CSA's - good or bad?

**HandyMom** · 07-20-2008, 02:17 AM

I bought a single share for the whole year ($330) in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm this spring. The websites says that a single share should provide enough veggies and herbs for one or two people for a week. They also said that the most complaints they've had is people getting too much food. The double share was only about $50 more for supposedly a family of 4. So I didn't get that one.

It was supposed to start in May. Didn't start until second week of June. That already cost us almost $100 for nothing - not a vegetable to be had. Then, we get a lot of kale and not a lot of anything else. One week I had one little radish in my box (I kid you not)! along with a small bunch of lettuce, about 10 snap peas, one small kolarabi and a little basil. This is supposed to last a single person or 2 for a week?

The thing that made me really mad was that they send out a different email newsletter to the people who get the double share and I was accidentally sent one. I then learned that not only do they get more veggies and herbs, but they also are getting things we have got none of. For example, one week we got broccoli flowers and no broccoli (guess who got the broccoli?), we got garlic tops and no bulbs (guess again!) and this week, they got tomatoes and cabbage and parsley and what did we get? Some more swiss chard, handful of snap peas (again) and the same things we were getting and no tomatoes or cabbage or parsley at all! We're being cheated, I think! I sent them an email asking for an explanation.

I thought that for $16.50 I should be getting a whole lot more organic fresh produce than what I've been receiving.

Anyone else have anything to say about their CSA share? I did run across some complaints online about other CSA farmers. This was my first (and probably my last) year doing this. I thought I would save some money but .. not this time. It's definitely been a loser for us this year.

**treeluva** · 07-20-2008, 04:26 AM

I really have no idea about this, but I just wanted to tell you that I feel your frustration! If you were told that you would receive a specific amount of produce and you are NOT getting, is there anyway you can look into getting a refund? If they aren't willing to give you a full refund, you should at least be entitled to get your money back from when it was supposed to start and didn't until it actually did start.

Urgh. Sounds like good reason to get really grumpy. I hope they have a good explanation for you! That is a lot of money that they are, in my opinion, basically stealing from you!!!

**Momto2Boyz** · 07-20-2008, 09:26 AM

We looked into it this year, but it was $450, so I decided against it.

From what I understood from people that I have talked to, is that the beginning of the summer is bleak, but starting mid to end of July, you will get TONS of stuff and you will get lots of variety.

I think if you feel that you've been cheated, then you need to march right up to someone in charge the next time you are there picking up veggies and make a complaint. Especially if the double share should be the same, just more and they are getting more variety. Complain and tell them you want the amount back that you haven't used. Tell them you want reimbursement for the weeks in May that you got nothing, and also for the rest of the summer, becuase you aren't planning on participating anymore, becuase it sucks! Or, tell them, that you'll give them that option, or they can give you what they actually promised you from here on out...and you'll deal with them.

I would bet, if you complained, they'd be a little more fair!

**freebs** · 07-20-2008, 10:30 AM

i would complain! i mean really if we are over charged at the grocery store we complain and we complain for alot less than $100~~

**FrugalWitch** · 07-20-2008, 12:54 PM

Wow! That sounds awful! GrowAlabama (the CSA I'm a member of) sends a 1 1/9 bushel box full per delivery. We usually get to choose amongst 8-12 items. If you say "no" to a selection then you can get extra of something else.

We're currently only getting 2 deliveries per month because our small town has finally gotten a Farmer's Market on Fridays. (Since I campaigned for over 3 yeasr to get the market here, I do buy every Friday, so that's why we cut back on the CSA.)

I would definately have words with your CSA. Ask how to feed yourself for 1 week on a solitary radish. I would've pitched a fit. You are being gypped big-time.

**quiltergirl** · 07-20-2008, 03:08 PM

Our favorite farmer's market vendor went CSA this year. We decided not to participate. Partially because of the up-front cost but largely because we are not gamblers.

Farming is a fickle business. No farmer can guarantee their outcome, so any amount of produce promised can only be an estimate. By investing your money into the farmers business, you are not only sharing the bounty, but you are also sharing the risks. If for some reason (hail, wind, tornado, drought, heat, crop failure of any kind) the farmer has nothing to sell they have nothing to sell.

This has been a bad weather year in many parts of the country. Where I live it has been especially bad. The people I mentioned earlier in this post have been hit really hard. I get the news letter and they are trying to be sure the CSA people get anything they might have first and are supplementing with things like eggs, but they can only do so much.

It wouldn't hurt to talk to the farmer, but if they are just having a bad year, remember that when you joined you agreed to accept the risks.

