Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a relationship between our farms and you as our customer. Rather than simply purchasing food, you will  become “members” of our  farm who receive a portion of the farm’s harvest. This CSA will be a collaboration between Prairie Punk Farms and Elementary Earthworks, LLC. Farming will be done from both locations and harvests will be collected and packaged together. Both farms operate within the city limits of Galesburg, Illinois. 

Our CSA runs for twenty (22) weeks over the span of twenty-four (24) weeks, from May 1st to October 9th. Half shares will receive half of the amount of produce that the full shares receive.  Members are responsible for showing up at the drop-off site each week to pick up your share of freshly harvested produce, unless you choose the delivery option. The time and place for pick-up is still to be determined as we wait for confirmation from the hosts.

You will generally receive an average of 2-4 varieties  of vegetables, herbs, and/or fruits equivalent to $25.00-$30.00 each week, or $12-$15 for half shares. Our goal as your farmers is to provide you with an abundance of produce at as fair of a cost as possible. We want you to be proud to be members of our CSA. 

Below outlines the produce we hope to deliver and when you may see them in your share. This chart is based on our best estimate, but of course weather, pests, seed germination,  and other events will affect actual production.  

You can expect 2-4 varieties in your box each week.

May: Beets, Kale, Lettuce Mix, Mustard Greens, Radish, Spinach, Turnip

June: Beans, Beet, Carrot, Cucumber, Fresh Garlic, Kale, Lettuce Mix, Radish, Snap Pea, Turnip, Zucchini

July: Beans, Beet, Carrot, Cucumber, Kale, Onion, Summer Squash, Tomato, Zucchini

August: Beans, Cucumber, Pepper, Summer Squash, Tomato, Tomatillo, Zucchini

September: Kale, Garlic, Lettuce, Melon, Radish, Sweet Pepper, Tomato, Tomatillo, Turnip, Winter Squash

October: Brussels Sprouts, Dried Beans, Kale, Radish, Spinach, Turnip, Winter Squash

Both Farms use many of the same methods as organic growing, such as: excluding synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. We also use crop rotation, companion planting, composting, and soil amendments that help improve soil health over time. 

Prairie Punk Farms collects rainwater in Galesburg, as well as uses municipal water from our neighbors in extremely dry conditions. Elementary Earthworks uses municipal water for irrigation. 

We take the safety of your food seriously. Produce is handled by as few people as possible from harvest to pick-up. Harvest tools are kept clean, and tools to cut greens are sanitized before each harvest.  Most produce will only be rinsed to remove visible dirt, with the exception of cut greens such as lettuce or kale, which goes through a more thorough washing and drying process, as regulated by the State of Illinois. We use municipal water to wash or rinse produce. For your added protection, wash all produce before eating.

We promise to do our best to provide you with a bountiful share each week. The quantity of produce, however, may vary from week-to-week due to extreme weather, insects, or other production factors despite our best efforts. By joining our CSA, you are agreeing to share the risk of crop failure with us and other members. In the unlikely event of a crop failure, our procedure is as follows: 

If only a small portion of crops fail, we compensate for the failed crops by filling your share with other crops grown on the farm that are ready for harvest at that time. In the event of a large crop failure, we may cover for a crop loss by buying in from other local farmers. This may not be a feasible option for all crops because of cost or widespread failure. Our collaboration with Elementary Earthworks will diminish the chance of a crop failure that would interfere with your CSA share.

In addition to the CSA, both farms sell to local restaurants and local health food stores, as well as participating in some markets or events. Although production is not segregated, the CSA receives priority. After filling the CSA shares with the week’s harvest first, the remainder is sold to our other markets. Your share will have more produce when we have an abundance, as well as shares receiving the highest quality.

Share pick-up will be on Fridays between 4:00 and 6:00 in the atrium of Cornucopia Natural Market, 176 S. Seminary St, Galesburg, Illinois.

You are responsible for picking up your share each week from your drop site unless you have chosen the delivery method. 

You are responsible for observing our drop site rules, which are as follows: 

1. Bring your own box/bag after the first pick-up. We will provide you with a reusable tote for the first week. 

2. Pick up your share within the timeframe stated. Although we deliver high-quality produce to the site, it will decline quickly if not picked up in time. 

3. Be respectful of our drop site hosts’ property. 

4. If you have chosen delivery, we advise you to leave a cooler out, if possible, for us to place your share into if you will not be home. 

If you cannot pick up your share, you must arrange for someone else to pick it up for you. You are responsible for explaining the pick-up location and procedures to your substitute. If you wish to change your drop site, you must email us AT LEAST one week before your pick-up date. 

Shares that are not retrieved within the pick-up time will be donated to a charity or food pantry when possible.

By selling membership in advance of the growing season, CSA reduces the burden of up-front costs for the farmer. Your membership fees provide us with money to purchase seed and equipment before the season starts, and we appreciate your commitment.

We currently accept PayPal or Venmo online, checks through the mail, or Venmo, Square, checks, and cash in-person.

If you wish to purchase a CSA online but do not have a PayPal or Venmo account, please reach out via email.

The best way to communicate with us is via email. Our email  is prairiepunkfarms@gmail.com‍ ‍or elementaryearthworks@gmail.com - we will do our best to respond as soon as possible, but please understand that we spend most of our time in the field growing your food and not at our desk. Please contact us with any news of the following: changes to your postal or email address, changes to your drop-site location, problems with your drop-site, or dissatisfaction with your share. 

We will communicate with you via email. When you sign up, you will be added to our distribution list. Please read your email from us. We depend on being able to communicate important information such as necessary changes to your distribution schedule or to our farm events. In emergencies we  may use your phone number to call or text. 

From time to time we will email a  newsletter giving you information about the crops available for upcoming deliveries, recipe ideas, events, or other farm related news. This is based on time available away from the farms.