Questions + Answers
FAQ For Trusslers Pantry
We need good food all year round. When the summer season came to a stop after our first Harvest launch in 2014 I thought to myself “good food must still be brought to our table”. In 2014 Trussler’s Harvest started the very first-year long harvest in the North. With years of dedication, better storage and more Ontario certified organic produce being grown we continue seamlessly to provide quality, fresh organic foods we can trust all year round.
ALL YEAR ROUND we deliver you a beautiful bounty of organic produce. ALWAYS Certified Organic and ALWAYS Local first. Note: our Harvest subscriptions are based on a regular 4 week month. When we encounter a month that has 5 weeks the Harvest takes holidays in order to avoid confusion and increases in the program cost. Every day, we work hard to push the limits and find new food family members, which is why we are Northern Ontario’s largest and most successful Organic Food Delivery service.
During the Coldest time of the year, what can you expect? A continual beautiful bounty of local certified organic produce. Things such as potatoes, carrots, a variety of squashes, onions, cabbage, turnips, rutabaga, kohlrabi, pie pumpkins, apples, pears (best you ever tasted), etc… are stored and used throughout the season. We have done all the hard work and you get to sit back and know your box will be filled with the best that organic local foods have to offer. Trussler’s Harvest has established a great relationship with greenhouse growers in Southern Ontario, this way we can bring in what we lack here in the North all year long. Lettuce, peppers, cucumbers, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, strawberries, etc… are brought in fresh from the greenhouses to keep our boxes full and a variety that we are all looking for all year round. A BOUNTY in every box. We continue to grow! More and more farmers are working with us to produce hearty foods that can be grown in our Northern Climate all year round such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, kale, leeks and parsnips spinach, winter lettuces, etc… our greenhouse is running later and earlier with each passing season to provide us all with fresh leafy greens all year round.
We work with certified organic farmers from our area. Our largest organic producer is right here in Matheson located just minutes from the Pantry. We have been working alongside Black River Country Gardens since the beginning of our venture that we started together back in 2014. Black River Country Gardens has been dedicated to the Harvest since the very beginning by investing in 2 Large Greenhouses and storage facilities so that fresh foods flow in your boxes all year round. We work diligently together to keep fresh food flowing all year round. We also work with Borealis Farms in Timmins bringing fresh organic Kale and basil in our boxes, Garden Lake Greens in New Liskeard bringing you fresh organic micro-greens, and Northern Select Mushrooms from New Liskeard bringing you fresh organic shitake mushrooms. Ok so let’s get precise. In the summer months the garden is bountiful and you can expect all the veggies to come from the farm, but what about all year round?
All year round we work hard providing quality certified organic produce and fruits delivered right to your door. I have people asking how is it local in the winter and the truth is you would be surprised how much local produce is in your box during the coldest time of the year. Here at the Harvest, our number one priority is to get you the food that is grown closest to home from a source we can trust, but there are realities to growing in our cold climate (Ontario). This means that during the winter months vegetables we are not able to get from Matheson will be sourced from Southern Ontario Greenhouses and if your box still doesn’t have the variety we are looking for we then source globally to ensure your box has the bounty we are all looking for. Our selection varies according to times of the year, example during Christmas and New Year’s it is much harder to access Ontario foods as most growers take time off during this time. Fruit in the winter months is brought in from Canadian Certified Organic growers and Global Fairtrade Farmers. The following list is produce you will receive from right here in Matheson all winter long. The second list is what goes in your bin from Certified Organic growers in Southern Ontario (southern Ontario have longer growing season and greenhouses all year round). Keep in mind if Peppers from Ontario are not available we will source them globally so that you continue to get a beautiful assortment of Certified Organic Veggie all year round.
ORGANIC FRUIT: Certified Organic Fruit is really hard to come by, we have many fruits that are grown right here in Matheson such as strawberries, has-cap berries, raspberries, cantaloupe, watermelon etc… much of our fruit still has to be sourced outside of the North until more growers choose organic. Our farmer is invested in providing as much as he can possibly grow for all of you and that is why each year he continues to add variety to his garden. When we can’t get it locally we support global fairtrade fruits to keep our variety.
Calendars are also sent via email- check your junk folder as well.
Important: our Harvest subscriptions are based on a regular 4 week month. When we encounter a month that has 5 weeks the Harvest takes holidays in order to avoid confusion and increases in the program cost.
