CSA Member Agreement & Guidelines

  1.  NPF's Animal Husbandry Practices

North Plain Farm is a family owned and operated livestock farm that has been operating in Housatonic and Monterrey, Massachusetts for 20 years. While not certified organic, we closely follow organic principles in all of our operations. Our beef and dairy cows born and bred on the farm and are 100% grass-fed and rotationally grazed to maximize carbon sequestration and preserve the soil upon which they graze. Our heritage breed pigs are born and bred on the farm and are pasture raised and fed certified organic grain. Our eating chickens and laying hens are also pasture raised and fed a locally grown non-gmo grain. Additionally, their diet consists of whatever food they forage while on pasture.

North Plain Farm never uses synthetic chemical herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. We do not use antibiotics. In very rare circumstances, if one of our animals is sick and needs to be treated with antibiotics, they are taken our of the meat or dairy rotation until the medicine has fully cleared their system.

All of our meat is processed at Eagle Bridge Custom Meat, a USDA facility in Eagle Bridge New York. 

2.  Products included in a share

North Plain Farm will exert all reasonable effort to provide the items in the shares listed below. If due to an unforeseen circumstance we are not able to provide a customer with a specific item we will exchange it for a cut similar in price/quantity/quality. 

If you would like to add on to your share (eggs, milk, special cuts etc)  please let us know at least 48 hours in advance and we will be happy to pack up additional items and bill you for those separately. Our stock list can always be found on our website www.northplainfarm.com/store

Full Share: $1000 total (equals about $38/week for 26 weeks). Below is a list of the items you will receive every month for 6 months. All items come frozen and each weight is approximate, the packages vary slightly 2 chickens (approximately 3.5-4.5 pounds), 2 one-pound package of ground beef, 1 one- pound package of ground pork. 2 one-pound packages of stew beef, 2 one-pound packages of pork sausage (choice of  hot,  sweet or andouille 4 per package), 1 pork or beef roast(approximately 3-4 pounds), 1 one-pound package of breakfast sausages (8 per package)

Extra Full Share $1550 total (equals about $60/week for 26 weeks). Below is a list of the items you will receive every month for 6 months. All items come frozen and each weight is approximate, the packages vary slightly: 3 chickens, 1 soup hen, 4 one-pound packages of ground beef, 2 one-pound packages of stew beef, 2 one-pound packages of pork sausage (choice of  hot,  sweet or andouille 4 per package), 1 pork  or beef roast (your choice- approximately 3-4 pounds), 2  one-pound packages of sliced bacon, 2 one-pound package of breakfast sausages (8 per package), 1 one-pound package of ground pork.

3. CSA Membership

Members will receive a monthly share of meat. The CSA season runs from the end of December though the end of May. CSA customers receive access to our favorite recipes for easy “weeknight” dinners.

Splitting Shares: A “full” share is meant to provide a small family with enough meat for the month, an “extra full” share should be enough for a larger family or a family with big eaters (hello teenagers). If you would like to split your share we are happy to accept two separate payments but ask that you take the responsibility of dividing up the share. 

4. Picking up your share

You are responsible for picking up your share each month at NPF during the specified day and time that you choose—either Tuesdays from 4:00 pm–6:00pm or Saturdays from 9:00–noon.
You are welcome to come early and enjoy the farm. However, the distribution area will not be ready for you to get your share until the appointed start time: 4:00pm on Tuesday and 9:00am on Saturday.

Pick up dates are as follows: (12/29 and 1/2, 1/26 and 1/30, 2/23 and 2/27, 3/30 and 4/3, 4/27 and 5/1, 5/25 and 5/29)

PANDEMIC PRECAUTIONS: please wear a face mask at the farm at all times, please maintain 6 feet of distance from customers and farm employees.

5. Unable to pick up share

If you are unable to pick up your share, please give us as much advanced notice as possible—ideally, at least 24 hours. You then have the following options:

  1. You may have someone else pick up your share. Please let us know who will be coming in your place.

  2. If you can come the following day, we can make individual alternate arrangements for pick up. We can do this on occasion but prefer not to make it a habit.

  3. With at least 24 hours notice, you may switch your pick-up day to the alternate day (either Tuesday or Saturday). We prefer that you pick one day and stick with it, but we can accommodate occasional changes.

6. Transporting, handling and freshness

We encourage you to bring your own bags, boxes or cooler to carry your share home. We do have crates that you can borrow but we ask that they be returned to us at your next pick up. 

We keep exacting track of our meat inventory and although our meat is frozen we move though our inventory to assure that you are receiving “fresh” frozen meat. Our meat is flash-frozen at the slaughterhouse at extremely low temperatures, locking in freshness.
The great thing about our vacuum sealed frozen meat is that you don't have to use it all in a month- you can squirrel away sausages for a summer party or bacon for a holiday breakfast. All of the meat you receive is best consumed within 6-8 months. 

All meat will be handed to you well sealed. Handle your packages carefully so as not to break the vacuum seal. To prevent this, don’t pick up the packages from the edges or sides, use your whole hand to grab a thick part of the cut when transferring the meat. 

7. Payment

By selling CSA shares, members help our farm to get though the slower months of the year and maintain capital for purchases ahead of spring. We will expect your first payment to be made at pick up of your first share. We will credit your $50 deposit towards your first payment. You can pay the $50 via venmo, credit card (we will waive the 3% fee), check or cash at the farm store. The deposit is due by 12/23.

We prefer to be paid via check or money order. We will add a 3% fee to credit card transactions. We are happy to accommodate payment plans as follows and of course appreciate payment in full if that is an option:

Full share payment options: 2 payments of $500 due at the first and 3rd pick up (12/29 or 1/2 and 3/30 or 4/3), 4 payments of $250 due first, second, fourth and fifth pick up (12/29 or 1/2, 1/26 or 1/30, 3/30 or 4/3, 4/27 or 5/1)

Extra full share payment options: 2 payments of $775ndue at the first and 3rd pick up (12/29 or 1/2 and 3/30 or 4/3), 4 payments of $378.50 due first, second, fourth and fifth pick up (12/29 or 1/2, 1/26 or 1/30, 3/30 or 4/3, 4/27 or 5/1)

Please indicate on the main CSA page which payment plan and method you prefer

We realize that paying for high quality, conscientiously raised meat is a choice and we deeply appreciate that you trust us to feed you and your family. It is an honor and a privilege to be a farmer here and now. Thank you for supporting our work!