Which Farm is for Me?
You're ready to join a CSA farm share. . . But which farm is best for you? Here's a breakdown of similarities and differences to make the decision easy!
First question: Location
Is location important? Most people want their farm to be near their home or office since you are coming by once a week for your food. Check out the map here. If you want to explore further, check out this google map!
What's the same:
We grow a diversity of veggies, most everything you can grow in Missoula's cold climate.
We grow about the same amount of food for each CSA. It is a lot of food! We are not skimpy with our shares.
All of our pickup days and times are the same.
We ask that you bring your own bags/coolers/boxes to pickup (zero waste, y’all).
Our farm staff is passionate about eating and preparing this food — they want to help you succeed in the kitchen. All of us are happy to geek out on recipes, storage how-to’s, how to cook with what’s in season, and any other question you may have. We also have videos, a slice of online support, and a blog to answer your questions.
Our Community Education staff member supports all CSA members with storage information, recipes, and many blogs on eating and preparing local food. Real Dirt Blog here!
In signing up for a share, you are supporting Garden City Harvest — the organization behind these farms, the 11 community gardens and 9 school gardens in town. We plant seeds and grow together to create a healthy Missoula. Your dollars mean we can keep planting seeds with this community. That means creating connections from the ground up.
We grow food for all Missoulians, regardless of income, by growing food for the Missoula Food Bank, Poverello Center, Youth Homes and six other agencies in town. Each farm has a different set of relationships with agencies — the PEAS Farm and Orchard Gardens with the Missoula Food Bank, River Road with the Poverello, Youth Farm with Youth Homes, etc. When you join a CSA farm share, you are helping support our farms in growing food for neighbors in need.
We grow our food sustainably, using nationally recognized organic food standards. We aren’t certified organic, but we follow similar (same or more strict) rules without going through the certification process. That means our food is grown without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides, because we care about the culture and ecology our food production cultivates. Just another advantage to buying locally — you can ask us questions about our practices, we can even walk you out into the fields and show you how your food is grown. We build trust. As a CSA farm share member, you are a part of our farm.
What's unique:
Orchard Gardens
210 N Grove St
Near Reserve & 3rd Street
VEGGIE SHARES
$575 Large Share
$375 Small Share
No Winter Share
EBT? Yes
SLIDING SCALE? Yes, scale ranges $200-$575.
FRUIT? Yes, there is a small orchard. Fruit available seasonally for additional purchase.
FLOWERS
Wedding & Special Event Flowers - See Pricing.
Pick your own, included with CSA
Photo: Chad Harder
About:
Orchard Gardens is home to a small number of community garden plots, an orchard with native bee boxes, seed saving garden, medicinal herb and flower gardens, educational tours for kids including produce samples, a farm stand for residents where EBT cards are accepted. The farm also supplies the Missoula Food Bank with 5,000 pounds of produce annually and is home to the greenhouse that grows starts for 3 of our 4 farms.
What’s Unique:
This is our only farm that offers a sliding scale and EBT/ SNAP payments for CSA farm shares
Our smallest farm in size, there is a smaller CSA group and a greater member to staff ratio.
Opportunity to purchase additional fruit, when available. It is a good price, with you-pick and pre-picked options. Apple and plum seconds may be available as part of the share near the end of the season, but this will be dependent on the year's orchard yield.
End of season storage box brimming with potatoes, onions, shallots, garlic and winter squash. Great value as it lasts for several weeks into the late fall!
Onsite greenhouse where Youth Farm, River Road, and Orchard start their veggies for the year. It gets turned into a hoop house in the summer, where heat-loving veggies flourish (think great tomatoes and peppers!).
Bring your compost bucket from home and empty it at the farm.
What Veggie Pickup Is Like:
Orchard is a mixture of weighing your own produce and having some bundled for you. It should take about 10 - 15 min to select your veggies.
