CHA & Farmer Dave’s Offer Fresh Food for Local Communities

For the seventh year in a row, Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), an academic community health system serving Cambridge, Somerville and Boston’s metro-north region, is teaming up with Farmer Dave’s, a sustainable farm in Dracut to bring locally-grown, fresh fruits and vegetables to communities in its service area - Malden and Cambridge - with a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

In the CSA program, consumers become shareholders of the farm for the season by paying for their shares of the harvest upfront and in return receive freshly-harvested produce. Shares will be freshly harvested by Farmer Dave’s and ready for pick-up on Friday afternoons, from 3 – 6 p.m., at the CHA Malden Care Center. Additionally, folks can pick-up on Tuesday afternoons, from 3 - 6 p.m., at CHA Cambridge Hospital. The program is offered for 41 weeks (early Spring through late Fall) in Malden and 20 weeks (mid-June through late October) in Cambridge.

Every week, CSA members receive shares of fresh vegetables and fruits grown at Farmer Dave’s. Vegetable shares are available in small and regular sizes to suit the produce needs of individuals to large families, vegetarians and omnivores. Every share includes generous portions of the season’s bounty, each in its due time, including summer favorites such as tomatoes and corn, cooking staples like onions, carrots and potatoes, and chefs’ picks like chard, beets, and other novelties throughout the season.

By committing to a local farmer, CSA members are supporting a small business and strengthening the local economy. Perhaps the most noticeable benefit is all the fresh produce CSA members get every week. The produce comes in a wide variety, ensuring that a range of colors and nutrients make it to the dinner table.

In an effort to serve the greater community, CHA and Farmer Dave's will donate surplus produce to the Zinberg Clinic at CHA Cambridge Hospital. For more information about Farmer Dave’s CSA, including registration, payment plans, and more, visit www.farmerdaves.net or call 978-349-1952.

About Cambridge Health Alliance
Cambridge Health Alliance is an academic community health system committed to providing high quality care in Cambridge, Somerville and Boston’s metro-north communities. CHA has expertise in primary care, specialty care and mental health/substance use services, as well as caring for diverse and complex populations. It includes three hospital campuses, a network of primary care and specialty practices and the Cambridge Public Health Dept. CHA patients have seamless access to advanced care through the system’s affiliation with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. CHA is a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate and is also affiliated with Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and Tufts University School of Medicine. For more information, visit www.challiance.org.