NYC Customers

Welcome!

Tamarack Hollow Farm has vended at the Union Square Greenmarket since 2005. We started as a small, pasture-raised, organic farm producing pork, chicken and eggs in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. The farm quickly grew to include pastured turkeys and grass fed lamb. When Amanda joined the farm in 2010, we added organic vegetables and grass fed beef. Our vegetables are grown on rich Champlain Valley floodplain; our healthy soil produces unbelievable vegetables- come by and take a look.

We are not a 800 member CSA distributing commodity vegetables. We offer a smaller selection of the highest quality vegetables, often heirloom, never sprayed, grown with as few off farm inputs as possible, and handled with love and care. We produce all of the products we sell-meats, eggs, and vegetables- and stand behind their quality and welfare. We even hold many of our own sausage recipes with our smoke house; just try not to like Mike's Maple Kielbasa.

F.A.Q. What is a vegetable item? How do egg credits work? How do meat credits work? What's the fine print? Where do I pick up my share? What can I expect throughout the season? What happens if I miss a week? How do I join? I want to join now! Our Story and Philosophy

What do I get each week?
Our CSA membership is $600 for a 20 week share running from the week of June 9 through the end of October. This basic membership covers 20 weeks of certified organic vegetables. You will receive 8 items a week, enough for two vegetable loving adults or a small family eating together. See What is a vegetable item? for more information about vegetables.

After two seasons of resistance, we've decided to separate the meat and eggs from the share, for a number of reasons. Many members want more or less meat than we offer in the share. Some members want cuts we just don't have enough of to offer in the share. Other members don't eat pork (or beef or chicken), and trading out their meat has always been a last minute shuffle to make sure everything is even. One member wants pork chops every week! This makes it possible for these folks, as well as folks that have backyard laying hens or buy a half of beef from their uncle every year to still join the CSA. We think this flexibility will help the share better serve our current members while making the share more accessible to new members.

But fret not, dear members! Membership in the vegetable CSA allows you to purchase egg and meat credits so that you will receive eggs and meat on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Please note: You must be a member of the vegetable C.S.A. to buy egg and meat credits. However, you are not obligated to purchase egg and meat credits if you join the vegetable share. The chart below lays out the prices for the share and the add on options. Read on for a more detailed description of how egg and meat credits work.

*If you are a returning member looking for the meat level most similar to last year, this is for you!
**If you are a returning member looking for last year's share, but with pork butts, more bacon, perhaps a nice beef roast, this is for you!





What is a vegetable item?
One vegetable item does not necessarily mean one vegetable. For example, one item might equal two pounds of zucchini, summer squash, or cucumbers- enabling you to mix and match the items you would like that week. A sample share or "8 item" week might be:
(1) two pounds of tomatoes
(2) one bunch of onions
(3, 4) two greens- choose from lettuce, escarole, kale, chard, or salad
(5) two pounds of zucchini, summer squash or cucumbers
(6) one pound of peppers or eggplant
(7) one bunch fennel or radishes
(8) one bunch herbs: basil, cilantro, or dill

This comes to "eight items," but way more than eight vegetables! This way you can mix and match much of your share, maybe choosing chard or zucchini one week, but not getting stuck with it every week. Also, be aware that the size of your share will vary through the season. At the beginning of the year, your share may contain only 6 or 7 items, but be assured that in late summer, your share will contain 10 or so items. You can see some member photos of the 2012 share on our blog.

How do egg credits work?
Egg credits offer a 10% discount off our farmer’s market price. If you purchase 10 egg credits, you will receive one dozen eggs every other week for and additional $70. If you purchase 20 egg credits, you will receive one dozen eggs every week for an additional $140. If you would like more eggs, you are welcome to purchase more egg credits, up to two dozen eggs a week. Your credits will be tracked at the market.

How do meat credits work?
Meat credits offer a minimum of 10% off of farmer's market prices. Things like sausage, ground beef, spare ribs, and pork chops will be one credit each. Prime steaks and whole chicken are 2 credits. These options are similar to what our CSA has traditionally offered.

What makes this credit system different is that is allows our members access to larger cuts not previously offered to the CSA, such as pork butts and shoulders, briskets, lamb breast, hams, turkey, etc., which will be approximately one credit per pound. It also allows access to fancy cuts, like pork tenderloin, bacon, lamb rib chops, or beef tenderloin, which were limited or not offered at all in the share. If these sound like cuts you'd like, you should purchase a larger block of credits OR take meat less frequently, thereby storing up your credits.

In the above examples, 15 credits works out to 11 meat items, about one meat item every other week, 25 credits works out one meat item every week, but mostly sausage and ground beef. The 35 credits example works out to 24 weeks of meat, and that is assuming you take two steaks at once for a romantic dinner, and two packs of short ribs at once for a messy dinner! With 35 meat credits, you could take meat every week, choose some larger items such as more chickens, pork butts, a beef brisket and prime steaks, and still stash away a couple cuts for the winter.

We will track your credits at the market, via the old fashioned punch card method. Any unused meat credits can be used up in the last week or at the farmer's market, or applied to a Thanksgiving turkey.

The Fine Meats Fine Print: Which meat cuts are available rotate throughout the season depending on availability. That said, chicken, pork cuts and some variety of sausage are nearly always available. Our meat animals NEVER receive antibiotics and are free ranging on pasture. Flavors of pork sausage will rotate throughout the season. If you really like one flavor, we recommend you stock up! Just because we have it one week does not mean it will be available all season.

The fine print
This share will run for 20 weeks, from June 12 through October 23. By signing up for this CSA, I understand that farming is weather dependent. Growing conditions are, by nature, unpredictable. My farmers will strive to produce as much fresh, healthy food as they can. Joining a CSA means joining with the risks, as well as the rewards, of farming in Vermont. I understand that should the season not turn out as planned, a refund is not guaranteed.

Where do I pick up my share?
Pick ups are at our Greenmarket stand in Union Square Park on Wednesdays.

What can I expect throughout the season?
For details on what is available throughout the season, see the calendar page.

What happens if I miss a week?
We understand that summer is a busy time full of travel, summer camps, visiting relatives, and changing work schedules. If you know you will miss a week, please try to make arrangements to have a friend or family member pick up your share and let us know who will be picking up for you. If you accidentally miss a week, please do not come to the pickup assuming that you can take double because you missed the last pick up.

How do I join?
To join the Full Plate Farm Share, you can use the paypal buttons above, stop by farmer's market with cash or check, or send a check made out to "Tamarack Hollow Farm" and indicate your plan for payment to:

Tamarack Hollow Farm
519 Ethan Allen Parkway
Burlington, VT 05408

Please let us know:
1. your email address!
2. why you chose our farm share
3. how you heard about us.

While we greatly, sincerely, deeply appreciate a full upfront payment, we certainly do not expect everyone to pay up front. You may pay for half of your vegetable share to reserve your spot, and may pay for your add-ons in subsequent payments as well. However, your full share must be paid for by May 15th. This way, we receive the bulk of the payment early in the season when we need money for seeds, livestock, supplies, and hiring back our field crew, and you are able to spread out your payment over the course of a few months. No one will be turned away for lack of up front payment. Please contact us with the initial payment that works for you, and we can work out a plan for the subsequent payments. Thanks! Can't wait to see you on the farm!

I want to join now!
Ready to join? Add the items you'd like using the paypal buttons above. When you are satisfied with your share, click the "view cart" button to check out. Please note that these prices include credit card processing fees. If you would like to avoid these fees, please send a check to the farm following the instructions above.