CSA FAQ

CSA FAQ

CSA FAQ

CSA FAQ

questions & answers Freshly Inspired Community Supported Agriculture (csa) what will I get each week?Your freshly inspired box will vary based on which delicacies are ripe and in season. In June, typical boxes will delight you with a variety of salad greens, strawberries, herbs, radishes, asparagus, rhubarb and more. In August, a typical freshly inspired… Read More »

questions & answers

Freshly Inspired Community Supported Agriculture (csa)

what will I get each week?

Your freshly inspired box will vary based on which delicacies are ripe and in season.

In June, typical boxes will delight you with a variety of salad greens, strawberries, herbs, radishes, asparagus, rhubarb and more.

In August, a typical freshly inspired box may contain tomatoes, corn, assorted peppers, peaches, blueberries, summer squash, fresh cut herbs, and eggplant.

The variety continues throughout the fall with over 50 different varieties of apples, fresh pressed apple cider, pumpkins, winter squash, potatoes, and more.

can I customize my share?

Yes! With our CSA software platform, HARVIE, you will be able to customize what produce items you get in your box. You will also be able to reschedule or hold your shares if you are out of town. Learn more about setting preferences, swapping items or rescheduling here.

how long is the season?

Our Farmer’s Harvest Membership is 31 weeks. This membership runs during the full harvest season – April – November.

Our Heart of the Harvest Membership is 20 weeks. This membership runs from June – October.

Our Jersey Harvest Essentials Membership is 10 weeks. This membership runs from August – October.

Our Holiday Harvest Membership is 4 weeks. This membership runs during the month of December.

when does our csa program start?

Our Farmer’s Harvest begins April 25th and ends November 27th 2021.

Our Heart of the Harvest begins June 13th and ends October 30th 2021.

Our Jersey Harvest Essentials begins August 8th and ends on October 16th 2021.

Our Holiday Harvest begins November 29th  and ends December 26th 2020

 

Our 2020 season enrollment is currently underway:

Our Farmer’s Harvest ends November 24th 2020. You can still enroll – cost is prorated.

Our Holiday Harvest begins November 29th, 2020 and ends December 26th 2020.

can I change my pick-up day?

Certainly. You can change your pick up day by updating your preferences on Harvie.

can I skip a week?

Yes. You can place a hold on your share to be picked up at later date via Harvie.

what if I do not know how to use (or even recognize!) the vegetables in my box?

Not to worry! Your weekly newsletter tells you all about the product and its culinary possibilities. Plus, our team loves to answer questions. We’re always available by phone or email, or Facebook.  Let us guide you in your culinary journey – throughout the season, we’ll tell you how to prepare each crop in a delicious, family-friendly dish. You can find past recipe ideas on our online recipe index.

how often will I receive a box of produce?

Your harvested delights arrive once a week during any of your preferred seasons. When you register, you will select your distribution day. Option vary based on pick up location.

where will I pick up my box?

You may choose your pick up location when you enroll. Options include:

  • Convenient pick up for locals at our Farm Store on Tuesdays or Thursdays.
  • Local chapters established in towns throughout Morris, Somerset, Essex, Passaic, Union, and Middlesex counties. Each chapter’s delivery date and pick up time is determined by the chapter host.
  • Corporate business chapters. These private chapters are open to employees of our corporate business partners. Delivery dates and times are determined by the designated company chapter host.
  • You may request weekly home delivery with an associated delivery fee.
  • You may also request to have your box delivered to one of our weekly farmer’s markets near you.

what time can I pick up my box?

Pick up time varies by location and is generally 2 pm – 6 pm

how do I enroll?

You can enroll in one of three ways:

  • Visit us at 1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester, NJ 07930
  • Call us at (908) 879-7189
  • Enroll online using Harvie

We accept cash, checks, Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover.

is there a deadline to enroll?

