About Sweetwater

- Our Mission
- What is CSA?
- Farm Hours
- Sunday Organic Market
- Farm Maps
- Driving Directions
- Board of Directors
- Staff
- Photo Gallery
- Sweetwater Sunday Music Series
- Yoga
- Lecture Series

(back to top)

(back to top)

(back to top)

(back to top)

(back to top)

(back to top)

(back to top)

Our Mission
The mission of Sweetwater Organic Community Farm is:

"To provide an experience that educates our community. Our farm serves as a model of sustainable, organic agriculture and appropriate land stewardship while providing an opportunity to participate in responsible environmental leadership, growing organic food, and fostering a sense of community while working together and enjoying nature."

Sweetwater Organic Community Farm is a non-profit organic farm and educational facility located in Tampa, Florida. Founded in 1995, this example of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) serves approximately 250 members and supporters, and operates on 6 acres of suburban property along Sweetwater Creek in Hillsborough County. Produce pick-up for members is Thursday (4pm to dark) and Sunday (noon to 4pm), and produce is distributed every week from fall through summer (early November–mid-June, depending on weather and growing conditions). A season's harvest includes a variety of greens, herbs, fruits, and vegetables.

What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)?
Commonly known as CSA, Community Supported Agriculture was introduced to the United States in 1985 with the intention of fostering social and ecological responsibility by establishing a direct partnership between farmers and consumers. Unlike most forms of agriculture in which the farmer bears all the risk, a CSA partnership allows members to share the risks and rewards with Sweetwater while enjoying a sense of responsibility for appropriate land stewardship. Families and individuals become members of Sweetwater by agreeing to pay a seasonal fee, which entitles them to a weekly portion (share) of the harvest. Committing to a CSA is more than just access to produce; it involves the deliberate support of sustainable, healthy agriculture.

It is now estimated that there are more than 1000 CSA's nationwide, representing a variety of operational approaches. At some, membership is a simple matter of paying membership dues up front, then picking up the goods once ready. At Sweetwater, we encourage learning and member involvement by offering rebates on paid memberships for work performed at the farm. This option is a great way to help keep alive the vital, hands-on knowledge of producing food, as well as offering experienced gardeners a chance to try things on a grander scale. Sweetwater staff are happy to help newcomers learn the ropes, and "seasoned" working members are also a great source for learning.

A CSA farm is a great community builder, bringing neighbors together to forge new friendships while providing the best kind of nutrition from organically grown produce. From a broader perspective, as a Sweetwater member you can feel proud to help keep alive one of the foundations of this country, the small family (community) farm. A great source for more info about CSA in general and specific CSAs around the country (find one for your parents or siblings or other family and friends!), look here, or look at our own links page. Organically farmed produce is especially apporpriate for those concerned with genetically modified organisms (GMOs)and genetic engineering. Find out more from the Organic Consumers Association.

Farm Hours

August thru October	November thru May
Tuesday thru Saturday 9am-4pm	Wed, Friday, Saturday & Sunday 9am-4pm Thursday 9am-6pm

Hours for Produce Pick-up
Thursday Noon-6pm
Sunday Noon-4PM

Please bring cloth, recycled, or recyclable bags to transport your produce.

Sweetwater Sunday Organic Market
The Sunday Market begins November 4th and runs through May. Download our flyer as a reminder and to share with friends. Open to the public; Sundays, Noon to 4:00 PM during the season.

Sweetwater is growing more than organic fruits and vegetables; we are also growing a community Farmer’s Market! Open to the general public, the market features a ‘Sweetwater booth’ as well as a growing number of other vendors. At our booth we sell many organic items we don’t grow on the farm, as well as some of the weekly ‘surplus’ produce we do grow right here on the farm. Non-Sweetwater raised produce (still organic) includes: apples, sweet onions, strawberries, kiwis, baking potatoes, mushrooms, coconuts, beans, tomatoes, and many more items, like local honey, plants, Sweetwater T-shirts, and even compost. We are also very happy to offer some of the best organic chocolate bars, whole-bean coffee, and cocoa available anywhere! What makes it even better is that it is all ‘fair-trade’, meaning that the growers get paid a respectable amount for their efforts.

Other vendors at the market are selling wonderful organic cotton clothing, beautiful hand-woven straw hats, Florida-native plants, hand-made soap, hand-made bread, hand-made candles and jewelry, arts and crafts, and other items.

We want the market to grow and become a community event during our growing season. If you are a like-minded vendor, or know of one who would like to join our Sunday Market family, please contact Rick at 813-887-4066 or at director@sweetwater-organic.org. We will be VERY happy to hear from you!

Farm Maps
Below is an overview map of Sweetwater Farm. Colored areas represent the farm land and show the main fields and buildings, as well as Sweetwater Creek.

The map below is a more detailed map of the farm property.

Driving Directions
From I-275, take the airport exit. Continue north past Tampa International Airport on the right, SR 60 exit on the left, and Veteran’s Expressway on the left. Continue north on Eisenhower Blvd to Hillsborough Ave. Turn left (west) onto Hillsborough Ave. Go west on Hillsborough to Hanley (4th traffic light), turn right on Hanley for 1 block, turn right onto W. Comanche. Follow W. Comanche a couple hundred yards… slowly, the pavement ends! Please ‘angle-park’ in the area on your left. Walk across the new foot bridge over Sweetwater Creek, and turn right into the farm driveway. The barn where shares are distributed is at the end of the driveway.

Handicap parking: Please reserve the area outside the farm gate, and the few spaces directly inside the gate for handicap parking only. And please DO NOT park on the sidewalk; our neighbors use the sidewalk regularly. Also, please do not park on the north side of the road, it is private property not owned by the farm. The directions for handicap parking are the same except you turn right on Sawyer, which is the 3rd traffic light after turning on Hillsborough Ave from Eisenhower Blvd. Go north on Sawyer to W. Comanche (2nd left). Turn left (west) on W. Comanche to the dead-end.

Unless utilizing handicap parking, please do not drive into the farm beyond the gate.

Board of Directors, 2007-2008

Staff

Photo Gallery
Visit the Sweetwater photo galleries.

Sweetwater Sunday Music Series
More information soon.

Yoga
Yoga every Sunday. More information soon.

Lecture Series
More information soon.