If there’s one way to strengthen local food systems, support farmers and enjoy fresh, nourishing food all at once, it’s through community supported agriculture (CSA). This style of farm-to-consumer distribution benefit everyone involved. Amy Philson, Manager of NWPA Growers Co-Op says, “CSAs are vital to our local food systems. CSA members have the privilege of knowing who grows their food and how it is grown. The CSA is a partnership between farmers and consumers, but it often grows into a community.”
We found 10 of the most robust and flexible CSAs in Pennsylvania, which offer multiple pickup sites, flexible share options and more than just vegetables. Many operate as networks of multiple farms to offer more to the consumer, while others are single farms hustling to maximize your experience. While we wholeheartedly endorse CSAs of all sizes and value hyper local food systems, this collection provides a convenient, accessible entry point for those new to CSAs or looking to fit one into a busy lifestyle. They’re diverse and customizable while bringing you the freshly harvested goodness you can expect from CSAs of any shape or size.
Post Apples Farm crops
To get an idea of the locations served by these 10 CSAs, we’ve created a map that includes their farm sites, delivery zones and pickup locations:
Let’s get into it!
Western PA
Post Apples Farm: This longstanding, family run farm has supplied the community with fresh, diverse produce since 1890. “At Post Apples Farm, we believe food is more than just something you put on the table,” says Anastasia Miller, CSA Manager. “It’s something that connects people.” Post Apples Farms’ CSA offers three distinct options, with delivery options available to homes in Erie, Jamestown and North East. Its standard membership is a traditional, farmer’s choice style CSA that runs for 20-weeks (with Thursday drop offs) and gets you an array of produce like greens, corn, cauliflower, peppers, onions, eggplants, broccoli and more. Choose from full, half, quarter and even ⅛ size shares, with the option to pay through volunteer hours on the farm. For just a little more money, the “Have it My Way” subscription offers a customizable experience with a point-based system that allows you to choose what you’d like each week and bank points for later if you wish to take a week off. “We’ve seen how important flexibility is for modern families,” Miller explains. “That’s why we’ve built our CSA to give members choice – so they can enjoy the benefits of fresh, seasonal eating without feeling overwhelmed or stuck with foods they won’t use.” Finally, Post Apples Farm’s coffee CSA brings you locally roasted 19 Coffee at your choice of regularity (weekly, biweekly or monthly). We suggest tacking this option on to your choice of produce CSA. The pick up locations span from Fairview and northward into New York, with a permanent pick up point at Post Apples Farm in North East and doorstep delivery available, too. 8893 Gulf Rd., North East; (814) 725-3330.
Edible Earth Farm has pioneered farm-to-table convenience in the Pittsburgh area with its fully customizable CSA, free delivery and 200 varieties of organic veggies, herbs and fruit. To join this CSA, you buy in with a low annual membership fee and then pay-as-you-go with custom ordering and bi-weekly home delivery throughout the Pittsburgh area (or pickup at the farm or in Grove City, if you prefer). The CSA feels like an online marketplace, with dry goods, spices, teas, coffee, cheese, dairy, pasta, fish and fermented products available in addition to its staggering variety of fresh, organic produce and pasture-raised pork, beef, chicken and goat. 177 Ramsey Rd., Sandy Lake; (814) 303-9663.
NWPA Growers Co-Op: When local growers and producers band together, everyone wins. Such is the case with the Northwest Pennsylvania Growers Co-Op, which taps into the produce and goods of local farmers and makers to offer fully customizable CSAs to western Pennsylvanians from Zelienople to Meadville. There is winter/spring CSA and a summer CSA, with the latter offering weekly or biweekly pickups on Wednesdays. Manager Amy Philson says, “NWPA Growers CSA is a customer-choice CSA. Our members choose what is in their box each week, which cuts down on waste while encouraging them to try new foods.” There are small, standard, large and extra large share options that work for any size household and appetite. Beyond the bountiful, beautiful vegetables, there’s pasture-raised poultry, beef, pork, lamb and eggs, maple syrup, local honey and other curated artisan products to choose from every week – ensuring you get exactly what you’d like. You can get your share at one of the eight pickup locations or order doorstep delivery for an additional fee. 257 South Cottage Rd., Mercer; (724) 300-3540.
North Central PA
Cramer Farm in Centre County delivers its farm-fresh CSA shares straight to homes in Bellefonte (Thursday evenings) and State College (Friday mornings) from May through August. Members can also opt for farm pickup on Fridays and Saturdays, if that’s preferable. The one-size CSA includes 8-12 freshly harvested items from the 35 kinds of fruits and vegetables grown on the farm. What’s more: the CSA delivery schedule syncs up with the farm’s online store orders, meaning you can add items like fresh chicken, eggs, baked goods or extra veggies to your weekly share. 350 Crust Rd., Howard; (814) 883-1564.
South Central PA
Spiral Path Farm: Perry County’s Spiral Path Farm grows 255 acres of organic goodness, available through its robust and flexible CSA. With over 35 pickup sites (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) in south central PA, there’s no reason not to give it a try. Farmer’s select the week’s best produce for either full (for a family of four or two veggie lovers) or medium shares (for one, two or three people) with sample options available as well. You can opt for the full season, which runs for 35 weeks from April through December, or a summer share to focus more on premium items like tomatoes, melons and sweet corn. The harvest chart gives you a glimpse ahead at the seasonal bounty. 538 Spiral Path Lane, Loysville; (717) 789-4433.
