2023 Member Handbook

Types of CSA Seasons

We have FOUR Share Seasons available this Season:

Summer ONLY Share Season (weekly, 20 shares)
– Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday pickups
Summer & Fall Combination Share Season (weekly, 26 shares)
– Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday pickups
Fall ONLY Share Season (weekly, 6 shares)
– Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday pickups
Holiday Share Season (weekly, 6 shares)
– Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday pickups

Communicating during the CSA Season

E-mail: All important CSA information will be e-mailed to members on a weekly basis, usually on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning with the email address you used to register your account. To add more addresses to your membership, please email csa@agriberry.com. If you believe you should be receiving emails and are not, please look in your junk (spam) mail and if it is not there, let us know. We do occasionally have problems with different email providers.

Facebook & Instagram: We communicate frequently via Facebook & Instagram. We encourage you to like our Agriberry Farm and CSA page. We post a variety of farm facts and news, new product additions, and all around fun stuff to keep you apprised. You can also message us via Facebook Messenger. We also use Instagram @agriberryfarm.

Texting: Day of pick-up emergency and need to reach us ASAP? Send a text to Sara, your CSA Coordinator! You will get the quickest response with a text. We will be responsive no matter how you choose to communicate with us, but remember, a text will be the fastest.

Ph. 803.391.9475 – Sara McCutchen, CSA Coordinator

What is included in the CSA?

CSA Share items are chosen weekly, based on harvest availability.
Here are some of the items, and the quantity which may be offered, that you may find in your share this season.

2023 Summer Farm Share:

Strawberries 1 pound unit
Asparagus ~12-14 oz bundle
Rhubarb ~1 pound bundle
Blackberries 1 pint unit
Blueberries 1 pint unit
Raspberries ½-pint unit
Cherries 1 pint
Peaches, Nectarines ~2 pound unit
Pears ~2 pound unit (variety and harvest dependent)
Plums pint or 2 pound unit (variety and size dependent)
Muscadine Grapes 1 pint unit
Concord Grapes 1 quart unit
Apples ~2 pound unit (variety and harvest dependent)

2023 Fall Farm Share:

Apples ~2 pound unit (variety and harvest dependent)
Kiwi Berries 1 pint unit (harvest dependent)
Fall Raspberries ½ pint unit
Pears ~2 pound unit (variety and harvest dependent)
Asian Pears ~2 pound unit
Concord Grapes 1 quart unit
Plums 1 quart (Rotating between Italian & Dessert Plums)
Apple Cider ½-gallon unit

Summer & Fall CSA Pick-up Locations

Important Drop Location Information: As a Drop-Location, any shares left will be donated & can not be made-up or replaced. Drop Locations are not responsible to hold share.

Tuesday

Agriberry Farm: 10a – 4pm
6289 River Road, Hanover, VA 23069
Good Health Herbs (Drop-off Location): 3p – 5:30pm
13601 Genito Road, Midlothian, VA 23112
Birdhouse Farmers Market: 3p – 6:30pm
1507 Grayland Ave., Richmond, VA 23220
Atlee Square Farm Stand: 3:30p – 6:30pm
9159 Atlee Rd., Mechanicsville, VA 23116

Wednesday

Lakeside Farmers Market: 9a – 2p
6110 Lakeside Ave., Henrico, CA 23228
Caboose Market & Cafe (Drop-off Location): 2:30p – 6:30p
108 S. Railroad Ave., Ashland, VA 23005
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Farm Stand: 2:30p – 6:30p
6000 Grove Ave., Richmond, VA 23226
Mechanicsville @ Lee Davis Pharmacy (Drop-off Location): 2:30p – 6:30p
8095 Mechanicsville Pike, Mechanicsville, VA 23111

Thursday

Huguenot-Robious Farmers Market at Great Big Greenhouse: 10a – 2p
2015 Huguenot Rd., Richmond, VA 23235
Strange’s Florist in Shortpump: 3p – 6:30p
12111 W. Broad St., Henrico, VA 23233
Forest Hill Presbyterian Farm Stand: 3:30p – 6:30p
4401 Forest Hill Ave., Richmond, VA 23225

