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Who can Subscribe for Produce Boxes?
Who can Subscribe?
The only prerequisite to subscribe for the Produce Box is that you be a Member of the Co-op.
You don't need to live in Moore County, but you must be willing to get your boxes at one of the Moore County Gathering Centers.
Well then, how do I become a member?
If you are not yet a Co-op Member, all that is required to join, is that you fill out the sign-up form and pay $25. You can join now, just click here .
After signing up, if you wish, you will be directed back to this page to complete your Produce Box subscription.
Are the number of Subscriptions limited?
We have set a limit of 550 weekly Produce Boxes for the Fall subscription period.
As we experienced in the Spring, Fall is a "shoulder season" meaning that productivity is declining as Winter approaches, so this is the maximum number we feel comfortable accepting.
This is the number our farmers are planning for. We all need to hope with them for a break in the weather so it can happen.
What's "Local"?
"Neighbors feeding Neighbors"
Local for the Co-op means farm and other food products that are grown, or made, within Moore County and the counties that touch it (Moore, Lee, Harnett, Hoke, Richmond, Montgomery, Scotland, and Chatham).
The Co-op will make every effort to source food from these counties.
However, if there are additional food items consumed and in demand by Co-op Members that are not grown or produced locally, the Co-op will seek products of kindred suppliers as close to Moore County as possible.
For example, wild-caught seafood cannot be sourced "locally". There is a group of independent fisherman in Beaufort, NC, called Walking-Fish, who are currently selling weekly subscriptions for seasonal, fresh NC seafood at Duke University, in Durham. We are in discussions with Walking Fish about the possibility of their providing fresh NC seafood for us.
The Co-op may also provide non-local food that could be, but is not yet, available from local sources. One reason for the Co-op to provide non-local food that could be produced locally, is to encourage local job creation. Once we can demonstrate, through our sales and consumer requests, that sufficient demand for non-local items exist, new local suppliers will have the incentive to start-up.
Once there is a local supply, it will be given preference over non-local.
Our farmers are a vital part of our community, and we want to offer them a fair local market for their farm products. They are neighbors and fellow Co-op Members. Look for their profiles on our website soon.
What will be in My Box?
Variety! You will not get ten pounds of rutabagas or cabbages, we promise! Think of items to make a delicious fresh salad, a pan of roasted vegetables or a batch of salsa.
Seasonal Eating: In this grand experiment, we are going to eat seasonally. Within this "ripening" framework, we'll offer as much variety as we possibly can.
Familiar Favorites: Much of the produce will be the same as has been in our summer boxes, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, onions, peppers, etc.
Cooler Weather Crops: There will also be some produce unique to cooler weather: squash, nutritious greens, grapes, sweet potatoes, fall dual-purpose heirloom pumpkins for eating and decoration, perhaps even broccoli and spinach, if the weather cooperates. No promises, but we are also working hard to secure a local source for apples and pecans.
Non-Produce Food Items: In our recent on-line survey, an overwhelming majority of respondents indicated that they would like to have local non-produce food items in the box, such as jam, honey, salsa, etc., in the event that the weather doesn't cooperate and our goal of 7 or 8 different produce items is not feasible. So inclusion of these kinds of local "value added" food products is a distinct possibility.
Can I Choose What's in the Box?
Alas, at this start-up stage, it is logistically impossible to let every subscriber build a personal box every week. We hope you understand.
Moreover, the farmers would not know how much to plant. There could be shortages of some items for subscribers, and farmers could end up with significant unsold product. Not having enough wouldn't work for you. If we're trying to make local farms profitable, we cannot let our farmers end up on the short end of the stick either.
Also, with personalized boxes, the packing and delivery become much more complex, time consuming, and error prone. It is important to us that we do, what we do, well.
Recognizing that "we're all in this together" and that consumers do have foods that they just don't eat, we are looking for ways to give subscribers some choices.
Ok, What Are My Options?
