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Rock Spring Farm |
Frequently Asked Questions
How will I get my vegetables?
We deliver your box to one of several "drop-off sites", where you can pick it up.
In the Twin Cities, we deliver to Cooks of Crocus Hill on Grand Avenue and at 50th and France, as well as to the Seward Food Coop, both Mississippi Markets, Linden Hills Coop, and Lakewinds Coop in Chanhassen.
In Rochester, we deliver to a private residence where a member has agreed to host a delivery site.
You can also pick up at the farm, if you live nearby.
I buy local, organic vegetables at the farmer's market. What does CSA add for me?
Our CSA "eats first". Many of the best items of summer are often in short supply at farmers markets: fresh snap peas, petite French beans, early greenhouse tomatoes. At the farmer's market, if you don't arrive early, you miss out. With the Rock Spring Farm CSA, you will always have the best available, whether you get your box early or late.
How can I be assured that the vegetables will be of good quality?
Quality is a central tenet of our operation at Rock Spring Farm. Before starting Rock Spring Farm, we spent almost twenty combined years working on other farms. We learned the importance of high quality produce, and we learned how to achieve it.
We harvest within days of our delivery. Produce is quickly cleaned in cold, tested well water, then placed in our walk-in refrigerator for further cooling. Corrugated waxed boxes are delivered to Rochester and the Twin Cities in a refrigerated truck, ensuring that produce arrives cold at its destination.
A box of vegetables seems like a lot! What if we can't eat it all?
Your share is designed for a family of four eating a mixed diet, or two adults with a vegetarian diet. Of course, family needs vary. Many of our CSA members have been pleasantly surprised at how many vegetables they eat when they have access to an abundance of fresh, delicious produce. Families with small children especially have found that the children get excited about the weekly box, and respond to the difference that truly fresh vegetables make.
If you decide that one share is too much for your family, consider sharing with a neighbor, friend, or coworker. Many people have found that sharing good food strengthens any relationship.
How does sharing a box work?
Those shareholders who feel that the box of vegetables provides more than they need are welcome to initiate splitting a box with their friends, family or neighbors. We leave this responsibility almost entirely up to the shareholders and their box mates. How and when they split the produce is their individual decision. However, we request that we are informed who is sharing with whom. We record the complete contact information (mailing address, phone numbers and email address) for all persons involved in splitting a box. This is to ensure that all parties are informed about general farm news, as well as any specific changes or notices that are necessary to communicate to shareholders. We also provide an extra copy of the newsletter for members who share a box.
What if I go on vacation?
If you will be unable to pick up your box, you can ask a friend or a neighbor to pick it up for you. If boxes remain at the drop-off site after the designated pick-up time, the site coordinator will make certain that it goes to a good use.
I'm not familiar with some of the vegetables you grow; how will I know what to do with them?
Our weekly newsletter includes recipes and preparation tips for selected items in each box, as well as articles about the farm. .
Is there a deadline for signing up?
No, but we do have a limited number of shares available each year. Please see our membership information page for current availability information.
Do you offer any special payment plans?
Yes, we offer a number of payment options. You can sign up online with a credit card, or you can sign up via the mail and pay by check. If you pay with a check, you can pay in up to three installments by sending in post-dated checks; see the agreement form for details.
How do I sign up?
From our "Sign Up Here" page, print the appropriate agreement form using the Adobe Acrobat Reader, and mail with your payment to Rock Spring Farm, 3765 Highlandville Road, Decorah, IA 52101. If you have any problems printing the form, please call us and we will send you a hard copy.
I have more questions. Can you answer them?
Yes! Please e-mail us or give us a call at 563-735-5613.