CSA – Community Supported Agriculture

Definition of what a CSA is: CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. The community (you) supports the farm (Garden Inspirations) by not just being a client of ours but also a farm "shareholder".

The short version of our CSA Internship Program – Monthly fee, baskets of garden produce in harvest season(s), educational classes/courses, work once a month on a weekend. Fees begin at $109.99 per month, read below for the DETAILED information
Non-GMO, Heirloom Varieties and Limited Hybrid Vegetable Plants
What is GMO? Click Here
What is Heirloom? Click Here
What is a Hybrid? Click Here
CSA Internship Program:

Family Size

Cost Per Month

Hours of Intern

Produce/Fruit

Classes

1-4 in family

109.99 auto debited monthly

Start up/App Fee: $75.00

Weekend once a month required

Share of the bounty once a week during harvest seasons (generally about 32 weeks a year)

Required: Intro to Gardening Class, Vegetable Gardening Class All classes included in monthly fee

129.99 auto debited monthly

Start up/App Fee: $75.00

Weekend once a month required

Share of the bounty once a week (larger share than 1-4 family) during the harvest seasons (generally about 32 weeks a year)

Required: intro to Gardening Class, Vegetable Gardening Class
All classes included in monthly fee

As a CSA Intern you will:

Have your own garden row in one of our gardens to work in when you come out on your work day
Be required to take the intro to garden class and the vegetable garden class (included in the monthly fee)
Be required on our program to use only organic gardening methods and heirloom seeds/plants – and only use hybrids if an heirloom variety is not available
Work one weekend a month (pre-determined by Garden Inspirations) you can come out on either Saturday or Sunday of the work weekend
Pick up your weekly basket from Garden Inspirations when the harvest is ready

What you will learn as a CSA Intern:

How to garden organically
About the urban farm life, knowing how to raise chickens, bees, vegetables, herbs, and perennials (if you choose to learn about perennials)
Working in a greenhouse
Tilling, Planting, Harvesting crops
Through the classes you will learn more detailed information about vegetable gardening in North Texas

What the monthly fee covers:

CSA is a relationship between you, the worker, and us, the teacher (farmer). In this relationship the exchange of the monthly fee (currency) results in a working garden/farm. We will purchase seed, soil amendments, water, and utilities (needed for classes etc.). Your monthly fee helps the expense of running the farm/gardens. As a CSA Intern you will learn the ups and downs of working with Mother Nature. You will end up looking up at the sky and pleading for rain like the rest of North Texas Farmers at some point, we are pretty sure of that!
What is included in your fee? The work weekends, materials needed for gardening, the Intern Box, the Intern Workbook, and any class you would like to take with us during your internship. (classes with supply fees or additional fees listed on the description are not covered by the Internship)

A typical CSA Work Weekend:

8:00 AM Arrive at Garden Inspirations, check in and grab your Intern Box
8:30 AM Turn the Compost, Check the Chickens, Observe the Bees, and Take Garden Photos
9:30 AM Work in your garden row (either preparing soil, planting seed/plants, weeding/maintaining, or harvesting depending on the time of the year) OR If not in a harvest/planting season – preservation day!
11:30 AM Work in the community herb bed and perennial flower bed
12:30 PM break for lunch
1:30 PM Finish morning duties
3:00 PM Snack and meeting with Marilyn Simmons – Q&A plus 45 minute lecture
4:00 PM Harvest (if available) check out, put back your Intern Box Day is finished

CSA Intern Box & Workbook:

The Intern Box is your kit that will enable you to have a better intern experience. You kit will include a hand shovel, gloves, first aid sack, mask, eye protection, FarmGirls Shirt, mason jar for seed collection, spray bottle, and may include other necessary items.

The Intern Workbook is an extensive book of FarmGirls Gardening Knowledge. This will be your one year study tool, journal, and "baby". Lucky you!

How it works:

There are 12 spots open for January – December 2013 and below is our calendar of dates for the workdays in 2013. These are non-negotiable and are required. If you will not be able to attend a weekend due to a pre-planned vacation, we can work around those details. This is about your food, learning how to become healthier, and making our environment a better place. We are serious about gardening – and we are serious about teaching you these techniques. We are extremely fun and love what we do, but you must commit to the entire program and the weekends shown as the work weekends in order for your experience to be a success! We have this set up for your benefit.

The monthly fee is $109.99 or $129.99 depending on the size of your family. There is a fee of $75.00 for the application and startup costs of the program. This fee is due before or with your first payment. Your first payment is debited from your checking account on the 5th of every month for 12 consecutive months. No exceptions.

Ready to sign up? CALL 214-842-2100 or email farmgirls@gardeninspirations-tx.com
If you are emailing us: Name, Phone #, How many in your family, & why are you interested in the CSA Internship Program

Intern Calendar for 2013

Month	Saturday	Sunday
(choose only one weekend day, Saturday or Sunday)
January	January 19 8:00 – 4:00 PM	January 20 8:00 – 4:00 PM
February	February 23 8:00 – 4:00 PM	February 24 8:00 – 4:00 PM
March	March 30 8:00 – 4:00 PM	March 31 8:00 – 4:00 PM
April	April 20 8:00 – 4:00 PM	April 21 8:00 – 4:00 PM
May	May 18 8:00 – 4:00 PM	May 19 8:00 – 4:00 PM
June	June 22 8:00 – 4:00 PM	June 23 8:00 – 4:00 PM
July	July 27 8:00 – 4:00 PM	July 28 8:00 – 4:00 PM
August	August 10 8:00 – 4:00 PM	August 11 8:00 – 4:00 PM
September	September 28 8:00 – 4:00 PM	September 29 8:00 – 4:00 PM
October	October 19 8:00 – 4:00 PM	October 20 8:00 – 4:00 PM
November	November 9 8:00 – 4:00 PM	November 10 8:00 – 4:00 PM
December	December 7 8:00 – 4:00 PM	December 8 8:00 – 4:00 PM