About Our CSA
La Finquita del Buho (The Little Farm of the Owl) began in 2000 with an oversized family garden and a group of vegetable-loving friends. Since then, we have grown to a sustainable 100 share CSA. We are still family run and operated, serving the local area lovingly grown and harvested produce.
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. This means that you, the members, share in the joys of farm fresh produce and help defray some of the risk of farming. Members of the farm pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and the farmer’s salary. In return, you receive shares in the farm’s bounty and gain the satisfaction of reconnecting with the people who grow your food and the earth in which it is grown.
We strive to make our produce affordable for both the members and farmers and are proud to accept SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks.
We offer opportunities to participate on the farm through the weekly harvest, work parties for larger project like pruning, and farm events at the beginning and end of the regular season. Please see our calendar, read our latest blog posts, or reach out for more information about getting involved!
Quality
We aim to provide nutrient dense, sustainably-grown vegetables and fruits following Oregon Tilth’s organic practices. While we’re not certified organic, we refer to our produce as “sustainably grown without pesticides or herbicides”. We strive to create and maintain healthy soil, promote biodiversity, and minimize water inputs. We NEVER use GMO seeds and prioritize organic seeds, often using heirloom varieties. We support over 100 member households on about 1½ acres of planted land.
Quantity
One share will consist of a large basket of produce each week, enough for 2 vegetable loving adults and 2 children. In spring, we'll have lots of greens like chard, spinach, and lettuce. Summer and fall bring plenty of warm-weather veggies, including tomatoes, peppers, basil, and squash. You’ll discover new vegetables and enjoy tasty staples every week. Fruit will start in June and continue through fall. Please see our photo gallery and Instagram page for sample baskets!
Distribution and Pickup
We harvest the produce weekly. Members will self-serve pick-up at the farm anytime from 8 am to 8 pm. We harvest on Sundays and Wednesdays. Once the harvest is completed, usually by 1:00 p.m. members are welcome to come by and pick up their share. This means that the people whose pick-up day is Monday can come anytime after 1:00 on Sunday through Monday evening to get their produce. The vegetables are kept fresh in our cooler and members follow a “shopping list” and fill their own basket. Each week your share will contain 7 – 15 varieties of vegetables and fruit. You have the option of Monday or Thursday pick-up. We reserve the right to place you on either day if needed to even out the harvest. We ask that you keep the same harvest day throughout the season. Each share comes with the weekly newsletter and recipes. Much of our communication with members is done by email so be sure to check the newsletter for any variation in this schedule.
Who we are
We began farming in 2000 with an oversized vegetable plot and 7 friends. We have grown over the years into a large community of over 120 families.
We at “the little farm of the owl” are proud to have served you all for over 20 years as a CSA. Juvencio works the farm full-time while finding time to take care of the animals as well. Lyn works the farm part-time and the other part of her week is spent at the clinic. We have raised our three kids here on the farm. The farm is located 15 miles west of Portland in a part of Hillsboro known as Helvetia. La Finquita is a community where the members have direct access to the farmers and the fields where their food is grown. The menagerie of animals and heritage orchard make for a pleasant weekly outing with the kids.
Lyn and Juvencio met in 1988 when Lyn was a peace corps volunteer in Juvencio’s homeland of Honduras. After getting married in a rural village we moved back to the states where Lyn pursued her dream of becoming a family doctor and Juvencio continued his education in horticulture. We moved all over the country during Lyn’s training and had our three kids in three different states. We finally settled in Oregon after Lyn found employment at Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center; a migrant community health center in Cornelius.
