The Land Connection’s 2023 community supported agriculture (CSA) virtual fair provides a current list of participating CSA farms serving the regions of Champaign-Urbana, Bloomington-Normal, Springfield, and Peoria. Each week during the month of January, we will share details about participating CSA farms below, as well as how you can connect with them, and details about their 2023 CSA opportunities.
What is a CSA
What is a CSA? It allows customers committed to the local economy an opportunity to connect on a deeper level than purchasing from a retail store, and even differently than making purchases at a farmer’s market. With the CSA method of doing business, farms offer fresh food products through annual subscriptions or a flat fee. Customers pay up front at the start of a CSA season, often during a critical time for a farm’s finances, in exchange for a portion of those farmers’ products over the season. The products are then delivered weekly, bi-weekly or monthly to a central pick-up location or by delivery.
How to Participate in a CSA
No matter if you live in the city or a rural community, it’s possible to join a CSA. Many farms offer a diverse range of pricing options, like buying a half-share or seasonal or holiday shares. Traditionally consumers pay for the entire CSA season upfront, which admittedly can feel daunting. Many farms offer alternative payment plans and some even offer scholarships! CSAs are often a great deal when compared to purchasing a similar amount of products directly from a store or market on a weekly basis. If a CSA feels out of your price range, or it’s simply too much food for you, then try going in on the season with friends, neighbors, or family. Use this directory of participating CSA farms so you can find a CSA near you.
Supporting your CSA Success this Year
One of the best parts of purchasing a CSA comes from the relationship you are able to have with the farmers growing your food & flowers. That relationship comes with a lot of support in helping you make the most of your CSA! The Land Connection will be sharing recipes, storage and preservation techniques, connecting you with classes from your area farmers, and providing ongoing support throughout the year. Check out these resources to get you started:
Local Foods Portal – Nutrition, Storage, Preparation Information and Recipe Ideas | Blog: PSA on Your Local CSA | Seasonal Calendar & Local Food Facts | The CUrrant – Local Food Newsletter | *Coming Soon* Local Food Perpetual Calendar | Facebook & Instagram
Be sure to check back regularly as we add seasonally relevant information throughout the 2023 CSA year!
Search Community Supported Agriculture Offerings in Your Area:
Bloomington-Normal (coming soon!)
Champaign-Urbana
Peoria (coming soon!)
Springfield (coming soon!)
Champaign-Urbana
Sola Gratia Farm | Urbana IL | is a community-based CSA farm dedicated to helping those who lack food security, sustainable farming practices and community building. We will be growing 125 varieties of over 50 different crops this year. All crops are grown following organic methods. Produce is distributed weekly. Add-on shares are available. Ala carte sales of honey from Second Nature Honey, coffee from Luna Verde and fruit from local farms available seasonally.
Summer CSA : 20 weeks from 1st week of June through 3rd week of October Summer Partial Share: 5-7 items weekly, $480 Choose a pickup on Tuesdays, 3-6p at Champaign Farmers Market or Sola Gratia Farm, $630 for delivery to home address within C-U on Thursdays, 3-6p (limited number available); Summer Full Share: 9-11 items weekly, $800 Choose a pickup on Tuesdays, 3-6p at Champaign Farmers Market or Sola Gratia Farm, $950 for delivery to home address within C-U on Thursdays, 3-6p (limited number available); Summer Add-ons: $120 Bread share from Rick’s Bakery, $240 Mushroom share from Flyway Family Farm
Fall CSA: 4 weeks from 3rd week of October through 3rd week of November Fall Full Share: 7-9 items weekly, $125 for pickup on Thursdays, 3-5p at Sola Gratia Farm (NO Champaign pickup available), $155 for delivery to home address within C-U on Thursdays, 3-5p (limited number available), Fall Add-ons: Bread share available for $24, Mushroom share available for $48
Funds can be donated though our share program to provide good fresh food to our neighbors in need. SGF provides weekly donation to the Eastern Illinois Foodbank, Jubilee Cafe, Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, Little Free Market and Mobile Market.
