Newton Falls – Geauga Family Farms, a cooperative of 10 certified-organic family farmers in Geauga County, has added a Trumbull County location to the list of convenient pick-up sites for members of its Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
Healthy Treasures, at 40 W. Broad St. in Newton Falls, is partnering with Geauga Family Farms to provide a place for co-op members to pick up fresh, locally grown produce. Healthy Treasures is a locally-owned family business celebrating 20 years of supplying natural and organic products to its customers. GFF’s organically grown vegetables fit right in with this mission.
The CSA model provides a way for consumers to purchase local food directly from a farm by entering into a contract with the farmer. CSA members become partners with a farm by paying up-front for a subscription, or “share,” of produce that is received weekly during the 20-week growing season from June through October. By investing in the farm at the beginning of the growing season, members provide financial support to the farm when it is most needed for seeds, supplies, labor, etc.
Members choose a nearby location at which to pick up their weekly share, such as the new site at Healthy Treasures where they can pick up from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. This site is in addition to other pickup sites in Middlefield, Lakewood, Macedonia, Seven Hills, Parma, others all over Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Summit counties. The produce is picked within 24 hours of delivery. For a complete list of pickup sites, visit geaugafamilyfarms.org.
It’s easy to get a share of this year’s crop: just fill out a membership form online or mail it in by May 15 with a check. Find the forms on the farms’ Web site at geaugafmailyfarms.org or by e-mailing LDobson@geaugafamilyfarms.org.
If you are looking for fresh organic produce grown by farmers you know, in a sustainable, certified-organic way, shake the hands that feed you at Geauga Family Farms and put a face on your farmer. From seed-starting to harvest, you’ll know who, how, where and when your food was grown and picked.
For CSA membership forms, more information on Geauga Family Farms, or to set up an interview with one of our farmers or farm representatives, e-mail LDobson@geaugafamilyfarms.org or call Laura Dobson at 440-478-9849.
