What is a CSA?
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. As defined by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry:
"Community Supported Agriculture or Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) is a community of individuals or families who support a chosen farm and its family. Each individual or family purchases, in advance, a share, called a subscription, of the year’s crop. Thus, the customers become virtual partners or ‘co-producers’ in the farm, sharing risk and reward with the farm family. Throughout the growing season, each week subscribing member receives equal shares of the freshly harvested food from the farmer."
JFrans Farm CSAs are weekly veg boxes or flower bouquets created with local, seasonal, and organically grown produce and blooms. By purchasing a CSA share with us, you're supporting our farm, and you're also helping to grow a healthy, eco-friendly local food and flower industry. There may be weeks where the bouquets or baskets are smaller and also weeks where they are larger. The ebb and flow of quantities match the ebb and flow of harvests. Farming is risky and weather and pests are unpredictable. We strive to be as consistent as possible and generally are but you need to be very aware that you are supporting the farm as a whole, bugs and all.
Where and when do I pick up my flowers or veg?
Our price includes delivery within St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Fort Erie. We can arrange for pick up at our farm, contact us for more information.
Can I request a specific time for delivery?
Because of the number of CSAs we deliver, and the range of addresses we deliver to, your address is mapped according to the most economical and fuel-efficient routes. We will be in touch with you in the spring to arrange deliveries and give you a delivery day and time which should be relatively consistent throughout the season.
Can I request delivery if I can't pick up my subscription?
At this time we can't offer pick up/delivery "switches" mid-season. CSAs must be either picked up for the duration of the subscription, or delivered for the duration of the subscription. The reason for this limitation is that we are a family farm with a very small team. During peak season, we cannot accommodate the added administration of arranging last-minute delivery for CSAs.
What if I can't pick up my subscription?
If you are unable to pick up your veg or flowers, we recommend you ask someone else to pick them up for you. If no one can pick them up, please let us know and they will be donated to someone in need.
What if I go on vacation?
If you take a holiday during the summer, as many do, we ask that you arrange for someone else to pick up your subscription while you're away. If your subscription is being delivered, let us know you'll be away at least a week before you go, and give us an alternate address we can deliver to. If you'd rather donate your subscription, let us know and we'll make arrangements. If we are unaware of your absence, your veg and/or flowers will most likely go to waste, which is very sad!
Can I specify which flowers or vegetables I want in my subscription?
At this time we do not do custom or special requests for CSAs. We create each bouquet and vegetable box according to what is seasonal and available, which is part of the fun of a CSA subscription; each week is something new!
Can I buy a CSA Membership for someone else as a gift?
Absolutely! As long as they have read and agree to these FAQ's and Terms of Service. Simply register with their info, and let us know it's a gift in the registration form.
Can I cancel my CSA Membership and refund my money?
We rely on our CSA Memberships for revenue to keep our farm running and our plants growing, however we also understand that life can be goofy sometimes with moves, job changes, etc. For our 2024 CSA subscriptions, refunds will be available up to one week after the purchase of your CSA.
Becoming a CSA Member means supporting a farm that is at the mercy of unpredictable weather, pests, and plagues, and your shares are vital to our survival. We ask that rather than cancelling, you consider gifting/selling/transferring your membership to someone who will appreciate weekly veg and/or flowers from a natural, local grower.
And finally, if any CSA member's behaviour towards our owner or staff is deemed abusive or inappropriate, their CSA Membership will be cancelled without refund.
Thank you, and we look forward to sharing our beautiful produce with you!
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. As defined by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry:
"Community Supported Agriculture or Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) is a community of individuals or families who support a chosen farm and its family. Each individual or family purchases, in advance, a share, called a subscription, of the year’s crop. Thus, the customers become virtual partners or ‘co-producers’ in the farm, sharing risk and reward with the farm family. Throughout the growing season, each week subscribing member receives equal shares of the freshly harvested food from the farmer."
JFrans Farm CSAs are weekly veg boxes or flower bouquets created with local, seasonal, and organically grown produce and blooms. By purchasing a CSA share with us, you're supporting our farm, and you're also helping to grow a healthy, eco-friendly local food and flower industry. There may be weeks where the bouquets or baskets are smaller and also weeks where they are larger. The ebb and flow of quantities match the ebb and flow of harvests. Farming is risky and weather and pests are unpredictable. We strive to be as consistent as possible and generally are but you need to be very aware that you are supporting the farm as a whole, bugs and all.
Where and when do I pick up my flowers or veg?
Our price includes delivery within St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Fort Erie. We can arrange for pick up at our farm, contact us for more information.
Can I request a specific time for delivery?
Because of the number of CSAs we deliver, and the range of addresses we deliver to, your address is mapped according to the most economical and fuel-efficient routes. We will be in touch with you in the spring to arrange deliveries and give you a delivery day and time which should be relatively consistent throughout the season.
Can I request delivery if I can't pick up my subscription?
At this time we can't offer pick up/delivery "switches" mid-season. CSAs must be either picked up for the duration of the subscription, or delivered for the duration of the subscription. The reason for this limitation is that we are a family farm with a very small team. During peak season, we cannot accommodate the added administration of arranging last-minute delivery for CSAs.
What if I can't pick up my subscription?
If you are unable to pick up your veg or flowers, we recommend you ask someone else to pick them up for you. If no one can pick them up, please let us know and they will be donated to someone in need.
What if I go on vacation?
If you take a holiday during the summer, as many do, we ask that you arrange for someone else to pick up your subscription while you're away. If your subscription is being delivered, let us know you'll be away at least a week before you go, and give us an alternate address we can deliver to. If you'd rather donate your subscription, let us know and we'll make arrangements. If we are unaware of your absence, your veg and/or flowers will most likely go to waste, which is very sad!
Can I specify which flowers or vegetables I want in my subscription?
At this time we do not do custom or special requests for CSAs. We create each bouquet and vegetable box according to what is seasonal and available, which is part of the fun of a CSA subscription; each week is something new!
Can I buy a CSA Membership for someone else as a gift?
Absolutely! As long as they have read and agree to these FAQ's and Terms of Service. Simply register with their info, and let us know it's a gift in the registration form.
Can I cancel my CSA Membership and refund my money?
We rely on our CSA Memberships for revenue to keep our farm running and our plants growing, however we also understand that life can be goofy sometimes with moves, job changes, etc. For our 2024 CSA subscriptions, refunds will be available up to one week after the purchase of your CSA.
Becoming a CSA Member means supporting a farm that is at the mercy of unpredictable weather, pests, and plagues, and your shares are vital to our survival. We ask that rather than cancelling, you consider gifting/selling/transferring your membership to someone who will appreciate weekly veg and/or flowers from a natural, local grower.
And finally, if any CSA member's behaviour towards our owner or staff is deemed abusive or inappropriate, their CSA Membership will be cancelled without refund.
Thank you, and we look forward to sharing our beautiful produce with you!