i run the local and sustainable agriculture program for LLF and the CCL and it is very exciting to see the above posts regarding interest and excitement about all that our local growers produce. The CSAs launched by Rita’s Roots, Legare Farms, Ambrose Family Farms, and Marshview Organic Farm (on St Helena Island) have seen a large embrace by the public and truly show community support for agriculture. Something that has been missing in farmers’ eyes for a several decades.

Another couple of opportunities for local food include Cordray Farm’s – http://www.cordrays.com/ all natural pastured beef where you can purchase a share of a cow (around 60 lbs). In addition you can pick up local beef from Legare Farms, free-range chicken and other products from Keegan-Filion Farm’s http://freerangechickenfarm.com/ and many other amazing products from our other local growers. In addition we have a great Farm to Chef Program launched here in the lowcountry in partnership with SCDA promoting restaurants that have agreed to source 25% of their menu items from South Carolina farmers and producers.

Our Farmer’s Markets are indeed booming it seems the public is truly interested in getting to know their local farmers and putting a face on the food they are eating. I would be happy to talk more with anyone about our local food movement and to help anyone find local farm products they may have problems finding. My contact info can be found on our website http://www.lowcountrylocalfirst.org.

Thanks,

Alan Moore

When we signed up it was $185 for the individual share for the spring share–April 8 thru mid July, or 14 weeks–$13.21 per week. They sold out quickly. A waiting list piled up quickly as well. They were able to get more seeds in the ground for the summer crops and announced they would have a “sub-season” share: “the Taste of Summer”. The spring members were included in this share as it ran from early June through mid July–the second half of the spring share essentially. Their website has the individual “taste of summer” share listed for $125; the family size share is $185. For 6 weeks the individual share costs $20.83 per week. Looks like costs have gone up. We’ve received emails from the farm lamenting unexpected costs such as members not returning their boxes (each box costs a few bucks), etc. I’ve also talked to a few other farmers this season who’ve all complained about heat and drought making their lives difficult. It’s a work in progress and their doing the best they can. You have to remember your dealing with food and people and weather, the three most imperfect things in the world. All things considered, $21 per week is still pretty cheap! Plug that into my equations above and it brings my per meal per person cost in my household up to $2.64-$222 per 2 weeks divided by 84 meals (3 meals per day for 2 people). I’m still pretty happy with that.

However… I heard this week they’re 200 people deep on the waiting list through the fall already. I doubt they’ll be doing a winter share. You maybe should research Legare Farms. I think they may have a CSA as well. Hopefully Ambrose will be prepared for a much larger participation next year!

Josh

Thanks for the great reply–it’s ok to get geeked out over things worth getting geeked out over.

It was really helpful to hear about your experience with the Ambrose CSA. I am curious about the pricing, though. You mentioned it costing only $12 a week this past season–this is incredible! Their website has the “Taste of Summer Share” being only 5-6 weeks and $185 for an individual share. And this is $30/week at best. Am I missing something?

Thanks!

They have two share sizes–an individual and a family size. We are a family of two and a half (4month old) and the individual is more than enough for us. We receive 15-20 lbs of fresh produce weekly–so much we’ve been blanching, freezing, and storing some for the winter (above what we’re eating). We do have to go to Earth Fare still for additional goods not offered by the farm, but the weekly CSA bounty has cut our bill there significantly! This past season, the CSA cost about $12/week ($180 for 15 weeks or so–the family is more $ and more produce)!! We usually spend another $8-$10 at the farm for extra goodies. Nowadays we spend around $175ish at Earth Fare every other week. All in all we spend about $100 per week in groceries now–not bad considering we get enough for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for all 7 days (plus freezing)! This means we spend about $2.38 per person per meal. That’s not bad for delicious, organic, local produce, ya know?

I almost forgot: while we’re in the neighborhood on Wadmalaw, we like to drive another 5 miles or so down the road to Celeste Albers’ chicken farm. She sells the world’s best eggs there! She’ll sell you a dozen cracked eggs for $1, or you can get the large uncracked dozen for $2, or the x-large uncracked dozen for $3. Still way cheaper than the grocery store, and these eggs are truly unbelieveable.

I know I can get a bit longwinded and sound a little nerdy about all this, but I get so jazzed about all this. You can really help stimulate the local economy, save $$$ for yourself, eat healthy and delicious local food, and greatly lighten your personal environmental impact all by buying your food locally. Plus, if you go to the farm to get it, you can really connect with the food you eat and the people who grow it! That reminds me of my favorite quote from Woody Harrelson’s movie, “Go Further”: “Buy organic food–cool. Buy local food–cooler. Buy local and organic food–even cooler. Buy local and organic food from someone you know–WAY COOL!”

Anyway, I hope all this helps you. The CSA is all full currently unfortunately, but it’s been such a hit I’m sure they’ll up their capacity in the future. I’ve also heard some rumors of some other farms rising to meet the fast rising demand. Keep your ears open!

Josh Mueller
jdm843@gmail.com

While we value green living, we also recognize that it’s often a privilege,
sometimes only capable by those who make a good amount of money. All that to say, is bang-for-your-buck is an incredibly high value of ours along with green living.

Can you give us an idea of how much produce you’re receiving from the CSA? How does it compare with grocery store prices?

Thanks, ya’ll!

FYI, Rita’s Roots has a CSA too and they might still be taking memberships.