An opportunity for choice is provided when the box is picked-up. There will be an Exchange Box available that contains some miscellaneous produce items. If your box has an eggplant, that you refuse to eat, you can put it into the Exchange Box and take something in its place that you do like.
You can also “horse trade” with your fellow members. We can foresee some enjoyable and humorous exchanges, perhaps even new friends made.
At the end of the day, whatever is in the Exchange Box will be made available to those in need. So, even if you don't replace the eggplant with anything, at least you know you made a contribution to your community, and the food was not wasted.
Moreover, the farmers would not know how much to plant. There could be shortages of some items for subscribers, and farmers could end up with significant unsold product. Not having enough wouldn't work for you. If we're trying to make local farms profitable, we cannot let our farmers end up on the short end of the stick either.
Also, with personalized boxes, the packing and delivery become much more complex, time consuming, and error prone. It is important to us that we do, what we do, well.
Recognizing that "we're all in this together" and that consumers do have foods that they just don't eat, we are looking for ways to give subscribers some choices.
Ok, What Are My Options?
An opportunity for choice is provided when the box is picked-up. There will be an Exchange Box available that contains some miscellaneous produce items. If your box has an eggplant, that you refuse to eat, you can put it into the Exchange Box and take something in its place that you do like.
You can also “horse trade” with your fellow members. We can foresee some enjoyable and humorous exchanges, perhaps even new friends made.
At the end of the day, whatever is in the Exchange Box will be made available to those in need. So, even if you don't replace the eggplant with anything, at least you know you made a contribution to your community, and the food was not wasted.
What does "Subscription" mean? When is the Fall Subscription period?
It means a personal commitment to our local farmers and to our community.
Subscribing to the Produce Box is very different than shopping at the grocery store where you can buy whatever you want, whenever you want.
When you subscribe to the Produce Box, you are making a commitment to buy a set number of boxes spread out over the entire subscription season. This is in keeping with one of our themes "We're all in this together."
Our Co-op farmers have already made a commitment to grow crops dedicated to Co-op Members. They have laid out cash for seeds, soil amendments, plastic row covers, etc., and they will have expended months of labor to plant in July and tend the crops until harvest in September/October. The farmer still has the very real risks of nature. Extreme heat, hail, and drought all too frequently reduce or destroy a farmer's harvest.
Our farmers, having taken these risks for us, should not have to also bear the risk that no one will buy what they've grown. So, by Subscribing, you are making a commitment to the farmer that you will buy the number of boxes you've agreed to buy. This is why we ask you to consider carefully before you make your decision.
Ok, Agreed! What is our Fall Subscription peroid?
The Subscription being offered is an 8 week Fall Season, with Deliveries from September 8-9 through October 27-28th.
Is the Produce Box Subscription right for me?
The Co-op's goal is not to sell the most produce possible. Our goal is to strengthen our community and our local agriculture, and have a lot of fun in the process. This is a true luxury that flows from being a community-based cooperative, rather than a profit-motivated entity.
Our Goal is to meet local food consumption with local food - that is, sell you, in a convenient, practical way, fresh, healthy, great-tasting produce and farm products that you will use.
The subscription model is not for everyone.
We have Co-op Members who grow a lot of their own produce and are only looking to fill-in the things they don't grow. For these members, the Produce Box may not be a good match. Their needs might be better met at local Framers' Markets. Members, with erratic schedules, might find the set pick-up times difficult, unless a friend or neighbor is willing to pick up their box.
In deciding whether or not this subscription program is right for you, honestly assess your eating and shopping habits. Ask yourself:
- How much do I like fruits and vegetables and how much of them do I currently eat?
- Do I like to cook and do I have the time to make homemade meals on weekends or most nights of the week?
- Are there a large number of fruits and vegetables that I just won't eat?
- Is my schedule/temperament comfortable with a regularly scheduled day/time pick-up?
- How will I handle produce I've never eaten before? Will it be fun to try the many new recipes provided, and new foods?
