Frequently Asked Questions
Should I become a member?
If you produce farm products in quantity, and are looking for an equitable marketing system for your products that doesn't involve working directly with your customers, NCGC may be the way to go. While wholesale prices are usually lower than retail prices, and NCGC keeps 10% of profits from each item sold, we generally have the best wholesale prices available. If you have too much produce for your retail outlets, the co-op is a good option. The cooperative currently delivers on Thursdays, and you must be able to have your products ready for delivery on time.
Should I become a buyer?
Our produce is guaranteed high-quality and is delivered to you once a week. If you are looking to make your food business more ecologically sustainable, or if your customers are asking you for more local food, NCGC is likely your best option. We offer all the benefits of a middleman: you won't need to manage business relationships with individual farmers, and your can order what you need, from several farms at once. But we avoid the drawbacks of a conventional food industry middleman by using a cooperative business model and a grower-led management structure.
How do I use the online ordering system?
Anyone can peruse our offerings via our online marketplace, northcountrygrownmarket.com. In order to be set up with an account, you will need to contact our manager at jdewar917@gmail.com. Once you have an account, you can add products to a cart and make orders. In our marketplace, "EF" stands for earth-friendly and "ORG" stands for organic. The unit listed is what you are putting in your cart; either "by the pound" or something like "half-bushel." To set up a standing order, contact the manager directly.
When do IÂ order?
Buyers using our online marketplace must order between 9Â a.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. Wednesday. If that doesn't work for you, you can order by email or phone anytime, just by calling our manager.
Will delivery cost me extra?
For small buyers such as restaurants and shops, orders of $200 value and above receive free delivery. For large buyers (hospitals, colleges), orders of $400 and more receive free delivery. Currently, we operate mainly in St. Lawrence County, with our base of operations as the Canton/Potsdam area. But we are happy to negotiate delivery fees for special sales out of our region.
Do you accept credit and debit cards or online payment?
No. We do not currently accept any form of payment other than cash or check. Most customers choose to pay via check at the time of delivery, but we provide an invoice with each delivery and will accept timely payments by mail.
What if I am not satisfied with the product?
Products are usually less than 24 hours from picking when they are delivered to our customers. Each product has a set of ideal storage conditions, however, and it is incumbent on buyers to store products correctly. That said, NCGC provides a full money-back guarantee for the freshness and quality of every item we sell. If you are unsatisfied, our manager will be happy to resolve the problem.
Is the produce organic?
Some of the produce is certified organic, and is clearly labeled as such on our online marketplace. All produce that is not certified organic meets our own "Earth-friendly" standard. This means we don't use (or use extremely sparingly) synthetic pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides; and use cover crops and rotational plantings to build soil fertility.