Why does Custom Choice Matter?
“I’ve got picky kids.”
“I don’t want to waste any food.”
“We’ll be gone for three weeks this summer.”
“I probably won’t know what to do with some of the vegetables.”
There are a lot of valid reasons that a Farm Share might not work out for people. Some of the more common reasons we hear from folks are in the quotes above. And we get it. We’re parents of two kids - one child eats anything placed before them and the other one has suddenly decided they don’t like any vegetables (that must be how kids of vegetable farmers rebel, huh?). And even though we grow vegetables, there have been times when a head of lettuce was forgotten about in the back of the fridge only to be found in a less than appetizing manner. But we have structured our Farm Share to address some of the more common fears.
We want our Farm Share to work for you.
We want our vegetables to help you make meals that become memories.
We want you to enjoy what you are eating and to learn to enjoy new vegetables.
The first way we addressed a common fear of picky eaters or not liking certain vegetables is custom choice. Traditionally, Farm Shares or CSAs have been similar to a share of a company or a dividend. Members gave the farm an "investment" up front and then during the season all of the vegetables were divided among members as if they were receiving profit shares of their financial investment. Farmers have usually had control over what was in a share and people were given a box of random vegetables that they might not know how to use.
We offer custom choice because we know that people like to know what they’re getting. It’s easier to meal plan when you know and more comforting to not be overwhelmed with too many new vegetables. People can decide when they want to make comfort food and when they want to experiment in the kitchen (like the pictures below sent to us by Farm Share members in 2022).
To offer custom choice to our members, we use an online software. Every week, we upload which vegetables we have fresh and available and our members login and select what they want from the list. We always have at least 12 items to choose from. We love custom choice because we know people are getting what they want. We also like it because it cuts down on so much waste on our farm. We harvest exactly what people want and aren’t harvesting more than we need.
Another feature that goes hand-in-hand with custom choice is our share size options. We know there every household looks a little different. Giving the same size share to everyone might mean a person living alone is drowning in produce and a family of 6 eats through the vegetables in a few days.
We offer three sizes: Small, Standard, and Large so you can choose what is right for your household. A Small share is best for 1 to 2 people who don’t need a lot of produce every week. A Standard share is for 2 - 4 people and what we have found most households (including couples) use in a week. A Large share is for families with 4 + members, though we have had some vegetable-loving couples eat their ways through Large shares!
And one of the perks of using an online software to help with customization, even if you start out with a Standard share and realize you actually should have ordered a Large share, you can add vegetables to your share on a week-by-week basis. Or if you want a whole bunch of something one week to do some canning, you can add that to your share too!
The software also plays a big role in helping people when they will be gone. You can put your share on “Hold” and we won’t pack a share for that week, but the cost of the share is credited towards your account so you can use the money the next week to make one large “double” share or use it over several weeks. Even if you have to travel during the season, your investment doesn’t go away.
Finally, and most importantly, we know Farm Shares can challenge any cook, no matter how seasoned you are in the kitchen (pun intended). But we want you to use the vegetables so we offer resources, recipes, and tips throughout the season. We cook the same vegetables as you do every week and love sharing our favorite ways to prepare certain vegetables or hearing about new recipes you’ve tried. A Farm Share is a way to eat healthy and support a local farm, but it’s also a way to join a community that is striving to thrive together. Are you ready to join our Farm Share community?
