Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
At the Blandford Farm, we offer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) – a relationship between community members who prefer locally-grown food and the farmers that grow it. CSA members support and invest in our farm by purchasing a “share” of the harvest that they can pick up weekly. Learn more about our 2023 CSA options and view samples of what might come in your weekly share below!
2023 CSA Share Options
Vegetable Shares
Indulge in 20 weeks of fresh, naturally-grown seasonal vegetables from June 6th to October 18th.
Full Share (7-10 Items per Week): $600 Members, $630 Non-members
Half Share (5-7 Items per Week): $360 Members, $375 Non-members
Notes: There is a $100 deposit required at the time of registration, regardless of share size. The remaining payment is due on or before the first pick up date.
Share Pick-up Options:
- Tuesdays at the Blandford Farm (3145 Milo St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534) from 4:00-6:30pm
- Fridays or Saturdays at the Fulton Street Farmers Market (1145 Fulton St E, Grand Rapids, MI 49503) from 8:00am-1:00pm
- Booths 72 & 73 on the West side of the market
- There is a one-time $25 fee for the Fulton Street Farmers Market Pick-up Option
Unable to make your regularly scheduled pick-up time one week? View our Alternative Pick-up Options here.
View the images below to see what may come in your Vegetable Shares!
*Please note that these are sample shares and are subject to change based on field conditions.
Herb Shares
Enjoy 10 weeks of fresh herb bunches from July 11th to September 12th. Share members will receive 4 herb bunches each week along with a mini booklet detailing preservation techniques such as drying, making infused oils and vinegars, and more.
Herb Share: $100
Notes: Pricing is the same regardless of membership status. The share must be paid for in full at the time of registration.
Share Pick-up Options:
- Tuesdays at the Blandford Farm (3145 Milo St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534) from 4:00-6:30pm
- Fridays or Saturdays at the Fulton Street Farmers Market (1145 Fulton St E, Grand Rapids, MI 49503) from 8:00am-1:00pm
- Booths 72 & 73 on the West side of the market
- NEW: there is a one-time $10 fee for the Fulton Street Farmers Market Pick-up Option
Unable to make your regularly scheduled pick-up time one week? View our Alternative Pick-up Options here.
View the images below to see what may come in your Herb Share!
*Please note that these are sample shares and are subject to change based on field conditions.
Flower Shares
Enjoy 10 weeks of gorgeous flowers from July 11th to September 12th. Share members will receive a pre-arranged bouquet of seasonal flowers each week. Flower varieties will change throughout the seasons and may include zinnias, sunflowers, snapdragons, strawflowers, and more!
Flower Share: $150
Notes: Pricing is the same regardless of membership status. There is a $100 deposit required at the time of registration. The remaining payment is due on or before the first pick up date.
Share Pick-up Options:
- Tuesdays at the Blandford Farm (3145 Milo St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534) from 4:00-6:30pm
- Fridays or Saturdays at the Fulton Street Farmers Market (1145 Fulton St E, Grand Rapids, MI 49503) from 8:00am-1:00pm
- Booths 72 & 73 on the West side of the market
- NEW: there is a one-time $10 fee for the Fulton Street Farmers Market Pick-up Option
Unable to make your regularly scheduled pick-up time one week? View our Alternative Pick-up Options here.
View the images below to see what may come in your Flower Share!
*Please note that these are sample shares and are subject to change based on field conditions.
Purchase A Share
Follow the links below to purchase a share of the Blandford Farm harvest! Please note: Blandford Nature Center members receive early & discounted registration for our CSA program, but your membership must be valid at the time of purchase to receive these benefits. Visit our Membership page here to become a member or renew your membership today!
Prefer a physical CSA registration form? Download one to print here, or pick one up from the Mary Jane Dockeray Visitor Center on your next visit (Monday-Saturday from 9am-5pm). If you have questions or would like to know more about the Blandford Farm, please contact Liz, our Farm Manager, at liz@blandfordnaturecenter.org or 616-735-6240 ext. 125.
Alternative CSA Share Pick-up Options
We understand that there are times when life events or busy schedules can get in the way of picking up your CSA Share. For our small farm crew, it can be difficult to accommodate all requests for alternative pick-up times given the structure of our harvest and packing days. Here are all the alternative pick-up options we have available if you are unable to make your regularly scheduled pick-up time:
- You can have someone else pick up your share. The person picking up your share needs to know your name and share size. Letting our Farm Manager know in advance that someone will be picking up your share on your behalf is helpful, but not absolutely necessary.
- You are welcome to skip a week if it makes more sense for your schedule, if you are not going through your produce as fast, etc.
- You can email our Farm Manager (liz@blandfordnaturecenter.org) ahead of your regularly scheduled pick up day. We need to know of any requests for altered pick-ups by the Sunday before pick-up day at the very latest.
- You can get Market Credit. There are times when life events and things beyond our control happen. In this case, the value of your share may be applied to purchasing items from our Farmers Market stall. Our Farm Manager needs to get this request ahead of time so our farm crew can be made aware of who has market credit and how much.
Paying a Remaining Balance
- When you receive your confirmation email after purchasing a CSA Share online, there is a link to pay your remaining balance at the bottom of the email.
- You can call the front desk at (616) 735-6240 and pay with a card over the phone.
- Cash, Card, or Check payments can be made in-person at the front desk.
- You can pay your remaining balance at the Fulton Street Farmers Market. Please let our Farm Manager (liz@blandfordnaturecenter.org) know ahead of time if you plan on paying your remaining balance this way.
About Wormies Vermicompost
From the Wormies website: We are a local-local-local community composting operation. Food waste generated in our community is composted in a local facility and our finished compost is used by local gardens and farms.
About the Blandford Farm
With 2.5 acres of land, our farm has been growing over 200 different varieties of vegetables since 2010. We are Certified Naturally Grown (CNG), a part of Slow Food of West Michigan (SFWM), Cropping System Certified through the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP), and a Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety (MOFPS) certified farm, which means we grow all our produce using environmentally friendly, healthy practices. We don’t use herbicides or pesticides, and believe the health of the soil directly impacts the quality of produce grown. We monitor soil health through annual soil tests, and use the results to determine which amendments we add to the soil to ensure a healthy crop and nutrient dense food.
Our Farm is a short walk west of the Visitor Center and has many things to offer besides naturally-grown produce. Come greet the goats, say “hello” to the sheep, explore the children’s garden, and play in the farm-themed playscape – the opportunities are endless!
We invite visitors of all ages to enjoy, explore, and engage in nature through our farmed-themed community programs. Tap a tree, learn to garden, gather eggs, paint a pumpkin, enjoy a family bonfire, and more. we provide a variety of unique, hands-on, behind-the-scenes opportunities to learn and connect with nature on the Blandford Nature Center Farm.
Visit our Community Calendar for more information on our farm programs and start planning a year full of fun!
