Angelic Organics,
Community Supported Agriculture
Fruit Program Frequently Asked Questions and Their Answers
mailto:CSA@AngelicOrganics.com http://www.AngelicOrganics.com
1547 Rockton Road, Caledonia, IL 61011 815 389 2746
We are a community supported Illinois family farm, farming since 1990 and in accordance with Biodynamic principles. We provide over 1000 families a weekly 3/4 bushel box of fresh vegetables and herbs over the course of 20 weeks. We deliver these vegetables to over 20 sites throughout Chicago & Rockford.
Angelic Organics is now offering Fruit boxes for 2005. This will be our 2nd year of providing Fruit boxes! Here’s what Fruit Shareholders in 2004 have said about their experience:
“Fruit boxes are Great! Better variety than Whole Foods and local markets. When more people learn how good the fruit boxes are, more people will sign up for them.” from a site host
“What a wonderful addition to your program. The fruits are delicious! Thank you so much for making this available to us.” from a Logan Square shareholder
“We are loving the fruit! Is it too late to add the extra winter deliveries?” from a Hyde Park shareholder
The following are the FAQ’s regarding Fruit Boxes. Please also review the Frequently Asked Questions beneath the title “Questions about becoming a shareholder” at
for additional information. For information on signing up for a vegetable share, please go to http://www.angelicorganics.com/share.html.
Click here to see a list of the Fruits which our Fruit Shareholders received during some of the 2004 Fruit box deliveries. This sample list also includes the description of the Fruits as they appeared in the Fruit box newsletter. Also, please see http://www.angelicorganics.com/Fruit/FruitNL.html for sample Fruit box newsletters from 2004 Fruit box deliveries.
1) Does Angelic Organics grow any fruit? Does Angelic Organics plan to grow any fruit in the future?
2) What is a Fruit box? How do the fruit deliveries work? When is the fruit delivered?
3) Why is Angelic Organics now offering fruit? How does the 2005 Fruit Program differ from 2004
4) What fruits may show up in the Fruit box boxes?
5) How much fruit is in each delivery?
6) How much does a Fruit box cost?
7) Can I use the Alternate Payment Plan to pay for a Fruit box?
8) How do I sign up for a Fruit box?
9) Where is the fruit from?
10) What is special about the fruit delivered in the Fruit program?
11) Are there any possibilities of crop failures or shortages?
12) Why is the fruit more expensive than the vegetables?
13) How quickly must the fruit be consumed?
14) How do I store the fruit?
15) Do I have to decide about the Fruit Program when I sign up for a vegetable share? Is there a deadline?
16) Can I get just a fruit box and no vegetables?
17) If I get only one vegetable box, may I get more than one fruit box?
18) I’d like to get a 12-week vegetable share, which starts later in the season, in August, I believe. Can I still get a Fruit box with that even though the Fruit Boxes begin earlier?
19) I can’t afford a Fruit box, is there anything I can do to still get fruit from Angelic Organics?
20) I understand that Angelic Organics grows melons (watermelon, cantaloupe...). Now that Fruit Boxes are available, will Angelic Organics continue to grow melons and include them in the vegetable boxes? Will melons also show up in the fruit boxes?
21) What have some one the 2004 Fruit Shareholders said about their Fruit boxes?
1) Does Angelic Organics grow any fruit? Does Angelic Organics plan to grow any fruit in the future?
Presently the only fruit Angelic Organics grows is melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and occasionally tropical melons). The melon season is usually late August and early September. While Angelic Organics has a very small orchard (it has not yet started bearing fruit), it is so small that it will likely only meet the fruit needs of farm residents. Further while we like the idea of starting to grow fruit for your boxes, we do not anticipate having the time, expertise, and energy to do so for several years. Plus our local clime would be very limiting in what we might be able to offer -- the variety would not be great.
However, Angelic Organics now offers the delivery of fruit (to be picked up at the same time as the vegetables except only every other week) through our Fruit Program.
2) What is a Fruit box? How do the fruit deliveries work? When is the fruit delivered?
