On February 26, 1999, I mailed in an order for some canned foods from American Harvest Foods. A few weeks later, the check was cashed, but I have not heard from them regarding my order. On their web site at http://www.americanharvestfoods.com, they say that they deliver in 30 days. I have followed up with telephone messages and email, but have not been contacted by this company. Today, when I tried to call them, their regular toll number is answered by someone else and their toll free number is answered by a voice mail box that informs the caller that it is full. If this order doesn't arrive (if this was a scam), our preparations will be seriously impacted. Has anyone had a positive experience with this company? Is anyone having the same problem as me?

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), April 30, 1999

Answers

I just tried the toll free number and got a message that said "American Harvest is not available, please leave a message at the tone." . . . Not Available?? Sounds like they are in trouble. I hope not, for your sake. I have not had dealings with them before. Sorry.

-- winna (??@??.com), April 30, 1999.

Stan, yesterday, I went to the Nashville, TN Y2K expo. I was talking to the rep from Safetrek Foods, and he said that they can ship in 3 days. I ordered two orders for 4 people late last year, and it was 8 weeks. He said that they have ramped up production. I don't know how good the food is, but they were a top notch company to deal with, as they were always helpful, and both orders arrived when they said it would. I have no affliation with this company, other than being a customer.

-- Mike (Boxman9186@aol.com), April 30, 1999.

I ran a Duns and Bradstreet investigation on them and American Harvest Foods in California supposedly still is around. They still have a DUNS number, it's reported that they have 35 employees, they've been in business since 1994, and there is no sign that they are going bankrupt or have other problems. I tried calling the toll free number again: this time there wasn't even a voice mail box. The toll number wasn't being answered either, though last time the people answering it told me I had a wrong number. I'll keep trying to call them at the phone numbers D&B gave me (which is different from the phone numbers on their web site) and let you know what happens. Please pray for me and those who may also be in the same position.

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), April 30, 1999.

Hi Stan, I hate to tell you this, but the owner of American Harvest Foods is a criminal who was in jail and got paroled on March 28/98. His name is Chuck White (real name is Charles Mark White). You also got a false report from D&B. He could not have been in business for the last 4 years because he was in Kern County Prison during that time, for some other scam. I know all this because I paid for a background check on him back in February. I don't want to state too much more publicly here, but if you want more details, please feel free to email me and I will give you my phone number to call me. I suggest that you get hold of the Attorney General's office of California and file a formal complaint to get your money back quickly, before he skips town. 2 months for a food order is much too long, and quite frankly the company cannot be trusted. I also know that there was a court order evicting them from the warehouse/office they were renting recently. Sincerely, Gary Bidlow General Manager Citizens At Work www.y2kbulkfood.com

-- Gary Bidlow (gary21@netrax.net), May 01, 1999.

P.S. I have decided to add to my response regarding American Harvest Foods, and publicly expose the owner, Mr. Chuck White even further. Chuck White is currently on parole, CDC# (California Dept. of Corrections)J60045. His internet site at www.americanharvestfoods.com is FULL OF LIES. A)The Inc. magazine article has complete falsehoods in it. It states: "The company cans and packages dry foodstuffs for distribution to some 200 survivalist-oriented stores, and more than 90% have signed on with American Harvest in the past two years. White says, In 1998 the company's revenues balloned to $6 million, a 10-fold increase over 1997's sales." ALL OF THIS IS A LIE. AHF NEVER HAD 200 STORES AND CHUCK WHITE WAS IN JAIL IN 1997! HE WAS PAROLED ON MARCH 28/98. B)On the page of his site entitled About Us, the opening paragraph states: "Thank you for your interest in American Harvest Foods. We have been in the canning and food distribution business for more than twenty-five years." THIS IS ALSO AN ABSOLUTE LIE. Chuck White was in jail from about April/95 through March/98 and the company DID NOT EXIST. C) The page on his site entitled Our Facilities that has pictures on it is a MISREPRESENTATION. The pictures of "our cannery & warehouse" are NOT American Harvest Foods. The cannery and warehouse is owned by someone else, and Chuck White was RENTING the space. He has since been evicted by a court order not too long ago. And the owners of the cannery and warehouse have a lawsuit against him and his 2 partners. All in all Chuck White is a CRIMINAL, a LIAR and a SCAM ARTIST. It saddens me to have to publicly expose him, however I feel it is my duty and responsiblity to let the public know WHO is a scam artist in the Y2K supply business, that is creating a bad name for the rest of us who are legitimate and who do deliver products. Unfortunately, when there is "one bad apple in the bunch" it gets turned into a huge GENERALITY and all the honest merchants get lumped into it. So I want to make it clear that yes, scam artists do exist on the internet, but it is NOT ALL. Personally, I feel that Chuck White belongs back in jail where he came from, before he ruins the reputation of honest merchants. Sincerely, Gary Bidlow - General Manager - Citizens At Work www.y2kbulkfood.com

-- Gary Bidlow (gary21@netrax.net), May 01, 1999.

Update on the American Harvest Foods (AHF) situation. I received an email describing a highly positive experience with AHF but also an unsatisfactory experience with someone else. I'm not saying who as I could suddenly discover I am an unwitting pawn of competitive firms. The email said that the AHF phones were being answered, so I picked up the phone and gave them a ring. Someone answered the phone! Hurrah! Someone's name was Nancy. After a long and, ultimately, a pleasant conversation, we can only wait and see what will or will not happen.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), May 04, 1999.

