We are here to answer any other questions you may have. Please contact Donna Putney putneyfarm@aol.com or (864)901-2692
Here are some frequently asked questions:
- How do I order?
- When do I pay?
- Am I obligated to order a certain product or a certain amount?
- Will I have to buy certain products?
- Are there membership fees?
- When and Where do I pick up my order?
- What if I am not able to pick up orders?
- What if the pick-up point or the day and time isn't good for me?
- Why Support Locally Grown?
- How can I sell through this market?
- Why do I have to pay a fee to sell on this market?
And here are some answers:
How do I order?
a list of available products is sent to all of our registered customers by e-mail. Orders can be placed here on our website or by responding directly to the e-mail. Ordering through this web site is Locally Grown’s preferred method as it is designed to reduce the amount of time it takes us to process orders as well as provide you with detailed information about our products.
When do I pay?
In-Person Payment Processing: Payments are taken in person, when the orders are picked up. We accept cash or checks. It is very common to have to adjust customer orders, because the weather affected expected crop yields for the week or you decided to buy something extra we brought along, unnanounced items you decide to purchase or items that were unexpectedly unavailable). It’s much harder to go back and adjust after we’ve taken payment, so the system expects us to take payment in person (however you want to do it) when the customer picks up their order. The system does keep track of customer balances, so it is possible to allow customers to conveniently pay as much as they want in advance and then “draw down” on their balance. You may wish to pay ahead and draw down. This is easy to do. You may purchase the product called $100.00 of products,$25.00 of products, $50.00 of products, $10.00 or any combination on the market page listed under gift subscriptions
Customer orders can be easily adjusted after the fact through the website to account for rejections, shortages, credits, etc.
Am I obligated to order a certain product or a certain amount?
No. You are not obligated to us in any way. You will be sent an e-mail reminder telling you what is new, but the rest is up to you.
Will I have to buy certain products?
No. Unlike some co-ops, buying clubs, or CSAs where everyone gets the same box of stuff (and you don’t know what you’re getting until you get it), with Locally Grown you get to order what you want, in the quantities that you want, from the farms that you want. The weekly email lists the produce, milled products, fresh flowers, and artisan goods available that week, and you can browse the items on this website before you place your order.
Are there membership fees?
You are welcome to try us for two orders before officially becoming members. To help us provide farm tours, educational programs, and to help us with our overhead costs, we ask that you pay an annual fee of $25 per household for one calendar year. Just go to “Your Account” and fill out your contact info, and start shopping! Your orders will be sent to each grower.
When and Where do I pick up my order?
From 4:30 until 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, customers can pick-up their products at West End Coffee Company, In Downtown Greenville.
What if I am not able to pick up orders?
We may be able to make special arrangements, such as delivery for an additional fee, but do try to pool with others, and send a check wth them to the pick-up site, where all will be labled and packed for you. Since the growers select your products especially for you, and since we pay the grower for your order before you pick-up, you will be held responsible to pay for your order. Please be sure that you or your representative will be there to pick up and pay.
What if the pick-up point or the day and time isn't good for me?
We may be able to drop-off at a different site, for a $15.00 fee plus 35 Cents a mile. Please select “delivery to a different pick-up site” on the market page. But we encourage you to send a friend; who knows, they may like our market, too!
Why Support Locally Grown?
Enhance your local economy: By purchasing produce and other items from local growers you are providing stability to your local economy through the support of local businesses.
Save natural resources: Buying locally makes you an invaluable link in the process of saving resources such as fossil fuels and packaging materials. Also, we are right here in your community so the expense of transportation and delivery is kept to a minimum.
Provide learning opportunities: Locally Grown supporters provide member growers the means to help educate our community about the importance of sustainable agriculture.
Supporting a way of life: The number of small farms in the United States has decreased dramatically in the last decade. Please help us preserve an honest and worthy means of making a living.
We believe that small, diverse, family-owned farms contribute to society’s overall health.
How can I sell through this market?
If you’ve already created a customer account here, simply go to Our Growers and click on ‘Join this Market’. This will add you to our system qnd then contact us for approval. We do charge a one-time-only Registration fee of $40 (which we can deduct from your sales) as well as a portion of your overall sales.(25% average) (3% is for software fee) as a “booth Fee” in our virtual Farmer’s Market.
special arrangements must be made through the market for market managers to handle your products, or take them to delivery site for an add-on fee. Contact Donna Putney by e-mail at putneyfarm@aol.com or phone(864)901-2692 for more information.
Why do I have to pay a fee to sell on this market?
This is a market, and your spaces on the market are virtual “Booths” at the market….You are renting a space, just like at a real market. Charging a portion of your sales rather than a weekly fee, as the Farmer’s markets do, fairly adjusts your expences according to your sales. We do need to have an operating budget. We have printing, administration, transportation, and advertising costs. There are P.R. expenses, because we do promote your products. Sometimes we have to pay for help. We compensate our “volunteers”. The fees charged by the market are small compared to the portion a “Wholesaler” would levy. That is because Upstate Locally Grown Market is Your Market….it is here for your use, and to promote you and your locally grown, sustainable products.