CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. The way a CSA works is that customers purchase a share, typically in the winter, and then during the growing season receive a share of the harvest weekly. Much of the cost of farming is front loaded in the winter, when there is nothing to sell, but seeds and materials for the coming spring to be ordered. By paying in advance for the farm share (essentially a farm subscription) the cost load of the winter for the farmers is lessened, while the customer is guaranteed farm fresh products directly from the source later in the year.

There are a few things you can do to keep your flowers looking as fresh as possible. When you go to put them in a vase, remove all leaves that will be below the water line. Recut the stems at a 45 degree angle and place immediately in water. Put your vase someplace cool in your home, out of direct sunlight and away from ripening fruit, which will cause your flowers to fade faster. For best results, change the water in the vase and recut the stems every day. Some flowers will fade faster then others, this is especially true if you purchase a mixed bouquet which will contain flowers with different length vase lives. By removing flowers from the vase as they fade, you give the rest of the arrangement a longer life.

These are the basics of flower care, some flowers will have more specific instructions. Feel free to email me if you have any more specific care questions.

Sustainability to me means that I focus on soil health, using no-till and low-till practices, planting cover crop, and adding compost. I use organic fertilizer, though sparingly. In addition, I focus on pollinator habitat and health in the garden. I use IPM (Integrated Pest Management) practices to handle pest management. Outside of the garden I try to use more environmentally friendly products, such as the sleeves the flowers are wrapped in are recyclable paper as opposed to plastic.

Imported flowers’ long journey to your door is very energy consuming, from the refrigerated vehicles transporting the blooms, to all the packing required to ship them. Imported flowers are also often sprayed with many pesticides, leaving behind harmful residue.

Beyond being more eco friendly, since local flowers’ journey is usually only a few miles, they will also have a longer vase life in your home. Local flowers are fresher, and thus last longer, sometimes being harvested only hours before they are brought to market.