In a Nutshell...

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2. What is a CSA?
   

3. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an alliance between farmers and eaters to grow and distribute their food.     Families and individuals who join the CSA receive a share of produce every week during the growing season. In exchange, members sign a contract for the season, agree to pay in advance, and on occasion can help with some of the work of harvest. Both partners share in the risks and rewards of small-scale organic farming: weather, insect damage, and bumper crops.
   

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5. A generic definition of Community Supported Agriculture is:
   

6. a form of an alternative food network that is a socio-economic model of agriculture and food distribution.  A CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farming operation where the growers and consumers share the risks and benefits of food production.  CSAs usually consist of a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of vegetables, in a vegetable box scheme, and sometimes includes fruit, dairy products, and meat.
   

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8. What is Bear Butte Gardens’ CSA?
   

9. •Shareholders (customers) pay either $375* for a full share, or $250* for a half share of produce
   

10. •Shareholders receive their share of produce in a weekly share box
    

11. •Share boxes contain seasonal, local, naturally grown produce
    

12. •Share boxes are distributed weekly, for approximately 15 weeks of the summer growing season
    

13. •Shareholders pick up their weekly share box at specified location(s) in the Sturgis area
    

                * pay in full by March 1, 2012 and get a 10% discount on your share purchase!

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2. Download the CSA Application Form.
   

The Details...

1. What is the quality of the produce?
   

2. Bear Butte Gardens strives to grow and provide produce of the highest quality possible.  High quality provides great flavor and high nutrition.  We define high quality produce as:
   

3. •Natural - no pesticides, no herbicides, no fungicides, no genetically modified organisms (GMOs), no preservatives, and without synthetic (chemical-based) fertilizers
   

4. •Fresh - produce is harvested either the evening prior, or the early morning of pick-up day
   

5. •Local - we are just 5 miles out of Sturgis, so that’s pretty local!  We start our own seedlings which are transplanted into our own gardens which are fertilized with our own mixtures of chemical-free manures and home-grown composts and then mulched with local chemical-free hay and straw. 
   

6. •Organic - Bear Butte Gardens is currently pursuing USDA Organic Certification.  This is a three-year process in which we must meet (or exceed) specific requirements.
   

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8. For more information about our vision, values, and agricultural practices and methods, please view our Values page.
   

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10. How much produce is in a share?
    

11. At the start of the season (late May-June) you can expect lesser quantities and fewer items in your share.  The garden is usually in full swing by early July through October and your share will reflect good harvests.  Throughout the entire season, it all balances out.  Half shares receive less quantity than full shares, and often do not receive all items harvested that week.  If you want everything, think about splitting a full share with a friend.  Shares can be upgraded during the season if we are harvesting enough to meet requests.
    

12. •Whole Share - will usually feed a family of 3-4, or two people who eat a lot of vegetables and cook often or are vegetarians
    

13. •Half Share - is plenty for a family of 2-3, or a family that cooks only a few meals a week, or a single vegetarian
    

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15. How much does a share cost?
    

16. •Whole Share – approx. 15 weeks of produce = $375*
    (or two installments at $187.50 each payable by April 1st and May 1st, 2012)
    

17. •Half Share – approx. 15 weeks of produce = $250*
    (or two installments at $125 each payable by April 1st and May 1st, 2012)
    

18. *If the share balance is pre-paid by March 1st, a 10% discount will be applied.
    

1. How many shares are available?
   

2. The number of shares available during the 2012 growing season will be limited to 25.  We will post an announcement when memberships are closed.  If your application is in the mail during this transition, it will be returned with your payment.  At that time you may ask to be placed on our waiting list.  We suggest that you make a deposit sooner than later so that you are not disappointed.
   

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4. In addition to produce, what else is included in a share?
   

5. •A newsletter with recipes and Bear Butte Gardens news as well as information about possible bonus items which may be for sale throughout the season (e.g. honey, eggs, poultry)
   

6. •Opportunities to visit Bear Butte Gardens (on pre-scheduled days and times) to see how crops are growing and ask questions and help pick produce twice a summer
   

1. What are the intangible benefits?  What can I expect?
   

2. •Each week you get fresh, local, organic produce from a nearby farm.
   

3. •To eat seasonally.
   

4. •An “easy going” and somewhat “laid-back” attitude on the farm.
   

5. •To learn to cook something new.
   

6. •To taste something new.
   

7. •On-farm visits, with a few guidelines so everyone is happy and enjoys a safe visit.
   

8. •You help to sustain healthy, organic farming practices and support local, independent farmers.
   

9. •You support a form of agriculture that doesn’t harm the environment, i.e. doesn’t pollute waterways, diminish the soil, nor reduce biodiversity.
   

10. •Participating in CSA reconnects you and your family with the true source of our food, not the grocery store, but Mother Nature. It teaches us about eating seasonally and about the unpredictability of farming.
    

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12. Where do I pick up my share box?
    

13. Convenient pick-up locations in Sturgis will be announced by May 1st, 2012.  Bear Butte Gardens staff will deliver share boxes to the pick-up locations.  Shareholders must pick up their share boxes at the pick-up locations during the allotted time period.
    

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15. When do I pick up my share box?
    

16. Convenient pick-up times will be announced by May 1st, 2012.   Shareholders must pick up their share boxes during the allotted time period.  Share boxes which are not picked up during the agreed upon timeframe will be donated to a local family or to the Sturgis Food Pantry the same day.
    

17. One likely pick-up location & time will be at the Sturgis Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings from 9 am to noon.  Additional pick-up locations and times will be announced by May 1st, 2012.
    

1. How do I become a shareholder?
   

1. 1.Please contact us via email or phone to check membership availability.
   

2. 2.Please download, print, and fill in the CSA Application Form.
   

3. 3.Please mail us your completed application form along with payment. 
   Make checks payable to “Bear Butte Gardens”. 
   There is a $30 returned check fee. 
   

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5. Note: There is a non-refundable application fee of $20. 
   

1. How do I contact Bear Butte Gardens?
   

2. •Website:                www.BearButteGardens.com
   

3. •Email:                    Michelle@BearButteGardens.com
   

4. •Phone Number:   605-490-2919
   

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6. View our Contact Us page for more information.
   

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8. Where is Bear Butte Gardens located?
   

9. Physical Address:
   

10.         20445 SD Highway 79
    

11.         Sturgis,  SD  57785
    

12. Description:
    

13.         About five miles northeast of Sturgis, on Highway 79, about one mile south of Bear Butte Lake.
    

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15. What is the refund policy?
    

16. Members of Bear Butte Gardens “CSA” may receive a refund for any requests made prior to the start of season (May 1st, 2012) (less a $20 administrative fee).  No refunds will be allowed after May 1st, 2012. 
    

1. Bad Weather or Crop Failures
   

2. If unforeseen extreme situations arise such as very late or early frosts, terrible hail storms, tornado, fire, extreme insect damage, etc., Bear Butte Gardens will not be responsible for refunding unfulfilled weeks of shares.  However, we will be utilizing several outdoor gardens, cold frames, one permanent structure greenhouse, as well as one high-tunnel greenhouse (all with drip irrigation systems) to diminish the “all the eggs in one basket” syndrome and to ensure abundant weekly shares.
   

1. Our commitment to you: 
   

2. To be fair, honest, and to provide each member with a “real” connection to the farmer who grows your food.