Our family farm, Cane Creek Asparagus & Company, as represented by our domain name http://www.CaneCreekCSA.com is not certified organic. We believe the word organic has become a mere marketing tool in recent years. We much prefer the words local and sustainable.
We think organic produce and organic produce farms have become popular in the USA in part as a response to the many food borne illness outbreaks. The food industry is working to develop a workable, voluntary traceability plan for all produce—not just organic produce. This means the industry is attempting to develop a method to track fruits and vegetables along the chain from the farm through shipping to wholesalers and through shipping to retailers to the end consumer.
Robert and I seldom purchase vegetables at grocery stores. Even when it is organic produce, it simply will not compare to the quality we are accustomed to eating from our own Fairview gardens We much prefer to eat our own sustainable, organically grown even though not certified, produce because we know how the vegetables were farmed.
Buying one of our Cane Creek Asparagus & Company CSA farm shares is the ultimate in farm-to-fork identification and food safety. The only vegetables you will receive from Cane Creek Asparagus & Company CSA are vegetables grown on our Fairview family farm. Robert & I are the farmers. We handle every step from growing the plants from seed to packing the boxes and delivering the vegetables to our CSA Family Members.
Our family farm is located in the Cane Creek Valley of Buncombe County. We do not hire outside laborers to till, sow, cultivate, harvest, pack, or deliver any of the vegetables you will receive in your farm share box. You can rest assured knowing that your vegetables have been lovingly cared for from the seed stage to CSA Box delivery by only the hands of your farmers. Our family farm manner of operation ensures you and your family receive the freshest and most nutritious vegetables possible. We have invested our livelihood in the land and truly care about what you and your family eat. We will prove this to you with every farm share box we prepare for you as a member of our CSA.
On our website and in our conversations we attempt to explain our farming methods and our relationship with the land. We use organic inputs that are the most appropriate to the situation.
Our first line of defense in handling insect pests is to dust with Diatomaceous Earth. We also use Dipel. Both are organic inputs which are hand applied. And yes, I said hand applied which is hard work! Our farming philosophy means anything which goes into or onto our gardens is carried in on our backs! We believe sustainable farming is about our personal relationship with the soil, the land, and Nature.
We do not apply any inputs during the day when the bees and lady bugs are busy tending to the nectar. Taking care to not harm these small creatures means we are out late into the evening after the native pollinators are done working for the day. At Cane Creek Asparagus & Company we care for our soil and the beneficial insects. Insects are a part of the natural garden experience. Therefore, you should expect to sometimes find slugs or bugs in your CSA box!
We are a small, sustainable family farm—environmentally sound and socially responsible. We are water conscious. We use an underground drip irrigation system and use water from drilled wells versus using water from the creek. We do this so we can ensure the quality of the water we irrigate with and so as not be wasteful of this precious resource. Excess vegetables are not plowed under or allowed to rot in the fields. Instead, they are donated to local charities in the Asheville and Buncombe area several days a week in keeping with our freshness motto for handling produce.
At Cane Creek Asparagus & Company 100% of our farming income is derived from our CSA farm shares. 100% of our efforts go toward our CSA Members! No wholesale business. No tailgate markets. No restaurants—unless they purchase a farm share just like one of our families. We grow vegetables for local families! We expect and trust our families to commit for our entire farming season of mid-May through October. Robert and I will earn this trust repeatedly, week by week, filling our CSA Boxes with a variety of beautiful vegetables.
IF you want fresh, local vegetables which are grown for flavor and nutrition—not for transportation and shelf life; and IF you want an easily accessible array of local seasonal vegetables and are open to new taste experiences; and IF you want a connection to the farmer who grows the food you eat; and IF you want more of your food dollars to stay in the local farming economy; and IF you want to see economically viable farms in your community; and IF you want to provide farmers in the community with the economic incentive to continue to “work with” the land and nature—instead of selling out to land developers, then purchase a farm share from one of the many local Buncombe County farmers. Better still, join our CSA—Cane Creek Asparagus & Company!
We are fortunate in WNC and the Asheville area, in particular, to have a large number of CSA Farmers. We believe every farm has the right to be economically profitable. We encourage you to get to know your CSA Farmer—to go beyond mere words to a true understanding of the bigger picture. If you try one CSA for an entire season and are not satisfied, please try another. Most CSA Farmers are eager to please, but the particulars of each CSA are unique. Please read through our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about how we operate our Fairview family farm.
Cane Creek Asparagus & Company CSA has been serving Arden, Asheville, Biltmore, Fairview and all of Buncombe County and northern Henderson County with over twenty years of continuous CSA Farming experience! As farmers we are passionate about what we do and proud of what we grow. We want you to see actual photos of what is in our CSA veggie boxes! Our web site is filled with photos of actual farm shares boxes which we photographed before delivering to the recipient. And, yes, every word on this website comes from the heart because we write and maintain it ourselves, too. If you have other questions about how we operate our farm or what organic or sustainable means to us, please give us a call. We would love the opportunity to bring your family along on our local harvest journey this season.
Cane Creek Asparagus & Company CSA 