CSA Buying Club 2020

What is a CSA Buying Club?

• A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Buying Club is a private agreement between each subscriber and the farmer where both share in the risk and rewards of growing seasonal foods. CSA subscribers pay in advance for each share month and pick up their shares once a week at a predetermined day, time, and location. CSA subscribers share the agricultural blessings or unpredictable changes of weather, eat locally grown healthy foods, and support their local farmer.
• You will need to sign this CSA Buying Club share agreement at your first pick up (unless you are only funding a donation).

What is the Get 1 Give 1 option?

For $100, you get a $50 share of chickens, & we donate a $50 share of veg+.

Or for $200, you get a $100 share of veg, & we donate a $100 share of veg+.

Get 1 Give 1 Frequently Asked Questions:

• Q: Why are you doing Get 1 Give 1 this year?
• A: With ability comes responsibility.^{see oldest reference}  Our ability to grow highly nutrient-dense immune-boosting food is needed more than ever, and now it is needed most by people with the least ability to pay.  So we're asking you to partner with us on covering veg share donation costs this year, while we donate the labor.
  (Standard disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.)
• Q: Who routes the donated food to clients?
• A: Heart of Hope Outreach delivers the foods primarily to disabled and elderly people in the Quad Cities.  (We started donating foods in April.)
• Q: Can I just donate to give food without getting anything?
• A: Yes, you can fund a donation, just use the shares starting with "Give" at the bottom of this page.
• Q: What are we donating in the veg+ share?
• A: Vegetables, eggs, fruit, & herbs.  Details are in the shares at the bottom of this page.
• Q: Did you increase your prices this year?
• A: No, all prices are the same as last year, including the value of donated foods.
• Q: Why are your prices higher than grocery stores?
• A: Because our foods are higher in nutrition, and cost more to produce.  See more nutrition information on our Home and About pages.  We've also applied to and were approved for a study with nutritional density lab testing this year, which we're super honored with!
• Q: Can I get veg and give chicken instead?
  
• A: No, the regulations for high-nutrition chicken harvesting here require direct sale to the consumer.
  
• Q: Can I purchase veg, eggs, or fruits individually?
  
• A: This year no; we're focused on serving those items to people based on need and lack of means.
  
• Q: Can I purchase chicken individually?
  
• A: We will consider that option after the veg share donations are fully funded.
  
• Q: What are my options if I cannot afford Get 1 Give 1?
  
• A: You can sign up to be notified for next year's shares, volunteer at Heart of Hope Outreach, and start a no-till garden (highly recommended).
  
• Q: Are my donations tax-deductible?
  
• A: Since our farm is not a 501c3, your donations through us are not tax deductible as charitable contributions.
• Q: Do you have special handling practices this year for the donated veg+ shares?
• A: Yes, in addition to USDA Good Handling Practices, we're using masks and single-use gloves for all food processing (even for items not ready-to-eat), and adding an egg wash step with NSF-grade hydrogen peroxide.  This substance is found in the human body, decomposes to water and oxygen when exposed to light, and is within the guidelines of the EPA, CDC, & FDA - we still eschew toxic chemicals like chlorine on food.
• Q: Do the Get 1 Give 1 $50 veg+ shares include flowers, like your normal veg+ shares?
• A: No, not in the food we count for the $50.  However, we will be giving flowers away with those shares on top of the $50 food value.  We try to go beyond just physical health when we can.  :)
• Q: Can I visit the farm?
  
• A: We highly encourage you and your family to visit the farm.  This year, purchase of a donation or Get 1 Give 1 share is required to do so.
  
• Q: How do I cook pastured heritage chicken?
  
• A: Low and slow!  A low heat and long cooking time is vital to getting the most out of this renowned heritage breed.  See our example recipes.
  
• Q: How do I use the entire pastured chicken to maximize my investment in my health?
• A: That is the right question!  The parts were designed for your health.  Here is one path:
  
• Oven roast whole including skin & fat (recipe), and eat the easily removed pieces of meat, throwing nothing away.
• Debone the remaining meat and use in multiple recipes including chicken tacos, chicken & rice, stir fry, etc.
• Crock pot the bones along with any unused parts (feet, neck, etc.) and vegetable scraps to make highly nutritious bone broth (recipe), and strain.  Use broth as a base for other recipes or as a breakfast drink to support gut health.
• If you don't cook the organ meats (the highest nutrition parts) in separate recipes, dice them and include in the bone broth recipe.
  
• Q: Does your chicken depend on the meat processing industry?
  
