Urban Grains is a community supported agriculture program based in Vancouver, B.C. Started in 2008, with our first year of successful operation in  2009, we are the first ever CSA to provide local grain to people living in the Vancouver area.

We encourage everyone who is interested to join our mailing list. Not only will we keep you updated on the project’s development, but this list is the basis for membership sign-ups - opportunities to purchase sales are offered to mailing list members on a first-come, first served basis. NOTE: Membership offers for the 2010 season will be posted in the spring. Stay tuned!

For any questions, comments or media inquiries, please contact urbangrains(at)gmail.com.

To join our mailing list, simply fill out the form below.

Urban Grains FAQ

What is a CSA?

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, a socio-economic arrangement between one or more farmers and a group of individuals who pay a membership fee entitling them to a share of a season’s harvest. CSAs help foster local agricultural production and food consumption by developing a strong producer-consumer relationship that is often lacking in conventional agricultural systems, as well as by providing farmers with a reliable source of income in times of financial uncertainty prior to harvest.

You can read more about it on Wikipedia.

What was the inspiration behind Urban Grains?

In 2007, residents of the Creston and Nelson area founded the Creston Grain CSA, the first community supported agriculture program for grain in BC. Upon hearing of its success, we decided to try and bring a similar model to Vancouver. A previous post on our blog (Live in Vancouver. Eat Local Grain.) provides a more detailed explanation.

How do I join?

Opportunities to become a member for the 2010 season will be posted in the spring. If you are not already, please sign-up for our mailing list below. Offers of membership will be sent out to our mailing list in order of sign-up.

Who is growing the grain?

Jim Grieshaber-Otto, Diane Exley and their two children manage a community-minded family farm that has been growing small amounts of grain for several decades. About 100 acres in size, Cedar Isle Farm partners with a neighbouring dairy farm to produce silage and hay (for both cows and horses), and pastures Angus beef cattle, layer hens, and free-range broiler chickens. The farm grows a few acres of grain each year – mostly oats and wheat – which is either used as animal feed or sold to friends and neighbours.

What types of grain will be included in the CSA?

The grain crop this year at Cedar Isle Farm will include three acres of fall-sown winter wheat, one acre of triticale (a cross between wheat and rye), and two acres of hard red spring wheat (best for bread), all of which will be harvested for Urban Grains CSA members this autumn.

How much does it cost?

*2010 share costs are still being calculated. The information below refers to the cost of a 2009 share; 2010 costs will likely be similar, but not identical.*

In our first year of operation (2009), each share cost $80 ($1.80/lb), plus an additional $10 to raise money for purchasing cleaning equipment for the CSA, bringing the total to $90 per share. A full $1/lb of every purchase is paid directly to Jim and Diane, the growers. A per-pound rate like that is practically unheard of in the grain industry. Given that this program is a pilot project supplying a product that is nearly impossible to find in Vancouver at the retail level, we think that this price is quite fair.

We’ve even done some comparison shopping: bulk, organic, non-local whole wheat is currently selling for roughly $1.99 per lb or $88.44 for 20 kg (as of March 2009). If you’re purchasing different kinds of wheat in smaller, bagged sizes like we are providing, you can easily pay more than $120. That means that for the price of a share in Urban Grains you get organic, local flour, for about $1.50 more than you would pay at the store for bulk, AND you’re supporting regional grain growing by the inclusion of the equipment fee. We are very proud to be offering you such competitive prices.

More specific details about the CSA can be found in this post.

What if I have more questions?

Please direct any questions that could not be answered through the FAQ to urbangrains(at)gmail.com. Thank you for your interest in Urban Grains.