Questions and Answers

About Our Farm

Learn more about who we are, what we do, and what we offer below.

Where are you located?

Caney Fork Farms is nestled in the rolling hills of Carthage, Tennessee—about an hour east of Nashville. Our 400-acre farm sits along the banks of the Caney Fork River, where we steward the land using organic and regenerative practices to grow vegetables, raise pasture-based livestock, and care for the soil.

Can I visit the farm?

We love sharing the farm but we are not open to drop-in visits.  We do offer CSA member events throughout the year - be sure to sign up for a share and register for our next event.

Can I work for Caney Fork Farms?  What about volunteering?

Please check our jobs page to learn if we're hiring right now, but we’re always looking for values aligned folks to talk with. Also, each summer, we welcome two interns from Skidmore College, and we’ve recently developed an exciting new partnership with Warren Wilson College’s Farm Program, offering additional internship opportunities through their hands-on agricultural education model. 

Interested volunteers can email us at info@caneyforkfarms.com to learn more about volunteering opportunities.

Where can I buy your products?

You can find our products at farmers markets in Nashville, TN, and through our CSA pickup locations in Carthage, Lebanon, Henderonsville, and Cookeville. We also offer select items for purchase directly through our website, including seasonal produce, meat, and pantry goods when available. Select grocery stores also carry out products throughout the year.

Whether you shop with us online or in person, every purchase supports regenerative farming and local food in Middle Tennessee.

Do you offer wholesale products?

Yes.  We partner with lots of different restaurants and grocery stores to bring organic and regenerative products to market.  Contact wholesale@caneyforkfarms.com for more information.

Whether you shop with us online or in person, every purchase supports regenerative farming and local food in Middle Tennessee.

What is different about Caney Fork Farms than any other farm?

Caney Fork Farms is one of many farms globally focused on land and community regeneration through agriculture. We believe in food sovereignty, the right to decide how we grow our food. We along with many other farms in Tennessee are working to build a resilient food web for our region. 

What makes Caney Fork Farms unique in this space is our whole-diet CSA model delivered year around through flexible pay options. We also research our soil and farms ecosystem health as well as the nutrient density of our crops so that we can verify the outcomes we are striving for. Our research is a management tool that provides valuable feedback, allowing us to improve year-over-year.

Is all of your produce certified organic?

While we are a USDA certified organic farm through CCOF, we do at times partner with other farms who do not hold that certification but still use organic methods. Our partnerships allow market access for new or beginning farmers while increasing the diversity of our offerings. Our goal is to increase the number of certified organic farmers in our region and we do that through building lasting relationships.

What all do you grow?

We produce four distinct categories of agriculture products: Vegetables, Grains, Chestnuts, and Livestock. We grow 50+ varieties of organic fruits and vegetables and offer a year-around CSA Farmshare model. We grow heirloom varieties of corn, wheat, and pulses (peas and beans) that we harvest dry and store to sell throughout the year. We mange over 1800 chestnut trees and harvest the nuts in the fall. We raise cattle, sheep, and pigs on our farm in Carthage and sell 100% grassfed beef and lamb and pasture-raised pork. We also work with a partner farmer in South-Central KY who grows pasture-raised chickens and turkeys for us. Beyond all of this we grow soil and are known for our ‘beyond-organic’ practices that focus on regenerating not only our farm land but our rural community and region as well.

Our Whole Diet CSA

Learn more about our unqiue whole diet CSA, and why we believe in it.

What is a CSA? 

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. When you join a CSA, you’re buying a “share” of the farm’s harvest in advance. That means you’re directly supporting a local farm (like ours!) and in return, you receive a regular delivery of fresh, seasonal food—like vegetables, pasture-raised meats, or eggs—throughout the season.

It’s a win-win: you get high-quality, nutrient-dense food straight from the farm, and we get the support we need to plan ahead, grow intentionally, and farm sustainably. CSA members also get early access to our best products, regular updates from the farm, and a deeper connection to where and how their food is grown.

What types of CSA’s are available?

At Caney Fork Farms, we offer several types of CSA shares to meet different household needs and food preferences:

  • Vegetable CSA: A weekly or bi-weekly share of fresh, organic vegetables—seasonal, diverse, and always harvested at peak ripeness.
  • Meat CSA: Choose between a Regular or Large share of our grass-fed and finished beef, lamb, and our pasture-raised pork and chicken. Each box includes a rotating variety of cuts.
  • Egg Add-On: Organic, pasture-raised eggs from our friends at Sequatchie Cove Farms.

