Meet the Vegetable Farmers

Common Harvest CSA vegetable shares are the collaborative effort between two neighboring farms: Moon on the Meadow Farm and Mellowfields Farm. As CSA farmers we choose to grow a wide range of vegetables that grow in Northeast Kansas in order to give our members a diverse selection of local vegetables. We prioritize CSA agreements because members have dedicated their vegetable purchasing power to us for up to 24 weeks. That is a big commitment and an immense support for our farms.

Moon on the Meadow Farm
certified organic vegetables & flowers

Lawrence, KS

​Moon on the Meadow farm is a certified organic farm on the eastern edge of Lawrence, Kansas in the Kansas River bottoms, owned and operated by Jill Elmers and her fantastic crew of workers and volunteers.  With over 20 years of growing experience, they now utilize around 6+ acres to grow a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, small fruit, and cut flowers.  The Moon on the Meadow Crew is passionate about sustainable agriculture and feeding our local region.

Mellowfields Farm
certified organic vegetables

 Lawrence, KS

Mellowfields Farm is operated by Jessi Asmussen, Kevin Prather, & three full-time team members. Located right on the eastern edge of Lawrence in the Kaw River Valley, they have 10+ years' experience growing a wide variety of vegetables.  Kevin and Jessi believe in the need to shorten food production systems, cultivate food production knowledge and bring fresh food closer to the all the eaters who desire it.

Meet Our Add-on Producers

Other local product shares are available as add-ons. These include weekly bread, weekly eggs, weekly flower bouquets, weekly fruit (Session 2 only), twice per month chicken, twice per month fermented foods,  once a month pork and once a month beef.​ These local artisans and producers raise and create some of the best local foods we have tasted and we are excited to have the opportunity to offer these to you. The add-on producers have agreed to supply Common Harvest CSA members for the entire season. Like the vegetable share, add-ons are offered for each session (3 months) or the full year (6 months). Depending on the add-on you choose, you will pick up your add-ons along with your vegetables. Depending on the add-on, they will be distributed in weekly, bi-weekly and/or monthly schedules. 

Sweetlove Farm
pasture based eggs and chicken

Jefferson County, KS

Sweetlove Farm, started in 1999 by Phil & Sally Holman-Hebert. They specialize in pasture-based farming and raise chickens for eggs and meat. Sweetlove Farm chickens live in light-weight, moveable shelters that give the birds all the things they would naturally want: ​​​shelter from the elements, constant access to fresh air and sunshine, a diet of pasture grasses, bugs, seeds and a specially blended feed ration​. The shelters are moved once or twice daily depending on age so that the birds are always enjoying fresh, clean pasture.

1900 Barker Bakery
bread

Lawrence, KS

1900 Barker was established by Taylor and Reagan Petrehn, two brothers in their early 20's,  in June of 2015. They've been nominated as a semifinalist in the Outstanding Baker category of the James Beard Awards for the last three consecutive years. The baked goods at 1900 Barker claim a rustic aesthetic from the quality grains used to make all of their breads and pastries - some of those grown right here in Lawrence. All of what they do is really simple; they use the best grain and a little salt, substantial amounts of water and naturally-occurring, wild yeasts to create all of the flavor. 

Wild Alive Ferments
fermented foods

Lawrence, KS

Wild Alive Ferments is owned and operated by Sarah Salzman. Wild Alive offers fermented vegetables, condiments and beverages; some that are familiar and some wildly creative, chock full of locally grown bacteria. Some popular items include kimchi, kombucha, fermented hot sauce and sauerkraut. About 95% of the ingredients for the ferments in your share are sourced directly from your Common Harvest CSA farmers!

South Baldwin Farms
fruit

Baldwin City, KS

South Baldwin Farms is family owned and operated. Dave Miles has produced quality brome hay and maintained a small orchard for over 10 years. In 2014 Dave’s daughter, Katelyn, and son-in-law, Gabe, talked him into expanding the orchard from about 1 acre to approximately 35 acres. Planting of apples, peaches, and blackberries began in spring 2015. Their goal is to provide quality products using environmentally responsible and efficient growing methods. 
"We do not follow organic practices, but we do take measures to reduce pesticide usage. We use integrated pest management. This includes spraying insecticides in response to trapping (when pests are seen present) as opposed to guessing. This reduces our sprays and increases efficacy. We use mating disruption for coddling moth and oriental fruit moth which has nearly eliminated the need to spray for these prevalent pests (we do this by hanging rubber pheromone strips that flood the orchard with pheromone that male insects use to locate females for mating and keeps them from finding each other). Some of the pesticides we use are OMRI certified (organic). We use drip irrigation to reduce water usage. We have started using draped net over our apples to reduce sun scald. Previously we had sprayed sun protectants. The drape net also keeps larger insects, like japanese beetles, off of the fruit.”

Stirring Soil Farm
pastured pork

Berryton, KS

Stirring Soil Farm is a biodynamic farm owned and operated by Tanea Bergstrom & Chris Issinghoff.  Their Missouri Mulefoot/Large Black pigs spend their whole life on the farm. Born on diverse pasture (seeded with forage like beets, kale, peas, buckwheat, etc.. ), they feast on good bacteria & bugs in the soils, chomping down cover crops, tilling in the remains of harvested vegetable fields, exploring the shaded tree lines seeded with brassicas & root crops, wallowing in the cool mud, or just chillin in their mobile shelters.

Crooked Bar N Ranch
grass fed beef

Flint Hills, KS

Crooked Bar N Ranch is a pasture based operation raising stock on native, unbroken, tall grass prairie. Alex and Sierra Barron raise Murray Grey cattle in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Their animals are raised in a way that compliments their natural biological processes. The beef is grass finished and the cattle are born on site and stay on grass until they are ready to process. Crooked Bar N Ranch practices calm handling and believes a stress-free environment benefits both the animal and their meat. 

Interested in signing up?
​Please head over to our 2021 MEMBER AGREEMENT POLICY page.

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