By: Beth
(Apr 11, 2009)
H&B is not a CSA nor is all the produce local, They are wholesalers period. Not to say they don't provide fresh produce but they have constantly advertised or represented one thing only to change. They first said "spray free" and organic and now are bashing organics stating that no one can grow organic in VA - which is hog wash.
Comment on this Review
They heard from their consumers that a dozen eggs a week and 5 pounds of rubarb was too much and said you could substitite or they wouldn't provide eggs at every weekly pick-up and then still did. They said you could substitued if you really didn't want 5 pounds of rubarb and they didn't adhear to that statement.
Want certified organic and local sign up to a true CSA or go to Whole Foods or the Farmer's Markets in your locality. H&B is hurting those folks business misrepresenting what they provide.
Former Subscriber to H&B who tired of hearing the Hog Wash and Spin
Comment
Beth, I'm sorry that you did not feel that you could speak directly with us at H&BP regarding your concerns as it seems that you've been given some misinformation regarding our business. We are, self-reportedly, a natural foods cooperative that promotes community supported agriculture. Our business model is different from most "CSAs" as we do not grow our own food, but rather contract with and buy from local farmers in Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. Much of the produce we provide to our subscribers is grown according to organic standards, although the majority of it is not "certified" organic. We do not "bash" organics, we just happen to deal with many Old Order Mennonite farmers who have opted not to go through the certification process to become organic farmers, even though many of their practices would qualify them for this. Your concerns regarding substitutions is somewhat confusing, so I'm not sure how to respond. We have separate egg subscriptions this year (both weekly and bi-weekly) so folks can choose the amount of eggs that are appropriate for their household. As for substitutions, we honor substitutions for people who have food allergies and handle this on a one-on-one basis. We also encourage subscribers to trade among themselves if they are not fond of a particular item in the share menu on any given week. We also encourage folks to try things that they may think they don't like, as freshly harvested fruits and vegetables can taste amazingly different than those bought in traditional grocery stores or markets. Again, I'm sorry that your experience with H&BP left you unsatisfied. We have many happy customers that return to us year after year.