Why Pay up Front?

· Paying in advance supports the growers to stay on the land, guaranteeing the continuation of the scheme.

· It shows that members are committed for the entire growing year.

· The scheme is set up for a specific amount of members and volume of crops. This means that members withdrawing their support during the growing year is not an option.

Why Get Actively Involved?

· It brings together a wide range of skills and like minded people.

· This allows a strong connection between those who grow your food and what is actually involved in the growing process.

What’s in it for me?

· To be part of a sustainable food supply that benefits the environment.

· Access to the freshest of produce, grown without chemicals.

· Members are able to learn about the food growing process first hand and have a relationship with the people that grow their food.

· Members can get involved in organised events (field days and parties) and meet like-minded people.

· Cheaper than buying organic produce from the supermarket.

Why do we farm without chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides or machinery?

· All 4 of the above are heavily reliant on fossil fuels which are non-renewable. The use of these products is directly affecting our climate.

· The use of chemical fertilisers means less organic matter is added to the soil, which depletes the soil over time.

· Certain pesticides leave harmful residues on farm produce. These residues have been linked to damaging human health.

· Using machinery compacts the soil decreasing the success of plant growth. Machinery such as rotovators destroy beneficial soil workers like earth worms and increase weed problems by shredding roots into many pieces which then re-grow.

How do I get the produce?

Members collect their produce on Saturdays between the hours of 11.30am and 4pm from the cabin on site at Kippax CSA. The produce for that particular week will be cropped and put into crates. The corresponding weight for each crop is written on a board. Members weigh out their own produce and bring their own bags.

Why Only 44 Weeks?

There are two months during the year (April and May) known as the "Hunger Gap". This is when the last of the crops have been harvested and all the stored produce shared out. Most of the seeds for the coming season are sown during March, April and May ready to start cropping from June onwards.

This is the busiest time for the CSA and there are many field days held around this time of year to help the growers get all of the seeds sown.