In Good Heart Farm (formerly Ben's Produce) offers vegetables, strawberries & flowers of the highest quality and taste in the Triangle. Our mission is to strive for healthier people, community, agriculture and planet by growing and sharing the best tasting food we can. Our farming practices may surpass organic guidelines but we choose not to be certified because we are confident the quality and taste of our produce, as well as our direct relationship with you, speak to our commitment to healthy food and holistic agriculture. 2012 will be our third year farming independently, though we have been farming with family and friends for many years.
CSA is a mutually beneficial relationship between us. By making a seasonal investment in our farm with a CSA share, you become a seasonal farm member who shares the rewards and risks of the harvest season with us, your farmers. Your investment allows us to afford annual start-up costs, to pay ourselves fair wages, and to share the many risks in growing food. In return, we provide you and your family with abundant, fresh, healthy and local food. Our food not only tastes better and lasts longer, it's also helps us all nourish local agriculture, economy and environment. Taste the difference!
Is CSA right for your family?
It is good to be aware of the rewards and challenges involved in CSA. If you and your family want to explore the wonderful tastes of our farm-fresh food by eating it straight from your CSA pickup bag or transformed in a delightful dish you cooked, CSA is for you! If you want to expand your taste-bud horizons and strengthen your skills at cooking and preparing fresh food, CSA is for you! If you want to be surprised with new vegetables, CSA is for you! If you want to eat healthily and enjoy eating, CSA is for you!
Please understand that nature's abundance varies. What you receive is based on our harvest schedule which is subject to the weather, pests, disease and a large myriad of influences. Some weeks your CSA share may be less than the retail farmers market value we try to maintain. However, we usually provide more bounty than you could buy at market value. If you find yourself with too many items, do not despair, share the bounty with others! .
Members Receive:
Please understand that nature's abundance varies. What you receive is based on our harvest schedule which is subject to the weather, pests, disease and a large myriad of influences. Some weeks your CSA share may be less than the retail farmers market value we try to maintain. However, we usually provide more bounty than you could buy at market value. If you find yourself with too many items, do not despair, share the bounty with others! .
Members Receive:
- About two grocery bags of at least 7-10 seasonal organic vegetables and herbs (more for large shares).
- A weekly newsletter with produce information, cooking and storage tips, recipes and segments about life on and off the farm.
- Exclusive access to an online recipe-sharing site.
- Convenient pick up locations and times throughout the week.
- Adds ons including, bread, cheese, coffee, tea, pork, chicken, lamb and beef.
- Access to our farm for volunteering, exploring and relaxing.
- Invitations to on-farm events, such as our second annual OktoberFEAST.
- New friends who share your interest in good food and good farming.
How It Works
Join In Good Heart Farm CSA by purchasing a CSA share a few months before the beginning of the season. You then visit the pickup site of your choosing to pack your own vegetables from the harvest table. We will post a guide at the stand explaining what each share contains that week. The Spring and Summer CSA harvest season runs for 20 weeks beginning in mid to late April.
Pickup Sites: We have three weekly CSA pickup sites -
Raleigh Five Points CSA - Tuesday evenings from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, 1911 Bernard St., Raleigh 27608.
Please consider signing up with the Raleigh Five Points CSA Yahoo Group through the link above, to access information regarding the pickup site and opportunities to support the other farmers who attend as well as local food events and information.
The Farm, Wednesday evenings from 4pm to 7pm, 1000 McLemore Rd., Clayton 27520
Western Wake Farmers Market, Saturday morning from 8am to 12pm at the1225 Morrisville Carpenter Rd, Cary 27519.
Raleigh Five Points CSA - Tuesday evenings from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, 1911 Bernard St., Raleigh 27608.
Please consider signing up with the Raleigh Five Points CSA Yahoo Group through the link above, to access information regarding the pickup site and opportunities to support the other farmers who attend as well as local food events and information.
The Farm, Wednesday evenings from 4pm to 7pm, 1000 McLemore Rd., Clayton 27520
Western Wake Farmers Market, Saturday morning from 8am to 12pm at the1225 Morrisville Carpenter Rd, Cary 27519.
Sharing with others: If you choose to split a share with family or friends, please let us know on your registration so we may avoid confusion.
Flexibility: We know you may miss pickup for many reasons. We prefer 24 hours notice, if possible. You may send friends or family in your place to pickup if you wish. Missed pickup is forfeit of that weeks share but we will try to make other accommodations if possible.
Communication: Our main mode of communication is email. We will send all members weekly emails usually a day or two before pickup. Our emails are meant as pickup reminders and usually include farm updates, a list of that weeks veggies, a link to our latest blog entry and any notifications regarding pickup. Our blog functions as our farm newsletter that includes farm news, anecdotes, reflections, recipes, photographs and more.
COLLABORATIVE CSA ADD ONS
We offer our collaborative CSA service to bring you the best food from farmers and producers who attend Western Wake Farmer's Market with us. We will send you an email detailing this service after you sign up for our Fall CSA. We strongly urge patronizing these folks if you pick up at market instead of using this service.
- Fickle Creek Farm, Efland NC – Pork, Chicken, Lamb
- Smith Angus Farm, Snow Camp NC – Angus Beef
- Singing Turtle Farm, Meadow NC – Bread & Baked Goods made with their own grain
- Hillsborough Cheese Co., Hillsborough NC – Cheese
- Muddy Dog Coffee, Morrisville NC – Coffee, Tea, Grits
For more information regarding the Spring/Summer 2012 CSA season, visit the "CSA Brochure" tab above.