Once the flowers bloom, you can take a pair of scissors and cut your own! (add 15 min)
Farm Staff:
Liam Cody, Farm Director. Liam grew up in Ithaca, a small city in the Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York. After college he spent three farm seasons working for small family farms around Ithaca, coaching high school cross country, and the winters traveling and farming in New Zealand and Utah. He recently completed a Master’s in Environmental Studies at the University of Montana, focused on Agriculture and Experiential Learning. He likes card and board games, podcasts, books, basketball, and running Missoula’s fantastic trails. Liam is excited to bring energy working alongside teens, and growing spectacular vegetables, at the Youth Farm.
Hadley Gideon, Lead Farm Assistant. Hadley was born and raised in Hamilton, MT where, in high school, they participated in a summer internship program at Homestead Organics Farm. There, they were introduced to organic farming and their love for it grew. They went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana. Along the way, Hadley continued working on farms, starting with Garden City Harvest as an intern at the PEAS farm, then moved to Orchard Gardens in 2019 as an apprentice and is now an assistant. They have also worked in the greenhouse at Caras Nursery for several years. In their free time, Hadley likes spending time with their two black cats, taking care of their houseplants, cooking, and roller skating.
Miriam Harris, Farm Assistant. Miriam grew up in Salt Lake City and moved to Missoula in 2014 to pursue a degree in environmental studies at the University of Montana, where she was introduced to the world of sustainable agriculture through the PEAS Farm program. After graduation, she continued on at the PEAS Farm as the caretaker for three seasons, where her love for farming grew. After working at Clark Fork Organics for a season, she’s returned to Garden City Harvest as one of the farm assistants. When not working, Miriam enjoys making art, cooking, and spending time outdoors.
PEAS Farm
3010 Duncan Drive
Upper Rattlesnake
VEGGIE SHARES
$575 Large Share
No Winter Share, no small share
EBT? Call the Garden City Harvest office
FLOWERS
Pick you own, included with CSA
Photo: Erika Peterman
Description:
This 10 acre farm is nestled next to Rattlesnake Creek in the Upper Rattlesnake neighborhood. The Program in Ecological Agriculture and Society (AKA, PEAS!) has combined traditional academics with hands-on work at an urban, sustainable farm. The farm partners with the Environmental Studies program at the U of M to create an outdoor classroom where many college students come to learn farm ecology, soil science, sustainability, and the fine art of community. Each growing season, the PEAS Farm grows at least 15,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables for the Missoula Food Bank to distribute to low income families. The farm is home to our Farm to School and Youth Harvest programs. Animals on the farm include pigs and chickens.
What Veggie Pickup Is Like:
PEAS Farm’s CSA pickup is designed with beauty, convenience, and engagement in mind. For some veggies, we want to make it easy on you so we pre-bag or bunch. Others are more fun for you and your kids to select yourselves. Should take 5 - 10 min to pick up your produce. The PEAS Farm has a lot more worker bees, thanks to the students who are learning on the farm (and helping us make local food happen while they’re at it). That means more bagged salad greens, bundled green onions, and boxed sun gold tomatoes rather than pick/weigh/bag your own.
Since we only offer large shares, we have lots of folks who split a share with a friend or neighbor. We have plenty of picnic table space for those who want to stick around, divvy up their share, or take in the beautiful scenery. In a good fruit year, PEAS members get berries in the summer and tree fruit in the fall. There is no end of year storage veggie box.
Flower shares and u-pick are both available. When the farm has a bumper crop, we will offer first come first serve canning/storage quantities at an additional price.
What’s Unique:
Small amount of fruit included in the farm share.
Animals! Pigs and chickens live on the farm. Kids and adults alike can experience the simple pleasure of feeding our pigs.
Play area for kiddos!
Additional flower share bouquets (6 weeks in early summer for $50) and free u-pick flowers after flower share ends for members only.
Onsite hoophouses and greenhouse, which means you’ll likely get carrots earlier in the season and heirloom tomatoes after the first frost.
Hub for much of Garden City Harvest’s programming: Youth Harvest project, educational school field trips, kid’s summer camp all take place at the PEAS Farm.
