*How to Access Subsidized Summer Shares

SNAP Subsidized Shares

If you receive SNAP benefits and would like to use them towards purchasing a summer vegetable share, we’ll need to collect information from you to share with the Department of Transitional Assistance. Please fill out this form if you’re interested and we’ll be in touch with you via email from [email protected].

LexFarm Subsidized Shares

LexFarm has a select number of subsidized shares available for those who find the full cost of the Summer CSA to be a financial hardship and do not receive SNAP benefits. Please view the application here for more information and to apply if you believe a reduced price CSA would benefit you and your family! Your information will be shared with the CSA administrators, and you’ll receive information about your application via email from [email protected].

What is a CSA?

CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture, is a model of farming in which farmers sell shares of a season’s harvest directly to community members. The model is based on mutual trust–shareholders commit to support the farm for the season and the farmers commit to providing high-quality, nutritious food to their shareholders.

Community members purchase shares before the season begins, in order to provide cash flow when farmers need it the most, and to allow farmers to focus on farming–rather than marketing–during the season. Your upfront payment allows us to buy seeds, soil and supplies, as well as pay staff, all before we start to “realize the profit” of delicious veggies.

LexFarm has operated a CSA program for members since the farm’s inception in 2014.

What CSAs do you offer?

Our Member CSA programs include:

• Winter and Spring Veggies
• Summer and Fall Veggies
• Fruit
• Eggs
• Mushrooms
• Flowers

Costs and pickup days for each share are listed above, along with a calendar that shows how long each CSA season spans. Detailed descriptions are listed for each item in the CSA Store.

What’s in a Summer Share?

The summer share starts off a little lighter with fresh spring greens, herbs, and veggies like peas and carrots, and becomes heavier and more abundant as the summer goes on with classic summer veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini. Here’s a breakdown:

• Early season shares will have things that grow well in spring like leafy greens, scallions, strawberries, peas, and herbs. They tend to be smaller in size than shares later in the season.
• In July, cucumbers, summer squash, and zucchini will begin to appear.
• By August, we’ll have tomatoes, melons, eggplant, potatoes, peppers, and sweet onions. September yields garlic in addition to the peak summer veggies.
• In the last month of the summer share, we’ll have sweet potatoes, winter squash, and savory herbs. In years where we have certain “bumper crops” you’ll likely be able to preserve some of the harvest for later in the year. There’s nothing better than a can (or freezer bag) full of tomatoes preserved at their peak from your own farm share!

Our farmers also try to provide a variety of fresh-eating and cooking greens, an allium (onion/garlic family) vegetable, and something bulky to provide a substantial meal.

What quantity of vegetables come in a share?

The quantity of veggies changes from week to week. Your mileage will vary depending on how many vegetable enthusiasts you live with. Our shares (along with your FarmBucks) are generally enough to provide veggies for an average family of 3-4, but could be the right amount for 1 or 2 folks who eat a lot of veggies. Weekly shares generally include between 7 and 12 items.

You’re welcome to split a share with another household, but we will record only one name per share. That name will appear on the sign-in sheet at share pickup and receive any email correspondence we send out.

Do you have ideas on what I can make with my vegetables?

A CSA is an adventure, inviting you to become a better cook, allowing you to use your creativity to make use of the freshest ingredients each week! We provide a recipe each week in the newsletter that highlights at least one of the items in the share that week, and our Farm Store Manager and farmers would be happy to share recipe ideas with you if you’re trying something new.

What does it cost?

You’re making an investment in LexFarm when you pay for your share at the beginning of our growing season; that’s when we most need capital to purchase seeds and other supplies.

How can I pay for my Member CSA Share?

Credit Card

If you choose to pay by credit card, we ask that you consider a 3% “tip” to cover credit card fees.

Check

If you choose to pay by check, you will enter a coupon code (paywithcheck) at check out. Detailed instructions for paying by check can be found here. Please mail your check to LexFarm, PO Box 554, Lexington, MA 02420. Checks must be received within one week in order to reserve your share.

All CSA shares must be paid in full at signup, except for the SNAP-Subsidized Summer Vegetable Share.

What if I can’t afford it?

We strive to make our Summer CSA shares available to everyone in our community. If the full cost of a Summer CSA is prohibitive to you, we offer these options:

SNAP Subsidized Shares

If you receive SNAP benefits and would like to use them towards purchasing a summer vegetable share, we’ll need to collect information from you to share with the Department of Transitional Assistance. Please fill out this form if you’re interested and we’ll be in touch with you via email from [email protected].

LexFarm Subsidized Shares

LexFarm has a select number of subsidized shares available for those who find the full cost of the Summer CSA to be a financial hardship and do not receive SNAP benefits. Please view the application here for more information and to apply if you believe a reduced price CSA would benefit you and your family! Your information will be shared with the CSA administrators, and you’ll receive information about your application via email from [email protected].

How does pickup work?

1. Exact season start date for each share type is subject to the weather and field conditions. We’ll send you an email a week or two prior to the start of each share informing you of the season start date and other relevant pickup details. For 10-week summer vegetable shareholders, this email will also tell you whether you’ve been assigned to the odd- or even-week group.
2. Pick up your share on the designated days when the Farm Store is open. View our Farm Store hours here.
3. If you can’t make the regular pickup for your share, you may:
   • Seek a swap (this applies only to summer vegetable share). You can use the Google group to swap dates with another shareholder. Finding a swapmate isn’t guaranteed, but it has worked well in past years. Each of you is emailed an invitation to join the Google group at the start of the CSA season. (Email [email protected] to have your invitation resent if you can’t find it.) Have the swapmate check in under your name. You don’t need to let us know.
   • Send a friend. This is a wonderful opportunity to introduce a neighbor, friend, or co-worker to the farm. Have the friend check in under your name. You don’t need to let us know.
   • Donate your share. If you don’t pick up your share, the food won’t go to waste. We donate all extra vegetables to food rescue organizations twice every week, and we’re happy to make your share available to those who will use it.

You can pick up your CSAs any time the Farm Store is open. We aren’t staffed to make pickup arrangements other than the ones described above. We can’t hold shares beyond the specified pickup dates. Thank you for working with these options.

What are FarmBucks?

The summer vegetable share includes our “FarmBucks” program to provide additional variety and/or volume to weekly shares. While we’re not able to grow 200+ of certain crops (like fennel) on our farm, we can offer a smaller quantity of other produce at our Farm Store. Here’s what you get:

• 20-week summer vegetable share includes $70 in FarmBucks.
• 10-week summer vegetable share includes $35 in FarmBucks.

FarmBucks are tracked at the Farm Store–no need to remember a card–and may be used to purchase any produce or seedlings at any time the Farm Store is open during the summer CSA season.
FarmBucks expire on the last pickup day of the summer CSA season. No exceptions.

What is your refund/cancellation policy?

Any refund or cancellation is contingent upon our ability to sell your reserved share. An administrative fee of 5% of your total will be deducted. Refunds are given at the discretion of LexFarm. You can request a cancellation and refund by contacting [email protected].

What is a work share?

A work share is an opportunity to volunteer four hours of time a week in exchange for a full summer vegetable share. There are two types of work shares:

• Harvest work share participants join the farm crew to harvest vegetables that are distributed through the CSA shares.
• Farm Store work share participants help with setting up, replenishing, breaking down, cleaning, and customer service during CSA distributions in the Farm Store.

Work share positions involve physical work, a weekly commitment to work at the farm, and involve an informal interview. Please email [email protected] if you are interested in a work share, as we only have a limited number to offer.