llustration by Anne Lambelet
Philadelphia is rich with regional farmers and food producers. Never has there been a time when we are able to better appreciate their value than now. As everyone scrambles to stock their kitchens with essentials and uncertainty builds about what will be on the shelves the next time we visit the store, it is a wonderfully reassuring thing to remember that we are surrounded by so many incredibly hardworking growers doing everything in their power to put fresh food on our tables.
We need our farmers badly now. Once we have weathered this storm of uncertainty, remember that there will be seasons when our farmers will need us. A CSA subscription represents a beautiful partnership between you and your local farmers. The investment you make will help get them through the slow parts of their growing season, and in return you’ll receive a bounty of fresh, local food during the harvest season. And by reducing the distance between your home and your food source, you’re also reducing your carbon footprint with every mile. Below, you will find a list of CSA-share providers in the city and beyond.
*Many pickups from Farmers Market locations are temporarily suspended during the COVID-19 health crisis and are listed for future reference. Please reach out directly to your CSA provider to confirm availability and pick up location.
The Following CSAs are available for immediate subscriptions:
Throughout the year, this co-op offers small, medium or large shares, with its summer subscription beginning April 27. Subscribers can experiment with various vegetables for 27 weeks, along with a cornucopia of options for add-ons like chickens, herbs, eggs, flowers, herbal medicine and others.
Pickup locations: throughout Philadelphia, the surrounding suburbs and New Jersey.
717-656-3533 lancasterfarmfresh.com
Philly Foodworks is a staple in the Philadelphia farming and CSA network. They offer an abundance of options for vegetable shares, plus add-ons ranging from dairy and eggs to seafood and bakery items, your home will always be stocked. Philly Foodworks also offers convenient subscriptions, like a vegetable harvest box, a coffee subscription of local beans, and pasture-raised eggs.
Pickups locations: available throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs, as well as home delivery
215-221-6245. phillyfoodworks.com
Spring & Summer CSAs beginning in the coming months:
With totes full of mixed vegetables, fruits and greens, Brewerytown Garden members receive an accessible eight-week spring CSA. Subscribers can also choose to add a dozen eggs to their weekly pickup. Each week, the garden will send out a newsletter containing the week’s harvest, garden news and recipes.
Pickup location: community garden at 27th and Master streets
info@brewerytowngarden.com brewerytowngarden.com
For 22 weeks from June to October, Carousel House Farm in Fairmount Park offers a summer share with an array of vegetables and flowers grown on site. Some assorted, organic-certified sprayed vegetables offered are arugula, eggplant and sweet potatoes.
Pickup location: 4300 Avenue of the Republic on Tuesdays between 4-7 p.m. or Thursdays between 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
215-685-0160 or kim.farm.philly@gmail.com
This family-run farm from Lancaster provides members with 16 weeks of summer produce. Interested in spring vegetables? Subscribers can add on an early-start option to begin their shares four weeks early. Crawford Organics also offers fruit, yogurt, and egg shares, too.
Pickup locations: West Philadelphia, Fairmount, Mount Airy, Narberth and sestern suburbs with an option for home delivery.
717-445-6880 crawfordorganics.com
Down to Earth Harvest gives members fully customizable options for what produce they wish to bring home each week. Over the 14-week period, subscribers can fill their virtual stand with specialties like sugar snap peas, herbs and various tomatoes, along with seasonal varieties of fruits and potatoes.
Pickup locations: Four in suburbs are available on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
913-775-3711 downtoearthharvest.com
Located in Glenmoore PA, Full Circle utilizes a range of “more-ganic” sustainable practices to reach their goal of minimum impact on the environment. They rely on ecological systems to keep plants healthy which eliminates the use of any pesticides (synthetic or organic). Shares include leafy green favorites, plus appearances from Beets (red and golden), Kohlrabi (purple and white), Peas, Peppers (bell, sweet and hot), squash and whatever else their farm can sprout! Shares begin the last week in May and are available in full and half sizes.
Pickup locations: Eagleview Farmer’s Market Exton Thursdays 3:00pm-7:00pm & Malvern Farmer’s Market Saturdays 9:00am-1:00pm
484-661-0223 /// 302-401-7006 FullCircleCSApa@gmail.com
Specializing in all things green, Germantown Kitchen Farm offers 24 weeks of produce shares starting in May. Subscribers pay ahead and their total balance decreases with each visit to the farmstand. The garden offers unusual additions like gooseberries and currants, along with locally crafted kombucha and homemade sourdough.
