Chestnut Hill Farm: Expanded CSA and offerings

Above: Chestnut Hill Farm CSA members can enjoy 20 weeks of access to more than 40 varieties of fruits and veggies this year. Or, if you’re more of a carnivore, sign up for TTOR’s new summer Beef CSA. (Omnivores can sign up for both!) (top row images from brochure, bottom from website)

Chestnut Hill Farm has become quite a hub of activity over the past couple of years, and it’s not slowing down.

The Trustees of Reservations is again offering the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program with bountiful produce. This year, the farm will also be a pickup site for the new Summer Beef CSA:

The Trustees Summer Beef CSA includes mixed beef cuts ranging from steak to roasts to ground beef, all raised on Trustees farms by Trustees farmers. Our cattle are raised on the open pastures and in the oak forests of Moose Hill Farm in Sharon, Powisset Farm in Dover, and Weir River Farm in Hingham. The meat they produce is high quality and delicious. When you join a Trustees Meat CSA you are helping to support a strong local food system.

The meat program will offer 2 pounds per week for 20 weeks. Click here for details.

In addition, the farm is continuing to hold events. (Most are for a small fee, but there are occasional free community events, too.) 

Some of the upcoming happenings include Preschool Farm Explorers and a Father’s Day Blue Grass BBQ. Check out the farm calendar here.

As for the traditional CSA program, here are some of the important details:

  • The 20 week program runs from mid-June – October
  • Shareholders have access to more than 40 varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs (including favorites like carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and peas)
  • There are two fill-your basket sizes to choose from. The large share is pitched as for a family of 4-6 and the small for 2-3 people (or larger families who also have a home garden).
  • Members select which items and how much to fill their baskets with. (Though, sometimes with limits on specific items to ensure all members get to enjoy them.)
  • Chestnut Hill Farm's CSA produce timeline
    (click to enlarge

    Produce includes some pick-your-own offerings (popular with children): cherry tomatoes, strawberries, flowers, beans and more.

  • Share pick up is scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays from 2:00 – 6:00 pm
  • TTOR posted a projected timeline of offerings (which appears to be the same as last year’s). Click on the image right to enlarge.
  • To join the CSA, you must be a member of TTOR. But that membership does provide discounted admission to most events at the farm and other TTOR properties.

Since so many residents go away for a couple of weeks in the summer, last year I asked Farm Manager Desiree Robertson-DuBois how that is handled. Here’s her response:

I usually suggest to folks who take a vaca during the summer is that they can offer their share to a neighbor, friend or family to pick up (they can change their pickup day to make it more convenient for that person) or they can donate their share for that week to the Southborough Food Pantry to help our neighbors in need of fresh produce. Sometimes we can do a ‘make-up’ pick up, but most folks find that that is too much produce for them and they would rather donate or give away their share for another to enjoy. It makes a great gift.

For more details on the CSA, or to sign up, click here.

7 Comments
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Pat D
6 years ago

Will they have a farmer’s market available to the general public this year as they did last year? If so, what are the days and hours?
Thank you.

Desiree
6 years ago
Reply to  Pat D

Farmstand is open Tues, Thurs and Fri 2-6p and Sat from 9a-2p starting this weekend!!! Check our Facebook page Chestnut Hill Farm for details on what we have in the stand for veg and products!

Anita Reeder
6 years ago
Reply to  Desiree

I don’t “do” Facebook…is there somewhere else i can get this information? A quick glance at your website didn’t mention the farmstand. Where should I look? Thanks!

Anita Reeder
6 years ago
Reply to  Beth Melo

Thanks, Beth, I didn’t realize that about Facebook. Guess I will have to get one of my daughters to look it up for me every week :-)

Desiree
6 years ago
Reply to  Beth Melo

Hi Beth- until the week of June 13th, our farmstand is open on Saturdays from 9a-2p. From the week of June 13th (and until the end of October) we will be open on Tues, Thurs, Fri from 2a-6p and Saturdays from 9a-2p. You can also sign up for our blog that will have current ongoing information about what is going on at the farm and in the farmstand. http://chestnuthillfarmcsa.blogspot.com/
Cheers!

Kristi Perry
6 years ago

Hi Beth, hope all is well! We are offering our Meat CSA again this year. More information can be found here!
http://www.thetrustees.org/email/find-your-place/trustees-winter-meat-csa-back.html
Thanks, Kristi

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