Last Organic Box

Here is this weeks produce box from Boston Organics:

What we got/where it's from:

1.5 lbs Bananas (Ecuador)
2 Bosc Pears (Argentina)
2 Pink Lady Apples (WA)
1 Red Grapefruit (CA)
2 Valencia Oranges (CA)
2 Yellow Peaches (CA) (not really, the website says CA but the labels on the peaches said Mexico)
1 bunch Asparagus (NY)
1 Cucumbers (GA)
1 Green Bell Peppers (CA)
1 lbs Peeled Carrots (CA)
1 Salad Tomatoes (FL)
0.75 lbs Zucchini (GA)

Gail and I have decided to stop the every other week delivery from Boston Organics in order to make a serious effort to get our produce from local farmers markets & farms, and hopefully provide some produce from our own garden. There are farmers markets within walking distance of both of our offices 4 days a week, and Allandale farm is just a short distance from our apartment. I will certainly miss regular deliveries of Oranges from the west coast and Bananas from South America, but I know I can substitute other fruits and veggies and still get my vitamin C and Potassium.

I know we won't get EVERYTHING from farmers markets and farms but I am certainly going to make an effort to get as much as possible from local sources. I think making the serious effort to acquire local produce and locally sourced meats is something worth pursuing .

Look for more updates regarding farmers markets and farms as the season continues!

Fenway Garden Society spring meeting & down:2:earth Boston!

Last Saturday was the Fenway Garden Society spring meeting. In March I received a short letter in the SASE i sent them with my initial application. A few short weeks later an email arrived stating I should attend the spring meeting. I showed up and met dozens of gardeners and board members. At this point in time I am on the waiting list for a new plot. I spoke with the VP of Parks and he said I am right near the cutoff point of whether I will receive a plot or not. **fingers are crossed that I do get a plot**

Sunday the girlfriend and I attended down:2:earth - Boston's sustainable living expo.

A bit about D2E from their website:

"At D2E, we are seeking companies that are sincerely striving to make a difference—not those that just claim to be so they can cash in on another kind of green, if you catch our drift.

So who makes the cut?
Sure, we love to support small businesses founded with sustainability as one of their core missions. But we also love to support large businesses that are making huge strides to improve how they do business (and not hold their past against them). Bottom line: If they’re in it for the right reasons, we want them in our show.

Here are some of the factors we consider:

• Impact: Does their product or service reduce a consumer's environmental impact?

• Location: Do they have a local presence or Web-based business to decrease travel emissions and support the local economy?

• Company vs. Product: Is sustainability part of their DNA, or do they just have a "green" line?

• Materials: Is their product made of materials that are recycled, biodegradable, organic, renewable, healthy and safe?

• Certifications: Are they certified by trusted organizations such as the Forest Stewardship Council, Energy Star, or Transfair USA?

• Employees: Are workers part of a coop? Do proceeds go back to small producers? Is the product made in the USA?

• Fair Trade: Do they care about the countries and workers that help them in their business?

• Design and Innovation: Is the product or service innovative and helping us move forward?

• Community: Do they contribute to their local communities?"

D2E was absolutely awesome! I will most certainly be in attendance next year. I was able to meet and talk to representatives from dozens of sustainable and natural companies. As I am more into the food/beverage side of things that is what I was looking for, and I was not disappointed!

The wonderful supplies of my twice-monthly organic produce delivery Boston Organics were there. The lady and I thanked them for their fantastic work and great customer service.

We left with a load of great recipes and full bellies from the Cabot Creamery Cooperative. The folks at Clif Bar where they were sampling their new Clif C bars which are double layer fruit & nut snack bars. I find the normal Clif Bar's to be too heavy and filling for me, but the Clif C bars were more of a snack then a meal-in-a-bar. Coffee was extremely well represented with Dean's Beans, Equal Exchange, and Mocha Joe's Coffee Roasters were all on site offering samples and friendly conversation. The folks at Mocha Joe's were the friendliest and offered the most spirited discussion about coffee and where their beans come from. When my girlfriend informed them the sample coffee they had was too acidic for her particular tastes they were kind enough to give her multiple samples of coffee beans which would have a lower acidity, so my compliments to them for going the extra mile and really backing their product.

Organic Valley and Stoneyfield Farm were there together showing off their various milk, drinkable yogurt, yogurt, and greek yogurt products. On the sweeter side Taza Chocolate and Glee Gum satisfied the cravings for something sweet.

Getting away from the edibles for a moment there were some great non-food companies and organizations there. Alteris Renewables the northeast's largest solar and wind power installers were on hand discussing their work in commercial and residential settings. Their goal is to create renewable energy systems instead of focusing on one specific green technology. They currently offer solar electricity and hot water for businesses, schools and homes as well as wind energy systems for businesses and schools. Their goal is to work with a client to develop affordable energy systems that fit their site and budgetary limits. They are certainly worth looking into if you are interested in green energy and live in the northeastern United States.

