What will I find in my CSA share each week?

A selection of seasonal fresh vegetables and fruits. The Vegetable CSA season will provide opportunity for you to choose most of your weekly veggies. If you sign up for an add-on (eggs, flowers, pork sausage, and or coffee) you will recieve it each week with your veggie pickup.

Other items like meat, seedlings, compost, and MSF swag can all be purchased in our farmstand.

How does pick-up work?

The pick-up will be similar to a farmers market, in that you'll be able to choose most of your vegetables from display boxes. A Full share will receive about 12 choices and small share 8 choices. We will provide about 25 different vegetables and herbs for members to choose from each week. Some products will be previously bagged (e.g. salad greens). When you arrive on the farm we have a well-marked area designated for pickup. We will give you a tally sheet to fill out as you collect your share to help keep track of your choices. A farmer will always be there to help, answer questions, provide recipe ideas, and tell a good farm story from the week.

What if I don't like a particular vegetable?

With our current CSA model we hope you will get exactly the veggies you are excited about, though we will always challenge you to try something new.

What should I use to bring home my produce? Will they be bagged for me?

We ask that you bring a bag(s) or box with you in which to take your CSA share home, however we will have farm boxes available for those times you forget.

What if I am on vacation for a week(s)?

We know vacations happen and you have a few options: 1. We are happy to hold your share for you to pickup at a later date (a farmer will choose the contents of your share that week). 2. Give us a 48 hr heads up and you can donate your share to the local food pantry. 3. Give your share to a friend and have them pick it up (they'll love you for it!)

I signed up for just one season of the CSA and loved it--can I sign up for more?

If after participating in a CSA season you are interested in more, let us know and if we have room, we can sign you up for the next CSA season. We do offer Farm Bucks for those customers interested in a discount at our year-round farm stand

Do I need to pay for the CSA in full at the time of enrollment?

We are excited about providing you with local, fresh produce. We have a few different payment options:

• Credit Card and Debit Card: Payment required in full at the time of enrollment.
• A payment plan is an available option if paying by check (The most economical option).

All pre-dated checks are due at time of enrollment.

Option 1: Pay in full with one check at the time of enrollment. No payment plan available if signing up for only the Spring CSA.

Option 2: Pay with four checks. Take the total cost of your CSA seasons and divide by four. Send 4 checks to us, one check dated at the time of enrollment and 3 more checks dated: June 1st, July 1st, August 1st.

What is the difference between the weekly CSA and Farm Bucks?

Members of the CSA receive a weekly basket or selection of vegetables and fruits during a specified time period as well as eggs, goat cheese, pork sausage, coffee, and flowers. CSA members have lots of choice at pickup. Pickup for the Spring and Fall CSA seasons is on Thursdays from 3-6 pm. Summer members have a choice at the time of signups between Mondays 3-6 pm or Thursdays from 3-6pm. Members receive a newsletter with recipes and farm happenings as well as opportunities to participate in a CSA open house, potluck, work day and other CSA member events.

Farm Bucks are available for purchase online or at the farm. By pre-purchasing credit in our Farm Stand in $100 increments customers receive an additional $10 no matter the payment method: Cash/Check, Debit/Credit, or Venmo. Entered into your account, the money is conveniently available for you to use just by logging into our Farm Stand ipad and checking out!

There is no expiration date, and the money is available to use on any physical product we sell. It cannot be used for more Farm Bucks, CSA shares, or Bulk Compost. Customers can purchase Farm Bucks at any point in the season in the $100 increment.

Purchase with Credit/Debit card or mail or stop by the farm with cash or check. If paying by check please write "Farm Bucks" in the memo. In either case, we will add the funds to your Meadowstone Farm account. Don't have an account yet? You can create one while at the farm or we will create yours for you. Login to your account with a phone number and 2 digit pin.

The CSA has already started, but I saw the flowers blooming and the sausage in the stand and would love to add them to my weekly bounty--can I do that?

Just give us a call, send an email, or let us know when you pickup that you would like to add an add-on to your share. If available, we can prorate the cost to fit the remaining time in the CSA season. Add-ons include weekly distributions of: Flowers, eggs, coffee and pork sausage. Bread may become an option for 2024. We will keep you posted.

When will I know what is in my share?

