CSA FAQ | Backbeat Farm

CSA Frequently Asked Questions:

What happens if a storm or other natural event wipes out a crop? We may operate and own our farm but Mother Nature is our CEO. She likes to challenge us every once in a while and as much as we prepare and plan for these challenges, we still may lose a crop to disease, insects, weather (hail is our worst enemy). Not to worry! We have a backup plan for our backup plan: We will always do our best to fill your bouquet with something of equal or higher value, sometimes sourcing those flowers from our local flower friends. If all else fails, we may have to push back your pickup date. We will keep the lines of communication open and always do our best to keep you informed of our plans.

How do I gift a CSA membership to someone? Easy. When you sign up for the CSA, you'll share the name and contact information of the recipient. We will follow up with an email gift certificate and instructions on how to proceed. Don't worry -- we will keep it a secret!

What does it mean to be a member of a CSA? It means you are an asset to your community because you invest in local agriculture! You are buying a "share" (subscription) of our flowers for the upcoming season. You'll join the rest of your fellow farm community members in making a "farm run" or a trip to the Chelsea Farmers Market once a week to pick up your flowers (you'll choose your pick up spot when you join). Your purchase is an investment in our farm and allows us to buy seed, equipment and make infrastructure updates without taking out costly loans. We pass on the savings to you by offering the finest blooms at a discounted rate. Learn more about the benefits of CSA membership visit "What is a flower CSA".

I purchased a CSA membership, when will I find out my pick up dates and times? Frost dates define the planting schedule for our farm and as such, our harvest dates differ from year to year. We will be able to communicate more reliable CSA start dates and pick up schedules once we get our plants in the ground and well established. We will send out pick up dates to the e-mail you provided when you signed up for a CSA membership. Please make sure to add gretchen@backbeatfarm.com to your contacts to avoid losing valuable information to your SPAM folder.

What happens if I forget to pick up my flowers or I take a vacation? If you let us know about your vacation ahead of time (email gretchen@backbeatfarm.com) we will allow for a one-time change to your subscription. Another idea? Share the flower love with a friend or neighbor! We understand that everyone makes mistakes. In the case of a forgotten pick up, we will hold your CSA share for 24 hours. Regardless, let's keep the lines of communication open so we work together to make a plan.

How long will my flowers last? The most important thing to understand is all flowers have a different vase life. For example, we grow specialty sunflowers that when harvested at the proper time will last a good week to 10 days in the vase. Dahlias, on the other hand are one of our most requested blooms and inherently have a shorter vase life. We always harvest all of our flowers at the optimal time, keep them freshly hydrated and store them in appropriate conditions. When you take your flowers home, give the stems a snip and place them in a CLEAN vase with fresh water. Remove spent blooms, change the water and rearrange the remaining flowers to create a brand new arrangement.

How long can my flowers be out of water after pickup? We recommend no more than 30 minutes. Fresh cut flowers dislike hot spaces and direct sunlight (your car) and they really want fresh water. If you you need to stack your errands on pick up day (who doesn't?), try to grab the flowers last or bring a cup of fresh water for them.

What day is pickup? Pick up day is typically Friday for farm pickup or Saturday for market but we will announce this in your welcome e-mail.