Frequently Asked Questions

Is it too late to join?

It′s not too late! You can join at anytime, up to the last delivery!  The way we work is- you pay for the first share you sign up for until the end of the season.

What are the benefits of seasonal eating?

One of the challenges you might run into is that you have to get used to seasonal eating. That means you learn to prepare and preserve food so you can have it over the winter months when it′s not available straight from the garden. Personally, I would MUCH rather have local heirloom tomatoes from a jar in January than eat that nasty Chilean thing from the grocery. Frozen Tennessee green peppers beat the tar out of flavorless green balls from Mexico in an omelet. We have gotten e-mails like "please... no more peppers." Well, that′s kind of the way it works... we grow in the summer and enjoy what′s available and store the excess bounty for the winter. Peppers will be available for a few short weeks out of the year and before you know it, they′ll be gone. We put lots of strawberries and blueberries in the freezer and we enjoy blueberry cobbler in December! Freezing, canning and dehydrating/drying are all great methods to deal with excess food and secure your winter food supply. It′s also something the family can do together. So remember... when you get more of certain foods than you can consume in a week, remember that it′s supposed to be that way. We also encourage coordinators to set up a swap box so that people can trade food amongst themselves to suit their tastes.

Can I change my pick up day/time?

Yes... you can change your pickup time if another location is more convenient. You can do this permanently or just a one time thing if you are going to be tied up during your normal time. We just need about 48 hours notice. Other than that, if you miss your pickup, you can pick up later in the day. Other than that, you can pick up earlier or later on the same truck route without notifying us at all... just tell the driver what your location is so they can find it more easily.

Can you tell me what will be in my box in advance?

No... due to the unpredictability of farming and sheer work involved, we cannot tell you what you will get in advance. We can tell you it will be similar to the week before, but that′s all.

Do your foods have MSG or Nitrates?

MSG, is a naturally occurring substance and is used as a flavor enhancer and preservative.  None of our products contain MSG.

Our ham, bacon and jowl is sugar-cured.  Curing is the addition of salt, sodium nitrate (or saltpeter), nitrites and sometimes sugars, seasonings, phosphates and ascorbates to pork for preservation, color development and flavor enhancement. Nitrate and nitrites contribute to the characteristic cured flavor and reddish-pink color of cured pork. Nitrite and salt inhibit the outgrowth of Clostridium botulinum, a deadly microorganism that can occur in foods. Some studies indicate that nitrates and nitrites create cancer-causing chemicals when overcooked, so avoid eating ham that has been browned or blackened.

Why are certain fruits available for sale off the truck but not in my share?

This is simply due to supply and demand. Sometimes we do not have enough of a certain kind of fruit to give everyone some. This is frequently the case with red raspberries. Therefore, fruits that aren′t plentiful enough to go around are offered for sale on a first come, first serve basis. We could sell every berry or peach we have to the best restaurants in Nashville for 25% more than the CSA customers pay... but we offer them to the CSA′s first because we feel a loyalty toward this customer segment. Fruit is very expensive... some of farmers don′t sell to us exclusively... some sell to others as well and we have to pay a fair market rate for produce. We try and make sure that most every week everyone at least gets some kind of fruit.

Are you Certified Organic?

We do carry some produce that is all natural, but we′re not allowed to call it organic because it′s not certified. We choose not to certify organic because of the high cost, government invasiveness and extreme measures now associated with being such (e.g. a farm can not even have so much as a creosote fence pole on the property for three years to qualify). Some fruits and vegetables are nearly impossible to grow without the use of any pesticides whatsoever and we′d rather carry/enjoy those fruits and vegetables than to go without.

We encourage the use of natural (vs. commercial) fertilizers and natural pest deterrents wherever possible and we are encouraging our farmers to move more and more toward "sustainable farming" and "organic practices", but our main selling points are farm fresh, local (Tennessee grown) and small farmer produced.

Where can I get information on how to prepare my food?

We have a message board on our website where members can login and share recipes. Additionally, we have a Recipe Blog for this specific purpose!

Another good link is www.foodsubs.com It′s an online food thesaurus... awesome for substitutions. Another really good website is http://www.epicurious.com/. You can type in a key ingredient and it will pull all recipes from Bon appetite and Gourmet magazine, which include that ingredient from several years past. Recipes range from very simple to complex.

Can I re-freeze meats?

Yes. According to the USDA, it is perfectly acceptable to re-freeze meats that thawed gradually (not in microwave or hot water) with absolutely no degradation in taste, texture or quality and no product safety issues whatsoever. It is a wive′s tale that meat cannot be refrozen.

Our meats are all frozen before they leave our control. They are packed in a Mylar insulated thermal bag that reduces the thawing process. These meats can remain in this bag for some time (depending on external conditions) and be refrozen when you return home.

