Why Should you join Dondero’s CSA?

Picked at the peak of ripeness with no travel miles to get to you, our produce is offered to you every week.

• A bag full of items to serve up that week or freeze to enjoy in the middle of the cold winter, to remind us summer will be here again.

• We grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to bring a diverse flavor to your table. You can be sure the season for your favorite fruit doesn’t pass you by. You get all of the favorites: Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Methley Plums, Donut Peaches, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Beans, HoneyCrisp Apples, Pink Lady Apples, just to name a few. In the fall, we feature a different apple each week so that you can get to know the different local varieties.

• You will receive at least $640 in products for a $550 fee per share distributed over 18 weeks. The first week or two may be light on variety as produce ripens in the fields, but once summer is in full swing, your bag will be overflowing with produce. We recommend freezing items when it’s just too much so that during the winter, you can add those frozen berries to your yogurt or defrost an egg plant Parmesan that you made in the summer so you just have to bake and enjoy!

• Every week we will feature one of our delicious farm made products (ie: a pickle, a jam, a pie, a pesto, etc..) We have received many awards on our products from Connecticut Specialty Food Association, but we always let you be the judge! All products are made from produce we grow on the farm and we transform them into deliciousness in our commercial kitchen.

• Supporting local farms is beneficial because it helps protect the environment in many ways, food is more flavorful and nutritious, you get more than you pay for and you connect with others in your community.

The days are getting longer and with optimistic thoughts, spring will be here before you know it. As we enjoy the most relaxing of our 4 seasons, we still have work to do. We are setting up our crop plans and ordering the seed that will soon be started in our greenhouse. As we prepare for the upcoming season, we would like to invite you to participate in our Community Supported Agriculture program.

Community Supported Agriculture, commonly known as CSA, is a popular term since the “Eat Local” movement. CSA programs directly link the consumer to the farmer. The middleman is eliminated. The consumer becomes a shareholder or subscriber and commits at the beginning of the growing season to purchase part of the farmer’s crops. The share fee is paid up front to help cover production costs.

So many people vow to make this year healthier than the last, but how many have a game plan? That's the key to success. Saying you're going to eat better is only as beneficial as the changes you plan to make. We have to change our mind set from the convenience of already prepared foods, to seeking out local fresh fruits and vegetables and preparing them ourselves with low fat and sodium recipes. Many choices are always available, but you have to look for them. We feel our CSA is a great part of a healthy game plan.