Our Winter CSA Program

Click here to sign up for our Winter CSA

Why Have a Winter CSA?

Typically, local CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture, or subscription farms) have a harvest season that starts in May or June, but comes to an end sometime around October. We aren’t comfortable with the idea that after cultivating relationships with customers, the farms must send everyone back to the supermarket for the winter.

The Northwest climate typically allows for harvest of Brassicas, greens and root crops throughout winter, and easily through December. Long after the winter squashes, and garlic and onions are tucked away in storage, we can still harvest fresh produce from the field.

WHAT PRODUCE WILL BE INCLUDED IN A WINTER SHARE?

The types of vegetables that may be included can be fit into the following categories:

GREENS:
Lettuces • Spinach • Mustard Greens • Collard Greens • Kale • Swiss Chard • Arugula • Escarole • Endive • Radicchio

BRASSICAS:
Broccoli • Brussels Sprouts • Cabbage • Cauliflower • Kohlrabi

ONION FAMILY:
Onions • Garlic • Shallots • Leeks

ROOT CROPS:
Beets • Carrots • Celeriac • Fennel • Parsnips • Potatoes • Turnips • Rutabagas • Winter Radishes

WINTER SQUASHES:
Sugar Pumpkins • Delicata • Sweet Dumpling • Butternut • Acorn • More

MISCELLANEOUS:
Fresh Rosemary • Fresh Sage • Fresh Thyme • Fresh Parsley

*All crops subject to weather conditions and availability

Some of these vegetables require controlled-climate storage, so we’ve constructed both cold and warm storage areas. Root crops like it cold and damp, squashes and onions like it dry and warmer. Only the hardy greens and brassicas can stand the cold—and they become deliciously-sweet once the weather dips below freezing a time or two. This is especially noticeable in kale and cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.

It is VERY IMPORTANT that before you decide that you don’t like these vegetables, you eat them at the time of year they were designed to be eaten. Not only are they beautiful, they are delicious! They bear no similarity to the California-, Arizona-, or foreign-grown versions in the supermarket. We will be utilizing our three greenhouses this winter, so we plan on having lettuces, arugula, radicchio, and other tender greens throughout the winter.

HOW MUCH PRODUCE WILL BE IN THE BOXES EACH WEEK?

We will do our best to include at least one item from each category in the above list in each week’s allotment. We no longer try to estimate how many mouths each box will feed, so we have supplied approximate quantities of produce per box. See the chart below for an estimate of what quantity to expect in the small and large shares.

(Remember, this is just a representation. Actual weekly harvest will vary from week to week, and with weather conditions.)

SAMPLE NOVEMBER HARVEST

SMALL SHARE:
1 head Butter Lettuce • 1 crown Broccoli • 1 pound Carrots • 1 bunch Italian Parsley • 1 bunch Arugula • 1 bunch Swiss Chard • 1 pound Potatoes • 1 Buttercup Squash

LARGE SHARE:
2 heads Butter Lettuce • 2 crowns Broccoli • 2 pound Carrots • 1 bunch Italian Parsley • 2 bunches Arugula • 1 bunch Swiss Chard • 2 pounds Potatoes • 1 Buttercup Squash

SAMPLE DECEMBER HARVEST

SMALL SHARE:
1 head Romaine Lettuce • 1/2 pound “Bloomsdale” Spinach • 2 Leeks • 1 pound Carrots • 1 head of Radicchio • 1 pound Golden Beets • 1 pound Potatoes • 1 pound Turnips • 1 Delicata Squash

LARGE SHARE:
2 heads Romaine Lettuce • 1 pound “Bloomsdale” Spinach • 3 Leeks • 2 pounds Carrots • 1 head of Radicchio • 2 pounds Golden Beets • 2 pound Potatoes • 1 pound Turnips • 1 Delicata Squash

HOW LONG WILL THE WINTER SHARES LAST AND WHAT WILL THEY COST?

The winter shares will begin when the summer shares end-the first week of November, and will run through December, or 6 weeks. We will harvest every week, with the possible exception of the weeks surrounding the holidays.

HOW WILL YOU GET YOUR PRODUCE?

You may pick up your CSA share at the farm on Tuesdays or Saturdays, or at one of our neighborhood dropsites, in Columbia City, Capital Hill, University District, Greenwood, Wallingford, or West Seattle.

Back to Our Subscription Program

If you have any questions, please email us at shelley@whistlingtrainfarm.com.