Free Haven Farms — Attraction in Lawnside

My experience with Free Haven Farms through the FreshBox program has been infuriating and disappointing. Their produce is inconsistently fresh, does not value $15 per week (which is what they advertise), and the variety is limited.

More importantly, I tried to address these concerns privately through email communication and in person on a recent pickup day and was met with silence, then rudeness.

I had to send 3 consecutive emails to even get a response. When I spoke to someone in person with concerns about my produce being slimy and not fresh (please see attached pictures), I was asked “If I had ever been to a Farmers Market before”. This person then continued to reach into the bag, pull some out, eat it, and say “Tastes fine to me”. Pandemic aside, this is a health issue and not professional.

Let me add that this was after the produce was dropped off an HOUR late that day. Our regular weekly pick up time is 3-5PM, produce arrived at 4PM and not even an apology was expressed to the people who had been waiting an hour to get their FreshBox.

If you know you are running an hour late, no matter the reason, an email heads up is proper business practice. Actually, it is simply common courtesy and consideration.

What sort of customer valuation does this business uphold? From my experience, almost none. We are SO disappointed in our FreshBox and feel completely dismissed. Mistakenly we signed up for a season’s long farm share which we now can not get out of despite raising valid concerns directly with the business owners.

Do yourself a favor and do not sign up...

I was excited to try them and ordered full year box. The quantity of variety certainly didn't overwhelm me. For last two weeks, I received rotted cantaloupes two weeks in a row, which was a big part of the whole box. I sent an email to the owner, and received very hostile response. But he was somewhat apologetic. And I expected some improvement moving forward. Then came week's share: 3 rotten peaches! What's infuriating is that while sending me these rotted fruits, they are selling water melons separately for as much as $15 each! I understand buying these shares you put your luck with the crop, so when the box was not as great as I hoped, I thought that was probably because of the weather. But then when the owners kept giving me rotten fruits while selling water melon on the side for high prices, that's morally wrong! I feel bad because I recommended them on my neighborhood FB group because I want support local minority owned business. I decided they don't...

Yesterday was my first visit to the farm. I participated in a Watermelon Scrub class with Nyambi Naturals. I learned so much. I really liked the moment of silence before class began, I felt peace and listened to the birds sing.

During class Micaiah cut up fresh watermelon (red & yellow) and served us. The yellow watermelon was so sweet and juicy, I received a free one for attending and I bought 2 more and some books about gardening.

Dr. Cynthia Hall shared the science of foods we can grow on our own, their color and the benefits of eating our water! Yes, eat your water!

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