Affordability: As a nonprofit, we keep our CSA share costs low. We aren’t seeking to make a fortune selling food, our goal is to get food out to people. Our shares cost what it takes to grow their food, and we cover the overhead with things like grantseeking, fundraising, and our spring plant sale (held in late April). Since we don’t have to transport our food hundreds of miles or store it for weeks, we cut out middlemen and extra costs. Finally, we are longer than most CSA programs, give more food in a share, and don\’t charge a delivery fee. These all add up to help you stretch your dollar farther and get a better value in a box.

Eating Healthier: It’s a lot easier to eat vegetables if you have them on hand. Eating more produce means you increase your intake of key nutrients. You’re bringing your food from farm-to-table. Our past members have said that a CSA share made them more likely to eat vegetables and made them think more creatively with their cooking. Because our produce is harvested on the same day it is distributed, things are as fresh as they get and are more nutritious.

Sustainability: Minimal distance to market helps us reduce our carbon emissions and make us more environmentally-friendly. Our food travels less than half a mile to get from dirt to box. We pair this with our use of natural practices like no-till, cover-cropping, only using natural pesticides, hand-harvesting, crop rotations, and using natural fertilizers like compost helps us be as green as possible. Though we are not certified organic due to the impact that the cost burden would have on us as a small nonprofit, we use organic and regenerative practices. We also track our impact on the land through soil testing, and are beginning regular \”bio-blitzes\” to log biodiversity on our plots. Additionally, we save seeds and share these with the community in order to help preserve quality varieties grown in ideal conditions. 

Connection to Food: It can be hard for those of us who live in the city to connect to our food. With a Big Muddy CSA, you can see each of our plants, trees, and chickens that support your share. You’re invited to tour the Farm, and we’ll give regular updates through email and social media in order to keep you connected to your food. You can see, touch, and learn about your food as we grow it, and we’re always happy to answer any questions. 

Our Mission: Big Muddy Urban Farm’s mission is to make sustainable agriculture education accessible to all. Buying a share helps us keep the plants watered, chickens fed, and lights on. But more importantly, it helps us teach our community about urban agriculture and the food we eat. It might not seem like a big deal, but it means that more people eat more good food. That matters.