For our Farmers Harvest (31 week) Membership or Heart of the Harvest (20 week) Membership there is no deadline to enroll. You can even enroll partway through the season for a pro-rated cost. Sometimes, we may offer incentives to sign up early, so don’t miss out on those timely chances to save.

can I upgrade to a larger sized freshly inspired box?

Yes, if you want more than your current box, you can switch up to a larger box. We make it easy by prorating the cost. You may also call ahead to add items to your weekly share for convenient one-stop shopping.

can I downgrade my freshly inspired box size or cancel for a refund?

No. The cornerstone to any CSA is the idea of a seasonal commitment—both from the farm to you and from you to the farm. If you’re unsure what size box to get, start small as you can always upgrade.

how do I contact the farm?

You may contact us via mail, phone, fax, email, Facebook, and through our website. Our preference is that you contact us in person or over the phone; we love to talk to our customers!
Phone: (908) 258-6245
Email: info@alstedefarms.com

Order Online FAQ

Order Online FAQ

Order Online FAQ

Order Online FAQ

questions & answers Shopping on our Online Store Can I place an order online?You sure can. Please click on the Order Online tab at the top of the page to visit the farm store. Can I place an online order and pick up the contents at a nearby Farmers Market?Yes, you can. Please refer to… Read More »

questions & answers

Shopping on our Online Store

Can I place an order online?

You sure can. Please click on the Order Online tab at the top of the page to visit the farm store.

Can I place an online order and pick up the contents at a nearby Farmers Market?

Yes, you can. Please refer to the list of Farmers Markets we attend by clicking here. All orders for Farmers Market pickup must be placed at least 24 hours prior to the opening of the market in order to guarantee delivery.

How do I choose the option of picking up my order at a Farmers Market?

Please go about shopping on our website as usual and when you arrive at the Checkout page, please select the Farmers Market Pickup tab and then choose the Farmers Market location from the drop down menu. You must choose the Farmers Market Location in order to proceed with the placing of the order.

What do I do once I am at the farm store?

Browse through categories while reviewing the products available. You can place an item in your cart right from the product overview page.

If you wanted more information about the product itself, you can click on the product for a detailed description.

I have completed my shopping and all the products are in the cart, now what?

Click on the grocery cart image in the top right corner to review your cart.

Everything in my cart is looks good, what is the next step?

Proceed to Checkout by clicking on the link in the bottom right hand side of the page.

I am on the checkout page, where do I go from here?

If you are a returning customer, please enter your username and password and hit submit. Once submitted, your details will appear automatically. Please select delivery method, check off the box that you have “read and accepted the terms & conditions” and then place order

If you have not purchased anything from us in the past, please scroll down to the billing details section and fill out the following areas:

 

First and Last Name
Zip Code
Address
State
Town/City
Phone Number
Email Address
Create Password
Confirm Password

 

Once complete, choose your delivery method, check off the box that you have “read and accepted the terms & conditions” and then place order

I placed the order and it brought me to the credit card information page, what do I need to do now?

Please enter your credit card number, expiration date, and code number from the back of your card. Click on the pay now box and your order is complete.

I completed my order; will I receive a confirmation email?

Yes, a confirmation email will be sent to the email address you provided when you placed the order.

Is there a fee for curbside pickup or delivery?

Yes, there are fees for both options:

 

  • Curbside Pickup Fee: $5.00
  • Local Delivery: $10.00
  • Delivery Zone 2: $25.00 with minimum of $100 order
  • Delivery Zone 3: $35.00 with minimum of $100 order

Can I cancel an order I placed online?

Yes, you can cancel an order you placed online by calling our office. Still though, you will lose the fee associated with your order.

I want to add on to an order I already placed, what do I do?

You will need to place another order online.

When will I be notified that my order is ready for curbside pickup?

Our philosophy here at Alstede Farms is that all orders placed will be ready the day that they are purchased. Once your items have been shopped and packed, someone at our farm will give you a call letting you know you can come pick up your order as well as your order number.