- How will I handle excess food? Am I comfortable freezing or preserving the excess? (The most common dissatisfaction with subscriptions is the feeling of "wasting" uneaten food.)
Consider these questions carefully when you are deciding whether to subscribe. If you do subscribe, they will also help you determine what size box and the appropriate delivery frequency for you.
While we don't want to sell you more than you will use, we do hope that our recipes, taste tests, cooking and canning classes, pot lucks, and having the produce in your home will encourage you to expand the fresh local produce that you eat.
Box Sizes, Prices & Frequency of Delivery
Box sizes:
Standard Box @$21/wk., is designed for 2 people who eat fresh produce regularly.
Family Box @$38/wk., is designed with a family of 4 produce eaters in mind.
Delivery options:
Every Week - a total of 8 deliveries
Every Other Week - a total of 4 deliveries.
What's right for me?
The goal is for you to comfortably eat, share the Sandhills' bounty with friends or family, or preserve the produce you receive each week. We want you to be a long-term subscriber, and the most frequent reason people become dissatisfied with produce subscriptions is because the feel like they waste too much food.
If you are really not sure between the Standard and the Family, go with the Standard. If it's not enough, you can supplement at the local Farmers' Markets u-picks, and farm stands, or if the Co-op circumstances permit, you might be able to "up" your subscription to the Family sized box.
But there's only me!
If you are a one person household, or if you know you don't eat a lot of fresh produce now, and you feel a Standard Box every week may be too much food, you have several options.
Consider sharing a weekly box with a Box Buddie. This way you are always eating the freshest produce, while building community.
The other option, if a weekly box is too much, is to subscribe for a delivery every other week. This would give you two weeks to use the Box produce. Most of our produce, if stored correctly, will last that long, because it is brought to you directly from the farm and has not sat in a warehouse, truck, grocery store for a week or more before being bought.
How do I get my Box each week? What if I miss pick-up?
Subscribers will pick up their boxes at one of the 8 Gathering Sites located throughout Moore County.
Your Produce Box can be picked up at one of the following Gathering Sites on the day and time indicated
Wednesdays
- Pinehurst @ Village Chapel Church from noon to 2:30.
- Aberdeen @ the Popular Knight Spot from 3:30 to 6:00.
- Southern Pines @ Southern Pines Elementary School from 3 to 6.
- Carthage @ Moore County Coop Extension Ag Center from 3 to 6.
- Robbins @ Deep River Coffee Company from 3 to 6.
Thursdays
- Whispering Pines @ New Matthews Market from 3 to 6.
- West End @ West End Presbyterian Church from 3 to 6.
- Pinehurst@ Pinehurst Elementary School from 3 to 6.
You can choose the Gathering Site most convenient for you - near your home, near your work, or someplace where you go already.
If you know you're going to be late, or simply can't get to the Gathering Site, call your Site's Coordinator. Again, being a community, some arrangements might be available - say, leaving your box in a designated spot for late pick-up.
If you simply do not show up, your box will be made available to someone in need through one of the Co-op partners who are working with our food insecure community.
What if I'm Out of Town?
By subscribing, you have agreed with the growers to purchase either 8 or 4 boxes and they have dedicated crops to fill those boxes.
We recognize that you may be out of town sometime during the season and unable to personally pick-up and use your box.
We ask that while you're away, you give the box to a family member or a friend. It is a great way to so say thank you, or to let someone know you care. Just let us know who will pick up your box for you.
As an alternative, we ask that you let us know you would like to donate your box to someone in need. The Co-op is partnering with the Food Bank, various food pantries, and after school programs. Your donated food will find a good home within your community.
In keeping with "we're all in this together" we recognize that there are instances when a subscriber needs to suspend a delivery and not have to pay for it. Therefore, if you notify the Co-op by Sunday of the Week before, a subscriber may suspend one weekly delivery during the season and a receive credit for the box value. Why the deadline? We place or orders with the farmers on Monday morning for the exact number of boxes to be delivered each day that week. If you let us know after Sunday, we have already committed to purchasing the produce for your box. This credit may caried forward to be used against your next subscription, or will be refunded by check at the Member's request.
