Foxtail Community Farm
| Common Questions about CSA Shares... How big is a share? We offer two sizes of produce shares. Our standard share (Harvest Basket) averages about one bushel per week. We also offer a smaller alternative (Taste of the Season) that averages about two-thirds of a standard share. For both shares, the quantity and variety of produce increases as the season progresses. How many people will a share feed? One thing we have learned from member feedback is that it is nearly impossible to predict how many people a share will feed, because it is so dependent on your eating preferences and practices. That said, a standard share is about right to feed a typical family of three to five, or two serious vegetarians. The smaller share option may be a good alternative for smaller households that do not cook as often. On the other hand, for any sized household, a larger share gives you the opportunity to preserve extra produce to enjoy over the winter. Can I split a share with another household? You are welcome to split a share if this will meet your needs better. However, it is your responsibility to arrange payment and divide produce with your partner. Please be aware that often a week’s delivery will include only one of a particular item (for example, one head of broccoli or lettuce), so splitting may require some negotiation between you and your partner! As an alternative to splitting a share, you may consider the smaller share option for yourself. Please note that if both you and your share partner want to receive farm updates and participate in farm activities, each household will need to complete a membership agreement form and liability release. Are there other items available that are not included in the regular share? Additional options that can be added to your produce share at an extra cost include local fruit and fresh flower shares. Both of these are selected at the time of your initial sign up, and will be delivered regularly throughout the season (approximately 16 deliveries of fruit, and approximately 12 of flowers). Members also have the opportunity to purchase special items individually through our on-line farm stand, such as eggs, preserves, flower bunches and extra produce. We are also exploring a fall harvest Thanksgiving share for 2012, with details to be announced. Please let us know if there are special items you would like us to explore. How do weekly deliveries work? When you sign up for the CSA, you will select one of our established delivery sites. For 2012 we have seven delivery sites in the Capital District: Albany, Delmar (three sites), Loudonville, the OCFS/CCF building in Rensselaer, and on the farm in Greenville. Sites are located in members' homes, with the exception of the Rensselaer site which is a state office building. Every week we will deliver your produce share to the delivery site you selected. On delivery day you simply pick up your box full of produce (color coded for large or small share sizes), and leave behind an empty box. Easy! Deliveries for 2012 will be on Mondays or Thursdays, depending on the site you select. Shares are dropped off around 4:00 pm. Delivery schedules and site assignments will be finalized closer to the beginning of the season. Why do we need to return our empty boxes each week? The boxes we use to pack and deliver shares are special waxed boxes specifically designed for holding fresh produce. They help to maintain your share's freshness and avoid items being crushed during transport. We special order these boxes no more than once a year, and re-use each box many times for deliveries and later for other storage use on the farm. Returning your empty box each week assures we have enough for the next week's deliveries, helps keep our costs down and reduces wastefulness. If you find it difficult to remember to return your boxes, you are welcome to empty your share into a bag to transport it home and simply leave the box behind. What if we have to miss a delivery? If you are unable to pick up your share, you may arrange to have a friend pick it up for you. Otherwise, you may cancel your share for the week. Please contact us at least 24 hours before your delivery day to cancel a delivery. Due to delivery logistics, we are unable to make changes to delivery days/sites to accommodate vacations or other conflicts. There are no credits for cancellations. When possible we will donate your missed share to our local food pantry. What if I change my mind (or move, etc.) mid-way through the season? Joining a CSA is a commitment for the entire growing season. Generally, there are no refunds once the season has begun. Please do let us know if this occurs, as we will try to work with you to reach a satisfactory arrangement. Do you guarantee that we will get a certain amount of vegetables each week or season? Farming contains risks beyond our control, and we cannot guarantee the availability or quantity of any items. Sharing the risks of farming along with the benefits is a core element of the choice to join a CSA. That said, we are experienced farmers with nine successful CSA seasons (six on this farm, three in Wisconsin) under our belts. We plan each season carefully, from seed orders to planting dates to field and crop management. We also have managed the growth of our membership size closely to assure that we are not overextended. Like all local farms, we have years that are better or worse than others due to weather, insect pressure, seed quality and many other variables. Our member satisfaction and renewal rates have remained strong. We are looking forward to a great 2012 season! Help! What can I do with all these vegetables? It is common for new CSA members initially to feel overwhelmed by the quantity and diversity of produce in your share, especially if you are accustomed to using vegetables as an occasional side dish rather than a staple of your diet. You also may be at a loss for how to use less familiar seasonal vegetables like Swiss chard, leeks, broccoli raab, or celeriac, and wondering why you don’t have corn and tomatoes in June when they are on the grocery store shelves. Increasing the amount of fresh produce in your diet and adapting to enjoy foods when they are in season locally are important aspects of joining a CSA. We are confident you will agree that the quality of fresh local items grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides is far superior to items trucked in to a grocery store from thousands of miles away – even if it’s difficult to adjust to the fact that tomatoes are not in season in New York State until midsummer! We encourage you to modify your diet to accommodate the produce you receive in your share. Throughout the season we will provide recipes and other ideas for using your share of the harvest. You can also post questions and swap recipes and tips with other CSA members on our Facebook page. |
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