I have arrived at the farm to pick up my order, what should I do?

Park in one of the spots just outside the store and give us a call letting us know that you have arrived. Please give us your order number, last name, and the make and color of your vehicle.

I chose to have my order delivered, what happens next?

Once your order is packed and on the delivery van, you will receive a call letting you know your order is on the way.  All orders will be left by your front door unless otherwise noted in the notes section of your order.

Do you substitute products if certain products you purchased are unavailable?

Yes, we allow our team members to make comparable substitutions if certain items are unavailable.

What are comparable substitutions?

Gala Apples for Pink Lady Apples

Turkey Pot Pie for Chicken Pot Pie

Raspberry Muffins for Blueberry Muffins

I received my order but there are missing items or items that do not look good. What do I do now?

Our standards for quality control are high and we have implemented strategies that are highly effective. Still though, there are going to be sometimes when orders are overlooked as with human error. If this happens, please give us a call and we will gladly discuss all your options. Our goal is to always correct mistakes and make everything whole.

My order did not go through, what do I do now?

Please give us a call so that we can discuss how to move forward.

Is the farm store open?

Yes, the farm store is open from 9-6 everyday with senior and at-risk hours from 8-9.

Potatoes

Potatoes

Potatoes

Potatoes

potatoes Alstede Farms opens our fields for you and your family to pick the very freshest potatoes! Have you ever picked your own potatoes? Well you can do that here in our potato field! Pick your own potatoes is offered from mid September through mid November. Availability can vary. Visit our "what can I pick… Read More »

potatoes

Potatoes
membership

Alstede Farms opens our fields for you and your family to pick the very freshest potatoes!

Have you ever picked your own potatoes? Well you can do that here in our potato field! Pick your own potatoes is offered from mid September through mid November. Availability can vary.

Visit our “what can I pick today” page to see if this crop is currently available for picking.

CSA FAQ

CSA FAQ

CSA FAQ

CSA FAQ

questions & answers Freshly Inspired Community Supported Agriculture (csa) what will I get each week?Your freshly inspired box will vary based on which delicacies are ripe and in season. In June, typical boxes will delight you with a variety of salad greens, strawberries, herbs, radishes, asparagus, rhubarb and more. In August, a typical freshly inspired… Read More »

questions & answers

Freshly Inspired Community Supported Agriculture (csa)

what will I get each week?

Your freshly inspired box will vary based on which delicacies are ripe and in season.

In June, typical boxes will delight you with a variety of salad greens, strawberries, herbs, radishes, asparagus, rhubarb and more.

In August, a typical freshly inspired box may contain tomatoes, corn, assorted peppers, peaches, blueberries, summer squash, fresh cut herbs, and eggplant.

The variety continues throughout the fall with over 50 different varieties of apples, fresh pressed apple cider, pumpkins, winter squash, potatoes, and more.

what is HARVIE?

HARVIE is our CSA software platform that we use to manage CSA memberships as well as a tool for you to be able to manage your shares. As a CSA member, you will get an account on HARVIE which allows you to customize what produce items you get in your box from our list of what is currently being harvested from our fields. You can manage other share details with HARVIE such as rescheduling your distribution day or placing a hold on your share if you are out of town. You may also purchase additional items and add them to your share if desired. Learn more about how to use HARVIE here.

can I customize my share?

Yes! With our CSA software platform, HARVIE, you will be able to customize what produce items you get in your box. You will also be able to reschedule or hold your shares if you are out of town. Learn more about setting preferences, swapping items or rescheduling here.

how long is the season?

Our Farmer’s Harvest Membership is now 34 weeks. This membership runs during the full harvest season – April – December.

Our Heart of the Harvest Membership is now 22 weeks. This membership runs from June – November.

Our Jersey Harvest Essentials Membership is now 12 weeks. This membership runs from August – October.

when does our csa program start?