What does the Subscription cost? What are the Payment Options?
Methods of Subscription Payment Accepted:
Credit card or PayPal on line (4% will be added to cover PayPal surcharge)
Check sent to 7 Dixie Dr., Whispering Pines, NC 28327
The Total Cost of a Produce Box Subscription is as follows:
Standard Box:
Checks
Weekly: $168 (8 weeks x $21)
Bi-Weekly: $ 84 (4 weeks x $21)
PayPal
Weekly: $174.72
Bi-Weekly: $ 87.36
Family Box:
Checks
Weekly: $304 (8 weeks x $38)
Bi-Weekly: $152 (4 weeks x $38)
PayPal
Weekly: $316.16
Bi-Weekly: $158.08
Payment Options:
Given the short subscription period, payment in full is due on subscription. However, the Co-op is inclusive, so if you need to make other arrangements please email fenton@sandhillsfarm2table.com
Is the Produce Organic?
Will the produce in the boxes be organic this year?
If you mean will we be packing 500 boxes with USDA organic-certified produce this first year, the answer is
"No." There is just not enough local USDA-certified organic food around - as of now - to supply the demand.
But before you turn away to purchase frozen Chinese 'organic' vegetables (check the labels), consider this:
Take a look at the local landscape.
Support for the Sandhills Farm to Table Co-op, along with farmer's markets and the rising interest in local foods, is our last best chance to save farmland and preserve the rural character of our county. Indeed, it's a veritable "defining moment" for our community - Moore is in the "NC Top Three" for the dubious honor of most farmland lost. When it's gone, it's gone, never to grow food again. How can a community be sustainable in the face of rising energy costs if it has lost it's ability to grow food?
Meanwhile, we have multi-generational farmers on excellent mid-sized farms, struggling with the loss of the tobacco market, and the slimmest of margins in commodity crops. They are too big for farmers markets, and too small to influence the commodities. Currently, they are struggling with national food policies not of their making. The average return to farmers of each food dollar spent is only 19 cents; the Co-op will return 70 cents of each retail dollar to the farmer. The average age of farmers in our region is nearing sixty - who will grow our food when they retire? How do we entice youth into farming?
Our Sandhills Farm to Table Co-op growers are excellent farmers, honorable people, among the most respected in the Sandhills - and they can grow anything, if the market is there for them.
Now the good news: Several of them are looking into organic certification as a means to tap into this growing market. One already has 250 acres of certified ground. By gathering together into one large market and voicing our desires, the Co-op has a chance to nudge this nascent process along to a more sustainable produce agriculture model.
As we said, this is our moment! If we can demonstrate a ready demand for fresh, local food, our farmers will in turn hear our respectful conversation about our interest in organic and sustainable food. In fact, they've already heard it, and are paying attention. Our farmers want to preserve the health of their land and families, same as us.
In addition, some of our smaller growers, while not USDA certified, are well known locally for their excellent sustainable practices.
It is also our hope that, in connecting farmer and consumers through potlucks and educational events, a respectful dialog along these lines will begin. Please, be part of that conversation. Consider seizing the moment and investing in Moore county.
So, our first year, we promise the freshest, high-quality local produce available, picked when ripe and shipped to you. And know that our vision is about more than packing you a box of produce, it's about investing in a community process. Consider supporting that.
If you have questions about Fall Subscriptions click here
If you are a member and are ready to subscribe click here Upon the submission of a completed form, you will automatically be directed to a page for on-line payment, if that's your choice.
If you need to become a member click here Upon submission of a completed form, you will automatically be directed to a page for on-line payment of the $25 membership fee. Upon payment of the fee, you will automatically be directed to the subscription page.
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