• A: No, we harvest chicken on-farm, for higher meat quality due to less stress hormones in the animal, and no toxic chemicals like chlorine.  This year we are wearing masks and single-use gloves for all food processing. We have always harvested chicken with the widely used, ancestral, lab-proven methods of Polyface Farms documented in Joel Salatin's book on the subject.
  

What's outstanding about the nutrition of Shire's foods?

• Our foods are carefully selected for traits like high levels of phytonutrients, beta carotene, antioxidants, omega 3s, & vitamins, and grown to exceed the nutrition of other foods available locally, going beyond natural, beyond just "avoiding bad stuff", to delivering nutrient dense foods.
• Our farming practices go beyond humane to happy, beyond conservation, and beyond sustainable to regenerative. These practices reinforce each other to enhance the nutritional content of the food.
• You will get foods with higher nutrition, although often smaller physical size than from industrial growth hormone- and chemical-based agriculture. A truckload of snack chips is big, but not big on nutrition. (However, our pears were big and amazing last year.)
• Since we don't use toxic chemicals or genetically modified ingredients in or on your foods, they may contain natural soil or a bug or two. This is generally taken care of by gentle washing, and our timing is optimized to preserve natural freshness.

Can we visit?

• Yes, we highly encourage you and your family to schedule a visit to the farm. We'd love to show you all of the symbiotic relationships we nurture to give you outstandingly healthy food.
• For the year 2020, purchase of a donation or Get 1 Give 1 share is a prerequisite for scheduling a visit.

What's in a share?

• The full list of foods we're planting/growing is on the home page (scroll down). This year, we're doing a share as ~10% of sale-able harvest. (Normally) Our shares are sold monthly for your flexibility: you can pay as you go, jump in mid-year, skip a month while you're on a long vacation, buy extra for a month for a family reunion, or buy a whole year up front and get free extra foods.
• We will help you with recipes for the foods as they are in season, and with advice on healthy cooking, eating, & lifestyle. We've done our homework, and have an opinion or two on these things. :) We like to share our knowledge to help you and your family be healthier.
• Read on to see the 2020 shares available & schedule.

What does a share subscription cost?

• 2020 share subscriptions are (normally) up to $50+tax for each month ($100 for Get 1 Give 1), paid with debit/credit on the website, by the due date listed. (No cash transactions at the farm.)
• The price and number of shares in each month varies based on expected production and balance of eggs, vegetables, etc.
• Our approach is to focus on quality first, then efficiency & predictability. We don’t cut costs at the expense of the health of our soil, plants, animals, or foods.

What are the pick up rules?

• Both chicken pickups are at the farm in Coal Valley, IL.
• You'll need to choose your weekly pickup time & location for other foods:
• ____ Fridays 5-7pm, at the farm
• If you miss your weekly pickup, it may be donated to a local food bank. We're sorry but we cannot give you credit or a refund for foods that are not picked up; but rest assured that the food will not go to waste.
• Tours on pick up days are subject to all of the terms and conditions listed on our Schedule a Visit page.
• Outside of our pickup areas but want to help the real food movement? Consider donating to FarmToConsumer.org.

How do we do prep, transport, containers, & temperatures?

• Our packaging is all recyclable or compostable.
• Please bring a cooler.
• In your vehicle, allow one cup holder per share, for cut flowers in a cup of water.
• Vegetables, fruits, eggs: transport cool then store in refrigerator.
• Herbs: transport & store cool & dry.
• Chicken and Lamb: transport frozen in cooler then store in freezer.
• You'll need to choose chickens &/ ducks either
• ____ live, or
  
• ____ dressed frozen for no extra charge.--Most people choose "dressed frozen" :)
• Please keep in mind appropriate transport times of frozen foods in hot cars.
• We recommend roasting pastured chicken at 325 degrees for at least an hour and finishing it by raising it to a final peak inner thigh temp of 165 degrees, with a 20 minute rest after roasting - low and slow. :) 
  7 Tips for Perfect Roast Chicken (Pastured of Course!)
  

How do we communicate?

• Email is our primary means of communicating with you as a subscriber; you agree to read our emails, and we agree not to spam you.  :)  Mobile text messaging is secondary and may be accommodated as resources permit.
• You agree to read all email communications as soon as you see them, since much of the information is time sensitive.  To provide the freshest foods, we pick them at maximum ripeness to get the highest nutrition.  This means a shorter shelf life at your house, but gives you healthier, living food - bon apetit!  Please check your junk email box and add shireregenerative.farm as a Safe Sender.
• We respect your privacy and will not disclose your personal information to third parties.
• You agree to respect our privacy and not share our family's personal information, including but not limited to names, address, email addresses, phone numbers, intellectual property, videos, and photos.