How to pick up your Share based on location

General Pick-Up Guidelines:

Please enter driveways and parking lots with caution.
Provide your pick-up location with your First and Last name and we will gladly get you your share.
We are gladly accepting returns of our boxes and plastic containers for reuse [ONLY return at a Farmers Market with an Agriberry purple tent]. We do ask however that they are in visibly good condition and not visibly soiled. We do sanitize the plastic containers before reuse.
Please try and get your add-ons purchased through CSAware to make for a quicker pickup.

Specific Guidelines per Location:

Popup and Farmer’s Market Members:
(Agriberry Farm)
(Birdhouse Farmers Market, Great Big Greenhouse, Lakeside Farmers Market)
(Stranges in Shortpump)
(St. Stephens Farm Stand)
(Atlee Farm Stand)
(Forest Hill Farm Stand)

Agriberry Farm:

Enter the Driveway near the mailbox and park in the grass near the road and Pick-up your share under the purple tent.

Birdhouse Farmers Market, Great Big Greenhouse & Lakeside Farmers Market:

If you are pickup from either of these markets it is important that you arrive during market hours and not early as market does not open its gates until the time listed for your location.
Birdhouse and Great Big Greenhouse locations will have 2 or more Market Associates and there will be 2 lines, one for general market shoppers and one for CSA Members. There will be “CSA Pick-Up” signs hung from the canopy, enter here and we will get your share for you.
Lakeside Farmers Market is a solo operated Market so please be patient as the Market Associate will be helping gather CSA shares and as well as general market shoppers.

Stranges in Shortpump:

Farm Stand is located in the Parking Lot of Stranges on the corner of West Broad Street and North Gayton Road.
Please form the lines along the garden beds or on the sidewalk, please DO NOT form the line in the parking lot as this is a busy parking lot for Stranges customers.
This location is operated by 2 Market Associates, please pick-up your share under the “CSA Pick-Up” sign that is hung on the canopy.

St. Stephens Farm Stand:

Farm Stand is located on the opposite side of the church near the Café.
This location is operated by 2 Market Associates, please pick-up your share under the “CSA Pick-Up” sign that is hung on the canopy.

Atlee & Forest Hill Farm Stand:

Atlee Farm Stand is located next to Popeyes and is operated by a solo Market Associate so please be patient as the associate will be helping both CSA Members and general shoppers.
Forest Hill Farm Stand is located in the Presbyterian Church Parking lot near the Dog Park and is operated by a solo Market Associate so please be patient as the associate will be helping both CSA Members and general shoppers.

Drop-off Locations:
(Good Health Herb, Ashland Caboose)
(Mechanicsville)

*Please do not return previous share boxes to drop off location – please return to the Agriberry tent at Farmers Markets.

Good Health Herb & Ashland Caboose:

These pick-up locations are located inside local businesses, please ask an associate where to proceed to pickup your share and they will ask for your name and hand you your share.
Please do not return previous share boxes to these locations as we drop shares off once a week. Please visit an Agriberry Farm Stand near you to return boxes and clamshell units.

Mechanicsville:

This is a new Drop-off site for us and we are happy to support another small business.
These pick-up locations are located inside local businesses, please ask an associate where to proceed to pickup your share and they will ask for your name and hand you your share.
Please do not return previous share boxes to these locations as we drop shares off once a week. Please visit an Agriberry Farm Stand near you to return boxes and clamshell units.

CSA Share Start Dates

20 Week Summer ONLY CSA Season:
Typically May-Mid-September. Because of the variability of mother nature our CSA distribution varies depending on the strawberry harvest. We usually begin the first week of May, but sometimes spring heat waves or freezes can disrupt that. Keep an eye on your emails in April, and we will announce the exact start week as soon as we’re confident of harvest conditions. We appreciate your understanding of this need for flexibility–Mother Nature is in charge of so much of what we do!

