+ What is the best form of communication with Green Gate Family Farm?

Texting is the surefire way to get a hold of us (Katie 816-809-5074 or Ken 304-809-5074). If you have a lengthier question, an email or phone call would be the best. GreenGateFamilyFarm@gmail.com

+ Are all of the products in my CSA share Certified organic?

Yes, all of the produce found in your CSA share is Certified Organic. We get inspected annually by a USDA certifying agency (in this case the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry) to receive certification for our 67-acre farm. Our egg production is small scale and we use only fed certified organic feed. The flocks are free-range and are primarily heritage breeds. If you ever want to add eggs to your order please refer to question nine about adding extra items.

+ How long does the Summer CSA go?

The Summer CSA goes for 20 weeks, with the start date typically being the last week of May or first of June through to mid-october. In late October, our Holiday Harvest CSA begins.

+ I am a One Park Place Resident, when will you deliver?

For our OPP customers, we will leave your CSA share at the delivery table. Expect drop off on Saturdays between 12 and 1:30pm. Please call, text, or email if you want to make a different arrangement.

+ For Brookside pick-up how do I find you and what should I expect?

The Brookside pick-up at 7E 66th St. is Katie’s brother’s house. It is the second house (coming off Main St.) on the south side of the rd. Ken and Katie will be there on Saturday’s from 9:30-11. We will have all items ready for you. Your job will be to go through the produce line and collect them. If you know you will be tight for time, we can leave it there on the pourch for a later pick-up.

+ What if I am running late for pick-up?

Brookside pick-up is from 9:30-11am. If you are running late, please send us a text or call. If you are not running too far behind, we can leave your CSA Share on the porch of 7 E 66th St. for you to pick up. Or we can work out a different solution. If you have not shown up by 11am and we have not heard from you, your share will be donated to our local food pantry.

+Can I bring my own bags to pick-up my share?

We would love it if you want to bring your own bags to pick up your share. We will also have produce boxes available for you to use. Produce boxes will be used when we deliver to your house. If you can return the boxes each week, we will reuse them. We will be trying to reduce single use plastic for as many items as possible. We can also reuse any returned egg boxes that are not too dirty.

+Can I pick the items that go in my share?

Every week your harvest box will have between 5-8 different items in it. In an ideal harvest week, in addition to a set list of items, you will choose from a list for one or two additional things that go in your box. We will send out an email on Wednesday with a link to a google form where you can choose which items you would like. If you are not able to fill out the form by Friday morning (9am) we will make the choice for you. Hopefully this will become clearer in the first week and become an easy habit over the course of the 20-week CSA.

+How do I add extra items, like eggs, to my order and how do I pay?

By Wednesday each week, you will know what items will be in your CSA box on Saturday. You can also add more things to your box via our farm store: greengatefamilyfarm.com/shop. So if you want to add eggs, more produce, more herbs, a farm flower bouquet, or some jam you can go shopping! CSA customers get a 5% discount on all food purchased in the store. You can pay via credit card on the webstore or at pick-up with cash, check, or credit.

+What if there is something that I just don’t like in my CSA share?

We can be flexible with your likes and dislikes. If you need help learning to like it, we have some pretty good recipes to share! If you know that is not going to do the trick, please let us know about your issue with that particular item, and we can see about substituting it out.

+What if we are on vacation on a Saturday during the CSA?

We know summers are the time for vacations and busy schedules! We used to offer one deferment, however, this policy has not worked very well for the farm. We plan to have a certain number of harvest items every week for each customer and harvest cannot be deferred. So at the end of the season when we filled the deferments, we were finding ourselves having to plant more food, with an extra week of unpaid labor. The good news is, if you are out of town you can invite a lucky family member or friend to pick-up your CSA. You are also welcome to donate your box (we will deliver it to our local food pantry). Even if you have to skip a week, we believe you still get a great value from your CSA (especially in peak tomato season) as we often offer extra portions of items that are having an exceptional harvest. Our CSA customers also get items that are not offered to anyone else!

+How do I arrange a delivery to my house?

If you know you are not able to come to Brookside for the Sat. pick-up, please let us know in advance and We can drop your CSA off at your house. Please keep in mind we have a delivery fee of $7. We will have other deliveries on Sat. and organize our route on Fridays. So the sooner we know that you need a home delivery the better.

+How long can my produce and/or eggs sit out before they go in the refrigerator?

We get this question a lot. If you are picking your share up on the way to do something and won’t be home for more a couple of hours, bring a cooler with some frozen ice bottles in it and put your produce (and eggs) inside the cooler.

+ Can I come visit your farm?

We also get asked this question a lot. Usually when we tell people that our farm is a 2 hr drive away that is usually the end of the conversation. After knowing this, if you are still interested in a visit, we can arrange something.

+I have food allergies or specific dietary needs, should I let you know this?

Yes, we want to make sure we are aware of any dietary issues, please send us an email explaining any of these. We especially would like to know if you have food allergies. We occasionally process hazelnuts (grown on the farm) and other non-produce items (like jam) in the same location we wash and pack produce.