Legalese (terms & conditions) (unless you are only funding a donation)

• Your name printed here (the "Subscriber") subscribes for one or more share months of the listed farm products ("Product") to be provided by Shire Regenerative Farm (the "Farmer"). The subscription with this contract shall take effect when paid and signed, and continue until up to 2020-11-30. The subscription fee is up to fifty dollars ($50.00) per purchased share month, due and payable upon the execution of this Agreement. This subscription fee is non-refundable.
  1. Weekly Supply. Farmer plans to provide, for each share subscribed by Subscriber, a weekly supply of Product as listed below.
  2. Delivery/Pick-up. Farmer shall deliver the Product to Subscriber at time chosen by Subscriber at Shire Regenerative Farm or other designated location. Farmer may donate or dispense with any products not picked up by Subscriber at the scheduled time as permitted by law.
  3. Shortages. If some crops wholly or partially fail such that Subscriber does not receive the scheduled allotment of Product under this Agreement, Farmer shall not be liable for any shortages.
  4. Waiver of Liability. By signing this Agreement, Subscriber hereby knowingly and voluntarily waives any and all right to make, file or pursue any claims, demands, suits, actions, causes of action, damages, etc. against Farmer or any of Farmer's agents, employees, representatives, principals, lessors, lessees, vendors, contractors, subcontractors, etc. that arise out of or in any way relates to any injury, illness, death, loss or damage caused, in whole or in part, by (1) the handling or consumption of any product provided by Farmer and/or (2) visiting or entering upon Farmer's premises.
  5. Indemnification. Subscriber shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Farmer and Farmer's agents, employees, representatives, principals, lessors, lessees, vendors, contractors, subcontractors, etc. against any and all demands, claims, suits, actions, causes of action, etc. for any injury, illness, death, loss or damage that arises out of or relate in any way to:
  (1) any handling, consumption, or use of any product provided by Farmer after it has been retrieved or otherwise obtained by Subscriber;
  (2) the visit of any person that Subscriber brings to or causes to visit Farmer's premises; and/or
  (3) any failure on the part of Subscriber to comply with the terms of this Agreement or with any rules, procedures, directions, orders, etc. of Farmer that are authorized or permitted by this Agreement.
  6. Arbitration. All disputes, claims, and questions regarding the rights and obligations of the parties under the terms of this Agreement are subject to arbitration. Either party may serve on the other a written demand for arbitration within one hundred eighty (180) days after the dispute first arises. Any demand for arbitration of a claim shall be in writing stating the nature of the claim and the relief sought. The arbitration shall be conducted by three arbitrators (one appointed by Farmer, one by Subscriber, and a third by the other two arbitrators) in accordance with the rules of commercial arbitration of the American Arbitration Association. Each party shall pay its own costs in connection with the arbitration, and costs of the arbitrators shall be paid in equal amounts by the parties.
  7. Force Majeure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, neither Farmer nor Subscriber shall be responsible for any delay or failure of its performance under this Agreement if the delay or failure is caused by any matter beyond the control of either party, including, but not limited to, government regulations, public emergency or necessity; legal restrictions; labor disputes and actions related thereto; theft, riot, war, or insurrection; and windstorms, rainstorms, snowstorms, floods or other acts of God.
  9. Governing Law. This Agreement is being executed and delivered in the state of Illinois and shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of such state.
  10. Severability. If, for any reason, any provision or provisions of this Agreement are determined to be invalid and contrary to any existing or future law, such invalidity shall not impair the operation or affect those portions of this Agreement which are valid. Farmer reserves the right to refuse or cancel a share agreement for any reason, without notice, with a pro-rated refund.
  11. Captions. The captions of sections and subsections contained in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions of this Agreement.
  12. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire contract between the parties and may not be modified or amended except in writing signed by both parties.
  13. Waiver. No assent or waiver, expressed or implied, to any breach of any one or more of the covenants or agreements hereof shall be deemed or taken to be a waiver of any succeeding breach.
  14. Assignment. This Agreement and each of its provisions shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties, their successors and permitted assigns.
  In witness whereof, the parties have executed this Agreement on the dates shown below to be effective on the date or dates described above.
  
  Signed: _______________________________________________________ Date: __________________________

By paying you agree to all of the terms and conditions listed on this page.

2021 shares are coming in early 2021.  Sign up to hear when they're available.