Photos by The Roanoke Times | File June

People line up in Market Square in Roanoke last month to pick up produce from Sausser Farms. People have complained that the trucks don't show up on time or that the produce sells out too quickly. The owners blame bad weather and other problems.

A representative from Sausser Farm hands out fresh vegetables in June at the farm's booth at the Roanoke Farmers Market.

A Charlotte County man whose farm-share business has left customers frustrated with poor service and inconsistent supplies was convicted of writing bad checks eight years ago and now faces fresh allegations.

Paul and Samantha Sausser, who run Sausser Farms, signed up thousands of people in this region for a farm-share program that promises 5 pounds of fruits and vegetables weekly for a low price of $35. But scores of customers say the farm is not delivering, and some have walked away empty handed from one of its regional stands at the Roanoke Farmers Market. A few say they are satisfied with the produce.

While Paul Sausser acknowledged that bad weather and startup challenges have stunted production and timely delivery, this is not the first time he has disappointed clients and colleagues.

Paul Sausser served jail time and paid restitution for a 2002 criminal conviction for writing bad checks in Pennsylvania, where he formerly lived, according to records on file at the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County, outside Philadelphia.

After Sausser was jailed for three months, a judge sentenced him to at least three years probation. The prosecution agreed to drop other charges that included theft of services and theft by deception.

Sausser said all of this stemmed from a messy divorce.

"My ex-wife had cleaned me out," he said Thursday.

But his problems weren't over.

Later, Sausser violated probation in 2006 when he failed to pay restitution, fines and court costs of $16,967, according to court documents. An additional three years' probation for Sausser, a former home builder, ended in November.

Heading south

An opportunity to buy farmland drew him to Virginia.

In December, Paul and Samantha Sausser bought a 72-acre farm in Charlotte County for $279,000, according to county deed documents. They moved from Sunbury, Pa.

Their farm's website states that they are "third generation growers of fine all natural vegetables. Grown the way God intended."

The Saussers launched their community-supported agriculture program in May. Through a CSA, members pay a set amount for shares of a farm's crop. Most CSAs in Southwest Virginia charge several hundred dollars for shares.

Dissatisfied members who paid the Saussers $35 for 5 pounds of fruits and vegetables weekly for 24 weeks say the farm has not fulfilled its promises. They say its produce stands and stores in Roanoke, Christiansburg, Lynchburg and in other areas do not open on the dates and times advertised, and some people have had to wait an hour or more for a delivery truck's arrival.

At times, the fruit and vegetable selection is so slim that stores sell out too quickly.

The Saussers have said on their website and via e-mail to customers that a late May frost stunted expected crop production.

Paul Sausser said he has been criticized unfairly by customers and the media. His CSA program boasts 4,800 members, and he said its low price helps people afford quality produce. He acknowledged he has not figured out an efficient way to deliver fruits and vegetables to customers and how to anticipate demand. He said he will not run the share program next year.

"We can't always please everybody," he said. "I can't help the lines. I'm kind of proud of having lines."

New allegations surface

Still, some businesses and individuals in Central and Southwest Virginia are angry with the Saussers' business practices.

Terri Davis of Lynchburg has filed a warrant in debt against the Saussers for $5,500, a claim that Davis said this week is a result of an unpaid contract. Davis declined to discuss specifics, because she said it could jeopardize a July 28 hearing for the case in Lynchburg General District Court.

Paul Sausser said he could not pay Davis because, "We pay her based on people paying us."

Last month, Samantha Sausser wrote a bad check for $1,274 to Conner Produce Co., a Lynchburg wholesaler, for a load of Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and other produce, said owner Donald Johns.

After several visits to the farm's two Lynchburg stalls for payment, Johns sent a certified letter to the farm on July 8. As of Friday afternoon, the amount remained unpaid, he said.

Also, two former employees of Sausser Farms said they received bad paychecks from Sausser Farms. When Lee Hubbard and Pam Carwile, both of Brookneal, approached Paul Sausser separately about bounced paychecks in May and June, he paid them and fired them on the spot, they said.

Hubbard, who had worked there since March, said his check was for $635.

Paul Sausser said he hired some untrustworthy employees, and since June, he has been trimming his farm staff.

Joe Lunsford, owner of Williams Lumber Supply in Brookneal, described the Saussers as "extremely hard-working."

"They have vastly overextended their resources and just made some very, very poor decisions," said Lunsford, who has sold them lumber and building supplies. The couple owes Lunsford an undisclosed amount of money, but "he [Paul Sausser] asked me for a little more time" to repay it, Lunsford said. "I'm continuing to use a little patience."

In Roanoke, lines for Sausser Farms drop-off are growing so long that Downtown Roanoke Inc. recently moved the stand near Center in the Square on Fridays and into Market Square, near 202 Market restaurant, on Saturdays. The lines blocked other vendors, said Jennifer Johnson, manager of the market for DRI.

"I think it's very unprofessional," said Viki Quinn, who arrived at 8:45 a.m. Friday to be the first in line for Sausser Farms' scheduled 9 a.m. drop-off in downtown Roanoke. "They are so late, and they run out [of produce] all the time."

She left at 10 a.m. because the farm's truck had not yet arrived.

Karen Nelson of Christiansburg plans to mail her punch card to Sausser Farms for a refund. She never received produce for her $35 share. The farm's Christiansburg store was sold out of fruits and vegetables each time she visited.

"I made a $35 contribution to their farm," she said. "I'm chalking it up as a lesson learned."

It's unclear whether customers have any recourse, said Elaine Lidholm, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. With a CSA, people assume the same risks as the farmer for crop production, she said.

But if people believe they have been defrauded, they can contact the department's office of consumer affairs and file a complaint, Lidholm said. As of Friday, the department had not received complaints about Sausser Farms, she said.

News researcher Belinda Harris contributed to this report.