You can mix and match shares and choose the frequency (weekly or bi-weekly) that fits your lifestyle. Every CSA is built to give you the best of the season, straight from our regenerative farm.

Is there a minimum length for CSA’s?

We offer flexible CSA options—no long-term commitment required. You can subscribe on a month-to-month basis and skip or cancel anytime with just a few days’ notice.

That said, many of our members stick with us for the full growing season or year-round to enjoy the variety of produce and meats as the seasons change. The longer you’re with us, the more connected you’ll feel to the rhythms of the farm.

Can I pick and choose what goes into my CSA?

No.  Our CSA is designed to reflect what’s freshest and most abundant on the farm each week, so we curate each box for you based on the season’s harvest.

This model helps us reduce food waste, streamline packing, and ensure you get the best of the farm with each delivery.

I missed my pickup — what do I do now?

Life happens — we totally understand. Here’s what we do when a share goes unclaimed:

Vegetable CSA:
Because produce is highly perishable, we’re unable to hold or re-deliver your box after the pickup window. But your food won’t go to waste — we donate any unclaimed shares to local food access programs St. Andrews, Cathage Help Center, and Haven House in Carthage, TN.

Meat CSA:
We can typically hold your meat share in cold storage and, when possible, move it to another pickup location later that week. If a share remains unclaimed for over a week, we’ll donate it to a local organization so it still supports our community.

Planning ahead?

If you’ll be out of town or need to make a change to your order, you can skip, or reschedule your share directly through your customer portal. Just be sure to make any updates before the weekly order cutoff on Sunday—after that, your share is already in motion and being prepared for harvest and delivery.

What happens if I miss the cutoff?

Because we harvest and pack shares based on orders placed by Sunday, we’re not able to offer refunds for missed pickups. However, we believe good food should never go to waste. Unclaimed shares are donated to local food access programs.

It’s one way we partner with you—our CSA members—to nourish not only your household, but others in need across our region.

Why subscription?

A subscription to Caney Fork Farms isn’t just a convenient way to get fresh, organic food—it’s a commitment to something bigger. When you subscribe, you’re helping us plan ahead, reduce waste, and grow exactly what our community needs. That means better harvests, healthier animals, and less guesswork.

It also guarantees you a share of the season’s best, week after week—whether it’s heirloom tomatoes at their peak, freshly ground sausage, or just-picked greens. With a subscription, you get consistency, transparency, and a deeper connection to your food and the land it comes from.

How does payment work, and can I make special requests?

We process payments on Sundays, just before each pickup week, to give our team time to harvest, pack, and prepare your share. You’ll receive a confirmation email once your order is processed, and your pickup will happen later that week (Tuesday–Saturday, depending on location).

  • Pricing: We offer a sliding scale for our Vegetable CSA to keep it accessible and equitable.
  • Add-ons: Want to add extra produce, meat, or pantry items? Just email us at info@caneyforkfarms.com at least a week in advance.
  • Gifting: A CSA share makes a nourishing gift. We’re happy to help you set one up.
  • Refunds: We don’t offer refunds for missed pickups, but your share will always be put to good use by nourishing others in the community.

Research and Education

Part of our mission includes a robust calling to experiment, organize, and share. Learn more about what we do at the farm and our living laboratory model.

What kind of research happens at Caney Fork Farms?

We collaborate on research that deepens our understanding of regenerative and organic agriculture—especially as it applies to our region. Our focus areas include soil health, market development for regenerative products, and on-farm trials for crops, inputs, and management practices.

We’re particularly interested in how land transitions from conventional to organic management, and how practices like composting, silvopasture, and perennial crops (like chestnuts or heritage grains) impact soil organic carbon and broader ecological health.

Are you a researcher interested in collaborating?

We’d love to get to know you and see how our work might align. Contact us at info@caneyforkfarms.com to be connected to our Research director.

Do you offer farm tours?

While we don’t offer public tours on a regular basis, we host a limited number of group tours each year. We prioritize tours for groups whose goals align with our mission of growing healthy food through regenerative, climate-smart practices. If you're interested in bringing a group to the farm, feel free to reach out—we’d love to explore the possibility.

A great way to tour Caney Fork Farms is to become a regular customer. Members of our CSAs and other customers are invited to the farm for special events.

Can I volunteer at the farm?

Yes! We’re currently building our volunteer program and would love to have you involved.To get started, fill out our volunteer form and sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on upcoming volunteer days and orientation events. It’s a great way to get your hands in the soil and learn about regenerative farming.