StefanFarms News

Whatever is on Sale or of Interest

Last Update 1-02-2024

 
 

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Welcome

〰️ Welcome

Remember to get Your 2024 CSA

Don’t miss it! Limited Amounts

Available in the web store now, but we do appreciate cash and checks.


If you grow your garden, remember we will have plants available in the spring!

We always have some of what we plant for sale, and we also grow them on request. Orders require a downpayment for flats of plants (it helps people to remember their order).

Until we see you again, may life be kind

2024 Markets will be Thursday 3-6 and Saturday 12-3

As the year comes to the end, we want to share some insights on donations and what we did to help with food security. In spite of our own losses, we gave away more vegetables than we can keep track of. We are not making a big deal of it, we don’t have huge events, and we keep it quiet, to not make people feel uncomfortable. Real need is quiet. Often enough all there is left is their pride. Many don’t “qualify” for help, or don’t get enough. The system is broken. We see it again and again, that people that work hard and just can’t make it don’t want to talk about it.

We are also part of the Department of Ag’s Farmer’s Market Nutritional Program. This year they implemented a new electronic way of handing out these benefits. That did not work for many people. They did not know how much they had, and thought they had funds when they did not get any after all, because they might still have had a few pennies left on their cards. I could go on and on. We made it work. We have always “made it work” as well as gave extras whenever needed, because a lot of times, they just don’t get a lot in the first place, this year we let a lot go, because the system was so messed up, and what are you going to do? Send someone away with nothing, because the “system” double failed?

We also offered bags of vegetables, like a CSA pickup, at no charge and sent plenty of vegetables home with people that wanted to preserve some, but might not have been able to. Also at no charge.

As for Donations, we received one, and we are deeply grateful for that. Everything helps, especially when it is a year that was extremely challenging for us. And no, again, we don’t qualify for any of the grants and things that many can get apparently when nature strikes down the harvest. We are too small, we don’t own a farm or farmland. This limits a lot. And yet, we managed to overabundantly take care of our CSA, with plenty of extra, as well as share with whoever needed more.

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INFO: How do I order when paying with cash or SoliMarket? — And, how do I get my stuff without Market?

StefanFarms is a CT Grown certified Farm Stand. FMNP accepted, now SoliSystem/SoliMat, until November 30.

How it works (call if you would like assistance):

There has been some confusion, so here are the details. You place your order (more on that below) and then you MUST schedule a pickup.

By default, it is the next Market day during the Market Season. Outside of that, you can call us, but these pickups will always be when we can pick the produce next. We pick in the mornings, weather permitting, which means that you will typically have an afternoon pickup time.

There might be other variables. Caldenly is a great tool. That is the “Schedule Pickup button on each page of the website. You will receive a confirmation once scheduled, and you can even reschedule if anything changes. These days/times may also change since we are off-season now, but we strive to provide you with the freshest produce as soon as possible.

This scheduling tool shows you all the options. If none of that works for you, call us to discuss options. Keep in mind, we have other customers, orders, and we don’t have things on the shelf. We have to pick and pack your order. But we do make it work.

Maybe it seems like a real pain to schedule, but it isn’t. It is super simple, and the only way to get fresh.

How you can pay:

Ordering off the website offers many options, but you can not use SoliSystem at the online checkout. This we have to process in person. Cash protocol applies.

You can use PayPal as well. The link is on top of the farm store page. Please place your order with us, and let us know that you will be paying with PayPal. We will let you know your total and you can pay and then pick up after scheduling.

Cash, this includes SoliSystem/ SoliMarket:

Check out what we have on the website. Those are the things that are currently available. Use it like a menu at a restaurant. You may also call to double-check and make sure that the desired items are available. You can place your order with us during the call if you want. You can also use the contact form, or e-mail, to let us know what you want. You must then schedule a pickup. See note above.

When you pick up your order, you can pay cash or we can scan your SoliSystem code. Please make sure to math out or ask us how much your order is and bring that amount, or make sure that this amount is available, and bring extra cash or adjust your order to match.

We are generous and often make it work, but we are not obligated to, and this has limits.

Important if you use SoliSystem/SoliMarket: Honey can only be purchased if you are part of the senior program. While SoliSystem is new, the whole is still the Department of Agriculture’s Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and the same as the coupons/$3 checks they used to issue. The exact same rules apply as before


You can now help someone get fresh Vegetables. We double your Donation in Vegetables.

No system, no middleman, just produce going on tables that need them.

Donate

So many fall through the cracks, meaning they don't qualify for help but need it, or they don't get enough to make it work. We directly share our vegetables with people like that or people that are close to such a situation. We prefer to bypass systems. Not only that, but we will double each donation in double the vegetables because we give even if nobody donates. It would sure help us though, and we appreciate it very much. Thank you for helping us help more.

And no, we do not share names with anyone. There is no need to add insult to injury. These things happen to people no matter how good they are, or how hard they work. It’s O.K, and confidential.

However, while we send you a receipt for your donations, it is probably not useful for tax purposes since we are not a registered charity. Just a heads up.

We would be grateful for your Review

Stefanfarms is on Google, Local Harvest, Yelp, and Facebook

New, Review items you purchased. A recent update sends out follow-up e-mails with review requests for website purchases. We would very much appreciate it if you took a moment and shared your rating. It is really less than a minute. Thank you

If you wanted to share on these sites some of the wonderful things you told us and shared, we would so very much appreciate it. It would certainly help others decide. I think we all depended on reviews before to help make decisions.

Thank you

If for some reason you are not perfectly happy, we would like a chance to make it right first. Your Satisfaction Is our Business

Not just because of the review, we do want you to be perfectly satisfied. This is how we work. This is what we would expect and as it should be.

(Limited to issues that originated on our end. Please do process and use fresh vegetables within a reasonable time, which is typically within a few days. Some last longer than others, and we are happy to advice)