Give the gift of sustainable eating this holiday season with a Frijolito Farm Gift Card. This is the totally customizable alternative to buying a CSA share. Invest whatever amount you want. Spend it on anything we sell. Buy what you want when you need it instead of getting a random bag of stuff every week. If you don’t go to the farmers market for a week or two—or half the season—the money will still be on your card when you’re ready to use it. This card does not expire.
When you buy a Frijolito Farm Gift Card, you’ll also earn 10% interest. Say you decide to invest $100. You’d receive a Frijolito Farm Gift Card with a balance of $110.
The only differences from last year’s offer are: 1) unused balances will not be refunded, and 2) there’s no limit on when or how much you can invest. You earn the same interest whether you buy a card now or next October.
If you already have a Frijolito Farm Gift Card from 2011 with a balance on it, you can roll over your remaining balance. You’ll earn 10% on the amount you re-invest, effectively compounding the interest you earned this year.
“How do I buy one?”
To buy a gift card, send a check (payable to Frijolito Farm) to:
Frijolito Farm
2130 Paul Drive
Columbus, OH 43211
Include your name (or the name of the person the card is for, if it’s a gift) and mailing address so I can send you the card. If you want it sent directly to someone else, I can include a note saying that it’s from you, if you’d like. Also, please include an email address or phone number so I can contact you if there are any problems (bounced check, illegible address, etc.). Also, if you’re purchasing more than one card and paying with one check, please be clear about how much you want applied to each card and how you wish the interest to be distributed. (e.g.- You send a $200 check, with the idea of buying a $100 card for yourself and another $100 card for a friend. You earn $20 interest. I could send you each a $110 card, or you keep the whole $20 on your card or give it to your friend. Break it up however you like.)
If you prefer, you can visit me at the Clintonville Farmers Market this SaturdayNovember 19th, and buy a gift card there.
“How do I use the card?”
We don’t currently have the technology to issue magnetic stripe, plastic gift cards. I also like redundant, physical records where finances are concerned, so we’re doing this on paper. The card you receive will be on folded card stock with lines where I can keep a running balance of your account. I’ll also keep a balance sheet for your account in my own records. When you make a purchase, I’ll record the transaction on the balance sheet, and have you review and initial it. Then I’ll write your new balance on your card. If you lose your card or forget to bring it with you to the market, no problem. The balance sheet–with your initials by each transaction–is what counts. The card you’ll receive is really just for your convenience, so you have an easy way to remember how much is left on your account.
While it can be a little slow to write down all those numbers and have you initial the balance sheet, previous gift card buyers have found this to be a really convenient way to do things. If you leave home with no cash, no debit card, and no Frijolito Farm Gift Card, you can still stop by the farm or the farmers market and make purchases on your account.
“Can I use this card anywhere Frijolito Farm products are sold?”
No. It’s only good for purchasing directly from Frijolito Farm. That includes on-farm sales, deliveries, and farmers markets. It’s no good for purchasing from third-party vendors.
“And I can use this to buy anything you sell?”
Yes! Food, furniture, classes, live animals, delivery fees, ANYTHING Frijolito Farm sells. I make no guarantees of availability of any particular product, though.
“What if I change my mind? Is there some kind of grace period where I can get my money back?”
No. Gift card sales are final. If you invest a bunch of money in my farm and then decide you don’t want anything I sell, the best I can offer is to help you try to sell your card to somebody else.
“When I bought my 2011 Gift Card, you said you’d refund my unused balance. If I roll over my remaining balance into a 2012 Gift Card, does that mean I forfeit the opportunity to get my money back if I have some left over at the end of the 2012 season?”
No, of course not. I’m phasing out the cash refunds, but I’m not going back on our deal. If you roll over your unused balance, I’ll add 10% to whatever amount you roll over. If you still have a balance left over at the end of next year, the new payout date will be December 1st, 2012, under the same terms that applied in 2011. If you invest additional money on top of the current balance you’re rolling over, however, that additional amount (and the interest on it) will not be refundable.
“Huh?”
Say you invested $300 in early 2011. That means you started out with a balance of $330. Over the course of the market season, you spent only $200, leaving you a balance of $130. You decide to reinvest the full amount. In doing so, you earn 10% on that amount, meaning your new 2012 Gift Card balance is $143. Since you spent $200 last year, you figure $143 won’t cut it this year. You decide to invest another $100. With the 10% you earn on that $100, this would bring your total balance up to $253. Let’s say you spend $200 again in 2012. This amount will be deducted from your 2011 investment before being deducted from your new, 2012 investment. At the end of the 2012 season, you’d have $53 left on your account, but none of it would be refundable since you already spent the $143 you carried over from 2011. If, on the other hand, you only spent $100 instead of $200, you’d have a balance of $153, and $43 of it would be refundable. If that’s still as clear as mud, contact me and we’ll talk about it.
If I buy a gift card for 2012 and have a balance left over at the end of 2012, will the balance roll over? You make it clear the 2011 cards will do that, but I’m not positive the same deal holds for the 2012 cards. Thanks!
Yes, Jon. I’m calling it a 2012 Gift Card, but it does not expire. In 2011, I was offering to pay people back their unused balance at the end of the year. Since I’m not offering that with the new cards, there’s no reason for any time limits. Also, the 10% bonus is a one-time reward. If you have a balance at the end of 2012 , you won’t receive an additional 10% in 2013. It’s a lot like a conventional gift card in that respect. Once you buy it, it’s good for its face value until you use it, whenever that might be.
Hello there,
I am interested in gift cards, and love the concept.
I was wondering if you will be at the Olde Worthington Farmer’s market in 2012?
Thank you very much for your time.
Hi,
I hope to be at Worthington in 2012, but I haven’t yet applied.
Thank you very much for your answer.
I would love to see you there. Clintonville Farmer’s Market is much too squashed together with people for me to get through.