Spiral Path Farm CSA share
The Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-Op apparatus is remarkable, distributing a staggering amount of fresh, organic produce directly to consumers across south central and southeastern Pennsylvania. Their CSA shares leave nothing for want, with produce, fruit, meat, cheese, chicken, eggs, yogurt, bread, herb and flower shares. The organic produce CSA is the star, running for 27 weeks late April through late October in the summer season. Featuring a wide range of local vegetables grown by member farmers in Lancaster County, there’s small, medium, and large share sizes ranging from 4 – 12 items per share, respectively. Offering any time sign-up and shares year-round plus dozens of pick-up locations around the greater Lancaster and Philadelphia regions enables thousands of people to tap into this extensive CSA system. 201 Running Pump Rd., Lancaster, (717) 656-3533 ext. 2.
Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-Op CSA share
Crawford Organics: Ephrata and Philly-based Crawford Organics offers three seasons of CSA, including the four-week early start share in April, an 18-week spring/summer share and a 16-week fall share that runs September through December. Standard boxes are great for up to four people, while the mini box works well for individuals and couples. All of the veggies are certified organic and there are optional egg, yogurt, fruit and meat shares to choose from. Crawford Organics alerts you to any unusual produce coming up and, if you’re not feeling adventurous, you can opt out. Otherwise, it operates mostly like a traditional farmer’s choice CSA. There are over 15 delivery sites across five counties for Tuesday pickups and home delivery available (for an additional cost) to 20 zip codes. 549 W. Main St., New Holland; (717) 44506880 and 7112 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia; (717) 445-6880.
NEPA
Endless Roots Farm‘s CSA gets you 23 weeks of fresh, local produce and more. Membership benefits include early access to the online store, on-site member farm days and a 40-page “A to Z Vegetable Storage Guide.” For the season’s best, go for the traditional CSA option that the farmers curate for you. For more control and customization, the CSA buying club lets you pick exactly what you’d like. You can choose between a variety of share sizes and add on pasture-raised eggs, if you wish! There are weekly pickups in Scranton (Wednesdays), Waverly, Clarks Summit, Shavertown, Forty Fort and Scranton (Thursdays) and at Endless Roots Farm in Waverly on Wednesdays and Saturdays. You can always add more produce and goods to your order via Endless Roots’ online store, open year round. Fuller and Barnhill R., Waverly; (570) 687-4311.
Lehigh Valley
The Good Farm in Germansville is the longest running CSA in the Lehigh Valley. It’s CSA offers 30+ varieties of fruits and veggies like arugula, bok choy, cantaloupe, carrots, eggplant, potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes and zucchini, plus a PYO garden during the harvest season for on-site pickups (Tuesdays and Fridays). Tack on fruit, yogurt, egg, coffee and mushroom supplemental shares to your preference. The CSA reaches a wide area, with five other pickup sites throughout the region. For those new to CSAs, the small share is a great entry point with about eight items per week. The large share equips you with 10-12 items for veggie-focused home chefs and families. Check out The Good Farm’s delicious recipes and enjoy the many benefits of a farm-to-table lifestyle. 8112 Church Road, Germansville; (484) 262-0675.
The Good Farm CSA share
SEPA
Check out Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-Op and Crawford Organics (both above), which serve southeastern Pennsylvania.
Philly Foodworks: Philly’s online farmers market offers a slew of CSA style farm shares comprised of locally grown produce and goods. The options are about as flexible and robust as they come, with weekly updates to a full spectrum of groceries delivered all year long to a wide swath of the greater Philadelphia region. For produce, choose between the Harvest Shares (regular and mini) or the customizable shares (large or small) and go from there. Supplemental shares include meat (beef, poultry and pork), bread, cheese, fruit, mushrooms, yogurt and coffee. Pay as you go rather than upfront and be sure to shop the 700+ other a la carte items Philly Foodworks offers. By shopping through the organization, you have a real impact. CEO Dylan Baird says, “90% of every dollar spent stays within our local community. Nothing we buy ends up in the landfill because we donate and compost leftover food, and we offer returnable packaging to our customers.” Philly Foodworks also invests locally with low-cost produce boxes, weekly donations and a farm stand at its warehouse in North Philadelphia, which is a designated food dessert. The distribution network between farmers, producers and consumers that Philly Foodworks creates serves everyone involved. Baird says, “Buying local is about building a stronger food system and economy for future generations. It provides healthy, delicious food and supports your neighbors along the way. If everyone bought local, there would be fewer wars, a healthier environment, and stronger communities.” 1978 W. Hunting Park Ave., Philadelphia; (215) 221-6245.
As Anastasia Miller of Post Apples Farms says, “In the end, a CSA isn’t just a way to buy produce. It’s a way to eat with intention, support local agriculture, and be part of something bigger than a single transaction.” We hope this helps you deepen your connections with agriculture, farmers and makers near you!
- Cover photo: Post Apples Farm
- Photo 5 : Bigstock
- All other photos: courtesy of the respective CSAs
