Indian Farm Box - Before Sign Up Information

We are endeavoring to use 100% Recycled material for your boxes. Simultaneously, we have to ensure that the packing is such that your vegetables and fruits remain fresh from cold and heat, and are free from damage during transportation. The milk needs a separate refrigerated box to keep the milk cold. To ensure that we can do so while keeping the packing material environmentally non-intrusive requires your cooperation. Kidly give special attention to "Recycling" and "Note".

1. Outer Box - The outer cardboard box varies in size as per how much you order each week. But we try to ship each box within 35 lbs as lifting more than 35 lbs is back-breaking as well as chances of damage to box during transit increases. So more than 35 lbs would be shipped in 2 separate boxes increasing the shipping costs.

Recycling: Save a couple of large boxes each month for shipping some packing material back to us (more on this later), rest you may trash in the Recycle trash can. 

2. Insulation/Padding:We use our farm Hay. It is basically dried grass that our cows eat through the winter months. We cut the long pasture grasses during the summer months and store in Hay Bales. Hay packing keeps vegetables free of damage, it provides insulation, and it absorbs moisture. Grass has been used in India for packing from time immemorial.

Recycling: You may use this hay as mulch in your garden beds, you may compost it or just throw it in the Recycle trash can.

Note: In season 2019, we had been using bubble wraps, plastic bags, de-moisture packs, etc. to achieve the same effect all of which could not be recycled. All this has been removed by using our farm fresh Hay. But the downside is that sometimes the hay may have some dead dry insects or other farm materials. It is not a sanitized material. So please wash and dry your vegetables (you may leave them outside for a couple of hours) before putting them in the fridge or before eating. Vegetables may spoil faster in the refrigerator if there is moisture present.

3. Dry Ice Gel Packs:Some of the vegetables and greens need to remain extra cool in the summer months. So we include some Dry Ice Gel Packs in the box to maintain the temperature cool. 

Recycling: You may keep putting these gel packs in one of the larger Outer Boxes that you would save (see pt. 1). Once every 8 weeks, we would send you a return label for you to send the box back to us. Please do not throw these packs in Recycle trash can or in the garbage. On their return, we will sanitize them and reuse them. 

Packing Cost: These Dry Ice Gel Packs are not cheap. They are also hard to disintegrate in normal garbage. Hence to ensure that these Ice Gel packs are returned back to us we pay for the return shipping costs. But still if these Gel packs are not returned to us, we charge $2/pack.

4. Compostible bags:  We use compostable "plastic" bags for packing the greens, small fruits and vegetables so that they remain together and not come in contact with hay. 

Recycling: You may compost this "plastic" bag - it will disintegrate in a few weeks. Or you may throw it in the Recycle trash can.

5. Compostable Clamshells:  We use compostable clamshells for packing some fragile small fruits and vegetables so that they remain together and not get damaged.  

Recycling: You may compost these clamshells - it will disintegrate in a few weeks. Or you may throw it in the Recycle trash can.

6. Small cardboard box:  For larger but fragile vegetables and fruits we use small cardboard boxes with additional hay packing inside.

Recycling: You may compost these boxes - they will disintegrate in a few weeks. Or you may throw it in the Recycle trash can.

7. Small Recyclable Containers:  For cooked food, sauces, dehydrated vegetables, chips, etc. we use small recyclable containers. 

Recycling: You may throw these in the Recycle trash can.

8. Refrigerated Milk Bags:  Milk needs to be maintained at a certain cool temperature in transit against spoilage and due to regulations. Hence we use a specially made refrigerated milk bag for delivery. For shipping 2 x 1/2 gallon cartons we use a smaller refrigerated bag. For shipping 4 x 1/2 gallon cartons we use a large refrigerated bag. 

