CSA Week 2026: Hidden Pond Permaculture Farm Q+A

Posted on Tuesday, 10 February 2026 under Stories

Hidden Pond Permaculture Farm offers an Artisan Farm Box, which is available from mid-May until Thanksgiving. Weekly Boxes are full of nutrient-dense food, including preserves, in-season fruits and veg, eggs, tea, and the occasional animal protein. They recruit in winter to serve for the season. They aim to attract folks from their neighbourhood, making their box philosophy around NSA (Neighbourhood Supported Agriculture).

Why is your CSA program a key strategy on your farm?

“I tend to say that I grow people rather than I grow food. My CSA allows me to have relationships with people who are curious about farming and land-based living, and that’s a major reason why I have a CSA.

My CSA involves individuals coming to my farm as much as possible to pick up their vegetables, so that they can see the journey through the season. For years, I did markets in the first farm I created, but I found that there was just that little bit of disconnect between the work that farmers do on the land and the connection that customers make to that work. So, I really wanted to start a CSA so that I could bring people to the farm and they could walk through the seasons with me.”

What challenges do you face when running a CSA program annually?

“For the first few years, the biggest challenge I had was just having enough people to allow me to do the extra things I do in my box program, because I don’t just do vegetables and fruit, I also make preserves, I grow herbs and make a tea every week. So I’m constantly harvesting and drying and all these little things. I have a pretty unique program, and thanks to the volunteers and woofers on the farm who are helping out and want to learn, it allows me to do the extra stuff that actually, like, feeds me.”

How do you communicate value with your CSA members?

“Every week, my members get a giant bag of food, so they see the value by what they receive. I just track it based on market value, like, what markets are selling food for, and I just match that, and then create sort of what a value looks like for a preserve and for my smoked herbs.

And as far as values around farming and the ideas within the farm framework, that is often where I stick myself in the field, and I haven’t picked something on purpose. I invite everyone into the garden with me, and I pick it for them and they get to ask questions and see what is happening on the farm.”

Tips for eaters:

“I guess I would say that if someone were reading this and they were curious and interested in a CSA, just jump in and let the farmer provide for you for a season and see how it unfolds. And see how your eating abilities increase, and the connection you have with the land deepens.”

To learn more about Hidden Pond and its CSA program, visit their website.