Imagine having your own expert Fruit Buyer searching the country for special, fresh, high quality, tree (or vine or bush) ripened, organic fruit. The Fruit box is a way for you to receive this experience. It is similar in many ways to a vegetable share. It, too, is an array of seasonal produce gathered together into a box and delivered to a site near your home. However there are some key differences in the Fruit boxes:
•The produce is fruit not vegetables.
•Fruit Boxes, delivered in a separate box, arrive only once every 2 weeks vs vegetable shares which are delivered weekly (you must purchase a vegetable share in order to purchase a fruit box).
•The fruit is more delicate & therefore it is delivered in a different sized and shaped box. Also, there are many types of fruits which cannot be stacked and therefore the box will sometimes have just one layer of fruit.
•Whereas every vegetable that you receive from Angelic Organics is grown on our farm in North-central Illinois, none of the fruit is. The Fruit comes together from orchards, groves, and farms across the country.
There are also several similarities among Fruit boxes and vegetable shares:
•The delivery sites and pick up times and day of the week are the same.
•Special handling instructions and a customized Fruit Program newsletter will accompany each delivery. This newsletter (which will be separate from the vegetable newsletter) will also provide information about where your organic fruit was grown, and highlight unique attributes about the annual fruit harvest. See http://www.angelicorganics.com/Fruit/FruitNL.html for sample Fruit newsletters.
We believe the Fruit Program is an ideal compliment to our CSA program and your vegetables. If you purchase a Fruit box you will be able to follow the seasonality of the organic fruit harvest and support many smaller-scale growers known for growing exceptionally tasty varieties. The Fruit Program is your ticket to learn about your food and enjoy the great flavors of the season. Our growers reward Fruit Program customers by providing the “top picks” of each harvest.
See below for answers to additional questions that you might have regarding Fruit boxes and for price information.
3) Why is Angelic Organics now offering fruit? How does the 2005 Fruit Program differ from 2004
Over the years we have received many inquiries from those who receive our vegetables as to where they might be able to find good tasting, high quality, organic fruit from a farm similar to Angelic Organics. Unfortunately, we have noticed very limited availability of local organic fruit. When a fellow renowned Wisconsin CSA farmer brought a fruit program that he had begun offering to his shareholders to our attention, our ears perked up. He was piloting this first year program and was quite pleased with it. Once we looked further into this program, what we discovered was an opportunity to meet a desire that many of our shareholders have for fruit in a way that meshes well with the CSA model.
At times in the past, we have been approached by others to expand what we offer. We have always turned down or tabled such requests as they didn’t seem to have the right fit. However, this Fruit Program model is the most appealing offering we have encountered. By partnering up with another CSA and working directly with our Fruit Buyer, we have been able to develop a workable program that is in the spirit of Community Supported Agriculture.
In teaming up with our experienced fruit buying friends, we are working with folks who have their fingers on the pulse of the fruit market, people who use their expertise to provide us with high quality organic fruit at competitive prices. We anticipate that the value will be equal to and most likely better than comparable fruit as purchased at a Natural Food Store (such as Whole Foods). We also expect the fruit to be of equal or higher quality. Based on all of the above and based on what we have learned in the 1st year of our fruit program, we expect both the cream of the crop as well as occasional unusual varieties. Further, in 2005, we expect the Fruit Value to be 20-25% better than 2004 while still costing the same price. Also, we anticipate a more favorable mix of Fruit and more flexibility in shifting this mix when weather conditions adversely affect certain crops. Some of the varieties that you will receive are unavailable in the conventional natural market channels. This program will relate you more closely with the source of your fruit.
This Fruit program will allow you, our CSA members, to follow the seasonality of the organic fruit harvest. It also supports more small scale growers known for growing exceptionally tasty varieties. The fact that we could use our already existing delivery system, host sites, and delivery truck compliments this program. We feel that this Fruit Program service reflects well our business philosophy and is a positive addition to our current relationship with our CSA members.
4) What fruits may show up in the Fruit boxes?
All shareholders’ boxes will contain the same fruit in any given week. All are organic.
