Veggie Lovers’ Club

Veggie Lovers’ Club 2024 Farm Share Program

Fresh, delicious produce Grown with Love on a family farm – our weekly Veggie Lovers Club provides exceptional produce & service to members in Brandon & Rivers, Manitoba. Relationships are at the core of what we do: Connecting with amazing folks fuels our passion of growing food for people.

How it Works

Each week you will pick up a bag of seasonally ripe produce direct from us, “the farmers”, at a central location in town. A weekly newsletter will keep you updated and provide you with recipe ideas and cooking & storage tips. We also have a handy Veggie Guide on our website which you can refer to for all the info on the veggies we grow.

We will be able to share with you what will be in your weekly bag on our website blog & via email a few days prior to delivery (on Saturdays) to help you with meal planning & grocery shopping. We also offer custom ordering for our Club members as well – place your order by Wednesday at 6 am from our Local Line store.

Options:

Brandon: Pickup at Stanley Park: on 14th Street between Princess and Lorne Ave
Thursdays from 4 – 6 pm

Brandon 24 Week Veggie Lovers’ Club Bag $650
June 20 – November 28

Brandon 14 Week Veggie Lovers’ Club Bag $400
July 4 – October 3

Rivers: Pickup in the Community Centre (Rink) parking lot
Wednesdays from 5 – 6:30 pm

RIVERS 16 Week Veggie Lovers’ Club Bag $450.00
June 26 – Oct 9

Payment:
We do not require you to pay in advance OR provide a deposit this season if you are a returning member.
-New members for 2024 must submit a $20 deposit or make the first installment payment on their shares prior to May 1 to confirm registration.

If payment is an obstacle to participating, please be in touch with us.

Payment can be made in full, or in installments (payments are due the first pickup of the month, I’m happy to make whatever arrangement works for you if that doesn’t – please be in touch!)

16 Week Rivers Option: $450
-One payment of $450, due June 26
OR
-Two payments of $225, due June 26 and September 4
OR
-Three payments of $150, due June 26, August 7, September 4

14 Week Brandon Option: $400
-One payment of $400, due July 4
OR
-Two payments of $200, due July 4 and September 5
OR
-Three payments of $134, due July 4, August 1, September 5

24 Week Brandon Option: $650
-One payment of $650, due June 20
OR
-Two payments of $325, due June 20 and September 5
OR
–Three payments of $217, due June 20, August 1, September 5
OR
-Four payments of $163, due June 20, August 1, September 5, October 3

-Please make cheques payable to “Brown Sugar Produce” and mail to: Unit E-1300 18th Street Suite 317, Brandon MB R7A 6X7 or submit in-person at the pickup spot.

-Payment in cash in person at the pickup spot. (Please put it in an envelope with your name on it if possible!).

-We are also able to accept Email Money Transfer. Please use the sales@brownsugarproduce.com email address (which has auto-deposit so you do not need a secret question).

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: I have a big family, is there a larger size bag?

A: We keep things simple and offer only one size so that you have room to supplement your bag by placing an order with us, or buying from the store or farmer’s market. If you like, you are welcome to sign up for 2 (or more) bags, which means you’ll have twice as much produce to work with each week- Please email us if you would like this option.

Q: What do I do if I miss my bag?

A: We encourage you to set appropriate reminders for each delivery to remember to pick up your bag. If you miss a pickup due to forgetting, you will still owe for that delivery and you will not get your veggies: This is because we have done our part getting the produce ready for you and delivered it, and rescheduling missed pickups is a huge hassle. We do try to connect people with missed bags when there is available time and energy, but please have no expectations!

Q: What about if I’m on vacation or away for one of the pick up dates?

A: If you are going to be away for one of the pickup dates, consider asking a friend, family member, or co-worker to pick it up for you – that is the easiest solution. You do not need to let us know, but you are welcome to if you like. Please ensure that you provide them with the correct pick up location and time.

If are going to be away and you need to skip delivery for a week, let us know by 24ish hours prior to your pickup and we can provide $25/week credit towards pre-orders, or a double bag week in the future. If you do not let us know in advance your payment will still be collected for that week and no credit will be given. For the instructions on how to log your own vacation week in Local Line, see this post!

Q: How many people will my bag feed?

A: This is by far the most frequently asked question when people are signing up for a CSA, and it’s one of the hardest to answer. Every household is different, each family eats a different diet and cooks a different number of meals at home each week. Consider how many veggies you would need to purchase at the Farmer’s Market or grocery store to last you a week. This bag is by no means meant to feed a large family for an entire week. If you are vegan/vegetarian or simply eat a lot of veggies, the bag may only last you 2 – 3 meals. If you only cook at home occasionally or have a small household it may be more than enough for a week. Please review the images at the bottom of this page to get an idea of the quantity that you can expect in each weekly bag from our farm.

Q: But what if I don’t like something?

A: The idea of a regular veggie subscription is to make things more efficient for us farmers by allowing us to plan in advance what will be needed each week and grow it to order. As a Veggie Lover, it’s a great way to eat the best of the season and to occasionally try something new. That being said, we all have different tastes and so if there’s something you just can’t stomach, consider sharing it with a grateful friend, family member, or neighbour.

We do provide a weekly Trade Bag at the pickup which you can use to swap items you won’t use for something you will.

In the case of an allergy or food intolerance, please contact us prior to signing up and we will let you know if it’s something we can work with.

Q: Am I taking on any risk?

A: With our CSA we expect our customers to share the realities of farming in the sense that not every crop works out every year. Since you choose to commit to the farm, we do our best to make sure our members get top priority on our crops, especially if something is in short supply.
In the event of a single crop failure we will fill in with something else, we may fill gaps by buying from other suppliers who meet our production standards (we are committed to being transparent and will let you know when we do this).

Please feel welcome to reach out if you have questions! Email to sales@brownsugarproduce.com, or call me at (204) 901-2800.

Here are a few examples of share contents from 2023: