Community Supported Agriculture

• Select the right CSA share option(s) for your household - Summer and/or Winter Share Sign Up Link .
• Choose your preferred Pick Up Day - either Monday or Thursday
• Pick up your veggies anytime after 12noon on your pick up day.
• There are designated half share boxes and designated full share boxes.
• Bring your own tote bags and take home everything in the box. Each week we will send an email that tells you what you are getting and gives helpful tips and a recipe.
• Other farm goods will be available to add to your box of veggies. 
• For self serve on your pick up day, please place cash or checks in the cash box, or pay by Venmo and write purchase items down on the account form. Be sure to check off that you received our add-on/pre-ordered items.
• The veggies will remain in your box for 2 days, but they will lose vibrancy if you wait.

Summer Full Share - designed for a family of 2 adults and 2 children. From May to October
you will see a variety of veggies averaging 16# each week over 20 weeks. 

Summer Half Share - designed for 1-2 adults. From May to October, you will see a variety of
veggies averaging 8# each week over 20 weeks.  

Winter Share -From November to March enjoy root vegetables, cabbage, squash, leeks. Full
and half share options available. 

Senior Share - provides eligible low-income seniors the opportunity to receive a share (worth
$50) of first-quality, fresh, local produce at no cost to Senior.

Work Share - shareholders can commit work hours to the farm (between 36-70 hours) in
exchange for a full or half share of vegetables. Work hours to choose from: Thursdays 1-
4; Saturdays 9-12; Mondays 2-5 or by special arrangement.

Lamb - Raised on organic grain and pasture. Expect 35-45# for a whole lamb. Ready in early
winter.

Sign up for a share for the 2024 season

WE ACCEPT SNAP payments for half your farm share and Maine Harvest Bucks pays for the other half. Use $55 per month of your SNAP benefits (June- October) on a farm share and you are on your way to 20 weeks of fresh local produce! Questions? Email willowpondfarm89@gmail.com.

The farm store is open year round and offers a variety of products including fresh, frozen and shelf-stable food items, yarns, pottery, tshirts and more! 

Sampling of food available include:
Jams/Jellies, Maple Syrup, Honey, Gluten Free Pasta, Flour, Oats (regular and steel cut), Forage Market Bagels, Chocolate, Coffee, Olive Oil, Sesame Oil, Baking Cocoa, Baking Yeast, Salsa, Mustard, Ketchup, Tortilla Chips, Nuts/Seeds, Coconut flakes and much more! (Suggestions welcome so that we can better meet your shopping needs and wants!). 

CSA members may place orders online prior to pick up day for easy ordering,  payment and pick-up on regularly scheduled farm share day.  SHOP ONLINE HERE or visit the farm stand on your way by!

Willow Pond Farm is the first CSA to operate in Maine and we have been going strong since
1989.

Our goal is to provide farm fresh, MOFGA/USDA certified organic food to a community of
shareholders on a seasonal or year- round basis. While food production can be impacted by
annual weather events,  we can assure you that we are committed to working hard to balance
whatever nature throws our way and to ensure you receive the bounty of every crop grown on the
farm.

• We will assure a 20-week supply for a summer share. 
• The winter share will be a monthly supply for five months.
• At sign up, shareholders agree to come on either Mondays or Thursdays, to adhere to
  their payment option, and to make sure they read all e-mails from the farm.
• You can reschedule your pick up days around vacation plans from your account page.
• If, due to circumstances beyond your control, you need to cancel your share and future
  payments,  you will be responsible for finding someone to buy the remaining balance.

• Take a walk through the orchard or gardens.
• Pick flowers and herbs from the pick your own garden.
• Donate some time to help weed the garden.
• Bring a picnic, relax in the Adirondack chairs and read a book.
• Visit the animals - chickens, pigs, turkeys, sheep and Aida, our friendly draft horse.

A few tips for getting the most shelf life from your produce!

• Although we wash your produce before we give it to you, we suggest that you give it a rinse before you eat it.
• Produce should be able to breathe. 
• Cold storage crops like carrots, cabbage, beets - keep uncovered in the crisper, or on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
• DO NOT chill tomatoes, onions, potatoes, squash, eggplant, melon or pumpkins. They like to be stored between 50 and 55 degrees. A basement is a good spot.

Apples

• Keep cold but do not freeze
• Apples can be stored in a box that is lined with crumpled newspaper and then covered with a heavy quilt in a cool but not cold place.
• In warmish weather apples tend to rot at the bottom of the box first then adjacent apples will catch the rotten flavor so remove the rotten ones.

Basil/Herbs

Freezing: Wash (if needed), shake off excess water, put into freezer bags, you can suck the extra air out of the bag and then freeze right away. Take out only the amount of herb that you need and freeze the rest before it thaws. Herbs that freeze well are: Anise, basil, chives, dill, marigold, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, tarragon, and thyme.

