free-choice csa
Q: Why free-choice CSA?
A: We grow certified organic produce because we want people to eat it! The increased flexibility of our free-choice CSA system is going to make it easier for you to get the veggies you want when it is most convenient for you. You no longer have to take home items your family won't eat or you don't have time to prep. This means less waste and a better understanding for us about what produce we need to grow more, or less, of each year.
In a given week, you can use as much or as little of your CSA share funds as you need on whatever goods you choose. On a salad kick? Load up on greens and radishes one week. Have pickling plans? Take home ten pounds of cucumbers and some garlic. Despise eggplant? Leave it at the farm for someone else to enjoy! Want a small amount of a wide variety of veggies, just like the old CSA share? You can still do that, only now you can pick exactly what you want in your share in whatever quantity you desire.
And finally, you will now be able to take home Good Stead Farm pantry items and goods we carry from other producers using your CSA share. This means in addition to our vegetables, your CSA share could include maple syrup, ground beef, Crimson Crisp apples, handmade lavender soap, or maitake mushrooms. Our entire inventory is now available to CSA members.
Q: When does the CSA start, and for how long ?
A: It's year round! Signs up are ongoing and your free-choice CSA funds can be used all year long. Unused credit will remain on your account year-to-year.
Q: How does this work?
A: Customers will prepay for their CSA share at the beginning of the season (late winter/early spring), we will then credit these funds to your account, to be redeemed at any point during the year. If you wish to come every week to the farm for your produce, you can do that. If you know you will be out of town for two weeks in July, no problem. Your funds will be waiting for you when you come back. No need any longer to contact me to reschedule a pickup or arrange for a friend to come get your vegetables for you. And, most importantly, no more missed shares!
If you are loving the veggies and find you are running low on CSA funds, you have the option of replenishing your share midseason. Free-choice CSA funds can be used all year long and unused credit will remain on your account year-to-year.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: Share values start at $250. Beyond that, you can set your value. If you're not sure where to start, estimate a weekly budget for vegetables, or what you think your family might consume, and multiply that by about how often you'd like to come out. Are you a once-a-week kind of shopper, an every other week, or a once a month-er? And remember, you can always renew your value mid season, and your funds don't expire. (For reference, our prior half shares were valued at $25o, and our full shares were $450.)
Q: When do I get my produce?
A: Even though we are a year-round vegetable producer, we do still have primary season, the summer of course! Our main season corresponds with our farmer's market season, May-November. This is when the farm is most flush with the widest variety of produce.
Q: I used to be a CSA home delivery. What are my options now?
A: Not much changes, except that instead of me deciding your shares, you get to customize your share week-to-week by placing an order through the online store. Prepaying means you get your delivery, without having to worry about having payment around at the time of drop off. Gone on vacation? Skip a week and order again when you're ready.
Q: Ok, any other details?
A: By signing up for our free-choice CSA, you invest in the farm and make possible another great season. We are offering the following perks to say thank you for your support:
As some of you may have noticed, our free-choice CSA model combines our old CSA system with our Market Shares. If you are a current Market Share member, you don't have to do anything. Your funds can be used as usual. Your Market Share is simply now being called free-choice CSA, but with a few extra perks. And finally, we want to make clear that if you like the old CSA, very little has to change. You can still come out to the farm on Tuesday from 4-7, select a variety of vegetables, and do it all again the next week!
A: We grow certified organic produce because we want people to eat it! The increased flexibility of our free-choice CSA system is going to make it easier for you to get the veggies you want when it is most convenient for you. You no longer have to take home items your family won't eat or you don't have time to prep. This means less waste and a better understanding for us about what produce we need to grow more, or less, of each year.
In a given week, you can use as much or as little of your CSA share funds as you need on whatever goods you choose. On a salad kick? Load up on greens and radishes one week. Have pickling plans? Take home ten pounds of cucumbers and some garlic. Despise eggplant? Leave it at the farm for someone else to enjoy! Want a small amount of a wide variety of veggies, just like the old CSA share? You can still do that, only now you can pick exactly what you want in your share in whatever quantity you desire.
And finally, you will now be able to take home Good Stead Farm pantry items and goods we carry from other producers using your CSA share. This means in addition to our vegetables, your CSA share could include maple syrup, ground beef, Crimson Crisp apples, handmade lavender soap, or maitake mushrooms. Our entire inventory is now available to CSA members.
Q: When does the CSA start, and for how long ?
A: It's year round! Signs up are ongoing and your free-choice CSA funds can be used all year long. Unused credit will remain on your account year-to-year.
Q: How does this work?
A: Customers will prepay for their CSA share at the beginning of the season (late winter/early spring), we will then credit these funds to your account, to be redeemed at any point during the year. If you wish to come every week to the farm for your produce, you can do that. If you know you will be out of town for two weeks in July, no problem. Your funds will be waiting for you when you come back. No need any longer to contact me to reschedule a pickup or arrange for a friend to come get your vegetables for you. And, most importantly, no more missed shares!
If you are loving the veggies and find you are running low on CSA funds, you have the option of replenishing your share midseason. Free-choice CSA funds can be used all year long and unused credit will remain on your account year-to-year.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: Share values start at $250. Beyond that, you can set your value. If you're not sure where to start, estimate a weekly budget for vegetables, or what you think your family might consume, and multiply that by about how often you'd like to come out. Are you a once-a-week kind of shopper, an every other week, or a once a month-er? And remember, you can always renew your value mid season, and your funds don't expire. (For reference, our prior half shares were valued at $25o, and our full shares were $450.)
Q: When do I get my produce?
A: Even though we are a year-round vegetable producer, we do still have primary season, the summer of course! Our main season corresponds with our farmer's market season, May-November. This is when the farm is most flush with the widest variety of produce.
- From May-November, you can redeem your free-choice CSA share at the farm on Tuesdays from 3-7pm, as before. You also have the option to shop in Midland from our Midland Farmer's Market stand every Wednesday and Saturday, from 7-1PM. You may also place a preorder on our online store to pickup at the market.
- From December-April, you can redeem your free-choice CSA share at the farm on Saturdays from 10-2PM.
- Year-round you can use your share to place pre-orders on our online store for home delivery or farm pickup,.
- In a given week during the summer you have 5 separate opportunities to use your CSA share! Take advantage of any or all of these options – whatever suits your needs and schedule that week.
Q: I used to be a CSA home delivery. What are my options now?
A: Not much changes, except that instead of me deciding your shares, you get to customize your share week-to-week by placing an order through the online store. Prepaying means you get your delivery, without having to worry about having payment around at the time of drop off. Gone on vacation? Skip a week and order again when you're ready.
Q: Ok, any other details?
A: By signing up for our free-choice CSA, you invest in the farm and make possible another great season. We are offering the following perks to say thank you for your support:
- Earlybird access to our online store (2 hours before non-member customers) Pre-order your favorites before we sell out!
- Your choice of an organic cotton Good Stead Farm grocery tote bag or t-shirt.
- Access to our U-Pick herb and flower garden, this year in a location close to the new pick-up room.
As some of you may have noticed, our free-choice CSA model combines our old CSA system with our Market Shares. If you are a current Market Share member, you don't have to do anything. Your funds can be used as usual. Your Market Share is simply now being called free-choice CSA, but with a few extra perks. And finally, we want to make clear that if you like the old CSA, very little has to change. You can still come out to the farm on Tuesday from 4-7, select a variety of vegetables, and do it all again the next week!