CSA

Our 2013 CSA is FULL, but we will still have chicken available for purchase throughout the year. Click our Products page for more details.

2013 CSA Program Details

Crowfoot Farm is offering a CSA (community supported agriculture) program in 2013. By becoming a member you are partnering with us in our efforts to produce clean, sustainable and humanely grown foods and helping us make a difference in our community by providing an alternative to factory-farmed meats and eggs.

What we offer:

The Full Share provides fifty-two pastured, non-gmo fed chickens* (that’s a chicken a week for a year!). Members also receive a discount on eggs purchased throughout the year and 10% off the purchase of a Thanksgiving turkey. Cost: $725 (includes 2.5% VA food sales tax).
The Half Share provides twenty-six pastured, non-gmo fed chickens*. Members also receive a discount on eggs purchased throughout the year and 10% off the purchase of a Thanksgiving turkey. Cost: $362.50 (includes 2.5% VA food sales tax).

*Chickens are sold whole, ready-to-cook, and individually packaged. We will custom cut some or all of your chickens into parts for an additional $2.50 per chicken and 50 cents per additional bag if smaller portioned packages are desired.

Member Benefits:

Cost Savings: Members save, on average, 10-15% on the price of chickens. In addition, members receive a discount on eggs purchased throughout the year and 10% on the purchase of a Thanksgiving turkey. By purchasing at the beginning of the growing season, members are also immune to price increases that may occur if feed prices rise during the growing season.
Convenience: Because members receive fresh (unfrozen) chickens, you have the option to cut and package them in portion sizes most convenient for your family. Chickens are available in five batches over the course of the growing season. Members only need to make five trips to the farm during the year.
Relationship and Experience: Although not required, members may participate in farm work in exchange for a discount on the price of their share. You may enjoy taking an active roll in producing the food for your table.
Additional Benefits: While poultry and eggs are our farm’s main products, we also offer other products seasonally such as pastured pork, fresh garden produce, hand-made soap, Amissville honey, New Hampshire maple syrup and wool products from our sheep. Our CSA members are “in the know” and get first pick of additional products that we offer.

How the CSA benefits the farm:

Forming Relationships: Members are active partners guaranteeing the continuation of the farm. We love getting to know the people for whom we are growing food, and we hope you will get to know us!
Cash Flow: Members pay at the beginning of the growing season, providing us the cash needed for purchasing chicks and feed.
Time Saver: Because members are guaranteeing the sale of a certain number of birds, we can spend less time marketing and more time farming. We are constantly striving to improve the way we do things, and that takes time.

The Risks for Members:

Members are guaranteed to receive a certain number of birds throughout the growing season, however, we cannot guarantee the weight of the birds. Our chickens average 3-5 lbs. Males grow larger than females, and factors such as rainfall and outdoor temperature can affect the growth rate of birds. We raise most of our chickens in the spring through early summer and late summer through early fall when grass growth and nutrition is at its peak and temperatures are most comfortable for the chickens. This promotes health, vigor and the best growth.

If, for any reason, we are unable to provide the full number of chickens for your share, we will refund $10 for each un-delivered chicken.

The Risks for the Farm:

Raising a crop of any type is a risk for farmers due to possible losses caused by factors beyond our control such as weather and predation. In addition, we are taking a risk by offering members a year’s supply of chickens at a price set at the beginning of the growing season. We will absorb cost increases that may be caused if feed prices rise during the year.

Membership and Payments–How it works:

If you are interested in becoming a member, please print out the application, and mail it to us as soon as possible. We will contact you within two business days of receiving your application.

Your first payment is due with your application. We are a small, family farm and therefore only able to offer a limited number of shares. Memberships will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Memberships may be paid in two 50% installments. Second installments are due by June 1, 2013.

Processing Dates:

Fresh chickens will be available for pick-up on or around these five dates in 2013:

April 22 / May 27 / July 1 / September 23 / October 28

These dates are subject to change if conditions during the growing season demand it. Members will be notified at least one week before fresh chickens become available. If you are unable to pick up your fresh chickens right away, we will hold them for you for up to one week until you are able to pick them up. Due to limited freezer space, chickens not picked up within one week will be forfeit and may be sold to other customers. Please make every effort to have someone pick up your chickens when they are ready.

Full Share members will receive 10-11 fresh chickens after each processing date. (NOTE: If you begin cooking one chicken per week as soon as you receive your first batch, you will end up with approximately 27 whole chickens in your freezer after the last processing date in the fall. That requires about 4.5 cubic feet of freezer space. Chickens that are cut into parts take up less freezer space than whole chickens.)
Half Share members will receive 5-6 fresh chickens after each processing date.

Pickup & Delivery:

Pick up your chickens at the farm.

We are willing to work out off-farm delivery drop-off locations if enough members would like to pick up in a particular locality. Please let us know if you are interested in coordinating an off-farm delivery location.