My first box of produce showed up this afternoon, and it looks as if I got all my picks also the extras.
This is the smaller box, which I've arranged to receive every two weeks. There are choices within the selection, and a new feature which is a marketplace of extras, which, if you select before they sell out, are added in to the box and onto the bill.
It arrived with a freezer gel bag on top which had thawed a little but no harm done. Produce still cool.
Then followed an afternoon frenzy of sorting, scrubbing, peeling, chopping, slicing, steaming (giant beet), and packing and labeling and freezing and fridging and countertopping. I had to take a break in the middle.
All the food is either certified organic, or sustainable, coming from the farm or ocean to the company then the consumer. A pretty small food chain. It's discounted because although it's perfectly edible, it's not always pretty. So instead of having to dump good produce which high end markets won't take, the farmer has another outlet.
I don't have any relationship with this company other than being a new customer. I just like it when people come through.
There was no waste at all in my box. Everything fresh, no sneaky overripe fruit.
So I'm happy.
And I vowed yet again to sharpen my knives. I have a very good knife sharpener, which I postpone using because of the noise. But at this point you can hardly tell back from front of blade, so I really have to.
Now the fun part. Deciding what to cook.
The sale of less than perfect looking food is a great idea. Perfectly good food not wasted.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty high priced in the stores it was destined for. I couldn't see any flaws at all. Except the beet was huge, maybe people have a range of size for beets? It made a large bowl of diced beet for salad. And the rainbow carrots are very interesting.
DeleteThat is such a great idea. Hoping it becomes available out our way eventually.
ReplyDeleteMy newest beet discovery: sauteed grated beets. So fast, compared to any other way I know of to cook them. And yummy!
We just received 45 lbs of carrots and 5 lbs of potatoes (amongst other produce) from our one-time-pickup winter CSA. Not quite the proportions we were expecting - but that's what small farming is all about. Carrot slaw, curried carrot soup (to die for!) and choc carrot bread ensured, which used up the most misshapened carrots. All ideas welcome!
Cheers,
Chris from Boise
Yeah, you have to roll with it in small farming. We've got so used to supermarket choices. Roasted carrots are excellent, especially roasted with potatoes. And the potatoes -- you can freeze vichyssoise, just sayin. I like to keep a few carrots, peeled, in water in the fridge for instant snack food. They stay crisp for ages in water.
DeleteI know several people who get produce from Misfit Market. I don't think they deliver out here. I'll have to check on it.
ReplyDeleteThey keep expanding their delivery area, so it's worth checking now and then. I believe they have a wait-list so you can be notified when you can order.
DeleteWhat a beautiful assortment of good, fresh food! I love this idea.
ReplyDeleteYay, Misfits delivers in Vermont! Aw, as yet, they don't accomodate food allgeries or deliver to PO Boxes. Thank you for the tip though
ReplyDeleteI think the allergy issue would be so complex, it would be a legal minefield. The reason for no po boxes is they can't access them. The po only permits their own mail in their boxes. They ship by FedEx. And there's the issue of freshness. My box was packed Friday, delivered Saturday morning. Can't see the po matching that.
DeleteI've never understood why fruit/vegs have to look perfect for people to buy them. For heaven sakes the fruit/vegs are going into fridge, freezer, or the stew pot! They're not part of the kitchen decoration!
ReplyDeleteI think it's a triumph of marketing and graphics over intelligence.
DeleteLooks good. I seem to have misplaced my ability to prepare and cook food. The farm boxes in my area are all too large for one person, except for one place that really didn’t provide quality in their “single” box. If I get my desire to cook back, I’d like to check back into farm boxes and see if there’s some new opportunities.
ReplyDeleteI find that if I get produce I don't usually buy, I'll give it a try, sometimes finding I like it.
DeleteThat looks like a great assortment of goodies - way better than the paltry little bit we used to get in ours. Our stores have started selling bags of 'imperfect' fruits and veggies at a slightly reduced price. I try to buy those when I can because I really don't care if my apple has a mark on the skin.
ReplyDeleteYes, they're finally catching on that there are customers who don't care desperately if the apples are not all exactly the same size etc.
DeleteWorks for their bottom line financially too - they can sell what they would otherwise think they have to throw out.
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