Frequently Asked Questions
SHARE SIZE
-
QUANTITY: One share is meant to supply two adults or a family household for a week. NO canning or preserving. It should provide you with the majority of the produce needed to feed your household, though you may need to supplement staples like onions & garlic. We do our best to strike a balance, but every household is unique!
VARIETY: We typically include 8-10 different vegetables each week (sometimes more). Unlimited u-pick crops available in addition to the weekly share throughout summer CSA.
-
No. By offering only one share we are able to lower our administrative inputs and keep our costs to you lower!
We do not offer half shares. You may independently arrange to alternate pickup weeks with a friend.
-
BOXES - YES. Alternate weeks or split your box each week.
FREE CHOICE - NO. We strongly discourage share-splitting beyond a single household at free choice pickups, it's too easy to take advantage of our honor system pickups.
PICKING UP
-
BOXES - Boxed shares are delivered on Thursdays and must be picked up by Friday at noon. Check the Pickup Information page for details for your site’s hours & more details. Please note most sites are NOT refrigerated, picking up sooner means fresher food!
FREE CHOICE (summer only) - W 3-7 @ Stick and Stone | Th 3-7 @ Press Bay | Fri 4-6 @ Salt Point Brewing | Sat 10-1 @ Youth Farm
-
FREE CHOICE - Pack in your own reusable bags! Keep in mind a free choice share size is about one paper grocery bag full
BOXES - Boxed shares come in reusable 5/9 bushel wax coated boxes that say "Fresh Vegetables" in green. Fruit Bowl shares come in a small white "1 Dekaliter" box (summer) or a "1/2 Bruce" box (winter). We occasionally include blue fiber pint & quart containers (we can reuse these!) & bagged salad greens (we cannot reuse bags).
Please return your boxes!!
-
RETURN YOUR BOXES! We'll take it all back & reuse it!
UNFOLD & FLATTEN wax boxes then return them to your pickup site (or porch if you get home delivery)
DO NOT recycle (they are not recyclable) or throw them away. These boxes are expensive and are good for several uses if handled properly. You're welcome to drop them off at Stick and Stone Farm anytime. We’ll reuse them as long as we can!
U-PICK GARDENS
-
If you are a Full Plate member, U-Pick is included and unlimited in your share at no additional cost
If you are a Fruit Bowl member, but not Full Plate, you may pick the fruits at Stick and Stone only
U-picking is closed to the general public
-
Stick and Stone and the Youth Farm host member U-picks with herbs, flowers and veggies to fill out your share
Press Bay Court hosts a community u-pick as a part of the Tompkins Cortland Solidarity Garden project
-
7 days a week during daylight hours
THE FARMS
-
Many! See the What We Grow page for information about what we plan to include in each year’s share. And in the u-pick gardens too.
-
Stick and Stone and Remembrance Farm co-own Full Plate and produce about 90% of the food for the share. We partner with 10-12 other local farms to fill out variety and spread the CSA love across the community.
-
Yes! And Remembrance Farm uses biodynamic practices too. Learn more about our growing practices.
PRICING & PAYMENTS
-
It’s a better deal! A summer share begins at $595 (about $26/wk). The market value of the 2021 summer share was $830 (about $36/wk).
-
We offer a payment plan. Summer plans include a deposit + 4 installments. Winter plans include a deposit + 2 installments.
We partner with Healthy Food For All to offer subsidies that cover 50% of the cost of a share to SNAP & WIC eligible households
We offer pickup locations across & around Ithaca as well as home delivery within the city of Ithaca
-
Life happens, we get it! Please call (607-379-2866)or email Molly sooner than later - we can work together and figure something out. Your agreement with us is for the entire season, DO NOT just stop coming and expect that we will stop counting on you to pay for your share.
-
Yes. For the summer CSA, we offer a $20 discount to returning members paying in full before February 28th.
Or, forego your discount and we'll donate $20 to Healthy Food For All on your behalf.
-
Each share paid on paypal costs us $17-$20. Checks go right to the farms & keep your money in the community.
Send checks to Full Plate Farms, PO 6898, Ithaca, NY 14851
-
SUMMER - $120 ($56 for HFFA)
WINTER - $110 ($58 for HFFA)
Please DO NOT send payments in custom amounts. More payment plan info is available here.
MISSED SHARES
-
The honor system works well in this sweet community, but occasionally boxes are taken by non-members.
Call Molly right away (607-379-2866) and we will make sure to get it to you! We keep spare shares until Friday at noon. If you are unable to collect a spare we can double your next share. We cannot refund produce once it is packed and delivered.
-
FREE CHOICE - Come to another day's pickup! Or, call Molly to make a plan! She can leave a box. csa@fullplatefarms.com / 607-379-2866
BOXES please communicate with your pickup site directly.
-
No, once we harvest food for you it is up to you to collect it. Any leftovers are donated.
You may get a double share ONLY if you notified us in advance to hold (not harvest for) the share you will miss. You must notify us by Monday at 5pm to be removed from the harvest list. Just email Molly!
-
FREE CHOICE ONLY - go to another pickup
BOXES & FREE CHOICE- donate, send a friend, or hold and double up later (advance notice needed!)
-
Yes! Just have them sign in under your name (all pickup locations). Please fill them in on protocols for your site in advance.
-
FREE CHOICE - YES. If something comes up last minute, just go to another pick up (W 3-7 @ Stick and Stone / Th 4-7 @ Press Bay / Fri 4-6 @ Salt Point Brewing / Sat 10-1 @ Youth Farm)
BOXES - NO. Each site has only the exact # of boxes ordered. You may switch permanently by emailing Molly
JOINING
-
Sometimes, subject to availability. It is always our first priority to serve members for a full season. It’s the best experience for you, and the most sustainable support for the farms.
Arrangements for a partial season share can be made no more than 2 weeks in advance of the desired start date. We will provide a pro-rated price for mid-season starts.
-
Right here on our website! Everyone must complete an “order” each season, then send payment in full or a deposit.
Sign up seasons are open until we sell out. Summer CSA sign up season is usually Feb-Mar, Winter CSA sign up season is usually Sept-Oct
Mid season? Email Molly (no more than 2 weeks ahead of desired start date)
BEYOND THE CSA
-
During peak abundance we offer opportunities to pre-order produce in bulk via our newsletter (join at the bottom of our homepage). Orders can be picked up at any pack-your-own pickup
Our very own Stick and Stone Farm is also a vendor at the Ithaca Farmer’s Market.
We do not usually sell a-la-carte produce at pickups.
If you are looking to join the wholesale list please email stickandstonefarm@gmail.com & remembrancefarm@gmail.com directly
-
Full Plate the CSA outlet for our independently owned farms. We sell CSA shares only.
If you are looking to join the wholesale list please email stickandstonefarm@gmail.com & remembrancefarm@gmail.com directly. Full plate is strictly CSA.
My question wasn't answered... how do I get in touch with you?
Contact our CSA Coordinator Molly at csa@fullplatefarms.com or call 607.379.2866. She's happy to help!
If your question is about a Side Dish CSA with Snow Farm Creamery, Wide Awake Bakery or Double E Mushrooms, please contact them directly