CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is when a community of individuals pledge to support a farm operation by paying up front for the vegetables that will be harvested throughout the season. Our CSA is a 16-week season from July to October and members have the option of purchasing one share (enough food for 1-2 people) or two shares (enough food for 3-5 people). By choosing this type of support you ensure farmers have enough funds to cover seeds, supplies, and labor for the season to come. By paying full price for your CSA you ensure that we can serve our community members who need assistance accessing this same food.

We currently only accept SNAP benefits, but we are able to offer a small number of FrontLine-Sponsored CSA boxes for community members who qualify for additional support. This year we are able to assist 25 families in Denver who have kids living in the home. To apply for a FrontLine-Sponsored CSA box, click “Get My CSA”, sign-in with your email, and on your form, select: “I am requesting a FrontLine-sponsored CSA (no cost).”

Part of the fun of a CSA is the surprise! We do send weekly emails with information about specific vegetables you will get in your share, and recipes for inspiration, but we do not provide a full list every week as it is highly dependent on what is ripe for harvest. Generally you can expect many of these following items by month: July: Kale, chard, collard greens, summer squash, onions, peas, lettuce, carrots, beets, garlic, herbs and more. August: Cucumbers, eggplants, melons, summer squash, peppers, kale, chard, collard greens, garlic, herbs and more. September: Tomatoes & tomatillos, cucumbers, summer squash, eggplants, hot and sweet peppers, melons, okra, potatoes and sweet potatoes, onion, beans, and more. October: Tomatoes, winter squash and pumpkins, hot and sweet peppers, leeks, potatoes and sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, beans, canned goods, and more.

We are developing partnerships with other BIPOC and womxn growers and makers in our local areas who can provide add-on items to your weekly CSA. Currently we are partnering with Sugarmoon Mushrooms for a weekly addition of either 4oz or 8oz mushrooms.

We currently partner with Bondadosa to deliver CSA shares. The delivery fee for 16 weeks is $130 in addition to the cost of your CSA (you will need to purchase the “Delivery” product on the CSA store). Please note that Delivery starts in the 3rd week of June, not in July! Their delivery zone is a 20 mile radius around Denver, if you have questions about their delivery zone, please email alician@frontlinefarming.org.

We understand that unforeseen circumstances come up throughout the season. If you find that you need to change your pick up day or site, we ask that you keep your new chosen day for the rest of the season. As we are managing over 170 shares we need to streamline logistics. Regularly shifting your pick up days or temporarily changing your pick up day make us more prone to mistakes.

Based upon the season and contingencies of farming (e.g. extreme temperatures, hail, wildlife damage, pests, drought, etc.) it is possible that the number of harvests and/or the produce share sizes may not meet the anticipated harvest goals of the managers of the farm. As a customer and CSA member, you are agreeing to share the risk of variable harvest or crop failures due to unfavorable conditions that are beyond the control of the managers of the farm.

Yes! We accept SNAP benefits as payment for both our vegetables and for our plant sale. We will process payment on your EBT card once a week for the 16 weeks of the season. We also accept Double Up Food Bucks which allows us to give a 50% discount to SNAP customers and we receive the other 50% from the state program. This way we are paid full price for veggies, but you can make your SNAP benefits stretch further. Importantly, we cannot take payments via EBT online so these payments will be made in person during the season. CUrrently, we are not approved to accept WIC EBT.

Work-trade options for our CSAs are available each year, on a limited trial basis. If you are interested in this option, please contact AliciaN@frontlinefarming.org. You can also check our Volunteer page (https://www.frontlinefarming.org/volunteer) and our Job Board (https://www.frontlinefarming.org/job-board) for other opportunities to work on our farms.

Good question! We are not certified organic because, for many farmers, especially small farms, the cost is prohibitive. We are however very much beyond an organic farm. Whenever available, we choose organic and open-pollinated seed varieties. From the time plants go in the ground or seedlings sprout they are carefully monitored for disease and pests. We use various farm-made pepper recipes for pests consisting of cayenne pepper, castile soap like Dr. Bronners, and garlic. Additionally, we practice companion planting which both promotes plant health and deters unwanted bugs. We also use an organic food-grade product called diatomaceous earth as a pest and disease deterrent for certain high-value crops. In addition, we use organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion, as well as compost produced on-site, to help plant growth. Weeds are deterred using mulch and all weeding is done by hand so we don't use herbicides. However, it is important that our customers understand that the content of the CSA is unprocessed and unwashed and that you are responsible for adequate cleaning and preparation in order to render it fit for human consumption. In purchasing a CSA, you agree to bear all risk of any illness acquired that results from consumption of any portion of produce share content.

We are dedicated to our planet’s health and recognize the damage of single-use and disposable packaging. We have shifted our practices to reduce the amount of packaging of your CSA. This means you will be asked to bring your own reusable grocery bags with you to the pick-up.

It is always best if you can let us know ahead of time! If you are unable to pick up their share at your normal day/time, there are typically three options: (1) Have a friend/neighbor pick up for you: Your friend would let the farmer on site know they are picking up on your behalf and give your full name at pick-up. (2) Come the next available pick up day and location: We will hold your share until the next subsequent pick up day, contact kasey@frontlinefarming.org to plan your rescheduled pick up. (3) Allow us to donate your share: We are connected to food banks and pantries across the Denver metro where we regularly donate. If you have not picked up your share, we will group your veggies with the rest of the week’s donation.

You pay for your CSA upfront because these funds are vital to our farm operations. We use these funds early in the season to pay for what we need to grow goodness on our farm including seeds, fertilizer, irrigation equipment, hand tools, and labor. As such this cash is already in the soil by the time you are picking up your first share and therefore we cannot guarantee refunds after the start of the season. However, communication is key. If you find that you are unable to participate in our CSA after you have paid, you may request a refund by or before the 3rd week of the CSA. We do not offer full refunds, and can only offer up to a 50% refund at maximum. Importantly, FrontLine Farming has a clear set of values outlined in our mission statement in community agreements. We do reserve the right to deny service or cancel CSAs for individuals who breach our agreement, with or without refund.