Common Ground Garden
The Common Ground Garden is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, where members purchase a share of vegetables and, each week during the farm season, receive a bountiful box of fresh produce straight from the fields. We pride ourselves on producing fresh, clean, healthful food picked at the peak of flavor and nutrition. Our vegetables are produced in as far as possible without the use of any chemical herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. We use cover crops, rotations, compost and ingenuity to produce your food in a way that's healthier for you and healthier for the community.
What are the benefits?
Members receive a bag of fresh vegetables each Thursday from early June to mid-October. The bag usually contains a variety of items over the season…from Apples to Zucchini!
Here is a list of when members might anticipate receiving their produce by season (seasonal scale):
- 1 - Early
- 2 - Early-mid
- 3 - Late-mid
- 4 - Late
| Vegetables | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beets (2-4) | Broccoli (2-3) | Cabbage (2-3) |
| Cucumber (2-3) | Eggplant (4) | Green beans (2-4) |
| Hot peppers (3-4) | Kale (3-4) | Kohlrabi (2-4) |
| Leeks (4) | Lettuce (1-3) | Onions (4) |
| Peas (2-3) | Potatoes (2-4) | Radishes (1) |
| Salad greens (1-3) | Spinach (1) | Sweet corn (3) |
| Sweet peppers (3-4) | Tomatoes (3-4) | Carrots (2-4) |
| Spicy greens (1-3) | Parsnips (4) | Scallions (2-3) |
| Pac Choi (1-2) | Tatsoi (1-2) | Zucchini (2-4) |
| Summer squash (2-4) |
| Fruits |
|---|
| Melons (3-4) |
| Watermelons (4) |
| Grapes (for juicing, jelly or canning) (4) |
| Gourds |
|---|
| Gourds (4) |
| Pumpkins (4) |
| Winter squash (4) |
| Herbs | |
|---|---|
| Basil (2-3) | Cilantro (2-4) |
| Dill (1-3) | Parsley (2-4) |
| Chives (1) | Sage (4) |
Flowers
A variety of flowers are available during the season for bouquets (2-4)
What else?
- Our vegetables are freshly cut and chilled at harvesting! Unlike the store bought produce it is harvested and in your hands in 24-48 hours… more flavorful and more nutritious.
- Members receive a newsletter each week filled with information about the fruits/vegetables in their weekly share, recipes, news from the garden, and notices of upcoming events.
- Members are invited to participate in social events at the garden and these occur throughout the season.
- Members join with us in learning the rhythms of the land and eating “in the season.”
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Members support an agricultural system connects people on the farm directly with their communities, making our communities stronger.
Directions/Location
The primary pick-up location is the Quonset hut near the gardens on the property of Saint Benedict's Monastery in St. Joseph. To pick up your weekly share, enter from Minnesota Street at the college entrance (near 4th street SW). At the 4-way stop, make a right and follow that road to the hut!
The other location is St. John's Episcopal Church in St. Cloud.
Mission of the Common Ground Garden
Common Ground Garden will create community around the production of high quality, chemical free fruits and vegetables in as sustainable a manner as possible. Within this work, Common Ground Garden will work to inspire and educate the community in the value of locally and sustainably produced food.
Values
Common Ground Garden’s values are inspired by the values of the Benedictine community, particularly including environmental stewardship, spiritual connections through our relationships with others, and the sustainability of these values through our work.