• What is a Food Box? back to top

The Growing Washington Local Choice Food Box is a box filled with organic food grown by local farmers.  Every week you choose food from over 50 crops we grow.  We harvest, wash and pack the items you choose into a box and get it to you the next day. 

• Is this a CSA? back to top

No, but our Food Box does share some similarities to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  A CSA is an opportunity to buy shares in a farm.  By buying a share you help finance the farmer early in the season when a farmer incurs a large proportion of his or her expenses, but does not yet have food to sell to pay for those expenses.  Traditionally, in a CSA, the customers also share the risk of farming with the farmer.  If a crop fails, say tomatoes, the customer gets no tomatoes that season.  If a lot of crops fail, the customer may not get the amount of food for which they paid.  Finally, in a CSA, the customer has little or no choice in the types of food they receive.  The farmer fills the box with whatever happens to be fresh that week.  You may get rutabagas even if you dislike them. 

Our food box is similar in that the customer receives fresh, local, organic food.  Further, by paying for your food at the beginning of the season, you are financing the cost of that food at the time the costs are incurred by the farmer.  However, because the Growing Washington Food Box relies on a network of local farmers, there are two significant differences:  First, our customers get to choose what is in their boxes! Second, chances are extremely good we won’t have a total crop failure.  If bugs wipe out radishes at one farm, we have the ability to turn to another local farmer for radishes.

• Is this just another food delivery service? back to top

The difference between the Growing Washington Local Choice Food Box and a food delivery service is that ALL of our food comes from local farmers.  Other companies do a good job of providing organic food, but the majority of it comes from other states and countries.  Local food is fresh, supports local economies and, most importantly, reduces climate change by minimizing the amount of gas and oil used to get that food to your table. 

The tradeoff is that we only provide food that can be grown locally.  That means no bananas or other tropical fruits. 

However, from the more that 50 crops we grow, we allow our customers to choose exactly what is in their box.  No exclusions or swapping items out, not mostly what you want most of the time—you put just what you want in to your box each week. 

• How do I pay? back to top

We provide the convenience of paying by credit card on our website.  We do ask that payment be made in full for the season upon registration.  There are two reasons for this:

First, farming is a difficult business in that a large percentage of the expenses—purchasing seeds, paying for land, paying for labor to prepare and plant fields, etc.—are incurred long before any food is sold.  The CSA was created to help farmers survive these and other expenses.  By purchasing our food at the same time we are planting food, you are helping local farmers to survive financially.  You are also helping us reduce waste because we know how many people to grow for.

Second, we have found in past years that the administrative effort in chasing down payments week to week is a time-consuming burden that interferes with the other labors of growing food.  

If you want to be a part of the program, but absolutely can’t pay for the season up front, feel free to call us.  We will see if we can work something out.

- Drop off/pick up -

Where do I pick up my food box?

Your food box can be picked up at neighborhood locations and farmers throughout Seattle.  Home deliveries can also be made for a $10 weekly fee.

* We are looking for drop off locations in these starred neighborhoods.  If you would like to serve as a drop-off location for a discounted food box, please call James Blair at 206-403-5883 or e-mail him at James@growingwashington.org

How do I know when to pick up… back to top

           We will e-mail you to remind you to order and e-mail a reminder to pick up. Pick up day is determined by location…

Thursday pick-up locations need to select the food for their box each week by midnight on Monday. 

Saturday and Sunday pick-up locations need to select the food for their box each week by midnight on Wednesday. 

Saturday and Sunday pick-up locations need to select the food for their box each week by midnight on Wednesday.

We are looking for neighborhood drop off locations in some residential areas.  If you allow us to use your home or business as a neighborhood drop-off point, you get a discount on you subscription.  We are looking for sites that have complete protection from sun and rain.  Call or e-mail if you are interested.

Home Delivery can be arranged.  There is a $10/week fee.  Sorry for the expense….however, the cost of gasoline and our time does justify it. 

• Do I have to return my box? back to top

Yes…each week as you pick up your box you will return your box from the previous week.  If you forget your old box, we will still (grudgingly) give you your food, but may call you something nasty like an “eggplant lover”.  If this irresponsible behavior continues (yours, not ours) your food will come in a paper bag and you will, for the rest of your life, be branded a paperbagger.  No, it’s not pretty, but it’s for your own good. 

