Hello Birmingham Co-op Members,

​We have some changes to begin implementing with our co-op process in this new year, and so I thought I would send out our Co-op Details all in one spot!  Many like to save them somewhere, for future reference, so save this email or print it out! 

Please take time to read through them al.  The HIGHLIGHTED areas indicate a change that was made from the previous details.  (Some things are in red print just to serve as a reminder, so check those out, too!)  

If you have any questions about any of this after reading below, simply REPLY to this email, and I will get back to you ASAP with answers!  

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Birmingham Co-op Details

Hi there!

Thank you for inquiring about My Dad and Me Family Farm’s Birmingham Co-op!

Please read ALL of the details below. In order to expedite getting the information to you, we have tried to answer all of your questions up front. If you have further questions after reading, please email us!

Melissa, our Co-op Coordinator, or Denise, our Delivery Driver, drives up to the farm every two weeks for pickups. Orders are due to the farm one week before each pickup date

*** Order Cut-off Dates ***                                *** Pick-up Dates ***

Wednesday, January 5^th                                  Wednesday, January 12th

Wednesday, January 19^th                                Wednesday, January 26th

Orders AND payments are due to Melissa by 6:00pm on Wednesday of order weeks so she can finalize and submit to the farm on time.  THIS DAY AND TIME IS A FIRM CUTOFF.  We send reminders via email every Tuesday of order weeks.  We do not want to have to tell you that your order cannot be added, so please send it by the cut-off day and time.  (NOTE:  We know Wednesdays can be busy for some—with church services or other commitments.  Please feel free to send your order on Monday or Tuesday of order weeks!)

HOW TO ORDER:

Send your list of quantities and items to our co-op coordinator, Melissa, via text (205-422-5105), Facebook Messenger, or Email (bhamco-op@mydadandmefamilyfarm.com).

Please send your order in this format EACH TIME:

• [DROP LOCATION] Choose one: Trussville, Valleydale Road, Alabaster, or Chelsea drop. (Our order form is divided by drop point for ease of distribution. Please let Melissa know with each order at which drop location you plan to pick up.) We ask for this detail on each order because many customers vary their pickup location, and we want to be sure to expect you at the right drop.  (For more details on this, see #2 in the PICKUP DAY COMMUNICATIONS section below.)
• 2 milks (please do not send in gallon quantities, but in the number of JARS OF MILK you want)
• 2 jars (if you need jars added to your order to have enough there for the fill) *See the MILK section below for info about the jar rotation.*
• 4 large eggs (this means 4 dozen eggs) – be sure to list your preferred size (small, medium, large may be available)
• 1 honey – quart (for items with a size/amount)

 

Order EXAMPLE:

 

“Hi Melissa, here is my farm order for pickup at Valleydale.  3 milks, 1 jar, 2 small eggs, 1 sauerkraut – traditional, 1 mild sausage, and 2 granolas.  Thanks!”   

***IF YOU ARE A NEW CUSTOMER, BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR FULL NAME SO THAT WE CAN ADD YOU TO OUR CONTACT LIST FOR THE GROUP TEXT!***

 

Melissa will reply with your total due and you can then submit payment via Venmo or Paypal (sent the Friends and Family way to avoid fees). 

(IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the change in tax laws regarding payment apps, PLEASE take extra care to NOT submit payment via the “paying for good or service” option, as this flags your payment as income for Melissa and will require her to pay taxes on your payment.  We will have to eliminate Paypal as a payment option if this is done.  If you send Paypal and they take out a fee, you will be responsible for sending Melissa the amount taken out so that your order is fully paid for.)

We prefer to use the electronic payments for accountability/tracking since we are handling your money, however, if you prefer to pay by cash or check, please drop off your payment to Melissa on or before 6pm Wednesday night of the order week.