Recycling: These are expensive non-compostable bags so we would reuse them. You may first clean and dry these bags, fold them and put them in one of the larger Outer Boxes that you would save (see pt.1). Once every 4 weeks, we would send you a return label for you to send the box back to us. Please do not throw these special bags in Recycle trash can or in the garbage. On their return, we will sanitize them and reuse them. 

Packing Cost:These refrigerated Bags need to be manufactured in bulk upfront. As they are costly, we charge a deposit for 4 bags to each person who subscribes to Milk Box at the beginning of the season. At the end of the season, the deposit is returned after reducing any lost/damaged bags and additionally 20% for use fee so that we can replace them every 5 years.

Additionally, we need to sanitize these boxes on their return so as to ensure that the reused bags are fresh and clean for the next weeks. We then freeze them so that they remain cool during the transit time. For this work, we charge a Service fee of $2.50 each week. 

Shipping Cost: Shipping Milk Cartons in refrigerated bags and sending them back every 4 weeks adds extra shipping cost to the delivery of Indian Farm Box in the range of $5-$8.

Delivery Schedule

While subscribing for the box, you may choose to receive the box from Wednesday to Saturday

Delivery Region

We ship by UPS from New Paltz, NY. 

We currently ship to the Yellow Zone (1 Day transit time) for a subsidized shipping cost of $10-$13 per week. The Milk box is an additional shipping cost. 

We currently ship to the Brown Zone (2 Day transit time) for a subsidized shipping cost of $13-$15 per week. The Milk box is an additional shipping cost. 

If you are in another zone please contact us before signing up as then different packaging and shipping options may be required for shipping these perishables vegetables.  

If you have any questions about how the Indian Farm Box CSA works, please stop your transaction at this time and contact us or return to the main “Indian Farm Box” page and review "How it works" in detail. By subscribing to the share, you agree that you have read through all relevant information for subscribing.

For Self-Pick-up: It is your responsibility to remember to pick up your Box share during the listed pick-up hours for the Pick-up Location you are signed up at. Gopal Farm does not reimburse for Box Shares missed because you forgot to pick up or did not follow instructions.

It’s very important to understand and follow our Pick-up Protocol and Policies, as they are meant to make the CSA experience a positive one and are integral to the successful operation of our program! Not following instructions leads to problems, and chronic abusers may be asked to leave our membership. Any Shares remaining at the close of pick-up hours may be donated by the site hosts, so be sure to pick up your Share during the listed hours on the correct day.

Delivery Policy

In the event that a Home Delivery is made to a customer and the customer is not home, the delivery service (UPS) is given the right to leave the Share Box on the porch of the customer, without a signature, unless another instruction is given to the delivery driver by the customer. After the box is left (updated by UPS as delivered on their online tracking system), Gopal Farm is no longer responsible for the quality of that product, its food safety or if there a theft. Hence the members ought to bring the box into the house as soon as possible and refrigerate. 

Communications

We communicate with our membership primarily through email and posts published on our web site. These emails and posts include information about what will be in upcoming share boxes and recipes. We also send email announcements to our CSA Community about upcoming Community Farm Days and other Farm Events.

As a member of our CSA program, you understand it is your responsibility to open and read the emails we send so that you stay informed.  If your email address changes, you need to update it in the Contact Info tab of your online account (to continue to receive member-specific alerts) as well as informed to us by contacting us.

To help you receive and filter emails from us, we do our best to include either Gopal Farm or Gopal Farm CSA in the Subject line of our emails.  The address our member-specific alerts are sent from is – farmigo.indianfarmbox@farmigo-csa-hr.appspotmail.com– so please make sure to add this address to your contact list so our alerts reach your inbox.  This is a send-only address; please do not use it to communicate with us because we will not receive your email.

Weekly emails include–
– “Reminder to edit your share” emails are sent Friday and Monday morning.  Though we send reminder emails, it is your responsibility to remember to edit your Share Contents so we highly recommend creating your own reminder rather than relying on the emails.

