A Few Shares Still Available in the Sunset CSA

I just found out today that you can juice greens. I've had a juicer sitting around for years, unused, while I struggle to use up huge quantities of kale and spinach and other fun leafy things. Now I know that I don't have to worry about wasting greens with a CSA share. I can juice 'em! You know the Mimomex squash blossoms and zucchini wouldn't go to waste, and their famous peppers are inspiring. But I've heard stories from other people who have been members of long-time CSAs, and those stories are scary. Opening the refrigerator and being stared down by bunches of kale and swiss chard is intimidating, but stuffing them into a juicer is satisfying. Bring 'em on, I say.

Thankfully, there are a few shares (full and half) still open in the Sunset Park CSA. Payment in full is due at the end of May (okay, June 1st), but of course it's encouraged before since the deposit date passed at the end of April. Check out the Sunset Park CSA website for downloadable FAQs and membership information. You can also see previous posts about it here.

Quick info:
The Mimomex produce is naturally grown, and it's pesticide free.
The pick-up is on Wednesday evenings at St. Michael's.
Fruit and egg shares are available for an extra cost.
Low-income shares are available.
Each share volunteers a couple of hours; you get to meet your neighbors!
Come on, you'll like it. Everybody else is doing it.

Sunset CSA to Offer Fruit and Egg Shares

In addition to a working website for the Sunset Park CSA, there's more exciting news for those who wish to partake of non-pesticide, humanely grown and cared for, and fresh food: Optional Fruit and Egg Shares are also available!

As per an email from one of the core members, a person must purchase a vegetable share in order to purchase the optional fruit and egg shares. The optional fruit and egg shares can be purchased separately (fruit or egg...). The website has the FAQ and the Membership Agreement as PDF downloads. You can also download the request form for the fruit or egg shares. The fruit is from a conventional farm, but the chickens are true free range - meaning they actually get to run around; they're not just offered a hole in the wall to leave if they so choose. See below for an excerpt about the optional shares.

The Sunset Park CSA is pleased to announce the addition of Fruit and Egg shares for the summer of 2009. These optional shares are only available if you have purchased or are purchasing a Weekly or an Every Other Week vegetable share. The egg and fruit shares will
be available for pick up at the same time as the vegetable shares, Wednesday evenings from
5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Shares in New Sunset CSA Still Available

While some of the more established CSAs around town have been sold out for a while, the brand new Sunset Park CSA has some unattached shares. They have regular shares and low-income shares available. The farm, MimoMex in Goshen, has been working with Green Markets and CSAs for several years. They grow many of the more typical vegetables, but their specialty is Mexican produce; they are well known for their beautiful squash blossoms. If you went to the Sunset Green Market last year, you probably saw them. One of the links below includes a recipe for squash blossoms. So, if you're looking to get fresh produce right off the farm this season, don't wait! Write to the Sunset Park CSA for more information.

And isn't their logo fantastic? Check out JoFolio's link on the right to see more of his work.

from the informational posting by one of the organizers:

The Sunset Park CSA is still selling farm shares in the CSA. A CSA is a partnership between a farm and a group of people who pay in advance to receive fresh produce throughout the summer. This is a great chance for folks in the neighborhood to meet neighbors and come home with freshly picked produce from MimoMex farm in Goshen, NY. MimoMex sells produce at the Sunset Park farmers market as well as at other farmers markets in NYC. Below are some links to articles about the farm. The CSA drop off site is Wednesday from 5pm to 7:30 pm at St. Michael's Church on 4th Avenue between 42nd and 43rd Street. You can purchase either a weekly share (every week for 20 weeks) or an Every Other Week share (every other week, 10 weeks total.)

If you need more information, email sunsetparkcsa@yahoo.com and we will send you a PDF of our Information/FAQ and a membership form. These contain the share price and other info about the CSA.

Here's a 2004 article from The Daily News about the farm and farmer, Martin Rodriguez

And here's a New York Times Article from 2007.