Over the course of the summer you will likely find the following fruits in your boxes:
Plums
Nectarines
Gala Apples
Blueberries
Yellow & White Peaches
Red Flame Grapes
Rainier Cherries
Pluots
Apricots
Fresh Figs
Bing Cherries
Ataulfo Mangos
plus other seasonal surprises
Over the course of the fall, you will likely find the following fruits in your boxes:
Crimson Grapes
Sunburst Tangerines
Satsuma Mandarins
Rio Star Grapefruit
Red D’Anjou Pears
Pink Lady Apples
Asian Pears
Seckel Pears
Cranberries
Blood Oranges
Medjool Dates
Pomegranates
plus other seasonal surprises
Please note, this list is not all inclusive; and, of course, seasonal growing conditions will likely not favor all crops. Click here to see a list of the some of the fruits which our Fruit Shareholders received during the 2004 Fruit deliveries. This sample list also includes the description of the Fruits as they appeared in the Fruit newsletter. Also, please see http://www.angelicorganics.com/Fruit/FruitNL.html for sample Fruit newsletters from 2004 Fruit deliveries.
5) How much fruit is in each delivery?
Whereas our vegetables are delivered in a brimming full 3/4 bushel box, the Fruit box will most likely arrive in a 1/2 to 5/9 of a bushel box. Sometimes the items in a Fruit box will only be one layer high. This is due to the more delicate handling requirements of fruit. A typical shipment ranges in weight from approximately 8-14 pounds, consists of 15-30 pieces, and is suitable for 2-4 people. Fruit deliveries vary in weight and piece count due to the seasonality of organic fruit and the fluctuating prices that must be paid to keep buying the best stuff on the market. The Fruit Program strives to find the balance between value, flavor and quantity.
6) How much does a Fruit box cost?
The standard cost for a 20-week/10-delivery Fruit box which is delivered every other week in correspondence with a 20-week vegetable share is $400. Early sign-up discounts which expire by December 31st of the year preceding the delivery may be available. Check http://www.angelicorganics.com/share.php for the latest pricing information. Please note, you must sign up for a 20-week vegetable share in order to be able to purchase a 20-week/10-delivery Fruit box.
To receive the extra 2 delivery winter Fruit box, delivered every other week that we deliver in conjunction with the 4 delivery vegetable winter share, please include an additional $80. Please note, you must sign up for a 4 delivery winter vegetable share in order to be able to purchase a 2-delivery winter Fruit box.
Prices for 12-week/6-delivery Fruit boxes which will start in mid-August 2005 will be $240. Please note, 12-week vegetable shareholders cannot get 20-week/10-delivery Fruit boxes. Also, 20-week vegetable shareholders can only sign-up for 12-week/6-delivery Fruit boxes after June 15, 2005.
Click here to visit our sign up page to find out the current Fruit box and/or Vegetable Share prices.
7) Can I use the Alternate Payment Plan to pay for a Fruit box?
Yes, as always you may use the alternate payment plan. The alternate payment plan is as follows: If you wish to divide the payment, please write out 2 checks, each covering half of the total. Date one check for today; post date the 2nd check for any date up until 3 months from the date of your first check. Send both checks with your sign-up. We won’t deposit the 2nd check until its date.
8) How do I sign up for a Fruit box?
Visit http://www.angelicorganics.com/share.php and fill out the sign-up form. Or you may used the yellow Fruit box leaflet (as mailed to you from the farm) and mail it to the farm with your payment. Further, you can also sign-up by downloading this pdf leaflet or simply mailing your name, address, and delivery site to the farm along with your payment. As a reminder the farm’s address is: 1547 Rockton Rd., Caledonia, IL 61011. Please note that Fruit boxes are only available to Shareholders who are also receiving vegetables from Angelic Organics.
9) Where is the fruit from?
The fruit is from fine organic growers across the country. Orchards and groves in Colorado, Michigan, Washington, Florida, Texas, California, and more are selected for their cultivation of fruits of exceptional quality and taste. Our fruit buying friends use their experience and extensive contacts from buying fruits and vegetables for the retail community to create a remarkable fruit experience.
