ACCOUNT ACCESS and WEB STORE
Members: you now have much more flexibility and control over your subscription than in years past! Simply log in to your account at any time and see your next scheduled delivery (your "Next Distribution"), find directions to your pick-up site including day of week and pick-up time, review your current subscription and all your payment and delivery history, do things like change your pick-up location, donate your share, add to your subscription, make payments, or update your contact information. You can also access our Web Store from here, to order additional goodies which will be delivered with your next CSA delivery. (Account Access and Web Store)

POLICIES
Our policies are spelled out below.

PICK-UP LOCATIONS
Find a complete list (and map!) of all our pick-up locations in the first step of the "Sign-up Wizard" for whichever season you are interested in (not all locations are available in both seasons). Go here, choose a season, and you will see them.

PICK-UP PROTOCOL

1) IF YOU EVER have SOMEONE ELSE PICK UP your share for you, make sure to give them these instructions... AND the pick-up site address!
If they don't know our protocol and take the wrong thing, they will be shortchanging another member who picks up at the same site. Our pick-up protocol is summarized inside the binder at each pick-up site. Tell them this. And remember to give them the address! Only a site's general location is published on the website, not the actual address! Log in to your account to get the actual address (it's on the map) and directions.

2) Remember to pick up your box!
It is your responsibility to remember to pick up your share on the correct day and during the allocated time. If you forget, we cannot refund, replace or give you credit for your missed share. If you miss picking up your share during the allocated delivery time, your site host is authorized to give away your share (so the food does not go to waste).

That being said, we of course want you to get your share if at all possible. If you realize you are not going to make it to your pick-up in time, try contacting your host (some hosts post their contact info in the "Directions" tab of your account), or the farm. With advance notice, we will try to connect you and your host so that together you can make special arrangements. This should only be used on an occasional basis; abuse of this due to laziness about picking up on time will not be tolerated.

We also understand that sometimes there are emergencies. Again, we will do the best we can to see you get your food, but we cannot guarantee anything. Contact the farm as soon as possible and we will see what we can do.

3) When you first arrive, look for your name on the checklist in the binder.
There is a binder at each pick-up site with a list of everyone who picks up there, as well as what they are supposed to take.

4) ONLY TAKE WHAT IS LISTED NEXT TO YOUR NAME.
This includes PROPER SHARE (BOX) SIZE -- click here for picture of "How to tell Boxes Apart" -- as well as quantity and types of fruit, cartons of eggs, loaves of bread, webstore orders, etc. which are packed outside the box (see "Outside the Box", below). There is only one exception to this rule (see item 6).

5) If your name is NOT on the list, do not take anything! Contact us (by phone or email).
We only drop off enough shares etc. for the people listed. If you take something and you're not on the list, you're taking someone else's share. Call us (the number is on the top of the checklist) and we will find out the reason and work things out.

6) If your name IS on the list but there are no more boxes left of your size share, it is okay to take the other size.
If your name IS on the list, a share HAS been packed for you, so don't leave empty-handed. Occasionally someone will take the wrong thing, so if there are no boxes left in your share size, take a share of the other size (then call and let us know so we can remedy any inequities, if necessary). People can also forget to check off next to their name, so don't assume remaining shares necessarily map to the number of un-checked boxes on the Checklist. If your name is on the list, take a share.

7) Only take the contents of the box, not the box itself.
After removing the contents (you are welcome to use the bag inside), carefully unfold (see pictures below) and leave box on site. Stack it neatly with the other boxes of the same size. We will pick them up the following week and re-use them.

8) Do not tear the boxes, or they become unusable!
To open the top, look for crease in the flap then squeeze along that crease to 'unlock'. Do not pull or tear at flaps!


To flatten box, turn upside down and, again, squeeze at creases to 'unlock' as shown...


...then flatten and stack neatly with other boxes.

9) Contact us promptly if you have been shorted something.
Email or call us as soon as possible. We will make it up to you with the next delivery. You may leave a note on the checklist, but in order to receive a replacement you need to call or email.

10) Please be neat.
Treat the site how you would want it to be treated if it were at YOUR home.

ALSO...

Respect our site hosts
Please do not disturb host by coming by late at night or early the next morning. Many of our pick-up sites are at members' private homes, and, unless you have express permission from them, we ask you to respect the times they have allowed for members to access their property.

Courtesy counts
Please be respectful! Courtesy for fellow members and for a site host's property (and their neighbors!) is paramount. Treat your pick-up site the way you would wish someone else to treat yours – with respect. Don't eat fruit and throw stems or pits on the ground. If you return baskets or cartons (see recycling, below), stack like items together in neat stacks; do not bring bags of jumbled cartons and baskets and leave them for 'someone else' to organize. If you care about them being re-used, take a moment and stack them neatly.

Be safe
There are other members, their children, and other traffic around our pick-up sites – watch for them please.

Re-use/recycling
1) We really prefer that you do not take the large berry boxes (called "flats" - i.e. the box that holds 12 baskets). Please bring containers of your own for transporting your baskets of berries. If you do 'borrow' a flat box, please return it promptly the following week. These are expensive to replace and we re-use them as much as possible.
2) If you bring back the plastic strawberry baskets or the pulp paper berry baskets and plastic lids, they must be absolutely clean. If the plastic is stained, wash and dry it before returning. If the pulp paper baskets are stained, however, they cannot be reused. Please dispose of them.
3) Egg cartons can definitely be returned to us for re-use. But please only return the ones you get from us. Do not bring stray cartons from other egg farms.
4) We do not take back any of the plastic bags at this time. If that policy changes (i.e. we come up with a system for reusing them), we will let all members know, and then update this note.

