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The FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of being a member of Stearns Farm?

As a CSA shareholder, of course the primary benefit is that you will enjoy five months of fresh, local, nutritious and naturally grown produce, herbs, and flowers! (Stearns Farm also coordinates a fruit share at Autumn Hills Orchard for its members.) In addition, there are extra bonus benefits that you will receive as a result of your connection to Stearns Farm. The land where Stearns Farm is located is beautiful conservation land, and the space provides a haven from a demanding and hectic life. You will be part of a vibrant intentional community that works to support and promote local agriculture. By using locally grown, natural produce you will significantly reduce your carbon footprint and the impact that you make on the environment. At Stearns Farm, there is a delightful and wonderful interactive Children's Garden for the children and their parents to enjoy. The farm community donates the extra vegetables that are left at the end of a pick up day to local food shelters, so you will share in the benefit of this generous practice. You will receive a weekly newsletter that is full of information all about Stearns Farm, recipes, and more. You will have the opportunity to participate and learn about food production by actually working in the fields and having hands on farming experiences. After working in the fields, you can share Stone Soup and conversation with your co-workers. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available at the farm that you can get involved in. Additionally Stearns Farm sponsors gatherings and events, such as the July 4th Pitchfork Brigade, the May Day celebration, and the Harvest Festival.

I'm a new sharer, what things should I know about my first year?

If this is your first year, you are in for a wonderful experience at Stearns Farm! The vegetables are fresh, delicious, diverse, and abundant. The amount of vegetables will increase as the season progresses. It is possible to feel overwhelmed by the quantity of produce the first year unless you come up with a system. Here are some tips:

Schedule some time to plan how you will use the vegetables that week. Be disciplined about this! Freeze, dry, can, or give away any vegetables that you won't eat during the week. (See Freezer Storage Tips Sheet on website)
Invest in a good vegetarian cookbook so you will have a resource to turn to when you receive a vegetable you've never cooked before. We sell a cookbook for this purpose which is available at pick-up. Our newsletter contains recipes that can be inserted into the cookbook. Keep an open mind to all the varieties of produce, and try the vegetables that you are unfamiliar with.
Be sure not to leave your produce sitting in a hot car.
Dunking greens in cold water before you put them in the refrigerator will extend their lives.
In general, don't wash or cut up anything until you are ready to use it. Everything will stay fresh much longer if it is left whole and dirty. Putting veggies in a ventilated plastic bag is a good idea.
On your pickup day, be careful to just take the amount of vegetables that you will be able to use. Pack your produce carefully so that none of your vegetables get crushed.
When you pick up your share if there are items you do not want, please don't make any spontaneous substitutions, as this will result in someone missing items later in the day. You may leave unwanted items on the PUT AND TAKE TABLE, and you may take anything you will use that is on that table.

What do I need to bring when I come to pick up my share of produce?

When you come to the farm, plan to spend at least an hour gathering your share of vegetables. The time you spend at Stearns Farm is special and gives you a chance to leave the busy world behind. Plan to take advantage of this opportunity by slowing down and being present to fully enjoy the experience! Bring plenty of plastic bags to put your vegetables in and a couple of cloth bags or baskets to put the plastic bags into. Also bring plastic pint and quart containers to put berries in. It is also helpful to bring a pair of scissors to cut flowers and herbs. For the flowers bring a plastic container with water in it that you can take your flowers home in.

Why can't I pick certain crops when they are wet?

Picking tomatoes, beans and strawberries when they are wet spreads diseases that are in the soil. They splash up onto leaves and are spread by our picking. It can be inconvenient to come back another day to pick a crop because it is wet, yet it is necessary to protect the health of our crops. You will be informed if it is too wet to pick these crops.

What happens if I am unable to pick-up on my assigned day?

Farm operations can get complicated and difficult when there are schedule changes, so we ask that you keep your requests to a minimum. If you have questions about changing pickup days, please contact JanetCarlson at janet

stearnsfarmcsa.org or call her at 508-309-7777.

We encourage you to share the harvest and make arrangements with a friend to pick up your share. It would be helpful if your friend accompanied you the week before so that he/she will understand the procedures for picking up at Stearns Farm.
Your share will be taken to a food shelter at the end of the day.
You can switch your pick-up day if you give advance notice. You will need to let Kathy or one of the farm assistants know about the change when you pick up your share the week before. They will record the change in the check-off sheet at the stand. You may only pick up your share once in a calendar week.

I can't do pick-your-own on the day of my pick up. Can I come back anytime?

Yes, you can come back to the farm during the week of your pick-up. The farm is open Tuesday thru Saturday from 9AM to 5 PM. The electric deer fence must be on at all other times.

Who do I talk to about my work days or wanting to sign up for a shift?

Please use the online work signup sheet to schedule your work hours. If you have any problems using the signup sheet, please contact TomYelton at webmaster

stearnsfarmcsa.org.

Do I need to sign up in advance for a work shift or can I drop by?

You can drop by as long as you come Tuesday through Saturday. The work shift is from 9:45AM to 12:00. Instructions for the day's tasks are given at 9:45, so please be on time.

What should I bring when I show up for my work shift?

Wear loose and old clothing, a hat if sunny and sunscreen. Bring durable gloves and plenty of water for yourself. On very hot days, bring a drink with electrolytes. Also bring anything you want to donate to the stone soup that we have for lunch (vegetables-soup ready, beans, rice etc., bread, dessert)

It's raining on the day I am scheduled to work in the fields. What do I do?

Do not come when it is raining unless you have full rain gear AND want to work in the rain. Otherwise reschedule. Wet people are grumpy people.

How do I verify how many hours I've worked so far?

Check the sharer work shift clip board when you are at the farm.

I am unable to work my hours at the farm. How can I fulfill this commitment by paying for my hours?

You are responsible for contributing 12 hours as a Full Share and 6 hours as an Alternate Share. If you are unable to work, it is an option to buy out your work hours by paying $8.00 per hour. Please send your check to Stearns Farm. Because the bulk of the farm work is done early in the season, it is very important to ensure the successful operation of the farm that you either work or pay for half of your hours by July 15th.

Who do I contact for ideas or questions about the newsletter?

Contact Newsletter Editors JanetCarlson at janet

stearnsfarmcsa.org or SaraSullivan at sarasull

verizon.net

Who do I contact if I want to volunteer at the farm (for example: 4th of July Parade, May Day celebration, children's activities, fund raising, photography, writing, marketing, etc)?

Contact one of the Volunteer Coordinators: GudrunBaubock (508-620-9127 gudrunbaubock

msn.com) or SaraAbramovitz (978 443 9747 saralarry

comcast.net).

Who should I contact for a change of email address, phone number or physical address?

Please inform JanetCarlson, Administrative Assistant at 508-309-7777 or janet

stearnsfarmcsa.org if any of your contact information changes.

If I have a question about money, who should I contact?

Contact JanetCarlson, Administrative Assistant at 508-309-7777 or janet

stearnsfarmcsa.org for balance due questions, refund questions, number of work for share hours that you have paid for and similar financial questions.

Revision 3. Last edited Mon 16 Jun 2008 7:55am by TomYelton