**janis362529** · 07-20-2008, 09:12 PM

I have been loving ours. We get the full share for a family of 5 and it last 2 weeks even though we pick up weekly. Ours did start late but they are extending it by 3 weeks in the end( we have a summer share)

The single share gets the same as us only smaller and we fill our own bag with the veggies. Here in Maine we have gotten lots of salad greens, beets, potatoes, herbs, brocolii and turnips. Again they admitted starting late b/c the owner Jim got lymes this spring and set them back. This is our 1st year with them and do not know if it will include tomatoes or cukes later in the summer but so far I am happy with it

**HandyMom** · 07-21-2008, 02:01 AM

Originally Posted by quiltergirl

It wouldn't hurt to talk to the farmer, but if they are just having a bad year, remember that when you joined you agreed to accept the risks.

You're right about that. They state that in so many little words on their own harvest calendar page at the bottom. It was more of a gamble than I thought, though. The farm had one field wash out because of rain already and a late start because of cold weather. The farmer said it was a rare event that never happened before. I found an article online, however, that mentioned the same farm getting washed out just last year, too! There still is no excuse to short change some members of the CSA and not others. That's bad business.

I also read online that most CSA's have about a 70% turnover rate, meaning a lot of people decide after trying it that it's not for them for one reason or another. Wish I had read that before I invested.

**HandyMom** · 07-21-2008, 02:16 AM

Originally Posted by Momto2Boyz

From what I understood from people that I have talked to, is that the beginning of the summer is bleak, but starting mid to end of July, you will get TONS of stuff and you will get lots of variety.

I think if you feel that you've been cheated, then you need to march right up to someone in charge the next time you are there picking up veggies and make a complaint.
I would bet, if you complained, they'd be a little more fair!

I did complain, loud and clear - in my email. I'm too chicken to call her up or say so to her face! I avoid confrontations like the plague. I can only hope that the email will result in some better share boxes for those of us who bought the smaller shares and that the produce will pick up for the rest of the summer. I could always send a family member after my share and let them voice their observations of the box contents since they don't live in this town.

**Momto2Boyz** · 07-21-2008, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by HandyMom

I did complain, loud and clear - in my email. I'm too chicken to call her up or say so to her face! I avoid confrontations like the plague. I can only hope that the email will result in some better share boxes for those of us who bought the smaller shares and that the produce will pick up for the rest of the summer. I could always send a family member after my share and let them voice their observations of the box contents since they don't live in this town.

Hopefully, you will get a response to your e-mail and at least get an explanation. I agree with the risks. My parents run a small, self-sufficient farm and they have years when they don't get much and years when they have an abundance, so it happens. But there is absolutely no reason that you should be getting short changed your share if others are getting what they paid for!

I hope your e-mail helps, becuase that just stinks!

**Frugal Nurse** · 07-21-2008, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by HandyMom

I did complain, loud and clear - in my email. I'm too chicken to call her up or say so to her face! I avoid confrontations like the plague. I can only hope that the email will result in some better share boxes for those of us who bought the smaller shares and that the produce will pick up for the rest of the summer. I could always send a family member after my share and let them voice their observations of the box contents since they don't live in this town.

You're so funny!
That's EXACTLY what I do. I HATE confrontation and avoid it.
If it's something I think I'm REALLY getting screwed on and can't deal with it without crying... I send my husband in.

They seem to REALLY listen to men. Big stern men.

So - about the CSA. Wow! What an experience.
I do agree that it is a risk.

But ... come on!!! It ISN'T right that the doublers get a greater variety. ONE STINKING radish! I would have LAUGHED in their face.
And the fact that you discovered that the doublers were getting the broccoli and you weren't and all those concerns.

These need to be brought to the attention of the farmer.
Perhaps they don't know that the workers are doing that.

Let us know when you make you hear from the the prson via email

**peanut** · 07-21-2008, 11:12 AM

This is interesting. WE had a chance to become involved in a CSA this year. But it was up north, the guy was breaking new ground, and it was costing a lot of money. We decided against it. Our money bought more groceries from the supermarket.

I feel for you, and I don't have any more advice than what you've already had. I just think you're really being cheated.

Jean

**vigilant20** · 07-21-2008, 11:22 AM

Wow that's too bad

I don't think CSAs are for everybody. As a single, the upfront cost and amount of food stopped me from joining a traditional one. Luckily there is one in the area who allows me to buy per week, so I only buy when I need more, and can choose the share size per week.

**geckoace** · 07-21-2008, 12:37 PM

mine is going well this year, but it also seems to be a little more fair than yours. you box your own produce like at the grocery store so you know what everyone is getting. the newsletter and emails also communicate any shortfalls or windfalls that are going on at the farm at what to expect in the coming weeks. one weeks when we have so few that there would be 1 radish !! they would just have a box of radishes first come first served to grab.

sorry your experience has been bad