About

What is a CSA?

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It is a direct market relationship, meaning that local farmers sell their produce directly to consumers. To get started, during the winter and spring (January- May) a CSA farmer works with a city group to sell shares. CSA members pay for an entire season’s produce before the harvest begins; the price of this share will be enough for the farmer to cover for his yearly costs. During the summer and fall (June- November) the farmer delivers a wide variety of vegetables once a week to a common point in the community where the members pick up their weekly share of produce.

What is Tierra Direct?

The mission of the Tierra Direct CSA is to provide the Washington Heights community with access to fresh, affordable, organic, locally grown produce. Our CSA will allow us to purchase fresh produce directly from a farmer who does not use chemicals to grow this food. We will also get to know our fellow CSA members through events and activities we plan that help us learn about healthy food, including how to cook it. We will also get to meet and visit our farmer, as the CSA will help us learn more about where our food comes from and how it is grown.

Tierra Direct CSA is one of many CSAs located in New York City. Tierra Direct started distributing its first vegetable shares in this community in June, 2010. (There are a few other CSAs located here in Washington Heights and Upper Manhattan, with the same mission of providing residents with direct access to high quality, fresh produce grown locally by regional farmers.)

Where does the produce come from?

Tierra Direct CSA gets its vegetables from La Baraja Farm, which is owned by Pedro Rodriguez. La Baraja is a 10 acre farm located in the Black Dirt Region near the town of Goshen, New York. Goshen lies about 60 miles northwest of Washington Heights and west of the Hudson in a valley area known for its extremely fertile soil.  Pedro Rodriguez started farming with his brother, Martin Rodriguez, in 2004, and in 2006, Pedro decided to start his own farming business. He incorporates healthy, natural practices of growing his produce free of chemical and pesticides. Pedro now operates La Baraja Farm, where he grows a variety of vegetables and herbs throughout the season, and currently sells his produce at farmers markets.