Redland Organics
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Redland Organics
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CSA FAQsIs there a pickup site near me?Probably. We have 3 pickup sites in Broward (Pembroke Pines, Pompano Beach, and southeast Ft.Lauderdale-off Davie Blvd & Federal Hwy), Miami Lakes, North Miami/Miami Shores, Miami Beach, Gables/South Miami, Coconut Grove, West Kendall, Palmetto Bay, 5 in the Keys (Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine, Key West Old Town), and of course, at the farm in the Redland/Homestead area. We MAY set up additional sites if we get a minimum of 20 shares for that site. If it turns out that we cannot service a new area because we can't meet the required minimum, you can choose another pickup site or we will refund your money before the season begins. TOP
How does a half-share work?A half-share means you get a smaller quantity of food every week, for the same 19 or 20 week period. The share contents are listed in your newsletter. Check out the newsletter archive to see the difference between full and half shares on any given week. TOP
What's a trial share?A trial share is a full share that runs for 4 weeks in January, You must sign up in December. Trial shareholders can elect to continue for the remainder of the season at the end of their trial period. TOP
What's in a share?It changes every week, depending on what we're harvesting. You can get a very good idea of what's in a share as the season progresses by checking out the online Newsletter archive. Open newsletters at random and compare a full vs a half share- read what's in the share that week. We also began including weekly pictures of a full share starting in the 2006-2007 season.
Can I get a half-share trial share?Sorry, no. Trial shares come in one size only (full share). TOP Why don't the trial shares begin before January?The first and last few weeks of the growing season are not typical of the quantity and variety of produce that will be available on a weekly basis. Production peaks in January and February here in South Florida, and that is when we offer the trial shares. The trial shares make a great holiday gift. They are also recommended for those who are unsure about the program. TOP
I want to split a full share with a friend- what do I do?One of you will be responsible for the signup and payment. We recommend that you take turns picking up the shares. You can also decide to each take some of the items every week, but we do not recommend trying to split every item in half-- it just doesn't work well.. TOP
Do I just take the first box I see?Please don't! Make sure you take the box that corresponds to your share size. The share boxes are clearly marked "FULL" and "HALF", and they are different sizes. Two half-shares does NOT make 1 full share. We send out the exact number of shares for each site. If we have extra food, we put it in a special, separate "XTRAs" box. Feel free to take something from the "XTRAs", but do not take items from other share boxes. If you take something out of another share box, you will be leaving someone else with no food!! TOP
I don't like this stuff,- I think I'll leave it and get more of the yummy stuff...Feel free to swap for something that's in the XTRAs box. Consider trying that item you didn't like before in a new recipe--and remember, fresh, organically-grown food often tastes VERY different from the 'store-bought' stuff. You might find a new favorite food-- experiment! TOP
What about the extra items?Extra items are placed in coolers or boxes labeled "XTRAs". Feel free to take one or two items from the box. If there's something in your share that you don't want, add it to the XTRAs for someone else to enjoy. But remember there are others coming behind you, so don't get greedy with those XTRAs... TOP
What happens if I have to go out of town?Please make arrangements for someone to pick up your share. If you don't pick it up, please let your site host know so it can be donated to a good home. TOP
Why aren't you offering the option to suspend your share?We used to do this in the past, but it was VERY time-consuming. Margie was spending too many hours in front of the computer keeping track of suspended shares and updating the weekly numbers for each site, instead of being out on the farm taking care of the crops! TOP
How many times can I suspend my share?None- we do not offer this option, so please make arrangements for someone to pick up your share if you are away. We do not give refunds or credits for missed weeks. TOP
What happens to leftover food?That's up to the site host. They are free to eat, give away, or donate the food to their favorite soup kitchen. The site host will tell you how long s/he will hold leftover food before s/he considers it 'abandoned'. You should arrange to pick up your food within 2-3 hours of its arrival. TOP
When does the food arrive?We deliver on Saturday (Keys delivery is on Sunday). We'll try to give you an estimate of arrival time for the first week. Expect some variation, especially at the beginning. After a couple of weeks, the boxes will usually arrive around the same time each week. But remember that sometimes traffic is bad, so the driver might be delayed on occasion. If we find out there will be a delay, we will try to alert the site host as soon as possible. TOP
I came late, and my box was missing!Please try to come early. Unfortunately, we can't control what happens after we deliver the shares. Sometimes people ask a friend or a spouse to pick up their share without explaining the simple procedure. They don't have a clue what to do, and they take the wrong box. If you arrive late, you'll be the one left short. If this happens to you, please speak with your site host- s/he might be able to quickly resolve the problem. The site hosts graciously provide their homes for your convenience, but please don't expect them to be the 'food police'. TOP
The brochure says 20 weeks, but sometimes there are only 19 share deliveries in a season. Why?Our normal delivery day is Saturday. Many CSA members are out of town during the Christmas-New Year break, and we like to give our workers a bit of time to relax and celebrate, too, so we skip the intervening Saturday (sometimes it's 2 Saturdays). Ditto with the Saturday after Thanksgiving. And no, we won't inundate you with two weeks' worth of food at one time- the truck isn't big enough, and neither is your refrigerator. TOP
How much does a share cost?A full share in 2010-2011 costs $660. The half-share is $390. You can reserve your share with a $160 deposit, payable by September 1st, and pay the remainder by October 10th. The 4-week January Trial shares are $175. We also offer add-ons to your share, including honey, fresh pollen, eggs, and goat cheese. We may offer new add-on share items from time to time. You can add these when you pay for your shares.
Why does it cost more for off-farm pickup?With the price of fuel skyrocketing, we've had to add a delivery fee. It's prorated depending on where you live- Miami-Dade($2/wk), Broward($3/wk) or the Keys($5/wk).
What do I do with the boxes, bags, and rubber bands?Please carefully flatten and return your box. We provide a visual guide (pictures and a short video) to help you see how to break down the box without ripping it (click here). We reuse our boxes until they fall apart, are torn, or are too soiled for reuse. On the farm we use sturdy coolers and totes designed to last for many years. Food safety issues require that we cannot reuse plastic bags or clamshell boxes, but YOU CAN, and our egg cartons are too flimsy to reuse, so please use & recycle these things at home! TOP
If I'm not happy. Can I get my money back?We use your share dollars to buy our seeds, fertilizers, supplies and generally capitalize our operation. Most of these expenses are incurred prior to planting the crops. So, we let you know up front that there are NO REFUNDS AFTER NOVEMBER 1st (and there is a $60 non-refundable administrative fee if you cancel before November 1st). If you're not happy with the program, there are probably others on the waiting list who would be happy to take over your share. Your site host may know someone who wants to join but missed the deadline, and you can make the financial arrangements directly between yourselves. But, don't be hasty to judge us by the first few weeks - remember that at the start of the season, things are ramping up- you may not get as much quantity or as much diversity as you will receive later in the season when we're in full production. Hang in there awhile before you decide it's not for you! TOP |
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