Just a quick note -  on Sunday, I attended the CSA in NYC Conference organized by Just Food. What a great event! I learned an awful lot, met some nice people and heard two of my CSA farmers speak.  It was really good to get their take on a variety of issues.  The Expo was well done and I even brought some amazing raw milk cheese home with me, as well as some tasty cheesy animal crackers.  Hats off to Just Food for a great event.

Image: (c) Just Food

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CSAs are really popular in Astoria. So popular, that there is a waiting list every season. As a Core Group member of the Hellgate CSA, I’ve seen the demand rise for our CSA each year, and through chatting with the organizers of the Astoria CSA, I understand they are in the same situation.

And while we’re excited that so many people are interested in CSAs, it’s also a bummer to have to give people the news that they were not accepted by the CSA for any current season. We would love to accommodate everyone, but can’t for a number of reasons.

That’s why I’m really happy that another CSA is starting in Astoria! Their name is Harvest Astoria and can be found at harvestastoria.com. Their location is in an area that is not served by current CSAs, so they fill a need, location-wise. From their front page:

Welcome to Harvest Astoria.

We are a new CSA forming in the Astoria/Long Island City Area.

We have now officially obtained our distribution site: The Church of the Redeemer at 30-14 Crescent Street near 30th Ave (map).

We are proud to announce that our food will be supplied by Norwich Meadows Farm. Zaid Kurdieh is the farmer.

Please do not contact the church or the farmer for information.

If you are interested in joining please click on the CONTACT link and let us know!

Thanks for all the interest expressed so far!!

We are very excited about the requests for more information on membership that have come in. Please be patient with us as we get ourselves organized. All requests for information will be responded to in the next few weeks – so keep sending them in and keep checking our website for more information!

Definitely check them out if you are looking for a CSA in Astoria.

There are a number of CSAs in Western Queens. They are:

Hellgate CSA – Ditmars area
Astoria CSA – at ARROW, 35th Street near 35th Ave
Harvest Astoria CSA – 30th Ave and Crescent
Long Island City CSA – in LIC
Sunnyside CSA – 39th Street in Sunnyside
Farmspot – 82nd Street in Jackson Heights

They are all worth looking into if you are interested. It’s a good idea to get on the waiting list(s), and sometimes slots open up during the season, too. CSAs are an easy way of moving toward a more sustainable way of life.

Photo credit: (c) Meg Cotner