Post by Admin on Oct 11, 2015 17:31:41 GMT -6
I have not had a chance tabulate the results to our most recent survey from a few weeks ago, but many of the same questions/comments/suggestions were the same since we have gained many new customers since then. Therefore, I thought I should post this here until I have time to work on the last set of raw data.
~Saultczy
Survey comments and answers:
Comment: I was not certain that my share was a value.
Answer from the Farmer: This is a breakdown of the actual cost had the veggies had been sold at the Farmers Market from one share box:
Carrots - $3/bunch
Radish - $3/bunch
Onions - $3/Bunch
Beets - $3/bunch
Sunchokes - $5/bag
Mushrooms - $4.00/bag
Broccolini - $4/bag
Total Value - $25/bag
Comment: I think the veggies are too small.
Answer from the Farmer: With regards to the size of the vegetables, we would like to point out that the past few months of very cold weather with very little sun, have resulted in smaller growth than normal. Hence, some of the vegetables are smaller than usual for which we sincerely apologize. On another note, we would like to point out that larger vegetables are not always better than small vegetables. We harvest much of our crops when they are small because of their superior taste and palate while larger veggies tend to get more bitter and fibrous. Many of our restaurant customers actually prefer smaller sizes for that reason. (Think of how many times you hear the term “baby carrots” or “baby spinach”.)
Comment: We would like the ability to customize our shares.
Answer from Saultczy: We have greatly increased the size of the trade box to allow customers to trade out items they do not want for items that they do want. There are two main ways to buy vegetables; from the local grocery store or a farmers market where you pick out what you want yourself and pay for it by the pound at a set price or as part of a co-op where everyone gets a “share” of the harvest that week for a set price. This program is designed on the co-op model, but our wonderful farmer, Cas, has agreed to allow more flexibility for us with the larger trade boxes. However, he still has to be able to sell the produce that is in the trade boxes so we have to treat it super gently and the trades should only be made by a program volunteer. We will lose this benefit if produce is handled too roughly for resale.
Comment: We get too many emails.
Answer from Saultczy: This program started with the Texas Department of State Health Services and is managed through a non-profit organization called the Sustainable Food Center. The SFC runs a ton of different programs on a shoestring non-profit budget and has very little ability of modify their website that we have to use for ordering. (and normally for the emails) Since their system is not very flexible and every program is run very differently it was sending out a lot of incorrect information to you guys. I have tried to circumvent that by sending the reminder emails myself, but sometimes the system has sent some too. If you get more than you want, please just ignore them. Many others also commented that they liked getting a lot of reminders, so this was kind of a wash. I have seen the order totals literally double from the Last Call email on Wednesday mornings, so the Farmer not only asked me to keep that going, but has suggested that SFC duplicate my efforts with their other Farm to Work sites.
Comment: The veggies that are listed on the website are not exactly what comes in the box.
Answer from the Farmer: Sometimes we are faced with disappointing harvest volumes and have to make last minute changes to fill our orders. We normally update our FTW website on Sunday, based on normal harvest forecasts and expected weather conditions. If we have to make last minute changes on Wednesdays or Thursdays, it is too late to update the website.
Answer from Saultczy: As of this week Cas plans to email me a picture on Wednesday of what should for certain be in the box and I will add it to the Last Call email. He will also redouble his efforts to make sure his Sunday updates are more accurate.
Comment: We would like the delivery to be in a different place or at a different time.
Answer from Saultczy: The time is determined by the Farmer’s Houston delivery schedule. The place is determined by the fact that my boss needs me to cover our Department’s front office on Thursday afternoons. (I am just a UT employee just like most of you.) No time or place will ever work for everyone’s schedule, but I am more than happy to work with you to make sure you can still participate if your schedule clashes with the delivery schedule. We have communal refrigerators on every floor that we could utilize for your orders, or possibly other arrangements could be made. Just talk to me and we can get something figured out for you!
Comment: Why does the email say I need to bring a receipt and my ID if I don’t?
Answer from Saultczy: Many of the Farm to Work sites do require those. That request comes from form letters generated by the ordering website that can’t be changed just for us. I make sign-in sheets for us to reduce the paper waste. If we remained at an average of 60 orders per week then we would waste over six reams of paper a year just on printed receipts! I also do not require ID because I want to be able to offer the flexibility of having someone else come to get your order since we are all in the business of emergencies.
