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Customer Review for: Handance Farm

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Selling out for more money... By: Melissa Travis    (Sep 30, 2009) This ad is totally inaccurate! No shares are available. There is a long waiting list. The purveyors are rude to customers. And they are cutting their CSA in half to sell the farm for development. I was incredibly disappointed talking to the man who never returned my email. We live within walking distance and he was unwilling to take on an extra half-share to be picked up at the farm. People like this are the reason why others choose not to join a CSA. You expect local, friendly service with variety; however, all I got was a turn of the nose and the sign to walk on by the booth. I just might have to drive the extra 25 miles a week to continue shopping from the CSA I belong to now instead of joining one in my future, rural, farming area. Flag as Inappropriate   Comment on this Review

Comments on this Review:

Carol Pryor says:    (Oct 7, 2009)
Are you aware Handance Farm is moving back to their original land and will have less growing space. They are also looking at the horrendously long hours they are working. As a farmer myself, I wonder how they are able to produce the amazing quality and quantity they do. I do know, at least, that they are growing it all themselves and should be positively recognized for doing so..

Brian and Pat Bush says:    (Oct 24, 2009)
This revue is totally inaccurate. Our shares are sold out-and we make a point in not continuing to sell shares past our ability to produce -a protection for our CSA customers so that we always have plenty to put in the bags and are not oversold. We have leased this land for ten years and poured love and care and compost into it. We are sad that the owner has decided to log and probably develop it-but that is not our decision. We are grateful that we retained the smaller farm we own a few miles from here ,and have been in the process of getting it ready to move back there for months, while continuing to operate this larger farm full time. It will take us one full year to be back at our full capacity . In 2010 we will use one acre for production, planting cover crops to get a new acre into production for 2011. So for next year we will have 25 shares to sell instead of the 50 we usually offer. We do have a waiting list-which we consider a compliment and a reflection of the product and service we offer. The man this reviewer spoke to at market (My husband ) does remember that he was asked for a half share. He took time from a busy market to explain that we only offer one size bag ,and what an actual share contained. And that we were done for the year. Our CSA is not a buying club-we ourselves(with the help of a few working shareholders )actually grow all produce in the bags and on our table at market. We cannot just order up some more-it takes months of planning and hard work . I am glad we sell out in a week in January. But I am sorry we cannot serve everyone in this area who wants to be a part. Pat Bush

emily chadbourne says:    (Nov 4, 2009)
The comments by Ms Travis fall into two categories, the first are about her attempts to join a CSA after its sign up date, but they actually compliment the many positive reviews of the intention and care with which the Bushes grow their livelihood. Ms. Travis is disappointed that her family was not able to add the Handance crops to their diet last summer and those comments sound a bit like sour grapes. The second comment about the Bushes selling out their land for more profit is just plain wrong- in jumping to such a false conclusion, her entire discussion becomes less valid. The CSA relationship offers security to both partners: the farmers have a secure income and the shareholders, a guaranteed bag of produce, in this case weekly. How would Ms. Travis feel if she were in the CSA and her share was not there? The CSA from Handance is worth the wait. The produce is very tasty because this is a farm committed to preserving the taste of food by growing varieties that thrive here. To feel "left out" of a neighborhood offering is irritating at worst, but not worth embellishing. To describe the individual's personalities is childish. Not wanting to begin a ridiculous defense of character in an inappropriate setting, I would suggest that anytime visitors are at the Market, they drop by the Handance table for a chat with the Bushes and see for themselves. As far as "selling out" is concerned another post accurately describes the situation with the soon to be old location. This land was leased with a hope that the owner would see the benefits of organic cultivation: unfortunately his only interest is in the economic gain in developing the farmland, which he is pursuing immediately. The Bushes are renters and are returning to the farm they own, which is smaller, and will, yes, further ruffle Ms. Travis' feathers. All good things are worth waiting for.