The Local Feed on WYCE
Visit Groundswell Farm and CSA for more information.
/Katie Brandt
/Theresa Hogerheide
This week on The Local Feed we learn about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) from Katie Brandt of Groundswell Farm in Zeeland, MI. The farm was founded in 2006 by Katie Brandt and Anna Hoekstra. Hoekstra left in 2009, and Tom Cary joined the farm in 2010.
Groundswell is a Certified Organic CSA farm featuring 300 types of Michigan produce.
CSA members get a diversity of veggies every week from June through October. Members also enjoy farm events, a cooking blog and- most importantly- connection to where their food comes from.
They are also what they term as Farmworker-Friendly.
“To us it means: paying minimum wage (and raises for experience), eight hour days, and time-and-a-half pay when working over 40 hours per week. There are breaks, access to water, restrooms, worker's compensation in case of accidents, veggies or a CSA share and a positive working environment,” says Brandt.
On Tuesdays, they have CSA pick-ups in Holland (late afternoon) and Zeeland (evening); on Wednesdays in Grand Rapids (late afternoon).
On Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., they are at the Grand Rapids Fulton Street Farmers Market and the Holland Farmers Market.
Disclosure: Theresa worked with Tom Cary and Katie Brandt from Groundswell at the West MI Environmental Action Council in 2002 - 2003.
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