Clay Bottom Farm Focuses on Flavor and Nutrition

 The beautiful fruits and vegetables in the photo are from the Clay Bottom Farm CSA. Located in Elkhart County and owned by Ben Hartman and Rachel Hersberger, Clay Bottom Farm offers a CSA  where, according to Ben, flavor and nutrition come first. But it only takes one look at these gorgeous baskets brimming with picture perfect produce to also appreciate the breathtaking beauty of the harvest from their five acre farm.
Having just completed the first year of their Summer CSA, Ben and Rachel are already taking 2010 subscriptions. They offer a variety of shares to choose from including summer full and half vegetable shares, a summer fruit share, late season full and half shares, and a full harvest share that runs from June through December and consists of the summer share, late harvest share, and fruit share.  Home delivery can be arranged for a small fee of $3.00 per week and ordering a share is just a mouse click away with their convenient on-line ordering system. 

In addition to the CSA program, Ben and Rachel sell produce at the Goshen Farmers' Market as well as to area restaurants and the Maple City Market Food Co-op. Committed to helping their customers learn where their food comes from, they encourage their CSA subscribers and other customers to come out for farm visits and tours. 
 
"We especially enjoy it when the kids come to the farm with their parents." Ben told me. "We want people to see how we grow and care for the food that they're putting on their family's dinner table." For those who want to get up close and personal with their food and the local food system, Clay Bottom Farm offers volunteer internships where nearby Goshen College students and members of the local community can work on the farm and learn about sustainable farming methods and direct marketing. 

Want to know more about Clay Bottom Farm? Click here. For more photos of the farm (and they are beautiful) click here.

Clay Bottom Farm
11434 CR 34
Goshen, IN  46528
www.claybottomfarm.com
Phone: 574.642.4123
benchartman@hotmail.com

Photos: Courtesy of Clay Bottom Farm
Photo 1: CSA Shares waiting to be delivered.
Photo 2: Rachel and Ben