Pickup location: the farmstand at 215 E. Penn Street, Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
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10-505-4881 germantownkitchengarden.com
In collaboration with Weavers Way Co-op, this educational farm is ready to enhance your weekly meal experience. With 24 weeks of pickups starting at the end of May, subscribers can grab their unique small or large shares at the farm. Don’t worry about unfamiliar produce: Weavers Way sends out a weekly newsletter diving into each week’s share, accompanied with recipes, too.
Pickup location: 7095 Henry Avenue, Tuesdays from 2-7 p.m., and Fridays from 2-7 p.m.
215-843-2350, henrygotcrops@weaversway.coop. weaversway.coop/henry-got-crops-csa
This 10-acre biodynamic, mixed-veggie farm founded the first CSA in Pennsylvania in 1987. Since then, Kimberton has offered 26 weeks of shares consisting of organic vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers starting in May. Full shares, box shares and partial shares are available.
Pickup location: 415 West Seven Stars Road, Phoenixville, on Tuesdays and Fridays
484-302-8535 kimbertoncsa.org
Love Grows functions like a “buyer’s club.” Become a CSA member for an $80 investment, and select any veggies you would like from either of the two Love Grows Farmstands June through November at 20 percent off. All produce is grown without the use of any synthetic inputs or GMOs.
Pickup locations: Doylestown Farmers Market and Yardley Farmers Market, Saturdays.
267-614-0474 lovegrowscsa.com
Each week over the summer, Pennypack Farm CSA subscribers peruse around a dozen different vegetables displayed in a market-style selection at the farm’s Harvest House. All produce is non-GMO and grown without synthetic chemical herbicides or pesticides. Mini, regular and large shares are offered.
Pickup location: 685 Mann Road, Horsham
215-646-3943 pennypackfarm.org
Taproot Farms, located in Shoemakersville, grows certified organic produce available for spring and winter share subscriptions. Vegetable shares are offered in small, medium and large and run for 20 weeks beginning on June 5. Members have an option to add a three-pound-per-week fruit share beginning in July, as well as free range egg shares of a dozen or half dozen for the duration of your veggie subscription. Taproot partners with neighboring farms to also provide mushroom, cheese and coffee shares. As a temporary provision beginning the week of March 16, Taproot has added an online ordering system to their website with Saturday morning pickups in Chestnut Hill.
Pickup location: multiple in Philadelphia and throughout the suburbs
610-657-1927 farmers@taprootfarmpa.com
From May to November, members of Tinicum CSA can grab their favorite veggies grown on site. They can cook in peace knowing all produce is organic and doesn’t come in contact with synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Choose from a big share or little share every week, or a bi-weekly big share.
Pickup location: 1073 River Road Upper Black Eddy
215-630-2172 tinicumcsa.com
Meat & Cheese
This women-powered artisan cheese share subscription offers handmade and traditional cheeses from May to September. The cheese share includes cow, goat and sheep milk, and was created through a collaboration between Birchrun Hills Farm and Valley Milkhouse Creamery. Three tiers of share sizes are available to be picked up biweekly or monthly.
Pickup locations: throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs
cheese@collectivecreamery.com collectivecreamery.com
Since 2016, Primal Meats has supplied Philadelphia with pasture-raised and locally sourced meats. Their Butcher’s Club provides subscribers with pay-as-you-go weekly or bi-weekly pickups of beef, pork and poultry. Small, medium and large packages are available. All animals are raised without the use of hormones or subtherapeutic antibiotics. Subscribers can add on eggs, chicken and loin steak.
Pickup locations: throughout Philadelphia
215-595-2255 primalsupplymeats.com
This Chester Springs farm is goat cheese paradise. With their cheeses produced on site, subscribers receive monthly shares from April to October. Shares include two-, three- and four-variety portions.
Pickup locations: 1165 Yellow Springs Road, Chester Springs and the West Chester Growers Market
610-827-2014 yellowspringsfarm.com
Flowers
With freshly harvested flowers grown in Kensington, members can display arranged bouquets of 20 to 25 stems of seasonal flowers in their own home. Expect a longer vase life, as flowers are grown without pesticides. Subscribers can bring their own vase, or separate the bouq
uet into smaller bunches.
Pickup locations: South Philly, Kensington, Center City and Fairmount throughout the week
267-777-9636 jig-bee.com
Love’n Fresh Flowers Bouquet Share
Beautifully handcrafted bouquets from a sustainably managed flower farm? Count us in. Members receive weekly bouquets from May to September. Love’n Fresh Flowers CSA members also receive 20 percent off workshops at the farm throughout the year.
Pickup locations: Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill and Palmer Distilling Co in Manayunk
215-804-9056, info@lovenfreshflowers.com lovenfreshflowers.com
