Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Flower CSA

I've joined a local flower CSA, which stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Food CSAs have been around quite a while in our area. You pay a subscription upfront, which allows the farmers to have money to spend on improving their farms. The grower is a young woman who works with her father on family land in a nearby town. This is only the second year the program has been offered. Here is what she says about it:
Your CSA membership will help us continue to invest in our first greenhouse that we will be building next spring. Our growing season is limited to a small window of time. Greenhouses allow us to extended our season by up to 8 weeks and grow more varieties of flowers, giving them the warmth and protection they need. In turn, we will be able to provide you with many more beautiful bouquets! Last year’s CSA provided funds for additional seeds, fertilizer, and equipment for three new planting plots, including the ground for our greenhouse.
You can get a half-share or a full-share. I signed up for the full, and am so happy to be part of this. So far, we've gotten two beautiful bouquets.




Each week they are a little different depending what is in bloom. These flowers have enriched our lives. They are worth every penny just for the pleasure they give. And they are worth it because they support a local grower in her work.

33 comments:


  1. Oh Nan
    can I be envious
    for many years wanted a greenhouse
    and it never happened (:
    so pleased for you...

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  2. Great idea. Why haven't I heard about flower CSAs before? Nan at the cutting edge again.

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  3. This is the first I am hearing of a floral CSA. What a lovely way to support local growers and enjoy bouquets.
    Some of our local farmers markets have flower vendors and I usually buy something, but, they often don't last very long.
    Lovely, Nan.

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    1. I think there are more and more small flower growers, and this is a good way to support them. These bouquets have lasted almost the whole week. By Monday, I took out some flowers and made a little bouquet in a smaller vase.

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  4. What a great way to ensure you have beautiful flowers in your home every week, and at the same time support a good project. I've not heard of this scheme over here, but maybe similar things are being done here as well.

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  5. What a fantastic idea! The flowers are gorgeous, glad we get to enjoy them too!

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  6. Gorgeous flowers. I am surprised that peonies are still blooming up your way. It must be the difference in our zones.

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    1. The last of ours just went by - a rain came and that was it. The season seems to depend on when the rain comes. Even with support they can't withstand too much. I love peonies.

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  7. So beautiful and so cheerful looking. I just love fresh flowers and Kim's cutting pun.

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    1. Cheerful is exactly the word! And that Kim's a witty girl!

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  8. CSAs are such a great idea. I was in a vegetable one for a couple of years. Wish there was a flower one around here!

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    1. I've never joined a vegetable one - mainly because I know they sometimes offer things Tom and I don't care for, and it would be a waste of money for us.

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  9. That's a lovely idea and what a relief to open up your page and see beautiful flowers and gentle words. Just what I need today amidst all this madness, thank you Nan.

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    1. Oh, what a nice thing to say! How I'd love to sit down and hear what you have to say about everything. I am so interested in the whole story.

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  10. Well how fun! I have not heard of anyone doing a flower CSA around here. Plenty of vegetable or farm shares, etc., but not flowers. What a wonderful idea!

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  11. What a lovely idea. I'm not familiar with CSA's for flowers but what an affordable way to feel rich as Midas with a home that always has fresh flowers. And to be helping a local farmer makes it extra special.

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  12. There are many CSAs in our area, but none for flowers as far as I know. I saw a 'pick your own' cutting garden in the Hudson Valley and thought that was a unique idea, too. Your bouquets are gorgeous!

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    1. That is a great idea to pick your own! What fun. So many creative things in gardening these days.

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  13. These remind me of a Dutch flower painting! Fresh flowers are worth every cent for the joy they provide.

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  14. Beautiful flowers! Our CSA is struggling with vegetables! Our excellent farmer of more than 20 years retired and we are on our 4th replacement and I hope it will be better, but nothing is as good as Tim's work....And we had a nun who did flower shares with them, and she died several years ago. Sister Laura was wonderful! We do have farmer's markets around taking up the slack.

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  15. Beautiful idea and beautiful flowers. I have seen about the produce CSAs here in Oregon, but never flowers.

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  16. Great idea! These make such gorgeous bouquets!

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