Frequently Asked Questions 🌱

We are using a box rotation system. This means that every week, we will deliver your order in a fresh box, and pick up the one from the previous week to be reused. Make sure your box is out to be picked up as we are delivering at maximum capacity. Our delivery boxes can keep your order fresh for about 8-12 hours depending on the outside conditions. That said, your order should be refrigerated as soon as possible.

Our delivery zone covers most of Cantley, Gatineau and Val-des-Monts. If you believe to be inside our delivery zone, but you are unable to checkout, please contact us. Delivery fees are 7$ per basket. Deliveries will be Thursdays between 3PM & 9PM. 

Make sure to bring a bag or box to pack your veggies! Some people also like to use reusable produce bags to keep items separated.

Baskets will be available to pick up in self-served designated boxes. Your box is identified by your first name and the first letter of your last name. Since everyone's basket is customized, make sure to always pick up your basket.

You will choose your pickup week day at payment and your basket will be available for pickup for a 21h period. It is your responsibility to contact us in advance if you cannot pick up your basket so we can arrange an alternative. Without news from you, baskets not picked up during the weekly allotted hours will be donated and you will still be charged.

Each basket you receive is customized based on your preferences. You share your preferences with us through the pre-season survey which is sent after your purchase. With this information, we will grow our garden based on your preferences, hence you will not be able to edit your survey through the season.

Every week, our unique tool distributes our garden harvests considering everyone's preferences and previous baskets! 

Your preferences also include choosing to never receive a product - so you can really eat what you want!

If you do not wish to customize your basket, simply choose the "Farmer's choice" option in the survey. Products will be distributed to maximize diversity in your baskets through the season.

Since all baskets are customized weekly based on answers provided in the survey, there will be no option to remove or exchange produce.

If you have already filled our survey in 2023, you do not have to fill it again, but you can modify answers if needed.

The quantity of produce per basket is calculated based on the unit price of each item.

Basket sizes fluctuate through the season as more or less products are available. Notably, the first few baskets tend to be smaller as less plants can grow in those conditions (and not to overwhelm you with only lettuce!). You can expect your basket size to be on average through the season of the value you chose when purchasing your basket (i.e. large, medium, small, mini or custom), but not to receive exactly that value every week.

Basket values per week are thus calculated precisely based on the unit price of each product you received. We keep track of how much value you have received through the season to calculate your remaining "season balance" which you can consume as fast as you want by adding-on products to your baskets through our website.

If your season balance runs out before the end of the season, you have the option to stop or replenish it.

Every week, you will be able to top-up your basket directly from our website, with no extra fee! We will update our inventory weekly, so you are certain to receive what you order. Make sure to place your top-up order with the same account you used to purchase your basket so our program can match your online order to the correct basket.

Make sure to place your order before the specified deadline, so we have time to add it to your pickup or delivery of the same week. Orders placed after the deadline will be added to your basket the following week. You will receive a list of the items you are certain to receive in your basket a few days before your delivery/pickup day.

At checkout, you can choose to purchase your add-ons either with your season balance credits or with an online payment method. There will be no add-ons in person, as products are harvest based on demand for maximum freshness.

You can sign up to our 2024 baskets here! Contact us for custom sizes.

We still don't have a store at the farm. All orders must be placed through our website, then we will coordinate with you for delivery or pickup. Please don't show up at the farm before we have set a date and time so we can make sure someone is there to assist you. 👩‍🔧👨‍🔧

We have slightly reduced our delivery zone for 2024. If you would like to have your order delivered, but are unable to checkout, contact us for available options! Pickup at the farm option is always available.

Anyone can buy from our online store even if you are not subscribed to our baskets! For non-subscribers, your basket will be ready exactly 2 days from your order date. You can collect it from 15:00 on the designated day until noon the following day. To help you remember, we will send you an email reminder 24 hours prior to your scheduled pickup.

For example, if you place your order online at 23:15 on Monday, then your basket will be ready for pickup at 3PM on Wednesday and will remain available until noon on Thursday.

If your order is not picked up by noon, 3 days after you've placed your order for pickup, your produce will be considered lost, and you will still be charged.

No. We still don't have a store at the farm, but you can come pick up an order you have placed online.

Anyone can buy from our online store even if you are not subscribed to our baskets! For non-subscribers, your basket will be ready exactly 2 days from your order date. You can collect it from 15:00 on the designated day until noon the following day. To help you remember, we will send you an email reminder 24 hours prior to your scheduled pickup.

For example, if you place your order online at 23:15 on Monday, then your basket will be ready for pickup at 3PM on Wednesday and will remain available until noon on Thursday.

If your order is not picked up by noon, 3 days after you've placed your order for pickup, your produce will be considered lost, and you will still be charged.

Please do not show up at the farm for pick up other than on the day - your order will not be ready.

Note that we have a protected area on the farm where your refrigerated basket are picked up in a self-served system, but we are not opened for public visits or purchases at the same time.

Small scale farming means availability of products is seasonal. Priority is given to subscription baskets. For example, we are still working on increasing our asparagus production, so this year's harvest will be enough only for subscribers.

Produce available online are those that we have a seasonal abundance of!

If a produce is absent, it can mean that it is either not yet ready to harvest, or that its seasonality has passed. For example, garlic scapes are only available for a short time in June. 🌾

Moreover, a product can be temporarily "sold out" if our weekly harvest has already been completely sold.

You can sign up to our 2024 baskets here! Contact us for custom sizes.

Reservations for 2025 are still not opened to this date, but priority subscription is given to 2024 subscribers. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram and sign up to our newsletter to get informed when they do!

At Jardin des Collines, our agricultural philosophy is grounded in a holistic approach that considers environmental sustainability, food quality, and human health. As ecology graduates, we're on a mission to create a farm that balances productivity with long-term ecosystem health and consumer well-being.

We've chosen not to pursue organic certification because we believe in a more nuanced, science-based approach to farming. Our methods are guided by comprehensive, long-term thinking that goes beyond the constraints of traditional organic standards.

Our pest and weed management strategy is flexible and context-dependent. We carefully evaluate each situation, considering multiple factors:

• Long-term environmental impact
• Soil health and biodiversity
• Crop resilience and yield
• Overall ecosystem balance
• Human health benefits and risks
• Food quality and nutritional value

We prioritize natural and preventative measures, but we don't rule out the judicious use of modern agricultural tools when necessary. Any intervention is carefully chosen based on a thorough analysis of its overall impact, including potential effects on human health.

We believe that responsible farming in the 21st century requires an adaptive approach that leverages the best available scientific knowledge. This allows us to produce healthy, abundant food while minimizing environmental impact and prioritizing consumer health.

We value transparency and encourage our customers to ask questions about our farming methods. We're always happy to discuss the specifics of our practices and the reasoning behind our decisions.

Unfortunately, we do not have farm tours or activities at the moment. In Québec, a special permit is required to conduct farm tours and agritourism activities such as picking. We still don't have this permit, but we will let you know as soon as we do and offer activities! Still, you can choose "pick up at the farm" when you place an order with us, and you can see where your veggies are grown! 👩‍🌾👨‍🌾

YES! We grow fruits and vegetables seasonally, and we have a strict NO WASTE policy. 🙅‍♀️ Follow us on Facebook or Instagram and sign up to our newsletter to be the first to receive updates on our sales! They happen throughout the year depending on demand and yields so stay tuned to help us fight food waste! 👩‍🍳