Do you value a healthy, locally sustainable food source? If yes, it’s not too late to purchase a share bag through the Lakewood Earth & Food Community’s CSA initiative.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an alternative model of food production and distribution that promotes health and the local economy while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and factory farms. This is accomplished by connecting local farmers and their local customers though a direct relationship. Participants pay the farmer directly, either through installments during the season or in lump sum in advance of the season. The LEAF Community is working with Covered Bridges Gardens and City Fresh to bring Community Supported Agriculture to Lakewood every Thursday evening beginning July 12 and running through October 25 (weather permitting). Don’t worry, you still time to join. The registration deadline for Covered Bridges Gardens is May 15th.

City Fresh allows for flexible participation. You can participate at your pleasure throughout the season, or pay for the whole season upfront. However, in order to reduce the administrative burden for the LEAF Community volunteers who will be preparing your weekly share bag, we ask that you seriously consider prepaying for the full summer share if you are choosing the City Fresh program. Each week during the program you will receive a bag of freshly picked vegetables, often still warm from the sun of the field. The bags will be delivered to the LEAF Community drop point for collection on Thursday evenings. The exact time and location have yet to be determined. Several locations are in the running, with pick-up times ranging between 4 and 8pm. One location will be selected by mid-June. As a participant in the LEAF Community’s CSA initiative you will have the option of purchasing your share bag either from Covered Bridges Gardens in Ashtabula, or through the City Fresh program in Cleveland. Share bags from both Covered Bridges Gardens and City Fresh will be available for pickup at the same place and time, each Thursday evening in Lakewood throughout the growing season. Registrants will be informed of the exact pick-up time and location by mid-June. Registration forms and payments must be submitted by May 15th.

Covered Bridges Gardens is a 4th generation family farm in Jefferson, Ohio. Mick, Kay and Steve Prochko are entering their 5th season of vending through local farmer markets and CSA programs. The Prochko’s work with Mike and Diane Hiener of Peters Creek Farm to provide their CSA customers with a plush variety of produce throughout the growing season. While Covered Bridges is a small scale conventional farm, they strive to avoid the use of pest control chemicals. At Covered Bridges Gardens, pest control chemicals are used only as a last resort, to save a crop that would otherwise perish. The LEAF Community will be working closely with Covered Bridges Gardens to keep members informed as to what, if any specific crops have been sprayed throughout the season.

Covered Bridges Gardens is also a supplier to the City Fresh program. City Fresh is a program administered by the New Agrarian Center of Oberlin, Ohio. The City Fresh program was started with a grant from the USDA to target and serve inner-city neighborhoods that are underserved by conventional grocery outlets. City Fresh pulls together produce from gardens and farms in and around the cities of Cleveland and Lorain for their share bag program. Through the generous support of governmental and foundation grant monies, City Fresh is able to offer both free and subsidized share bags to individuals who qualify based on their gross income. This program is dedicated to the redevelopment of inner-city communities through reconnecting impoverished, underserved citizens with fresh, locally grown food. City Fresh operates a youth outreach program which reconnects inner-city youth with healthy food though hard, rewarding working in the garden and community. City Fresh produce is distributed at Fresh Stops in and around the cities of Cleveland and Lorain. This year, Lakewood will host it very first Fresh Stop though the LEAF Community’s CSA initiative each Thursday evening throughout the season.

For pricing, registration forms or more information email info@leafcommunity.org or contact Dan @ 216.227.8394. You can also check us out on the web www.leafcommunity.org

Mission: The Lakewood Food and Earth Community is dedicated to development of a more sustainable, healthful and economically viable community through actions producing broad access to the purchasing, growing and trading of fresh, local foods and culture.