26 Week Summer & Fall Combination CSA Season
Typically May-the end of October. This Summer & Fall Combination Season offers the same products seen in the Summer & Fall but allows you to not worry about missing the Fall signup window.

6 Week Fall CSA Season:
Typically Mid September-the end of October. Our fall CSA can be joined in August, and begins immediately after the end of our Summer Season (no gap week).

6 Week Holiday ONLY CSA Share Season:
November-December. Some seasons, depending on the bounty and demand, we offer a short holiday CSA geared around Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Keep an eye on your emails in fall for more information.

Guidelines & FAQs

Can’t make it to pick-up your scheduled share Pick-up? Here are your options:

Send someone else to get it for you. This is a great chance for a friend or neighbor to find out what it’s like to be part of the Agriberry Farm community. If they tell us they’re picking up for you, we’ll check off your name and help them out. You do not need to tell us in advance that someone else is picking up your share.
Let us donate your share. After the pick-up is through, we may donate unclaimed shares to food banks, deserving staff members, or other charitable outlets.

Need more help? Just ask! Your market associate is happy to answer questions at your pick up locations. If you pickup from one of our drop-off locations, help is just an email away to csa@agriberry.com. We can identify any fruit you don’t recognize, provide variety information, and share recipe ideas. Depending on the nature of your question you may need to email us and we can provide a more in depth response.

Pet Visits: Well-mannered, leashed dogs are welcome at our CSA pick up locations, except Lakeside Farmers’ Market and inside Good Health Herbs and Caboose Cafe. Due to food safety regulations, at the farm pets animals are not allowed in the fruit fields or the packing shed. Service animals are exempt from this policy.

Can I switch my pick-up day before the deadline? Yes, you can make this switch yourself from the CSAware Dashboard. Follow the instructions below:

Select your delivery day on the Calendar on your dashboard screen
Scroll down on this screen and in the 3rd section you will see “Reschedule Single Delivery,” which allows you to accomplish 2 different tasks:

a) Change pickup location to a different day for the same week
– Select a new Location from the First Drop Menu – by selecting this new location, the day will automatically adjust to the selected locations set day
b) Reschedule current week’s box to another week (good option if you will be out of town on vacation)
1. If for the same pickup location on a different date: Select a new date from the drop down menu
2. If for a different pickup location: Select the location of your choice and the day desired date
**IMPORTANT: Be sure to hit “CHANGE” once you have made your adjustments, otherwise it will not automatically save.

Fruit Storing Tips

Wash as you go–only wash what you will use immediately
Fresh fruit is best eaten early and often, so while these tips can enhance shelf life, eating your fruit quickly and frequently is your best bet
If you do need to hold your fruit to be eaten later, it’s best to store fruit in cool, dry conditions. Mold will be your biggest challenge in longevity and it thrives in moist, warm spaces.
If you prefer eating fruit at room temperature, set a day’s worth out on the counter in the morning

Here are some specific recommendations for enhancing different types of fruit, and feel free to ask an Agriberry marketer or send us an email for more suggestions:

Strawberries: place unwashed in a single layer, can also fare well in their clamshell

Asparagus: trim the cut end and store standing up in 1 inch of water in the fridge

Rhubarb: wrap the cut ends in plastic wrap to prevent drying out

Blackberries: keep refrigerated, store in their pint or a shallow container, if they seem damp, place a paper towel underneath them to draw moisture away

Raspberries: store in a breathable container with a paper towel on the bottom to absorb any moisture. Raspberries have the shortest shelf life, so plan to eat or freeze them within 24 to 48 hours of your pickup

Blueberries: place in fridge in a covered bowl or in keep in your clamshell, can last 5-7 days+

Peaches & Nectarines:
Under-ripe: Place in a paper bag on the counter to allow for full ripening to desired softness, usually a day or two at the most
Ripe: Place in the fridge to keep for an additional week

Cherries: store uncovered in the coldest part of your fridge

Apples: keep refrigerated to retain crispness

Holiday CSA Pick-up Locations