash, kale, snow/snap peas and herbs
- Shares 4 to 17 (July 4 to October 3): lettuce and subject to availability, carrots, turnips, beets, kale, swiss chard, cucumbers, tomatoes, summer squash, snow/snap peas, beans, broccoli, garlic, onions, basil, eggplants, potatoes, peppers, gourds, prunes, apples, maybe melons and herbs
- Share 18-20 (October 10 to end of season): lettuce, carrots, turnips, radish, cucumbers, tomatoes, garlic, arugula, potatoes, peppers, winter squash and pumpkins
Benefits to signing up with Ace of Spades:
- Supports local agricultural and farmers, and can pick up locally
- You know exactly what you’re getting in each share box
- Market card gives you the flexibility of choice – purchase a Market Card and then buy what you want at their market booths all season long
Urban Eden Farm
Urban Eden Farm is another hyper-local community supported agriculture option here in Spokane. Located in the Vinegar Flats neighborhood of Spokane (5 minutes from the Davenport Hotel), Urban Eden prides itself on being “seriously local.”
Owner Jim Schrock is part of a Washington state farming family stretching back to 1883, so you could say he knows his stuff! Membership for Urban Eden Farm is paid annually, not weekly, and the June through September membership costs $400.
Here’s what you can typically expect to get throughout the season (although remember – it’s a farm and this info can change!):
- Spring Box: salad mix, chard, mizuna, radishes, snap peas, cillantro, nettles, watercress, shallot greens, rhubarb, pea tendrils
- Summer Box: plums, turnips, bok choi, kale, bunching onions, summer squash, basil, green beans
- Fall Box: potatoes, pumpkins, carrots, beets cabbage, garlic, tomatoes, storage onions, salad mix, winter squash
Benefits to signing up with Urban Eden Farm:
- Support truly local – located within the city of Spokane, Urban Eden can’t get any closer!
- Follow them for the latest updates on Facebook here – Urban Eden shares information on how to cook your produce, recipes, information on available farm stand produce and more
- Offers their own farm stand for pick up before the season starts
- You can split shares with a friend or family member, or Urban Eden can help set you up with a buddy to offset costs and amount of food you receive!
Duncan Produce
Duncan Produce typically sells its produce to restaurants, but when the virus hit, Duncan Produce lost 70% of its business – so they’ve pivoted to direct-to-customer sales with pick up options around Spokane.
Duncan Produce sells bulk produce, including potatoes, hash browns, carrots, stir fry mixes and more. The business is doing so well, they’re planning to keep selling to the general public even after stay at home orders are over, according to KREM.
Their weekly produce pick up locations seem to change weekly, but are generally in the Spokane area. Make sure to follow them on Facebook for the latest info.
Benefits to visiting Duncan Produce:
- Variety of options per week, although you can generally count on mixes (like fajita), potatoes, and even meat
- Offers plenty of notice of pick up date, time, and location for you to prepare ahead
- Call for availability – 509-922-8193
Tonnemaker Hill Farm
Tonnemaker Hill Farm is in its 10th year of offering fruit CSA options – it’s here for the long haul! They offer several options for CSA produce, including a veggie CSA and flower CSA.
The summer CSA has two sizes of weekly fruit boxes – blue and gray. The blue box is $460 for 17 weeks and feeds 3-4 people, whereas the grey box is $360 for 17 weeks and feeds 1-2 people.
The veggie CSA has an average of 6 items per week, mainly focusing on popular vegetables (lettuce, basil, cucumbers and more). You can see the full list of options, including the flower CSA, over at Tonnemaker Hill Farm’s website here.
Benefits to signing up with Tonnemaker Hill Farm:
- CSA season goes from the first week of July and runs through October
- Offers the most fruit options of any of the other CSAs!
- You can pick up in counties outside of Spokane, including Grant, Adams, and even in Idaho
Thompson Creek Farm
Thompson Creek Farm is a certified organic farm in Newman Lake, WA – near Spokane! The farm also practice many biodynamic principles and natural farming methods.
As the farm is located in Newman Lake, it does mean pick up and delivery is a little different. You can pick up your CSA at the farm, otherwise pick ups will occur at the Newman Lake Grange on Starr Road on Mondays. You can also pick up your shares at the Spokane Valley Farmers Market on Fridays. Learn more about the CSA and pick up options here.
The Thompson Creek Farm CSA runs from mid-late June through September, for 14-16 weeks depending on weather. You have two share options:
- Half share – This share will contain $18-$21 worth of produce weekly. Great for 1 or 2 people who eat a good amount of veggies, or small families.
- Full share – This share will contain $24-$27 worth of produce weekly. Great for bigger families, anyone who loves cooking, trying new things, or just really enjoys fresh organic veggies!
Wondering what could come in your CSA box? Check out an example of July:
July: garlic, lettuce, beets, strawberries, broccoli, fresh onions, fresh shallots, basil, kale, chard, zucchini, summer squash, pea & sunflower shoots, carrots, salad mix, garlic scapes and cucumbers.
Yum!
Benefits to signing up with Thompson Creek Farm CSA:
- Availability for Spokane Valley and more people outside of Spokane
- Can also order a flower CSA for an additional cost
- Storage Box option for $35 – this comes at the end of the season and contains veggies like squash, potatoes, onions, garlic and other ‘storage’ crops.
Tolstoy Farms
Tolstoy Farms is a unique farm with an interesting back story – Tolstoy Farm itself is “an intentional community located in a wooded canyon outside of Davenport in Eastern Washington.” It is made up of two autonomous communities, the Sunrise Hill Free School and the Mill Canyon Benevolent Society.
Mill Canyon Benevolent Society is an off-the-grid community where home power comes from solar. Residents own their own homes, but the land is cared for in common. The certified organic, 4 acre garden, which grows the vegetables and berries sold by Tolstoy Farms, is on this land.
In addition, Tolstoy Farms is a worker collective, which means profits are divided equally per hour worked. It’s a truly unique model!
Tolstoy Farm community supported agriculture offers a full ($650 for the season) and half veggie share ($400 for the season), as well as a winter share option ($250 for 50 pounds each of potatoes, carrots, onions and winter squash).
The CSA begins in early June and lasts until late September/early October. Your June box could include the following:
- June: Spinach, lettuce, herbs, peas, cut flowers, green onions, strawberries, salad mix, mustard, radish, collards, kale, garlic tops, turnips
Benefits to signing up with Tolstoy Farms CSA:
- Supporting a unique farming model that ensures benefits for all who work the farm
- Winter share option is an incredible value!
- Pick up is easy – Wednesday & Saturday pickups are at the Spokane Farmers’ Market downtown
- Offers delivery for residents of Davenport
Using Up Your Veggies and Fruit
As someone who has used CSAs before and gotten a ton of fruits and veggies for a family of two, I understand that ‘using up the produce’ can be easier said than done sometimes!
It’s actually for this reason that I ended up getting a Blendtec Classic – to help blend up the greens in particular and add to smoothies and vegetable sauces. I’ve owned my Blendtec for over 5 years – it’s a powerhouse! The image below is very similar to what my older model looks like.
You can use your CSA orders to plan your grocery list, along with meals suggested by The Dinner Daily. Add veggies to a pasta meal, incorporate chicken with a taco night, and more.
By far, Washington state has the most impressive community supported agriculture opportunities than any place I’ve ever lived. It makes choosing which CSA to try difficult – but also really fun, because you know you’re getting exactly what you want.
Would you try a CSA, or have you? Let us know over at our Facebook group Getting to Know Spokane!
Full list of the above mentioned community supported agriculture options:
