Sign up for your 2013 CSA share here and join us for twenty weeks of amazing food!
We are an organic, horse-powered vegetable farm located in Salem, Ontario. Working with our workhorses Sally and Milly, we grow more than 65 crops, with 150 different varieties of vegetables, herbs and cut-flowers. Plowshare Farm is dedicated to building a resilient local food system that values the land, the animals and the people who work on the farm. We are looking to connect with, and to help build, a healthy community of local eaters who share these values with us.
At Plowshare Farm, we distribute our produce through our Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA program. Community Supported Agriculture is a co-operative, sustainable, and human-scaled approach to food and farming, where farmers and eaters work together for mutual benefit. Through Plowshare Farm’s CSA, households or individuals buy a share of the harvest at the start of the season. Each week for 20 weeks, from mid-June until the end of October, CSA members receive a box of our delicious vegetables, berries, herbs and cut-flowers, harvested fresh from the garden. CSA membership is a chance to be connected with the food you eat, by coming out to the farm for work bees, harvest days and celebrations, as well as through our weekly newsletter. Members will recieve a weekly CSA bulletin with recipes, pictures and stories from the farm, keeping folks posted on the weeks happenings in the garden.
There are two CSA pick-up days and four locations to choose from:
Tuesdays in Toronto, Guelph, or on the farm in Elora
Saturdays at the Orangeville Farmers Market
A Community Supported Agriculture farm means certain commitments from both the farmers and the members.
Plowhare Farm’s Commitments to our CSA members:
To grow a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, cut flowers and smallfruit
To provide only the highest quality, freshly harvested food to our membership
To provide a weekly newsletter including cooking and preserving ideas.
To encourage feedback from CSA members, and to tailor the CSA to your needs
To grow all our food following organic standards, and to be true stewards of the land we farm.
To be financially transparent with the membership
CSA Members Commitment to Plowshare Farm:
To pay the full cost of the CSA share before the season begins in mid-June
To ensure the share get picked up each week at the specified times and places
To bring bags or boxes from home for carrying veggies with
To volunteer on the farm at least 4 hours over the course of the season (or pay an additional $30 for those who cannot fulfill this commitment)
So if you are looking to eat more fresh, local, organic foods, or to learn to cook healthier meals for your family and friends, consider buying a Plowshare Farm CSA share for the 2012 season.
We’re thrilled to grow for you!
Hi,
First, congrats on a great idea.
I’m very interested, especially if there are to be drop-offs in Toronto that are within my range. Where will the Toronto drop-off be?
Hi David,
Thanks so much though can’t take credit for the Community Supported Agriculture model, it’s been around since the early 80’s. However we are very grateful to those that paved the road before us and excited to be farming in a way that engages eaters!
As for our Toronto drop off it’s looking like it will be near the Wychwood barns, not too bad of a bike ride for you and once you have the veggies you’ll be going home downhill!
really hoping we get to grow veggies for you David! and Please tell all your friends!!!!
miss you!
shannon lee
Hi Yehuda,
I am so exited to hear( from Amy&Graham) that your new farm place will be delievering the Orangeville Farmers Market.I still have fond memories from the Whole Village Farm Working Bee – “Bundeling” garlic in the Barn (with my mother in law)in the midst of a HUGE Thunderstorm. Would love to come – unfortunately the farm is too far away …
Looking forward to a new season ! See you @ the market in Orangeville …
sylvia
If you could get back to me with pricing, it’d be much appreciated!
Hey Gryphon,
Half shares, for a household of 2, are $400 or $20/week, while a full share, for a household of 4, are $600, or $30/week. Looking forward to growing for you!
Hey You Two!
Just heard your ad on CFRU – nice work! Keep it up!! and stay dry! 🙂
Hello I would like to know pricing and join!
Dear Shannon Lee and Yehuda,
I am very interested in growing veggies and joining the Plowshare Farm team. How can I go about pursuing this?
Are there still half-shares available?
Good afternoon! I’ve just come from the market stand with your fresh produce-thanks for what will be a great supper! I want to join the CSA but will have trouble with July & August as we are in Northern Ontario for the summer. The women at the stand today suggested you might know of another family in Orangeville who we could pick up from on Tuesday for example (my husband is here during the week and comes up every Th night but does not want to drive to the farm weekly). If you think of anything pls give us a shout-either way, I will be there to help in the fall-can’t wait to see your beautiful farm.
fondly,
Pam
After picking up our share yesterday we were amazed at how much there was. We ended up making a Frittata with the Scapes and green onions! Wow the flavor was really nice. Tonight we had the rest of our Scapes in a fettucini Alfredo with asparagus and onions. Now what to do with the rest…
Hi — I saw a poster for your farm outside South Hall at the University of Waterloo, and am wondering if you still are accepting new shareholders? If so, please contact me at my address below. Thanks!
