Community Supported Agriculture is a way for consumers and farmers to share the benefits and risks of sustainable agriculture. Each growing season members pay a pre-determined price up front to support the farm. This price is based on the running costs of the farm, divided by the number of households the farm can feed, without over-taxing the resources of the farm. In return for their investment, members receive a weekly supply of fresh, organic produce. Shareholders and farmers thus become partners in the stewardship of the Earth’s fertility and in the production, distribution, and consumption of locally-grown food. Several factors help ensure that CSA farmers are able to utilize sustainable farming practices: • Share price reflects the cost of environmentally sound production • Receiving payment up front, the farmers avoid the extra cost of borrowing operating capital • If weather or other factors result in more of less than the expected output, members share equally in the abundance or losses

We had to stop ourselves from overflowing with ideas about membership benefits, as they are infinite and extraordinary. The most tangible benefit is receiving a weekly supply of fresh-picked, organically grown produce. A cornucopia of food awaits to delight your palate—from classic favorites such as Silver Queen sweet corn and Big Beef tomatoes to lesser known varieties of beets, carrots, beans, peppers, melons, and more (check below for our full list of offerings). A weekly newsletter will supply you with veggie lore, recipes, farm updates, and community events. Harmonize with the flow of seasonal cycles as you eat with the flow of seasonally available produce. Doing so not only supports your health, but the health of the planet; your Roots Farm CSA foods are grown without the use of industrial fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides and come to you locally, instead of trans-continentally. You help reduce greenhouse emissions through your local foods purchase. Instead of paying for excess packaging, shipping, and marketing your money buys a quality of food that is unparalleled in the supermarket, supports your local farmers, and protects the environment for generations to come. CSA membership offers the opportunity to directly participate. Members are strongly encouraged to work with us at least once a month. Being active in the production of the food you eat is rewarding and empowering. Immerse your hands in the soil that will grow your vegetables. Plant the seeds that will become the cells of your body. Come learn with us as we care for the land through practicing sustainable agriculture; meet your fellow members and help create the community you want to be a part of and the future you want to see.

A fundamental principle of Community Supported Agriculture is that the farmers receive their capital at the beginning of the growing season when they need it most. This is when purchases such as seed, soil amendments, and tools and equipment need to be made. Receiving income up front prevents the extra cost of borrowing operating capital. The secured market and income frees the farmers to focus on growing quality produce and caring for the land versus worrying about market pressure. Therefore timely payment is one of the most important responsibilities of CSA membership. However, Community Supported Agriculture also means agriculture supporting the community and we are willing to discuss payment plans for those who have trouble meeting the standard payments. Members are expected to pick up their weekly share on time on their chosen pick up day. As most people know, farming is labor-intensive; for the CSA, this means that shareholders work alongside full-time farmhands to ensure a productive season. Opportunities abound to work here at the farm--harvesting is fun and help is always needed; weekend work parties help us accomplish large farm projects; and there are a wide range other tasks with which members can lend a hand. We request that members join us for at least one workday a month.

Our primary interest is connection, which we seek to cultivate through four areas of focus: food, ecology, education, and community. Roots Farm CSA works to provide food that nourishes both body and spirit while caring for the land and the Earth that sustains us. We strive to bring people together in fellowship and learning and to aid in creating a holistic life experience. It is our sincere hope to help each other discover how we fit in the interconnectedness of all things.

Our farm is located just 10 miles outside Athens, GA in the gently sloping piedmont of Oglethorpe County. From downtown Athens, take 78/Lexington Hwy. east towards Augusta. Turn left on Cherokee Rd. at the stoplight by Lowe’s. Take a right at the first stoplight onto Beaverdam Rd. Continue on Beaverdam until you reach a stop sign. Hang a right onto Robert Hardeman, then an immediate left back onto Beaverdam. Turn right on Beaver Trail 0.6 miles from that intersection. Roots Farm is the second drive on the right, number 46. Park along the end of the driveway, please, and locate your nearest farmer.