Membership Agreement & Guidelines for The Farmer and Members of Freetown Food Forest’s Flex Share Community Supported Agriculture Program
We ask that you please read and agree to this Membership Agreement & Guidelines before requesting membership in Freetown Food Forest’s Flex Share CSA.
If you become a member, you agree to contact FFF in the event that you become unable to fulfill your responsibilities outlined in this agreement. Though unlikely, FFF reserves the right to change any part of this Membership Agreement & Guidelines. FFF will contact you via email in advance of any changes to this agreement or if it becomes unable to fulfill its responsibilities outlined in this agreement.
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FFF is a woman-owned micro farm modeled after European market gardens. The farm grows a diverse range of annual and perennial crops. Nourishing people, improving soil health, and connecting community are the guiding principles of the farm. Using intensive crop rotation, we grow all of our annual produce in permanent beds that have a total growing area of about 1/4 acre, with perennial crops throughout the property. The farm grows over 40 different crops and well over 100 separate varieties. Our growing practices are both ecologically sound and designed with your health and safety in mind.
FFF is not certified organic; however, our farming practices are of the highest standards, and are devised with the health of you, the soil, and the local habitat in mind. We do not use synthetic chemical herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers. In fact, we would rarely resort to using even natural pesticides because of the risks posed to native pollinators. We use minimal tillage, cover crops, crop rotation, mulch, and compost to preserve and enhance soil structure and health. Improving the soil improves the health and vigor of plants, allowing them to better fend off pest and disease attacks. Supporting and protecting the local ecosystem keeps natural predators around to mitigate pest issues.
We promise to do our best to provide you with a bountiful share each week. Despite these efforts, the quantity of produce may vary from week to week and season to season due to extreme weather, insects, or other production factors. By joining our CSA, you are agreeing to share the risk of crop failure with us and other members.
Joining the Freetown Food Forest Flex Share means you’ll never have to take home a vegetable that you won’t eat. All shares, regardless of size or pickup location are flex shares that allow you to choose which produce fulfills your weekly share.
Each week members choose from a selection of 15-30 crops, or items, to fulfill their shares. An ‘item’ typically consists of a head, a bunch, a quart (i.e. a bunch of chard, a head of lettuce, a bag of salad, or a quart of carrots).
Sometimes an item consists of multiples (i.e. 3 tomatoes or 4 zucchini). According to available quantities, some items may be limited to one per share or expanded to take whatever you can use.
The following is a list of some of the produce we expect during the year. This list is not all-inclusive, as we grow many different types of vegetables and it is based on our best estimate. Weather, pests, and other events will affect actual production and thus the variety and quantity of produce provided.
June: Asian greens, arugula, basil, baby lettuce, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, garlic scapes, kale, peas, radishes, rhubarb, scallions, spinach and turnips.
July & August: Beets, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, green beans, lettuce, peppers (hot & sweet), potatoes, summer squash, tomatoes, and zucchini.
September & October: Beets, brussels sprouts, carrots, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, turnips, and winter squash.
Members commit to receiving a weekly share of vegetables from Thursday, June 6, 2024 through Saturday, November 23, 2024. The Flex Share CSA season spans 24 weeks, though there are only 22 pickups for each member.
The farm will take a midsummer break in early August during which shares will not be available, the date of which has not yet been determined. Members will be notified very soon of that date. For even more flexibility and to accommodate travel or a busy week, each member picks a week to take a break. This date should be communicated to FFF two weeks prior to the member’s break. If a member doesn't need a week off, they can purchase an additional week at the end of the season at the same weekly rate of their original share.
Members are responsible for picking up shares each week, more details on pickups are below.
Flexibility is a key factor in CSA satisfaction. That’s why we let members choose from a range of size and price options.
Micro Flex:
3 items, $264/season
Perfect to dip your toe into CSA or to supplement a home gardener’s bounty.
Small Flex:
5 items, $440/season
Ideal for one person introducing more produce to their diet.
Large Flex:
8 items, $704/season
Sized for a 2 person household or one person with a produce heavy diet.
Mega Flex:
12 items, $1,056/season
The mega flex is for a larger household eating vegetables at most meals, or a 2 person household eating a predominantly plant-based diet.
