Community Supported Agriculture Member Agreement and Guide
Carteret Local Food Network (CLFN), on behalf of our local farmers, wants to provide you with fresh, local, seasonal food. You, the member, wish to receive a portion of their harvest. This agreement outlines our shared commitments to that relationship.
Section 1. Introducing Our Community Supported Agriculture Program
A. Becoming a Part of Our Local Farms
Our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a relationship between our local farms and our customers. Rather than simply purchasing food, our customers become “members” of this Community Supported Agriculture program and receive a portion of multiple local farms’ harvests. Our Community Supported Agriculture Program runs for 26 weeks, from May to October. Members are responsible for showing up at their selected pickup site each week to pick up their share of freshly harvested produce. You will generally receive at least $30 worth of vegetables/fruits/cut flowers or a combination of the above, equivalent to three to four side dishes or two to three small vegetarian meals for a family of four during peak season. Currently, protein, including eggs, cannot be a part of our Community Supported Agriculture program due to our inability to keep them refrigerated while waiting for pickup. Detailed information regarding pickup is discussed below in Section 3. Variety and quantity may vary as described below in Section 2.
B. Farm Growing Practices
None of our local farms are USDA Certified Organic yet. Many of our farmers use organic growing methods or are low or no spray. Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) is similar to organic certification because it requires compliance with the standards for organic certification. However, the inspection and record-keeping requirements are different. For more information about organic production or specific growing practices, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Catherine Elkins at catherine.clfn@gmail.com. We’d be happy to tell you more.
C. The Products We Expect for 2023
This produce availability chart outlines some of the fruits and vegetables we hope to deliver and when you may see them in your share. Please note that this chart shows what items are typically grown in North Carolina and is not specific to Carteret County. This chart is our best estimate, but weather, pests, and other events will affect actual production.
Section 2. Our Shared Commitments
A. Sharing in the Risk of Crop Failure
We promise to do our best to provide you with a bountiful share each week. The quantity of produce, however, may vary from week to week/month-to-month/season-to-season due to extreme weather, insects, or other production factors despite our farmers’ best efforts. By joining our CSA program, you agree to share the risk of crop failure with other members and us.
In the unlikely event of a crop failure, our procedure is as follows:
If only a small portion of crops fail, we will compensate for the failed crops by filling your share with other crops grown on local farms ready for harvest. If a large portion of crops fails, we may not be able to deliver any product for some weeks.
B. Sharing in the Reward of Crop Surplus
In addition to our multi-farm CSA, CLFN sells local produce through our Mobile Market and VSA programs. We order produce from our local farmers specifically for the CSA. When CSA-segregated crop production is abundant, we pack as much as possible into your share. However, we don’t want to overwhelm our members or deliver so much produce that it goes to waste. When we feel that members have received enough of certain crops, we handle the surplus by selling it via the Mobile Market. Please note that we order some items exclusively for our other outlets. You may see our products at the Mobile Market or when we represent local farmers at farmers’ markets that you will not receive in your CSA share.
Section 3. Picking Up Shares
You are responsible for picking up your share weekly from your drop site.
You are responsible for observing our drop site rules, which are as follows:
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Pick up your share within the timeframe. Although we deliver high-quality produce to the site, it will decline quickly if not picked up in time.
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Be respectful of our drop site hosts’ property. Be mindful that these are businesses that are generally open at the time of pickup.
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Follow additional rules posted at your drop site regarding parking/use of certain entrances/boxes.
If you cannot pick up your share, you must arrange for someone else to pick it up. You are responsible for explaining the pickup location and procedures to your substitute. If you wish to change your drop site, you must email Stacy Macklin at stacy.clfn@gmail.com as soon as possible and request the change in writing.
Shares that are not retrieved within the pickup time will be donated to a charity, food pantry or donated to the drop site host. Refunds will not be given for shares not picked up or forgotten. We take the safety of your food seriously. For your added protection, please wash all produce before eating.
Section 4. Member Fees
By selling memberships in advance and during the growing season, CSA reduces the burden of up-front costs for the farmer. Your purchases of a CSA produce bag provide them with money to purchase seed and equipment before and during the season, and we appreciate your commitment.
Section 5. Communicating with Us
Be sure to get in touch with us immediately with any questions or concerns by reaching out to Chef Caroline directly at caroline.clfn@gmail.com or calling us at (252) 777-2359. We will do our best to respond as soon as possible, usually within one business day.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us with any news of the following: changes to your postal or email address, changes to your drop-site location, problems with your drop-site, or dissatisfaction with your share. We will communicate with you by email. When you sign up, you will be added to our distribution list. Please read your email from us. We depend on being able to communicate important information, such as necessary changes to your distribution schedule or to our farm events.