CSAs Are All Over Brooklyn (including Sunset Park!)

The Brooklyn Eagle has an article highlighting Brooklyn's CSAs. Left off the list was the brand-spanking new Sunset Park CSA. Lucky for you, and as posted last week, I have the information about how you can get fresh vegetables for 20 weeks (or 10 weeks) this summer.

A cool detail is that the farmer with whom the Sunset Park CSA was matched actually lives in Sunset Park during the winter months. Way to support organic agriculture AND a neighbor.

From the FAQ sheet for the Sunset Park CSA, here's a little about the farmer:

We are partnered with MimoMex Farms in Goshen, New York, (formerly Rodri-Mex) run by Martin and Gaudencia Rodriguez, and we are very excited! Some of you may have already seen MimoMex and their produce at the Sunset Park Greenmarket during the summer months on 4th Ave. and 59th St. The Rodriguez family is based in Brooklyn during the off season, but once the growing season starts, they move upstate to their farm in Goshen.

The deadline for the deposit is coming up (well, not so quickly, but if you want to guarantee a share...) on April 30th; you need your deposit and your agreement form completed by April 30th to secure a share. Full payment is due by June 1st. The vegetables will begin arriving the third week in June.

For more information, email your contact information to SunsetParkCSA@yahoo.com. Below is the pricing chart for all four plans. These are for vegetable shares, although fruit is a possibility sometime during the summer.

Help make the first year of the Sunset Park CSA a success!

Fresh, Local, Chemical-Free Veggies in Sunset Park

Today a neighbor and I were walking on 8th Avenue and we stopped to pick up some greens. Looking at the pears, and scoffing at the THREE layers of foam and plastic wrapped around them, we saw the stickers that announced their origin: China. Well, no wonder they needed all those layers; they had already traveled the world!

This summer, thanks to a dedicated group of Sunset Park residents, there is another option. The inaugural season of the Sunset Park Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is currently signing up members. Both full and half-shares are available.

Pick-up will be Wednesdays from 5 PM to 7:30 PM at St. Michael's on 4th Avenue and 43rd. The shares run from the end of June through October for a total of 20 weeks. There is four hour volunteer commitment involved. It's a great way to get to know your neighbors! A full share for households making over 30K costs $525, households under 30K pay $375. A half-share (every other week) for households making over 30K costs $270, households under 30K pay $195.

For more information, email SunsetParkCSA@yahoo.com, or leave questions here in the comment section.

Sunset Park CSA Informational Pot Luck

Sunset Park CSA Pot Luck Brunch

Saturday, February 28, 2009 - 10 am to 12 Noon on 41st Street between 6th and 7th (RSVP for the specific address).

We invite you to come to hear about and sign up for the Sunset Park Community Supported Agriculture. Community Supported Agriculture is a partnership between the CSA members and a farmer, in our case MimoMex Farms in Goshen, New York. The farmer is supplied with a predictable income, and members are supplied with freshly harvested vegetables on a weekly or every-other-week basis throughout the summer and into the autumn.

In addition to the vegetables that you may be familiar with -onions, squash, carrots, greens, beets, lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants, cabbage, parsley, herbs, etc., MimoMex Farms also grows an array of pesticide-free, traditional Mexican and Central American vegetables and herbs as well as a large selection of peppers.

Details on the share price and structure, vegetable pick up location and volunteer commitment will be provided at the meeting. Signing up for a share requires a deposit, which can be made by personal check or cash.

In addition, this will be a pot-luck brunch, so please bring a small dish/pastries/bagels/drink to share with others. Coffee and tea will be provided.

Please RSVP to SunsetParkCSA@yahoo.com.

If you cannot attend the meeting but would like more information about the CSA, please send us an email.

We look forward to seeing you on the 28th!

The Core Committee - Abby, Jane, Joelle, Kate, Kenzie, Leah and Liz