The Franklin Farmers Market is pleased to host the third annual CSA Day on Saturday, April 7 sponsored by Williamson Medical Center and Amerigo Italian Restaurant. At this informational event customers will be able to talk with the farmers who grow their food and join others in middle TN who are:
- eating healthful foods and preparing them for their families;
- supporting their local farmer;
- being kind to our planet;
- learning something new; and
- being adventurous in the kitchen.
Families love picking up their weekly CSA Share from organic grower Delvin Farms
CSA (community-supported agriculture) is a subscription to a season’s worth of sustainable, locally grown produce or meat that is distributed to members throughout the harvesting season. It is a form of investment that allows small farmers to continue growing on a scale that may not be sustainable without the CSA model. CSA members enjoy the quality of fresh meat, fruits and vegetables for their family, while supporting their local Franklin Farmers Market farmer.
The rich certified organic soil of Delvin Farms along the Harpeth River has been growing and harvesting CSA Shares for local families all over Middle Tennessee now for 17 years
The most popular time to join a CSA each year is now. To promote this important time for farmers, the Franklin Farmers Market is providing a day dedicated to connecting customers with farmers who will grow their food. It’s an entire day dedicated to the celebration of community-supported agriculture, and CSA farmers enjoy an influx of sign-ups from members, which gives them revenue when they need it most for the growing season.
Our seven market farms offering CSA Shares are full of locally grown produce like these CSA baskets ready for pick up from organic grower Bloomsbury Farm.
“Community-supported agriculture is about relationships and feeding families in our community,” said Amy Tavalin, director of the Franklin Farmers Market. “CSA members will be cooking food that they may not have been exposed to otherwise. It’s a great way to support your farmer but also to learn more about eating with the seasons.”
Amerigo Italian Reostaurant is an eight year sponsor of the Franklin Farmers Market who often performs Food demonstration and is this years Tomato Festival presenting sponsor
Williamson Medical Center is a seven year sponsor of the Franklin Farmers Market and presenting sponsor for this years Strawberry Festival
Why join a CSA? The reasons are many, but the most important reasons are the nutritional value in freshly harvested food and supporting your local economy. We all have a doctor for our health, but what about a farmer? With a CSA you can have a personal relationship with your farmer and get to know who is growing your food and how. By buying a CSA, your money goes directly to your local economy, your personal farmer, and you are helping to keep the family farm alive while having access to healthy, nutritious food.
The CSA model has changed frequently through the years, but the idea is to have a “share” of the harvest. Some farmers offer a “market style” CSA where members choose what is in their share, and some put shares together for the members with recipes on how to prepare the food. CSAs aren’t confined to produce. Some farmers include the option for shareholders to buy shares of eggs, homemade bread, meat, cheese, fruit, flowers or other farm products along with their veggies. Some farmers have just meat in their CSA, where members get a monthly or bimonthly share of mixed beef, pork, chicken and lamb. At the Franklin Farmers Market we have all kinds of options for customers. CSA day is designed for customers to spend some time talking with the farmers to see what is the best fit for them.
A smiling face will great you each week for delivery of your very own harvest of fresh locally grown produce each Saturday morning
The Franklin Farmers Market has more CSA vendors than any other market in the area. Customers can find meat AND vegetable CSA farmers at the Franklin Farmers Market, including:
- Beaverdam Creek Farm (vegetables)
- Bloomsbury Farm (vegetables)
- Delvin Farms (vegetables)
- Flying S Farms (eggs, vegetables)
- Kirkview Farm (vegetables)
- Peaceful Pastures (meat)
- Tavalin Tails Farm (meat)
“The CSA day is a perfect way to showcase all that our farmers have to offer outside of what they bring to the market,” said Franklin Farmers Market Director, Amy Tavalin. “We have the largest selection of CSA farmers in middle TN, and even more than just vegetables. You can find meat, eggs, bread, milk and vegetable CSA, all grown by one of the farmers at the market. We are proud to be in Franklin and proud to be a producers only market where we have real food and real farmers.”
The beautiful CSA Baskets of organic grower Bloomsbury Farm are one of seven Farm CSA options from the Franklin Farmers Market
Find a vegetable and meat CSA farmer at the Franklin Farmers Market’s first CSA day on April 7 from 8:00 am- 1:00 pm. The market is located at 230 Franklin Road behind the Factory.
