YOUR MEMBERSHIP at West County Community Farm

A BRIEF GUIDE TO ENJOYING YOUR HARVEST SEASON

West County Community Farm's CSA model is unique — built around open farm access, free-choice produce, and abundant u-pick crops. Below are the key guidelines and tips you need to follow the rules, stay safe, and get the most out of your share.

Questions? Come find us on the farm or reach out — we're happy to help.

All adult members are required to attend an in-person orientation. If you haven't had one yet, let us know and we'll make it happen!

 
 

KEY DATES & TIMES

Our 2026 Harvest Season runs for 6 months, from June 12th – December 8th

CSA Harvest Pick-Up Days:
Fridays:  1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Saturdays:  9:00 am – 2:00 pm (with Sonoma Mountain Bread)
Tuesdays:  1:00 pm – 6:00 pm (with Zwiebel’s baked goods)

U-pick & farm access: 7 days a week, sunrise to sunset!

🌟 Pro Tip: Please finish filling your bag before pick-up ends — it helps our crew wrap up after a long harvest day!

THE HONOR SYSTEM

The things that make WCCF special — free-choice produce, u-pick crops, 7-day-a-week farm access — are only possible because our members follow an honor system. Not following these guidelines harms the farm financially and shortchanges your fellow members. All members must:

Sign-up for the Correct Share Size

Your share size must reflect the number of adults in your household eating from the farm — not how many vegetables you think you'll eat. Kids ride free! If affordability is an issue, request Share Price Assistance rather than under-representing your household.

Obey All Crop Limits — Barn & U-Pick:

Limits are posted on the chalkboards in the barn and apply per share, not per adult. "Strawberries — 4 pints per share" means 4 pints for the whole household. Check the board every week before picking. If limit language is ever confusing, just ask. Exceeding limits may mean a fellow member goes without.

🌟 Pro Tip: All posted limits are weekly and reset every Friday — unless labeled "Season Limit." Season limits apply to bulk crops available in large quantities for a limited time and indicate the quantity that a share can take over the course of the whole season (e.g. 15 lbs of tomatoes for preserving).

Follow Farm Safety Guidelines:

This is a working farm — tractors, tools, electric fences, and gopher traps are part of daily life here. Children must be supervised at all times. Drive slow on Cooper Rd. and in our parking area. No playing on equipment. Only eat clearly labeled plants. No dogs on the farm. Read our full Safety Guidelines.

 
 

PICKING OUT YOUR PRODUCE IN THE BARN

When Can I Come Fill My Farm Tote Bag?

Come on any Friday, Saturday, or Tuesday during the hours listed above. Which day you come can change week to week — just fill your farm tote bag only once per harvest week.

Important: Our Harvest Week starts on Friday. Week 1 = Friday + Saturday + Tuesday pickups. Week 2 starts the following Friday.

🌟 Pro Tip: U-picking is open 7 days a week — the harvest pick-up schedule above are our pre-produce pick-up times (potatoes, kale, carrots, etc.)

How Much Can I Take?

Free-choice, market-style — take what you’ll eat! Every household gets one WCCF tote bag regardless of share size. The bag is your volume limit for pre-harvested produce from the barn each week:

  • 1-Adult, 2-Adult, and 3+Adult shares all get the same farm tote bag

  • Crop limits (e.g. “1 watermelon per share”) apply to the whole household, not per adult

  • Crops with no limit next to them mean, take what you eat! For example, if you’re a huge lettuce fan, you can take 5 heads!

  • U-pick crops, herbs, flowers & crops labeled :”out-of-bag” (i.e. large stuff, melons, winter squash, or bulk offerings) are icing on the cake — they don’t count toward your WCCF tote volume limit

🌟 Pro Tip: Bring an extra basket or bag! U-pick crops and “out-of-bag” crops are often abundant — especially in the late summer and fall.

Sending Guests in Your Place

Going on vacation? Send friends or family! They must sign the waiver on arrival on the sign-in table, sign-in for your share, receive a quick orientation from you, and have read a copy of this guide.

Alternating Weeks

If you signed up to alternate weeks with another household, you are counted as one share. Do not both come to fill your tote or u-pick on the same harvest week. Season Limits also apply to your group combined — you must coordinate how to split them.

U-PICKING!

One of the best parts of WCCF membership is all the food, flowers, and herbs available for you to pick yourself — on your schedule! Here’s how to do it.

Crops

Strawberries, cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, sugar snap peas, Jack-O-Lanterns… and so much more!

When a crop is ready for u-picking, it will be listed on the u-pick chalkboard in the barn near the sign-in table, with the weekly limit and a color coded flag to help you find it in the garden area. Weekly limits reset every Friday morning.

  • Check the chalkboard before picking food crops

  • Limits are per share — e.g. “Strawberries — 3 pints per share” = 3 pints for the whole household that week, not per adult.

🌟 Pro Tip: Pick in the back! Food crops get picked over near the entrance — head to the backs and forgotten corners of the beds for real abundance.

🌟 Pro Tip: You can u-pick any day, sunrise to sunset — just stay within the posted weekly limits!

Culinary Herbs

A colored name stake in a bed or barrel means the herb is ready to harvest. No stake = needs more time. Herbs aren’t strictly limited — harvest what you’ll eat and observe the plants. Pick generously when plants are bursting — and lightly when they're just getting started. Bulk harvesting for household use (drying, pesto) is fine when plants are in late-stage abundance. Commercial bulk harvesting is not appropriate.

🌟 Pro Tip: Annual herbs are planted throughout the flower garden. Explore to find them! Perennial herbs are near the oak trees and in the barrels nearby.

Flowers

All flowers were planted for you! Flowers label themselves — if you love it, pick it. No strict limit — the CSA spirit applies, take what will beautify your space and observe the plants. Pick generously when plants are bursting — and lightly when they're just getting started. Bulk harvesting for drying is fine in late-stage abundance. Commercial bulk harvesting is not appropriate.

🌟 Pro Tip: Pick BIG bouquets — we grow lots of flowers for you. Don’t be shy!

SHARING THE EXPERIENCE

Guests Welcome!

We love seeing you enjoy the farm with friends and family. Guests must sign the waiver at the sign-in table and follow all farm etiquette. Members can share the u-pick experience with guests as long as you stay within your posted weekly allotment.

Explore!

Members are welcome to explore the fields, enjoy the playground, and picnic areas 7-days a week. This is a working farm and home to residents — parents must supervise children at all times and all farm equipment is off-limits for playing.

No Dogs

We love dogs, but for food-safety and insurance reasons, no dogs are allowed anywhere at West County Community Farm — except those owned by farm residents.

PRO-TIPS!

  • Read the Newsletter! It contains everything you need to know each week — what’s coming in the harvest, when the Halloween pumpkin patch opens(!), recipes, and farm news.