– pascal
Hi Pascal, Thanks for your inquiry our apologies it has taken a while for us to respond. We are actually sold out of shares for this season and also are not delivering to Waterloo as originally intended. We have drop locations in Guelph, Orangeville, Toronto and on the farm. We do have a waiting list for next season and also there are some good CSA’s that do deliver to your area.You may want to check out Reroot Organic CSA.
Thanks for any other informative blog. Where else may just I am getting that type of info written in such a perfect method? I have a mission that I’m just now running on, and I’ve been on the glance out for such info.
Hi! I wonder if you would be available to speak to a group about your CSA on Jan 18th in Orangeville?
I’d love to speak with your group! lets correspond further by email. You can reach me at plowsharefarm@gmail.com. Looking forward to it!
Yehuda
Agriculture Farming is amazing, Thanks!
This sounds very interesting. What are the veggies you’re growing this year and what is the cost? Do you know of anyone doing the same thing closer to me? I am in Stouffville. How did you get started in doing this? How long have you been doing it? Thanks.
Boy, you are hard to keep track of. Lost you after Mapletons. Good to know you are close in Salem. Best of luck, Yehuda!!
*hugs*
Kathleen
Excellent Working Dear Friend Nice Information Share all over the world.God Bless You..
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Picked up our first share of the season at the farm on Tuesday, I am loving all the fresh greens! I have a kale salad recipe that I just had for the first time today and I loved it so I thought I would share it with everyone.
BASE INGREDIENTS
-1 head of kale (the baby kale we get from our share works great)
-2 handfuls of sprouts
-3 tomatoes
-1-2 avocados, sliced
-1 handful of fresh dill, chopped (I did not have any dill but it still tasted great)
DRESSING
-Juice of 1 or 1 1/2 lemons
-3-5 Tbs. nutritional yeast
-cayenne pepper to taste
-3-5 Tbs. dulse flakes or chopped dulse strips (I did not have any, I am looking forward to trying it again when I have some)
-Pinch of Celtic or Himalayan sea salt
-1 Tbs. Olive oil (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Remove kale stems (probably could have left the stems of the baby kale on ). Tear up the leaves into small pieces. At this point I like to rub the leaves with olive oil, it helps to soften up the mature kale, not so important with the baby kale. The rubbing and massaging of the mature kale makes it easier to digest. Mix the dressing and kale together then add in the rest of the ingredients and give another toss and VIOLA! a delicious incredibly healthy salad.
Ann
Had a great time helping out at the farm yesterday, the food we get every week has been DELICIOUS! Your hard work is MUCH appreciated! I’m so thankful the kids get to be a part of it, helping out a bit and are able to see where it’s coming from! ~ Alyson
You all are such superstar volunteers, thanks for all your help with the row cover and picking potatoe beetls! Hopefully if you come out again we canpick cucmbers, broccoli and cabbage together!
Hi Yehuda Nestel,
My name is Petronila. I am completeng an agricultural biodiversity internship with USC Canada in Ottawa this month and I am really interested in your FALL field internship currently posted at the GoodWork Canada website. please email me via petmic_31@yahoo.com or call 613-869-4970. Thank you.
Petronila.
i say hello to everybody,my name is Placide jean Ammeson i am living haiti,i would like to know if there si no way to help people outside of your country to find an internship or to help foreingn somehow, in what they want to do like to set up a farm and so one again?
Hey Yehuda,
Just a heads up, Kevin and I will be away for a weekend and would like to double up our order the previous week on Sat, Sept 1.
Thanks!
Julie
Hi. I’like to volunteer this weekend, if possible. Do you have an email address or do I just talk to you here?
Hi Patrice,
Give the farm a call: 519.731.4437 to set something up.
Thanks!
Schirin
Hi,
You mentioned that you have a pick up location in Guelph- where specifically is it? Is there a pick up location downtown Guelph?
If you could let me knowthat would great.
Thanks in advance.
Hello Devon,
Our pick up location in Guelph is Sunny Acres park, just south of Paisley and Edinborough. If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to ask!
Yehuda