Delivery Areas – Cochrane, Earlton, Fauquier, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Kirkland Lake, Hearst, Matheson, New Liskeard, Smooth Rock Falls and all the places in between
The Harvest is not a replacement for the grocery store. Dollar for Dollar is not what you will receive in your box primarily because you are signing up on a service and secondly because Trussler’s Harvest is not sourcing its foods the same way a grocery store would. You also might still find yourself heading to the store for those certain items that were simply not in season or those fruits your kids can’t go without. ALWAYS Certified Organic and ALWAYS Local First is our mission. Our Harvest is sourced fresh and for that reason, your harvest box will last well over a week. If you use the tips for storage that we include in our newsletters and write-ups you can make your box last well over two weeks.
Trussler’s Harvest is sourced fresh, certified organic and local, for that reason your harvest box will not be dollar for dollar what you would get at a big box store. Being part of Trussler’s Harvest means you are part of a local organic food source/service, this does not mean that you will not find yourself at the grocery store. What we mean by that is not every week will you find “say” cucumbers in your bin, but perhaps you like to eat cucumbers every day. We here at the Pantry provide you with a share of organic foods grown as local as possible and delivered to your door on a bi-weekly basis. We have many members who no longer go to the store and rely on their bins but we also have members who find themselves still going to the store but they are ok with that knowing that the majority of their food is being sourced locally and from a source they can trust, buying a few extra items to get through does not bother them.
Could I get more at the grocery store?
“It’s quite possible, but hard to say. It depends if when you are shopping are you shopping organic, are you choosing local, or are you choosing conventional? To some people, our prices seem high, especially if you are new to organic local shopping! It sure was to me when I first started feeding my family local organic foods ten years ago.” “I know it can be a shock at first, and there are a few reasons why you will not get a dollar for dollar what you would get from a big box store. #1 We are not a big box store: Yes, you can buy less expensive produce but you aren’t getting the same quality, locality, or freshness that Trussler’s Harvest provides. Our produce and fruits are well-managed, grown in nutrient-dense soils and the farm itself is self-sustaining. #2 We do not source our fruits and vegetables the same way a larger store would: Our products are more expensive than what you would receive at the store as we are a very small farm working with other small farms. Here at Trussler’s Harvest our fresh, organic produce comes from 3 acres of land, all of which we plant, tend, and harvest by hand. Organic vegetables from the store come from thousands of acre mainly monoculture farms from other countries with different growing practices and more controlled temperature (hotter climate), so, therefore, the cost of our production of organic vegetables in a colder climate following the best organic practice will come at a higher price. Organic foods found at the grocery store are produced on larger acreage monoculture farms using large equipment and are sold at a fraction of our costs and neither store nor customer knows their growing practices or the people that harvest them (we harvest by hand). #3 We deliver to your door: When signing up with us you will receive friendly farm service. This saves you time and also saves you money as you will make fewer trips to the grocery store. But don’t worry here at Trussler’s Harvest we have worked hard and pushed the limits to make sure both members and farmers satisfied, it was not an easy task to accomplish but we did it. The majority of our customers are saving money and have been open to sharing their reasons., are you
- Foraged in the pasture on the green grass in the Summer months
- Winter foraging on dried grass
- Feed does not contain antibiotics or any medications
WHAT IF I DON’T GET EGGS
If you choose to opt-out of eggs the Pantry will provide more veggies and fruits in replacement of your eggs.
Just like with your own body, you’ll get out of it what you put in. Chickens from the farm are fed with food sources of a higher quality than those who are hosted within a factory for mass consumption. This is why the yolk is richer and the shell is thicker. Farm fresh chickens spend their days outside soaking up vitamin D, while factory chickens are stuck inside eating a feed that just isn’t as good or fresh. If you ask me, I’m proud to say there’s nothing I enjoy more than a nice pair of eggs sunny side up. The yolk of a farm-fresh egg is typically richer in color and actually has taste while store-bought egg yolks are always a medium yellow with almost no flavor. Not only do farm egg yolks have a deeper color, but their yolk is also creamier and doesn’t break as easily when cooked. Here’s a fun fact, the eggs you buy in the store are usually 6-8 months old before they hit the shelves. You may not realize it, but as time passes the egg becomes less nutritious. Many of the differences between store-bought and farm fresh eggs all come down to the nutrition and maturity of the chickens.
