Eli’s Farms

After seeing my neighbor’s deliveries from Eli’s several times, I decided to place my own order. I just received the first one today and am more than impressed. The produce is so fresh, it looks like it was harvested minutes before delivery. Everything I have sampled so far is delicious! This kind of service and quality is exactly what I was excited about, when moving to California from the Midwest a year ago.
If the quality remains this exceptional, I will be ordering every week.
Thanks!

Friendly hardworking farmers doing it right. They are good to their animals, plants and soil. If this is what we want in our community we have a responsibility to support it. Plus their food tastes like food.

I have only done the Groupon box so far, it was $ 8 for a bag of produce which is a great deal. I got a head of lettuce, avocado, oranges, green bell pepper, and cucumbers. The oranges actually didn’t look beautiful but they were so sweet and delicious! proof that the ones in the store are definitely not natural…
The avocado was absolutely amazing and enormous I was able to eat it two days after picking it up and the second half stayed green for two days after I cut it open which was awesome.
I am trying a larger box this week and since my pick up location closed they offered me free home delivery which I thought was very nice! They also assured me that I could substitute one of the items, I told them I never use basil and they allow up to two substitutions.
I also had some confusion when trying to order online and they were really quick at responding to my emails and helping me with my questions.
So far I like Eli’s Farms, its hard to say after only one purchase but so far so good :)

I ordered «Farmer’s Pick Plus» with Groupon. I received confirmation and pick up reminder on time and fruits and vegetables are fresh and good taste. However, I’m wondering if this is correct amount of «Farmer’s Pick Plus». I understand that I suppose to get 13 – 15 items. But compare to other pictures my box contains fewer than them. Is it because order by groupon? I would like to know how much people received it.

Great organic produce, nice looking too… We’ve tried various vegs & fruit here. leafy greens, beets, avocados & raspberries our favorite. They informed us they spray the produce with an oil/​vinegar combo to keep pests away… very natural pesticide! I also like that they’re open 7 days per week & conveniently located off Mission Rd. So far, the prices are very affordable for organic. Let’s hope the increasing water prices don’t drive their prices too high. Thank you Eli’s Farms!

I’m going to leave my opinion out of this one and show the e-​mail I sent the company and their response. You decide if it was handled well or not. Eli’s later followed up to let me know that the «y» had been missing from my yahoo email, which is why I did not receive the notice. Also, my box was supposed to be picked up on a Wednesday.
MY EMAIL/​EXPERIENCE:
I was excited about my box all week. My coworker also bought a groupon for you and we’ve been anticipating them. When I realized I didn’t get a confirmation I thought that was weird and got in touch asap. I was assured my box would be ready for pick up and that details would follow when the box was ready. I had chosen a pickup location near my work so after I got off today I headed over and waited. And waited. And waited for over 30 minutes. I figured you must be running behind. I asked a neighbor if he knew where the pick up location was since it is not specified online. I drove around looking for something that may be obvious. I called Eli’s twice but no one picked up. I emailed. Finally I decided to go to the grocery store to kill some time. Nearly an hour after the scheduled pick up time I get an email from you telling me that my box has been delivered. I didn’t ask for delivery. There could have been a million reasons I wanted to pick it up instead. And I did not get any email or call letting me know about this last minute change. I finally get home where my bag is waiting out front, who knows how long it has been sitting there on a hot day, wilting, on a trafficked street where I have had packages stolen before. I am so bummed about this experience and I hope you will use it so it does not happen to others.
ELI’S FARMS RESPONSE:
We are so sorry you had a bad experience. Sometimes when there are no other pickups at one of our drop off locations we try to be nice and save the customer the hassle of picking up and we deliver to their home free of charge. We emailed you Tuesday to let you know. I do appreciate the insight that some customers may not want that this. Our delivery driver delivered to your home around 4:00pm today and we always guarantee our produce and if something is damaged we are more then happy to replace the item. I am so sorry for the inconvenience this has caused you. Please let me know if any other items are wilted or damaged and we can arrange to have them replaced for you.

There are so many CSA options to choose from, I got overwhelmed when searching for the right one. Luckily, groupon saved the day, and I purchased a a deal from them to try out a box from Eli’s Farms. I am super impressed.
I elected to pay the extra $ 5 for home delivery vs. pick up. My box arrived with strawberries and raspberries. The berries tasted exactly like I remembered them tasting from our garden growing up. +10 stars for bringing that taste back to my mouth.
We also got lettuce, oranges, a sweet lime, two different types of avocados, kumquats, lemon, grapefruit, mint, and I think I’m forgetting some other stuff that we’ve already eaten.
I was very happy with the contents, quality, and value of the box with Eli’s, so I decided to become a regular subscriber. It’s awesome to be able to support your local farms!

