Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

• What is a CSF?  CSF refers to Community Supported Food. It usually refers to a network or association of individuals who support one or more local farms and/or producers.
• Most CSFs decide what you get in your weekly box. What will I receive from RFBA?  We are a different type of CSF. You choose what you want to receive and the frequency with which you receive it. Order what you want, when you want, and it will be delivered to one of our convenient drop sites located throughout the Bay Area.
• Do I have to pay a membership fee?  No.
• Is there any commitment required?  No.  We have no membership fee or long term commitment.  If you are not satisfied at any time, feel free to cancel.  Email support@realfoodbayarea.com and we will remove your account.  
• Is there a minimum order amount?  No.
• Are there any additional charges on top of the price of the items listed on the site?  Yes.  There is a $3 refundable deposit on milk and cream bottles.  There is a $1.50 refundable deposit on prepared food jars. The deposit is added when you check out.  These deposits are refunded to your account on return of the bottle or jar. There is no additional delivery fee.
• How do I contact Real Food (Bay Area) CSA?  Our email is support@realfoodbayarea.com. Please allow 24 hours for our response.

Ordering 

• How do I place an order?  Orders can be placed on our website using a credit or debit card.
• When are orders due?  Orders for items delivered weekly are due by 10 pm Friday for delivery the following week.  If you are on a Monday or Tuesday route any Family Friendly Farms Family Pack meat order will be delivered one week later due to our order and delivery schedule.
• I have a standing order – can I suspend it if I go on vacation?  Of course!  After logging in choose the "Skip Deliveries" option on the "My Account" tab in the upper right corner.  Simply fill out the appropriate dates and you'll be all set
• How do I cancel my standing order?  After logging in choose the "Recurring Items" option on the "My Account" tab in the upper right corner.  You may cancel by simply X-ing out the items you no longer wish to receive on recurring basis and choosing the "Save Changes" tab below your order.
• When is the latest time I can cancel my order for the following week?  For weekly orders the deadline is Friday at 10 pm the week before the order is scheduled to be delivered.
• Why is the order window for many of the Prepared Meals items so short (Thursday evening to Friday evening)?  While Three Stone Hearth (TSH) is updated by Sunday evening, My Sustainable Table (MST) doesn't send RFBA their menu update until Thursday morning. We update as soon as possible after receiving their weekly product offerings--always by Friday noon at the absolute latest.

Delivery

•  Do you provide home delivery?   Delivering to centralized drop locations allows us to deliver more products in less time to more people while conserving energy and packing materials. However, we currently offer FREE home delivery with a minimum order within our service area.  See below for more details.
• Do you ship your products outside the Bay Area?  No.
• When will I find out the exact address for the delivery location I selected?  The exact delivery address will be sent to you a couple of days before your first delivery along with any specific instructions as to the locations of the coolers, parking information if necessary, etc. The email will also include the time that the products will be at the delivery site.
• What happens if the delivery is delayed?  One the very rare occasion that a delivery is delayed due to traffic or delivery issues, those who have ordered will receive an email with the new estimated delivery time.
• What is the pick-up procedure?  When you pick up your items, there will be a binder with a sign out sheet. Be sure to check your order and initial next to your order, every time you pick up. If you do not consistently sign out, you will not be allowed to order. If your name is not on the list, please don’t take anything as it means your order was not processed for whatever reason.
  Consolidate items in the coolers, and shift ice or ice packs from empty coolers to fuller ones (if it’s not late). Don’t leave one or two items alone in a cooler if there is another cooler with other items. They’ll keep each other colder when together. Your consideration is appreciated.
  Close cooler lids tightly. Push them down all the way. Don’t just let them drop or leave them open all the way. If you have someone else picking up for you, please inform them of the procedures so they can follow these guidelines as well.
• How long do I have after the delivery time to pick up my products?  You have 24 hours to pick your items up (between the hours of 8 am and 10 pm), unless otherwise specified in the instructions you are emailed with the delivery location information. Please be aware that the ice is not refreshed by the host and thus we recommend picking up as soon as possible after the delivery time. Real Food (Bay Area) CSF and the hosts do not take any responsibility for items after they have been delivered.
• How are frozen items delivered?  Frozen items are packed in a cooler with dry ice.  Multiple cuts of meat will be packed together in bags so you will need to select your items from the bag.  Keeping frozen items together means they stay frozen longer.  Dry ice does dissipate and ice/dry ice is NOT refreshed by the host.  We recommend picking up frozen items as soon as possible after delivery.  Real Food (Bay Area) CSF and the hosts do not take any responsibility for frozen items after they have been delivered.
• What happens if I can’t pick up within 24 hours or if I forget to pick up my products?  After 24 hours the delivery location hosts will clear the coolers and donate any products that have been left. If they are yours, you will still be responsible for paying for them. If you have an unexpected emergency, please contact  support@realfoodbayarea.com immediately and we will try and arrange extended storage.
• What if my products aren’t there or not listed under my name?  Please contact  support@realfoodbayarea.com  within 48 hours of delivery, but do not take any items not listed on the sign out sheet under your name because you will be taking someone else items. After 48 hours credit will only be given at our discretion.
• Can I return items?  All sales are final, unless there is an issue with the product, in which case please contact support@realfoodbayarea.com immediately.  We are sorry but we are unable to offer refunds for products that you simply don’t like. 
• How do I become a host location?  Please contact support@realfoodbayarea.com for our host site requirements. Hosts receive a weekly credit toward purchases at RFBA. This credit is not redeemable for cash.