We send out the weekly CSA email typically on Tuesday afternoons or Wednesday mornings. The email will include the contents of the weeks share (or what you can expect to choose from), farm happenings, photos, and sometimes a recipe or storage tip. Occasionally we have to make a last minute change to the selections and will have it written on the CSA board at pick-up.

What if I don't know how to use a particular vegetable?

Our hope is to provide you with nutritious, tasty, fresh food, some of which you might already use regularly, however know there may be some unfamiliar items. We hope the recipe(s) and information provided in the newsletter will provide some ideas of how to use what is in your share. You can also ask the farmer at pickup! There is a CSA Recipe page you will have access to, for a database of recommended recipes.

How does PYO work? (walking, what to wear, time committment?)

Blueberries, beans and flowers (add-on) are some of the PYO crops we typically offer through the CSA. We advise folks to wear footwear that can get a little dirty and clothing suitable for moving around in. We will provide scissors, knives, and/or buckets or containers to be used if they are necessary. In the weekly newsletter it will be clear what is PYO. There will be weeks with no PYO items and then there might be a week with up to two PYO crops. The PYO fields are close the the pick-up area and you'll need about 10-20 minutes. If you are unable to PYO on that day you can come back anytime that week to grab your goodies.

What if I realize that I missed my pick-up?

If you let us know before the end of pick-up we'll box up a share for you to pick up the next day. Everybody gets one "get out of jail free card" so if you don't let us know before the end of pick-up you can still come by and get a CSA box. Repeat offenders will miss out, be put on Santa's naughtly list and have to wait until the next week when the new share is available.

During the Summer CSA can I pickup my share on the other weekly pickup day?

We ask you to choose a pickup day of either Monday or Thursday at the time of signups. There will not be an option to change this day once the season begins. If you are unable to pickup on your assigned day and let us know before hand we can pack a box for you to pick up the following days.

What if I want extra of a particular vegetable to make a big meal or canning/fermenting/freezing?

There will be opportunities throughout the season to purchase items in bulk for canning, freezing, and soups. Keep an eye out for this in emails or signs at pickup.

Can I sign up late?

Online signups will close 5 days before the CSA season begins. If you are interested in signing up after the online registration has closed, or even after the CSA season has begun, contact us via phone at (603)-444-0786 or email.

Where do I go to pick up my box? Can I pick up somewhere other than the farm?

The main place to pick up a CSA share is at the farm. When you enter the farm, look for the CSA signs for the pickup location; it should be obvious. If due to weather the pickup location on the farm changes we will notify CSA members of the change in the weekly email. Currently we do not offer pickups off the farm.

What will I eat in the winter????

As farmers we continue to work hard to extend the season, but do not currently have a winter CSA--though it might happen this year! However, our stand is open 365/8-5:30. Our Farm Bucks program is a great way to shop at the stand and still get a 10% discount on all items in the wintertime. We do process and freeze produce in our commercial kitchen which is available in our farm stand.

Is the quality better in the stand than the farm share? Are the offerings different?

We strive to provide the freshest produce possible to all of our customers whether it be a CSA member, farmstand visitor, wholesale account, or restaurant account. The quality does not differ between each outlet. In some cases we might offer B grade carrots or tomatoes to the CSA and it will be indicated in the weekly newsletter (and we will count it as a lesser value in calculating the share size).

When can I visit the farm?

MSF is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from 8:00 am - 5:30 pm. The animals don't take holidays and neither do we! You are more than welcome to come visit us and walk around the farm anytime during business hours. During the months without snow, there is a free-of-charge self guided tour you can take found at the kiosk outside the farmstand. If you would like a farmer-led tour for your school or organization, give us a call or send us an email.

Are there herbs in my share?

Bunches or bags of herbs will show up in your share ideally on a weekly basis. Basil, cilantro, parsley and chives are the main herbs that we grow. If you would like larger quantities of an herb (pesto making!), contact us via email or phone or inquire at pick-up.

How does produce vary over the seasons in Northern NH?

We wish we could provide everything all year long without breaking the bank. We grow seasonally and are able to provide vegetables and crops that generally go with the seasons. If you look at the CSA descriptions, you will get a better idea of what is available and when.

You can also check out what we grew in 2018 below!