Frequently Asked Questions

Are there still shares available?Yes! We are enthusiastically accepting sign ups for 2017When does the 2017 season start?If you pick up on Saturdays your first pick up will be June 6, if you pick up on Tuesdays your first pick up will be June 9.Are payment plans available? Can I do a work-trade for part of my share?  Can I help on the farm?If you cannot afford to pay the full amount of your share right away we are happy to work something out with you.  Please e-mail citycommonscsa@gmail.com to work out details.  If at all possible we ask that you pay at least 25% of your share cost in cash now, and then we can work something out.  If you just want to help out on one of our farms let us know!  There's always a lot to do.Can I use EBT/Bridge Card to pay?We're still working on the details for this. If you're interested in this option please e-mail citycommonscsa@gmail.com and we can talk to you about the options.What is the closest pick up site to my home in.....We have five pick up sites, one in southwest Detroit at Detroit Farm and Garden (1759 21st St), one in uptown Detroit at 18326 John R, two in central Detroit (one on Lawrence between Woodrow Wilson and Rosa Parks, another at Oakland Avenue Farmers Market at 9354 Oakland St), and finally one on the east side of Detroit at 6813 Iroquois Ave.  You can choose whichever one is most convenient for you. What is the schedule for half shares?If you get a half share we will contact you a couple weeks before the first pick up to let you know which dates you'll be picking up.  Either way it will be every other week, but we'll be trying to split them up so we are packing the same number of boxes every week.How much food should I expect each week?Quantities will vary with the growing season.  You can look through the posts from last year to see what the 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 boxes looked like.  If you are a couple or single person who eats a lot of vegetables (cooks at home most days) then a full share is for you.  If you eat out a lot or don't eat a lot of vegetables a half share might be better for you.What will be in my weekly share?  What is in the storage and Thanksgiving shares?The contents of your box will vary from week to week as the season changes.  You can see the contents of the 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012 boxes by looking through this website.  We try to grow a little of everything that will grow in our climate.The storage share will consist of items that keep well so you can eat them all winter.  Think onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, beets, dried herbs, hebal tea, winter squash, leeks, celeriac, etc....The Thanksgiving share will contain some storage crops like those listed above, but should also include some cool weather greens like spinach, salad greens, collards, etc....Can I add a Thanksgiving or storage share later on in the year?Yes, but there will be a cutoff date at some point during the season, probably once we dig our potatoes and get an idea of how many we actually have.  Signing up now will guarantee you one of these special add ons.Can we pick and choose what will be in our share?No.  We're planning to pack over 100 boxes each week this year and just for the sake of logistics all boxes will be the same.  We'll be providing lots of recipes and meal planning ideas to help you use your box.  If you get a vegetable that you REALLY don't like find a friend or neighbor who does like it! What farms are a part of the CSA?There are 6 farms that are part of City Commons.  Buffalo Street Farm, Fields of Plenty, Food Field, Singing Tree, Occupy Yourself and Iroquois Avenue. We also source some produce from Dolce Diamante FarmsCan we visit the farms?Yes.  We can set up a farm visit for you on an individual basis.  In 2016 we hosted two member potlucks, one in the spring at Food Field and one in the late summer at Fields of Plenty.  We're planning some tours and potlucks again for 2017I'm concerned about soil contamination in Detroit....So are we!  Like most farms and gardens in the city we have all had our soil tested for lead and those tests have come back clean.  So rest easy, this produce is clean, fresh, and super healthy.