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Phone: (864)-633-6226
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Sunday, December 29, 2013

What Exactly is a CSA and other frequently asked questions...

What is a CSA?
CSA stands for community supported agriculture.  It is a system that helps both the farmer and consumer by making sure that farmer has buyers for his produce and that the produce has a home before the first seed is put in the ground.  This helps the consumer because the produce comes to them at a much lower price and a greater variety.  The grower knows what to plant, when to plant, and exactly when to plant and that cuts back on a lot of the cost.  The grower is then able to pass those savings on to the customer.

What makes us different?
The Briar St. Gardens is different in a number of ways.  For us, it is a lot about the food, but it is about other things as well.  For us, it was about instituting a true urban farm archetype, that has deep roots in the community and does things above and beyond the farm itself.
Briar St. Gardens is partnered with a non profit organization, EQGreenville, and other organizations as well and with their help, we work for the overall lifestyle of our members.  We partner with others to bring healthy lifestyles, arts, entertainment, education, and more.  Yes, the food that we produce is about 99% of what we do, but that other one percent is what makes us different.  Our members are also members of Winnie Mae's and as such are entitled to all the privileges thereof.

How are you ecologically sound?
We are dedicated to being not just carbon neutral, but carbon negative.  We currently collect compostable matter from 8 select restaurants and coffee shops in Greenville.  We also collect fertilizer, equipment, and other necessities from various sources that keeps them from the trash cycle.  We do this all via bike or by hand and act locally enough that cars or motorized anything is not really necessary.

I don't eat a lot of vegetables and I don't want them to go to waste, but I am interested in this.  Why should I get involved?
We find a lot of times that this is a circular argument!  People are always looking for reasons NOT to do things.  We work very hard to get rid of those reasons NOT to do it and give you plenty of reasons to dive in!
Cost?  We are cheaper than Whole Foods, Trader Joes, more healthy, and more local!  We will also accept EBT

I am a busy person, I don't have time for this... We deliver within a 5 mile radius of garden and special exceptions can be made in certain cases.  The more we care about you, our customers, the more we can do for you and the more you come back!

I don't know how to cook these things... We are going to be providing classes from local chefs on how to cook these things AND many other things!

I want to grow my own...We can show you how to do that too!  We believe in the cause not the cost.  We are not out to make money, we are out to make a difference! We believe in education!

Let us know if you have any other questions, comments, concerns.  We solve the problems.






The Briar St. Farm: growing more than food.

Last year, we were able to support about 20 people with our CSA.  We were able to keep it small and tend to the needs of our members.  This year, we are doubling everything.  We are going to focus very much on the needs of our members and work to save them time and money, as well as provide healthy options for them on a regular basis.
We are dedicated to being ecologically sound, even carbon negative.
We are committed to keeping our prices affordable and using the income to feed the business!
We are committed to educating our members.

The seeds are ordered and we have a number of different partners who are helping us create healthy and unique ways of bringing fresh food to the city of Greenville and beyond!