Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a terrific subscription-based program for Indiana parents who want to incorporate more farm-fresh products into their family’s diet. Once you sign-up, you’ll get a periodic box from a local grower that’s filled with wholesome goodies. If you dream about fields of nutrient-dense vegetables and cows grazing on a lush pasture, use our guide to find a CSA box in your area.

Hoosier Heritage Farm

Image via Flickr by FarmersGov public domain image

The family farmers at Hoosier Heritage Farm in Noblesville have raised their animals the right way since 1947 — with plenty of green grass and sunshine. This practice makes for a superior product you can’t get on a Styrofoam tray at the store. You won’t find growth hormones, antibiotics, or GMOs in any of Hoosier Heritage’s products, including its grass-fed beef and pasture-raised pork, chicken, and turkey. 

The Fishers community is within the farm’s 20-mile delivery area, or stop by the property on East 146th Street and pick up your order. It’s a beautiful place to reconnect with nature. Many of Fishers’ children have never seen growers tending to the land nor experienced where food comes from, and they can do that here, plus you can check out the blog for interesting stories about life on the farm.

Garcia’s Gardens LLC 

The folks at Garcia’s Gardens are growing food, protecting green space, and providing healthy food to Fisher residents. Located on East 42nd Street in Indianapolis, this small but mighty urban farm grows a huge variety of fresh, organic produce. Its diligent farming methods produce a long list of summertime goodies, from mushrooms and zucchinis to beets and salad greens. You can even pick up edible flowers for decorating a birthday cake and medicinal herbs.

Find Garcia’s at local farmers markets when you’re in the area or get a delivery Tuesdays and Thursdays. Join the market club membership and save big on all of Garcia’s market produce and gardening supplies — up to $40 in free goods. Consider supporting the grower by recycling your fall leaves and yard clippings. The staff here will pick them up for mulch and composting material.

Cosmic Gardens

Ellie Edwards and Abby Dyke started the Cosmic Gardens CSA in 2014 on South Arlington Avenue in Indianapolis. This collective group of metropolitan farmers maintains various garden spaces around the city. With the help of a team of dedicated volunteers, this dynamic duo takes advantage of vacant city and private properties to cultivate food. These folks utilize biodynamic agricultural principles to grow fresh produce and heirloom plant starts while promoting urban homesteading and beautifying the city’s east side. 

Cosmic Gardens offers a 21-week membership program that starts in June and ends in October. In the spring, your box may contain scrumptious greens like arugula, collards, and daikon. Summer shares yield staples like potatoes, summer squash, and sweet peppers. The season closes with dried flowers, cabbage, and pumpkins.

Teter Retreat and Organic Farm

Teter Retreat and Organic Farm sits on the banks of the scenic White River in nearby Noblesville. Its CSA project is the ideal way for you to purchase certified organic vegetables directly from a local farm. Your whole family will reap the many health benefits of eating seasonal foods grown from non-GMO seeds without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.

Many Fishers parents want to know how their food is grown, and as a member of this box program, you’ll feel connected to the farm and your community. Get an assortment of the farm’s 40 varieties of vegetables from June through October. Choose from 18 weekly pick-ups, or get a box every other week, depending on your family size. The retreat is located on East 221st Street, and you can stop by anytime on Thursday between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The Irvington CSA

Irvington’s CSA box allows shareholders to buy a seasonal subscription of Amish farmer Levi Fisher’s crops. Mr. Levi and his family live in Montezuma, and they practice good land stewardship and the sustainable farming methods that are common to their culture. The contents generally run towards vegetables, but there are occasional berries and melons as they ripen on the vine.

This CSA is run entirely by volunteers, which means parents get great value at a reasonable price. Members pay a set fee in May of each year to receive 25 weekly baskets of food straight from the farm. The cost of a full share averages $23 a week and is enough to feed a small family. Your family will pick up your order at Downey Avenue Christian Church in Indianapolis on Friday evenings between 5:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Grace and Truth Farms

What goes together better than faith and freshly grown food? Not much, according to Grace and Truth Farms owners Zach and Bethany Brown. Their Christian beliefs, old-fashioned work ethic, and community spirit are part of every aspect of their operation.

In keeping with its mission to deliver quality, locally grown food to the residents of Indiana, this family-owned operation in Rossville only uses organic, non-GMO, and chemical-free agricultural practices. This pair of green thumbs produces vegetables, berries, eggs, chicken, quail, and pork.

Iron Roots Farm

If you have a budding young chef in the family, consider adding microgreens to the menu. They’re easy to work with and add a touch of flavor and a dose of nutrition to recipes. Iron Roots Farm grows organic microgreens from seeds, like arugula, broccoli, pea, amaranth, and radish shoots. The staff at this pick provides local deliveries and weekly subscriptions to locals, or you can find them at the Noblesville Farmers Market on Logan Street on Saturdays between May and October.

So, there you have it. Crème de la Crème of Fishers just shared some tips about finding a CSA box in your area. Did you like our picks? Did we miss a favorite source of yours — one Indiana locals love? If we did, let us know! Drop us a line so we can add your suggestions to our list.