CSA Frequently Asked Questions

Great Country Farms makes every effort to use organic and sustainable farming methods, such as plasticulture, companion planting, and no-till planting; however, our crops are not certified organic. We grow our CSA garden without synthetic chemical fertilizers or herbicides, and we enrich our soils extensively with compost, but we do use an integrated pest-management system in our orchards and on some of our field crops when pest pressure threatens the yield. We are constantly researching and implementing sustainable growing practices to better care for the land with which we have been blessed.

We deliver 20 boxes, starting early in June and continuing through the middle of October.

A share is one box per week, but since boxes may be customized, contents will depend on your choices. Each box measures 10″ x 12″ x 19″, roughly the size of a paper grocery bag. Boxes are lighter in the spring, when items such as lettuces, radishes, asparagus, and strawberries are available, and heavier in the summer and fall, when crops such as potatoes, squashes, and apples are in season.  Check out our Sample Produce List for a sense of what we harvest.

We pack what’s in season during any given week, according to your preferences — more than 50 varieties of fruits and vegetables are available during the season. Common items such as corn, squash, and tomatoes may be offered in several deliveries, while items with a shorter season, such as strawberries, may be available for only one or two weeks. Each week you’ll receive an email with box contents, preparation tips, and farm news.

Yes, you can pack your own box at our farm market Tuesday through Friday. We’ll give you a customized pack list when you arrive.

Yes, within the limits of seasonality and growing conditions. Our packing system allows you to set preferences for every item we grow, and then it matches your preferences to our harvest. Not every preference will be available, and some choices will carry additional charges.

Yes. In fact, that’s one of the best things about our CSA — a weekly pick-your-own bonus is included with your CSA membership. We post to Facebook each week and send a weekly e-newsletter listing what we have available for pick-your-own, including the quantities allotted to each share.  Pick-your-own items above that allotment can be purchased with your 10% discount. Because members and guests pick on a first-come, first-served basis, we can’t guarantee that pick-your-own items will always be available. If the weather is beautiful and the crop is a popular one, like strawberries, then we may not have much left by noon on Saturday. We try to recommend the best times to pick, and we give some items member-priority, such as blueberries, blackberries, hot peppers, and okra. Pick-your-own bonuses can’t be delivered or claimed in the store or made up if you miss them.

For your safety, we do ask that you ride the wagon to our pick-your-own fields. That way we can guide you to the areas where fruits and vegetables are ready for picking, and we can know where guests are in the fields. Storms may come up very quickly, and when they do we want to get everyone out of the fields safely. And when members walk to a field and then go straight to their car with their bonus, non-members may become confused about paying for the produce they’ve picked. We also want to ensure that people don’t pick produce we’re planning to pack in CSA boxes.

Yes. As long as your friends are members of the farm, they can pick for themselves and for you, with your permission. All they need to do is sign out your share. Extended Family/Friends who are not members of the farm will have to pay admission.

You are welcome to share your produce with anyone; however, your CSA membership includes only immediate family members who live in your household. Extended Family/Friends who are not members of the farm will have to pay admission or become a Fan of the Farm Memnbers. We do offer a discount for group drop sites.

It depends on the item. Fragile items such as greens and tomatoes may be picked in the morning and delivered that same day. Items that ripen all at once such as apples or fall squashes are clear picked and held in our cooler until delivery. On Thursdays we pick for Friday and Saturday shares.

Yes. Fragile fruits and vegetables can easily be damaged if not handled with care. Please let us know if you have any concerns about the quality of your produce, and we will be happy to send you replacements with your next box.

You will receive your delivery on Wednesday or Thursday each week, depending on your location. Once your delivery day is set, it will remain the same each week throughout the season. We deliver between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. If your delivery has not arrived by 5:00 p.m., please call the farm so we can research the situation. We cannot accommodate requests for a specific delivery day, since the routes are set by address and intended to balance our drivers’ loads. You can choose your pick-up day at the farm.

All  boxes must be claimed on delivery day. If you know you won’t be able to reach your site before closing time, please contact Great Country Farms as soon as possible. We hold boxes for pick-up members at the farm until Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Any left over boxes are then donated to Loudoun Interfaith Relief food pantry.

At least a week before you leave for vacation, log into your account, click the Vacation Request link, and follow instructions there. We’ll deliver two boxes the week you return from vacation, or the week specified in your request. You may also opt to donate your share to Loudoun Interfaith Relief when you are out of town. We do not offer refunds, credits or replacements for unscheduled absences, or for weekly U-pick Bonus items.

The farm opens at the beginning of April. Check out our calendar of events!

No. Bluemont Vineyard offers CSA members a 10% discount on wine bottle purchases.

Yes, festival admission is included, but extra items such as food, cow train, and gem mining are not included with membership.

No. Field trips are not included in your membership because each field trip has a private guide and additional activities. However, adult members who are chaperoning, may check in and follow along with their child’s group.

No. Members hosting a Farm Party receive a 10% discount on the cost (excludes promotional packages).

Yes. Please keep them leashed and make sure they are wearing their rabies tag and have all other necessary shots. We also ask that you bring your own dog water bowl and clean up bags. Dogs are not allowed in the you-pick fields.

Members can pay in one lump sum or in installments, the first of which is charged to a credit card at the time of purchase, with the others charged automatically at intervals.

Many of the farm’s biggest expenses occur in the first few months of the year; we require payment before deliveries begin so we can cover those expenses.

We have eliminated the terms “half” and “full” share to make sign-up less confusing and simplify our payment options. We now call our single boxes just shares.