Middleton Farms CSA Program
Terms and Conditions
The Middleton Farms community supported agriculture program (the “CSA Program”) consists of a community of individuals who pledge to support our farming operation by sharing the risks and benefits of food production (the “Members”). Members pay in advance to cover a particular amount of the anticipated costs of the farm operation for the season (the “Share Price”). In return for payment of the Share Price, you will receive a set share amount in the farm's harvest throughout the growing season (“Your Share”). Members also share in the risks of farming, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests. By direct sales to community members, who have provided the farmer with working capital in advance, growers receive better prices for their crops and gain some financial security.
By becoming a Member of the CSA Program, you enable Middleton Farms to prepare the land; plant, raise and care for all of the crops; and harvest them in due course during the season. As a Member, you will also secure Your Share for the year at the current market rate, which means you will not be affected by market price fluctuations during the season.
The CSA Program is only available to a limited number of Members, which number is set by Middleton Farms based on the projected harvest size. Middleton Farms reserves the right to reject any application to become a Member for any reason whatsoever, including, but not limited to, the inability to provide crops to the proposed Member.
By signing up and paying the Share Price ahead of time, you agree to become a Member of the CSA Program if you are accepted as a Member by Middleton Farms. Once you pay the Share Price and are accepted as a Member of the CSA Program, there will be no additional fees for you to receive Your Share during the season. However, if you want to purchase additional items from Middleton Farms during the year, you will pay the applicable price at that time for those additional items.
You understand that the CSA Program start and end date will be determined by several factors including the weather, and growing conditions and therefore cannot precisely determine the start and end dates of the shares. You will be notified at least one week prior to the start of “the Season” and our goal (not commitment) is to provide 14 weeks of produce through the “Season”, and that you must pick up the weekly deliveries of Your Share in Midland, Michigan on Thursday evenings between 4 pm and 7:30pm.
If you are out of town or unavailable for a short period of time, not to exceed two (2) weeks in the aggregate during the Season, and want to suspend delivery of Your Share, you will notify Middleton Farms a minimum of 2 business days in advance of the next delivery date for Your Share by phone (989-708-4109) or email (mmiddleton@middletonfarmcsa.com). If you suspend delivery of Your Share by contacting Middleton Farms as noted herein, you will be entitled to receive an amount of produce equal to the portion of Your Share that you did not receive during the suspended period spread out throughout the remainder of the Season. If you do not suspend delivery of Your Share by contacting Middleton Farms, you forfeit the right to recover any amount of Your Share that you do not pick up.
While the Share Price is not refundable (as described below), Your Share is transferrable. You can gift your entire share to someone else, gift a couple of weeks to them, or sell your share. Also, provided that you notify Middleton Farms in advance, anyone can pick up Your Share for you.
You understand that, as a Member, you share in the risks of farming, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests, or the total loss of all crops. For clarity, there is a chance that even though you pay the Share Price, you may not receive any portion of Your Share during the Season if Middleton Farms is unable to harvest crops for any reason.
The Share Price is due and payable by you prior to the beginning of the Season. You understand that, once you sign up, pay the Share Price and are accepted as a Member, you have secured your place in the CSA Program for the Season and are not eligible for a refund of the Share Price for any reason whatsoever. If you fail to pay the full amount of the Share Price when due or decide not to participate at any time, you will immediately become ineligible to participate in the CSA Program, and you will not be refunded any amount that you may have already paid to Middleton Farms.
As part of the CSA Program, you will generally be entitled to pick from all of the produce available each week (based on harvest and availability) during the Season to create Your Share. However, each week during the Season, there will be some items that are available in limited quantities only and will be available to you in an amount corresponding to the amount of Your Share.
You agree that Middleton Farms may communicate with you exclusively through electronic forms and that Middleton Farms will not be held responsible for any failed communications. All of our customer information is kept strictly confidential. We do not sell or make our email addresses or mailing list available to any other parties or companies.
You may submit your payment of the Share Price to Middleton Farms either through PayPal® or via personal check. No other forms of payment will be accepted.
Again, the items available for you to pick for Your Share will vary from week to week during the Season depending on the harvest.
Members purchasing shares from our web store do not need to sign and send the agreement.
By signing below, you acknowledge that you have fully read this document and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions contained herein.
Acknowledged and Agreed:
Signature: _____________________________
Name (print): ___________________________
Date: _________________________________