What if my vacuum seal on a meat package is broken?

We try to prevent packages from getting breached, but sometimes the vacuum seal gets loose or the ground beef gets nicked.  Unless it is freezer burned (dried out and gray) it is perfectly safe to eat if cooked properly.  Always cook ground beef through for e-coli purposes.  Other meats are ok served rare because bacteria lives on the surface.

How long can I keep meats?

The chicken is frozen within 24 hours of butchering (after 24 hrs wet aging). Our beef is aged 10 days before cutting. Pork is not aged at all. Frozen products are good for up to a year (properly packaged) and you have three to five days in the refrigerator for meats. Remember there are no preservatives in any of our raw meats so they can go bad pretty quickly. We suggest if you haven′t cooked in a couple of days of thawing, either cook it quickly or re-freeze it and use it another day. Always depend on your NOSE to tell if meat is bad... you′ll know. If it smells funny at all, you should dispose of it. Better to be safe than sorry. Do not talk yourself into believing it′s ok to eat.

What should I do with my packaging materials?

We try to re-use all packaging materials like thermal bags, egg cartons, wax boxes, berry containers and glass jars.  If they look reusable, please return them and put them in the appropriate area designated at the truck when you pick up your food.  Please be careful not to tear your wax boxes when opening (see our online videos as they become available).  We need people to help return materials so we can keep operating costs down to a minimum.

Thermally insulated meat bags are a great thing, but they can become stinky if not properly cleaned prior to returning them to us.  It is very difficult for us to clean hundreds of bags each week.  We ask that you buy some bleach-based bathroom cleaner and spray and wipe out the inside of your bag and prop it open and let it dry before returning it to us. Please clean meat bags before returning them to us.

What can I expect in my share as the season progresses?

A typical share consists of at least 6-10 varieties that vary by the week and by the season.  We do plant extra crops and varieties in case of damage due to weather or animals. The beginning of the Spring/Summer CSA season will start slowly with strawberries, peas, radishes, carrots, beets and lettuces with peak season being June-September with tomatoes, peppers, beans, corn and squashes with herbs and various fruits (berries, grapes, apples, melons) available throughout the CSA season.  Look on our Farm Blog for our Harvest Schedule.

Can I get food every other week instead of weekly?

No... we ship weekly and we suggest if you need less food you split it with someone else.

What if I miss my pickup?

Your food will be on the truck all day long. If you can make it to a later delivery location that day, you can pick up your food. If you completely miss, we will redeliver shares for a minimum $10 redelivery fee on the next time we are in Nashville provided you contact us within one day of the missed pickup. If a customer fails to call, UNCLAIMED SHARES ARE FORFEITED and will be donated to our Adopt a Family program or restocked per Avalon Acres discretion.

What happens if I go on vacation?

We will deliver your food regularly to the same spot week after week for the entire 26-week season. We committed to producing the food for you and as much as we would liek, we simply cannot "turn off" the food production. See "If I cancel, can I get a refund?" We suggest you have friends or family members that can take the food and use it in your absence. The share would make a great gift for your house sitter or person that is attending to your affairs while you are gone. Please note that we absolutely cannot "double up" the following week if you miss a delivery.

Can I change my delivery location if I can not make my normal location?

Yes... We can change you to a different delivery location for the day of your delivery if another stop is more convenient, even if it is on another truck route.  

If its on the same truck, you do not have to call the office, but it helps to call the truck phone and let the driver know.  

If it′s on another truck route, it requires letting us know beforehand so we can get you on the right truck.  We will need about 48 hours notice though, so please let us know as soon as you can.

We can even move you to the other delivery day that week.  To move days, however, involves a $10 convenience fee whereas keeping it on the same day does not incur a fee.

Is a CSA more expensive than a grocery store?

CSA supports small-scale farming or non-factory farming. Very large, factory type farms have huge purchasing power and typically are vertically integrated. They hire illegal immigrants and use tons of chemicals to prop up very unnatural farming systems. Small-scale farming doesn′t do any of this. Your food is lovingly handled by hand with care and that just takes a little more. When you spend money at your traditional Tennessee grocery store the farmer actually receives 9 cents on every dollar. Our farmers receive between 50-65 cents of every dollar!

If anyone is still sensitive over price... consider this. When you go to McDonalds and eat a Chicken McNugget, you′re paying over $20 per pound for something that doesn′t even resemble chicken anymore. Next time you put a strawberry candy in your mouth... ask yourself "Does this really taste like strawberry?" Now think about the value of what you paid versus what you got out of it. Try it and you′ll be shocked to find your mind has accepted what the world has programmed you to accept... you′ve, in essence, been brainwashed. Processed foods do NOT taste like what they′re supposed to taste like and they are NOT of value to your health or pocketbook.

