Terms of Service

• Each order you place is a legally enforceable contract. If you fail to pickup your order, you are still obligated to pay for the items you order.
  
  
• We will inspect and pack all orders prior to pickup. In the event that product gets damaged during packing, we will provide a store credit to the customer, provided that the damaged goods are returned to the pick-up location.
  
  
• Our goal is to provide the highest quality produce, and we require our member farmers to deliver market-grade products. The customer understands that since our farmers do not use pesticides or herbicides, fruits and vegetables may not look "perfect".
  
  

For Producers
CAFE is partnering with farmers and producers who are interested in developing new ways to reach more customers. If you are interested in selling through our online market place, please Register Now.  We will contact you by e-mail or phone to talk about the process of selling through our market.

Why Sell Through CAFE?

Selling through CAFE lets you focus on your farming business, while we find local buyers for your food. Each farmer will be highlighted in our Producers section so that buyers can put a name and a face to the wholesome local food they are purchasing.

How It Works

• Every Friday each farmer will enter each item they will be selling, and the amount that think they will have available the following Tuesday.
• Customers order from Friday at 9 PM until noon on Monday.
• CAFE will closely monitor the orders as the weekend progresses.
• On Monday at 1 PM, each farmer will receive an email detailing what they need to harvest and deliver the next day.
• Tuesday is harvest day. Pick what you need to and prepare it for delivery between 1:00 - 3:00 PM to Patrick Square located at 364 Chapman Hill Rd, Central, SC 29630. Click here for a map.  
• Checks are available when you deliver product. If you aren't the one dropping off your orders, then your check will be mailed at the end of the month.

CAFE members pay a premium to assure they are going to receive freshly harvested food that is free of poisons and is produced in a manner that honors the integrity of the farmland and the Earth as a whole. We ask all farms to be very specific in describing their practices of fertilization, pest control, crop rotation, cover-cropping, cultivation methods, composting, etc. We do not require organic certification, not because we think the standards are too stringent, but because we want CAFE members to have direct access to the farms and as well as access to all the relevant information about them. We do not use a tape measure but expect that all products are grown or produced within 50 miles of Clemson, South Carolina.

Baked, processed and prepared foods must be produced in compliance with SC cottage laws or prepared in a certified commercial kitchen. All local ingredients should be listed separately, and the quality and sources of non-local ingredients must be declared in your product description.

In most cases, the product must be grown or processed by you. If you outsource the processing you must declare the name and location of the processor and any off-farm ingredients.

How will CAFE determine the pricing for the products it sells?

Farmers and producers set the own price they wish to receive for their products. The system then marks up the retail price according to a fixed percentage in order to cover our overhead costs.

Will farmers and producers be charged any fees?

There is no fee for CAFE members to sell. Businesses that are not members are charged a $20 one time administration fee. Website and marketing costs are included in the markup price.

How will CAFE monitor the quality of the products it sells?

All products pass through our hands in the sorting and serving processes. We see all of our customers face to face on pick up day. Because we have such a close relationship with our customers we offer them a satisfaction guarantee. If they find any product lacking for any reason other than mishandling the grower will be charged.

How will the farmer or producer be required to deliver product?

All products need to be cleaned, packaged, labeled, separated according to pickup location, and delivered by 3:00 PM on Tuesdays to our location near Patrick Square at 364 Chapman Hill Rd, Central, SC 29630. Click here for a map. 

What if the farmer or producer fails to deliver product?

One of the challenges of this type of market for the farmer is to anticipate on Friday what you will have available to harvest on the following Tuesday. Quantities may be added during the shopping window between 9 PM Friday and Monday noon. Any order may be cancelled during the shopping window also. If you come up short on Tuesday for one reason or another we usually credit the shorted customer and deduct the sale from your next check. The sooner that you can notify the managers in the event of such irregularities, the better for all concerned.

What does a typical order cycle entail?

On Fridays farmers and producers update the availability of all products they wish to sell before the market opens at 9 PM. You may add products and available quantities after the market opens, but sales are heaviest Friday night and Saturday. Farmers will monitor their crops throughout the weekend and report any changes in quantity as soon as possible. After the market closes on Monday at noon, each farmer and producer will receive an email from CAFE at 1:00 PM detailing what they need to bring to the delivery site. Harvesting, packing, labeling, and sorting by location can take place Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. Products must be delivered by 3:00 PM on Tuesdays to our location near Patrick Square at 364 Chapman Hill Rd, Central, SC 29630. Click here for a map.