IRC Community Supported Agriculture - Summer CSA Starts Soon!

IRC’s Summer CSA starts June 20!

The IRC in San Diego’s popular Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) continues to bring you weekly deliveries of farm fresh, locally grown, healthy produce grown by refugee farmers eager to rebuild their lives in the US through the IRC’s Agripreneur Training Program (ATP).

The Summer CSA starts on Thursday, June 20, 2013 and will run through September 26, 2013. You can join any time for any length of time (four week minimum commitment).

What is a CSA?
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and is a way for you to support local farmers, invest in your health, and help the environment! When you purchase a weekly box, you will receive a portion of a local farmer’s harvest that has been grown without the use of toxic chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Both you and the produce in your box skip the step of making an extra trip to the grocery store!

How does this work? 
1) Decide how many weeks you want. We offer CSA boxes for 4-15 weeks

2) Decide what size box you want: small/large

3) Determine pick-up location of your choice (see below)

4) Pick up your produce! Be sure to bring a bag, box, or tote to carry your veggies home.

How much does it cost? 

• Small box: Individual/Couple (average of 8 items/week): $16.00  

• Large box: Family/friends (average of 12 items/week): $21.50 

I want to sign up! 

There are three easy ways to sign up:

1) Call 619 641 7510, x278 or

2) Register and pay online here  or

3) Complete this form and return it along with your check (payable to “IRC”) to

International Rescue Committee 
Attn: Ralph Achenbach
5348 University Avenue, Ste 205
San Diego, CA 92105

When and where are the pick up locations?
Choose from these convenient pick up locations:

What if I don’t like what’s in my box? 
You will have an opportunity to trade items with other CSA subscribers via a “swap box” when you pick up your produce.

What if I don’t need this many vegetables each week? 
You can share your box. You pick up one week, your friend the next, and so on. Or opt for the small box. And you can always can or freeze any leftovers.

Is the produce organic? 
The produce is grown with all natural inputs and sustainable farming methods that are essentially identical to those used in organic farming. Organic    certification, however, is extremely costly, and by law produce that is not certified or registered as organic cannot be referred to as such. You can rest assured though that your vegetables will have never been in contact with any synthetic fertilizer, chemical pesticides or other harmful substances.

What to expect fresh from the farm this summer: 
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Summer squash (zucchini)
• Carrots
• Beets
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Okra
• Cantaloupe
• Water melon
• Green beans
• Eggplant
• Bell peppers
• And much more!

Where is the produce grown?
The produce is grown as part of the IRC San Diego’s Agripreneur Training Program (ATP). ATP is a hands-on beginning farmer training program to assist refugees in farming as a business. ATP participants receive classroom, field-based training and 1-on-1 technical assistance in farm business planning, marketing, production and land acquisition. The farm training site is located on an 80-acre farm in the beautiful Pauma Valley. Currently, IRC is leasing 20-acres and training about 20 refugee farmers in commercial farming business operations. Additionally, the farm will grow into a farm incubator as IRC subleases land to graduating ATP participants.

Who are the farmers?
Your produce will be grown by refugees participating in ATP. One group of eleven woman farm collectively as “Bahati Mamas Produce.” They are Bantu refugees who were displaced from their farming homes by the brutal civil war in Somalia. After nearly 17 years in the uncertainty of refugee camps, the mamas were given a chance to start over in the US. Many of them are single mothers who lost their husbands to the violence in Somalia. Through enormous tenacity and perseverance, they built new lives for themselves and their children, once again on the foundation of farming. In their native language, Kizigua, “bahati” means “lucky.” The “Bahati Mamas” consider themselves lucky to have this opportunity and are committed to bringing you the finest quality produce.

The other farmers hail from Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Bhutan, Congo, Iraq, Uganda and Uzbekistan. Most of them have been life-long farmers as well who strive to rebuild productive lives in their new communities. The CSA provides them with an opportunity to have a secure market for the wonderful produce they grow and harvest and to provide an income for themselves and their families.

How does this benefit the farmers?
By joining the CSA, you help the farmers reduce the time necessary for marketing their produce, allowing them to focus on farming, and ensure they get paid fairly and on time.

How does this benefit me?
By joining the CSA, you will get to eat food at its very freshest, most flavorful and nutrient dense. You will also learn about new vegetables and inspiring ways to prepare them. You will also have an opportunity to visit the farm and get to know the farmers who grow your food. Plus, you will enjoy the good conscience of eating a chemical-free diet while supporting refugees who are rebuilding productive lives for themselves and their families.

How do I sign up?

Please use this link to sign up if you intend to pay with a credit/debit card.

If you prefer to pay by check, please register here  and send your check (payable to IRC) to
International Rescue Committee,
Attn: Ralph Achenbach,
5348 University Avenue, Suite 205
San Diego, CA 92105.

For more information, please contact Ralph.Achenbach@Rescue.org or +1 619 641 7510 x278.

Learn more about IRC's Food and Farming Programs in San Diego.

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