Go Local...

Prior to using Door-to-Door Organics to get my organic produce, I was on the hunt for a local buying club or coop in my area that I could join. I was having trouble finding one that was close enough to my home, so when my friend introduced me to Door-to-Door, I thought I had found my solution. I figured I would use the deliver service until the summer when I would get my veggies from my family's garden and farmer's markets in my area.  However just last week I discovered that some mothers in my area were trying to put together a group to join a "Community Supported Agriculture" (CSA) farm.  

A CSA is a way for consumers in an area to support and create a relationship with a local farm. Members of a CSA pledge in advance to cover the farms anticipated costs.  By doing so, members receive weekly boxes of produce for the season.  Where I live the season runs from around May through November. Most CSA farms offer high quality produce that is grown organically, avoiding pesticides and fertilizers.   

So now I was in a quandary.  Stick with my original plan or join the CSA?  

Then I received in the mail, via Netflix, the movie The Real Dirt on Farmer John, a documentary about John Peterson, a.k.a Farmer John, a midwest farmer who life parallels the history of American farming in the late 20th century.  

Peterson came from a family of farmers who struggled, like most farmers, to make ends meet. Peterson's father died when he was teenager, which forced him to be in charge of the farm.  By the 1980's, when most farmers were trouble, so was Peterson who had to sell off most of his farm to make ends meet. Destitute and depressed, Peterson took time away from farming and returned in the '90s.  Deciding to change his farm from a mono-culture, chemical dependent farm, to an organic farm and connect himself to the land, Peterson turned his farm, Angelic Organics, into the one of the largest CSAs in the country. 

So after seeing the story of Farmer John, I have decided that it is important, not only from my families health perspective, but for community support, to join the CSA.  I might be overflowing in veggies this summer but my husband loves to entertain.  Just hope our friends like veggies!

To find CSA farms in your area go to Local Harvest and Eat Wild, or a buying club go to United Buying Clubs. In addition, Local Harvest also lists farmer markets, coops, restaurants and farms.  

Organic Produce Delivered to Your Door

So now that I am committed to buying only organic and locally grown foods, in addition to limiting my families intake of process foods, I noticed that shopping has become more difficult and more expensive.  

The main supermarkets near my house are Whole Foods and ShopRite.   Although Whole Foods is widely considered the market to purchase your organic fruits and vegetables, I have discovered that only a small percentage of the produce sold there actually is organic.  Just yesterday I went to pick up some fresh produce and hardly anything was organic -- grapes, berries, tomatoes, garlic and eggplant, to name a few -- all conventional industrial produce. 

So through a suggestion of a friend, I joined Door to Door Organics -- an organic produce delivery service.  They offer customers different size produce boxes depending on your needs from the Itty Bitty Box that contains 4 fruit types and 5 vegetable varieties for $25.00 per week to a Large Box for $60.00 that includes 5-6 fruit types and 9-10 vegetable varieties.  I decided that I should start with the Itty Bitty Box and so far it is perfect. Every Friday I get an email from the company telling me what fruits and veggies will be included in my box which will be delivered the following Wednesday.  I have the weekend to decide if I want to substitute anything from the box from a long list of choices they offer.  I can also add additional fruits and veggies to the box.  

So far I love it.  We have fresh organic fruits and veggies all week. The company also tries their best to include locally grown produce as much as possible in addition they reuse the boxes and packing to limited the amount of materials they use. 

Organic delivery services seem to be a growing market.  Door to Door Organic has four locations: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Colorado and Ohio River Valley.  A quick Google search for "organic delivery services" came up with dozens of companies all over the country.  Prior to signing up for a service, I suggest that you check all the companies policies and if they strive to buy locally and deliver with the least impact to the environment.  I noticed that one company in Austin, TX called Greenling Organic Delivery provides its customers with a reusable plastic insulated box and New Root Organics in Seattle uses reusable rubbermaid containers with lids. 

No matter where you live you should be able to find a local service in your area. However, for those of you who live in warmer climates, the other options are food co-ops and local farmers markets. And for those who live in Manhattan, even if the weather is bad, there are farmers markets all over the city that sell locally grown and organic foods all year round.