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Community Corner

Farm Offers Metro Detroiters a New Way to Get Fresh Veggies

Ann Arbor's Living Stones Farm will be selling its harvest at the Dearborn Farmers Market starting May 27, as well as offering Community Supported Agriculture shares.

Metro Detroiters are reaping the benefits of fresh-picked, organically grown vegetables–thanks to the efforts of the Ann Arbor-based Living Stones Farm.

Living Stones Farm is a 5-acre Pittsfield Township farm that practices sustainable organic farming methods. Owner Amy Heath prides herself on providing the community with high-quality, healthy vegetables that can only be produced through organic farming. Living Stones Farm maintains healthy soil by composting year-round and never using artificial fertilizers.

“Our soil has no pollutants and is far healthier than the soils of industrial farms,” said Heath, adding that it results in healthy vegetables of rare quality and unrivaled taste.

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Living Stones Farm will be selling its produce at the Dearborn Farmers Market every Friday starting May 27. The market will be open 8 a.m.-1 p.m. in the parking lot behind in west downtown Dearborn.

And this year, consumers can enjoy the benefits of organic farming by purchasing Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares from the farm. These shares are an investment in the upcoming season’s crops and provide buyers with a portion of the weekly harvest. As the five-month growing season progresses, the farm’s yield usually increases along with the number of vegetable varieties available. For CSA investors, this means that the types of vegetables available are constantly changing.

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Heath expects Living Stones Farm to provide consumers with more than 120 different vegetable varieties this season.

“We grow so many vegetables that we often have varieties that are completely new to people,” she said.

Consumers who purchase CSA shares quickly realize the benefits of supporting a local farm. Locally grown produce is picked just days before consumption, has higher nutrient value and superior taste, according to Heath. Investing in CSA shares allows families to enjoy a variety of organic vegetables that are fresher than grocery stores can ever provide. CSA shares also give investors a direct connection to the food they consume. Receiving weekly yields from Living Stones Farm is a personal experience that connects consumers with the farmers producing their foods.

“Many customers become friends that we enjoy seeing every week,” Heath said.

Investing in CSA shares provides far-reaching benefits that extend beyond allowing families to enjoy locally grown organic vegetables. CSA shares provide farmers with vital funding before the growing season begins.

The start of the growing season can be challenging because capital is required for equipment and supplies. Purchasing CSA shares from Living Stones Farm also supports the local economy and helps the farm provide employment for citizens returning from incarceration, allowing for meaningful employment in a positive environment.

CSA shares are available from Living Stones Farm as partial shares and full shares. Partial shares are $400 per season and full shares are $640 per season, which works out to approximately $20 and $35 per week, respectively.

Both types of shares are valid for 20 weeks and investors can expect part of the Living Stones Farm’s yield each week. CSA shareholders can arrange to pick up their weekly share in Ann Arbor, or at the Dearborn Farmers and Artisans Market every Friday.

To learn more about Living Stones Farm, visit their website.

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