Rules of B.A.M. (Basket -A- Month)
Community Supported Agriculture  (CSA) Program

1. Members of BAM must pay for a minimum of three baskets at a time, which is a key to what makes this a Community Supported Agriculture program. 

2. Money paid is not refundable. You assume a risk in this type of program, relieving the BAM farmer/organizers of potential financial losses due to any unforeseen circumstances. (*This is a second key component of a Community Supported Agriculture program.)

3. Basket’s that have been scheduled to be picked up but not picked up during the three day pickup window will be donated to a good cause.

4. No substitutions will be made for the basket contents. (If you find you do not care for something included in your monthly basket, please use this as an opportunity to make a new friend by sharing some of the harvest.)

5. Basket pick up days are announced 3 days ahead of the three allotted pick up days each month. You must reply to our email to schedule your pickup day. (This allows us to bring in newly in season products that are often the first picking from the plants, assuming this is what everyone really wants!) There are only three days of each month that you can pickup your basket. Since much of the basket is perishable, we will not sacrifice quality to accommodate late pickups.

6. If for some reason you are not contacted and notified of the basket pickup days, you will not loose your basket altogether. Your basket will be added on to the end of your subscription.  We are very sorry if this happens to you, but with a growing and fluctuating membership base, this has been a small problem that we want to eliminate; but realize, it can be an ongoing problem with this type of rolling sign up of new members.

Our Central Arkansas BAM program is one of a kind and you are all pioneers in a new wave of local food initiatives. BAM is intended to be a strict program that shifts many of the risks farmers take into the hands of you, the CSA member, in exchange for some of the best food available for your family. We began the program Dec. 21, 2005, and within six months had grown to 200 family’s participating in our BAM program. We believe we are perhaps the only one of our kind in the state, and one of few in the nation. However, our program is generating a lot of attention and is quickly becoming a model subscription agriculture program for a more sustainable local economy.

Organizing and planning this is a monthly challenge that I take very seriously as the buyer and sole proprietor of Hardin’s River Mercantile. I’m a farmer at heart, and want to help small farmers thrive, including myself.  Unfortunately, we are having a hard time growing due to financial constraints and some minor setbacks with partners, employees and farming ventures. Please understand the difficult challenge we have organizing this new program, and help us solve any unforseen problems that might develop in the future. Thanks you and I look forward to a long, fruitful relationship with each of our members.

Pickup Policy & Procedures

We typically select the week of the 20th each month to organize pickup and deliveries of our fresh locally grown seasonal products. You are typically notified by email on the Monday prior to the three pickup days alloted each month, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Our pickup location is at the Little Rock River Market at Hardin's River Mercantile, our farm to market store. You must reply to our email, and state in your email what day you choose, and AM or PM. If you don't reply, you do not loose your basket, it is still owed to you. You will simply defer to the next monthly pickup dates.

Thursday Pickup Hours: 9 am until 11 am., and 1 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Friday Pickup Hours: 9 am until 11 am., and 1 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Saturday Pickup Hours: 8 am until 6 p.m.

Important Tip: When you come to pickup your basket, please come down the brick alley between the farmers market pavallions, behind Market Hall. Park next to the big colums agains Market Hall, as to not block the alley way. You will have about 15 min. to come in a get your basket, before causing any trouble with the meter police. We will deliver to your car if you park close enough. By parking in the alley, you greatly speed up the process for us on pickup days.

Contact Info:
Jody Hardin                                                                  Store Number: 501.374.1660
Hardin’s River Mercantile                                               email: csalittlerock@yahoo.com
Little Rock River Market                                                 website: www.rivermerc.com
400 President Clinton Ave.
Little Rock, AR 72201

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