Frequently Asked Questions

Are you licensed?

Of course! GWC Provisions carries both a Food Storage Warehouse and Prepackaged Meat Sellers license from the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture. It's not required but our employee also has an Oregon Food Handler's Card. Food safety is extremely important to us.

How to Order

Do I have to order every week?

Only order when you want to.

What's in the weekly box?  

There is no weekly box — Order what you want, when you want.

Do I have to be a Member to order?

No, but there are important differences for Member status. For example, if you buy food as a Guest, there is a $10 delivery fee. If you are a Member, you enjoy free delivery as well as the other perks listed on the GWC Provisions Membership page.

I want to order, but I live outside your delivery area.  

Do you have a friend who lives inside our delivery area? Share an order with them, or talk them into becoming a GWC Provisions drop-site (see MONEY-SAVING OPTIONS).

Money Matters

Do you accept SNAP (food stamps) or FDNP checks? 

Yes! Please register as "SNAP/FDNP Customer" and click here for more information.

Can I use a credit card?  

Yes! You may also pay with SNAP, FDNP, Buckskin Bucks or cash (no change given), or provide a check upon delivery of your order.

Does the Membership fee go toward my food purchase? 

There are two aspects of Provisions: buying the food and getting the food. Because as much as 80% of the price of a food item goes directly to its producer, GWC Provisions' margins do not allow for discounts. Therefore, Membership mostly has to do with delivery. 

Why is there an order minimum and delivery/shipping fee?  

We are not Am*z*n or Az*re Stand*rd (a multi-million-dollar company, did you know?), and we refuse to ask our farmers/ranchers/makers to subsidize big discounts. Thank you for supporting rural small businesses!

Should I tip the delivery person?

Tipping is not necessary, but thanks for thinking of it!

I don't think I can afford to shop here.  

Try these MONEY-SAVING OPTIONS

• Share an order. Create a collective order with a friend, and split the delivery or membership cost.
• Become a drop-site. If at least two friends join you in placing separate orders, and all three (or more) orders are delivered to your house/workplace, all of you will enjoy free delivery (and you will get some Arrowhead Chocolate)! Please let us know your plans, including who is participating in your site.
• Order infrequently. Remember: You are never required to order, so one savings strategy is to place a larger order once a month, rather than weekly smaller orders. Whatever works best for you. 

What is your return policy?

We do our best to deliver the freshest, most beautiful products possible! If you receive something that is not up to snuff, get in touch — we will do our best to make things right, whether that's a replacement, substitution, or refund. But because of the perishable nature of many of our products, they are not returnable.

Logistics

Once I place an order, may I make changes to it?

You may change or add to an order until the cutoff, Monday at 3 p.m. Shipping orders may be changed until your credit card is processed.

What if I'm not home when you deliver?

Most people leave a cooler out if they will not be home. If they are paying with a check, they leave the check in the cooler. Note: SNAP customers must be present upon delivery.

Do you have gift certificates?  

Yes! Click here to put one of any denomination in your cart.

Can I send something as a gift?

Yes! We can collect any number of items into a gift box or bag, or even ship or hand-deliver it! Restrictions apply.

Products

Why are there products from outside the county?  

We source from our area first; if we can't acquire it here we look as close as possible. Also, some things just aren't possible to grow/make here (such as the seafood), so we enhance the menu with some additional Pacific Northwest treats. But everything is from a Pacific or Inland Northwest small business.

Do you have food for vegetarians and vegans?  

Yes! Shop the Fruits & Vegetables, Dairy & Alternative-Dairy, and Grain & Plant-Based Proteins sections of the store, in addition to select items in other sections.

Are your products organic?

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service regulates the "organic" label you're familiar with. In order to use that label, or even the term "organic," a farm or ranch must undergo an arduous and expensive third-party certification process. GWC Provisions doesn't focus much on organic* because so many of our growers use sustainable practices but don't go through the channels to become certified. Sustainable farming involves a spectrum of strategies!

Of GWC Provisions producers, Prairie Creek Farm, Hummingbird Wholesale, Sei Mee Tea, and many of the farms coming to us via Walla Walla Food Hub are certified organic. Tofurky's tempeh products are certified organic, and they use organic ingredients in their other products "when possible." Little Hill Farm and Pitchfork Garden use organic practices but are not certified. Certification is impossible for producers like Jacobsen Salt Co. (salt is a mineral and isn't "grown"). Some producers chose a different certification: For example, Palouse Brand and Durant Oregon Olive Mill are Food Alliance-certified, which is actually a more rigorous certification as it includes workers' rights and other considerations. Other producers are somewhere in the middle; they don't use inputs unless they are necessary, but they will if they have a big problem. You can click on the producer in every product listing (or the listing itself) to see what they have said about their practices.

*Note: "Organic" does NOT mean "no chemicals whatsoever," "family farm," or "small business." Watch GWC Provisions founder Kristy Athens' TEDx talk to learn more about the valorizing of certified organic.

Could you make meal kits?

Meal kits are certainly convenient, but we can't support the concept until someone comes up with a way to do them that doesn't involve a dozen single-use ramekins with every kit. We know some packaging is unavoidable but meal kits are the worst.

I'd like to sell food I grow or process via GWC Provisions; how do I do that?

Great! Please fill out the vendor application form.

Other comments or questions?  Use our feedback form!