CSA Member Agreement & Guidelines

At Red Shirt Farm, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is more than just a way to buy vegetables—it’s a partnership between our farm and our members. Your early commitment helps us grow the best food possible, and in return, you get the freshest produce straight from our fields. This agreement outlines our shared commitments so you know what to expect.

1. About the Red Shirt Farm CSA

A. Our Growing Practices

We are committed to growing food responsibly and transparently. While we are not certified organic, our farming practices meet or exceed organic standards—we never use synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. In fact, we don’t even use organic-approved pesticides, because they can harm native pollinators.

To maintain soil health and biodiversity, we rely on minimal tillage, cover crops, mulch, and compost. We welcome visitors and encourage you to come see how your food is grown—just let us know when you’d like to stop by!

B. What’s in Your CSA?

Your CSA card lets you choose the produce you love from our farm store throughout the season. Here’s a sample of what’s available at different times of the year (subject to seasonal variation):

  • Early Season (June) – Baby greens, arugula, beets, kale, radishes, scallions, spinach, garlic scapes, and more.

  • Peak Season (July–August) – Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, summer squash, lettuce, green beans, eggplant, and more.

  • Fall Harvest (September–October) – Onions, winter squash, leeks, brussels sprouts, cabbage, rutabagas, and other storage crops.

CSA Perks: As a member, you get exclusive access to our Pick-Your-Own herb and flower garden! You’ll also have the opportunity to purchase extra produce at peak season for canning, freezing, and preserving.

2. Sharing the Risks & Rewards of Farming

Farming is unpredictable, and while we work hard to grow plentiful, high-quality produce, factors like weather, pests, and plant health can affect availability. Your CSA membership means you share in both the bounty and the challenges of small-scale farming.

We take precautions—like irrigation, row covers, and organic pest management—to ensure a reliable harvest, but weekly and seasonal availability may fluctuate. Your early commitment makes our farm stronger, and in return, we provide you with the best of what we grow.

3. CSA Pickup & Farm Store Visits

A. Your CSA Card

  • Your CSA card will be available for pickup at the farm store during your first visit. The season will start between mid-May and early June, depending on the weather. We’ll notify you when the season officially begins.

  • Your CSA card works like a gift card—shop at your convenience for the produce you want, in the quantities you need.

  • Your CSA card (including the 10% bonus) can be used for Red Shirt Farm produce only. Other farm store items—such as meat, dairy, bread, and grocery items—must be purchased separately at full price.

B. Bags & Packaging

  • Please bring your own bags, boxes, or a cooler for transporting your produce. We do provide recycled shopping bags in case you forget.

C. Lost CSA Cards & Checking Your Balance

  • Keep track of your CSA card—it’s your key to shopping at the farm store.

  • We’ll provide instructions on how to check your card balance so you always know what’s available.

  • If you lose your card, don’t worry! We’ll replace it for free and reload your remaining balance.

  • If you misplace it a second time, there will be a $5 replacement fee to cover administrative costs.

4. Visiting the Farm

We love having CSA members visit the farm, and we want you to enjoy your time here! Please be mindful that this is a working farm, and certain precautions are necessary.

A. Parking & Farm Access

  • You may park in the farm store parking lot or up by the house.

  • CSA Member-Exclusive Parking: As a CSA member, you have the option to park up by the house, which gives you easier access to the Pick-Your-Own herb and flower garden.

  • Drive slowly on our single-lane driveway. If a car is coming in the opposite direction, it’s perfectly fine to pull over onto the grass to let them pass.

  • Please park perpendicular on the left side of the driveway to keep the flow of traffic smooth. Returning members will be familiar with this arrangement.

B. Farm Safety

  • Watch your step. Uneven ground, potholes, and slippery areas exist in fields and pathways.

  • Electric fences protect our animals. We try to turn them off before CSA pickup, but please assume they are “hot” and avoid touching them.

  • Farm animals: We raise chickens, turkeys, and pigs. Feel free to observe them, but please do not feed, pet, or enter their enclosures unless a staff member is present.

  • Farm equipment: For your safety, please do not climb on, operate, or move any tools or machinery.

C. Children & Pets

  • Children are welcome! We love seeing kids explore the farm and believe it’s important for them to learn where their food comes from. However, for their safety, please supervise them at all times. If you have older children, we ask that you review these guidelines with them before visiting.

  • Pet Policy Update: We love dogs—we have two of our own! However, they can be protective of their space when other dogs are present. For everyone’s safety and comfort, we kindly ask that you leave your dog in the car while visiting the farm.

5. Payment & CSA Policies

A. How Payment Works

  • You can pay online at the link provided or by check.

  • If you choose to pay online, there will be a 3% surcharge to cover credit card fees.

  • Online payments are only available if paying in full. If you’d like to make a partial payment, please pay by check.

  • Checks should be made payable to Red Shirt Farm and mailed to:

    • Red Shirt Farm, 60 Williamstown Road, Lanesborough, MA 01237

  • We feel strongly that everyone should have access to the nutritious food that we grow at RSF and we will work with those in financial need to make this possible.

  • We offer additional payment plans for those on very limited budgets and provide subsidized shares through the Share the Bounty program.

  • Please contact us to discuss options if you (or someone you know) would like to join our CSA but needs financial assistance.

B. Refund & Cancellation Policy

  • We offer a 2-week trial period to ensure CSA is the right fit for you. If you cancel within the first two weeks, we will provide a prorated refund. Please allow 2–4 weeks for processing.

6. Communication

  • Email: info@redshirtfarm.com (best way to reach us!)

  • Phone: (518) 429-9202

You’ll receive weekly CSA emails with updates on available produce, recipe ideas, and farm news.

7. Updates to This Agreement

If we need to update this agreement, we’ll notify you by email.

Thank you for being part of Red Shirt Farm CSA! Your support helps keep local, sustainable farming alive, and we’re excited to share the season’s harvest with you.