Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Merchants' Gate CSA?
Why do I pay for the entire season before I receive any produce?
Who runs the Merchants' Gate CSA?
What is expected of CSA members?
How long is the harvest season?
What if I need to sell/transfer my CSA share before the end of the season?
How often will I receive produce?
How much produce will I get?
Can I split a share?
What if I cannot pick up my share?
Besides produce, what else can I get through the CSA?
How do I join? How much does it cost?
What is Winter CSA?
How can I get more involved in the CSA?
What/where is Merchants' Gate?
More questions?
What is the Merchants' Gate CSA?
We are a cooperative of community members committed to bringing seasonal, local, organic produce to the Hell's Kitchen and Lincoln Square area. We partner with Zaid Kurdieh of NOFA-NY certified Norwich Meadows Farm which has locations in Norwich, New York, approximately 3.5 hours north of New York City and Lebanon, New Jersey, approximately 1.5 hours southwest of New York City. During the harvest season, which runs approximately mid-June through mid-November, our membership receives and distributes a weekly delivery of freshly harvested produce at The Church For All Nations on West 57th Street, just west of Ninth Avenue. Read more about community supported agriculture on the Just Food website.
In addition to supplying produce to CSAs around the city, Zaid and his crew set up stands at local Greenmarket farmers markets throughout Manhattan. Visit him on Saturdays at the Union Square Greenmarket, or Sundays at Tompkins Square (7th Street and Avenue A).
Why do I pay for the entire season before I receive any produce?
Your advance payment helps the farmer purchase seeds and equipment for the upcoming season without having to rely on high-interest loans. Members invest in a "share" of the harvest, and accept to take on both the risks and rewards of the growing season. Your support keeps organic farmers in business, and organic produce accessible to city residents.
Who runs the Merchants' Gate CSA?
You do! The CSA is a member-run, volunteer-based organization: we couldn't exist without your support and participation. A core group within the membership has been designated to facilitate logistics; CSA members meet and unload the produce truck, set up the site weekly, and help distribute produce and products for their fellow members. Your core group members for the Summer/Fall 2011 season are:
Rachel Abbey (technology)
Vanessa Ip (volunteers)
Frances Ma (events)
Michelle Miller (farm liaison)
Ruyin Xue (finances)
Miguel Zapico (data management)
What is expected of CSA members?
Members sign on for the entire harvest season: mid-June through mid-November. As the CSA is a community endeavor and entirely volunteer run, members must commit four to six hours of their time per season to the CSA, either by meeting and unloading the delivery truck (midday) or working at the weekly site distributions (in 2 hr 15 min shifts from 2:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in 2011).
Members who fail to complete their required volunteer hours by the end of the season will have future CSA membership privileges revoked.
In addition, CSA members are required to join the Merchants' Gate CSA Google Group, which is our primary means of distributing information to our members and the easiest way for members to communicate with one another. You may set your preferences to receive new messages as soon as they are posted to Group, once daily, or not at all. However, if you'd prefer not to receive any email from the Google Group, you must proactively log in to the Group once a week (at least) for information about your weekly share, and to be kept up to date on any CSA developments and announcements.
How long is the harvest season?
Our Summer/Fall 2011 season will run for 22 weeks -- 20 weeks for fruit shares -- from June 22 through November 16, 2011.
Our Winter Share runs for six months with one distribution date per month. For more information on Winter Share, review the Winter Share FAQ below.
What if I need to sell/transfer my CSA share before the end of the season?
The CSA allows shares to be transferred mid-season: members must make their own arrangements and notify the core group of the share ownership change. This ensures that we have an accurate CSA membership list and that only authorized individuals are picking up items at the site. Please note that all outstanding volunteer requirements are transferred along with shares.
How often will I receive produce?
