What will I find in my CSA share each week?

For both the Fall and Spring seasons, your farmer-selected share will include a variety of seasonal vegetables, as well as other farm products such as eggs, pork lard, frozen squash, farm-made pesto, and more. If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know when you sign up so we can accommodate your needs.

During the Summer Vegetable season, you’ll receive a selection of seasonal produce and have the opportunity to choose most of your weekly veggies. Each week, there will be a “must-take” item, which is selected in advance by the Meadowstone Farmers. Weekly details about what’s included in your share will be available on our website and sent via email through our CSA newsletter.

If you’ve signed up for any add-ons—such as eggs, flowers, pork sausage, or coffee—you’ll receive those with your veggie pickup each week.

Additional items like meat, seedlings, compost, and Meadowstone Farm swag are also available for purchase at our farmstand.

How does pick-up work?

Spring and Fall Seasons: When you arrive at the farm, look for our clearly marked pick-up area. Members will get to gather the items in this farm-chosen basket. Greens and many other producst will be packaged up in advance. A farmer will always be on hand to assist, answer any questions, offer recipe ideas, and share a fun farm story from the week!

Summer Season: The pick-up will be set up like a farmers market, allowing you to select most of your vegetables. Full share members can choose from about 12 options, while small share members will have around 8 choices. We’ll offer a variety of around 18 different vegetables and herbs each week. Some items, like salad greens, will be pre-bagged for convenience. Remember to bring a bag or box to pack your share in.

When you arrive at the farm, look for our clearly marked pick-up area. We’ll provide you with a tally sheet to track your selections as you fill your share. A farmer will always be on hand to assist, answer any questions, offer recipe ideas, and share a fun farm story from the week!

What if I don't like a particular vegetable?

Over the many years we have taken into account feedback so we can provide you with ideally the crops you desire. We are growing in northern NH and are restricted by weather, season length, and other factors, so we are growing also what grows well under these conditions. We hope you will be psyched with what you receive each week, however we are also sharing the bounty of the farm with you. That will vary by the seasons and by the year. It could be Kale, tomatoes, zucchini, lettuce mix, etc. If you don't like something, we enourage you to try it again, cook it a new way, or pass that item along to a friend. In the Spring and Fall seasons there will be the opportunity to trade an item out in our "trade box".

What should I use to bring home my produce? Will they be bagged for me?

We ask that you bring a bag(s) or box with you in which to take your CSA share home, however we will have farm boxes available for those times you forget.

What if I am on vacation for a week(s)?

We know vacations happen and you have a few options:

1. We are happy to hold your share for you to pickup at a later date, a farmer will choose the contents of your share that week however for a summer share we do accept a "wish list" if you send one in (we will do our best to honor it, however cannot guaranty that is what you will receive).
2. Give us a 48 hr heads up and you can donate your share to the local food pantry.
3. Give your share to a friend and have them pick it up (they'll love you for it!)

We harvest specifically for our members and who will be picking up. If you do not let us know in advance of pickup your share will be donated. Please do not expect the availability of your share if you miss pickup without notifying us in advance.

NOTE: If you are gone for multiple weeks we can work with you on a solution if we have a decent heads up.

I signed up for just one season of the CSA and loved it--can I sign up for more?

If after participating in a CSA season you are interested in more, let us know and if we have room, we can sign you up for the next CSA season. We do offer Farm Bucks for those customers interested in a discount at our year-round farm stand

Do I need to pay for the CSA in full at the time of enrollment?

We are excited about providing you with local, fresh produce. We have a few different payment options:

• Credit Card and Debit Card: Payment required in full at the time of enrollment.
• A payment plan is an available option if paying by check (The most economical option).

All pre-dated checks are due at time of enrollment.** ** Option 1: Pay in full with one check at the time of enrollment. Please note, the payment plan option is unavailable if signing up for only the Spring CSA.

Option 2: Pay with four checks. Take the total cost of your CSA seasons and divide by four. Send 4 checks to us, one check dated at the time of enrollment and 3 more checks dated: June 1st, July 1st, August 1st.

What is the difference between the weekly CSA and Farm Bucks?

Members of the CSA receive a weekly basket or selection of vegetables and fruits during a specified time period as well as eggs, goat cheese, pork sausage, coffee, and flowers. CSA members have lots of choice at pickup. Pickup for the Spring and Fall CSA seasons is on Thursdays from 3-6 pm. Summer members have a choice at the time of signups between Mondays 3-6 pm or Thursdays from 3-6pm. Members receive a newsletter with recipes and farm happenings as well as opportunities to participate in a CSA open house, potluck, work day and other CSA member events. All of the Newsletters can be accessed on our website. Check out the 2024 newsletters!

Farm Bucks are available for purchase online or at the farm. By pre-purchasing credit in our Farm Stand in $100 increments customers receive an additional $10 no matter the payment method: Cash/Check, Debit/Credit, or Venmo. Entered into your account, the money is conveniently available for you to use just by logging into our Farm Stand ipad and checking out!

There is no expiration date, and the money is available to use on any physical product we sell. It cannot be used for more Farm Bucks, CSA shares, Meat Boxes or Bulk Compost. Customers can purchase Farm Bucks at any point in the season in the $100 increment.