Here at the Harvest we certainly don’t want you receiving produce with bugs in it but there is a reality to organic growing and we are not a stranger to bugs.
Organic Farming
As you might expect organic farmers do not kill bugs with harmful sprays. This is why in many cases you will find little critters in some of your produce. So the choice for a consumer comes down to being more concerned about bugs or pesticides.
Sure, bugs are gross to some people, but they’re just trying to live too. As long as the produce looks fresh and green and not eaten half to death, I don’t think there’s a real problem. It’s a common occurrence to find insects in pretty much all produce, whether it’s organic or not. However, you’re more likely to find these little visitors in organic produce than conventionally grown varieties because organic farming does not use chemical pesticides to ward off bugs. Meaning that bug-free celery/broccoli/lettuce may have come with a decent dose of the harsh stuff to make that happen.
WASHING IN SALT WATER IS THE SIMPLEST WAY TO RID YOUR ORGANIC FOOD OF BUGS
Simply fill a basin with hot salt water and dump the broccoli florets in. Let sit around 20 minutes, swishing vigorously with your hand every so often to dislodge the more stubborn unwelcome guests (no soap or special sprays needed). Any dirt will settle while unwanted bugs will float to the top.
But listen, if we are gonna talk the talk, we gotta walk the walk. Bugs are definitely a part of organic farming and to a certain degree we need to suck it up and not be fearful of those little buggers who are a part of nature – the ones that so gleefully make it to the veggies that we don’t want to be sprayed with pesticides.
You will receive 2 boxes every month. During the course of the year, we encounter months that have 5 weeks. When we encounter a 5 week month the Pantry uses the last week of the month for inventory and Harvest clean up to avoid cost increase and customer confusion about payments.
When you omit something you will receive more of what we have. For example, you omit cauliflower that week you may get 2 tomatoes for your cauliflower. All omits are done on a $ value. All boxes are packed according to value, rest assure that we always meet our value and usually go above and beyond to ensure your satisfaction.
Omits have always been a part of our service that we are proud to offer, however, offering omits is not only tedious but very time-consuming. Omits are used for dietary restrictions or diets that do not permit certain vegetables and fruits. We ask that our Harvest Members only omit produce that is prohibited on their diets/lifestyles. Our weekly newsletter with the list of produce is not intended to be a list to switch things for others every week, it is there to help you meal plan and work around your box. Trussler’s Pantry is not set up like a big box store, we work with farmers and this makes customizing your box too difficult and taxing on our small business, please be considerate when making changes.
We ALWAYS do our best to accommodate.
THE PANTRY TEAM
YES! but WAY BETTER, Trussler’s Pantry is a modern CSA also known as a CSA on steroids. The Pantry takes all the risk out of the CSA by acting as the -control center-, by protecting both the farmer and our members. We ensure both the farmer and our members are happy, even though we might make this sound easy we definitely have our work cut out for us.
It’s Modern because Trussler’s Pantry allows the farmer to do what they do best (growing) while we the Pantry manages the harvest and our members to ensure the Harvest is well planned and the customers are well fed.
Trussler’s Pantry manages the produce by helping establish a solid growth plan as well as utilizing our resources with other local organic growers. The Pantry manages the flow of goods so our members can experience a constant volume and a great variety of produce each week. In turn, our farmer has a constant volume of income per week as well as an efficient and secure outlet for his craft.
A typical CSA has a volume/variety fluctuation. Over seasons members can experience boxes that contain only enough food for 2 days (early season), boxes that contain larger volumes of foods they don’t like (midseason), mostly root vegetables near the end of the season which can be overwhelming and frustrating to members. Trussler’s Pantry manages the flow and ensures that our farmer has systemically planted in order to receive an AMAZING variety and volume of produce each week.
We consider farmers to be craftsmen and not office managers. Our control center allows our farmers to solely focus on their crafts and their strategic systemic plan for growth in order to provide a constant variety of Fresh, Safe, Nutritious foods for our members and nothing else. Trussler’s Pantry provides this by being the control center and the service.
In your box, you can expect a great variety of seasonally grown produce and fruits. The produce in your box changes each week, based on the season and on the closest, best products available. Your box will always remain full with 6-10 varieties of locally grown vegetables and 1-2 varieties of fruits. Each box is always slightly different but you will always receive an impressive flavourful variety that you won’t be disappointed with. The value of your box remains the same all year but may look different at a certain time of the year due to availability and locality. Here at the Harvest, we help you store properly, we offer green bags and the freshest produce to ensure your Bi-Weekly bin will last you. We know it works because we are on the Harvest also.
