Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Community Supported Agriculture?
- How much does it cost?
- Do you offer any sort of payment plan?
- Do you accept credit cards?
- How big is the share?
- What vegetables should I expect to see throughout the season?
- Can I choose which vegetables I get?
- Is there a deadline for signing up?
- Do you provide recipes?
- What are the scheduled delivery times?
- What is the exact address of my pick-up location?
- What if I go on vacation?
- What if I forget my box?
- Do you have home delivery?
- How can I become a host?
- Can I recommend a new site?
- What if I do not have a computer?
- Can I visit the farm?
- May I stop by and purchase produce directly from the farm?
- Do you have events?
- Can I try out a membership with a sample share, maybe for a week or month or so?
- Where does the produce come from?
- How do I contact the farm?
What is Community Supported Agriculture?
Community Supported Agriculture, generally called "CSA" is a growing new trend in agriculture in which
farmers sell directly to consumers, thus forming a unique community and partnership. In a CSA, subscribers
help by supporting small regional farms by paying in advance for
fresh produce delivered weekly for part of or the entire duration of
the season.
Community supported agriculture has been gaining momentum
since its introduction to the United States from Europe in the mid-1980s. The CSA concept originated in the 1960s in Switzerland
and Japan, where consumers interested in safe food and farmers
seeking stable markets for their crops joined together in economic partnerships.
How much does it cost?
See 2010 pricing page
Do you offer any sort of payment plan?
We are currently not offering any payment plans.
Do you accept Credit Cards?
Yes we do. you may send a check by mail if you prefer.
How big is the share?
This year, we have two sizes: Regular and the Large.
-
Regular share
- Recommended for two adults. This is approximately ½ brown paper grocery bag.Large Share
- Recommended for a family of four Approximately 1 brown paper grocery bag.
What vegetables should I expect to see throughout the season?
See 2010 CSA info
Can I choose which vegetables I get?
Your share is a selection of our seasonally available produce freshly picked for you. We cannot customize the boxes and still keep our prices low. You will generally receive 6-10 different items per week.
We make a serious and on-going effort between our 2 farms to balance diversity, interest and popularity when selecting items to grow. Many CSA members report the great satisfaction they experience from gathering their share each week. They enjoy learning which vegetables and fruits are in season, including some they might not purchase otherwise.
Is there a deadline for signing up?
To effectively plan and plant for our CSA membership the deadline for 2010 is February 15th. Late applications will be accepted per availability of memberships + 5%
Do you provide recipes?
Every week! Our weekly Fresh Page, found in the member's area and by email,
will let you know what's in the share and give you some recipes to try.
What are the scheduled delivery times?
Our pick-up times are on Wednesdays between 4 and 8PM.
What is the exact address of my pick-up location?
We have several business addresses found on our 2010 pick-up site page. Many of our pick-up locations are at private homes and only the closest major intersection is provided on our website To protect the privacy of our host, we will provide you the exact address of the pick-once membership fees are paid in full.
What if I go on vacation?
Planning and planting in advance are key elements for the continuance
of the farm. Like any small business, reliable income is
necessary to keep us going and so we can offer dependable farm
employment in the community. If you need to cancel a delivery
week, we ask that you donate a share or arrange to have a
friend, neighbor, or family member pick-up your share.
We are excited to continue our food donation program with Second Helpings. Each week they will gather up whatever shares are donated and provide them to family's in the Indianapolis area who are in need.
What if I forget my box?
We guarantee our share through the end of the pick-up hours. If you forget or are running late, we cannot refund or replace it since we have grown, picked, packed, and deliver your share. We have developed a system to elimate waste at our sites by arranging immeadiate dispersion after pick-up hours.
Do you have home delivery?
No, we do not currently offer a home delivery service. We hope there is a location near you. If not, consider becoming a Host. See “How Can I become a host?”
How can I become a host?
The members are notified not to contact the site at the door or by phone or email for anything-all questions go directly to us. We want this to be as easy for you as possible.
We look for a variety of criteria in Host Site:
- A cool shaded porch, walkway or garage
- We also welcome green minded business who might enjoy the exposure
- Room for 20 member's share's (Share container size:) to successfully make a site worth the trip
- We use "large plastic containers" that hold all of the other "share containers".
This large container is generally a neutral color green brown or blue etc and 2-3 feet wide, 4' - 5' long. and 2'- 3' high. We generally use 2-3 of these containers, and inside, you will find the individual share containers and another plastic container with bottled ice blocks. The members take their share and leave the empty share container from the week before neatly stacked next to the large container - Parking for at least 3 or 4 additional cars at once
- Access to the Pick-up area between 2:-8:45 PM on Wednesday or Fridays acceptable. The members will be notified that the vegetables will be dispersed after 9 due to lack of refrigeration
- Often, members may take vacations or forget without notifying us. So the site would be stuck with the burden of dealing with extra vegetables. For many, this is a blessing-for some, it's a burden. The site must be willing to use, preserve, or disperse the extra vegetables
- Access to the area even if you are out of town
- If you are selected for a site, we hope that you will host in future years as well.
If you are interested, contact us!
Can I recommend a new pick-up site?
Please do-we are open to suggestions and we keep track of this info.
What if I do not have a computer?
We can mail you our forms for sign-up at your request by phone. However, member access to the weekly
sections of the website: "What's in the box?", "Member Recipes" or our "Fresh page" will be limited if you do not have computer use. Our Fresh Page is also emailed.
Can I visit the farm?
We offer visits to the farm to members by request only. If you would like to visit our farm, please contact us first and we can arrange a time during the CSA season for you to experience our farm.
May I stop by and purchase produce directly from the farm?
No, unfortunately we do not sell anything directly off our farm at this time. Our farm focuses on delivering our seasonal shares to our CSA members.
Do you have events?
We have maintained our annual Organic Workshop and Field Day for the past 3 years. However, due to our transition to our new farm, we will be holding off for another year. In 2011, we are planning to host the Organic Farming Workshop and Field Day in the spring and the Nature's Harvest Organic Fall Gathering in October.
Can I try out a membership with a sample share, maybe for a week or so?
No, we are unable to offer sample shares. Unfortunately, the logistics
of share customization are far too complicated for us to accommodate.
Please review the descriptions of our literature for a full disclosure of program details and the commitment that is involved.
Where does the produce come from?
All produce is produced within 30 miles of Indianapolis. Most fields and production areas are certified organic or in the transition to organic and inspected annually to ensure our veggies are safe for you and your family.
How do I contact the farm?
You can reach us via mail, phone or email. However, our preferred method of communication is email so that we can spend maximum time in the fields. See Contact Us.
