There is still plenty of farm work to do - our daily milking of Patches, the family cow, and feeding the chickens, also crop plans, seed orders, taxes and all that.

Welcome to our new Fairfield County members! We are now offering boxed shares at 4 locations: Darien, New Canaan and 2 drop sites in Fairfield.   We've gotten lots of questions from new members regarding our farming practices.  In a nutshell, we use practices which are compliant with "Organic" and strive for nutrient density in our crops.  (This means choosing non-GMO seed, plenty of compost and appropriate soil ammendments, avoiding herbicides and synthetic pesticides.  If we choose to spray, we only use Organically Certified products and strive to avoid it in the first place by having balanced soils which produce healthy crops. ) Our one imported crop, Sweet Corn, is locally grown, non-gmo, but not organic.   For us, sustainability is not only about choosing sustainable inputs; it is a constant striving for a better and healthier "farm organism," including our employees, our neighbors,  our customers, our family, our animals, and the earthworms! 

We've got the super crew of apprentice ready to go for the season - Tonya, Kasey and Dakota from last season along with Mira, who has already spent a bunch of time with us. Once our planning is done we'll have lots of touch up projects at the farm and believe it or not the greenhouse will be starting by the end of February for onion seedlings! So here we go - off to fully enjoy the rest of the winter and "off" season!

Tracy and Dan

CSA is a way to reconnect families and individuals with the farms in their local communities. CSA is a refreshing commitment to local agriculture considering that most produce in our country travels about 1,300 miles while our own neighborhood farms are often unable to survive. CSA members support the farm by buying a share of the year's harvest. Members pay for their share in advance, providing capital for operating expenses such as seeds, compost, utilities, greenhouse supplies, etc. When the harvest begins in early June members come to the farm once a week to pick up their share. Members become more connected to the land by eating seasonally and by seeing how weather effects the crops. An early frost may kill off the last of the tomatoes but might sweeten up the fall spinach!

Our Growing Practices

We are strongly committed to sustainable agriculture practices.  We never apply chemical herbicides, pesticides or toxic fertilizers to the land. “Sustainability” encompasses a wider range of issues than those addressed by organic certification. These important issues include efficient use of water, energy, and farm resources, as well as biodiversity and the economic viability of our small family farm.  

Membership at Chubby Bunny

Our CSA members.... 

•enjoy eating freshly picked, delicious, chemical-free veggies 

•trying new varieties and recipes  

•showing their kids where food really comes from

•being directly connected to the farm where their food is produced

•ensuring the viability of small family farms

What's in a share? 

Our shares are a bountiful week's supply of veggies.  A share usually includes 8-12 different items.  As a member you can experience the benefits of eating what is freshest when it's in season - from spring greens like arugula to summer tomatoes and eggplant, and into the fall with lots of roots and winter greens like kale & collards.  We do our best to provide the basics like onions, carrots, potatoes, lettuce, and broccoli; we also love to introduce you to new varieties like celeriac, komatsuna and heirloom tomatoes. 

Local Membership

Local members have weekly access to our u-pick garden which includes herbs, green beans, cherry tomatoes, strawberries and more! 

Local members may choose  either a full or small size farm shares. Our full share is a good choice for couples or families that eat at home often and love cooking and trying new recipes. Our small share may be a good option for individuals or couples, for those who eat out a lot, aren't used to eating many veggies, or simply if you'd like to supplement your own garden. The small share is essentially half of the full share. 

Fairfield County Membership

New for the 2012 season! Members in Fairfield County enjoy the convenience of box delivery at four different locations - Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield Center and Fairfield East. Members are also welcome to visit the farm through out the growing season. 

White Plains Membership

We have a vibrant CSA community in White Plains, NY sponsored by Hazon and the Synagogues of White Plains. In addition to the csa delivery, this location offers monthly market days with local artisanal food vendors and a variety of other events throughout the season. For more information, including membership please contact them directly at whiteplainscsa.com.

Farming Apprenticeships at Chubby Bunny Farm

An apprenticeship at Chubby Bunny covers all aspects of vegetable cultivation and marketing.  We grow over 60 varieties of vegetables at our farm.  Our season begins in March with growing starts in our greenhouse. We grow many crops in successions and will continue seeding throughout the summer. In April and May we start plowing, fertilizing and transplanting and cultivating outside in the fields. In June we start harvesting for the CSA and start attending our markets.  By the end of August we are finishing up with our vegetable planting, planting cover crops and starting to bring in our bulk crops. In the fall we continue to harvest and clean up the fields.  

We grow on about 10 acres and have a very labor intensive operation. Our unique growing system blends biointensive gardening methods with more traditional row crop growing.   We use tractors for tillage, bed shaping, mowing, and composting,  but are not heavily tractor oriented.  Our emphasis is on quality and yield, combining Eastern and Western methods of growing. Most planting, cultivation and harvesting is done by hand. Returning apprentices have the opportunity to take on individual projects in their own time, such as raising chickens, having a small experimental plot of their own, etc.

Additional Training

Chubby Bunny Farm also participates in the Connecticut CRAFT  (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) Program. Through CRAFT apprentices attend farm tours & workshops at 7 other farms in the area.  These workshops occur about every three weeks during the season and covers topics such as rotational grazing, small scale dairies, vegetable production and others. 

Living Arrangements & Work Schedule

Apprentices are expected to work 5 days a week, about 50 hours with the option to work at the Saturday market .  Attendance at CRAFT meetings is expected and is generally during regular working hours.   We offer a stipend of $800 per month.  Our crew consists of 4 apprentices and the farmers. 

Apprentices live in trailers with cooking facilities, composting toilet and solar shower. You will receive veggies, eggs, yogurt and some meat.  You will be responsible for buying your other food items and for preparing your own meals.     

Our Location and Community

We are in Northwestern Connecticut in the small town of Falls Village with a population of around 2000.  We are about 2 and a half hours from New York City (by train) and 3 hours from Boston (by bus).  We are surrounded by other small rural towns.  We are not far from the Southern Berkshires in Massachusetts which has many cultural activities such as art galleries, theater and musical events.  Locally there are several places for shopping, movies, restaurants, hiking, yoga and judo classes, ultimate frisbee, bicycling, crafts.   

To Apply

Applicants must be responsible, in good physical condition, have an appreciation for modest accommodations and a good nature.  We are most interested in applicants who will apply themselves fully to the tasks at hand as well as the educational opportunities that are offered. To apply send letter of intent and resume.  

The farm is still snowy and we are still without power but there is food for local csa members! We know that this might not reach all of our locals, for many are probably still without power as well.  Quantities may not be the same as usual, so please take note in the cold room. We are still looking forward to the snow melting so we can finish up our final harvests and plant our garlic. Please note that next week is the last week of distributions! 

Hope everyone is staying warm and cozy.

Tracy & Dan