General CSA FAQs

Since 98% of Americans don’t grow their own food, it has to come from outside sources - usually the grocery store and/or nationwide delivery services. This drastically impacts how far food must travel from where it is grown to where it is consumed. Not only do these increased transportation times impact our environment by adding to pollution, but also our own health, as produce picked much earlier than at peak freshness contains less vitamins and minerals, and/or  has preservatives and chemicals added to maintain freshness. The closer your food is grown to you, the fresher and healthier it is, the less it has to travel, and the better it is for the environment. For more information on eating locally (Be A Locavore!), we really like Plenty (The 100 Mile Diet) by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon

Do you enjoy cooking at home on a regular basis? Trying new fresh local fruits and vegetables regularly? Have you never met a vegetable you didn’t like? If so, then we think you’ll love our CSA Program. Do you only like to experiment in the kitchen occasionally? Are you or your family members very picky and very resistant to try new things?  If so, then shopping at our farmers market and country store are better options for you. That way you can still find what you need on a regular basis, but you can also try new things slowly and at your own pace.

A good example of a Full CSA Summer Share is: 1 pint blueberries, 3lbs of peaches, 1 quart of tomatoes, 1lbs of green beans, 6 ears of corn, 1 bunch of beets, 2lbs of summer squash, and 3 cucumbers, 1 eggplant, fresh herbs such as basil, rosemary, and sage .

A good example of a Medium CSA Summer Share is: 3 of lbs peaches, 1 quart of tomatoes, 6 ears of corn, 1 bunch of beets, and 3 cucumbers, 2lb summer squash, fresh herbs such as basil, rosemary, and sage .

Always keep in mind that the produce offered in a share will change throughout the season.

Many small and mid-sized farms focus on growing, not retail. Running a farm stand, CSA, or market requires extra time, staffing, infrastructure, insurance, and customer management—things not every farm wants or is able to take on.

By partnering with farms like ours that sell directly to customers, those growers can:

  • Focus on what they do best: farming

  • Have access to reliable, consistent outlets for their products

  • Reduce the risk and cost of running their own retail operation

  • Reach customers they might not otherwise connect with

At the same time, we’re able to offer our customers more variety and continuity. It’s a win for farmers, a win for customers, and a win for the local food system.

 

Not certified organic—but we grow using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach.

IPM means we focus first on prevention and natural controls: healthy soil, crop rotation, and careful monitoring of pest pressure. We only intervene when absolutely necessary, and always choose the least-impact option available. This allows us to grow high-quality produce responsibly while adapting to real-world farming conditions.

 

Integrated Pest Management is a science-based farming strategy that prioritizes prevention over treatment. At Breezy Willow Farm, that includes:

  • Building healthy soil to support resilient plants
  • Rotating crops to reduce pest cycles
  • Encouraging beneficial insects and pollinators
  • Regular field scouting to catch issues early
  • Using targeted, minimal treatments only when needed

Our goal is to protect our crops, the environment, and the people who eat our food—without unnecessary inputs.

 

Sustainability is built into how we farm every day. Our goal is to care for the land, grow healthy food, and be good neighbors to our local ecosystem.

Some of the ways we do that include:

  • Integrated Pest Management (IPM): prevention first, constant monitoring, and minimal, targeted intervention only when necessary
  • Soil health practices: crop rotation, cover crops, and organic matter to build healthy, living soil
  • Pollinator support: protecting beneficial insects and encouraging biodiversity in and around our fields
  • Efficient water use: mindful irrigation practices to reduce waste and protect local water resources
  • Local partnerships: working with nearby farms and producers to strengthen our local food system and reduce food miles

We’re always learning and adapting, and we believe sustainable farming is an ongoing process—not a checkbox.

COUNTRY MARKET FAQS

We are open Thursday – Sunday from 10am to 6pm

Everyone is welcome at the Country Market. No membership required.