Gary Bidlow is a familiar, second-rate competitor who should concentrate on selling his own food at www.y2kbulkfood.com. rather than spreading rumors against companies that aren't even in his league. Citizens At Work is a joke! We sell and ship more dehydtated bulk foods in a day than Gary sells in a month! American Harvest Foods was started by my dad, Chuck White, more than 25 years ago. When the business slowed down in 1982 he donated more than a million dollars worth of dehydrated food to churches and the Boy Scouts. He took tax write-offs which were found to be illegal (in 1987 for the years 1983-1986. ALL federal charges were dismissed, but California had lost many of our family assets and had to get a conviction at all costs! They lost four out of five cases against him. He could have taken a deal on the fifth case, but his C.P.A. told him that his taxes were filed in Hawaii (we still owned a home there), and not to worry. He is not on parole or probation. The Eagle's Nest was issued a business license in 1994 and has been selling dehydrated food under the trade name of AMERICAN HARVEST FOODS. The dba was issued to myself in 1998. We have more than TWO MILLION DOLLARS worth of dehydrated food inventory in five states. We can 15,000 cans per day! Our food is available for immediate shipment! We presently have five warehouses in Vernon and Chino, each have more than 10,000 square feet. We have fifteen phone lines - 7 in Vernon; 8 in Chino. Our toll-free number: 800-500-3858 gets very busy during certain times of the day. We also have 9 cell phones! The best way to order is to call and ask what we have in inventory. We can ship immediately! If you get our voice-mail, just leave a message and you will receive a call back from us. If we are out of an item we will order it. We have very little control over our suppliers, but we have the largest supply of fruits and vegetables in the country! We also give substantial discounts for large orders. Mr. Bidlow, you are very immature; a crybaby, etc. I don't want to stoop to your level, "My dad can beat up your dad," but believe me, he can! Sincerely,

DENNIS KEITH WHITE OWNER, AMERICAN HARVEST FOODS

-- Dennis Keith White (eglsnst@earthlink.net), May 04, 1999.

RESPONSE TO DENNIS KEITH WHITE'S POSTING: Well, well, well, I had no idea that such a response could be elicited from a few FACTS. It appears that Dennis has "gone off the deep end" and can't even stick to the FACTS in a desperate effort to "save his father". I will say that I admire you for trying, but that is all I admire you for. It is quite obvious you cannot READ! So I think I'll just make note of a couple of key points to rebutt your nonsense. (Not that I ever wanted a war here, but you asked for it).

FACT: You know absolutely NOTHING about how much y2kbulkfood.com sells. Why you even brought it up is IRRELEVENT to the issue at hand here. (Just as added info for anybody reading this posting, we were trying to purchase some bulkfood from American Harvest about 6 months ago in order to fulfill some of our orders, and we ended up STOPPING PAYMENT on our check to American Harvest, because A) We could not get straight answers and were lied to several times about pricing, etc. B) It took THREE WEEKS of phone calls to get ONE answer regarding a shipping question, and C) They could not deliver on time. Also, if anybody reading this posting happens to be a member of y2knewswire.com's membership directory, you can go there and see MANY customer complaints about American Harvest failing to deliver. Stan Faryna, (who has the original complaint posted on this page), is not the only dissatisfied customer. There are MANY more. On the other hand, y2kbulkfood.com has only EVER had ONE complaint. Which of course is close to a perfect record).

FACT: Chuck White IS on parole. His full name is Charles Mark White, born 08/27/49. As ALREADY MENTIONED, Chuck's CDC# is J60045. (California Dept. of Corrections). Chuck's Parole Officer's name is BERNIE at the SAN FERNANDO PAROLE UNIT. Phone number is 818-765-1330 ext.435 if anybody wants to check it out. Chuck was convicted of a felony in Los Angeles County 4/21/95, and went to KERN COUNTY PRISON. He was paroled on 3/28/98.

FACT: I gave Stan Faryna Chuck's parole officer's phone number to call after I saw his complaint posted here, and Stan emailed me back thanking me and said he had CALLED the parole officer and talked to him. The parole officer told him he would look into it. (SO WAS STAN TALKING TO A FICTITIOUS PAROLE OFFICER IN HIS MIND?).

So, Dennis Keith White, it quite amazes me that you actually have the nerve to state in your posting "He is not on parole or probation". If this were a court of law, you would be guilty of PERJURY.

As for the rest of the gibberish on your posting, it is not really worth getting into simply because you have already proven you are a LIAR and you have a difficult time sticking to the facts at hand anyway, without going off in 5 different directions "explaining" irrelevent and altered details and telling more LIES. So why bother with the rest? By the way Dennis, did your dad teach you how to LIE? It really bothers me that there are unscrupulous characters like you and your father out there who are LIARS creating a bad name for the rest of us. And yes, I did say LIARS. I'll say it here publicly and I'll gladly say it in a court of law.

Sincerely, Gary Bidlow Citizens At Work

-- Gary Bidlow (gary21@netrax.net), May 05, 1999.

Gary, to avoid being named in a federal lawsuit I suggest that you call me. {800}500-3858, 7AM-6PM, Mon-Fri. Chuck White

-- Chuck White (chuckwhite@earthlink.net), May 05, 1999.