Purchase with Credit/Debit card or mail or stop by the farm with cash or check. If paying by check please write "Farm Bucks" in the memo. In either case, we will add the funds to your Meadowstone Farm account. Don't have an account yet? You can create one while at the farm or we will create yours for you. Login to your account with a phone number and 2 digit pin.

The Summer CSA has already started, but I saw the flowers blooming and the sausage in the stand and would love to add them to my weekly bounty--can I do that?

Just give us a call, send an email, or let us know when you pickup that you would like to add an add-on to your share. If available, we can prorate the cost to fit the remaining time in the CSA season. Add-ons include weekly distributions of: Flowers, eggs, coffee and pork sausage. Bread may become an option for 2025, we will keep you posted.

When will I know what is in my share?

We send out the weekly CSA email typically on Tuesday afternoons or Wednesday mornings. The email will include a link to the newsletter on our website, which will include the contents of the weeks share (or what you can expect to choose from), farm happenings, photos, and sometimes a recipe or storage tip. Occasionally we have to make a last minute change to the selections and will have it written on the CSA board at pick-up.

What if I don't know how to use a particular vegetable?

Our hope is to provide you with nutritious, tasty, fresh food, some of which you might already use regularly, however know there may be some unfamiliar items. We hope the recipe(s) and information provided in the newsletter will provide some ideas of how to use what is in your share. You can also ask the farmer at pickup! Also you can check out our Recipe Page for ideas. Have a recipe you want to share? Email it to us or bring it to us at the farm.

How does PYO work? (walking, what to wear, time committment?)

Blueberries, beans, peas and flowers (add-on) are some of the PYO crops we typically offer through the CSA. We advise folks to wear footwear that can get a little dirty and clothing suitable for moving around in. We will provide scissors, knives, and/or buckets or containers to be used if they are necessary. In the weekly newsletter it will be clear what is PYO. There will be weeks with no PYO items and then there might be a week with up to two PYO crops. The PYO fields are close the the pick-up area and you'll need about 10-20 minutes. If you are unable to PYO on that day you can come back anytime that week to grab your goodies.

What if I realize that I missed my pick-up?

If you let us know before the end of pick-up we'll box up a share for you to pick up the next day. Everybody gets one, JUST ONE "get out of jail free card" so if you don't let us know before the end of one pick-up you can still come by and get a CSA box the first and only time it happens. Repeat offenders will miss out, be put on Santa's naughty list and have to wait until the next week when the new share is available.

During the Summer CSA can I pickup my share on the other weekly pickup day?

We ask you to choose a pickup day of either Monday or Thursday at the time of signups. There will NOT be an option to change this day once the season begins. We have a certain amount of spots available on each pickup day and don't want to exceed those numbers. This will ensure optimal selection for our members. If you are unable to pickup on your assigned day and you let us know before hand we can pack a box for you to pick up when convenient for you.

What if I want extra of a particular vegetable to make a big meal or canning/fermenting/freezing?

There will be opportunities throughout the season to purchase items in bulk for canning, freezing, and soups. Keep an eye out for this in emails or signs at pickup. We also encourage you to check out the farm stand when you pickup your share.

Can I sign up late?

Our website will be up to date regarding CSA availability. However you can also contact us via phone at (603)-444-0786 or email to inquire.

Where do I go to pick up my box? Can I pick up somewhere other than the farm?

The main place to pick up a CSA share is at the farm. When you enter the farm, look for the CSA signs for the pickup location; it should be obvious. If due to weather the pickup location on the farm changes we will notify CSA members of the change in the weekly email and or provide clear signs at pickup. Currently we do not offer pickups off the farm.

What will I eat in the winter????

As farmers we continue to work hard to extend the season, but do not currently have a winter CSA--though it might happen this year! However, our stand is open 365/8-5:30. Our Farm Bucks program is a great way to shop at the stand and still get a 10% discount on all items in the wintertime. We do process and freeze produce in our commercial kitchen which is available in our farm stand.

Is the quality better in the stand than the farm share? Are the offerings different?

We strive to provide the freshest produce possible to all of our customers whether it be a CSA member, farmstand visitor, wholesale account, or restaurant account. The quality does not differ between each outlet. In some cases we might offer B grade carrots or tomatoes to the CSA and it will be indicated in the weekly newsletter (and we will count it as a lesser value in calculating the share size). Availability may differ between outlets. There are times in the season when a product may only be availble to the CSA or farmstand or wholesale.

When can I visit the farm?

MSF is open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from 8:00 am - 5:30 pm. The animals don't take holidays and neither do we! You are more than welcome to come visit us and walk around the farm anytime during business hours. During the months without snow, there is a free-of-charge self guided tour you can take found at the kiosk outside the farmstand. If you would like a farmer-led tour for your school or organization, give us a call or send us an email.

Are there herbs in my share?

Bunches or bags of herbs will show up in your share ideally on a weekly basis. Basil, cilantro, and parsley are the main herbs that we grow, however we welcome you to enjoy the herbs out of our PYO garden. If you would like larger quantities of an herb (pesto making!), contact us via email or phone or inquire at pick-up.

How does produce vary over the seasons in Northern NH?

We wish we could provide everything all year long without breaking the bank. We grow seasonally and are able to provide vegetables and crops that generally go with the seasons. If you look at the CSA descriptions, you will get a better idea of what is available and when.

You can also check out what we grew in 2018 below!