We have had a couple of questions regarding how much food we are getting and if we have "extra" food to sell, why is it not automatically included in the box.  The question goes something like this. "Aren't we supposed to be sharing in the bounty?"  I will try to explain our reasoning below.

A small share = 1/4 bushel of food.

A small box = 1/2 bushel of space (look at the label on the box)

This is done so we can ship larger items or special orders in the box too, however, we tend to like to deliver fuller boxes because it looks better.

QUESTION: Are the boxes being delivered pretty full?

If they are, then our members are getting twice as much as they are contractually supposed to get.  Over a season, we usually provide at least 50% more food than people sign up for.  This is historically true every year for the past 7 years.

The same logic applies with the big boxes.

Additionally we grow for restaurant, country club and caterer sales too.  Sometimes they don't always take what we anticipate they will take.  We put these things up for extra sales.

Beyond this, we take any other overages that spoil and feed my livestock with it to recover part of the cash.  Now we could deliver all of this food to the CSA customers, but then we would get complaints that people can't eat that much food and to please stop delivering it.  A person can only eat so much cabbage, and for that matter, so many strawberries.  Very few people ever take those berries and actually make jam or jelly... they would probably rot and they would throw them away.  People might feel like they are getting more value, but that would only be a feeling in most cases.

It's a delicate balance and we find it difficult to please everyone.  Most people would be surprised how many people quit because the amount of food they get is too much.  At the same time we get people disappointed.  We have yet how to figure out the dilemma of making everyone happy.

If we consistently provide boxes that are full then, in our minds, this fulfills our commitment to pass on "the bounty." 

We hope this explanation meets everyone's satisfaction and clears up any confusion.  I there is something we haven't considered, of course, we want to hear from you.

Regards,

Tim

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