FREE HOME DELIVERY 

• Do you provide home delivery?   We currently offer FREE home deliver with a minimum order of $250 in deliverable products (not including bottle and crate deposits) within our service area. .  Locations served include anywhere within 5 miles of our current routes or current drop locations:
  • South Bay to San Francisco:  HWY 101 from Gilroy to San Francisco
  • South Bay to East Bay:   HWY 680 from Milpitas to Pleasant Hill
  •                                            HWY 24 from Walnut Creek to Berkeley
  •                                            HWY 580/880 from Berkeley to San Jose
  • As well as the greater San Jose Metro Area (85/280) including HWY 17 between San Jose and Scotts Valley

Please verify that your address on your online account is correct as that is the address where we will deliver your order.  If you have a P.O. Box or we can’t determine your address the default will be your usual drop location. 

• Do I need to be home?  If there is no direct access to your front door at street level our driver will call you when he arrives, and you will need to meet him at his truck. (example: an apartment on the second floor). You must be home to receive the order OR put a cooler (preferable hard sided) out with ice packs for us to deliver the order into. Please label the cooler with “RFBA” so it is clear that it is for our use. If you choose to leave a cooler, we take no responsibility for the products once they have been delivered.

• What day will my order be delivered?  In most cases your order will be delivered the same day as your usual drop.  If, for some reason, we need to deliver your order on a day other than your usual delivery day we will notify you via email.

AZURE STANDARD

• What is Azure Standard?  Azure is a once-a-month co-op type delivery service that usually delivers via large trucks to central drop locations (sort of like RFBA!)  These drop locations are usually homes or parking lots and customers must meet the truck to pick up their order.  Unlike other co-ops your order is individually boxed and labelled with your name.   Now, you can choose Real Food (Bay Area) as your drop location and we will receive the order and deliver it either to your home or one of our drop locations for a small fee. 
• How do I sign up for an Azure Account?  Go to AzureStandard.com to sign up for an account.  Then let us know and we will request you be added to the RFBA drop location.  Our Azure drop is conditional in that we must approve all members.  
• You must have a current account with RFBA as well as an Azure account. 
• Are there any ordering limitations?

• • Frozen:  Please note that we are unable to store frozen items.  All chilled items will be stored in our walk-in (at ~34 degrees).  Any frozen items will also be stored in the walk-in and thus may thaw.  You are welcome to order frozen items but we take no responsibility.
  • Chilled:  Chilled items will be stored in our walk-in (at ~34 degrees).  We only guarantee to the point of delivery as Azure may use boxes that do not fit in our coolers.
  • Size Limitations:  For driver safety, we ask that you not order bulk products in amounts larger than 25 lb bags.
  • Please note that for liability reasons we are unable to unpack boxes that have been sealed by Azure

• What does Azure delivery cost?

  Azure Delivery Fees

  We are not paid by Azure for delivery.  The fees cover the costs of meeting the truck, sorting the boxes onto the correct routes, and additional delivery time involved.

  Orders under 50 lbs total:

  • $15--delivered to one of our current drop locations.
  • Free—home delivery.  If the RFBA portion of your order is $250 or more we will deliver your Azure order as well for free—IF UNDER 50 lbs

  Orders over 50 lbs total are automatically home delivered for a fee of $25 for first 50 lbs plus $15 for each additional 100 lbs or portion thereof as follows:

  • 50.1 lbs to 150 lbs        $40
  • 150.1 lbs to 250 lbs      $50
  • 250.1 lbs to 350 lbs      $60
  • 350.1 lbs to 450 lbs      $70
  • Orders over 450.1 lbs   $70  for the first 450 lbs plus $15 for each additional 100 lbs or portion thereof

  Hosts are still charged delivery fees due to extra costs and time incurred for delivery.  However, the fee for hosts is capped at $15 for the first 50 lbs and incurs increments of $15 for each additional 100 lbs or portion thereof as above.  Hosts may use the host credit toward this fee.  

   Please note—the default for orders under 50 lbs is your usual drop location.  If you have an Azure order and do not select the appropriate fee we will do so for you.  If home delivery is selected or required due to weight, please verify that your address on your online account is correct as that is the address where we will deliver your order. 

