What is CSA? Community Supported / Community Shared Agriculture
CSA stands for "Community Supported Agriculture" or "Community Shared Agriculture". The idea of a CSA farm is that members pay in advance for a seasonal vegetable box subscription, then receive a fair share of vegetables each week over the growing season (usually July to early October). CSA members "invest" in the farm at the start of the season when our expenses are the highest, and reap the benefits of the harvest for the rest of the season. Members get to live along with the life of the farm by sharing in each vegetable as it comes into season. Every season offers an opportunity to learn more about where your food comes from, how it's grown, and what's in season from a local farm.
Our produce is different from what you will find at the grocery store. It is not "perfect", you may see holes in some leaves or find dirt left on the carrots or potatoes. The vegetables tell stories of our farm and the particular growing conditions we are dealing with. Our produce is extremely fresh, harvested by hand within 24 hours of getting to your plate! You will discover unique vegetable varieties and heirloom flavours you may never had tried before, as well as lots of standard favourites. Each week we include a checklist to let you know what is in your share, and also send out newsletters with recipes and storage tips to help you make the most of your veggies!
Our produce is different from what you will find at the grocery store. It is not "perfect", you may see holes in some leaves or find dirt left on the carrots or potatoes. The vegetables tell stories of our farm and the particular growing conditions we are dealing with. Our produce is extremely fresh, harvested by hand within 24 hours of getting to your plate! You will discover unique vegetable varieties and heirloom flavours you may never had tried before, as well as lots of standard favourites. Each week we include a checklist to let you know what is in your share, and also send out newsletters with recipes and storage tips to help you make the most of your veggies!
What are the benefits of joining a CSA?
- extremely fresh produce, usually picked the morning of delivery
- hyper local food that allows you to lower your carbon footprint because of reduced food miles
- less plastic & packaging than store-bought produce usually has
- the chance to experience the beautiful variety of what can be grown in Manitoba
- supporting a small family farm and having a relationship to "your farmer"
- visits to the farm throughout the season with tours, workshops, farm dinners, events
- the chance to try new varieties of interesting vegetables like heirlooms, unique colours and flavours
- the opportunity to build community with other like-minded people who also love local food & farms
What does "ecologically grown" mean? Is our produce organic?
We are not certified organic but instead build a direct relationship with our customers so you can learn how we grow first-hand. We use organic methods and practices, and strive to go beyond Canadian organic standards. We do not use any chemical sprays, pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. We use only organic and non-GMO seeds and soil mixes. For us, ecological growing also means reducing plastic and striving to be a zero-waste business, adding composts, cover crops and natural mulches to build the soil health, encouraging pollinators, creating diverse habitat for birds and wildlife, tending the land carefully, preventing soil erosion, protecting the waterways, conserving water, preserving our ecosystems on and around the farmstead. You are welcome to come visit our farmstead to see how we grow here. Read more about our ecological farming here.
What size share is right for me?*
REGULAR SHARES - 6-8 items/week
These are a good size for households with 1-2 eaters, households that have their own garden but want additional vegetables, or people new to CSA wanting to try it out.
LARGE SHARES - 8-10 items/week
These generally contain larger quantities of the same veggies in our Regular Box. They are a good size for households of 2-4 eaters, or smaller households who cook fresh every day and/or eat a plant-based diet.
*If you think the shares will be too much food, consider sharing with a friend or neighbour. At this point we are only offering two box sizes.
These are a good size for households with 1-2 eaters, households that have their own garden but want additional vegetables, or people new to CSA wanting to try it out.
LARGE SHARES - 8-10 items/week
These generally contain larger quantities of the same veggies in our Regular Box. They are a good size for households of 2-4 eaters, or smaller households who cook fresh every day and/or eat a plant-based diet.
*If you think the shares will be too much food, consider sharing with a friend or neighbour. At this point we are only offering two box sizes.
What types of vegetables will be in the boxes?