Not only is it a CSA Pickup Location, but we also have a great variety of fresh local produce from our farm and those we partner with, as well as farm fresh milk, Howard County grass-fed beef, pork, and poultry, wild caught Alaskan fish, honey, jams and jellies, other local craft food pantry items, delicious ice cream, Zeke’s locally roasted coffee, and local and artisanal cheeses, just to name a few things. You really can get most of your grocery items here. Plus, since the focus is on local as much as possible, you can shop with peace of mind, knowing the food hasn’t traveled all over the World before it reaches your plate.

The local butcher we use in Carroll County flash freezes our meat immediately after butchering. Since we often buy whole steers and pigs at a time, we certainly don’t want them to spoil before they sell. Rest assured that it has only been frozen once and will be fresh upon thawing for your cooking at home. Unlike other grocery stores where meat can often be frozen, thawed, and refrozen again.

Pasture Raised. We just think they’re the best.

Yes. It is illegal to sell completely unpasteurized milk in the state of Maryland. We get our milk from Trickling Springs Dairy, and just think it’s superb. It is only lightly pasteurized and we think you can taste the farm fresh difference.

CSA Pickup Location Questions

You may contact us to upgrade your weekly order. Depending on the season you can choose one of our value added packages. Bread & Eggs – Weekly In addition to your fresh, local, seasonal produce, we also offer 1 dozen pasture-raised eggs and a freshly milled premium bread from one of our local bakeries Eggs Only – Weekly 1 dozen pasture-raised eggs Value Added – Weekly You’ll will also receive a rotation of farm fresh cheese, specialty jams, granola and other local specialty items. Soap-scription: As a part of the soap-scription you will save 20% on your favorite 6 bars of handcrafted soap. Prior to the start of the CSA we will email you a list of all the available choices and we will then deliver them to you with your first CSA pick-up. That’s all there is to it. Our handmade soap will last you on average 2 weeks because they are made with all natural products such as olive oil, coconut oil, sustainable palm oil, shea butter, and goats milk. They do not contain parabens, alcohol, petroleum, or preservatives, which are commonly found in commercially made soap. Honey share: Here is your chance to lock in local honey from our hives for the entire season. You will receive four 1lb jars of honey, spaced evenly throughout the season, beginning in early June with the start of the summer CSA. If you love local honey and all of its benefits, this is a great opportunity to assure your honey pot never goes dry at a great discounted price. CONTACT US
Nothing to worry about! We are flexible too and will work with you to make up the missed items the following week.  If possible, let us know a few days in advance. We’ll donate whatever you missed that week to the local Howard County Food Bank.
Definitely! Just have the person picking up for you give us your name at the sign-in.
We have you covered. There will always be a trade box available for you to swap out for something else you prefer.

Delivery FAQs

You may contact us to upgrade your weekly order.
Depending on the season you can choose one of our value added packages.

Bread & Eggs – Weekly
In addition to your fresh, local, seasonal produce, we also offer 1 dozen pasture-raised eggs and a freshly milled premium bread from one of our local bakeries

Eggs Only – Weekly
1 dozen pasture-raised eggs

Value Added – Weekly

you will also receive a rotation of farm fresh cheese, specialty jams, granola, and more local specialties

Soap-scription:
As a part of the soap-scription you will save 20% on your favorite 6 bars of handcrafted soap. Prior to the start of the CSA we will email you a list of all the available choices and we will then deliver them to you with your first CSA pick-up. That’s all there is to it.
Our handmade soap will last you on average 3 weeks because they are made with all natural products such as olive oil, coconut oil, sustainable palm oil, shea butter, and goats milk. They do not contain parabens, alcohol, petroleum, or preservatives, which are commonly found in commercially made soap.

Honey share:
Here is your chance to lock in local honey from our hives for the entire season. You will receive four 1lb jars of honey, spaced evenly throughout the season, beginning in early June with the start of the summer CSA. If you love local honey and all of its benefits, this is a great opportunity to assure your honey pot never goes dry at a great discounted price.

CONTACT US

Home delivery is determined just prior to the start of each season and we will notify you via email. Typically delivery will be on Thursday or Friday.

Our CSA members have the option to set a standing bread request for the season or to choose a weekly variety throughout the season.

Definitely!  We recommend a large cooler with cold packs to keep everything safe from the summer heat.

Nope - we’re not the cable company 🙂 Just leave your cooler we take care of the rest.