Description
The Fall CSA Weekly Veggie Share Subscription is an 8 week program September 9h – October 30th.
The Fall Subscription features fresh produce like: corn, carrots, beets, zucchini, patty pans, microgreens, squash, melons, pumpkin, garlic, kale, lettuce, salad mix, turnip, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, kohlrabi, collard greens, plums and apples.
The TRC program is proud to offer delicious fresh bread and buns as an optional addition to our CSA boxes.
Save 10%! If all three Seasons are ordered together, 10% will be deducted automatically at the Checkout.
About Shelter Farm
Shelter Farm is a Market Garden Social Enterprise operated by the Port Alberni Shelter Society. Located on a 172acre ALR zoned property within the Alberni Valley. We grow 70 varieties of Fruit, Vegetables and Herbs. We are home to the Alberni Valleys first Therapeutic Recovery Centre which immerses participants in the therapeutic benefits of farm life. As well, we host a Peer Employment Program through partnership with INEO Employment Services for people struggling with homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a system that connects the producer and consumer within a food system. The consumer purchases “Shares” of the harvest upfront before the beginning of the season. This upfront investment in the farm allows the farmer to access resources required to have a successful harvest. At Shelter Farm we have 3 seasons of CSA Shares. A Spring 8 week program, a Summer 14 week program and a Fall 8 week program. The shares will be fresh, in season, fruit, vegetables and herbs.
Weekly Pick-Up Details
Weekly pick-up times and locations are listed on the main Shop page, you can select your preference at the checkout as well, and change any time if needed, just let us know.
Please bring your own reusable bags.
Note: there’s a limit of 15 total subscriptions, don’t delay!
What Our Customers Are Saying
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May 1. 2022 – OUR CSA PROGRAM HAS SOLD OUT. THANK YOU PORT ALBERNI FOR YOUR AMAZING SUPPORT! FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE UNABLE TO SECURE A SHARE, YOU CAN STILL FIND US EACH WEEK AT THE SATURDAY FARMER’S MARKET AT HARBOUR QUAY, 9 am-12 noon.
Support new farmers, and enjoy local, fresh produce – join our CSA!
Shelter Farm is a social enterprise run by the Port Alberni Shelter Society.
Shelter Farm is celebrating our third successful season offering the Market Garden Program in partnership with North Island College here in the Alberni Valley. 28 Market Gardeners have graduated from program and we are on track to train 16 more new farmers this year!
We are happy to offer a Community Supported Agriculture “CSA” produce box program.
What is a CSA?
Well it’s a way you can help support local farmers by purchasing shares of a farm’s harvest in advance. This provides our Market Gardeners with the money they need to purchase seeds, fertilizer and pay them a fair living wage.
We grow over 70 different types of vegetable produce and all kinds of herbs. We also have fruit such as berries, plums and melons. We also offer farm fresh free range eggs, gourmet mushrooms and microgreens.
We offer a few options for the CSA produce box program. You can purchase a half share or a full share.
Half share:
- Includes 5 or 6 produce items (total value of $22 a box)
Full share:
- Includes 10 or 11 produce items (total value $40 per box)
You will receive your box of produce each week over 21 weeks.
The first box will be on June 4, 2022 and the last box will be October 22 2022.
A Full Share is $675 and a Half Share is $450. You can pay in installments. It is important to know that you will receive what is in season. For example, in the first few boxes you will receive lots of greens, radishes, oyster mushrooms and our lovely baby carrots. In July/August (the peak of the season) you will receive an abundance of produce. In the fall you will get squash, greens and root vegetables. The amounts and what you will get vary from week to week.
The pick-up location for your box will be at our processing facility located at 3689 3rd Ave. on Wednesdays from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, or at the Spirit Square Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from 9:00am to 12:00pm. We will have a swap box at the locations so that you can exchange an item for something else in your box.
As part of our weekly box, we will include a newsletter with recipes for cooking up fresh new items, photos and stories about what is happening at the farm. You will also get first dibs on workshops, volunteer opportunities and field days at the farm.
We are chemical free. We are not presently organically certified but we practice organic growing methods so we can eventually apply for organic certification. We use natural fertilization and pest control methods such as cover crops and crop rotation. We use only organic certified fertilizer, potting mix and seeds. We have a large worm composting facility at the farm that we harvest worm castings to provide fertility. We practice regenerative agriculture methods using minimal tillage.
If you are interested in joining our CSA please contact me by email and I will send you the form to sign up. There are only 60 shares so don’t wait too long to sign-up! Thank you for your interest in the Port Alberni Shelter Society’s CSA program and supporting local agriculture.
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Unfortunately, due to COVID, we are not accepting clothing or household items at this time – but we can take your bottles and cans! To donate bottles & cans please call 250-723-6511 ext 111 to arrange bottle/can pick up. You can also take your bottles/cans to the Depot and designate them for the Port Alberni Shelter Society. Thank you for your continued support!
