Flushing residents met with farmers from Golden Earthworm Organic Farm to launch the 2016 season of the Flushing Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

“Where else can you get great locally grown vegetables and fruit delivered close to home for 26 weeks?” asked CSA member Jack McLernon. “We love it and are back for another year of fresh and delicious produce.”

The “Meet the Farmer” forum took place at the Quaker Meetinghouse at 137-16 Northern Boulevard on Sunday, and featured presentations by local organic food producers and urban farm groups.

Farmer Maggie Wood brought samples of the fruits and vegetables that Flushing CSA members can expect this year.

Golden Earthworm started as a small farm in 1996 by Matthew Kurek, a chef-turned-farmer with a passion for vegetables and sustainable agriculture. Golden Earthworm now cultivates more than 80 acres of protected land in Long Island and serves more than 1,500 families in the metropolitan region.

Golden Earthworm was also joined this year by a number of local vendors who are also partnering with Flushing CSA, including Doaa Elkady, owner and founder of Spice Tree Organics, Maureen Regan, who is supplying her famous Whitestone Honey, and students from John Bowne High School, which is supplying eggs from their nationally renowned agricultural program.

“I love being a CSA member because it helps me feel connected to my community, to the earth and it lets me feel in control of what’s going into my body,” said Emily Griffin Sheahan. “I like that I have met my farmers and seen my food growing in the fields. It’s a connection to the land many of us have lost.”

Flushing CSA will deliver vegetables weekly from May 26 through November 17, and organizers expect to increase the number of local families served from 40 to 60.

Flushing CSA is open to all, and members pick up their shares on Thursdays between 5 and 8 p.m. at Flushing Town Hall, located at 137-35 Northern Boulevard. For more information or to join, contact the Flushing CSA at FlushingCSA@gmail.com.

Shares in the Flushing CSA cost $565 a year, which comes out to about $23 a week, with enough food for a family of three adults or two adults and two children.

To expand access to low-income households, Flushing CSA is creating new subsidized shares for those who want to participate but cannot afford the full membership fees.

“By participating, we not only benefit from a healthier community and cleaner environment, but we also contribute to a more sustainable local economy,” stated John Choe, executive director of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce. “Buying local improves our quality of life and expands economic opportunities for all of us.”