Joining Howard's End CSA for the 2010 season

Hi, and thanks for your interest in Howard's End CSA.  The 2010 season deliveries begin on May 4th and run until at least November 23.  We may extend the season through the winter since we've hired some extra help; there will be a fall update.  In case you don't know the "CSA" stands for "community supported agriculture".  When you join us you are putting your financial support behind our organic farm from which you will recieve goods on a regular, weekly basis for the duration of the season.  By paying in full or in part at the beginning of the season, you are making it easier for us to prepare for the season.  Prior to the delivery of the first bags of goods to you, from January right up until that first week in May we are very busy with many, many tasks.  Some of these have been listed on the calendar.   Please Note: Deposits are now due and will be accepted up to April 15if you want to take advantage of the early pay discount. (please disregard the Feb 10 deadline on the membership form.)

Click here to print out a membership form (pdf).

We are a unique CSA.  First of all, when you join and send in your deposit, you are establishing a debit account with us.  Everytime you recieve goods, or pick up additional goods from our booth at the downtown State College Tuesday Farmer's Market, your account is debited for those goods recieved.  If you are going out of town, or have too many vegetables on hand,  you can contact us the Friday before the next delivery date by email only that you would like that delivery cancelled.  As long as you contact us, you won't be charged.  If you forget to pick up your goods however, you will be charged as all produce is harvested the day before especially for you.  If you have special needs or cannot eat (or won't) certain items (peanuts for example), just let us know and your account will be noted.  Our first priority is produce for our members, our second priority is to the market.  If we have limited availability for raspberries, mushrooms, or artichokes, the members will recieve them first.  We have a very extensive and diverse produce season planned for 2010.

Farming is a very challenging business to be in.  There are days when it's really tough going so one has to be reflective looking back on what has been accomplished and looking ahead to the benefits of success.  Anyway, we consider ourselves a "gourmet" CSA.  We are pursuing this concept by creating a cookbook ( which you will find in the "recipes" section on the website), holding a couple of "Dinners' at Eight" events and of course, growing a very diverse variety of crops.  We are a small CSA.  Currently we have 40 plus families and expect to grow to between 70 and 90 this season.  We have had alot of inquiries, so if you  are interested, do let us know right away by sending us an email at: howardsendfarm@gmail.com.  We offer full shares and half shares.  Full shares give you $26 worth of produce each week for a period of 30 weeks, and half shares give you $14 worth of produce for 30 weeks.  If you sign up and pay in full by April 15, you recieve a discount.  Full shares receive a discount of $35 (instead of $780 it would be $745) and half shares $20 (instead of $420, $400).  You can opt to pay 50% of the full or half share total by April 15 and the remaining 50% by July 15.  Contact us if you would like to offer some other arrangement.  As I mentioned before, at the end of the season, if there is any money left in your account, you can receive a refund or credit the amount to the forthcoming year.  We are interested in getting to know you and learn what you do.  We view our CSA as an extended family. 

 Thanks again,  Addison Hoffman and Valerie Anderson