You will experience quality certified organics picked right our of the garden just hours before delivery. Depending on the season each box is different. Here are our summer and winter list of veggies. Our source is ALWAYS LOCAL FIRST.
Trussler’s Harvest is the best way to get true organic foods. Our source is always local first so that we know exactly where our food is coming from. In the winter months, you will receive boxes that are twice the size of the summer boxes and they will be delivered bi-weekly in the cold months. Most of what you will receive in your box is from right here in Matheson. The Pantry has sourced what we can’t grow here from other greenhouse farmers that also farm organically so that you will continue to get an amazing variety all season long.
Deliveries CALENDARS are Bi-Weekly ALL YEAR ROUND with the exception of 5 week months. During the course of the year, we encounter months that have 5 weeks. When we encounter a 5 week month the Pantry uses the last week of the month for inventory and Harvest clean up to avoid cost increase and customer confusion about payments.
We have no set time for deliveries. So many factors impact our delivery schedule such as weather, picking, packing, orders, farmers etc…. we ask that all our members make arrangements for delivery days with our Harvest team at info@trusslersharvest.ca. A fridge in your garage is an EXCELLENT idea to have. Our driver can put away your vegetables and fruits for you directly into the fridge.
Deliveries: You will always receive 2 boxes each month.
We will do everything possible to re-route orders for timely delivery but cannot be responsible for a damaged or compromised product due to the following:
- Delayed deliveries due to weather or other “Acts of God”
- Incorrect addresses (* Please be sure to include apartment, suite or floor numbers, as needed.)
- Reroutes – bins that are sent to a different address while member who is out of town or otherwise unavailable to receive their shipment. Please notify the recipient of the pending arrival of perishables!
- No one home – bin has been left outside as customers door is locked, customer not home, customer forgot about delivery day
Not home not a problem let us know where you would like your bin. Contact the Pantry 705-805-4594 to make bin arrangements, reroutes or bin suspensions.
Absolutely! When signing up you will be able to omit the produce you don’t like. We only want you receiving items you and your family will enjoy.
Omits have always been a part of our service that we are proud to offer, however offering omits is not only tedious but very time-consuming. Omits are used for dietary restrictions or diets that do not permit certain vegetables and fruits. We ask that our Harvest Members only omit produce that is prohibited on their diets/lifestyles. Our weekly newsletter with the list of produce is not intended to be a list to switch things for others every week, it is there to help you meal plan and work around your bin. We are not set up like a Big Amazon and do not have assembly machinery and computers that generate changes, everything we do is by hand. We here at Trussler’s Pantry are not a grocery store, we work with farmers and this makes customizing your bin too difficult and taxing on our small business, please be considerate when making changes.
We ask that you only OMIT produce because of serious reasons, such as allergies, change in diet or change in lifestyle. We thank you in advance.
Changes must be made 48 hours before delivery to info@trusslerspantry.ca
- Personalized Service: as a small business owner we at Trussler’s Harvest go the extra mile to make you happy.
- One of a kind product: we carry unique products and services that you won’t find anywhere else. Our Harvest is one of a kind, working with small farms right here in Northern Ontario.
- Time-saving: Time is the one thing in this world that we can never get back. Trussler’s Harvest gives you more time to enjoy the little things while your FRESH, LOCAL, ORGANIC fruits and veggies come directly to your doorstep.
- Good for your health: Supporting Organic farming is the healthiest choice you can make for you, your family, your community and the environment. Your membership allows you to have access to premium local organic foods all year long.
- Enhances local economy: Trussler’s Harvest supports our local economy and the money you spend here stays in our Northern Community, thus improving its future.
- Environment: Buying local produce is really beneficial from an environmental point of view. It’s really daft how we buy vegetables from the store that have been flown thousands of miles when the same items are grown in our own back yard. Help cut down on unnecessary journeys and support your local farmer, butcher, and artisans.
- Shape our character: Trussler’s Harvest help give your community its distinct personality. We are creating community character by having a unique business.
- Trussler’s Harvest created jobs and opportunities: Trussler’s Harvest employs all year round offering job security in our area and offering better wages. We also hire local printers for our advertising, local accountants, local wholesalers, local farms, local attorneys etc…and we continue to expand opportunities for local entrepreneurs in our area.
