Karin Ina Johnson

January 1, 1949 – July 9, 2024

The Bloomfield-Montclair CSA membership is deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and longtime host, Karin Johnson. We will always remember Karin as unfailingly positive and full of light and laughter.

There has been a private cremation and the family will be receiving relatives and friends at Shook’s Cedar Grove Funeral Home on Friday, July 19 from 10am – 12pm and 4pm – 6pm.

Karin was a member and site host of the Bloomfield-Montclair CSA for more than twenty years. Her commitment to relieving food insecurity was unwavering. Her support of our farmers and organic farming was strong. Her community connections were joyful. To honor Karin’s beliefs, the CSA will be accepting donations to create a special gift of vegetables and fruit provided by Circle Brook Farm and Tree-Licious Orchards to Father English Food Pantry in Paterson NJ.

The CSA is gratefully accepting your contributions toward this memorial donation. Please send checks, payable to Circle Brook Farm, with the memo: Karin Johnson memorial, to Enid Melville, 12 Valley Place, Montclair NJ 07043. Any questions, please email Enid at enidmelville@gmail.com

What is Community Supported Agriculture?

The basic idea of Community Supported Agriculture is that a farmer grows for a group of members who have purchased “shares” in the harvest. Members pay at the beginning of the season in March, when the farmer most needs the money. When the crops start coming in in June, the farmer delivers a weekly assortment of vegetables, herbs and some fruit. This is not a co-op, there are no wholesalers or distributors. 100% of your food dollars go to the person who is growing it. You support sustainable local agriculture and get freshly picked organic produce at reasonable prices. In addition, you know the farmer growing your vegetables and can visit the farm—establishing a personal connection with your food supply.

The Bloomfield-Montclair CSA is a group of over 100 members who support the sustainable farming activities of local farmers. We have three pick-up sites in northern New Jersey: two in Montclair and one in Cedar Grove. Our season runs for 24 weeks from early-June through November, with pickups every Tuesday.

Montclair sites:

86 Llewellyn Road, Montclair, NJ
15 Parkway, Montclair, NJ

Cedar Grove site:

96 Bowden Rd, Cedar Grove, NJ

How it Works

VEGETABLE SHARE SIZES

• FULL “PREMIUM” SHARE – $1,040 per season ($43.33/week)

•(discounted to $1,000 if payment received by March 1st)

• Split Payment option: $600 at registration, $440 balance due by May 15.

• Divided payments are not eligible for the early bird discount

This share will contain, on average, 10-12 items and will include various less common vegetables, such as escarole, radicchio, fennel and frissee, not found in the medium share. (This is the share size we have always offered.)

SPLIT SHARE

• $520 per season

$500 if both split share members’ payments are received by March 1st.

Split shares are simply premium shares, divided between two households. Most split share partners alternate pick up weeks so each household receives 12 of the 24 deliveries. However a few split share members choose to divide each delivery into two portions as equally as possible. How members divide up the split shares is up to the households to decide and schedule.

*NEW THIS YEAR* PREBAGGED “MEDIUM” SHARE

• $690 per season ($28.75/ week)

• $670 if payment received by March 1st )

The prebagged “Medium” Share will contain approximately 50%-60% of the produce in the Premium Share, and on average 9-10 items each week rather than 10-12. The Prebagged Medium Share cannot be a split share and must arrive prebagged. Share price includes the labor and material costs of bagging.

ADD ON EXTRAS: Once you’ve signed up for a vegetable share, check out the extras! Add on fruit, eggs, etc.

Additional shares are available:

Fruit share from Tree-licious Orchards (23 week share for $345 with 2-3 types of fruit each week averaging 5-7 lbs), includes seasonal fruit from cherries and berries to peaches and apples. (Shares which include higher value fruit- strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries will have lower total weight.)
Pasture-raised eggs, supplemented by non-GMO grain, from Circle Brook Farm (24 week share: $135 for one dozen/week; $250 for two dozen/week; $360 for three dozen/week; 4 dozen/week = $480 for four dozen/week; +$120 for each dozen over 4 dozen)
Mushroom Share, 1/2 lb box weekly, 24 weeks @ $240 Joe Aochoa is the owner/operator of Innoculated LLC. His operation produces certified organic Exotic mushrooms in Fairfield NJ. Circle Brook Farm is pleased to partner with Joe, to provide members with a weekly mushroom share. Each week you will receive a half lb. box with an assortment of different culinary mushrooms. Varieties will include Blue, Green, or Yellow Oysters, Lion’s mane, Black Trumpets, Pioppinos, and shitakes.
Flower Share-10 weeks @ $100 Circle Brook Farm also grows a large assortment of ornamental flowers. These are sold at our Farmer’s markets for $12-15/bouquet. We offer a flower share during a 3 month period, beginning in July and ending in October. The 10 flower shares will be delivered as availability allows- there will be some consecutive weeks and some pauses. Varieties will include: Snapdragons, Lisianthus, Sunflowers, and mixed bouquets featuring Zinnias, Cosmos, Celosias and other beautiful blooms. Brighten up your Day!
Several other one time orders can be placed over the course of the season for additional cost. Previous extras have included bulk organic blueberries, peaches, and apples, organic honey and maple syrup. The season traditionally wraps up with an opportunity to purchase a one time delivery of a vegetable and/or apple winter pantry stock up box.

What’s required of members?

WORK SHIFTS: Full members must work four 45-minute work shifts during the season at the pick up sites, helping with either set up or clean up. Split share and Prebagged Medium Share members each work three 45-minute work shifts at the pick up sites during the season.

SITE FEE: There is a one-time $20 site fee for each member, regardless of whether they have a full share or split share.

PICK UP: When the season begins, members pick up their share at their specific pick-up site on Tuesdays between 2:30-6:30 pm. Sites are set up like a farm stand, with vegetables in crates. Members weigh and bag their own shares.

BAGGED SHARES: If members can’t make it to pick up, they can request their share be bagged to pick up at the site after it has closed.

LEFTOVERS DONATED: All leftover produce that has not been picked up is donated to a local soup kitchen.

If we are too far away from you, check out our sister CSAs around the area!