Our Farmer’s Harvest: April 28th to December 21st 2024

Our Heart of the Harvest: June 16th to November 16th 2024

Our Jersey Harvest Essentials: July 28th to October 19th 2024

can I change my pick-up day?

Certainly. You can change your pick up day by updating your preferences on HARVIE.

can I skip a week?

Yes. You can place a hold on your share to be picked up at later date via HARVIE.

what if I do not know how to use (or even recognize!) the vegetables in my box?

Not to worry! Your weekly newsletter tells you all about the product and its culinary possibilities. Plus, our team loves to answer questions. We’re always available by phone or email, or Facebook.  Let us guide you in your culinary journey – throughout the season, we’ll tell you how to prepare each crop in a delicious, family-friendly dish. You can find past recipe ideas on our online recipe index.

how often will I receive a box of produce?

Your harvested delights arrive once a week during any of your preferred seasons. When you register, you will select the day of week based on the location desired.

where will I pick up my box?

You may choose your pick up location when you enroll. Options include:

  • Convenient pick up for locals at our Farm Store on Tuesdays or Thursdays.
  • Local chapters established in towns throughout Morris, Somerset, Essex, Passaic, Union, and Middlesex counties. Each chapter’s delivery date and pick up time is determined by the chapter host.
  • Corporate business chapters. These private chapters are open to employees of our corporate business partners. Delivery dates and times are determined by the designated company chapter host.
  • You may request weekly home delivery with an associated delivery fee.
  • You may also request to have your box delivered to one of our weekly farmer’s markets near you.

what time can I pick up my box?

Pick up time varies by location and is generally 2 pm – 6 pm

how do I enroll?

You can enroll in one of three ways:

  • Visit us at 1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester, NJ 07930
  • Call us at (908) 879-7189
  • Enroll online with HARVIE

We accept cash, checks, Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover.

is there a deadline to enroll?

For our Farmer’s Harvest (31 week) and Heart of the Harvest (20 week) memberships there is no deadline to enroll. You can even enroll partway through the season for a pro-rated cost. Sometimes, we may offer incentives to sign up early, so don’t miss out on those timely chances to save.

can I upgrade to a larger sized freshly inspired box?

Yes, if you want more than your current box, you can switch up to a larger box. We make it easy by prorating the cost. You may add items to your weekly share via HARVIE for convenient one-stop shopping.

can I downgrade my freshly inspired box size or cancel for a refund?

No. The cornerstone to any CSA is the idea of a seasonal commitment—both from the farm to you and from you to the farm. If you’re unsure what size box to get, start small as you can always upgrade.

how do I contact the farm?

You may contact us via mail, phone, fax, email, Facebook, and through our website. Our preference is that you contact us in person or over the phone; we love to talk to our customers!
Phone: (908) 258-6245
Email: info@alstedefarms.com

why choose the freshly inspired CSA?

Our 31-week season is the longest and most inclusive CSA program in North Jersey!

Produce is certified organic or sustainably grown and contains more varieties of fruits and vegetables than any other CSA in the area.

 

Genuinely local, non-GMO
You’re tasting our best efforts, grown here in Chester just for you.

 

Variety you’ll come back for
It’s the kind of variety you’d expect from a 600-acre farm with 250 different fruits and vegetables.

 

Come for the veggies, stay for the fruit
Your freshly inspired box includes seasonal homegrown fruits at no additional charge, featuring: strawberries, peaches, blueberries, apples, pears, plums, and much, much more!

 

Size options
You may choose from 3 box sizes and three seasons to find the best option for you.

 

Convenient pickup options
You may choose from 2 pickup days at our market, farmer’s markets and many local chapter sites as well as home delivery options.

 

Corporate partnerships
Share the harvest love at work! We can deliver freshly inspired boxes directly to your workplace. For details, call 908-879-7189.

 

More flexibility
We allow changes in pick up days. If you need a one-week vacation, we allow a double share on a future date. Share contents are completely customizable with HARVIE.