 

***MILK***

Just a few details:

1. If you would like to order milk regularly, we suggest that you plan to order jars with your first three orders. That will give you three “sets” of jars to rotate through between Melissa, the farm, and your home. These jars need to be brought back to Melissa on pickup day ***DISHWASHER CLEANED, DRY, WITH YOUR NAME MARKED CLEARLY ON THE JAR, and WITH THE LID ON***. If they are not clean, the milk will sour faster. If they aren’t dry, the jar will get musty-smelling. If they do not have your name written on them, we will not know whose jar it is. If the lids are not on them, they are at risk getting dusty on the inside during storage.  If you have lost or broken a lid, you may purchase new lids at $1.00 each.

2. You MUST either have jars at the farm when your milk order is placed OR add new jars to your order.  Jars on Melissa’s shelf do not count toward this, as they will be taken to the farm at the NEXT pickup.

 

***MEATS AND CHEESES***

Since these packages of meats and cheeses vary in weights, when you order, we will charge you for the largest possible package available (such as a 3 lb. package of meat). If, when we pack-up orders, your package of meat or cheese is smaller than that size, we will make change at the farm to bring back the difference between what you paid and the actual price of your package.

 

***DELIVERY/PICKUP LOCATIONS***

On pickup day, you have the option to pick-up at our Trussville, Valleydale, Alabaster, or Chelsea Drop Point.  Below are the details for each:

1. TRUSSVILLE DROP:  the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet parking lot on Chalkville Mountain Road in Trussville at approximately 11:30am

2. VALLEYDALE DROP:  located at Valleydale Road exit (exit 247) off of I-65, in the parking lot next to Hardee’s and in front of Faulkner University on Southlake Parkway at approximately 12:15pm. 

3. ALABASTER DROP:  the Walgreen’s parking lot near Restore Church in Alabaster (at 140 Market Center Drive near Hwy. 119) at approximately 1:00pm. *We do not always have this drop along our route.*

4. at Melissa’s home in Chelsea (message Melissa for address) between 6pm and 9pm on pickup day.  (Let Melissa know in advance what time you plan to come pick up these evenings, so that she can be there and/or have your products ready in a cooler for picking up at that time.) 

 

***PICKUP DAY COMMUNICATIONS***

In order to communicate with everyone on pickup days, Melissa (or Denise, our current delivery driver) sends a group text to update you along her route to and from the farm so that you know more closely the exact time she will arrive at each drop point.  ***The drop points will be short/quick stops of no longer than 15 minutes, to keep all products fresh and cold, and also to keep her on time to the next drop.***  Please be there at or before the ETA to allow time for distribution, loading, and pulling out on time for the next drop.

The times above are approximate, and can fluctuate slightly depending on weather, time it takes to load up the order at the farm, traffic, etc. The group text will be sent to give an estimated time of arrival for all drop points. Please be sure that our delivery driver has your cell number (or, if needed, the name and number of your alternate pickup person) BEFORE PICKUP DAY for the group text.

IN ORDER TO KEEP GROUP TEXTS TO A MINIMUM FOR THE ENTIRE GROUP, PLEASE *DO NOT* REPLY TO OUR GROUP TEXTS.  If you need to contact your delivery person on pickup day, please send that person a DIRECT text message. 

If you plan to pick-up at a drop point, our delivery driver will need to know IN ADVANCE for several reasons:

1. We load up at the farm according to the drop locations, to make it easier to get orders out and checked off quickly at each drop.
2. So that the delivery person is sure to wait for everyone planning to pick up at that location before heading to the next.   If you fail to let us know you want to pick up at a drop point and the last person expected picks up, the delivery driver may leave to be early to the next stop, and then you will have to meet the driver at the next stop or pick up at Melissa’s house in Chelsea.

 

***MISSED PICKUP POLICY*** 

The farm’s policy for pick-ups states that your order must be picked up on pick-up day, or, if we have advance notice to a situation, it may be picked up the next business day at Melissa’s home, according to her schedule of availability.  ***After that, you will forfeit your order (with no refunds or replacements).*** 

 

***DELIVERY FEE***

A 10% Delivery Charge ($2.50 minimum per order) will be added to your farm order to help off-set some of the costs of organizing and delivering to the Birmingham area.

Please let us know if you have any questions or need more information!

We’d love to have you join us!

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