How It Works
Free Choice
Unlimited free choice means you are in charge of choosing enough food for your entire household to have three meals daily each day of the week. We ask shareholders to be mindful of their exact needs so there is no waste and enough for the entire community to partake in.
Understanding the growing seasons, cycles, and the art of seasonal eating is key. There will be times of limitation and others of great abundance. We equip our shareholders with the knowledge to preserve the abundance of summer produce for the winter months through canning, pickling, freezing, and dehydrating.
With meats, we ask shareholders to practice nose-to-tail eating, which means using every part of the animal to minimize waste. Since meat is the most expensive item to produce, we plan for one whole hog and one whole sheep, goat, or combination annually per adult share, plus one whole bird or rabbit each week. On average, it comes out to 4-5 pounds per week, not including fat, soup bones, and offal.
We ask members to record their weekly shopping, not to monitor them, but to assist us in adjusting our production and better planning for the future. This helps us ensure we're meeting your needs and reducing food waste.
Length & Pick Ups
Your commitment is not just for a season, but for an entire year, from June 1 to May 31 of the following year. This long-term commitment ensures a secure and sustainable food source for you and your household.
Currently, we only offer on-farm pickup. You can choose Tuesday or Friday from 2 to 5 p.m. However, we aim to be flexible, so you can order online for a weekend pick-up if neither of these windows works.
Shares
Due to our free choice system, each household member who partakes in the food must purchase a farmshare. Our fulldiet farmshare is best suited for households that eat together, and all wish to commit to eating seasonally & locally.
** If you have seasonal household members (students, military, etc), please contact us to make arrangements.
Sourcing
Skara Brae Homestead produces almost all items offered in our farmshares, but we purchase some supplemental items—mainly grains and fruit.