Community Shared Agriculture + Food Box Program

Bass Lake Farms 2021 Shareholder's Agreement
Welcome to our Edible Adventure - Season Six!

Bass Lake Farms (BLF) is back for the 2021 growing season!  BLF is a local family farm owned and operated by brothers Jacob Kearey-Moreland (farmer), Noah, their aunt Ruth and cousin James. Before buying a share in the BLF - Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) Food Box Program, please read, understand and accept the terms of this shareholders agreement as our commitment to each other. If you have any questions or clarifications - please don’t hesitate to contact us via email - basslakemarketgarden@gmail.com or by phone 705 309 9669.  

BECOME A SHAREHOLDER
A Shareholder buys a season's worth of produce in advance -  sharing with us agriculture’s inherent risks and bounty. Our goal for 2021 is to produce 100 weekly shares! Shares are available on a first come first served basis and until supplies last. The Food Box Program runs for 21 weeks, starting June 17th, ending Nov. 4th (specific start date, determined by spring weather conditions!). Weekly boxes start at $31/Week, or $650 for the full season, and we offer one week free for early-bird sign ups! By becoming a Shareholder you form an integral link in our local food chain, supporting the critical regeneration of our local food system and economy. By spending your food dollars locally with new and young farmers growing fresh food in ecologically sensitive and culturally significant ways, you are investing in a healthy and vibrant food future. Thank you!  

Where is Bass Lake Farms?
BLF grows at the Kearey-Moreland family farm, 2520 Bass Lake Side Road East, between the 14th & 13th line of Oro-Medonte. Next door to Bass Lake Provincial Park, across from George Langman (Wildlife) Sanctuary, ~ 5 minutes from Highway 12 & Highway 11, <7km to downtown Orillia.

How and when can I pay for the food box?
Seed capital helps cover many start-up costs! To secure your food box membership we request a $100.00 deposit within 1 month of completing the food box order form. This tells us you are serious and secures your place in our program. The full payment is requested by May 1st, 2021, or we are happy to discuss more flexible payment plans. Pay with cash or cheque - made out to “Bass Lake Farms'' or e-transfer to basslakemarketgarden@gmail.com .

FOOD BOX OPTIONS:  (*Early Bird* sign up by Feb 14th - Up to 1 Week Free)

1.  “Pick up weekly at the farm = $650.00 

 “Pick-up” weekly at the farm ($31 box/21 weeks)

2. “Pick-up” weekly in downtown Orillia = $650.00 

<Location TBD>

3. “Pick up & local delivery” = $650.00 + $6/Delivery 

 (Delivery within Orillia or within 10km of the farm please reach out for delivery inquiries outside Orillia or beyond 10km - we will try to accommodate or recommend closer growers.)

4. “Full Local Delivery” = $775 

 In Orillia or within 10km of the farm. ($37 x 21 weeks.) Please inquire for delivery beyond 10km - we’ll try to accommodate/recommend closer growers.)

5. “Flexible Season” = $31.00 - $620.00 + $6/Delivery  

Pre-select or “eat as we grow” the quantity and weeks of your boxes to fit your busy schedule (every other week, every third week, first ten weeks, last ten weeks, just week 1 and 2, it’s up to you!) ($31 box x # weeks selected). 

Waiting List or mid season sign ups
After 100 shareholders sign up, additional inquiries will be placed on a waiting list, at which point we will assess whether or not production capacity exists to accommodate additional shares. If there is capacity, new shareholders may join mid season by paying the regular per box value multiplied by the number of weeks remaining.

Work off and Work out for your food box! Introducing Bass Lake Farms “Farm Gym”
We have capacity for 10 seasons passes to Farm Gym. We will exchange ~1 full seasons share for ~66 volunteer hours. This works out to about 3 hours a week for 22 weeks. (See Farm Gym Application here).

Shareholder’s Duties for Success - Ensure food safety and quality, save time and resources:

1. Food Storage: Upon arriving home, immediately unpack food box and deploy good food storage and handling techniques to maintain food quality/shelf life and food safety - i.e. please do not let produce rot in the box! (ask us for more details) 

2. Clean/Rinse/Wash/Dry/Return Food Box weekly. Allow the box to breathe & keep it safe! 

3. 48 Hours Notice - If unavailable for a food box pick up or not home to accept a delivery please give us 48 hours notice through text or email. OR designate an alternate arrangement.

4. Bee on thyme & Check BLF emails for updates. Mark down all scheduled pick up/drop offs asap, check our weekly emails for news, recipes and invitations! Send us your fav recipes! 

What’s in a box and how many will it feed?
Our food boxes are diverse, respectable and depending on your appetite, potentially provide the weekly fresh food needs for 1-4 people (see images of boxes here).  We aim to provide between 7 and 12 unique items per box, each including some combination of roots, greens, vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers, salad mixes, sprouts and other wild farm foraged foods, including heirloom, rare and experimental crops. Each week we aim to include at least 1 new item, along with an email breakdown with each item's name, image, notes and recipes. Harvested fresh for you - all items are grown by us on the farm, unless otherwise indicated (we may supplement your box with nice produce etc. from other local food producers if we are short that week).

We hope you’ll bee pleasantly surprised with what you get from week to week, and to an extent, are open to suggestions from our shareholders based on your tastes and interests - if you won’t or can’t eat a given item, lettuce know! Our produce, at our stand and at other outlets will be fairly priced, as compared with other local food producers and local markets.

Support Bass Lake Farms in other ways!
Now that you have read the Shareholders Agreement, you may be thinking to yourself, “perhaps a box is not for me this season”. That’s cool! There are many other ways to support Bass Lake Farms by joining with our extended family and growing community. For starters, consider joining our casual volunteer or Farm Gym program. Also, from time to time we will be hosting special cultural and educational food and farm related events, celebrations, tours, as well as a popup farmstand to sell our surplus produce to neighbours, campers, and anyone interested. Find us at farmers markets in the area and look out for our produce at local retailers and restaurants.  Have ideas for us, get in touch!

You share in the rewards and risk:
Gardening one week in tshirts and the next, shovelling snow in winter coats! Naturally the bounty depends on Mother Nature and recent climate shifts suggest we are in for a wild ride - all the more reason to support a local and ecologically sound food system! By agreeing to this Shareholders Agreement you agree to support us through thick and thin, sharing in the inherent risks of agriculture (poor weather, drought, insects, disease, crop loss etc.) and rewards (organic, exceptionally fresh vegetables, the bounty of a good season, supporting a vibrant local economy etc.). Consequently, we can make no guarantees on the exact amount or type of produce available for your weekly food box. However, in the event of a major crop failure, within our means, we will look to supplement your box with produce from other local growers.

I understand and want to become a Shareholder - Now what?
Please fill out the 2021 Food Box Order Form below to become a Shareholder! Once we have received your request we will follow up with more instructions.

Stay in touch, learn more - sign up for our email newsletter! Subject line “Newsletter” Email basslakemarketgarden@gmail.com . Like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!