CSA 2024 information

Thank you for your interest in our 2024 produce CSA! We hope you are ready to enjoy some locally grown, chemical free produce.

You can choose from Large or Small sizes, and between produce for the full 12 weeks, or only the first or last 6 weeks.

If you're ready to order visit https://forms.gle/nuWjXuiczcW1LNS27 . Once the order form is submitted, we will send you an invoice through email.

***Have a friend that loves produce? Recommend us to them, and you both receive $15 off your shares when they sign up.

(discounts will appear on your invoice)

Share prices:

Full small: $300/Full large: $420

Half small: $175/Half large: $225

Who is Blue Ridge Pepper Patch?

We are a Small Sustainable farm in Franklin county. We focus on soil regenerative methods without using conventional herbicides or pesticides. While we have a national focus on hot peppers and spicy products, it's important to us to also feed our local community with fresh produce you can feel good about. While we have been growing food for ourselves almost every year for a long time, we have been commercially growing hot peppers since 2021 and produce since 2023.

What is a CSA?

It stands for Community-supported-agriculture, and is a produce-purchase mechanism where customers can obtain healthy food direct from farmers, in a way that supports the farm beyond simple purchasing. Farms often have monetary inputs into the farm early in the season, but do no realize profits for many months until the produce is harvested. By agreeing to purchase upfront, you provide the farmer with important funds to purchase necessary early-season inputs, such as compost, seeds, plants or even tractor maintenance. (Think of it as Kickstarter for farms.) Moreover, when you subscribe to a CSA and are willing to eat what is ready, the farmers know that their produce will be profitable, rather than being harvested and maybe not sold at a traditional farmer's market.

What will I get?

Our CSA will consist of 'summer' produce, items that become ripe in the early to mid summer months. This includes, but not limited to: tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, onions, potatoes, eggplant, garlic, cucumbers, peppers, melons, watermelons, and more. Our farm also focuses on rare, heirloom, and wild produce! Expect to tour the culinary world, with Japanese varieties like edamame soybeans and shiso herbs, European varieties like Armenian striped cucumbers and zucchino rampicante. Taste history with banana melons, a variety from the 1800's; and walk on the wild side with foraged or rare greens like dandelion and sweet potato leaves.

We are offering two sizes; Large shares provide plenty of fresh produce for a household of 4 who cooks regularly. Small shares are better for a household of 2, or a larger household who cooks meals infrequently.

We try to provide a good value for what you have paid as a thanks for supporting us upfront. Large shares are roughly a $45 value each week, and small shares a $30 value. It's like getting produce roughly %20 off!

When is the CSA?

We are offering a 12-week CSA, from June 22 - Sept 7. We are also offering half-shares for 6 weeks, either from June 22 - July 27 or Aug 3 - Sept 7.

Where do I pick up my share?

You can pick up your share weekly, on Saturdays in Franklinton from 9-12 at the Family Bee's-nees farm market, or the following Sundays in Wake Forest at the Wake Forest Local Food Collaborative location from 4-5pm. It is preferred that you pickup at the same location each week.

How does this work each week?

Towards the end of the week, you will receive an email reminding you of your pickup time and location. It will also have more details regarding what to expect in your share so you can plan meals accordingly. Exact quantities may differ slightly once we've harvested the produce, but you'll know ahead of time if you're getting tomatoes, melons, leafy greens, etc. You can also purchase 'add-ons' from our website that you can pickup at the same time. We also carry other items, such as spicy condiments, or you can purchase extra produce if you expect to make a big batch recipe or do a bit of canning/freezing. The email will also include info on how to properly store your produce, recipe ideas for using the produce in your box, and other tips to enjoy your bounty.

What happens if I'm out of town for a week and can't pick up?

Reach out to us, and we can work with you to find other options:

1) If you simply aren't available that week at the pickup time, we can find an accommodation for you to pickup somewhere else on a different day. For example, if you are simply out of town for the weekend, we can meet you on Tuesday to pickup, or even deliver (a small fee may apply depending on your location).

2) You can gift your week's share to a friend! Simply email us first to let us know you are having someone else pick up so we know your share is going to the right person.

3) You can 'skip' a week and add a share the week following the CSA end (limit once per household, please)

4) You can donate your share to a food bank. We currently gift extra produce to The Journey Ministry Pantry in Youngsville (https://www.thejourneyministrypantry.com/). Just email us to let us know you're donating your share for the week. If you would prefer your share be donated to a different food pantry, just let us know, and we can try to accommodate depending on delivery distance.

(If you fail to pick up your share and don't contact us to make other arrangements, we will try to reach out to you. If we don't hear from you by Monday, your share will be donated.)

Do you grow all this yourself?

Yes! We grow all our produce on our farm in Franklin county, with a few small exceptions. From time to time, we may partner with our farm friends at The Family Bee's-nees to provide produce that we don't grow ourselves, such as some herbs. Like us, they are a small family farm that focuses on chemical-free regenerative practices in Franklin County.

Have a question not answered here? Reach out to us at blueridgepepperpatch@gmail.com .