Worden Farm - Membership

You can obtain a reliable, affordable supply of fresh, local, organic produce
in Southwest Florida! Members of Worden Farm receive a weekly harvest
As a member of Worden Farm, you also help to protect the environment,
preserve open space, foster alternative energy projects, support family
farming, promote training of future organic farmers and gardeners, and
create a strong local economy and community.

Membership benefits include:

a guaranteed harvest share of fresh, local, organic produce, every
week, all season long
a weekly farm newsletter with recipes, ideas, farm updates and
photos
free farm tours during the season
discounts on farm workshops and events

What is in a weekly harvest share?

Weekly harvest shares consist of a balanced array of 8 or more different
items, including salad greens, cooking greens, root crops, fruiting
vegetables, culinary herbs, and occasionally fruit crops.

A harvest share comfortably fulfills the weekly produce needs of 2 people
who like to eat plenty of vegetables. Households can enroll for more than
one share, or shares can be split between 2 or more families.

The harvests vary with the season. One week’s share might be: a head of
lettuce, a bunch of kale, a bunch of carrots, 2 tomatoes, a quart of
potatoes, 2 squash, 4 oranges, a quart of green beans, and a bunch of
basil.

Most all of the produce is grown at Worden Farm. On occasion, for more
variety, we include local organic or sustainable produce from neighboring
farmer friends.

Pick-up locations

Produce pick-up is either at the farm just west of Punta Gorda, or at one
of the farm's other pick-up sites in Southwest Florida, including Fort
Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Port Charlotte, Downtown Punta Gorda,
Venice, Nokomis, Sanibel, and Downtown Sarasota. General locations are
listed on the membership form. Location details are provided upon
enrollment.

How are harvest shares picked up?

Pick up your produce either at the farm, or at a delivery site. Members
choose their option and delivery site location for the entire season.
Options and sites are not switched during the season.

Market-style harvest share at farm
This option offers flexibility of choice each week. You choose your
produce from an assortment displayed market-style, for members only, at
Worden Farm in Punta Gorda. You also get frequent bonus pick-your-own
crops, like cherry tomatoes or green beans.

Boxed harvest share at delivery site
Your produce arrives in a vegetable box, with the farm’s best harvest each
week. Boxes are not customizable. Choose the delivery site most
convenient for you. Each week, just go to your site at the pick-up time,
check your name off the list, grab your box, and go.

When is the season?

The distribution of harvest shares for the 2008-09 season is for 20 weeks,
from the first week of December to the middle of April.

What is the cost?

Cost of farm membership for the 2008-09 season is $600, which works out
to about $30 per week of produce received.

Delivery fee for boxed harvest shares at off-farm sites is $60 for the full
season.

There is no member work requirement, and there are no additional
membership fees or commitments.

Does the membership have to be paid all at once?

Full payment upon enrollment is customary. Members have the option of a
payment plan: a deposit upon enrollment of $150 reserves the
membership, and the remaining balance can be paid by October 1.

Payment by the start of the growing season is required because the
farmers plan for how much to plant and grow many months before it is
harvested, and pay for the significant expenses of production in the
months prior to the first harvests.

What happens if I have to miss a share pick-up?

If you need to miss a pick-up, you can have a friend pick up your share on
your behalf, or the share will be donated to a good home. There are no
make-ups or refunds for missed pick-ups.

What about getting larger quantities of produce?

Bulk discounts on certain produce items are available for purchase by
members periodically throughout the season. This is ideal for those who
enjoy preserving foods through canning, freezing, drying, and other
methods.

Institutional memberships are available for restaurants and other food
service businesses. Please call the farm for details.

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For a printable tri-fold brochure about the Worden Farm membership
program, click here.

The Worden Farm Membership Program is based on the Community
Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement.

Worden Farm is also an active founding member of Redland Organics,
which has a CSA program in Southeast Florida (Miami-Dade and Broward
Counties).