Burns Best Farm

Burns Best Farm

CSA Summer Subscription Program

Who’s YOUR farmer?

Thank you for your interest in Burns Best Farm.  Our primary objective is to provide you with the freshest and best tasting produce available while at the same time developing a farmer-to-customer relationship.

What is a CSA?

From Local Harvest:  Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (a.k.a., a membership or a subscription) and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

About Burns Best Farm

Burns Best Farm has been growing chemical-free fruits and vegetables in Catoosa County since 2003. We joined the Certified Naturally Grown farm network in 2007 and enjoy the farm-to-farm accountability offered by like minded growers.  We have sold our produce through Atlanta-area farmers markets as well as fine dining restaurants in the Chattanooga area.  This is the third year we’ve offered a CSA.  We focus on growing heirloom varieties of beans, tomatoes, melons and other items that are open pollinated.  This allows seeds to be harvested for use the next year.  We use natural fertilizers, composts and cover crops to improve the soil and produce the best tasting crops.  Everything raised on our farm is grown and handled with care.

We can be found on the internet at:  www.burnsbestfarm.com

TERMS OF THE CSA

On-Farm Pick-up:

• Duration:  A 12 Week CSA beginning the Tuesday, May 17 and ending Tuesday, August 2, 2011. Pick-up hours are 4pm-6pm.  (This start date is weather-dependent; if the weather is cooperative, we may start a week early. If that is the case, we will contact you via email and telephone to let you know of the revised start.)
• What’s in the box: Over the 14 week period you will receive 5-9 different items (or varieties of items) per week.  Weight of the produce and items will increase during peak season and will be based on what is ripe.  For example, an early share may contain more lettuce and therefore be lighter than a share with blueberries and melons later in the season.  We will typically start off with multiple types of lettuce, radishes etc. and add beans, tomatoes, squash etc. as the season continues.  There will be one dozen eggs in the box each week, barring some catastrophic event.
• Cost of Subscription:  $360. Initial payment of $180 will be due no later than April 1^st to reserve your spot. Second payment will be due by June 1st.  If you choose to pay for the season up front in full, a $10 discount is available, bringing the season total to $350.

o        Groups or neighbors may chose to purchase shares and take turns picking up.

o        Subscribers will provide their own reusable bags in which to pack their weekly share.

• All produce, flowers and other items are subject to availability and may vary according to climate factors.  No particular produce, flowers or other items are guaranteed.
• Sourcing: Our goal is to produce most if not all of the items we provide in our CSA shares.  However, there may be cases where we partner with another known local farm for certain seasonal items.  This will not be the norm and we will let you know in advance what the item may be and how it was grown in case you want to replace it.  Again, you are picking up on the farm and you are always welcome to tour our farm and see how we grow things.

Potential Items for the 2011 CSA box:

French Filet Beans

Fresh Flowers

Lettuce (many varieties)

Melons

Cucumbers

Okra

Herbs (basil, etc)

Heirloom tomatoes (up to 15 varieties)

Heirloom cherry tomatoes (up to 4 varieties)

Burns Best Farm Blueberries (several pints over the share period)

Burns Best Farm Blackberries, based on availability

Radishes

Beets

Onions

Peppers (sweet and hot)

Summer Squash (multiple varieties)

Broccoli

Cabbage

Burns Best Farm 2011 CSA Membership Program

Please return this form with your deposit or full payment to:

Burns Best Farm

135 Shirley Lane, Ringgold, GA 30736

706-375-1377

Name:__________________________________________________________________

Address:______________________________________________________________

Phone Numbers: H)___________________________________

C)___________________________________

Email Address: __________________________________________________________

Payment:  $180 due at sign-up__________________________________

$180 due by June 1^st__________________________________

$350 full season fee______________________________

I understand the terms of Burns Best Farm CSA:  Signed_________________________________________________

There will be no refunds given in the event of catastrophic damage (ie, tornado) that destroys our crops beyond our ability to regroup and replant in time to conclude the season in full.  We take risks as farmers and we plant accordingly. By signing on as a CSA subscriber, you are sharing some of that risk.  Thanks for partnering with us!