CSA veggies in Baltimore
October 2, 2011 3:56 PM   Subscribe

Can anyone recommend a CSA farm with pick-up locations in Baltimore - preferably in or near Canton?

Asking for my sister....she's looking to try out the CSA approach to buying produce, but I'm not sure of what's available in the city. I've found a few places on localharvest.org, but would be interested to hear if anyone has any personal recommendations.

Thanks!
posted by pilibeen to Food & Drink (7 answers total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
I've enjoyed both Big White Barn and One Straw Farm's CSAs. BWB is near Frederick but delivers to Roland Park and perhaps other Baltimore locales. One Straw is in northern Baltimore County and has several pick-up locations in the city. I'm not sure if Canton is a drop-off point for either.

Each is skewed heavily toward veggies, with some fruit. I currently receive from BWB and it's heavily into eggplant, peppers, onions and, in summer, corn. I recall One Straw as being heavy with chard when I last had it several years ago. I've been very pleased with each.
posted by cheapskatebay at 4:41 PM on October 2, 2011


I love when a question I actually know something about appears!

I've been getting the Simmer Rock Farm CSA for the past year and have been impressed with the quality and diversity of produce. I pick mine up in Mt. Vernon at Milk and Honey Market, but I do know they have a variety of pick up locations.

They are one of the younger CSAs (this is their second year) and as such it's a little less expensive (well, it may be equivalently priced, but from others I've talked to it sounds like you get more bang for your buck) than some of the others (One Straw Farm, etc). They also offer combined shares with Trickling Springs, and Gunpowder Falls Buffalo.

Overall, highly recommended. I paid $525 for a full share this year (that I split with a neighbor) and will continue to get a hefty share (they've been getting bigger since July) straight through till mid- to late-November.

Favorite's so far have been heirloom tomatoes, really great eggplants, weekly garlic, figs (contributed by someone who owns a share), weekly braising greens, and occasionally a collection of herbs (dill, cilantro, basil, etc).

Feel free to memail me if you have any other questions.

Also, MeFi Baltimore meetup (I know it's just your sister, but still!)? Please?
posted by ghostpony at 5:20 PM on October 2, 2011


One straw farm is also very good: http://www.onestrawfarm.com/csa.html
posted by nalyd at 6:01 PM on October 2, 2011


I'm another OneStraw-ite. yum!
posted by spbmp at 7:57 PM on October 2, 2011


Not sure if they have a convenient pick up for Baltimore, but we've been very happy with Sandy Spring CSA, who source most of their stock from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative. (Both of those come up in a search for "Baltimore, Maryland" on localharvest.org, which is why I'm posting my recommendation, FWIW...)
posted by genehack at 8:03 PM on October 2, 2011


Big big shout out to Anam Cara Harvest, which is run by a former co-worker of mine.
posted by jaksemas at 8:33 PM on October 2, 2011


I split a CSA from One Straw Farm with a couple other people, pickup at the Patterson Park Charter School, 3 years ago. The potatoes were amazing. Unfortunately, nothing else came unwilted (I was there when they were unloading or within 15 min. to get stuff, so it wasn't sitting in the sun at the pickup site). Ended up trying to use everything I got within 3 days, because otherwise, it turned to green slime. Even so, I lost a lot to rotting, sometimes overnight.

It was hugely disappointing. I don't expect lettuce to live indefinitely, but it should last longer than 12 hours.
posted by QIbHom at 12:47 PM on October 3, 2011


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