CSA Renewals—2026
October 13, 2025
Thanks to everyone who completed the 10/3 survey. Based on your feedback, we developed 3 options for 2026—the Flagship, the Monthly, and the Harvester. If enough members opt for the Monthly and Harvester shares, we can achieve our goal of downsizing the CSA by 30-50% without resorting to a lottery. We don't want to shut anyone out! Both shares (Monthly & Harvester) need at least 30 members to run. Now we need an unofficial headcount. Based on your feedback, we will finalize the shares and price. For a refresher on why we are changing the CSA structure, see the 10/3 note below.
Flagship
What’s Included:
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10 bi-weekly vegetable pickups (no weekly option)
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standard pick-your-own berries, herbs, & flowers, available Tuesday–Saturday
What’s Different/Not Included:
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pickups start mid-June (previously started late-May)
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30-50% reduced volume in summer squash, peppers, eggplant, heirloom tomatoes, onions
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no snap peas, spring radishes, cucumbers, shallots
Who It’s Designed for:
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members seeking minimal change
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members who rarely let the food go to waste
Price Range: $495-$610
Monthly
What’s Included:
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5 monthly vegetable pickups, June–October
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standard pick-your-own berries, herbs, & flowers, available on scheduled pickup days only
What’s Different/Not Included:
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monthly pickup volume will be comparable to previous years’ weekly pickup volume
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no snap peas, spring radishes, cucumbers, shallots
Who It’s Designed for:
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members who live far and need to make the drive worth it
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members who can get their “farm fix” once a month
Proposed Price: $435
Flower Note...
Deer, woodchucks, and rabbits have compromised our ability to grow pick-your-own flowers at the Tin House. Therefore, we will trial zinnias and other cut flowers in the field in 2026.
Harvester
What’s Included:
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standard pick-your-own berries, herbs, & flowers, available Tuesday–Saturday
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exclusive access to pick-your-own “garden” in New Pond Field, featuring:
–snap peas
–spinach
–carrots
–kale
–chard
–collards
–garlic
–string beans
–eggplant
–peppers
–tomatoes
What’s Important:
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members may harvest weekly, mid-June–early-October
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members must learn proper harvesting techniques
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members must adhere to weekly quotas
Who It’s Designed for:
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members who want to remain connected to the farm community
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members who enjoy the field experience
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members who struggle to utilize current share volume
Proposed Price: $390
October 3, 2025
Hi Everyone,
As most of you know, October is when we begin taking CSA renewals. We still, however, don’t have a contract. We took a collective risk—farmers and CSA members alike—by committing to the 2025 season, and we can do it again for 2026, but with some notable changes that we hope you will weigh in on.
As a business model that provides security, nothing beats CSA. At Restoration Farm, the CSA always took precedence over the farm stand, education, and events because the income was so dependable. But as we gear up for our 20th season, Dan and I need greater flexibility to prepare the farm for a future without us (still a ways off). The current CSA leaves little time or space for anything else, but we need to free up both so we can work on a transition—whether it’s searching for a young couple to replace us, partnering with a nonprofit, or something entirely different.
The farm stand will operate at full capacity in 2026, but our draft plan is to downsize the CSA by 30-50%. How we do so depends on the feedback we get from you. We could scale down the share volume, sell fewer shares, or both. We don’t want to shut out anyone who wants to remain, but we’re also guessing that some members would willingly opt out, given the new context. We’re also debating the pros and cons of adding a new share that’s 100% pick-your-own. So please take a moment to fill out this survey, which will be open until October 12. Your anonymous responses will directly impact the structuring of the 2026 CSA.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5YLXKD5
As always, Dan and I are eternally grateful for the support of our CSA members. We hope these concepts make sense to you, and feel free to reach out with questions.
All the best,
Caroline