Members pick up their produce and optional egg and dairy shares each week on a regular distribution day at The Church For All Nations (417 West 57th Street). Optional fruit shares are delivered weekly or bi-weekly, depending on the share type purchased. For Summer 2011, the distribution day is Wednesdays, from 3 p.m. until 6:45 p.m. For Winter 2010/2011, the distribution day was Wednesdays, from 4:30 p.m. until 6:45 p.m.
How much produce will I get?
The amount of produce received each week will vary, but typically a share will be comprised of enough organic produce to feed 1-2 people for the week. Each share contains 5-8 different items, which will vary by season. While the exact crops may change from year to year, we have prepared downloadable excel charts of each of the 2009 and 2010 seasons' vegetable and fruit deliveries which you may review as a reference. Also:
Early to Mid-summer: cooking greens, lettuce, corn, cucumbers, broccoli, peppers, squash, radishes, fava beans, Japanese eggplant, kohlrabi, Napa cabbage, scallions, garlic scapes, cardoonMid-summer to Fall: tomatoes (cherry, red and green), potatoes, swiss chard, onions, beets, carrots, celery, bok choy, peppers, squash, garlic, fennel, turnips, watermelon
Can I split a share?
Yes. It your responsibility to notify the CSA with the name and contact information of your share partner. The number of volunteer hours required remains four to six per share. You may also double a share if you are purchasing for a family (or just want more organic produce!) with the same four-to-six-hour volunteer requirement. For those who split a share, please note that the entire contents of your share must be retrieved at one time. We cannot hold produce for your partner to retrieve later.
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What if I cannot pick up my share?
We encourage all members to be diligent about picking up their weekly share, or to make their own alternate arrangements for a designee to pick up their shares if they will be unable to get to the site before closing time on pick-up day. Absolutely no produce or products can be held after site closing; all unclaimed produce or products are donated to MCCNY-Homeless Youth Services at shift's end.
Besides produce, what else can I get through the CSA?
The Merchants' Gate CSA offers an optional fruit share (weekly or bi-weekly), and optional weekly egg, milk, yogurt and cheese shares. Twice during the season, we host a "Market Day" during which we offer our members the opportunity to place a la carte orders for products from our other partnered suppliers, which include eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, beef, chicken, granola, honey, maple syrup and dried herbs.
How do I join? How much does it cost?
For Summer 2011, produce shares are $365 per share with several early sign up discount options. The cost per share includes a $15 administration fee. The $15 administrative fee is applied towards CSA website fees, site supplies, special events and other costs associated with running the Merchants' Gate CSA.
Please note that Summer/Fall 2011 subscriptions are now closed.
What is Winter CSA?
Our partnership with Norwich Meadows Farm doesn't end with the close of our Summer/Fall share. By enrolling in our Winter Share program, you can continue to receive organic produce and products throughout the Winter and Spring while supporting our farms and farmers through the lean, cold Winter months.
Winter shares are bundled differently from our Summer/Fall shares. Instead of offering supplemental subscriptions of eggs and dairy in addition to produce, we offer two types of all-in-one shares -- Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian or Ominivore -- at $315 each (including CSA administration fee) for six monthly distributions from December 2010 through May 2011. Both types of shares are of roughly equal market value. There is no vegetables-only share option at this time.
Members are required to volunteer two to four hours on site during the Winter season. For your reference, we have prepared spreadsheets listing the contents of the 2008/2009 season, the 2009/2010 season and the 2010/2011 season. We urge you to review these spreadsheets for a sense of the type and quantity of items that can be expected for our Winter share. Naturally, this is not a guarantee, but a guide.
The Winter 2010/2011 season is now over. If you are interested in a Winter share for next season, please check back in Fall 2011 for additional information.
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How can I get more involved in the CSA?
We invite you to reach out to a core group member with your ideas and to inquire about other opportunities. We will be planning a series of community building and educational events throughout the season.
What/where is Merchants' Gate?
Merchants' Gate is the southwest entrance to Central Park, located at the intersection of Central Park South and Central Park West, directly across from Columbus Circle.
More questions?
Send us an email: merchantsgatecsa(at)gmail.com