10) What is special about the fruit delivered in the Fruit box program?
Imagine having your own expert Fruit Buyer searching the country for special, fresh, high quality, tree ripened, organic fruit. Our fruit buyers use their contacts to bring together fruits of exceptional taste, quality and freshness. Not only will your box of fruit be ready for you to pick up at the same time that you’re retrieving your vegetables, but through the Fruit box program you will be brought into a closer relationship with the farms that are growing your fruit. With each delivery you receive a special fruit newsletter which provides information about where your organic fruit was grown and highlights the attributes of the annual fruit harvests.
All of these efforts combine together to bring you a fruit experience that it would be difficult to replicate elsewhere. Imagine eating tree ripened, peak of harvest apples which were handpicked, sized and packed; or unusual varieties of pears known for their sweetness, refined flavors and fragrance. You can anticipate these and many more unique culinary experiences over the course of the Fruit box season.
11) Are there any possibilities of crop failures or shortages?
There is actually more risk of this happening with the vegetables that Angelic Organics grows (since everything is grown in one place) than there is with the fruit. For the vegetables, we, here at Angelic Organics, take many precautions to prevent crop failures and have many backups to avoid complete disasters. For instance, in a drought , we have an excellent irrigation system with a 400 foot deep well which can “rain” an inch of water on all of our crops over the course of a week; and for rainy periods, we have an array of farm equipment and a strong, fast, able bodied crew to “plow” through the work quickly.
For the fruit, our fruit buyers have extensive and diverse farmer contacts. This will ensure sufficient volume and quality for each and every delivery. You can feel confident and secure that an event such as a citrus damaging frost in Florida would not result in a gap in your fruit box. With the Fruit boxes coming from a range of farms, you can expect that the value will always be comparable to market prices.
12) Why is the fruit more expensive than the vegetables?
Good question. You may have already noticed at the supermarket that generally fruit costs more than comparable quantities of vegetables. This seems to be due to many factors. Some of the reasons include: a) the variability in perishability of fruits vs vegetables, b) the more delicate nature of fruit, c) the greater effort needed to grow fruit (orchards, for instance, are long term investments which do not even begin to yield significantly until after they have been established for several years), and, d) a wide range of fruit varieties requires many different growing climates, often more tropical than you would find in North-central Illinois; this results in more expenses in the areas of transportation and specialization. Further, in our opinion, based on our experience growing organic vegetables and our speculation of the effort that would be needed to grow organic fruit, we imagine that the costs associated with an orchard operation would be greater than our vegetable operation. Most fruits are perennials (come back year after year) and have long life cycles (often producing only once a year). Vegetables, however, are often annual crops (they are grown to produce one crop and then die off) and have shorter life cycles. To recapitulate this, Apple trees yield only once a year but broccoli has multiple windows of harvest opportunity throughout the growing months.
In teaming up with our experienced fruit buying friends, we are working with folks who have their fingers on the pulse of the fruit market, people who uses their expertise to provide us with high quality organic fruit at competitive prices. We anticipate that the value will be equal to and most likely better than comparable fruit as purchased at a Natural Food Store (such as Whole Foods). We also expect the fruit to be of equal or higher quality. Based on all of the above and based on what we have learned in the 1st year of our fruit program, we expect both the cream of the crop as well as occasional unusual varieties. Further, in 2005, we expect the Fruit Value to be 20-25% better than 2004 while still costing the same price. Also, we anticipate a more favorable mix of Fruit and more flexibility in shifting this mix when weather conditions adversely affect certain crops. Some of the varieties that you will receive are unavailable in the conventional natural market channels.
To summarize, every vegetable that you receive in your box is grown here on our farm in North-central Illinois. However, the fruits will come from many farms across the country. This, combined with the facts above and with fruit buyer’s efforts to search out “top picks” (which sometimes require them to pay premium prices to small organic artisan growers) will yield a high quality produce box at an appropriate cost.
13) How quickly must the fruit be consumed?