University of Montana Environmental Studies program partners with Garden City Harvest to create an outdoor classroom at the PEAS Farm. University students learn through growing food for you!
Each season, PEAS Farm grows:
At least 15,000 pounds of produce to the Missoula Food Bank.
4,500 pounds for our Mobile Market program where teens deliver produce to seniors at affordable housing sites.
2,000 pounds to be picked and eaten on by kids on our Farm to School program’s education farm field trips.
Farm Staff:
Dave Victor and Caroline Stephens head up the PEAS Farm. Dave takes the lead on farm operations, Caroline on educational programming for the University.
Caroline Stephens was raised in the bluegrass region of Kentucky. She got her introduction to farming back in Kentucky, and then moved west to pursue her master's degree in Environmental Studies at the University of Montana, where her research addressed the history of drought management on grain farms in central Montana. After graduate school, she managed production at Foothill Farm in St. Ignatius, Montana, and then moved to the Moon-Randolph Homestead, where she and her partner served as caretakers at a working, public homestead. You might also see her calling a square dance around town. . .
Dave Victor is a scientist when it comes to farming in the best sense possible. He keeps up on the latest studies, he tries new things in the orchards and fields, and keeps meticulous records of what he does, what worked, and what didn’t. He builds from this each year. He is a lover of plants and the soil that sustains them. He has a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana where he focused on seed saving, starting Garden City Harvest's seed saving program.
Peter Wilson, PEAS Farm Field Manager, grew up in Portland, Oregon, and spent most of his childhood surrounded by plants at his grandparents’ nursery. Peter spent summers running around the greenhouses and garden store and working with his sisters and cousins for his grandparents. He moved to Missoula in 2011 to attend the University of Montana and got his degree in Philosophy with a minor in Environmental Studies. He started at the PEAS Farm as a summer intern and later became caretaker at the PEAS Farm, and now the PEAS Farm Assistant. When he isn’t up at the farm he enjoys fishing, hunting, biking, and of course yoyo-ing!
Maggie Gammons, PEAS Farm Caretaker, was born and raised in Butte, MT, but has been happy to call Missoula home for the past 6 years. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Montana, where she developed a deep love for community agriculture. A big-time plant nerd, Maggie has many seasons of farming and gardening under her belt and is excited to be the new PEAS Farm Caretaker. When she isn’t poking plants, she loves playing fiddle, experimenting in the kitchen, and cuddling her big orange cat.
River Road Farm
1657 River Rd
Near Russell Street Bridge
VEGGIE SHARES
$575 Large Share
$375 Small Share
$575 Winter Storage Share
EBT? Call the Garden City Harvest office
FLOWERS
Pick your own, included with CSA
Photo: Athena Photography
About:
Established in 1996, River Road Farm offers community garden plots, a summer CSA share program and a winter CSA share program offering produce good for canning, freezing, and storing over winter. A green oasis just off Russell Street, the River Road Farm bustles in the spring, summer and fall with farmers, volunteers, community gardeners, CSA members, and a flock of chickens. The farm produces 4,000-6,000 pounds of produce each year for Soft Landing Missoula and the Poverello Center. Through the Volunteer for Veggies program, over 150 people volunteer at the farm, taking home vegetables for their labors.
What’s Unique:
Pick your own flowers, included in share, plan for extra time (it’s worth it).
End of season storage box brimming with potatoes, onions, shallots, garlic and winter squash. Great value as it lasts for several weeks into the late fall!
No fruit (yet — an orchard is planned. . . )
Chickens! Great for kids and for the farm soil.
Onsite office and kitchen means more chance for fun events and cooking demos.
Bring your compost bucket from home and empty it at the farm.
Winter share option (pick up large amounts of veggies July - October to process/store for winter) - Additional $575.
What Veggie Pickup Is Like:
River Road CSA farm share is more hands on, do it yourself. The veggies are put out on tables in baskets and wax boxes and you come and fill your bags/cooler/boxes with the produce. There is a whiteboard listing the week’s veggies and how much you should take of each. Members then weigh out their produce or count their tomatoes and kale leaves and pack their bags with each.
