Farm Membership 2024

Description :

Food Security and Food Sovereignty

are pillars of our long term commitment

to provide value to our members.

M.J. Watson, 6th Generation Farmer 

Why purchase a membership at Front Step Farms?

The financial advantages

• 10% discount on all retail onsite purchases in 2024 of perishable fresh produce and preserved products.
• Special offers not available to non-members such as by the case purchases of fresh produce and preserved products.
• Members will be provided the option of purchasing before non-members on a weekly, monthly or seasonal basis.

What does membership do for the farm? 

• The farm uses membership fees to invest in annual, perennial, orchard crops. specialty equipment, processing and retail merchandising that will increase our capacity to serve our members. We also use membership fees to subsidize our wage and administrative costs associated with operating a farm operation that has an extensive product offering year round.
• The costs associated with producing food locally are often higher that produce and products imported from countries that have a longer growing season, a lower standard of living or less regulator requirements by governments In addition to created a extra layer of food security for your family, you are assisting in the planning and commitment of the farm to continue to develop into a reliable local food option for yourself over time.

Does the farm produce crops?

• Our farm has approximately 3 acres of greenhouses that are able to be covered, allowing for year production of many crops imported from foreign countries. Our land base is approximately 40 acres that includes field annual vegetable production, orchards, perennial field crops, small perennial fruit crops (we are planting in 2024 new orchards and berry fields).
• In January of 2024 we began hiring local people part-time to build on the past 20 years of operating farms that focus on food production, it is our goal by the end of 2025 to have our “Virgil Farm” to be fully planted and operational 52 weeks a year with production, processing and a retail store that locals can enjoy visiting to access food our farm has offered for sale.

Does the farm purchase from other farmers?

• Beyond the crops that we grow we have historically bought from other farmers, we always let anyone who asks know where and who produced the crop.
• Our goal is always produce as many crops as we can sustainable put into production, there are crops that we do not have the specialty equipment to produce economically and therefore will continue to purchase from specific farmers.
• We welcome anyone to have a detailed conversation about what and how we produce our crops, to tour our farms with us, to educate anyone who wants to know more about what we do.

Where does the farm process the products it offers?

• Preserved products at a federally inspected plant in Canada.
• Fermented products are produced on site prior to bottling at a federally inspected plant.
• Unsealed fermented products such as kimchi are created onsite.
• Vinegar production is on Virgil Site.

Can I cancel a membership?

• We will return your membership fee in a timely manner if you are not satisfied in 2024 with our commitment to you as a customer!