CSA Boxes and Farm Deliveries Still Serving Fresh Produce During Coronavirus

For those worried about social distancing, but still wondering how to deal with groceries, there’s never been a better time to sign up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) box. CSA boxes can be a wonderful way to support small farms while getting a box of local, seasonal produce dropped off in your neighborhood or even to your doorstep every week. Some CSAs even go beyond freshly-picked asparagus and berries, folding in fruit, nuts, and freshly milled flour, awhile others offer up fresh meat and fish. Here’s a running list of CSA boxes currently offering delivery in San Francisco, as well as a few farms that aren’t exactly doing weekly subscriptions, but still have sweet delivery options.

This list was accurate at the time of publication, but many farms are working hard to quickly add delivery options. If you have any favorite vendors at your neighborhood farmers’ market, it’s worth checking websites and social media, to see what they might be offering.

PRODUCE

The Agricultural Institute of Marin has launched a new “Bounty Box,” which pulls together offerings from local farmers. It comes in small or large sizes, and can be picked up curbside at the Sunday Clement Street, Thursday Marin, or Saturday Grand Lake markets.

Blue House Farm in Pescadero is known for their spring artichokes, as well as other organic fruits and vegetables. They’ll launched a new farm box, available for pickup at the Clement Street and Stonestown markets on Sundays, as well a few other markets around the bay.

Brokaw Ranch is another established stand from the Ferry Building, known for incredible avocados and citrus grown out of Santa Paula and Soledad. With CUESA’s help, they now have a curbside box every Saturday.

CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) is doing its own farm box, for maybe the first time ever. It’s a roundup of some of the loveliest offerings from the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market, which is great for the smaller farms, who might not grow enough different types of produce to round out a full box. Order ahead and pull up at the curb on Saturdays.

Dirty Girl Produce is so popular at farmers’ markets, they’ve never needed a CSA program, but the farm is now launching veggie boxes. These exclusive veg boxes are available for pickup on Thursdays, at either the Ferry Building or Nari restaurant.

Eatwell Farm has been holding it down at the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market for 27 years. Lorraine Walker is leaning into her existing CSA program and expanding delivery sites into a long list of options, and does home delivery on Saturdays for SF and the East Bay.

FEED Sonoma is a farmer-owned co-op, pulling from more than 80 local farms. The crew is now putting together a FEED bin, and pooling all that produce together. Drop offs are at Gemini Bottle Co. in the Mission on Tuesdays or Fridays, or Samovar Tea Lounge in SoMa on Saturdays, and they offer home delivery for a fee.

Frog Hollow Farm is another Ferry Building icon, known for seasonal fruit and delicious jams. They’ve got weekly and monthly boxes of mixed fruit, with discounts on subscriptions, and a few free shipping deals.

Full Belly Farm up in the Capay Valley is a multi-generational family farm that’s been selling to local markets and restaurants for 35 years. The CSA program is so popular that they’ve temporarily put a hold on new members, but check back, this asparagus is worth the hype.

Fifth Crow Farm down in Pescadero was founded by three kids fresh out of college who now grow the most beautiful strawberries. The pre-season CSA has filled up, but catch the regular season CSA, dropping off at the Mission Community Market on Thursdays and Inner Sunset Market on Sundays.

Greenhearts Family Farm in Half Moon Bay actually does home delivery, sending boxes of veggies across the bay, including SF, Marin, East Bay, and the Peninsula.

Green Thumb Organic Farms in San Juan Bautista is offering pickup from the Ferry Building, Heart of the City, and Berkeley markets, as well as home delivery for a $10 fee.

Martin Bournhonesque, based in Salinas, likes to call himself a “chef’s farmer,” and he didn’t even have a website before the coronavirus crisis, preferring to work directly with restaurants. The vegetable fans went wild for his new farm box, dropped off at a few exclusive locations in the Mission District.

Oya Organics is a hardworking crew of young farmers from the Central Coast, offering choose-your-own-adventure boxes from the Ferry Building on Saturdays, as well as pre-packed boxes at other farmers’ markets around the Bay.

Riverdog Farm in the Capay Valley drops of CSA boxes at Avedano’s in Bernal Heights, Fatted Calf in Hayes Valley, and the Waldorf School, as well as other locations around the Bay. And in addition to vegetables, it’s possible to add on chicken and eggs.

Star Route Farms in Bolinas has a wide array of organic fruits and vegetables at the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market. CUESA has also helped them set up a curbside box, available on Saturdays.

Terra Firma Farm in Winters has a popular CSA box program across the Bay Area, with several different size options, and neighborhood dropoffs. Subscriptions are currently full, but check back as they swing into season.

Tomatero Farm in Watsonville has a no-frilled $20 farm box that they’re dropping off with their restaurant partners in SF. It’s a limited time offer during the crisis.

DAIRY

Cowgirl Creamery is still open for takeout at the Ferry Building, and has always offered overnight shipping, but right now, there are some tempting deals. At the time of writing, they’re offering free shipping on the fan-favorite triple-cream Mt Tam, the best cottage cheese ever (no seriously), and more.

Stepladder Ladder Creamery in Cambria is home to both adorable baby goats and creamy avocados, and has kicked open an online cheese shop. Stock up on everyday Cheddar and Colby, indulge in spring’s freshest chevre and fromage blanc, or go big on the cheese plates.

FISH

Sea Forager is in fact a CSF or sustainable seafood subscription. Kirk Lombard offers weekly fish and shellfish boxes for two or four people, with lots of drop-off sites or home delivery for a fee.

TwoXSea is a sustainable seafood distributor, which both sources sustainable seafood and farms McFarland Springs trout, that vibrant red trout served on menus across the city. It’s now up for sale on the website, with free delivery on orders over $50.

MEAT

Stemple Creek Ranch, the grass-fed, grass-finished trailblazer up in Marin, has got meaty boxes. Choose from variety and build-your-own boxes, or do the monthly subscription. Orders ship every Tuesday, straight to your doorstep.

Cream Co. Meats is a whole-animal butcher and distributor, supporting a handful of small farms, and is now leaning hard into pickup and delivery options. They’ve got basic boxes and bunker boxes filled with chicken, ground beef, bacon, and chops, with curbside pickup and a rotating delivery schedule.