CSA delivery site at American Flatbread for 2010 season

Hello everyone,

I’m very excited to share the news that American Flatbread is going to be a delivery site for the Great Country Farms 2010 CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture).

I have wanted to be a part of a CSA for years but had a difficult time finding one that fit with my schedule and ability to pick up due to my commute. I spoke with Janice at American Flatbread over the winter and they were happy to have the opportunity to serve as a delivery location so that local residents could purchase local vegetables and fruits.


The cost for CSA bulk site members is $474.50 + box fee and taxes for a half share for the season (one delivery each week for 20 weeks – June to October)

All interested members please email Beth at gcfcsa@gmail.com

Include the following info:

name
mailing address
delivery site (be sure to mention in your email that you are part of the American Flatbread bulk site)
phone
email


Questions/need more info: visit GCF’s website at greatcountryfarms.com and or email Beth at the email address below for more info!

GCG CSA FAQ’s can be found here: http://www.greatcountryfarms.com/base.cgim?template=csa_rates_faqs


Also – please spread the word about this! I was not sure which of the forums this fit into best (for sale/gardening/restaurants/local events/general chat/etc) so please tell others that might not see this as I think I can only post this once in one forum as per policy, right?

Thanks!

 

Additionally - CSA information in general:

From “Local Harvest” online:

Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.
This arrangement creates several rewards for both the farmer and the consumer. In brief...

Advantages for farmers:
Get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin
Receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm's cash flow
Have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow

Advantages for consumers:
Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits
Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking
Usually get to visit the farm at least once a season
Find that kids typically favor food from "their" farm – even veggies they've never been known to eat
Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown

 

Their website says they're full for the 2010 season. I already sent an email to them before I saw that, but do you know if they're not accepting any more memberships?

 

Hi!

Beth just confirmed this week that American Flatbread will be a delivery site - so - they are accepting for that bulk site (you are correct, however, the website says they are closed for individual membership but they are acceptiong members thru this bulk site).

I'm so happy they are doing it! This is our second summer here and last year I did my research way late and missed out. This year when I poked around I found that with my husband and I both working full time and commuting and having children and such that finding a time to drive out to a farm was just not going to happen. I really wanted something close to home and super convenient.

I have no affiliation with either the farm or American Flatbread (except that I love to eat there) but thought they might go for something like this. So, late this past fall I had this idea while eating at the bar there and asked Janice who was there that day and viola!

Very excited.

 

That's great! I'm excited, also, thanks for arranging this! I'm posting it on my Facebook page, too, in case some neighbors want to do it

 

great idea! thanks!

and, ha-ha, no thanks necessary - this was motivated by purely selfish reasons ;-)

 

Do you know the times for pick up and what if you can't make the PU? We are interested.

 

I think they set the day of the week sometime in May. That's a good question for Beth (see email address above)

Your other questions may be answered here:

From the Farm FAQ site:

Q. What do I do when I am on vacation?
A. We ask for vacation notice in writing so we are sure we have the proper days to start and stop your delivery. Simply Click Here to use our Vacation Request Form to make a vacation or CSA change request. You are entitled to request a double order any other week to make up for your vacation week's deliveries. We do not offer refunds or credits for missed deliveries or make ups on weekly u-pick nor do we offer make ups for requestes made AFTER your missed day.

Q. What day of the week will my delivery arrive?
A. You will receive your delivery on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday each week. Once your delivery day is set, it will remain the same each week throughout the season. We are sorry, but we cannot accommodate requests for a specific delivery day of the week since the routes are set by address and intended to balance our drivers' loads.

Q. What time of day do deliveries arrive?
A. Most produce is picked, packed and then delivered within 24 hours. We deliver between 9am and 6pm. If your delivery has not arrived by 7pm, please call the farm to let us know so we can research the situation.

 

This sounds like fun. How is the bulk site plan different than the "regular' CSA plan?

 

hi stevie - i think it is the same its just that instead of going out to the farm to pick up it is delivered to a convenient location. i think there may be a small cost increase but i am not sure....

 

Okay, I know that all the information is there and on the website, but I still don't get it. (no comments from the funny farm!)

