Everdale Farm Harvest Share

Everything you need to know about the Everdale Farm Harvest Share

Locally Grown Food: Great for you and your planet

When you buy locally grown organic food you are making a positive difference for your own health and for the health of our planet. Everdale Farm grows a wide variety of fresh certified organic vegetable crops for our shareholders. We also supplement what we grow with fresh vegetables from other certified organic farms.

Our priority is to provide you with the best local, fresh food at affordable rates. All of the vegetables we provide come from either Everdale Farm or other local organic farms. This year we are including local organic fruit in the vegetable share program.  We are no longer offerring a fruit share.

Different size Harvest Shares to meet your needs

You pay for the amount of produce that meets the needs of your household. We offer four sizes of Vegetable Shares. (See the registration form for more details.)

We are now offerring a Harvest Share program in the Annex in downtown Toronto.

Vegetable Shares

Veggie Shareholders get to pick and choose from a selection of freshly harvested organic vegetables.We provide our shareholders with a wide selection and lots of choice.Quality, taste, and freshness are guaranteed.Vegetable shareholders receive a wide selection of crops that are fresh and in season.On average you have about 20-25 vegetable crops to choose from each week.

Need a registration form or more information?    Let us know which pick-up location you are interested in, Toronto (Harbord and Brunswick) or at the farm near Hillsburgh.  Call or e-mail Harris at 519-855-4859 Ext. 106 or harvestshare@everdale.org                    

Vegetable Shares

Have a look at the size descriptions below. When choosing your veggie harvest share size, ask yourself, “How much fresh produce does my household eat compared to most other people?” If your answer is “more,” then choose the Large or Extra Large. If your answer is “about the same” then choose the Medium. If your answer is “less” then choose the Small. If in doubt, choose the Medium Harvest Share (our most popular size).

Don’t worry about selecting the wrong size for your household! You’re not locked in! It’s no problem to upgrade or downgrade once the season has begun if you decide that you would prefer a different size share. We'll just pro-rate the cost for the remainder of the season and refund you money (if you are changing to a smaller size) or charge you the difference (if you are upgrading to a larger size).

• SMALL SHARE: This is our smallest share size. It is generally recommended for single-person households. Most families find it too small but it may be right for you. You can always upgrade to a medium later.
   
• MEDIUM SHARE: Our most popular size.Most families find that a Medium Share provides them with enough produce every week. In 2007, about 60% of our shareholders chose a Medium Share.
   
• LARGE SHARE: For those who want just a bit more than the Medium Share but don’t need an Extra Large.
   
• EXTRA LARGE SHARE: For big families or for small households with big veggie appetites. About 10% of our shareholders chose x-large in 2007.

Fruit Shares:

In 2008 we are no longer offerring a fruit share.  We will be adding local organic fruit when available into the vegetable share program.

Need a registration form or more info? Call or e-mail Harris at 519-855-4859 Ext. 106 or harvestshare@everdale.org.

Choice

We know that choice is important to our harvest shareholders. Unlike other farm share programs, Everdale’s Vegetable Share allows you to pick and choose the vegetables you want (your mother may have told to eat all your veggies, but we know that most people have at least a few vegetables that they don’t like… Confession: Gavin doesn’t like beets).

The Fruit Share doesn’t work the same way. You can’t pick and choose. That’s because we buy the fruit for you at wholesale prices and pass most of the savings on to you. In order to keep the Fruit Share prices low we can’t afford to have a whole lot of picking and choosing going on. That’s why the Fruit Share is great for people who like most fruits but not so good for people who only like a few.

The Pick-Up Days - Everdale Farm

Shareholders come to pick up their produce once a week during designated pick-up times when all of that week’s harvest is displayed in our farm store.

The designated pick-up times are: Thursday 3:00pm - 8:00pm and Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm. You don’t need to tell us which day you’ll be coming. If you aren’t able to make it one week you have the option of sending a neighbour, friend, or relative in your place. Or, if you know two weeks in advance that you won’t be able to come you can contact Gavin and we’ll issue you a refund. Otherwise, if your produce isn’t picked up by 4pm on Saturday we will donate it to the local EWAG food bank.

Shareholder discount in the Everdale Farm Store

Shareholders pick up their produce in the Everdale Farm Store, which is stocked with a variety of locally produced foods (including eggs, meats, pies, snacks) as well as some other merchandise. Harvest shareholders receive a 5% discount on all store merchandise.

Flowers and Herbs

It’s amazing but true! Shareholders get to choose from a selection of free choice culinary herbs each week (in other words, you can take what you need of these items and it doesn’t count against your weekly share amount). Plus, shareholders have a free pass to harvest their own bouquets of fresh flowers from our beautiful flower gardens!

Pick Your Own Peas and Beans

There’s nothing better than freshly harvested peas and beans. Our shareholders love them. But they take a lot of work to harvest. So here’s the deal, back by popular demand: Pick-your-own peas and beans! That’s right, we grow them, you harvest them - as much as you want. (We do provide harvested peas and beans in our farm store for elderly and physically challenged shareholders.)

Buying Extra Produce

Shareholders are welcome to buy extra produce as needed. Prices for individual items will be posted in our farm store.

Questions? Call or e-mail Harris at 519-855-4859 Ext. 106 or harvestshare@everdale.org.