- Strengthen local networks: Shopping at Trussler’s Harvest provides access to local experts about what products and services work best in your geographic area. For example, our local farm and farm tours can tell you which type of tomato grows best in your climate. We also offer more personalized service by establishing a relationship with our customers and we offer a quicker resolution to customer service issues.
- Because it Matters: Trussler’s Harvest builds a strong community by sustaining a vibrant business that employs local residents and farmers. We link neighbors in a web of economic and social relationships and contribute to local causes.
You can suspend a box if you are planning a vacation or something comes up. We understand!
Trussler’s Pantry values their members, we continually communicate with our customers ensuring that each member receives excellent service. In an effort to better serve our members who are seeking last minute changes to their Harvest and or deliveries, members will be required to submit all changes 48-Hours prior to the date of their delivery. All changes to your Harvest need to be submitted via email info@trusslerspantry.ca or by phone 705-805-4594 48 hours prior to delivery. If we receive your changes in the 48 hours prior to your delivery we will do our best to accommodate those changes but note that you will still be charged for your bin if your request was not made 48 hours prior and we were unable to fulfill your request.
We can not accept changes to your Harvest Orders via Texting. Our Texting service is automated.
At Trussler’s Harvest, we’re known for quality and freshness but since we are dealing with perishables, stuff can happen. Upon putting your produce away if you find any produce to be a lesser quality please take a photo of your produce and send it to info@trusslerspantry.ca. We ask that digital photos be taken and emailed to us. The Pantry team will inspect the product and carefully evaluate and your replacement item will be noted for the next delivery.
Harvest Members have 24 hours from delivery to report any quality issues with their bin. We can not be responsible for perishables items past the 24 hour period due to the sensitivity of perishables foods. (we do not know what temperature your fridge is, how long the vegetables and fruit sat at the door, fridge doors being left open, power outages, etc..)
We have two billing date the 1st of the month and the 15th of the month
1st of the month – If you sign up in between the 2nd and the 14th of the month your billing date will be the 1th of each of each month. Your invoice will be sent out on the 26th so that you have time to make payment.
15th of the month – If you sign up between the 16th and the 31st of the month your billing date will be the 15th of the month. Your invoice will be sent out on the 12th of each month to give you time to make payment.
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All Harvest Boxes are paid a month in advance.
For example you sign up on August 5th (you make a payment on Aug 5th) your next invoice will be sent on September 1st.
Aug 5th Payment takes care of Aug 5 and Aug 18th boxes
September 1st Payment takes care of September 9 and 22 boxes
October 1st Payment takes care of October 6th and October 20th boxes.
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Cancelations
Yes, you can cancel at any time. It’s important to us that our members want to be on our program. We do encourage all of our members to stick with it for the year to really see what a Harvest is all about. CANCELATIONS: If your cancelation occurs after your payment has been processed no refunds can be issued. You will receive the remaining delivery services and your account will be canceled on the last paid delivery.
Yes, you can cancel at any time please send all cancelations to info@trusslerspantry.ca. It’s important to us that our members want to be on our program. We do encourage all of our members to stick with it for the year to really see what a Harvest is all about. CANCELATIONS: If your cancelation occurs after your payment has been processed no refunds can be issued. You will receive the remaining delivery services and your account will be canceled on the last paid delivery.
YES! Go ahead and shop our Grass fed Meats and products. You can go anytime. Free shipping for all Harvest Members.
Your order will be delivered with your next box.
Dear Customers,
Staff safety and customer safety is always a top priority.
Trussler’s Harvest has always had great food handling policies in place. Our policies protocol ensure everyone has a good safe food supply all year round.
FOOD HANDLING
Produce here at the Pantry is handled by 3 people, our 2 packers and our delivery driver and this keeps your risk very very low in comparison to the big box stores. Trussler’s already adhered to strict food safety regulations as required by the Safe Foods for Canadians Act and Porcupine Health Standards. We wear gloves when handling your produce (always have), we wear hairnets (always have), we sanitize all our equipment and we now implemented hand-washing stations to make sure we are able to clean our hands regularly.
ENTERING
We are very lucky that our washroom facility is outside of our building and with that being said our employees must wash their hands upon entering. It is proven that thorough hand washing is better than hand sanitizer when done properly. .
Kara Trussler
