To set your vegetable and herb preferences, click on the "Item Preferences" link on your member dashboard.
After you click on Item Preferences in your account, you will see a list of all the vegetables and herbs that we grow with a slider next to each item that lets you rate each item according to your preferences.
The image below shows the different preference options on the slider.
From left to right, the rating options are:
avoid —> dislike —> neutral —> like —> love
The Different Vegetable Rating Options Explained
Avoid
The "avoid" option should only be used in the event of a food allergy or a complete and utter distaste for the vegetable in question.
Please note: even if you rate a vegetable or herb as "avoid", it is possible that you could receive that item if we have to make a last minute substitution due to an unforeseen shortage or other unexpected farming development.
For example, perhaps you like carrots and are expecting carrots in your upcoming share, but then we have a big rainstorm which makes the ground too muddy to harvest the carrots, and then we have to make a last-minute substitution of potatoes, which we already have in storage, but which you have rated as "avoid". In cases like these, we simply have to do our best with substitutions and it is not possible for us to review each shareholder's vegetable preferences when we need to make a last minute substitution.
Dislike
Use this option when you don't like a vegetable. The algorithm will only add a vegetable that you have rated "dislike' into your box in the event that it needs to fill your box to the $45 limit and it doesn't have any other vegetable options to add to your share to make it a $45 box. The paragraph above about last minute substitutions also applies to items marked as "dislike".
Neutral
The neutral rating is the default rating that is in place if you do not set your personal preferences. We strongly recommend that you rate all of the vegetables and herbs that we grow to make sure that the algorithm knows your preferences. A neutral rating may result in you rarely receiving that vegetable. If you are truly neutral on a vegetable, it is best to rate it as a “like”.
Like
It is best to rate most vegetables and herbs as "like" to get the most variety in your vegetable share. This is the most important thing to know about setting your item preferences.
Love
Please only rate a few of your favorite vegetables with the "love" option. If you rate a lot of the vegetables that we grow the the "love" option, this will confuse the algorithm, and you will not receive a balanced variety in your vegetable share. Another thing to note: the "love" option can result in you receiving a lot of that vegetable.
You Can Update Your Vegetable Preferences
Even if you have already set your vegetable preferences, you can always go back and update your preferences. Any changes that you make to your preferences will be automatically saved.
Please note: your vegetable preferences need to be updated before the order deadline to take effect for your next delivery. The order deadline is Thursday at 9 am the week before your scheduled delivery.
Note about "Farmer's Choice" Box
We used to think that if you did not enter any item preferences, the algorithm would give you a balanced variety of items, a "farmer's choice" share. We have come to learn that this doesn't work very well. If you don't enter any preferences (and therefore every vegetable has the default "neutral" rating), you are likely to receive an odd assortment of vegetables, so we strongly recommend that you set your item preferences.
Further Share Customization
In addition to setting your item preferences, you can further customize each vegetable share when you receive your share customization email which is sent to you the week before each delivery.
For more information on the share customization email, refer to this help article: How do I customize my delivery for the week?