River Road relies on volunteers to harvest and grow the veggies. That means they focus their energy on important farm tasks (weeding, watering, making the food vibrant and healthy). Nothing is bagged or bundled ahead of time. Advantage: you get to pick your own — do you like a lot of small carrots? Or a mix of small and large? You get to choose! This process does take an extra few minutes, so River Road pick up ranges from 10 - 15 minutes.
PICK YOU OWN FLOWERS: You are encouraged to pick your own flowers. It is a great chance to explore the beauty and your own connection to the farm! Feel your connection to the farm — you are a part of it.
Farm Staff:
Dylan, Greg, Ian, and Alexi in the beginning of the farming season.
Greg Price, Farm Director. Greg has served as the River Road Neighborhood Farm and Community Garden Manager since 2002. Under his management, the farm produces more than 30,000 pounds of food in an annual growing season averaging just 120 days. In a past life, Greg cooked for and managed the kitchen of Second Thought Restaurant. He now uses his kitchen creativity in cooking up the menu for Garden City Harvest’s Wintergreens locally grown supper and fundraiser. Greg is a great advocate for grizzly bears and loves a good funk band.
Ian Wilder, Farm Manager. Ian started with us in 2015 as the PEAS Farm Caretaker while he was an undergraduate at the University of Montana. He now works at River Road as Field Manager, helping plan, nourish and harvest the fields and educate and work with the many volunteers.
Dylan Conlin, Farm Caretaker, started in the summer of 2021. Fresh to the world of farming, he has found digging in the dirt to be great fun! Raised in Salt Lake City, he had some exposure to the great outdoors. That exposure led to a passion, and that passion led to living in a van and working seasonally, travelling in between jobs. Dylan has spent some time in the Southwest desert, Oregon, Arkansas, and now right here in Missoula! When he isn’t pullin’ weeds or pickin’ tomatoes, you can usually find him riding his bike, hanging at the climbing gym, or slappin’ some bass.
Alexi Rampp-Taft, Farm Apprentice, grew up in Sequim, Washington. She moved to Missoula to attend the University of Montana where she is currently pursuing degrees in environmental studies and art. Alexi has had previous experience working at a lavender farm and at a vegetable farm on the Olympic Peninsula. This is her first season working at Garden City Harvest as a farm apprentice. In her free time she enjoys biking, backpacking, snowboarding, and going on long hikes with her dog.
Youth Farm
2824 W Central Ave
Near South & Reserve
VEGGIE SHARES
$575 Large Share
$375 Small Share
No Winter Share
EBT? Call the Garden City Harvest office
FLOWERS
Pick your own, included with CSA
Description:
The Youth Farm, started in 2010, is a partnership between Youth Homes and Garden City Harvest. This farm is the hub for our Youth Development program, hiring teens who reside in one of Youth Homes group homes. These young farmers gain skills for life by acquiring job experience, learning farm trades, basic cooking skills and working to develop confidence and a sense of connectedness. The Youth Farm is a youth-directed neighborhood farm. It has a historic barn, a wash shed, and a walk-in cooler. The Youth Farm grows excellent food and provides meaningful opportunities for young people in our community. Your weekly visits enrich our program as well as put delicious, diverse and locally grown food on your table.
This is a great farm for the food, which is excellent, but also for the people. Your weekly visits will enrich lives as well as put food on your table.
What Veggie Pickup Is Like:
Some produce is is bundled or bagged ahead, some you need to weigh out yourself. Pick up generally takes around 10 minutes or less. You can also stay awhile, cut flowers, take a walk around the farm or shoot some hoops.
What’s special about the Youth Farm pickup is the people that you meet. Each summer we hire several teens who are living in care at a Youth Homes group home. We help them gain job experience, learn new skills, provide mentorship and an opportunity for community engagement (that’s where you come in!). The food you pick up is grown, weeded, and harvested by them. The Youth Farm is truly youth powered.
