how does this program work?

we will be opening our CSA applications to new members beginning on February 18, 2023, with limited spots available. All 2022 members will have priority to re-enroll until March 1st before their spots become available.

 

this membership is ideally intended for customers who regularly shop with us at the farmer’s markets or online, or have already fostered a relationship with us as farmers, who are willing to invest in the dreamfarm & buckwheat's now to receive extra goodies during the year. by paying in advance, you'll receive bonus credit towards our farm (between 10-13% of your initial purchase) which can be used to shop with us like you normally would at the farmer's markets or pre-order online for pickup at our regular delivery spots (read below for times & locations). you'll receive weekly emails from us throughout the season with a link & reminder to pre-order, news about what's coming into season, farm updates, behind-the-scenes pictures, recipe ideas, product highlights, and more, in hopes to connect you to the bigger picture of what goes into growing our local food.

 

please read our membership agreement form to determine if this membership is right for you, and send a completed form and payment to us before march 31, 2023.

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how will you keep track of my balance?

with a pre-paid membership, your credit will be entered into our online sales platform (Square) as a digital "gift card" linked to your name and the email address. when you shop with us at the farmer's markets, we will process your order on-site using Square, which sends you an emailed receipt of your purchase that day, as well as the remaining balance on your account. if you'll be pre-ordering online with us using our online store, you will receive an email confirmation of your order from the store checkout, AS WELL AS a follow-up receipt from us (via Square) within 24 hours of your pickup. Your Square receipt will include your remaining account balance. Please note: our online store is NOT linked to Square, and is used only to manage our ordering and inventory, and therefore should not be used to reflect your account balance. please refer to your Square receipts only for your correct account information.

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what if i sign up for a membership but have money leftover at the end of the year? does my membership expire?

if you sign up to be a member of our farm, you become a part of our "farmily". your credit with us will not expire, and any remainder will roll over into the new year and can be used for future purchases. so long as you have an active credit with us, you're considered an active member of our farmily.

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​what if I spend all of my membership money and still want more?

that’s great! if you spend your membership balance during the season you are always able to buy more credit, and receive the same discount % you started with. for example, if you buy a $400 credit and re-up with another $100 during the season, you still get the 13% bonus add-on because of your initial buy in. (note that if your initial buy-in is for less than your follow-up buy-in, you'll be rewarded with the greater % bonus of the two.)

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how does pre-ordering work?

once you sign up and your money has been received, you'll receive a weekly email from us that includes a link to our online "member's only" store (you're always welcome to bookmark this page to visit when you please). feel free to visit our online store here to poke around and see what it's like (note that dreamfarm members have a link to a special order page that may include more items than on our regular store page). we do ask that you order at least 2 days before your pickup date (ie, order before monday night for wednesday pickup). our online store will be closed on thursday and friday so that we allow ourselves time to update inventory and to focus on harvesting, but you're always welcome to reach out to us personally (text/email) to see if we can accommodate a late order. when you do place an order on the site, you'll be able to select the option to use your CSA funds at checkout, as well as your preferred pickup day.

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what can I purchase with my membership?

all dreamfarm and buckwheat's homegrown items are able to be purchased with your membership funds. this includes our fresh produce, spring transplants, mushrooms, and anything else grown and produced on our farms. unfortunately, gift cards may not be purchased using CSA money. in addition, you will not be able to use your CSA credit to purchase any dreamfarm or buckwheat items sold elsewhere (such as another farm or store, or with the Torch Lake Co-op).

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do I have to pay it all at once?

we are happy to offer a payment plan option for those who are interested, but not able to pay everything up front. please reach out, as we are happy to consider alternative arrangements in unique circumstances.

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what if I sign up and decide that it's not for me? can I get a refund?

unfortunately, we are not able to offer refunds of the CSA membership. a big component of the CSA model is that the members agree to invest in both a farm's successes and failures, and the investment is directed faithfully towards the plants we grow. if you encounter an unexpected life event which prevents you from receiving the benefits of the membership, we will happily consider alternative options for you. in addition, if you receive any produce from us that doesn't meet your standards, we are more than happy to refund you for that individual purchase. if you have questions or concerns about whether or not a membership is right for you, we are happy to answer any questions you may have.

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where can I redeem my CSA money this summer?

you can use your CSA funds at any of our summer market locations:

• Bellaire Farmer’s Market, Fridays, Memorial Day--October, 8:00-12:00pm

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we deliver to the following locations (online pre-order only):

• Bellaire ASI Community Center, Wednesdays1:30-2:00pm (year-round)

• Bellaire Downtown outside Terrain Restaurant, Fridays 9:00am (starting after last outdoor market through winter)

• Petoskey: Biweekly Saturdays, 8:30 am (1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, May-December)

• Harbor Springs: Biweekly Saturdays, 9am (1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, May-December)

• Boyne City: Biweekly Saturdays, 10:00am (1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, May-December)

 

and have an on-farm pick-up option (online pre-order only)

• Daybreak Dreamfarm, flexible pickup hours

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what happens in an unforeseen circumstance?

in the event that the farmers are not able to make it to a scheduled market or delivery, you will be contacted via email as soon as we are able. this happens on occasion due to unforeseen circumstances, such as in the instance of weather events, illness, or family emergency. while we are not able to guarantee presence at every farmer's market, but we are happy to make arrangements outside of these days on an independent basis. in addition, if you are unable to pick up your order for any unexpected reason, we allow the same grace to you with no charge. in the event that a forgotten order becomes habitual, we'll discuss making some alternative arrangements.