FFF offers a wide range of share sizes, and therefore we ask that separate households purchase their own share of a size appropriate for their family. FFF will only accept payment from the primary account holder for each share. Large families or those who eat a lot of vegetables may want to purchase multiple shares of different or the same sizes.
There are two options for pickup each week:
Homer Farmers Market: Saturdays, 9am-12:30pm
McGraw Box Brewing: Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm
When signing up, members choose where they will pick up each week for the duration of the season. Members may permanently change their pickup location during the season with a one week prior notification.
For best selection, shop early during market hours. Items are first come, first serve. Members will need to bring a bag, box, or cooler to carry their share home in.
If a member is unable to pick up their share and let us know early in the week and they will have a few options:
Switch the pick up day and location. Requires 48 hour notice.
Send a friend or family member in their place. Let us know the name of the person being sent.
Double up the previous or following week, or take a share and a half for the next two weeks. Some people find these options leave them with too much food.
Donate the share to Seven Valleys Health Coalition Food Rescue. FFF will make sure it gets to them.
In Case of Inclement Weather
Homer Farmers Market: Saturdays, 9am-12:30pm
McGraw Box Brewing: Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm
Switch the pick up day and location. Requires 48 hour notice.
Send a friend or family member in their place. Let us know the name of the person being sent.
Double up the previous or following week, or take a share and a half for the next two weeks. Some people find these options leave them with too much food.
Donate the share to Seven Valleys Health Coalition Food Rescue. FFF will make sure it gets to them.
In Case of Inclement Weather
Should weather cause either pickup location to not be able to hold the market, an alternative will be offered.
The alternative may be picking up at the other market, having a farmer selected share pre-packed for your pickup at the farm, or holding a market pickup at a TBD time, date, and location.
The alternatives offered will be dependent on the circumstances and will be determined by FFF as needed.
Safety
Always adhere to local laws and ordinances, and any regulations of the market site to prevent injury to persons or property. Any fines, fees, or damages determined to a member’s fault will be the sole responsibility of the member.
Shares are available on a first come, first serve basis and are limited in availability. Payment for the share is what secures a membership. If you’ve expressed interest, but not made payment within 5 calendar days of receiving your invoice, your spot will be passed on. If interest exceeds available shares, a waitlist will be created.
The farm accepts and prefers checks by mail, or cash in person. Credit cards will be accepted with a 4% fee passed on to you (we don’t love this, but need to retain what are already slim profits). All shares require prepayment. FFF prefers payment in full, but if that would be difficult for you, we can establish a payment plan that would require a 25% non-refundable deposit, with the next installment due on a monthly basis. Failure to make any payment will terminate your CSA membership, and you will receive no refunds of any money paid.
By selling membership in advance of the growing season, CSA reduces the burden of up-front costs for the farmer. Your membership fees provide us with capital to purchase seed and equipment before the season starts, and we appreciate your commitment.
CSA shares, because of their inherent risk, are non-refundable. If you find your membership anything but enjoyable, please reach out so that concerns can be addressed. If in the first two weeks you truly do not enjoy CSA and cannot be convinced to stay, we will give a prorated refund minus a $65 administrative fee.
We feel strongly that everyone should have access to the nutritious food that we grow at FFF and we will work with those in financial need to make this possible.
In addition to offering payment plans for those on limited budgets, we provide subsidized shares through the Seven Valleys Health Coalition Prescription Rx program and donate to Seven Valleys Food Rescue. Information on those programs can be found on their website.
If you or someone you know is in need of food, please reach out and we can work with our Free Food Fund or our many local resources to help. If anyone finds themselves in a place of financial abundance and would like to contribute to the Free Food Fund to help get food into the hands and homes of all, we welcome you to reach out as well.
Communication
The best way to communicate with FFF is via email at karlyn@freetownfoodforest.com If you prefer to call, our phone is 607-423-5087. We will do our best to respond within 24 hours. Please contact us with any news of the following: changes to your postal or email address, any week(s) you are unable to pick up your share, dissatisfaction with your share, or anything else you would like us to know.
We will communicate with you by email. When you sign up, you will be added to our distribution list, which we will use to communicate important information about our CSA and farm events. Every week, we will email a newsletter giving you information about the crops available, recipe ideas, photos (when available), and other farm-related news.
We share a lot of spontaneous things on our social media as well and encourage you to follow us on Instagram and Facebook. This is also a great way to help support and share info about YOUR farm.