About Earth-Shares CSA

Earth-Shares CSA is a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) organization in Loveland, Ohio (a suburb of Cincinnati), on land leased from Grailville. CSA is a direct partnership between farmers who grow the food and the people who eat it. CSA shareholders buy "shares" of the garden and receive fresh, certified organic vegetables each week during the growing season. The farm is guaranteed a supportive market for its produce and shareholders are assured food that is fresh and not chemically or genetically altered. Shareholders also learn to "eat with the season" and rediscover their connection to the land that supports us all. We lease our land from Grailville, which is Certified Organic by the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association.

We grow 35+ different types of vegetables each season. In the spring we have lighter crops such as lettuce, kale, mustard greens, and Swiss chard. Veggies such as carrots, cucumbers, beans and onions join us in mid-season. Heavier crops, such as sweet peppers, beans, tomatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, and potatoes, round out the season. The season lasts approximately 24-26 weeks, from May until October.

Shares are a way to receive a portion of what is harvested each week. Some crops may do better or worse, depending on the natural elements, so your share size could vary. As a CSA participant, you share in that risk. Generally, one regular share will provide approximately two servings of 5-6 vegetables per week. The average number of pounds per share week for 20012 was 8. You will also receive our newsletter full of recipes and information about the crops, work schedules and current events.

What if one share is too big or expensive for me?

There are usually people who are looking to split a share. We may be able to provide a list of those wishing to split. A share is bought and the purchaser finds someone to pay them for a portion of that share.

How do I get my share?

Shares are picked up at the distribution center. Shareholders select one of the pickup days offered and pick up that same weekday for the whole season. Forming a "pickup group" allows a rotation schedule, saving fuel, time, and wear-and-tear on vehicles. There are five people in the College Hill group, so each person picks up once every five weeks, or five to six times a season.

What if I'm unable to pick up my share some week?

You can always ask a friend, neighbor, or fellow CSA member to pick it up for you. If you don't pick up your share by the end of the two-hour pickup window, the food is placed on sale at our produce stand. You can pick up later, but your selection may be limited by anything sold.

Can I work in the garden?

Of course! Being involved in the garden is one of the things that makes a CSA so wonderful. We offer two different types of shares - a working share and a non-working share. Members who purchase a working share are required to spend at least 30 hours working. Chores include tilling the ground, spreading compost, planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting, as well as stocking and clean up of the distribution center. The non-working share does not require work in the garden but costs more. If you are physically unable to work in the garden but would still like a working share, there are other coordination jobs available.