While our youth employees are learning the ropes of work on the farm, they also assist at our weekly CSA farm share pickups. As a CSA farm share member of the Youth Farm, you can help them work on their customer service and communication skills during veggie pickup. They’re a great resource if you have questions about your pick up, the vegetables we grow or where to cut flowers.
What’s Unique?
An opportunity to get to know and support our teen staff.
Pick your own flowers, included in share.
Bring your compost bucket from home and empty it at the farm.
Opportunity to purchase additional fruit, when available. Includes you-pick and pre-picked options.
The Youth Farm provides fresh produce to:
Youth Homes’ group homes for children and teens in our community.
5 other social support networks for moms and those struggling with addiction and mental health.
10 weeks of Mobile Market program where our teens deliver produce to seniors at affordable housing sites and the Missoula Urban Indian Health Center.
Farm Staff:
Katie, Meredith, Shane, and Aggie getting ready for the season at the Youth Farm!
Shane O’Leary, Farm Director, grew up in the small mountain resort town of Whitefish, Montana. After graduating from the University of Montana with a degree in English Literature and a minor in Political Science, he pursued two very different but extremely formative career paths, organic vegetable production and social work. He has worked on vegetable production farms in Montana and Washington and has worked with youth in both group home and public school settings. At the Youth Farm, these two paths converge into a job that has both social work and farm work. His experiences in both of these fields have put in high relief the all-encompassing need for connection and compassion. When he is not gardening or mentoring youth, he is making his way through a great novel, exploring wild places, spending time with dear friends examining their works and days in profound yet humorous detail, or passing the time with a favorite album.
Meredith Dahlk, Farm Coordinator, was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin and has a degree in Environmental Science from UW Madison. She moved to Missoula for an AmeriCorps position in early 2020 and has been in Missoula since! Outside of the farm, she enjoys baking, reading, and hiking around Montana.
Trace Potter, Farm Assistant, is a Missoula native and has been a mainstay at Garden City Harvest’s Youth Farm since 2010. Trace started out as a member of the youth employee crew and built their considerable skills over time to become the Youth Farm Apprentice. With close to a decade of experience farming this site, Trace is an invaluable member of the team. When they are not helping run the show at the Youth Farm, they can be found hiking, tending to their cat, or getting lost in a good book.
Aggie Fredette, Farm Assistant, was born and raised in the mountains of Vermont where her first job was on an organic garlic farm. In the spring of 2019, after completing a five week cross country road trip across the US, she settled in Missoula to pursue her sustainable agriculture internship at Clark Fork Organics. Aggie holds a B.A. in Anthropology and a B.A. in Photojournalism from Northern Vermont University, where her passion for sustainable farming, food sovereignty, and education outreach flourished during her time as a trip leader for her school's Break Away volunteer service trip program. When she’s not working in the soil or cooking up meals at the Youth Farm, Aggie enjoys getting funky to some live music, experimenting in the kitchen, foraging for wild edible plants, practicing fire spinning, and jumping into mountaintop lakes.
Katie Halloran, Farm Apprentice, is really looking forward to learning as the Apprentice on the Youth Farm this summer. After spending the last seven years growing and raising tiny humans, she is curious to see what it is like to grow something that stays where you put it. Katie grew up in Butte, MT, and studied English and Environmental Studies at Gonzaga University. Before moving to Missoula in 2016 and becoming a stay-at-home parent, she spent time in various places as an AmeriCorps volunteer, teaching preschool, and managing Farm to School efforts at a non-profit organization. Her family was a member of the Youth Farm long before she joined the staff. All three of her boys like to come along for pick up, especially on strawberry days.
Questions?
So, there are the basics. If you have questions, give Gabby a call at the Garden City Harvest main office: 406-523-3663. We would love to chat with you about our offerings. Or, feel free to leave a question in the comments and we will answer it. If you have the question, there's bound to be others that do, too.
You can also sign-up to receive email updates about CSA’s HERE!