For the home gardeners The Great American Rain Barrel Company was on hand showing off their recycled rain barrels modeled after those seen in english gardens. As water resources diminish aesthetically pleasing & sturdy barrels that save money and recycle water will certainly be a great addition to anyones garden.

By the time the lady and I had strolled the 75+ booths we had 8 canvas shopping totes, 2 of which were full of samples of food, home cleaning products and literature. I learned about many newer sustainable companies in the area and was able to compliment the makers of some of my favorite products! Below are a few photos of the piles of swag we ended up with (lots of literature, stickers, seeds, food, some home cleaning products and even 2 bars of Goat's Milk Soap)

The usual note: I do not grow the produce pictured, it is courtesy ofBoston Organics. Their mission is to deliver organic produce, focusing on convenience, variety and value. Whenever possible they support local & regional farms by providing as much produce as possible from the region. When they cannot provide local produce they receive produce from a variety of farms along the eastern seaboard, northern california, the pacific northwest, & tropical fruit from equal exchange organic farms in central america. My girlfriend and I receive a $29 dollar 1/2 fruit 1/2 vegetable box every other week.

The Rundown-

From around here:

1 lb Empire Apples (VT)

1 lb Carrots (MA)

1.5 lbs Red Potatoes (Prince Edward Island)

1 Green Cabbage (NY)

From Beyond:

1 White Grapefruit (FL)

1 Green Bell Pepper (FL)

2 Anjou Pears (WA)

2 Blood Oranges (CA)

6 Satsuma Mandarins (CA)

1 head Romaine Lettuce (CA) (the head of lettuce is HUGE)

From Even Further Beyond:

1 Bunch Broccoli (Mexico)

1.5 lbs Bananas (Ecuador)

I am really pleased with the quality of all the items in our box this week. Some sort of slaw looks to be in my future. The broccoli & green pepper will most likely be stir fried with a butternut squash which was received in a previous box.

If any readers have tips for what to do with some of the produce feel free to share!

This Weeks Organic Produce.

The usual note: I do not grow the produce pictured, it is courtesy ofBoston Organics. Their mission is to deliver organic produce, focusing on convenience, variety and value. Whenever possible they support local & regional farms by providing as much produce as possible from the region. When they cannot provide local produce they receive produce from a variety of farms along the eastern seaboard, northern california, the pacific northwest, & tropical fruit from equal exchange organic farms in central america. My girlfriend and I have been receiving a $29 dollar 1/2 fruit 1/2 vegetable box every other week for the last 18 months. We don't pick what comes in the box (though they do have a 'no list') and have been really impressed with their customer service. The few times we had a problem with certain produce they responded promptly and provided us with additional items at our next delivery-free of charge!

The rundown-

From around here:

1.5 lbs of purple fingerling potatoes (VT)

1 lb of Carrots (MA)

1 Rutabaga (NH)

1 lb Empire Apples (VT)

From beyond:

2 Bosc Pears (WA)

1 bunch Broccoli (CA)

1 bunch Green Leaf Lettuce (FL)

1 Green Pepper (FL)

2 Honey Mandarins (FL)

2 Hamlin Oranges (FL)

2 Sunburst Tangerines (FL)

From even further beyond:

1.5 lbs Bananas (Ecuador)

Now that the holidays have passed, we are back to our usual every other thursday delivery schedule. The lettuce is crisp and the fingerling potatoes and broccoli look exceptionally good. The mandarin was bursting with juice and the empire apples are crispy, juicy and full of flavor. I am very pleased with this box & the taste/quality of its contents.

I was also informed that a friend of mine who lives a few streets away has signed up for a weekly delivery from Boston Organics. Instead of 1/2 fruit & 1/2 vegetable like myself she is getting a 'dogma box' each week. The dogma box consists of fruits and vegetables which are sourced as closed to Boston as possible. No 'no lists' or substitutes. In the 6-7 months they have offered the Dogma box items have come from New England, upstate NY and Quebec. In the winter root veggies, storage crops, & storage apples make up the box. In the spring/summer/early fall it is chock full of variety.

I've considered switching to the dogma box and am interested in seeing what her experience is.

This weeks Organic Produce!

I did not post a photo of this weeks produce box when it arrived this past tuesday for 3 reasons:

1) I've had a busy work week. 2) The local black heirloom cranberries we added on did not arrive as they were out of them and 3) the rest of the box was relatively small and left me wanting more.

