Joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) or a Produce Buying Club (PBC) is a great way to get fresh, local, pesticide-free vegetables without going to the market. In a standard CSA, Members purchase a share of a farmer's crops before the growing season begins and, in turn, receive a selection of fresh vegetables on a regular basis. With a Produce Buying Club, members pool their money to purchase bulk, local produce at wholesale prices. A summer CSA or PBC typically runs May-October and includes a variety of seedlings, flowers, herbs, vegetables and fruits.
Registration at the link below will open on Monday, March 3:
Payment: Upon completion of the sign-up form, participants will be given the option pay online or in-person via check.
History of the WellWorks CSA/PBC
The WellWorks Community Supported Agriculture program began in 2011 in Athens, Ohio (Athens County) with Shade River Organic Farm serving as the provider. On a weekly basis, the Hamiltons delivered amazing vegetables and herbs to CSA supporters at Ohio University. They delivered desired shares to various on-campus locations each week. This program was created in an effort to ensure our employees and members had easy access to local, nutrient-dense food. We genuinely believe that this program positively contributed to the wellness of our community.
In 2018, due to time constraints, Shade River Organic Farm elected not to continue their relationship with the WellWorks CSA, so the University sought a suitable replacement through a county-wide Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Rural Action's Buying Club submitted the winning "bid" and the Buying Club model was first utilized in Summer 2018 at Ohio University.
In 2020, Rural Action augmented the program by creating the "Add-On Program" where participants can opt to add weekly orders of locally produced items such as maple syrup, jams, jellies, chips, beans, etc. This wholesale model of a Buying Club allows for a greater diversity in the produce received each week, which can be a limiting factor of a traditional CSA.
Rural Action will continue this year as the provider of the Ohio University Produce Buying Club.
Rural Action's Produce Buying Club model is quite unique! The local non-profit works to pool the money of Buying Club participants and then make large purchases at the local Chesterhill Produce Auction . From there, Rural Action divides the procured produce evenly into the purchased shares to be able to provide diverse weekly shares of produce to participants while supporting local growers and producers.
Dates
The program will run for 24 weeks.
The first pick-up will be May 13 and the final pick-up date will be October 24.
If you are unable to pick-up your share on any given date, you are welcome to send someone else in your place.
Any shares not picked up will be donated to the Donation Station.
Share Sizes
- Small (~5lbs of produce) for $20/week or $480/season
- Medium (~10lbs of produce) for $32/week or $768/season
- Large (~20lbs of produce) for $46/week or $1,104/season
Add-On Items
- Shagbark Heirloom Popcorn (1 lb): $4.25/month or $21.25/season
- Mixed Fruit Jam (8 oz): $6/Month or $30/season
- Maple Syrup (16 oz): $13/month or $65/season
- Honey (16 oz): $8/month or $40/season
Pick Up Locations and Times
There are two Buying Clubs at Ohio University with different pick-up locations and times:
- OHIO WellWorks Public Buying Club: University employees, students and community members are invited to participate in the Buying Club with weekly (Fridays, 12:00-1:00 p.m.) pick-up on Ohio University's Athens Campus in the Walter Hall parking lot. The Walter Hall Parking Lot is Lot #134 on the Ohio University Parking Lot Map .
- CDC Private Buying Club: A second, private club exists for staff members of and family members of enrolled students at the CDC. That club has a Tuesday afternoon (after 1:30 p.m.) pick-up. Eligibility will be verified upon registration.
If you ever forget to pick up your share, you may call Rural Action ( 740-677-4047 , ask for Tom) to determine if you can pick up your produce at their office in The Plains OR to inform them to donate your produce that week.
What to Expect
Weekly produce content varies week-to-week and is different for every vendor. Each delivery provides vegetables that are growing in their garden at that time. Here is a list of vegetables and herbs that are typically included in an Ohio produce share throughout the summer:
Please note that the first few weeks will include flowers and plant seedlings to supplement the limited amount of produce in spring.
- Basil
- Beans
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Bulb fennel
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Berries
- Cucumbers
- Herbs
- Cantaloupe
- Parsnips
- Peppers
- Potatoes
- Garlic
- Kale/Chard
- Kholrabi
- Leeks
- Onions
- Radishes
- Salad greens
- Scallions
- Summer/Winter squash
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- Zucchini
- Watermelon
Questions?
Contact Emily from Rural Action: emilye@ruralaction.org .