The answer is simply Nothing, we pick everything for you and provide you with the baskets to carry it home. All you have to do is pick your basket.
Why do I have to pay in advance for the CSA program?
This is one of the foundations of the CSA program and the reason for it is simple. By paying in advance for your CSA share you are telling us that you want the produce that is grown so we know how much and what to plant. This allows us to spend more time on growing great produce for you and your family. Also, if we only did "buy as you go" a lot of customers would hear “ I am sorry we are out of that this week “. Plus you as a customer get your produce up to 50% less than "buy as you go" customers.
Are there a limited number of CSA shares?:
Yes, we will only sell a limited amount of shares, so that we can provide the best to our members.
How big are the CSA Baskets?:
Full Share – Fresh produce for 3 to 4 people weekly Mini Share - Fresh produce for 1 to 2 people weekly Please remember these are estimates and should not be taken as a guarantee as each person(s) eating habits vary.
Where and when will I pick up my weekly CSA basket?:
For 2016- Yes, in fact we grow 95% of all items right here at Penick Farms. The remaining items like strawberries, blueberries and some other fruits come from other local farms with in 30 miles of us and everything is grown in Kentucky.
Starting with our 2017 CSA programs we are moving to a multi farm program where we will work with other local farms to fill our CSA baskets. These other farms are local small farms just like us and we have decided to bring them into our programs to offer you more and higher quality produce through out the season and to reduce the risk of crop loss. But we will still be growing the most of the items right here at Penick Farms.
Do I need to wash my produce?:
ALWAYS practice the habit of WASHING your fresh fruits and vegetables, no matter where they come from (farmers’ market, grocery, CSA, your back yard, etc.)
Can I come and see where the produce is grown?:
Yes, we are always happy to show you around the farm. But please make an appointment in advance, thanks.
We do on rare occasions need to use pesticides to prevent the loss of a crop, we use something called Malathion, which is the same thing used to treat head lice in children as young as six. But even then we try to avoid its use because it kills bees that we need to pollinate the plants to make the fruit.
What do you use to fertilize ?
We use basic bulk fertilizers. These are the same kind of fertilizers that you buy at your garden store like 10-10-10 or Miracle-Grow. We apply these to the roots of the plants using fertigation through drip lines. By using the drip lines, we can only apply the needed nutrients to the plants without waist or over using the fertilizer. We refuse to use any animal byproducts like manure, bone meal, or blood meal on our produce.