Here we have compiled a list of common questions and answers.
- Who are the farmers?
- What is the difference between sustainably grown and organic?
- Can I order individual items without being a CSA subscriber?
- What type of food and how much will I receive?
- How do I pick up my order?
- Can I stop a delivery if I leave town?
- What if I forget and miss my delivery time?
- What if I have an allergy to wheat, soy, nut, or dairy products? ..or what if I just don’t like someting?
Who are the farmers?
Our farmers are primarily from Georgia and Alabama. They cultivate small to mid-sized operations. Each has shown a commitment to sustainable growing practices that enrich the soil and eliminate artificial chemicals in our food.
What is the difference between sustainably grown and organic?
We have a mix. Our emphasis is to encourage the use of sustainable growing practices which encompasses more than requiring a piece of paper from our farmers. Although most of our food is grown using organic practices, we do not require that our grower be certified organic. The certification process can involve considerable cost and paperwork and would eliminate a number of our small farmers from participating in this program. The goal is to build the soil which sustains the farm and to minimize the amount of input from outside the farm.
We provide you with choices and like to be up front about what we are providing. In some cases, access to organically grown items is very limited and would preclude some items from our list. Most of our apples and peaches are grown using low spray IPM (integrated pest management) practices which allows for very limited use of chemicals during critical periods. The amounts used are far less than what is allowed by baby food manufacturers. In many cases, the overall carbon footprint for an IPM orchard is far smaller than an organically certified orchard.
Due to the limited market of organic grains, we do not require that the animal feed be organically certified. Our requirement for eggs and meat are that the animals have daily access to pasture that has not been sprayed with chemicals in the last 3 years and that they are not fed hormones or stimulants. Antibiotics can only be used for medical emergencies and must be out of the animals system (30 days) before they can be put back into production.
Can I order ala carte from the online market / store without being a CSA subscriber?
As a non-CSA subscriber, you can still purchase items from our online store. The online store is a great way to try us out.
What type of food and how much will I receive in my CSA package?
This will depend on which package you sign up for and is based on the value of the items. Prices vary by size, frequency and add-ons, and are based on the value of the box based on your preferences and customization choices.
We offer two share sizes: Family (typically 8-10 items) and Dinner for 2 (typically 6-8 items). Boxes are delivered weekly or every other week (bi-weekly) for the length of the season.
We have a Pre-Season Bi-weekly Winter share program for January/February and a regular weekly or bi-weekly season program for the rest of the year.
How do I pickup my order?
- Find the box with your name on it and take it home – no sign in required…so far this has worked out fine and we hope it continues to!
- Leave re-usable ice packs, egg cartons, jars and clamshells that came with your share in your share box with your name on it. (please no packaging from other sources as we cannot re-use them) Please keep drop-off sites tidy.
- Our site hosts volunteer their spaces and is a great service to all of our members – they are not affiliated with Farmers Fresh CSA in any other way. Correspondences should be done directly with Farmers Fresh CSA (call or text @ 770-633-6261. Thank you for respecting that you are entering their property.
- If pick-up becomes a problem you may want to consider home delivery — delivery options may be changed during the season through your account settings.
What if I leave town or can’t pick up?
You can place your shares on hold if you are not able to pick-up. It is best to do this as soon as possible – by Friday prior to the customization period. If something comes up past the share finalization please contact us to coordinate your delivery/pick-up options by calling or texting to 770-633-6261. Unfortunately, we can’t credit you for any missed boxes if arrangements are not made ahead of your delivery. Any boxes that are not picked up by the designated time are donated to the site host.
What if I forget and miss my delivery time?
Our delivery times are based on what is convenient for our delivery site managers, who have donated the space for the packages. It is our policy that any packages left after the posted hours can be used at the discretion of the site manager. In many cases they are distributed to the workers at the site or donated to charity. If you miss your pickup, you may call or text us @ 770-633-6261 , and we can check to see whether some options may be available – do this ASAP.
What if I have an allergy to wheat, soy, nut, dairy or other products?
People have different tastes and different needs, and we try to cater to those needs. Milk and certain other items are completely optional add-ons for our CSA subscription. We offer a personal Preference list as part of our CSA subscription program – this is your food profile that we keep in our database and use when building your weekly CSA packages. If all else fails you are able to swap out items during the customization period.
If you are concerned about potential allergens we would suggest avoiding the gourmet upgrade package – this package is not customizable and not based on your preference profile.
Please note that the facilities in which we get our regular baked good products are facilities that may use wheat, soy, nut, and dairy products. We do offer gluten free baked goods options that are processed but these are not guaranteed to be made in an allergen free environment.