Membership
Please read this entire page before deciding to join.
We still have a few spots open for Season 5, which began April 11th, 2012, with 46 weekly pickups, ending March 6 (no pickups last week of September or last week of December). Late starts will be pro-rated so that you pay only for the number of weeks you wil receive.
If you would like to join (or get on the waiting list once we've filled up), please send the requested 5 bits of info below in an email to Sara (@fairshares.org).
We fill shares as they become available when current members leave. If we're full in the spring, you may consider signing up for a vegetable CSA for the summer, and you can find more info at localharvest.org. You may also check our Facebook Page to find members interested in selling their shares while they are on vacation.
Please include ALL of the following info (there are five things we need answered before we will put you on the list):
- Name, address, and phone number.
- Full or Half Share
- Preferred payment plan--see options below.
- How you will pay: automated payments with credit card or automated checks sent through your bank (the check option doesn't incur a merchant fee, so we prefer it, but either is fine). If you are paying all at once, a written check is fine, otherwise, we need to set up automated payments.
- Preferred pickup site (first and second choice; please note that St. Charles is no longer an option).
We need to have this info in order to fill shares quickly as they become available. We will keep track of the order received and email you when a share becomes available.
Membership in Fair Shares is a commitment to the farmers so they can have the security of knowing what we ask them to grow will be sold. We're sharing their risk and their bounty, and we're encouraging more farmers to grow food (vegetables), instead of commodity (corn, soy).
Membership is on an annual basis because we commit to purchasing a guaranteed amount of food from the farmers and must be sure the income is there to do so. Membership includes 46 weekly shares of local food delivered to one of our three pickup sites, two reusable Fair Shares bags, plus our weekly newsletter with farmer news, tips and recipes, and access to a wealth of information on our website. The Fair Shares community is working towards common social, environmental, and health goals, and we will be pursuing this further in future years.
If you break the contract and want to sell your share, you will be charged a $30 disenrollment fee, and are responsible for taking your share until we are able to replace you. Here are our other expectations of our members, including what happens if you miss your pickup. We also have a Member FAQ.
We do not offer vegetarian or customized shares. The logistics are just too complex; meat and other non-produce foods are tradable so you are able to customize it to a degree, but fresh produce is not tradable.
Prices and payment plans available for Season 5, 2012-2013
Payments are due prior to the pickups because we pay our farmers and vendors upon delivery and pre-purchase canned items for winter shares in advance. Note that the payment plan amounts are determined by dividing all 46 weeks of the season by the number of payments in the plan amount, so the payment does not reflect a particular number of weekly pickups.
$50 membership fee due with first payment. This is a one-time, non-transferable fee.
FULL SHARES = 46 weeks, April 11 - March 6 (No pickups last week of September or last week of December). See "How to Pay" below to set up payments.
- One-time payment: $2426.50 ($52.75 per weekly share, sales tax included), due upon joining/renewing.
- Two payments: $1219 each ($53 per weekly share, sales tax included) due the first of the month: March, or upon joining and September.
- Four payments: $612.38 each ($53.25 per weekly share, sales tax included), due the first of the month: March or upon joining, June, September, and December.
- Six payments: $410.17 each ($53.50 per weekly share, sales tax included), due the first of the month: March or upon joining, May, July, September, November, January.
- Eleven payments: $224.77 each ($53.75, sales tax included), due the first of the Month: March or upon joining, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, January, February.
HALF SHARES = 23 Alternating weeks, you will be assigned as EVEN or ODD week, based on the Fair Shares week number (*see note below on half shares versus full shares). See "How to Pay" below to set up payments
$50 membership fee due with first payment.
- One-time payment: $1242 ($54 per weekly share, sales tax included), due upon joining/renewing.
- Three payments: $417.07 each ($54.40 per weekly share, sales tax included) due the first of the month: March or upon joining, August and December.
- Six payments: $209.88 each ($54.75 per weekly share, sales tax included), due the first of the month: March or upon joining, May, July, September, November, January.
*Note on Half Shares: If you elect to share a membership with someone and work out the payment details amongst yourselves, without us having to be involved in collecting payments from more than one member, you may sign up for a full share, and we would be happy to include both of you in the weekly emails and have both names on the list. If Fair Shares is to be involved in collecting payment from both parties, you must sign up for half shares.
We pay our farmers and producers up front, therefore we need your payments up front. If we don't receive your payment on time, you will not be allowed to pickup your food. Here are the other expectations we have of our members: http://fairshares.org/expectations
How To Pay
Once we have confirmed that you are in for Season 5, your first Payment Due March 1st!
We prefer payment by check because it saves us thousands of dollars per year in credit card processing fees.
- All payment plans over two payments will be required to set up automated payments, unless otherwise agreed with us. If you are paying all at once, a written check hand delivered or mailed to the address below is fine.
To set up automated payments through your bank: just call them with your payment amount and the dates you want the checks sent to Fair Shares. Checks should be made out to
Fair Shares
5021 Northrup
St. Louis MO 63110.
Make sure your member name and pickup group is included on your check (you will be given a pickup group once we've confirmed you are in).
To set up credit card payments: email lindy at fairshares.org with your phone number and address, and preferred payment plan so she can call for your credit card information.
** PLEASE NOTE: WE NEED TO KNOW YOUR PREFERRED PICKUP SITE (SEE THE PICK-UP PAGE).
In the email member request you send, please type in the abbreviation of your top two choices (FS, KW, UC)
Once you have been notified that there is a share available, we will need your one-time $50 membership fee and first subscription payment, payable by automated checks that you set up through your bank to mail to us, or automated payments with a credit card. (Previous members do not need to pay the $50 membership fee again.)
As a member benefit you will be able to swap non-produce items and add extras to your weekly share by emailing from the swaplist online, or choosing any available items at the pickup sites. Payment for additional items will be billed quarterly, or when your account reaches a certain amount, and may be made by check at your pickup site.
Even when our membership is full, there will be some turnover. We will contact you if a membership becomes available.