If I want to do this with a neighbor, what do we need to do and how much will it cost us?

 

I'm not sure I know what you are asking here

The cost posted is for a half share (amounts per week of what you get vary and estimates are posted online). If you share a half share with your neighbor I think that's something you'd have to work out with your neighbor as they do not offer quarter shares to the best of my knowledge.

Beth is super nice and very accessable via email if you have any questions!

If you and or your neighbor are interested just email the information mentioned in the orig. post to Beth in order to sign up. I think what happens then is they send you a bill to pay and also announce the drop off date and times. A point of having a local pick up area is that it is more convenient if you can't drive out to a farm to pick up each week. The farm website says they are full for this year's CSA but they are still accepting through AFB.

Hope this helps!

 

I worked it out and the cost per week is approximately $25 for the 20 week season.

 

From what I understand, if you split a full share you will each get a box with the same items in it. If you split a half share, you're doing it yourself not through the farm and you get one box and are responsible for dividing it up.

My neighbor and I are splitting a full share. They only take one payment, so she pays me half and then I pay the farm. We also both get the "Fan of the Farm" membership. Free entry to u-pick and kids play areas.

 

oh - wanted to share - i just got an email from the farm in response to my enrollment asking for AFB's exact address. i gave them the information and also warned them that since we were only really instructed to say what site we wanted that people emailing them might not have the address handy.

ergo - here it is just fyi:



43170 Southern Walk Plaza at the Broadlands
Ashburn, VA 20148

 

How much do you get in each box? I mean, if my neighbor and I split it, would there be enough in each box for two families? Or would we have to supplement it with a run to the grocery store? (I know it depends on how much everyone eats)

 

I think it really depends on how much you consume normally from the grocery store/how many mouths you feed/if your child refuses things that are green, etc.

I'm sure Beth can offer you more information...

in the meantime -


perhaps this will help you: http://www.greatcountryfarms.com/base.cgim?template=csa_produce

and/or this from the FAQ online:

Q. How much produce will I receive each week?
A. We pack all our produce in half share boxes and leave 2 boxes at full share stops. The volume of the box which measures 10" x 12" x 14" is roughly the same each week, but the weight of the produce will vary dramatically. Spring deliveries will be lighter as a half share box might contain a head of lettuce, a bundle of spring onions, 2-3 heads of broccoli a 1/2 pint (taste) of strawberries and a basil plant. In the fall, the boxes will be much heavier when we are sending potatoes, apples, fall squashes, leeks and other heavy items.

 

This is part that's confusing me: The cost for CSA bulk site members is $474.50 + box fee and taxes for a half share for the season (one delivery each week for 20 weeks – June to October)

So...does that mean my neighbor pays $474 and I pay $474?

 

That is the cost for a half share.

Here is the price information I recieved today in my enrollment confirmation email from them for my half share - perhaps this will help:

Group Delivery Site
American Flat Bread Bulk

The rate for a delivered HALF share in 2010 is $474.50+ box fee & 5% tx for a total of $513.98 which is a significant discount from a non-bulk site half share which is $575.00+ box fee & tx. Payment in full via Mastercard or Visa are welcome as well simply by calling the farm at 540-554-2073 or mailing back your March statement with your credit card information to the address below.

This year we are offering a 5% discount for payment in FULL via cash or check. For this option, simply mail a check in the amount of $488.28 to the address below to confirm your membership.

We also offer a payment plan with 6 cash or check payments of $89.83 which does include a $25 handling charge for monthly invoicing and processing 6 payments. We do not offer payment plans via credit card. For this payment option, We will send you a March statement to confirm that we have your account information correctly recorded. We mail statements by the 20th of each month with payments are due the 13th of the following month.

Deliveries are scheduled to begin the week of Jun 1, 2010 and will continue for 20 weeks through October 11, 2010. Deliveries are made on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and the delivery schedule will be published by zip code in the early May Crop Talk newsletter once we have set the routes.

 

if you are sharing a half share you'll split that amount or if you share a full share the numbers will be very different. i just posted what they sent me re: my half share. i'm sure beth can give you the breakdown if you were lookign to share a full one!

good luck!