Drying: Bunch, tie the root end and hang root-up in a shady airy place. Allow about 2 weeks for drying. Anise, basil, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon and thyme all dry well. Dry herbs keep best in a cool dry place in an airtight container to prevent flavor deterioration - this inhibits evaporation of the volatile oils in the herbs and protects the color as well. (1 t. dried herb = 1 T. fresh herb).

Beans (snap beans)

Freezing: Wash, cut and snap off the ends. Steam 2-4 min. Drain and chill well. pack in freezer bags. Beans keep best when drained well and frozen quickly - do not thaw prior to cooking.

Stringing: Use tender beans, wash and trim the ends. Using a long needle and long strong thread, push the needle through the center of the beans - hang in a warm place that is out of the sun. When completely dry they can be stored elsewhere.Canning: wash, trim ends, snap into 1-1.5 inch lengths. Raw-pack tightly into jars. cover with boiling water (or precook, boiling for about 5 min.) Pack into hot jars and cover with hot liquid. Leave 1 inch head space.

Pressure can only: 20 min for pints, 25 min for quarts, with 10 lbs pressure at 0-1000 ft above sea level.

Canning pickled, dilled beans: 4 lbs fresh yellow or green beans, 8 to 16 heads fresh dill, 8 cloves garlic, 1/4 C. canning or pickling salt, 4 C. white vinegar, 4 C. water, 1 t. hot red pepper flakes. Wash and trim ends of beans and cut into 4 in. lengths, in each pint jar place 1-2 dill heads and 1 clove of garlic. Place beans upright in jars leaving 1/2 in. head space. Adjust lids. Process in a water bath canner. At up to 1,000 feet above sea level process 5 min.

Beets

Pit and Root-cellar storage: Store where the beets will keep moist and be as near freezing as possible without actually freezing. To bed in moist sand or sawdust use a wooden container - make a layer of sawdust, a layer of beets, a layer of sawdust, etc. In a root-cellar with a dirt floor beets can be put in small piles along the wall.

Freezing: Cut off tops, wash, scald, cook until tender, peel, dice, chill and package.

Canning: Scrub well. Remove beet top (done for us during harvest) sort beets by size, boil similar sizes together so they will be done around the same time. When they are fork-tender (~30 min) move into cold water - slip off the skins and cut into cubes ~ 1/2 in. or 1/2 in. wide slices then quarter the slices. pack into hot jars, cover with boiling water, leaving 1/2 in. head space. Optional: 1t salt/pt, 1T vinegar/pt to preserve the color. Process in a pressure cooker only. Pt for 30 min - Qt. for 35 min. If using a weighted canner, set it at 10 lbs for 0-1,000 ft. above sea level.

Cabbage (including bok choy)

If there are worms (cabbage looper) soak in a brine of 1t salt/1 gal cold water for 30 min to chase the worms out - rinse.

Root Cellar: Lay heads in rows on shelves in root cellar-type area, several inches apart, or hang heads by a string tied around the root end. Heads keep best at 32 to 40 F in 90% humidity.

Freezing: Shred as for slaw, blanch in boiling water for ~ 2 min., cool, drain, and pack.

Drying: Shred as for slaw, spread on drying trays - dry at ~ 120 F until brittle. Grind into a powder and use in soups.

Canning is not recommended by the USDA

Broccoli

Deworm as for cabbage

Freezing: Cut into pieces, pack and freeze without blanching or blanch stalks with 1 1/2 in. heads for 3 min. Smaller heads for 2 min. Chill, drain, pack.

Drying:Soak in brine. Rinse, split stalks into thin strips, blanch, drain, cut or chop strips into 2-3 in. or finer sections. Spread them on a tray, dry at 120 F until crisp and dry to the center. To reconstitute, pour boiling water over and simmer until tender.

Canning is not recommended by the USDA

Brussels Sprouts

Store in a porous bag for 3-5 weeks in a cool and moist environment.

Freezing: Cut off stems and remove wilted or tough leaves. Sort by size and debug. Blanch larger heads 5 min., medium heads 4 min., small heads 3 min., cool, drain, pack in freezer bags.

Drying: Cut sprouts in half, blanch in boiling water 3-5 min., drain, spread on a tray with the cut side up. Turn the sprouts over 1 time/ day. They are done when dry and brittle and dry to the center. it takes about 18-24 hours in a dehydrator or oven and several days in the sun (bring them in at night)

Garlic

Short/Long Storage: Place in a dark, cool, airy place (45-55 degrees).

Garlic scapes (they are the flowering tip of garlic)

Short storage: Place in the fridge, use them like garlic!

