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CSA baskets are available now!
Click the button below to register for your 2024 organic vegetable share.

What is CSA?

Community Supported Agriculture is a model that connects local farmers and eaters, and allows us to share in the joys and realities of small-scale agriculture.

In this system, individuals or families sign up and pay at the beginning of the season for a share of vegetables. Your support helps us buy the seed, compost, and equipment we need for the year ahead. In return for your contribution, we provide you with weekly shares of fresh, organic, local produce all season long.  

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What vegetables will I get in a weekly basket?

The content of your CSA vegetable basket will change every week depending on what’s in season. We strive for the most diverse offering of vegetables possible in our climate, and we grow food you want to eat. We also aim for maximum flexibility for you: pickups will offer choices between different options, and an exchange box where you can trade any item.

Below are a few seasonal example baskets, for reference:

Ottawa CSA veggie box

Sample June Share

Asparagus
Carrots
Napa cabbage
Cherry tomatoes
Salad mix
Salad turnips or kohlrabi
Green onions or Swiss chard

Local vegetable share basket Ottawa Centretown Ottawa East

Sample August Share

Beans
Bok Choy or Kale
Carrots or Eggplant
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Cilantro, Garlic or Parsley
Peppers
Zucchini

Sample October Share

Squash
Arugula or baby kale
Beets
Winter radish
Cabbage or radicchio
Potatoes
Carrots
Salad mix or pea shoots

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How much food will I get every week?

Our baskets are designed to offer, on average, a week’s vegetables for a family of four, or two vegetable-loving adults. However, every household is different! The majority of our 2023 members surveyed said they had an average of 2 adults eating from the farm share, and that they were happy with the quantity of vegetables they received. 

If you’re worried about receiving more vegetables than you can eat, we suggest finding a neighbour or friend to split your basket. If you’re interested in splitting a basket, but don’t have anyone in mind to share it, please contact us at info@fermeagricola.com and we’ll try to connect you with another member.

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What happens if I can't pick up my veggie basket on a given week?

  • You can always have someone else (a neighbour, friend, co-worker, family member or very well-trained dog) pick up your CSA basket for you. 
  •  You can change your pickup location via your online calendar if there is another option that week that suits you
  • For 2 weeks per season, you can cancel your basket and add credit to your “slate”, which you can use for a double share in a future week, credit at our market stall or other purchases from the farm 
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What if I hate beets? Or am allergic to garlic?

Every drop off point has a swap box, or exchange bin, where you can trade items in your share that you don’t want (for whatever reason), for an item that you prefer. Some members will exchange something in their CSA every week, and some will almost never use the exchange bin. 
 
However, if you are allergic to, or don’t eat, a large category of vegetables, the CSA may not be the right option for you. If your family never eats salad, or is allergic to the whole brassica family, for example, we suggest that you try the Agricola Member Card, which gives you complete flexibility and choice over which vegetables you get each week. 
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What if I'm away for most of the summer ?

If you want a 10% discount on fresh, local, organic vegetables but aren’t able to pick up a weekly share, why not try Agricola Member Card? This pre-purchased card allows you to shop at our market locations without cash but with all of the flexibility you need!

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What is the CSA network contribution?

The Family Farmers Network is a not-for-profit network of certified organic farms in Quebec. The FFN coordinates registrations and runs our online CSA management software. The contribution goes directly and entirely to the operation of the network, which works to support ecological and community supported agriculture, and builds connections between farmers and eaters. 

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What is the Solidarity Share?

We offer a Solidarity Share program in order to increase access to local and organic food across income brackets. The goal of this program is to offer a percentage of our CSA organic vegetable baskets at a reduced rate to lower-income members of our community, both in Ottawa and the Petite Nation. 

If you’re interested in contributing to the Solidarity Share fund to make nutritious local food more accessible, you can donate through the button below at any time.

If you’re interested in participating in the Solidarity Share program, please send us an email at info@fermeagricola.com

Agricola Cooperative Farm Fresh Local Organic Vegetables CSA Farmers Market Ottawa Gatineau Organic Farmers Young Farmers Local Flowers

Where do I pick up my farm share?

We offer five pick-up locations: 

 Old Ottawa East: Wednesdays from 4:00-6:00 pm on Main Street – Greystone Presentation Centre and

Saturdays from 9:00am to 12:00pm at the Main Farmers Market

 Little Italy/Chinatown: Thursdays from 4:00-6:00 pm at the Dalhousie Community Garden on the corner of Preston Street and Somerset Street.

Riverside Park : Saturdays from 10:00 am-12:00 pm at the Ottawa Organic Farmers’ Market on Riverside Drive. 

On farm pick-up is also available! For Petite Nation residents, pick-ups will be 12:00-5:00 pm at 502 QC-323, Papineauville, QC.

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Other questions?

If you have any other questions about the CSA program or the farm, please send us an email at csa @ fermeagricola.com. 

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