Please read this document thoroughly before joining the Co-op and purchasing a membership option. Links to both joining the Co-op and purchasing a membership are found at the end of the article.
Memberships and Fees
A consumer joins the Co-op by filling out a membership form, and purchasing a membership. The membership helps pay for the logistics of maintaining the Co-op and serves to level out some the expenses of actually raising the animals and producing the food. Each membership provides the purchaser with some food products, such as honey or eggs, which serves to mitigate some of the cost of the membership.. Additional items can be purchased at discounted prices on the Co-op Farm Market. Our memberships are based on a calendar year and must be renewed each spring.
A membership costs $85.00 per year. The membership option food items may vary during the season as product availability fluctuates.
A membership costs $85.00 per year. The membership option food items may vary during the season as product availability fluctuates.
There are three Co-op membership options, each with different food selections included with the membership.
Mixed Membership Option
- 1 pint of local raw Honey
- 4 Dz. Chicken or Duck Eggs
- 1 package of Honey Sticks
- 1 package Yak Jerky
Egg Membership Option
- 12 Dz. Free range Chicken or Duck Eggs
(4 dz. eggs per month for 3 months)
Honey Membership Option
- 2 Quarts Local Raw honey
After a member has joined, all the food items in the Farm Market are available to be purchased.
Co-op Farm Market Product Availability
Many products are seasonal and not always available all times of the year. The inventory count for the item will show as zero when an item is out of stock.
Encouraging early ordering is essential to the success of the Co-op. It provides the consumer the certainty of getting the desired item at a predictable time and at a price that is fair to all involved. It allows the Co-op to plan the season’s endeavors with the knowledge of how many products will be required, and when. This planning helps reduce costs and risks and allows the producer to concentrate on raising (rather than marketing) his products.
Price Guarantee
The prices listed for the various products offered by the Co-op are not expected to change throughout the season. However, some of the food items are from suppliers outside the direct control of the Co-op and both price and availability may be subject to change at any time. We will always review any price changes with members before pickup or delivery.
Handing Fees
We charge a flat rate handling fee of $5.00 on each purchase. This compensates us for the time and effort to inventory, pull, and box up an order. Understandably, the larger the value of the order, the smaller percentage of the order the handling fee becomes.
Minimum Order Sizes
There are no minimum order sizes for Co-op members. A member may order as much or as little as desired, at any time of the season. However, the larger the order, the more cost effective is the purchase. Folks that are not Co-op members may also purchase farm products from our store. However, for orders of less than $150, a non-member surcharge will be applied to each order.
Payment Options
We prefer cash on product acceptance. After an order is placed, we will send the customer an invoice with the final price of the purchase. Please be prepared to pay this amount when you come to pick up your order. We can also accept credit cards at pick up time as well. We will accept checks from members in good standing. On-line payments with credit cards or Paypal may also be accepted in some situations.
Pick Up Locations
Members are encouraged to pick up their purchases at our farm in Bennett. All members will be notified when their items are available. Because this is a working farm, pick-ups must be scheduled in advance.
We also have some off-site pick-up locations that may be more convenient to the purchaser.
Members are encouraged to pick up their purchases at our farm in Bennett. All members will be notified when their items are available. Because this is a working farm, pick-ups must be scheduled in advance.
We also have some off-site pick-up locations that may be more convenient to the purchaser.
- The “South” location is in Kiowa CO. at the Majestic View Church. Customers may pick up their purchases there on Sunday mornings between 8 and 9 am.
- The “North” pick up location is in Keenesburg, CO, at the Wild Animal Sanctuary. Customers can pick up their orders at their Welcome Center on Tuesday mornings between 8 and 8:30 am.
- Additionally, during the summer months, customers can pick up their orders in the town of Bennett (rather than our farm) at the Bennett Community Market on selected Saturdays, from 8 am to 2 pm. Please check our website’s upcoming events message board to determine the next Bennett market day.
Delivery Option
A customer may elect to have us deliver their purchase. We do our own deliveries and charge a weight-based fee per delivery. Purchases weighing 100 or less lbs. cost $25; up tp 500 lbs cost $50; up to 1000 lbs cost $75; up to 2500 lbs cost $100; and over that, $125 for each delivery; Deliveries are limited to Aurora and metro Denver and must be scheduled in advance. Please contact us for delivery outside of this geographic area. If a member requests a delivery, someone must be available to receive the delivery; We cannot drop off food and leave it unattended. Deliveries must be paid for in advance.
The specific pick-up location, or the delivery option (with appropriate cost), is determined during the product purchase checkout process.
Note that if you are a returning registered customer, the software may recall certain metrics of your previous visit, such as your pick-up/delivery selection, and use them as defaults in later visits. However, all default shopping cart parameters can be changed during the checkout process.
Refund Policy
We cannot provide refunds for product that has been accepted by the customer. We cannot refund membership fees if the membership option has been delivered. A non-member's purchase surcharges cannot be refunded if that customer subsequently joins the Co-op.
Tips for getting the most out of your Co-op Membership
- Create an account on our Website. This is separate from joining the Co-op as a member. It is also optional, - you need not create an account with the website to join the Eastern Plains Natural Food Co-op. However, by registering, the shopping cart will remember your order if you leave the website without completing your order and return at a later date. It also adds your email address to our mailing list so you can get notifications when new products become available and other valuable information about farm events and activities. You register on the website by clicking on the 'Create an Account' link on the bottom left of the website.
- Join the Co-op as a member. You join the Co-op by purchasing a membership. The membership fee costs $85, but you get a number of food items to offset that cost. You must fill out the membership form to become a member and then purchase the membership from the farm market.
- Purchase multiple items. When multiple items are purchased, the average cost of the items is decreased while both the member's and the farm's time & effort is maximized. Most of the food products we sell have long shelf lives: the eggs are very fresh and easily store in the fridge for a month of more; The honey stores well and if it crystalizes (as raw honey may) it's clarity is easily restored with a little heat; and the meat is frozen and vacuum sealed. It makes sense to order a number of the products once a month.
- Understand the Co-op concept. Our purpose is to foster a connection between the food you serve your family and where it comes. We are not trying to complete with national grocery chains. Our prices are designed to be fair to the farmer and reasonable to our members. We provide a delivery service but we cannot possible provide the free services the larger operations can. When members choose to pick up their deliveries, rather than having us deliver them, they are helping us keep down our costs of operation and enhancing the sustainability of the Co-op.
- Patience. We do everything ourselves with no hired help and are sometimes farming activities must take precedent over Co-op activities. Even though we offer an on-line shopping experience, all product pickups and deliveries must be scheduled in advance. After making a purchase and making your delivery or pickup selection, we will contact you to coordinate getting you your product.
Please click here to fill out a membership form.
Please click here to purchase a membership.