Kale

4 cups of raw kales shrinks to barely 1 cup cooked kale!

Short Storage: Keep in a perforated plastic bag, 4 days

Freezing: Blanch for 2 minutes

Kohlrabi

Short Storage: Store leaves in a perforated plastic bag, 3 days. Store bulbous stems in the crisper, 1 week

Lettuce

Wash, roll up in a dish towel and store in a plastic bag.

Melon/Watermelons

Short Storage: Place uncut melons in a cool place in your kitchen. Once cut, cover and place in the fridge. We pick the melons ripe, so you may want to eat them within 3 days.

Drying: Cut into thin pieces and dry them in a dehydrator or oven. Tastes like fruit leather.

Freezing: Cube and place into freezer containers

Onion

Short Storage: Store in a cool dry place that allows air circulation. Heat and moisture make them sprout (the sprouts are edible and even the onion still although it may be a bit soft.)

Long Storage: Keep in mesh bags for air circulation in a dry place. They like temps between 40 and 50 degrees.

Parsley

Short Storage: Place in a vase with water (not in direct sunlight) and they stay happy and green for a week!

Parsnips

Short Storage: Store in a breathable bag in the fridge, 4-5 weeks

Freezing: Fully cook, puree` and freeze

Peas, shell, sugar snap and snow

Short Storage: Keep in a breathable bag in the fridge, 5 days

Freezing: Shell shell peas, blanch for 2 minutes, immediately drain and put in ice water for 2 minutes. Drain. Pack loosely into freezer bags, make sure all air is out, label and freeze.

*Same for snow peas, but do not shell

Sugar snap peas-blanch for 2 minutes then chill in ice water for 5 minutes. Place in a single layer on trays, freeze. Package once frozen. Only use in cooked dishes since they will no longer be crisp.

Peppers

Short Storage: Keep in the fridge whole and unwashed for 4 days. Ripe peppers may spoil faster.

Freezing: Clean, seed and mince peppers, do not blanch. Place in freezer boxes or bags. They will be prime for flavor, not crispness.

Drying: Thread together hot peppers (through their stems) and place in a cool, dry, airy spot (attic maybe). Drying is best done after the peppers have already turned red.

Pickling: This is possible. Ask Peter Piper, or look in a cookbook.

Potatoes

Short Storage: New potatoes (the early ones with thin skin) Keep in the fridge, 2 weeks. Regular season potatoes can be kept in a dark, cool, dry place in your kitchen.

Long Storage: Late season potatoes can store in a dark place of your cellar at 45-50 degrees. Do not let freeze, they will become watery.

** Even if a potato sprouts or becomes soft, you can still eat it, just pluck off the sprouts!

 Radish

Short Storage: Use radishes fresh, do not freeze or can.Separate greens from root and store in a perforated bag. Keep roots refrigerated, they will keep for 1 week. If radishes become soft, you can crisp them by placing them in ice water.

Rutabaga

Short storage: Place in crisper, will last up to 4 weeks

Long storage: Place in a cool dark place at about 45 degrees.

Freezing: Mash or puree them first!

Scallions

Place in a covered container in the fridge, one week

Spinach

Short Storage: Place in a perforated or canvas bag in the crisper, 4 days

Freezing: Clean and stem leaves, blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water, cool, and pack into freezer containers

Squash, summer

Short Storage: It dehydrates quickly so place it in a perforated bag. Try not to damage or bruise, 3-4 days

Freezing: Puree squash first and then freeze. Cooked squash will be very mushy because of the high water content.

Pickling: Both zucchini and summer squash make good pickles or relish.

Swiss Chard

Short Storage: Refrigerate unwashed in a perforated bag, 3-5 days

Freezing: Blanch leaves only (stems become soggy!) 2 minutes and then immediately dump into ice water for 2 minutes. Drain and package into freezer containers.

Tomatoes

Short Storage: Keep tomatoes at room temperature (55-80 degrees). Do not refrigerate, unless the tomato is very ripe and you do not want it to ripen any further. If fruit flies are a problem, get a food net or screen to place over them.

To ripen green tomatoes, store 65-70 in a paper bag. Keeping the ethylene in is good for ripening but they do need good air circulation.

Canning: Use standard or plum tomatoes, cherries are too watery.

Freezing: Freeze whole tomatoes or the sauce

Turnips

Separate green from roots. Roots will keep one week, greens will hold up to 4 days in a perforated bag.

Freezing: Mash or puree them first!

*If turnips seem old or too big, blanch in boiling water for 4-5 minutes to remove strong or bitter taste.

Watermelons

Short Storage: Place uncut melons in a cool place in your kitchen. Once cut, cover and place in the fridge. We pick the melons ripe, so you may want to eat them within 3 days.