Contact: [email protected] | (217) 621-3013
Triple S Farms | Stewardson IL | Multi-generational Family Farm
Pick-up Options Available: Champaign-Urbana area & Springfield area. Other locations: Collinsville/Edwardsville, Mattoon/Charleston, Effingham, Mahomet, Farnia/Olney/Robinson, Decatur
Buyers Club: One-time $40 membership fee to join, allows you a discount on all products, pickups are once a month to the designated locations, no minimums, order available items you want off webstore
Contact: [email protected] | (217) 343-4740
Florosophy Farms | Urbana IL | is a flower farm and full-service florist shop located in Urbana, IL. We grow and provide cut flowers for the Champaign county community. We sell our farm fresh blooms at the local farmers markets, use them in our florist arrangements and for local events and weddings. Our goal is to bring you the freshest blooms available so you can enjoy your flowers longer. Let us bring you a true field to vase experience!
CSA Program: 6 or 12 Weeks of Farm Fresh Flowers delivered weekly to your door! This is perfect for anyone who is looking long lasting blooms that will bring beauty into their home or office. This is a perfect Valentines or birthday gift to bring something truly unique to someone you care for. Bouquets and arrangements will be made from flowers grown on our farm here in Urbana, IL and arranged by our expert floral designer Rebekah Frost. Subscribers will have PRIORITY access to the best blooms and limited stock during the time of their subscription. To get started, go to Florosophy farms.com and find the summer CSA under our “Farm Fresh” options in the menu. Coose between Regular (6 weeks) or Deluxe (12 weeks) and pick a start date between July and September 2023. We will take care of the rest!
Contact: [email protected] | (217) 751-4080
Salted Spade | Mahomet IL | Family market garden selling organically grown produce.
CSA Program: Traditional CSA for 14-16 weeks through the summer months. For 2023 we hope to have eggs as an addon. We are pickup only at this time.
Contact: [email protected] | (217) 751-4080
Delight Flower Farm | Champaign IL | is a sustainable, woman-owned cut flower farm. Since 2011, we have provided the Champaign-Urbana community with access to beautiful, fresh and safe cut flowers. What began as a humble experiment in a backyard garden, has grown into a thriving small farm that provides an alternative to the status quo of the present day global flower industry.
CSA Programs: We offer 10 or 15 week-long cut flower CSA shares. We’ve also added shorter spring and fall CSA shares, as well as an annual wreath CSA.
Contact: [email protected]
Bloomington-Normal
Farms to be featured the Week of January 16, 2023
The Table Farm & Workshop | Bentown IL | is a small, family owned and operated farm just east of Bloomington, IL. Here at The Table, we do everything in our power to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem. So we are focused on the people we serve, sustainability, environmental impact, being regenerative, and beauty. The farm is Certified Naturally Grown, strictly no-till, operates at human-scale (no tractors!), and sells exclusively direct-to-customer.
CSA Program: We have both full-share and half-share options. Our CSA pickup is on Fridays on the farm, with a backup option of Saturday morning at the Downtown Bloomington Farmer’s Market. The CSA runs for 20 weeks starting roughly the 2nd week of June. We offer a “free-choice” CSA system: Each week, our members get a set number of “items” to freely select as they wish, depending on our product availability that week. Full-shares get 10-12 items per week and half-shares get 5-6 items per week. This unique approach ensures that our members get exactly what they want each week and aren’t forced to take home something they will just later throw away. In addition to the vegetables, each week our members can add on cut flowers, pasture-raised/rotationally-grazed eggs, plant starts, and fruit.
Contact: [email protected] | (815) 209-6695
Dearing Country Farms | Bloomington IL | A small family farm since 2005 that has used sustainable, regenerative practices in everything we grow and raise. We are located just 3 miles west of Bloomington/Normal, IL
CSA Programs: Winter CSA: eggs and meat, runs November-April. Summer CSA: produce, meat and eggs runs May-October. Pickup is at the farm on Weds evening or Saturday morning at the downtown Bloomington Farmers Market. Several CSA options with beef, chicken, goat and lamb as well as add-on items such as Fresh Florida Seafood also available. CSA member only events offered.
Contact: [email protected] | (309)963-4932
Springfield
Farms to be featured the Week of January 23, 2023
Peoria
Farms to be featured the Week of January 30, 2023
Have a CSA and want to be listed? Click here to register to join our 2023 CSA Directory!
