Giamarese Farm CSA to Offer Healthy Variety of Produce

Giamarese Farm has added a new component to their summer harvest offerings with the announcement of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

The CSA is a subscription-style program in which participants pay a fee and then receive a selection of fresh produce once a week.

Shares are available over a 12 week period in a half share, priced at $228, or a full share for $348.

A half share includes 5-6 kinds of produce for about 2-4 people and a full share includes 6-8 types of produce for about 5-8 people, according to the farm website.

"At first I didn't like it because as a consumer, I would think most people would rather choose what they want," Jim Giamarese said.

After recognizing that CSAs were both a trend, and a good way to distribute the farm's offerings, they farm went ahead with the plan and have already received a good response, he said.

"People get to share in our bounty more than they would at the store," he said.

Giamarese said that wholesale prices are offered at the farm, especially for an item like squash, of which 5-6 different varieties are grown.

Through the CSA, that abundance of produce can be better distributed to customers who get a better, fresher product.

"I can move it...I have an abundance of it (and) I don't lose so much," he said.

The CSA begins on June 4 and runs through Sept. 19. The deadline to apply is June 1.

Each week's CSA offerings will feature a different selection of items, and Giamarese Farms has a wide variety to choose from.

"I grow stuff from A-Z, I guess we grow about 30 different things," Giamarese said. "We do stuff like snap peas, spinach (and) butter crunch lettuce. It's a good mix in there."

For more information on the Giamarese Farms CSA, visit www.giamaresefarm.com/csa.html or call (732) 821-9494.

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