4 AFFORDABLE CSAs IN BROOKLYN WE LOVE

Since the onset of the pandemic, CSAs (Community Grown Agriculture) have grown increasingly popular. Members of a CSA traditionally pay a small farm upfront for a full-season of vegetables. This provides financial security for that farmer and gives the member access to hyper-fresh produce on a regular basis. CSA's are built on a model of trust and transparency between grower and their community. 

Today, CSA’s have evolved, and luckily for urbanites, you no longer need to live close to a farm to become a member. For a roundup of our favorite affordable CSA's available to Brooklyners, read on!

Brooklyn Grange farmer harvesting Kale at the Navy Yard Farm

1. BROOKLYN SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE

Brooklyn Supported Agriculture (BSA) is a  Black-led, worker-owned coop is committed to transforming the food system by sourcing exclusively from local independent food businesses and farms in the tri-state area. The majority of their suppliers are worker-owned coops, and BIPOC, queer, and women owned farms. By shortening the food supply chain they can guarantee workers fair compensation, without inflating their marketplace prices. BSA’s sliding scale CSA offers a ‘buy as you go’ option in addition to the traditional seasonal subscription  for a variety of shares and marketplace add-ons to choose from – including veggie bags,market bags  fruit shares, herb bundles, mushrooms, cheeses, eggs, breads, maple syrup and more.

In addition to the work BSA does in building Brooklyn food sovereignty, in 2021, worker-owner Steph Wiley co-launched Mumbet’s Freedom Farm, a BIPOC worker-owned cooperative farm in Western Massachusetts. Mumbet’s Freedom Farm supplies supplements BSA’s Veggie and Market Bags along with supplying to other local programs.

PRICE POINT: Beginning at $22.40/week
DATES: Year-Round
PICKUP LOCATIONS: Bed Stuy, Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts, Stuy-Heights, Weeksville, Greenwood Heights, Sunset Park, Williamsburg, Bushwick
DELIVERY: Additional fees apply
BOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn Supported Agriculture (BSA) is an excellent option for folks looking to support local farms as well as a local, mission-oriented co-op focusing on labor rights. BSA guarantees all worker-owners the same salary and equal company voting rights. For those who are interested in CSA’s, supporting but are still unsure about committing for a whole season, BSA is for you! . With their “buy as you go” option, you can participate on a weekly basis with a variety of different share types, marketplace add-ons, pickup locations and home delivery options. .

2. BROOKLYN GRANGE - SLIDING SCALE CSA

For a HYPER local option, Brooklyn Grange’s sliding scale CSA invites you to choose your price point based on your income and access to wealth. Our CSA program is dedicated to working towards practicing economic solidarity with our neighbors to ensure that as many people as possible can access our vegetables, grown right here in Brooklyn. Members of our CSA will enjoy a range of vegetables including heirloom tomatoes, lettuce mix, chives, hakurei turnips, bok choy, french breakfast radishes, green garlic, lacinato kale, sunflower shoots. Each share is enough for one person who cooks vegetarian meals at home most nights OR two people who cook omnivorous meals 3-4 nights a week. They’re also great supplements the shopping needs of a larger residence.

We also offer a number of add-ons from local producers including eggs by Triple J Farm, mushrooms by Smallhold, coffee by Pipe & Tabor Roasting,  and seasonal apothecary needs by Moon Mother Apothecary . For the first time,  beautiful pollinator-supporting blooms can be purchased as a standalone, Brooklyn Grange Flower Share.

PRICE POINT: Sliding scale (starting at $15/week paid seasonally). Payment plan available, SNAP accepted
DATES: Late May - October
PICKUP LOCATIONS: Brooklyn Navy Yard (farm pickup), Sunset Park (farm pickup), Crown Heights
DELIVERY: Not Available

BOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn Grange’s sliding-scale CSA is great for folks who are interested in building equity into our food system, meeting the farmers that grow their food, and taking a weekly trip to a rooftop farm even looks like! This CSA is also an excellent choice for those looking for a local flower subscription that supports native pollinators!

Upon picking up the first share, Brooklyn Grange CSA members also get the most bee-utiful tote in town.

A pickup location with a view!

3. ROCK STEADY

Rock Steady is a queer owned and operated cooperative vegetable farm rooted in social justice, food access and farmer training. Located in upstate New York on 12 acres of land, Rock Steady grows fresh vegetables for their 500-member sliding-scale CSA. Members of their CSA will have access to a weekly share containing a diversity of 8-9 items. Each share generally feeds 2-4 people (or 1 veggie enthusiast!). In addition to produce, Rock Steady offers fruit, eggs, meat, yogurt, and cheese sourced from neighboring farms.

To expand access, Rock Steady offers sliding scale pricing and flexible payment plans for their CSA program with pickups in multiple boroughs. In addition, through their Food Access Fund, they offer Solidarity Shares for low-or zero-cost to members experiencing food insecurity. Rock Steady’s CSA was our inspiration when we pivoted to our sliding scale model. We cannot thank them enough for the educational resources they made accessible and the wisdom they’ve shared in their workshops. We deeply admire Rock Steady’s deep commitment to food sovereignty and for creating opportunities to make farming accessibly to the queer, BIPOC community.

PRICE POINT: Sliding scale starting at $14/week paid seasonally for a full vegetable share. Payment plan available, SNAP accepted
DATES: June-October
PICKUP LOCATIONS: Chelsea, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights/Bed Stuy, Bushwick, Ridgewood, Millerton (upstate NY, farm pickup)
DELIVERY: Not available

BOTTOM LINE: Rock Steady is one of few queer-owned and lead farms local to NYC. Sign up for their CSA to support their mission in training and support other LGBTQIA+ farmers, educating the broader community, and fueling the movements for systemic change.

Rock Steady Farm is one of few queer-owned and lead farms local to NYC.

5. FARM TO PEOPLE

Farm to People leans much closer to a grocery delivery service than a traditional CSA. Similar to Brooklyn Supported Agriculture, Farm to People sources from a number of farms and producers in the tri-state area.  Working at a much larger scale, they offer three options of customizable produces boxes (small, medium, and large) and well over a hundred add-on products covering dairy, meat, seafood, snacks, drinks, pantry items, and pre-made meals. Farm to People also allows folks to opt in on a week-by-week basis allowing for maximum flexibility!

PRICE POINT: Farm boxes start at $25/week paid per week. No payment plan, SNAP not accepted.
DATES: Year-round
PICKUP LOCATIONS: No pickup, delivery only
DELIVERY: Free delivery on orders over $50

BOTTOM LINE: If you’re looking for a CSA that will cover all of your grocery shopping needs and not just your vegetables, Farm to People is your one-stop shop.