Here is a conversation with the owner accusing me of slander. The review by Brian B. was not mine, nor do I have any idea who that is. This guy has brass balls, if you ask me. Maybe it shouldn’t be that surprising that more than one person had a bad experience with your company, huh? SOME NERVE! How about you are harassing your ex-​customer just because your feelers are hurt that somebody left a bad review. Get a grip, man! Speaks to the level they operate from.
ME:
I did not write the review by Brian B.
HIM:
Danny H.
Owner
2 months ago
Block & Report Owner
That’s crazy. If it’s not you personally, it is someone you know. We didn’t have anybody complain about anything. I even asked Brian B. to contact us directly if they had a complaint so we can address his concerns, which they have not. We don’t have a customer named Brian B. It just happened to be the same day you wrote your Unilocal review. And now you send me this message and they just happen to change their review the same time saying they aren’t Shawna. I’m not buying it.
I honestly don’t know what your problem is. You have all our information. You know where our farm is. Just deal with your problems directly. If you wanted a refund, just ask. Its not that hard. At this point its straight harassment and slander.
Daniel Hofshi
CSA Coordinator
Eli’s Farms
(760)483−3276
ME:
Shawna M.
4 minutes ago
I am blown away by this. I seriously had nothing to do with that. Whoever wrote that did it on their own. I don’t even know anybody here, we are new to this area. I don’t appreciate your accusation.
ME:
Shawna M.
3 minutes ago
I would encourage you to report me to Unilocal if you feel so strongly, I am sure they could investigate where the review came from and be of more help to you finding out who ACTUALLY wrote it than to attack me for it. Unbelievable.

According to Unilocal definition, 3 stars means «A-​OK» and that sounds about right to me. I have been a customer for several months now.
Good:
The produce I get is good, the variety I get is good, they allow reasonable substitutions if there’s something on the list that you know you just won’t use, I like the whole CSA concept in general.
Could be better:
They have a few issues with their computer and it sends out emails that are not always applicable, I wish my pickup point was closer to my house, I spend more on the CSA box than I would otherwise, I don’t usually use everything fast enough and some of it therefre goes bad.
Overall, I am not necessarily the ideal customer the CSA because I don’t cook that much and have a small household. But I am satisfied overall and am glad that I signed up.

We LOVE Eli’s Farm’s!
My family had been getting a weekly box delivered to our doorstep for about 6 months now and we are 100% satisfied. The price point is great and the produce is wonderful.
The Avocados are some of the best I have ever had, so creamy and full of flavor. The berries (straw or rasp) are always juicy and sweet. And the apples are crisp and sweet.
One of the things I like most is the webstore. You can substitute up to two items each delivery for equal valued items in the store. Plus you can pay extra for whatever you want. They have a great selection of produce, and when using the subsitution option my family never gets board of the same produce. They have eggs, honey, stone fruits, and more.
The eggs are $ 6 doz, which is worth every penny. At the store a dozen organc eggs are about $ 5, and they are still fed corn and soy. At Eli’s though the chickens feed on the old produce and are truely free range! Let me tell you, the difference is proven in the taste… so yummy. Occasionally the eggs are sold out and I am always sad to have to purchase organic supermarket eggs… you will not be dissapointed in Eli’s.
The customer service is also great. I have had the occasional issue of subpar produce in my box or an order error and Julianna is always more than accommodating.
Eli’s CSA boxes are invaluable to myself and family… we will be life long customers.

Eli’s Farms/​CSA brings you the Farmers Market experience every day of the week. You will have access to the freshest, pesticide free produce whenever you need it. Not just on weekends.
I always bring my out of town guests here to send them home with a care package. Eli’s is very proud of their inventory, so be ready to sample when you visit. It always seems like we arrive just as a fresh picked delivery shows up.
First timers are always blown away by the quality of the produce, and the friendliness of the staff. We love Cristina, a Fallbrook native that knows everything about growing and eating local. She is a hilarious wealth of information who always gives my kids samples.
My normal basket is a mix of one or more of the following… raspberries, strawberries, lemons, oranges, avocados, cherimoya, sapote, pomegranate, watermelon, red leaf lettuce, arugula, spinach, tomatoes, cauliflower, onions, apples, broccoli, corn, cabbage, peaches, nectarines… I’m getting tired of typing, but you get the picture.
Wrong question…
Is it cheap to buy your produce here?
Right question…
Am I willing to pay a little more to feed my family safe, locally grown produce that is sustainable?
You get what you pay for at Eli’s. And the strawberries are worth their weight in gold. So is Cristina. Go see them now!

