CFSBK CSA for Herondale Farm and Sol Flower Farm

What’s a CSA?

If you’re interested in high-quality, local food at a fair price, consider joining a CSA.

Community Supported Agriculture is a way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from the farmer who grows it.

 In a CSA network, consumers pre-pay for “shares” of what the farmer is offering. By setting the price for the shares in advance, the farmer is guaranteed a fair price for the harvest. In the case of meat CSAs, farmers also benefit by being able to sell all the meat from the animal, not just the most popular cuts.

In return, consumers have the opportunity to develop a relationship with their farmers, and to trust that the food they’re buying meets their requirements, whether they are that it is local, organic, or sustainable; or, in the case of meat, that it is grass-fed or pastured. Most CSAs work by connecting a farmer with a specific product with a network of folks interested in that product.

Good food at a fair price – it’s good for the farmer and good for you.

CSAs and Crossfit South Brooklyn

CFSBK has always been interested in helping its members eat better. Local, sustainable and grass-fed/pastured food is a huge part of fitness and health. The gym hosts two CSAs: one for meat and poultry, with Herondale Farm (since 2011) and one for vegetables, with Sol Flower Farm (since 2012.)   The gym acts as a pick-up point for both CSAs, which are open to all gym members as well as the larger community. You don’t have to belong to CFSBK to join our CSAs.

Meat and Poultry CSA

Herondale Farm is offering four-month meat shares in 2013 (Jan-April, May-Aug, and Sept-Dec.)  The standard share contains beef, pork, lamb, and chicken. You can sign up for just one cycle at a time, or sign up for the entire year. The first delivery date is Jan 9, 2013. You will pick up your share at CFSBK.

Meat Share Pricing

As with last year, all registration and payment is handled by the farm, not the gym. If you wish to join in the middle of the cycle, the farm will adjust the pricing for you.

To sign up, download and fill out the registration PDF here, and email it back to the farm here: info@herondalefarm.com

To contact the Farm with questions about the meat CSA: email info@herondalefarm.com.

Poultry Share

Herondale also offers a chicken-only share with monthly delivery during the warmer months of the year. We will post pricing and timing details when they become available.

Egg Share

A weekly egg share is also available during the warmer months of the year. If you’ve never had eggs from a pastured chicken, get ready for an incredible experience!

Your share can contain as many dozen/week as you can eat.

When egg share information is available, we will post it here.

Vegetable CSA

1. PayPal: To buy online and pay via PayPal, go here. Select the “CFSBK” option, check out, and follow the directions to pay via PayPal. The cost is $20 extra, so $670 total. You should also fill out and return the Member Agreement PDF (without payment) via snail mail.

2. Paper check: To buy via paper registration and pay via check or money order, download the Member Agreement PDF, fill it out, and send it with your payment to:

Sol Flower Farm
41 Kaye Road
Millerton, NY 12546

Our Farms

Herondale Farm
Jerry Peele runs a mixed livestock, pasture based, organic  farm in Ancramdale, NY. Beef and sheep are 100% grazed; pork and poultry are primarily pastured with some supplemental feed. Monthly shares of 10 or 15lbs of beef/pork/lamb/seasonal chicken are available.

To sign up, download the registration form and email it back to Herondale.

Sol Flower Farm
Andy Szymanowicz grows a wide variety of organic vegetables and flowers. Weekly boxes of a mixed produce designed to feed 2-4 people; the program runs seasonally from June-November. The signup page is here.

Pick up Logistics/Contact Info

All shares must be picked up at Crossfit South Brooklyn on Wednesdays between 6-8 pm. See the schedule below.

Due to space constraints, the gym cannot “hold” your share for you if you fail to pick it up on time. If you miss the 6-8 PM window, your share will be distributed to eager gym members.

Don’t forget to pick up your share!

General Pickup Info for all CFSBK CSA members:
Where: 597 Degraw Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues
When: 6-8pm

Note for meat/poultry members: Remember to bring a bag to carry your share home in. If you must borrow Herondale’s freezer bag, please return it to the gym before the next month’s delivery.

Meat shares will be delivered the first Wednesday of every month, excepting January 2013. Delivery dates are:

Chicken shares – monthly delivery. Dates for 2013 are TBD.

Egg shares – weekly delivery for the duration of the season. Dates for 2013 are TBD.

Vegetable shares – weekly delivery. Dates for 2013 are TBD.


CFSBK Coordinator Contact Info: 

Michele Knaub, CSA Site coordinator: mignyc(at)gmail.com

Frequently Asked Questions

I don’t think I want a whole share. Can I split it with someone?

Yes! Many people split shares. You can split a meat share or a vegetable share. To find someone, post on the blog and email Michele for help (mignyc@gmail.com.) The farms can’t sell you a half share, so it’s up to you to find someone to split with.

Can I customize my share? There are some cuts of meat I don’t want.

Herondale can exclude specific animals from your share (you can order a “no pork” or “no chicken” share, for example.) They cannot exclude specific cuts (like pork chops) from your share, however – the benefit of the CSA from their standpoint is the ability to sell as much of every animal as possible.

The same is true for the vegetable share – Sol Flower cannot accommodate a request for “no tomatoes” or “no kale.”

You CAN trade or sell parts of your share with others, however. You don’t like sausage? Post on the blog to ask who does – you’ll doubtless find someone to trade/buy.

I’m not sure how to cook the things in my share! Do you have any recipes?

See Michele’s blog thedailypaleo.tumblr.com for recipe ideas based on the meat and vegetable CSA ingredients.

Can I place a special meat order with Herondale?

Yes! Contact them directly; they will deliver your special order on a regular Wednesday delivery. In addition to the typical cuts found in the monthly shares, Herondale offers many specialty items, such as bones and organ meat.

Do I pay the gym or the farm?

You pay the farm.  The gym doesn’t handle registration or payment for the CSA program; we provide the drop-off point and manage the pick-up by members.

Can I sign up in the middle of a cycle?

Yes! Contact the farm directly.

Is there a fruit CSA?

Not at this time.

How will I get my share home?

Herondale provides freezer bags to keep your meat cold in the cooler, but we prefer you bring your own sturdy bag to get your share home. If you do need to borrow the freezer bag, be sure to return it to the gym before the next month’s delivery.

For the vegetable shares, please do not take the delivery box home. The boxes are property of the farm and need to be re-used all season. Bring a sturdy bag or two to transport your share.

What happens if I can't make it to the gym during the 6-8PM pickup window?

All food must be picked up between 6 and 8 PM. The gym cannot store anyone's share; it is the responsibility of each member to pick up their share, or else send someone on their behalf. Many people send friends to pick up their share if they can’t. If you neglect to pick up your share, the food will be distributed to gym members that evening.