~Saultczy
Survey comments and answers:
Comment: I was not certain that my share was a value.
Answer from the Farmer: This is a breakdown of the actual cost had the veggies had been sold at the Farmers Market from one share box:
Carrots - $3/bunch
Radish - $3/bunch
Onions - $3/Bunch
Beets - $3/bunch
Sunchokes - $5/bag
Mushrooms - $4.00/bag
Broccolini - $4/bag
Total Value - $25/bag
Comment: I think the veggies are too small.
Answer from the Farmer: With regards to the size of the vegetables, we would like to point out that the past few months of very cold weather with very little sun, have resulted in smaller growth than normal. Hence, some of the vegetables are smaller than usual for which we sincerely apologize. On another note, we would like to point out that larger vegetables are not always better than small vegetables. We harvest much of our crops when they are small because of their superior taste and palate while larger veggies tend to get more bitter and fibrous. Many of our restaurant customers actually prefer smaller sizes for that reason. (Think of how many times you hear the term “baby carrots” or “baby spinach”.)
Comment: We would like the ability to customize our shares.
Answer from Saultczy: We have greatly increased the size of the trade box to allow customers to trade out items they do not want for items that they do want. There are two main ways to buy vegetables; from the local grocery store or a farmers market where you pick out what you want yourself and pay for it by the pound at a set price or as part of a co-op where everyone gets a “share” of the harvest that week for a set price. This program is designed on the co-op model, but our wonderful farmer, Cas, has agreed to allow more flexibility for us with the larger trade boxes. However, he still has to be able to sell the produce that is in the trade boxes so we have to treat it super gently and the trades should only be made by a program volunteer. We will lose this benefit if produce is handled too roughly for resale.
Comment: We get too many emails.
Answer from Saultczy: This program started with the Texas Department of State Health Services and is managed through a non-profit organization called the Sustainable Food Center. The SFC runs a ton of different programs on a shoestring non-profit budget and has very little ability of modify their website that we have to use for ordering. (and normally for the emails) Since their system is not very flexible and every program is run very differently it was sending out a lot of incorrect information to you guys. I have tried to circumvent that by sending the reminder emails myself, but sometimes the system has sent some too. If you get more than you want, please just ignore them. Many others also commented that they liked getting a lot of reminders, so this was kind of a wash. I have seen the order totals literally double from the Last Call email on Wednesday mornings, so the Farmer not only asked me to keep that going, but has suggested that SFC duplicate my efforts with their other Farm to Work sites.
Comment: The veggies that are listed on the website are not exactly what comes in the box.
Answer from the Farmer: Sometimes we are faced with disappointing harvest volumes and have to make last minute changes to fill our orders. We normally update our FTW website on Sunday, based on normal harvest forecasts and expected weather conditions. If we have to make last minute changes on Wednesdays or Thursdays, it is too late to update the website.
Answer from Saultczy: As of this week Cas plans to email me a picture on Wednesday of what should for certain be in the box and I will add it to the Last Call email. He will also redouble his efforts to make sure his Sunday updates are more accurate.
Comment: We would like the delivery to be in a different place or at a different time.
Answer from Saultczy: The time is determined by the Farmer’s Houston delivery schedule. The place is determined by the fact that my boss needs me to cover our Department’s front office on Thursday afternoons. (I am just a UT employee just like most of you.) No time or place will ever work for everyone’s schedule, but I am more than happy to work with you to make sure you can still participate if your schedule clashes with the delivery schedule. We have communal refrigerators on every floor that we could utilize for your orders, or possibly other arrangements could be made. Just talk to me and we can get something figured out for you!
Comment: Why does the email say I need to bring a receipt and my ID if I don’t?
Answer from Saultczy: Many of the Farm to Work sites do require those. That request comes from form letters generated by the ordering website that can’t be changed just for us. I make sign-in sheets for us to reduce the paper waste. If we remained at an average of 60 orders per week then we would waste over six reams of paper a year just on printed receipts! I also do not require ID because I want to be able to offer the flexibility of having someone else come to get your order since we are all in the business of emergencies.