Nonetheless here it is:

The usual note: I do not grow the produce pictured, it is courtesy of Boston Organics. Their mission is to deliver organic produce, focusing on convenience, variety and value. Whenever possible they support local & regional farms by providing as much produce as possible from the region. When they cannot provide local produce they receive produce from a variety of farms along the eastern seaboard, northern california, the pacific northwest, & tropical fruit from equal exchange organic farms in central america. My girlfriend and I have been receiving a $29 dollar 1/2 fruit 1/2 vegetable box every other week for the last 18 months. We don't pick what comes in the box (though they do have a 'no list') and have been really impressed with their customer service. The few times we had a problem with certain produce they responded promptly and provided us with additional items at our next delivery-free of charge!

I've lost the list of exact locations of the produce but based on past experiences my guess is:

From New England:

The Apples, Carrots, Butternut Squash, and Spring Greens (which are sold in the local whole foods and supermarkets as well).

Most likely from Florida or California:

Tangelos, Satsuma Mandarins, Hamlin Oranges, Green Pepper, Broccoli, & Chives

From Washing State:

Bosc Pears

From Ecuador:

Bananas

Of Unknown Origin:

The 2 heads of garlic which were an add-in we had requested.

The box is not terrible, fresh organic produce is always a good thing, though in comparison to our box from 2 weeks ago it seemed so small. I think the real disappointment was due to the lack of cranberries. As usual the response from the warehouse people at Boston Organics was great. They had run-out and made-sure our account was credited for the cost of 2 bags of cranberries.

This Weeks Organic Produce!

please note: there was some confusion when I posted my delivery a few weeks ago. I do not grow the produce pictured, it is courtesy of Boston Organics. Their mission is to deliver organic produce, focusing on convenience, variety and value. Whenever possible they support local & regional farms by providing as much produce as possible from the region. When they cannot provide local produce they receive produce from a variety of farms along the eastern seaboard, northern california, the pacific northwest, & tropical fruit from equal exchange organic farms in central america. My girlfriend and I have been receiving a $29 dollar 1/2 fruit 1/2 vegetable box every other week for the last 18 months. We don't pick what comes in the box (though they do have a 'no list') and have been really impressed with their customer service. The few times we had a problem with certain produce they responded promptly and provided us with additional items at our next delivery-free of charge!

On to the details:

Regional produce included:

1 lbs Empire Apples (VT),

8oz Bagged Baby Spinach (VT)

1 lbs Carrots (MA)
1 lbs Purple Top Turnips (MA)

1.5 lbs Yukon Potatoes (MA)

1 Green Cabbage (MA)

Beyond our region:

2 Bosc Pears (CA)
2 Cara Cara Oranges (FL)
2 Orlando Tangelos (FL)
2 Satsuma Mandarins (CA)
1 bunch Broccoli (CA)
1 head Red Leaf Lettuce (CA)

1.5 lbs Fair Trade Bananas (Ecuador)

.25lb Yellow Ginger (location unknown)

The cabbage and yellow ginger were not on the original delivery list, but we had a problem with the sweet potatoes we received thanksgiving week. Their warehouse manager said he would provide a little something extra with our next delivery and he did!

I'm posting what we get in our deliveries for 2 reasons: (1) Though this is primarily a gardening blog, I also like to cook- supporting organic farms whether through a CSA or program such as this is a good idea and (2) its a good way for me to keep track of what we get and where it comes from.

One thing I really like is that much of the produce that does come from Massachusetts is coming from the same farms I support when I visit our local farmers markets in the spring/summer/fall. (Enterprise Farm & Atlas Farm are 2 of my favorites).

I did make a 'regional' dinner which I will share a photo/write-up of tomorrow.

This Weeks Organic Produce.

Our Boston Organics box comes early this week due to Thanksgiving (thursday is our usual delivery day):

From this region:

1 lbs Empire Apples (VT)

1 Gala Apples (ME)

1 lbs Carrots (MA)

1.5 lbs Delicata Squash (MA)

1 head Red Leaf Lettuce (MA)

1 lbs Red Onions (MA)

1.5 lbs Sweet Potatoes (MA)

From beyond:

1.5 lbs Fair Trade Bananas (Ecuador)

2 Bosc Pears (CA)

1 Red Anjou Pears (CA)

2 Satsuma Mandarins (CA)

1 bunch Broccoli (CA)

2 Hamlin Oranges (FL)

No suprise that the citrus and Bananas are coming from further away but pears from storage and fall broccoli could be found in new england this time of year. It was nice during the summer when nearly the entire box (aside from bananas and an occasional orange) was coming from new england. note: the Red Anjou Pear was spectacular!

This is our 3rd box in a row (we get a box every 2 weeks) with delicata squash. Good thing I love me some squash! I've been trying to find fun ways to cook these little guys aside from the traditional baking methods. I've also managed to save quite a few Delicata seeds.