We aim to grow a rainbow of vegetables, and grow 40+ types of vegetables. We also grow lots of culinary herbs, medicinal/tea herbs, cut flowers and some berries/fruit. Keep in mind that some seasons certain crops may not do well, whereas others will thrive. As a CSA member you commit to living along with the cycles of this farm and what we have to offer as the season moves along.
Examples of what you could expect:
JUNE & EARLY JULY - peas, radish, spring turnips, lettuces, salad mixes, spinach, chard, kale, culinary herbs, spring onions, bok choy
JULY & AUG - garlic scapes, carrots, beets, beans, cucumbers, lettuces, cherry tomatoes, big tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, chard, garlic, corn
SEPT - carrots, beets, beans, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, garlic, chard, kale, lettuce, onions, culinary herbs
OCT - carrots, beets, winter radish, dry beans, chard, kale, potatoes, garlic, onions, shallots, pumpkins, winter squash, cabbages, parsnip
We grow many familiar items, and some that may not be so familiar (e.g. heirloom varieties, unique colours etc). We provide a weekly newsletter with recipe ideas to help you use your vegetables.
We don't grow a lot of bulk storage vegetables because we don't have a large enough storage facility to keep them. There are other great local farms that have the ability to grow these for you and we are happy to direct you there. We are working on collaboration with other local ecological farms in order to bring you a greater variety of storage crops at the end of the season.
In 2022 we started a small orchard of perennial crops like asparagus, rhubarb, raspberries, sea buckthorn, black currants, aronia, haskaps, highbush cranberries, grapes, hardy kiwi, and tree fruits (apples, pears, plums, cherries, hazelnuts, apricot, and hardy figs). We look forward to offering these in coming years to our CSA members. We have wild saskatoons, wild plums, and chokecherries growing on the farm, and may be able to offer these to members who are interested.
Examples of what you could expect:
JUNE & EARLY JULY - peas, radish, spring turnips, lettuces, salad mixes, spinach, chard, kale, culinary herbs, spring onions, bok choy
JULY & AUG - garlic scapes, carrots, beets, beans, cucumbers, lettuces, cherry tomatoes, big tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, chard, garlic, corn
SEPT - carrots, beets, beans, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, garlic, chard, kale, lettuce, onions, culinary herbs
OCT - carrots, beets, winter radish, dry beans, chard, kale, potatoes, garlic, onions, shallots, pumpkins, winter squash, cabbages, parsnip
We grow many familiar items, and some that may not be so familiar (e.g. heirloom varieties, unique colours etc). We provide a weekly newsletter with recipe ideas to help you use your vegetables.
We don't grow a lot of bulk storage vegetables because we don't have a large enough storage facility to keep them. There are other great local farms that have the ability to grow these for you and we are happy to direct you there. We are working on collaboration with other local ecological farms in order to bring you a greater variety of storage crops at the end of the season.
In 2022 we started a small orchard of perennial crops like asparagus, rhubarb, raspberries, sea buckthorn, black currants, aronia, haskaps, highbush cranberries, grapes, hardy kiwi, and tree fruits (apples, pears, plums, cherries, hazelnuts, apricot, and hardy figs). We look forward to offering these in coming years to our CSA members. We have wild saskatoons, wild plums, and chokecherries growing on the farm, and may be able to offer these to members who are interested.
How fresh is the produce in a CSA box?
CSA shares are packed to order, meaning we pack only what our members have ordered each week. This minimizes food waste, and allows the produce to be as fresh as possible. We pick our produce and herbs when they are at their peak, by hand and in small batches, again to ensure ripeness and freshness. We harvest within 24 hours of delivery, meaning produce is much fresher than what you get in a grocery store. Produce is stored in our cooler until pick-up/delivery.
Where can I pick up the CSA boxes locally?
We have local on-farm pick up on Friday afternoons from 4-6 pm. Our farm is located at 44041 PR 210 Road, Ste Anne. Please bring your own bags/boxes/cooler to pack your veggies in for taking home.
How does CSA delivery work in Winnipeg?
