Melissa Wharton
Northeast News

Northeast Farmers Market is offering the community another way to support and be benefited by local farmers through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

The CSA runs weekly from Oct. 1 to Nov. 19. Customers can pay $30 each week they decide to take part in the CSA, and that will give them a share of the harvest. Shares include meat, vegetables, bread, eggs, honey and jam.

“CSAs are an alternative sales model for direct retail sale of local foods to customers,” said Jenna Wilkins. “So it’s just trying to diversify the sales outlet for our vendors so they’re not dependent on people showing up to the farmers market, which is at a fixed location, day and time every week and can be very variable in terms of income. So it’s an attempt to lock in a certain amount of certainty.”

Shares can be picked up on Sundays between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. at 3001 Independence Ave. There’s also an option to have your share delivered after 6 p.m. for a $5 fee. Customers can pay in cash, debit/credit, SNAP or checks. The Double Up Food Bucks KC program makes it possible for SNAP customers to pay half price, with Double Up matching the other half.

“So far I’m encouraged with how the fall CSA is going,” Wilkins said. “Since it’s the first time we’re doing it, I’m waiting for the eight weeks to be up to see how lucrative it was, if it performed well and if it was beneficial to our farmers and customers. If it is, I’m going to recreate it in the spring.”

There are ten local farms contributing to the fall 2017 CSA. They are no longer taking applications for the fall season, but visit www.nefarmersmarket.wordpress.com for future opportunities.