• When will my order be delivered?  When you place your order with Azure you will see the delivery date the orders will be delivered to RFBA.  Orders are delivered to us on a Monday.  If you are on a Tuesday or Wednesday route you will receive your order the same week.  Monday orders will have a one-week delay.

Product Freshness and Availability

• How fresh is the Claravale and Real Food (Bay Area) CSF raw milk?  Our drivers pick up Claravale raw milk and cream on Monday shortly after the morning milking. We deliver this same milk on Tuesday or Wednesday. Our drivers pick up RFBA raw milk twice each week - on Monday shortly after the morning milking for Monday and Tuesday deliveries and again on Wednesday for the Wednesday deliveries. You will not find fresher milk in any store!
• How fresh are the other products?  Our products are as fresh as you would find at your local farmers’ market and fresher than you will find in any store. We store fresh or frozen products at appropriate temperatures for only a few days.
• What products are delivered frozen?  All meat and fish items are delivered frozen in coolers with dry ice.  Certain Three Stone Hearth products are also delivered frozen.  These are indicated by the word (FROZEN) in the description.
• Why do you carry only certain Three Stone Products?  The general production schedule for TSH products does not align with our delivery. TSH does a separate batch of cooking of most of their more popular items for us on Monday. We have TSH produced items such as chicken bone broths, granola, crispy nuts, and soups
• Why does Three Stone Hearth itself have a cut-off of Wednesday morning for the same products?  TSH does a separate batch of cooking for Real Food (Bay Area). We place the order by Sunday mid-day. Therefore, we have a deadline of Friday at 10 pm to allow time to consolidate the orders and send them to TSH. TSH has store pick-ups in Berkeley on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday. RFBA finishes our deliveries by Wednesday evening. We deliver the same products just a few days earlier given that we are getting specially prepared batches made earlier in the week.
• What happens if a product is unavailable?  The suppliers we work with are for the most part small, local operations. Occasionally they do not have the item in stock—generally this occurs with specific cuts of pork, beef, or chicken. When this happens there will be a note on the delivery sheet “Not available will refund”. You should expect to see a credit on your account within 3 days.  Please contact us if you would prefer a credit card refund.

Real Food Raw Milk

• Where does Real Food Raw Milk come from?  Our milk comes from 100% Jersey cows at the San Martin Milk Company in San Martin (Santa Clara County), the fourth licensed Grade A raw milk dairy in California. San Martin has a small herd of Jersey cows. Most supermarket milk is from Holsteins which produce a more watery milk. Jersey milk has higher concentrations of proteins, solids, butterfat, and beta-carotene than other breeds.
• Is Real Food Raw Milk from totally pasture fed cows?  San Martin feeds its cattle a traditional diet of hay, grain-based dairy feeds, and pastures. It is a traditionally run dairy and adheres to the natural feeding cycles of cattle. Dairy cattle have access to pasture during the natural growing season (in California that is winter and spring) and are fed mostly hay, grain, and other produce during the rest of the year. This is the best use of our natural resources here in California with our wet and dry seasons.
• Is Real Food Raw Milk certified organic?  San Martin Dairy is not certified organic by choice. They do have our own standards that they follow, including:
  The Jersey cows are fed only organic hay, organic dairy supplement, and organic pasture. 
  No chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides are used on the pastures.
  No GMO feeds or products are fed to the cows.
  No antibiotics are used on the milking herd.
  No artificial milk stimulants such as Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) are given to the herd.
  The milk is never separated. What comes out of the cow goes into the bottle.
  San Martin does not bottle milk from any other dairy.

Bottle/Jar Deposit and Returns

• Which products have a bottle/jar deposit and is it included in the price?  We charge $3 for each Claravale and RFBA  milk bottle; $1.50 for each Prepared Meal bottle or jar; and $1.50 for each Wise Goat Organics or Garden Variety Cheese Sheep Yogurt or Feta Jar.   These deposits are added automatically at check out.
• How do I return the bottles and jars?  Please wash, label, and return the bottles and jars to your drop location. Please log your bottle returns on the return form.  You can access this by clicking on MY ACCOUNT and then selecting the last item in the menu list:  DEPOSIT RETURNS.   
• For full bottle/jar instructions please scroll to the bottom of this return form.  
• Will I receive my full deposit back?  Yes.
• How do I label my bottles to ensure I get my bottle deposit refunded?  Place the lid back on each bottle or jar and write your name full last name CLEARLY on the lid. This will be the only way that we can match your refund up to your bottles/jars. DO NOT write on the bottles/jars themselves, as they cannot be reused.
• When should I log my returns on the return form?  Enter your bottle or jar returns online the SAME week as you return them.
• When and how will I receive my deposit back?  Bottle deposit returns will be credited to your account online by Friday of the week AFTER bottles are picked up by our driver.