OUTSIDE THE BOX

Your Fruit
In order to maximize quality and freshness of our berries and other delicate items like heirloom tomatoes, they will not be packed inside the share boxes, but rather will be set to the side in bulk. The checklist (see items 3 and 4 in Pick-up Protocol, above) will specify the combined total of how much fruit you are to take (i.e. if you get one basket of strawberries with your share and three with your "Extra Fruit" option, it will tell you to take 4 baskets). So please only take the amount indicated or you will be short-changing another member! Remember, quantities can change from week to week, so ALWAYS check the list every week before taking any fruit.

The Eggs
The eggs will be inside a cooler at your pickup site. Eggs are an option that members sign up and pay for in addition to their regular share. DO NOT take eggs unless they are indicated beside your name on the Checklist.

The Bread
Bread is an option that members sign up and pay for in addition to their regular share. DO NOT take a loaf of bread unless it says so beside your name on the checklist. Bread will be in a separate box somewhere at your pickup site. Sometimes it is put in the cooler with the eggs. Each site is a little different.

Exchange or 'Trades' Box
Most locations have an informal "Exchange Box." If you have something in your share one week which you don't want, you may put it in the exchange box, and help yourself to anything else in there that someone else might not have wanted but which looks good to you! If there is no obvious 'Exchange Box' set up at your location, feel free to use an empty share box and start one! Any items left in the Exchange Box at the end of the day will be donated or composted by the site host.

Thank you!

POLICIES

Pick-up Protocol
Understanding and following our Pick-up Protocol is very important to the successful operation of our CSA! Not following instructions leads to problems, and chronic abusers may be asked to leave our membership. Please be sure to read and abide by our Pick-up Protocol, above.

Vacation Policy
Many members have asked, "What if I know I am going to be gone for a few weeks during the season and unable to pick up my box? Do I still have to pay for it?" Our policy is, if you are going to be gone for at least a month and you give us at least 3 weeks advance notice, we can credit your account, or refund you for those weeks. There is a $25 processing fee for refunds - please read about this in our Refund Policy, below. (There is no fee if you leave your credit on account; credits can be applied towards future seasons, or towards webstore purchases, if the credit balance exceeds the purchase.)

If on the other hand you are going to be gone for less than 4 weeks, or only a week here, a week there, we ask that you pay for your share, and then be creative – have a friend or neighbor pick it up while you're gone, or give it to the person who house or pet sits for you while you're away. (Be sure they are well versed in the Pick-Up Protocol!)

If you can't find a taker, you can always ask us to donate it. There are several places, programs and families who benefit from this (see below).

Donating your share
Donated shares are redirected to the farm, and from there, volunteers shuttle them to Loaves & Fishes in Watsonville, where they are greatly appreciated!

If you know in advance that you will not be able to pick up your share and want to donate it, the power is now within your hands! Simply log into your account (see Note below) and change your pick-up location to "Donations". When you are ready to begin picking up again, remember to switch back (see Note below) to your regular location.
Note: changes such as this must be made on Sat/Sun/Mon [technically: 2am Sat thru 2am Tues] for the coming week. The system prevents changes Tues-Fri while we run reports and prepare for deliveries on Weds-Thurs-Fri.

Cancellation Policy
You cannot cancel your share until you've been a member for at least 4 weeks. After that, if you need to cancel, please give us at least 2 weeks advance notice so that we have time to make the arrangements. Any balance on your account will be refunded to you (see refund policy, below), and any scheduled future installment payments will be canceled (if you paid with post-dated checks, undeposited checks will be voided and either shredded, or returned to you).

Refund Policy
There will be a $25 processing fee for any change to your membership or share combination initiated by you that results in a refund (including downgrading your share size, discontinuing options, vacation, or cancellation). Please allow up to 30 days for the processing of any refund.

There is NO processing fee for upgrading your share, adding options, donating your share, or for any error on our part that necessitates a refund.

NEW! DONATE YOUR REFUND TO OUR DISCOVERY PROGRAM Support our Live Earth Farm Discovery Program by donating all or part of your refund, and receive a tax deduction! The Discovery Program is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so all donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. We will provide you with a donation thank-you letter, with our Tax ID, for your records. And the children who participate in and benefit from this program will be most grateful!

Share-splitting
You are welcome to split a share with someone, however share-splitting is the responsibility of the member who signed up for the share; we do not manage the splitting of shares. This includes payment: you are responsible for all payments – do not divide the cost and pay half/have your share-splitter pay half. You pay us for everything and have your share-splitter reimburse you for their half. DO make sure your share-splitter knows our pick-up protocol, and add them to our newsletter list so they can receive their own copy of our e-newsletter!

Post-dated checks please...
If you choose the Installment Payment plan and pay by paper check, please pre-write and send us ALL your checks for the entire season up front (post-dated Apr 1, May 1, Jun 1, etc). We keep them on file, and do not deposit them until after the first of the month for which they cover. If you should drop out of the program for any reason, we will void and return (or shred) all of your undeposited checks.

Bounced-check Policy
Okay, we don't like this one any more than you do, but we've gotta have it in writing. If you should happen to bounce a check (this includes e-checks), we reserve the right to collect a fee equal to the amount the bank charges us, plus $25 to cover the logistical costs inherent in correcting the situation/arranging for replacement payment, etc.