For 2026 we will have a weekly pick-up location in St Boniface (near the St Boniface Golf Course), on Tuesdays from 5-6 pm. Please bring your own bags/boxes/coolers to pack your veggies in for taking home. We will supply the pick-up address once you register.
If pick-up in St Boniface doesn't work for you, we also offer home delivery on Tuesday afternoons to the south part of Winnipeg for a small delivery fee. Please inquire if you are interested in home delivery. For home delivery we drop off your veggies in a pre-arranged secure and shady/cool area (e.g. your porch, your garage, etc). You leave out a cooler and ice pack and we leave your veggies in your cooler.
If pick-up in St Boniface doesn't work for you, we also offer home delivery on Tuesday afternoons to the south part of Winnipeg for a small delivery fee. Please inquire if you are interested in home delivery. For home delivery we drop off your veggies in a pre-arranged secure and shady/cool area (e.g. your porch, your garage, etc). You leave out a cooler and ice pack and we leave your veggies in your cooler.
What happens if I forget to pick up my box? Can someone pick up for me?
Members are expected to pick up their box each week during the pre-arranged pick-up hours. We cannot hold your boxes for you after the pick-up time. Any boxes not picked up will be donated to a local food program or food bank. If you know you are going to be away during the pick-up time, you are most welcome to send another friend or family members to pick up your box.
Are there any choices or is the box pre-packed?
The Winnipeg CSA shares are pre-packed with a set amount of food value. At our Friday farm pick-up there will be a "choice" table with some options, or a place to trade in items you don't need.
Can I order bulk vegetables for pickling, canning or freezing?
All CSA members can add on extra veggies through our online farm store. We will let you know when we have bulk basil, bulk tomatoes, cucumbers for pickling etc. The online farm store also has jams, preserves, sourdough breads, pies, herbal tea which CSA members can add on every week. There is no extra charge for delivery to Winnipeg. ORDER BY SUNDAY EVENING for the following week.
What are the CSA dates?
The Fresh Veggie Box CSA for 2026 will run for 15 weeks, usually from July to mid-October. Specific start date will be emailed to all members.
How does payment work?
We require a non-refundable deposit of $150 to hold your spot at time of registration. The rest of the CSA payment can be made in one installment (by May 1, 2026) or two installments by May 1, 2026 & June 1, 2026. Payment for your CSA share is preferred by etransfer, cash or cheque. More details to be provided at time of registration.
I can't afford a box right now by would love to join. Are there other options?
In 2024 we started a Community Fund Pay-It-Forward donation program. Our CSA members are invited to contribute donations toward this community fund which is specifically for making subsidized shares available to members of our community who are facing food insecurity. To inquire about receiving a subsidized share for yourself or someone you know, please contact us at: [email protected]
How are the veggies packaged?
We try to minimize waste and try hard to avoid plastic. We mainly leave produce unwrapped, and often unwashed (or lightly washed) to preserve freshness. We use paper bags, paper boxes, and compostable plant-based clamshells (for microgreens) and reusable glass jars for certain items. Jars, paper boxes and clamshells can be returned to us. Local CSA members are asked to bring their own bags or coolers.
What do I need to bring to the CSA pick-ups?
Please bring bags or coolers to pick up your share each week. Bring smaller produce bags to transfer pints of smaller items. We have extra items for sale at the farm pick-up (e.g. eggs, bread, jams). Cash is preferred for those purchases, but we can also take credit card.
Will there be opportunities to visit Swallowtail Farmstead?
Yes! If you are picking up your share locally then we will see you every Friday! We host at least one Open Farm Day for CSA members, usually in mid September. We would love to organize a farm dinner if there is enough interest from CSA members! We are hoping to find time for building a wood-fired outdoor oven to host pizza dinners for CSA members. There are opportunities for farm workshops, as well as work bees/volunteer projects. Remember that CSA members get 10% off all our classes and events. Once you register for the CSA, you will receive a weekly newsletter with more details about farm events.
I still have questions! Can you answer them?
Yes, of course! For more questions please contact Karin at: hello(at)swallowtailfarmstead.ca