By Jan Sevene, Monadnock Localvore Project

Abenaki Springs Farm
188 Upper Walpole Rd.
Walpole, NH
603-445-2157

If you think early fall wraps up the season for enjoying locally grown vegetables, think again! Extending the season is a real option.

Erin and Bruce Bickford of Abenaki Springs Farm are in their fourth year of offering a Winter CSA. “There was a demand for it, so we opened it up based upon that demand,” says Erin Bickford. “We have a very high return rate. People are definitely happy with it, because they keep coming back.”

What makes their CSA customers happy? It’s about the quantity and variety they receive. “Every week we have something they can use right now, and things they can put away until later. We lay it out so that it makes sense by providing all the information they need for storing it away for later so they don’t have to eat it all at once. People don’t feel overwhelmed by the size of the box, and they can call anytime with any questions,” Bickford says.

From their three 100-foot greenhouses (one this year providing tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and sweet potatoes), they offer all the root vegetables. There are potatoes, beets, carrots, etc. Among their many Brassicas are broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and turnips. From the “greens” category come kale, collards, spinaches, lettuces, which include mesclun of varied mixes, for example spicy or a more mild and crispy oriental mix. Add to all this, herbs, winter squashes and pumpkins.

Abenaki Springs’ CSA boxes can be picked up at the farm, or at their Hannah Grimes pick-up point in Keene. So if you’d like to take advantage of an Abenaki Springs Farm’s generous CSA, make that call ASAP, as there are only a few shares left.

Other farm-direct Winter CSAs:
Picadilly Farm, 264 South Parrish Road, Winchester, NH 03470
603-239-8718
www.picadillyfarm.com

Stonewall Farm, 242 Chesterfield Rd., Keene, NH 03431
603-357-7278
www.stonewallfarm.org

Tracie’s Community Farm, 72 Jaffrey Rd., Fitzwilliam, NH 03447
603-209-1851
www.traciesfarm.com