- Building your box -

• How many items do I get? back to top

Each week you get to choose 11 different vegetable, fruits and herbs for your family.  If you are getting a large box, choose 15. 

• Can I get additional items?  back to top

Let’s say you want to make salsa and you want more than two orders of tomatoes, or you have your in-laws in town and you really want them to finally like you.  E-mail or call us with an order and we will happily bring you your extra food to your pick up location.  Just pay when you pick up your food for the week.

Can I get more than one of the same items? back to top

Yes, you can.  We do ask that you request no more than two of any item, so all customers have a reasonable choice of food and we don’t create a lot of waste. 

What if I want something I don’t see listed? back to top

There are three possibilities…one is that the crop you desire is out of season.  For example, we won’t have melons in June.  You can only get those from near the equator.  Two is that we don’t grow the crop.  Give us a call and we will see if we can grow it for you or find someone who does.  Third is that we have some of what you want, but not enough to offer to all of the people in the food box. When that happens, those crops will go to the farmers market. Again, give us a call and you can pick that crop up at the market stand when you pick up your box. 

What if I don’t want to choose my own food? back to top

If you like surprises, are intimidated by making decisions, or want to fully test your culinary ability, we are happy to build a box for you each week of the best, freshest food on the farm.  We call it the Farmers Choice box and it is the stuff we will be taking home to our families.  

What are the more than 50 crops you grow? back to top

            Here is a list with approximate availability dates.  LINK

What if I forget to order? back to top

We will send you a weekly e-mail reminding you to order your food.  However, if you should forget, we will pack you a Farmers Choice box full of the best food on the farm that week.  It might not be exactly the food you wanted, but you know it will be great food, because it is what we will be taking home to our families. 

What if I forget to pick up? back to top

An e-mail will be sent to you reminding you to pick up your food box.  However, should your forget to or be prevented from picking up your box, you can call and see if arrangements can be made for pick up at another drop-off location or at the farm the following day.   You can pay a $10 fee to have the food delivered to your house the following day provided we have the time to make that delivery.  In the event that none of these arrangements can be made, your food will be donated to our “Just Food” program and given to a needy family in the greater Seattle area. 

What if I need to skip a week? back to top

If you will be out of town or need to suspend your service for a week for any reason, please call and see what arrangements can be made.  Generally, we will donate your food to a family in need through our “Just Food” program.  However, we are willing to double your order the week previous to or following the week you need to suspend service.  Also, feel free to have a friend or neighbor enjoy your box.  If you are going to have them pick it up, let us know so we don’t think some scoundrel is trying to eat your food.

To take effect for your next delivery, any changes to your order including suspensions or cancellations must be made by 8pm two days prior to your delivery day.

What if I need to make changes to my order? back to top

Call or e-mail CSA Manager James Blair to see if changes can be made.  We want to do everything we can to get people exactly the food they want.  However, late changes will depend on the amount of time we have for harvest and how many special needs we have to accommodate.  Harvest will begin early in the morning the day prior to your pick up day.  Please let James know of your need before then, otherwise we likely will not be able to accommodate your request.  Example:  If you have a Thursday pickup, you will need to notify James Tuesday by 8:00 p.m.

To take effect for your next delivery, any changes to your order must be made by 8pm two days prior to your delivery day.  

What if something I ordered is missing from my box? back to top

If something you order is missing or does not meet your standards, we will replace it the next week.

We reserve right to substitute varieties.

We anticipate there will be rare occasions when we have the crop you would like, but not the variety.  For example, you may want a yellow slicing tomato and we only have red, orange or purple. Or you want green leaf lettuce and we have only red.  We do reserve the right to substitute varieties in these situations, after trying to get you exactly what you want from one of our partner farms.  

What we will NOT do it substitute a different crop for something we don’t have.  You won’t get a radish instead of a tomato.  In fact, you won’t even get a cherry tomato instead of a slicing tomato. 

- Contact -

CSA Contact back to top

Contact: Vincent Felice - 2008 CSA Manager

Phone - 206-403-5883

Email - Vincent@growingwashington.org

Mail - 3510 Fremont Ave N #352 Seattle, WA 98103