– A “what’s in your share” email is sent the morning of your Delivery Day if you are receiving a Share for the week.  This email confirms your Share Contents, Pick-up Location / Delivery address and Delivery Date, and your Subscription.

If you are not receiving these emails, check your junk/spam/promotion folders since emails sent through our CSA software service sometimes end up there (see above).

Subscription Policies

CSA subscriptions are ongoing and deliveries continue based on our Seasonal Delivery Schedules unless a Delivery Hold is placed (see below) or a subscription is canceled (see Cancellation Policy below).

Subscription Delivery Holds

You can place holds on your subscription through your online account.  Holds can be for one or more weeks at a time. Click here for Delivery Hold instructions

Alternatives to putting your subscription on hold are to share your CSA program with those who might be interested – have it delivered to your friend or neighbor while you’re gone, or give it to the person who house or pet sits for you while you’re away (please be sure they are familiar with these procedures); or you can arrange to donate it. You may accomplish this by having your box delivered to the other address. You may change the delivery address in your online CSA account.

Please note: changes to your Pick-up Location can be made Friday 8:00 AM – Monday 11:00 AM for the upcoming week. The system prevents changes during other hours while we run reports, prepare for deliveries and post them to member accounts.  Click here for instructions for changing your Location.

Cancellation Policy

Subscriptions are for a minimum of 4 deliveries. The notice of cancellation is 2 weeks. For example, if you decide you need to cancel your subscription three weeks into it and give us 2 week’s notice, you will receive a total of 5 deliveries. A $100.00 cancellation fee may apply.

Any credit balance left on your account after all deliveries and fees will be refunded to you by check (see Refund Policy below).

Refund Policy
The refund amount will be Pro-rated to the number of deliveries made and then the cancellation fee will be subtracted from it.

Refunds are made by check within 30 days of the last delivery and are mailed to the address in your account contact info unless you let us know otherwise.

DONATE YOUR REFUND TO THE COWS
Support the cows on our ethical Gopal farm, by donating all or part of your refund. The cows will be most grateful!

Food Safety Policy

All farm fresh products from Gopal Farm should be considered unwashed. We suggest you always wash farm-fresh produce before consuming to ensure your own personal health and that of the people to whom you serve that product. 

Consumer Privacy Notice

This privacy notice discloses the privacy practices for www.gopal.farm. This privacy notice applies solely to information collected by this website. It will notify you of the following:

1. What personally identifiable information is collected from you through the website, how it is used and with whom it may be shared.
2. What choices are available to you regarding the use of your data.
3. The security procedures in place to protect the misuse of your information.
4. How you can correct any inaccuracies in the information.

Information Collection, Use, and Sharing
Gopal Farm is the sole owner of the information collected on this site. We only collect information that you voluntarily give us by means of the subscription sign-up. We will not sell or rent this information to anyone.

We will use your information to process your subscription service.  We will not share your information with any third party outside of our organization, other than as necessary to fulfill your request, e.g. to manage the CSA subscription (Farmigo), to fulfill an order (UPS), and such necessary tools.

Unless you ask us not to, we may contact you via email in the future to tell you about specials, new products or services, or changes to this privacy policy.

Your Access to and Control Over Information
You may opt-out of any future contacts from us at any time. You can do the following at any time by contacting us via the email address or phone number given on our website:

• See what data we have about you if any.
• Change/correct any data we have about you.
• Have us delete any data we have about you.
• Express any concern you have about our use of your data.

Security
We take precautions to protect your information. When you submit sensitive information via the website, your information is protected both online and offline.

Wherever we collect sensitive information, such as credit card data, that information is encrypted and transmitted to us in a secure way. You can verify this by looking for “https” at the beginning of the address of the Web pages.

While we use encryption to protect sensitive information transmitted online, we also protect your information offline. Only employees who need the information to serve you as a customer are granted access to personally identifiable information.

If you feel that we are not abiding by this privacy policy, you should contact our Operations Manager immediately via email.