Where does my food come from?

Your food is all raised in Tennessee. Amish farmer families raise much of it in Ethridge, Lobelville and Pleasantville. On our farm we raise the pork, lamb, chickens and eggs. Many of these families use this farming income as sole support for the entire family of six to fifteen people. There are about 40 partner family farms that help us produce your food.

Can I specify what produce comes in my share?

No... Shares are built in a standardized way. We encourage coordinators to set up a "swap box" so that people can trade produce amongst themselves to suit their tastes. Meat is the same way. In order to be cost effective and offer share packages discounted, we need the flexibility of deciding what cuts of meat you will receive. For example, chicken breasts are very popular, but we cannot give everyone chicken breasts all the time. Same thing applies with filet mignon or rib eye steaks. If you want these items specifically, then simply add then ala carte to your share!

If you want to add something to your share on a standing basis, we encourage you to do that. If you like chicken breasts or steak then order them in addition to your share. We tried to make the packages and extras as modular as possible so you can mix and match. We tried to strike a good balance between flexible and sensible.

Can I specify what meats I receive in my box?

Yes... to an extent. If you get a meat package, you can specify what type of meats (chicken, beef or pork) however, you cannot specify what cuts of meat those will be. We try to be flexible and rotate you fairly through all the different cuts. You might get chicken wings once or maybe twice in a season... we cannot deliver chicken breast to everyone all the time as much as we know people would like it. If you get too many lesser cuts, we encourage you to contact us as we aim to be balanced but may make a mistake from time to time. We have a history of what you receive and we can check it for you and make an adjustment if necessary.

If you want to specifically indicate what kind of meats your receive, we encourage you to be specific of your meat order and add it to a vegetable package... or you can special order your meats week to week if you wish. This gives you the maximum control but is a bit more expensive.

Which size package should I get?

Standard shares are for couples that eat out a couple times a week. Meat portions are for two people, one meal. Family shares are for two adults and two children and is about double the standard shares. Family shares generally will have a bit more variety than standard shares. They also may contain larger foods that may not fit into a standard share box (like whole watermelons).

That being said, every family is different. Some families never eat out and therefore have a greater food demand. Others eat out three times a week, therefore would need less food. To help you decide for your family, remember the following: 1) a meat portion feeds two people and 2) a ¼ bushel of food is about the quantity of vegetables that would fit into a large shoebox.

How full should my box be?

Small Box = ½ bushel box. A "standard" share contains ¼ bushel of produce, so the box should be about half full of produce.

Large Box = 11/9 bushel box. A "family" share contains ½ bushel of produce, so the box should be a little less than half full of produce. The family share will have a little more variety than a standard share.

Extra space is left in the box for: packing large items like melons in the tub as they take up more than their fare share of space, placing a certain "value" we put in the tub and that effects the volume a bit... the bushel promises are approximate. Also, there is room for exceptional harvest.
The meat and eggs that are included in some shares

We wanted to leave room for a few extras people might want to order. Produce can′t be mashed in the tubs... fresh, ripe food is fragile... also, the food "settles" naturally in shipment

If I cancel, can I get a refund?

No. Prepay customers cannot get a refund. A CSA is a "subscription based" farm fresh food program. It is heavily tied to the concept of people raising specific quantities of specific food for a specific number of customers. It′s about a group of people collectively adhering to the rules of a system to achieve a benefit that everyone can enjoy. We can′t just "turn off" the food production.

Can I switch my Share Types mid-season?

Yes, if you want to upgrade and we have shares left. No if you want to get a smaller share. We committed to producing the food for you and we can′t just "turn off" the food production. See "If I cancel, can I get a refund?"

Can I skip a few weeks if I get too much food?

No. We committed to producing the food for you and as much as we would like to, we simply cannot "turn off" the food production. See "If I cancel, can I get a refund?" We suggest you have friends or family members that can take the food and use it in your absence. We suggest making use of online resources to help you preserve your food for winter use. Buying a new or used freezer for the garage or basement is a great investment. See "Tell me about seasonal eating..."

How does a CSA work?

A CSA is a "subscription based" farm fresh food program. Members pay a fee to join and commit to taking food every delivery for an entire "season" on a regular and predictable basis. It is heavily tied to the concept of people raising specific quantities of specific food for a specific number of customers. It′s about a group of people collectively adhering to the rules of a system to achieve a benefit that everyone can enjoy.

We pride ourselves on being able to offer the customer some flexibility in plan type, preferences and special orders. We think that the options set up offer a much wider degree of customer satisfaction than any of our other competitors offer.