A typical Fruit box delivery is designed to be enjoyed over a week or longer. The Fruit box newsletter offers helpful ripening suggestions and tips to get the most out of your delivery. The share will contain organic fruit that is ready to eat (like blueberries, grapes, and apples) and other items that may require time to fully ripen (like peaches, pineapples, and pears). Further, there will often be items that lend themselves to gourmet dishes (like meyer lemons, black mission figs or red tamarillos). Some previous customers report that they enjoy the fruit so much that it lasts less than a week. We’d like to emphasize the importance of reading your Fruit box newsletter to optimize your Fruit experience!
14) How do I store the fruit?
Generally fruit storage is handled differently than vegetable storage. Most fruits are ethylene producers. Whereas most vegetables are ethylene sensitive. This means that the fruits produce gases which cause the vegetables to ripen and spoil more quickly. Fruits, of course, often ripen at room temperature, whereas refrigeration is usually key for proper vegetable storage. These are just some general storage guidelines and you can expect to receive more specific instructions on proper fruit (and vegetable) storage in the newsletters which will be provided with each delivery. Further fruit and vegetable storage guides may be provided to you at the beginning of the season. And, in the future, our web site will likely contain the same information: Click Here for FruitStorage Tips.
15) Do I have to decide about the Fruit box when I sign up for a vegetable share? Is there a deadline?
In some cases. We need approximately 3 weeks before we can arrange for you to start receiving a Fruit box. Often, even if we have already started deliverying vegetables, we can still let you sign up for a Fruit box to start at a later date. No matter what, we recommend that one not delay too long in making a Fruit box sign-up decision. If the Vegetable delivery season has already started, please contact us by phone (815-389-2746) or e-mail (CSA@AngelicOrganics.com) to find out when you could start receiving fruit and for how much.
16) Can I get just a fruit box and no vegetables?
No. You must have already signed up for a vegetable share in order to add a Fruit box. However you can get just a vegetable share without getting any fruit. Further, in order to receive a winter fruit box, you must also be signed up for a winter vegetable share.
17) If I get only one vegetable box, may I get more than one fruit box?
Yes. As long as you have purchased at least one vegetable share, you can purchase as many Fruit boxes as you want.
18) I’d like to get a 12-week vegetable share, which starts later in the season, in August, I believe. Can I still get a Fruit box with that even though the Fruit boxes begin earlier?
Yes, but you may only sign up for the 12-week/6-delivery Fruit boxes which are delivered every other week in correspondence with the 12-week vegetable share (that is, 12-week vegetable shareholders cannot get 20-week/10-delivery Fruit boxes). If you have purchased a winter vegetable share you may also extend your fruit deliveries with a winter Fruit box. See the previous questions and answers for more explanations of these options. 20-week vegetable shareholders can only sign-up for 12-week/6-delivery Fruit boxes after June 15, 2005.
19) I can’t afford a Fruit box, is there anything I can do to still get fruit from Angelic Organics?
Currently, subsidized “harvest shares” for low income individuals are limited to the vegetable shares only. For information on “harvest shares”, visit our partner non-profit, the CSA Learning Center at Angelic Organics, at http://www.CSALearningCenter.org
20) I understand that Angelic Organics grows melons (watermelon, cantaloupe...). Now that Fruit boxes are available, will Angelic Organics continue to grow melons and include them in the vegetable boxes? Will melons also show up in the fruit boxes?
For the foreseeable future, Angelic Organics anticipates that it will continue to grow melons and include them in the vegetable boxes. Further it is not likely that melons will show up in the Fruit box boxes. We will update this answer in the future if this answer ever changes.
21) What have some one the 2004 Fruit Shareholders said about their Fruit box?
Briefly, a couple of reports from Shareholders include:
“Fruit boxes are Great! Better variety than Whole Foods and local markets. When more people learn how good the fruit boxes are, more people will sign up for them.” from a site host
“What a wonderful addition to your program. The fruits are delicious! Thank you so much for making this available to us.” from a Logan Square shareholder
“We are loving the fruit! Is it too late to add the extra winter deliveries?” from a Hyde Park shareholder
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