|
The
SuperMarket Project's Frequently Asked Questions |
Based on helpful questions by inquiring subscribers, we have put together the following answers. This should grow, as more questions come in.
Tell me a bit more about the cooperatives involved and the schedule of the subscription.
Where is the food in this program coming from?
Where did the idea for the Virtual CSA come from?
What is the traditional CSA model?
Can I cancel at anytime? Will I be refunded for months I did not receive a share?
Tell me a bit more about the cooperatives involved and the schedule of the subscription.
The SuperMarket Coop's Virtual CSA involves six of the Rural Coalition's national cooperatives. The subscription is six months; from April to September.
Subscribers will receive a detailed letter later in March outlining the six months of the project, including a history of the concept, the participating cooperatives and the products to expect. And then, the first of six boxes will arrive at your door mid-April!
The schedule and box contents are as follows:
April - Fall River Wild Rice, Fall River Mills, CA, is a grower-owned coop that creates higher than market returns to its members by creating a more direct line from the grower to the consumer, promotes sustainable agriculture, and is an active, responsible leader and citizen in its rural community.
HC-01 Osprey Drive; Fall River Mills, CA 96028
Contact: Kathy Anderson; kathy@frwr.com;
1-800-626-4366; 530-336-5265
wild rice products such as chips, pancake mix, flavored rice, and wild riceMay - Hmong American Community (HAC), Fresno, CA, assists Hmong farmers in California and throughout the United States with business and farming skills.
P.O. Box 16315; Fresno, CA 93755
Contact: Chukou Thao; Hmongamer@att.net;
559-237-4919; fax 559-237-5905
Asian vegetables such as Asian cucumbers, Hmong beans, Chinese eggplant, bok choyJune - Mississippi Association of Cooperatives(MAC), Jackson, MS, has worked for 25 years to unite and enhance the work of a network of primarily African-American producer coops & credit unions.
P.O. Box 22786; Jackson, MS 39205
Contact: Daisy Garrett; dollygarrett@earthlink.net; 601-354-2750; fax 601-354-2777
squash, eggplant, peppers, maybe sweet potatoesJuly - Homeworkers Organized for More Employment (HOME), Orland, ME, is a coop community dedicated to economic and social reconstruction, begun as an outlet for home worker's crafts, they include pottery, leather and weaving shops, a recovery barn, a sawmill, shingle mill, greenhouse gardens and a farmers market.
P.O. Box 10; Orland, ME 04472-0010
Contact: Father Randy Eldridge; padre@acadia.net;
207-469-7961; fax 207-469-1023
organic compote, honey, syrup in a handmade basketAugust - Amo Organics, Salinas, CA, is an agricultural marketing coop made up of 12 Mexican-American family farmers, many former farm workers. AMO markets organic vegetables throughout northern California and has a CSA project involving over 100 families in the Monterey and Bay area.
PO Box 243 ; Chualar, CA 93925
Contact: Luis Sierra; amoorganics@hotmail.com; 831-449-0626
peppers, tomatillos, cherry tomatoesSeptember - Family Farm Defenders, Madison, WI, is a coalition of organizations and individuals committed to the creation of a farmer controlled and consumer oriented food and fiber food production.
P.O. Box 1772; Madison, WI 53701
Contact: Ruth Simpson, 608-260-0900, rsimpson@terracom.net
Family Farmer Cheese, in several varieties
How
much food is this? I am wondering if I would want to split a box with
another family because there are just two in my family?
Each coop and what they produce are so different, that it is hard to say exactly how much food will come in each month's box. As a pilot, the farmers really want this to work and will probably do as much as they can. But in some cases, with sweet potatoes, squash, rice, apples, honey, etc, they wouldn't spoil quickly, so if it is a lot, an individual could probably make it last a bit.
Where
is the food in this program coming from?
There will be six coops involved and they are all national. The specific cooperatives are outlined in the previous question.
How
will the food arrive to my house? I live in Redlands, California
or will I have to go someone to pick it up?
The food will be delivered to the shipping address you provided by the shipping method used by the specific coop. In some cases, USPS, UPS or FedEx.
Is there a potential for other cooperatives and farms to join the network or share your experiences in order to start their own?
In terms of questions about growth and potential...skies the limit. We have only one staff person presently, which makes it very challenging. Managing the site alone is a full time job, but training the farmers and recruiting additional groups, as well as marketing....you understand where we are going with this.
So, yes, there is potential for other groups to join. They need to be a cooperative. They need to join the Rural Coalition. They need to have Internet access, email and in the best cases, a digital camera. (we achieved all those things for 14 of our coops thru a department of commerce TOP or Technology Opportunities Program grant). But other scenarios could work. There is a craft cooperative in Mississippi that checks email at the library.
Finally, they need to have a coop staff person or contact that we can count on to check daily for orders, send me photos, update info, etc.
We are happy to provide advice for other groups. Definitely in terms of lessons learned.
With respect to this specific project. We have had the web site up since july. We have run a pretty successful test of the site in terms of retail sales. However, we realized the the retail site couldn't involve our fresh produce farmers. That combined with the CSA concept led to the Virtual CSA.
Where did the idea for the Virtual CSA come from?
During a training meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada in December, representatives from the SuperMarket Coops expressed desires to find concerned consumers. We understand that small farmers do not just want to sell their products to sell. They want to able to share their experience, their culture, etc. In the CSA concept, the sharing and education takes place.
SuperMarket participants wanted to know if there was a way to use the technology that we are establishing to create a variation of the traditional CSA model. So that is exactly what we did!
What is the traditional CSA model?
Here is how, in general, CSA works: You purchase a "share" from a farm, which entitles you to weekly deliveries of fresh produce throughout the growing season. You pick up your share at the farm or at a convenient drop site. This arrangement gives you access to the freshest produce available at reasonable prices and give you a direct connection to "your" farm and your source of food. Many farms also provide the opportunity to participate in on-farm events such as harvest festivals. Farmers benefit by having a
reliable market, and a direct relationship with their customers. Connecting to a local farm can be a life-changing experience.The benefits of community-supported agriculture:
CSA can provide consumers with the highest quality fresh healthy delicious food at a reasonable price.
The direct connection to a farm and a farmer adds to the richness of the eating experience. Do you know where your food comes from?
How we choose to spend our food dollars is a means of voting for the kind of world we would like to live in. Local organic farms contribute to greater local food security and cultural identity, preserve green spaces, attract wildlife and help circulate money within the local economy.
Can I cancel at anytime? Will I be refunded for months I did not receive a share?
Unfortunately due to the nature of the pilot project, we are asking for a one time financial commitment for the entire six month project. Cancelations are not something we have focused on. If you are really unhappy, contact the Rural Coalition office and we will address the specific issues.
Can I stop a shipment if I
am going out of town?
If you contact staff at the Rural Coalition office well in advance, something can be worked out.
If my shipment does not
arrive or there is a problem with my order, should I contact the Rural
Coalition or the Cooperative?
Contact the Rural Coalition office and we will investigate and hopefully solve the problem.
Will
my order arrive at the same time each month?
Each cooperative will ship their boxes on the 10th of their designated month. So, you should expect to see your box arrive a few days after that, depending on the shipping requirements of that month's products. (fresh vs. finished)
A project of The Rural Coalition
1012 14th Street Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 628-7160 Fax (202) 628-7165