So much goodness gets delivered to my door every Friday. We’ve been getting the Farmer’s Pick box for a couple of months now and have yet to receive a single item that wasn’t fresh and first rate.
Oranges for juice, huge Reed avocados, onions, spinach, wonderful bunches of cilantro, lemon basil, parsley and other herbs, squash, lovely tomatoes of several varieties, raspberries, limes, lettuce and lots more (figs to die for!) — all of which were freshly picked, wholesome and GMO and pesticide free. There’s also a weekly batch of items which you can add to your order, which is great when company’s coming.
I don’t expect this produce to look like it comes from a supermarket, and I certainly don’t want it to taste that way. What we get is down home realness from a farm that cares about the product they sell and the customers they sell to.
So, bravo to Eli and his crew. I can’t wait for the fall selections.

I like the produce from Eli’s, but getting my box on Thursday or Friday didn’t make sense for me since the produce tended to wilt or brown by the time I use it all since we don’t cook on Saturday or Sunday.
I thought the quality of the produce was great, but their customer service was off. One time a member of Eli’s sent me a scathing email that was clearly meant for his employee but he responded to me instead. I cancelled my subscription soon after that because I didn’t appreciate how it was handled.

Just picked up my first box yesterday and I’m very happy! I used to be part of another CSA years ago but the price and getting a bunch of kale every week forced me to cancle. I love that Eli’s allows you to request substitutions and add on additional items from their webstore. Plus, Tue price for organic can’t be beat. Tons of pick up locations too. I counted 4 within 5 miles of my house.

Am SO happy that I get my weekly box from Eli’s :)
Only $ 20.
Always fresh.
No weird fruits or veggies.
I use it all!
Box this week: oranges (so juicy & sweet), lemons, strawberries (first thing into my belly), spinach (sautéed & put into an omelette), lettuce-​2 heads!, kale, avocados (w/​vinegar — ate them sliced up).
I feel so healthy now.

We have been ordering from them for a while. We are really happy with what we got…
The fruits and vegetables look like the one I just picked from my backyard. .everything is so fresh. …
highly recommend to all of you…

Absolutely delicious fruits & veggies!!! Tonight I enjoyed the broccolini. And had some fresh strawberries & raspberries for a snack.
Very helpful & friendly workers!
Support local farms!

There are a few reasons why I chose Eli’s over many of the other CSAs (Suzie’s, JR Organics, Naturally to Your Door):
— Cheapest price
— No subscription, completely free to start and stop whenever you want
— Convenient pick up locations for me (La Jolla, Carlsbad)
I pay $ 20 for a small box full of produce. I’ve gotten kale, swiss chard, rainbow chard, lettuce, turnips, Strawberry oranges (it’s like an acid-​free version of citrus), blood oranges, Valencia oranges, Mineola tangelos, tangerines, lemons, avocados, strawberries, carrots, cauliflower, broccolini, and collard greens. I just started using CSAs over the past two months, so everything I’ve gotten is spring produce. I can’t wait to see what the other seasons offer!
I’m a pretty frugal grocery shopper. I look for deals a lot, and I usual go down to the Asian supermarkets in Convoy or Mira Mesa to get super cheap deals on produce, like 20 cents for a bunch of celery or 25 cents/​lb for cabbage. With all this said, I still think Eli’s (and other CSAs) provides great value. It’s definitely a good quantity of produce for two people for two weeks. And it’s comforting knowing that the produce is pesticide-​free, fresh, and local. It also forces us to eat a lot of leafy greens and learn how to use up different things. I’ve made a lot of frittatas with the chard, braised a lot of collard greens, and made a cake from juicing all the oranges. I’m using my kale this week to make kale chips, and I still have to find something to do with all of the avocados. Although I’m sure it won’t be hard to just eat’em up.
I haven’t had much problem with using items before it goes bad. I toss everything in the fridge, and all of it stays relatively good for two weeks, except the lettuce. Since everything is pesticide-​free, there are a lot of bugs. The kale is especially bad, so I always end up rinsing about six times. Yes, it can be a pain, but kale is also part of the «Dirty Dozen» in terms of pesticide use, so I guess it’s worth the hassle. I’ve tried both methods of soaking the veggies in salt and soaking in vinegar. I’m not sure which one works best, so I just do both so I don’t end up eating bugs.
Eli’s is very accomodating in terms of scheduling and add-​ons. They give you until the Monday of the delivery week to change or cancel your order for the week. I’ve postponed my box really easily through their online site. I’ve asked them to swap herbs out for blood oranges. And I’ve also added farm-​fresh eggs for $ 5/​dz. (The eggs were beautiful by the way. They came multi-​colored.)

