Solidarity Baskets

Help us make organic farm produce more accessible!

OUR PHILOSOPHY

A big part of our mission as a farm is to produce good, healthy food that is accessible to as many people as possible. We know that there are many potential barriers that can prevent folks from having access to fresh, organic produce and we strive to find creative solutions to overcome some of them. We know that cost can be a major barrier to some, and so we have set up a system to help us provide some baskets at a reduced price as well as free produce to local organizations, while still allowing the producers to work towards earning a just salary. We call them solidarity baskets, because those who have the ability to donate do so out of solidarity with those who do not.

HAPPENING NOW : FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN FOR OUR 2022 SOLIDARITY BASKETS PROGRAM

Donations raised as of June 12th, 2022 : 3,280 / $20,000 (close to a sixth of our goal) 

As you may know, this year we greatly increased vegetable production. Unfortunately, demand for veggie baskets is down across Quebec. Rats, bad timing!

We are doing our darndest to find new clients, however, many folks are feeling the pinch of inflation. We have heard from many who have taken baskets with us in the past that they simply cannot afford it this year. We believe organic food is not a luxury — it is a human right. So, we would love to offer our products at reduced rates for those who want great vegetables but might not be able to afford them.

You can help us do this! By making a donation you can help us subsidize baskets for many many more people who want and need food! We do not take any administration fees or percentage of the donations…. literally 100% of your money goes directly to covering the cost of veggies for someone else! Think of it like buying a coffee for the next person in line, but instead it is veggies grown by a small group of hardworking individuals. No corporations involved!

Our current goal is $20,000, which allows us to offer a 50% reduction on 50 full-season baskets. That means 50 families get 22 weeks of fresh veggies at 50% of the price. We know there are lots of hungry folks who would love to afford organic veggies, and we have already raised just over $2,000. Please help us reach our goal — and beyond!

In case you are curious, we also have relationships with community food security organizations to whom we donate huge quantities of food as well. Last year, beyond the reductions offered on solidarity baskets, we donated 4,389 kg of food (approximately $70,000). We are committed to getting our food to people who will eat it, and we greatly value your support.

Donations can be made through Interac e-transfer, Paypal, or our website!

Interac e-transfer : Send your donation to info@fermeauxchampsquichantent.com
Purpose of the transfer : Solidarité
Answer to the security question : 398Canton

Paypal : Donate through this page et follow the instructions of the payment platform

Through our website : When you sign up for our CSA baskets online,  the registration platform will give you to the option to pay for solidarity baskets when you select extra options. The solidarity baskets will be added automatically to your invoice. Once you have signed up for our CSA baskets, you will also have the option to donate solidarity baskets through our online shop.

If not all funds have been used, we will connect with local community groups to refer their participants to us.

RECEIVING A SOLIDARITY BASKET

Anyone who needs it can receive a basket at reduced price. We don’t need to see any proof – we trust you!

On our registration platform, mention in the comment section that you would like to receive a subsidized basket, or send us an email at info@fermeauxchampsquichantent.com. That’s all!  Don’t worry about the prices on the form or the payment schedule- once we receive your email or comment, we will get in touch with you and find a price and a payment timeline that works for you.

We usually suggest around 30% – 50% of the total cost, depending on what works for you. The number of solidarity baskets we are able to give depend on how many donations we have received.

NOT SURE HOW MUCH TO CONTRIBUTE?

We encourage our partners to consider these guidelines:

Consider contributing more (4 + baskets) if you: Own the home you live in, have investments, retirement accounts, inherited money, travel recreationally, work part-time by choice, have access to family money and resources in times of need, have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education (or gender and racial privilege, class background, etc.) Even if you are not currently exercising your earning power, we ask you to recognize this as a choice.

Consider contributing less if you: Are supporting children or have other dependents, have significant debt, have medical expenses not covered by insurance, have tuition/educational expenses, receive public assistance, have immigration related expenses, are a senior citizen.

The scale is intended to be a map, inviting each of us to take inventory of our financial resources and look deeper at our levels of financial privilege. It is a way to work towards economic justice on a local level. While we do ask you to look inward, please don’t stress about it.

*We have used language from Rock Steady Farm, and would like to thank Underground Alchemy, Soul Fire Farm, Radherb, Third Root, and the Kula Center for their inspiration, dedication, and work developing sliding scale models.*

Thank you for helping us make good food available to all, and bringing us one step closer to the just world we want to live in!

Vegetable basket
Cabbage field