In addition to getting vegetables delivered from Homestead Creamery, I paid $35 for a share in Sausser Farms CSACo-op, which was supposed to result in 5lbs of vegetables a week for 24 weeks, and they were supposed to have a presence at the Salem Farmers Market.
They haven’t opened at the Salem Farmers Market. Their website says they plan to open in Salem in July, but I’m not holding my breath.
That means the Roanoke Farmers Market is the closest location. The first time I went there, the Sausser Farms Rep wasn’t there, so I left, ate breakfast, came back 2 hours later, and their stall was still empty. The second time I went, the rep was there; however, there was a very long line of people with Sausser Farms cards in their hands, and the only thing the rep had left was cabbage at 10:45 in the morning.
Since then Sausser Farms has reduced its Lynchburg and Roanoke hours and is now requiring customers who pick up their vegetables in Lynchburg and Roanoke to select a prepackaged box.
This week, the [choices](http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HLGJPSP “Sausser Farms Choices for weekend of 7/2-7/3”) are:
- Option A = Tomatoes, Zucchini, Cucumbers/Pickle Cucumbers
- Option B = Tomatoes, Yellow Squash, Cucumbers/Pickle Cucumbers
- Option C = Okra, Zucchini and/or Yellow Squash, Cucumbers/Pickle Cucumbers
*Okra and Tomatoes are still in limited supply. We will do our best to fill all requests.
I just received an [e-mail](http://hosted.marketingcenter.intuit.com/18111/bb22980fe0/5401107/f7179a3de3/ “e-mail from Sausser Farms”) from Sausser Farms that those of us who pick up our vegetables in Roanoke are now required to pay $1 per cardboard box that the vegetables come in, but we’ll get an extra pound of vegetables. So, this is really a price increase of 53%.
I don’t need another pound of squash, zucchini, or pickling cucumbers. Can I bring my own bag, dump 5lbs of vegetables in my bag, leave the box, and skip the $1 fee?
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FYI...I was told there might be a $1.00 box deposit but along with that you will be getting 6 pounds of produce instead of 5. The fee is regardless of whether or not you give the box back at the time of pick up or not. I am sorry, I meant to mention that in the first e-mail, but forgot.
I know the Pick-Your-Share option is not ideal for many of you and filling out the survey is a pain. I wish we didn't have to do it either, but something needs to be tried so that things can improve. TRUST ME, I FEEL YOUR PAIN AND THEN SOME!
And please remember I simply do not have the ability to respond to every individual e-mail. It is not that I don't want, it is that I don't have the time.
Doing the best I can to help the Saussers and the members out,
Chris
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Sausser Farms
9175 Patrick Henry Hwy
Phenix, Virginia 23959
Thanks to your posts, I've resolved that I'm looking to get out of their co-op. I'm in Lynchburg, and while their hours have been somewhat reliable at their two locations (outside Myers & Rhodes and the Blue Ridge Montessori School), the constant evolution of their operational model is upsetting. At this point, I qualify their moves to a prepackaged box and the box fee as forms of fraud, something of a prepaid bait-and-switch.
Keep us posted with any news you find on these guys.
After all this about the surveys and having to print them out and bring them in order to get your shares, there were no option boxes, tomatoes, or okra at the Roanoke Market this morning. Just squash, zucchini, and pickles. Again.
Were they at least in cardboard boxes to speed up the line?
This is the same problem Homestead Creamery has run into. The Homestead Creamery manager calls the Sausser's to ask what's available and then specifies what he'd like in each box – Homestead Creamery offers 3 box choices. So far, the boxes haven't been packed as specified. This week, all 3 choices consisted of mainly squash zucchini and pickles.
I'm planning to go to the Roanoke Farmer's Market tomorrow, and I suspect I'll either come home with more squash, zucchini, and pickles or I'll come home empty-handed because the line's so long. Maybe, I'll take a camera with me and get a couple of shots of the line.
I am ready to contact the BBB about this group of frauds! I understand the frost issues that came late in the season, but by now things should be on the up-and-up. I waited in line until 9:30 this morning for them and they still weren't there…I had to leave as my 15 month old couldn't take being strapped in his stroller any longer! They are a bunch of frauds as far as I'm concerned. I think if enough people complained to someone that will actually listen and ACT upon the complaints, then we may get somewhere (all I want is my money back!)
Things just got a little bit more sketchy. http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/253946
I have reported Sausser Farms to the BBB. They have 14 days to respond to me. It's obvious folks….this was a big scam. It's not that I can't afford to loose $35, it's more that I told EVERYONE I know about it. My friends are all upset with me. Ohhhh, lesson learned!
If it sounds to good to be true…(repeat after me)….IT IS!!!!
Please go ahead and report them to the BBB.
I went to the website for the farm online tonight and it has been disabled. Wonder if they are shutting down everything. Sure would like to get my $70 for the two shares I purchased back. I have been successful in getting vegetables 1 time this season. Lines are too long in the hot sun and they don't show up when they say they will. Wonder what we would find if we drove to the farm? I don't even have email contact for them at this point as it was on the website! I understand not producing what you need to sell, but buck up and give customer money back. The ads on the website surely sounded like this was not their first year of operation – and it was. At one point they emailed those of us who had already purchased a share and asked us to sign on friends as they were well short of their goal of 75,000 shares.
When I get back from “the farm” I will let you know. Gonna to go today and see what's there if anything and try to get my money back. Hahaha!! Kim
Got ahold of my attorney today. He says the people who bought shares in the co-op can band together and file a class action suit. They do after all own a large farm. This was a scam and yes, the site and numbers are not available to any consumers. Although it is only $35.00 the fact is every penny counts and they basically stole from us. Linda J Miller proudnavma/aol I am also contacting the BBB tomorrow. I was told a month ago to mail them my card for a refund. I never got one. But have proof I purchased one. Not nice to play with ppl’s money. Sometimes dangerous things can happen.
The Christiansburg location is completely shut down. A For Rent sign is back in the window of the storefront. Guess I won’t be getting a pumpkin OR that hayride! Despicable people.