I’m hooked on Eli’s!
You can find Eli’s Farms at some of our local farmer’s markets, and they also offer community supported agriculture (CSA) boxes. Their produce is grown in an earth-​friendly way & without the use of nasty pesticides, but they are not officially «organic» certified b/​c it requires a good bit of red tape. They have several pickup locations around town, but if one is not convenient, they offer home delivery for $ 5.
Should you sign up for Eli’s? If you do, you will get some of the freshest & tastiest produce around, but you might have to be creative & think outside of your normal cooking routine. For some, this may be difficult, but I personally enjoy browsing recipes for new ideas & view it as a fun challenge. Veggie soup/​stir-​fry will use up a lot of produce quickly, but I always like to try new ways to use my produce, like tossing some kale in my quesadillas, adding chard to my scalloped potatoes, etc.
Is a CSA worth it? You can get organic/​pesticide-​free produce cheaper by buying directly at the farmer’s market near closing time where you can get «clearance» prices. However, if you factor in gas to drive to a market, the hassle of parking (why are some of the best markets in the worst areas for parking???), and your time, the CSA price is quite reasonable.
Also, with any CSA, you can get an abundance of something when it’s in season. Initially, I was worried that I was going to be overloaded with citrus with my CSA box, but it turns out that we use it up. Partly this is because my kid’s friends help out when they come over; kids’ stomachs are bottomless pits! The other reason we go through the fruit is we eat more now that we have such great fruit on hand, and I’ve also been finding new ways to use citrus. My family is now addicted to all the wonderful citrus!
Some highlights of Eli’s CSA:
1) You pay on a monthly basis. This makes it super easy to give them a shot or go on vacation. Some CSA’s are pretty strict about vacation allowance while others are more flexible; Eli’s monthly plan is clearly on the flexible side!
2) SUPER service. One time something was left out of my box & it was quickly remedied. I also know they worked with another subscriber who was getting a bit overwhelmed with too much of one item after a couple of weeks.
3) They are connected. You get an email letting you know about your upcoming box so you can start planning (keeping in mind there can be some small changes). Some emails include tips & ideas on how to use a certain item. They also have a Facebook page.
4) Add-​ons. This is probably my favorite thing about Eli’s! Sometimes you are offered the opportunity to buy additional items on top of your regular order. The prices for most of the add-​on items are excellent.
5) Eli’s offers 2 box sizes. The larger box tends to have more fruit (citrus, berries, & often avocados), so if you like a lot of fruit, go for the bigger box. Sometimes you will have additional greens in the bigger box, but you’ll know in advance so you can plan your meals accordingly.
I’ve also compared Eli’s CSA boxes with some other CSAs, and I think their price is very competitive (there are pics of actual box contents here on Unilocal). In fact, since I often take advantage of the add-​ons, I think I am getting a better deal with Eli’s. Eli’s also offers more fruit than a lot of CSAs (esp with the add-​on option), so if your family loves fruit, Eli’s is a no-​brainer. I also like a lot of greens, and the abundance of greens does vary a bit depending on what is ready at the farm.
If you try any CSA out, you might want to think about how you will store your veggies. Look up tips on which veggies need moisture & which don’t. Remove leaves from root veggies (you can use most root greens, too). Mostly, I find that my produce lasts MUCH longer than grocery store produce because it’s so much fresher, but a little TLC will go a long way. I use a mild citric acid or vinegar solution (do some google searches) to help prolong the life of berries & some veggies.
With a CSA, you can count on having great produce on hand with little effort. You will still need supplemental store trips for staples, but I find that I need to go to the store a lot less. If you are a regular subscriber, you also help provide steady income to a local farm (which really is a tough business!). If the pick-​up locations work for you or you need home delivery, I’d definitely recommend giving Eli’s a try.

I ordered a month of the CSA boxes (CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture) because I was curious about them. You have the choice of picking it up from a local location (if you are in North County) or they can deliver to your doorstep for $ 5.
I received a decent variety of the produce that happened to be in season at the time. The avocados were absolutely beautiful. I was dismayed to find a few oranges and strawberries starting to rot after only a couple days. Groupon solicited feedback about this vendor, so I responded with my misgivings, wondering if perhaps I was getting farmers market rejects. To my surprise, someone from Eli Farms contacted me and explained that their produce is picked ripe, and not treated with any kind of waxes or preservatives to extend shelf life. This made sense to me. Large scale commercial produce is in the practice of picking fruit while they’re green and then chemically processing them to last longer in stores. This makes local farm produce much fresher and tastier since they are picked ripe.
They made up for my spoiled fruit by giving me double portions of strawberries and oranges in my next CSA box, more than making up for what I lost. Eli Farms stands by their produce and are very proud of their products, so they are quite responsive to such concerns. I recommend them.