2012 registration now open
Sign up for the 5th year of Makaria Farm’s Vegetable Share Program (also known as Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA). Click here for our 2012 registration form, and read below for details.
Sign up to receive 13-15 weeks of local, organic vegetables this summer!
What is Community Supported Agriculture?
Community Supported Agriculture is a form of direct marketing of fresh vegetables and fruits based on an agreement between farmers and consumers who pay in advance for a regular share of vegetables through the growing season. By collecting payment in advance, we’re able to invest in seeds and infrastructure (e.g. chicken coops, greenhouses) when we need it, and you’re able to reserve a generous share of our super-fresh, top-quality, organic produce in the growing season.
Why should I subscribe to a Vegetable Share Program?
Our subscribers say that they enjoy the convenience of picking up their groceries in a few minutes, without the muss and fuss of shopping each time.
They also appreciate the opportunity to discover new favourite vegetables (such as kohlrabi) and new recipes (e.g. kale chips).
Our CSA program is a unique way to connect with our farm. Our weekly newsletter keeps you up to date on trials and triumphs at Makaria Farm: it keeps you connected with local agriculture, and your food.
Some of our subscribers simply want to support local organic farming. Our Vegetable Share Program is one of the best ways to do this.
What do I get as a CSA Shareholder?
Throughout the summer we will prepare a bag of freshly picked vegetables from our farm for you to pick-up each Tuesday after 1pm. Please select one of our two share options:
NEW! Favourites Share: $195
(6-7 items per week for 13 weeks, July 10 to October 2)
This weekly share is for those who enjoy eating our more popular items. Each week you will receive roughly:
- 1lb broccoli
- 1lb carrots
- 1 bulb garlic
- 1 head of lettuce
- 1-2lbs tomatoes/cherry tomatoes
- 2 medium-size zucchini
Some weeks you may also receive one of the following in place of, or in addition to, the 6 items above: 1 pint of strawberries, 1 bunch of beets, 1 pint of sugar snap peas, 1 head of cauliflower, etc. Our Favourites Share leaves you free to purchase any additional items you wish to eat on a regular basis from our 7 days/week farm stand (open late on Tuesdays!).
Variety Share: $450
(12+ items per week for 15 weeks, July 3 to October 9)
This share is similar to (but slightly larger than) the weekly share we’ve offered for the past 4 years, and is for those who enjoy the full bounty of vegetables that our Cowichan summers allow us to produce. In addition to the vegetables included in the Favourites Share (which are also included regularly in this share) you will receive six or more of the following items each week: strawberries, sugar snap peas, beets, cucumbers, sweet corn, celery, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, green beans, early potatoes, onions, leeks, pears, apples, swiss chard, winter squash, rhubarb, fresh soybeans (edemame) and more.
Pick-up information
Your weekly bag of vegetables will be available for pick up on Tuesdays any time after 1pm at Makaria Farm, just south of Duncan at 4715 Bench Road, only 300m off the Trans Canada Highway:
How to register for our 2012 CSA
- Download and fill in the registration form, online here (you may also want to consider signing up for our new Food Security Club, which offers bulk vegetables at wholesale prices for off-season enjoyment – click here for details)
- Mail your completed registration form with a cheque made payable to “Brock McLeod” to: 4715 Bench Road, Duncan, BC V9L 6L7
- We’ll confirm receipt and keep you posted as our vegetables get closer to harvest time
For more information
Give us a call at 250-597-3276, or email us!
Help us spread the word!
Please help us get the word out about our 2012 Vegetable Share Program by sharing this page on Facebook, Twitter, emailing this website to your friends, coworkers and family, etc. Thank you for your support!
Hi Heather and Brock. We would like to be on your weekly CSA list for 2012 if you have any space. We are loving your vegies! Happy fall, Celina, Tom, Jason and Mariah.
Hi Celina and family,
2012 registration is now open! We’ve just sent you details and a form via email. Thank you very much for your interest, and for supporting our farm.
- Brock & Heather
I love this idea but live in Victoria so cannot participate in the programme. Perhaps our local farmers will follow suit.
Hi Kate,
thanks for visiting our website and your interest in our Vegetable Share Program. You might want to consider joining our Food Security Club, which offers bulk garlic, our famous carrots, and winter squash (all easy to store) — you’d only need to to visit us in Cowichan once or twice in 2012.
Some Victoria farms/organizations that offer CSA-type programs are: ALM Organic Farm in Sooke, Haliburton Farm and Saanich Organics. There may be others too, but we’re not as familiar with the Victoria farming scene.
Hope that helps!
- Brock & Heather
Hi Brock and Heather, I noticed your comment on Face Book “With only 1-2 pick up days in 2012, Victoria, Nanaimo and Gulf Islands residents can participate too. We’d love to feed you.” and was wondering what you meant by this? As you know Mark and I live in Nanaimo but we loved being on your program when we were in Duncan, I know we made arrangements for us to pick up our veggies at the Beban Market in Nanaimo – are you doing something similar for those that live in these other areas? … just thought I would double check. Let me know
Hi Yvonne! So nice to hear from you. Our Food Security Club (super new and super exciting) is easy to participate in, whether you’re in Nanaimo, Cowichan, Victoria or beyond, since you can pick up your bulk garlic, carrots and squash all on the same day. You’d only have to visit us once in 2012. If we end up being able to offer additional vegetables (e.g. tomatoes, beets, cabbage) then there might be another pick-up day for those … so we’d get a second visit! But that’s your choice as to what extras you’d like.
Our Vegetable Share Program (CSA) is best for Cowichan residents, due to the weekly pick-up. It’s likely that we’ll come to the Bowen Road Farmers’ Market again this year (we love it), so you should be able to get your fresh, weekly veggies that way instead.
Thanks for your support — happy New Year to you and Mark!
- Heather & Brock