Local Box – August 24

Local Box Contents for Aug. 24:

• yellow squash
• butternut squash
• salad greens
• fresh peas
• potatoes
• onions
• Asian pears
• garlic
• okra

When we first started getting the local boxes, we got them every week.  We’re going to start getting them less frequently, such as when we really, really like what’s in the box, or if we need to order additional items, such as local honey, organic bacon, etc.  Getting the extra items all in one box saves us trips to several local places (in 108 degree heat).

I’m going to see if I can spend less on my weekly groceries (including produce) at the store.  My goal is to try and spend (for all groceries, including produce) the amount that I would have spent on the local box alone.  We really only need to buy dairy, produce, and occasional meat right now, because we have a full pantry and freezer of everything else.

I really like that the local box gets me eating a wonderful variety of local produce.  I’m concerned that by getting my produce from the store, I’ll go back into the same rut of buying only romaine lettuce and bananas.  That’s why we will probably get the local box every 2-3 weeks, instead of every week.  That should supplement us with squash, local/organic greens, etc.

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Local Box – August 10

Local Box Contents for July 10:

• peaches
• watermelon
• basil
• yellow squash
• butternut squash
• fresh peas
• peppers
• magenta spreen (similar to spinach, I’m told)
• hydroponic lettuce (grown in water, not soil)
• onions

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Using Up Leftovers and Eating from the Local Box

Here’s an example of a meal (lunch) using leftovers and items from our local box.

From the local box:  snacking tomatoes, bell peppers

From our family’s farm:  corn

Leftovers:  broccoli, sourdough bread

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Local Box – July 27

July 27 Local Box Contents:

• peaches
• eggplant
• cantelope
• peas
• potatoes
• onions
• mango
• squash
• zucchini
• portobello mushrooms

The eggplant are small due to local drought.  Still, the flavor is fantastic.

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Local Box – July 20, 2011

Sorry, this was last week’s local box:

• onions
• potatoes
• cucumbers
• squash
• basil
• eggplant
• fresh pinto beans
• green bell peppers
• caramel corn (free sample from the grocery service)

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Local Box – July 13

In the box:

• eggplant
• nectarines
• potatoes
• blueberries
• figs
• tomatoes
• basil
• purslane
• banana peppers
• onions

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Local Box – July 6

 

This week’s local box:

• blueberries
• snacking tomatoes
• fresh peas
• Armenian cucumber
• peaches
• eggplant
• potatoes
• summer squash
• watermelon

We cut into the watermelon immediately and cooked the potatoes for dinner.

We also received some produce bags to try out.  I put the squash and peaches in them to see how they do.

 

 

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First Local Box – June 29

We got our first local (CSA-type) box and we’re quite pleased.  It’s so nice to see such a variety of produce.  I was especially happy to get the snacking tomatoes!

Included in the box were several recipes, as well as the name of each farm where every item came from (all from nearby farms).

The box.

The insulated bag on the right held our bacon (and an ice pack).

• 

June 29 Local Box Contents:

• peaches
• carrots
• purple potatoes
• blueberries
• tomatoes (snacking)
• garlic
• peas
• parsley
• squash
• onions
• added to the local box:  local honey (not pictured) and organic bacon

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June Produce Purchases

I looked back over our recent grocery store receipts.  Lately, our shopping has been at budget grocery stores (ones that advertise good prices), not organic stores (Whole Foods, Central Markets, Natural Grocers, etc.).  I was surprised at the lack of variety in my produce purchases.  Very surprised.

This month, the produce we’ve purchased has been:

• grapes
• bananas
• salad (mostly romaine)
• more bananas
• more salad (romaine)

Yup, that’s it.  Pretty pathetic, isn’t it?

I will admit that we were trying to eat up the produce that we already had, and we also spent some time visiting family on a farm, where the veggies were quite abundant from the garden.  In a normal month, I’ll also purchase carrots, apples, berries, tomatoes, and avocados, as well as oranges, grapefruit, and other veggies for juicing.

We ordered our local box from the organic grocers.  It will arrive this week.  Here’s what’s in this week’s box:

• peaches
• blueberries
• summer squash
• potatoes
• carrots
• onions
• tomatoes
• herbs
• peas
• garlic

We also added local honey and some organic bacon, which saved me a trip to to a natural grocery store and the farmers’ market.  I’ll divide up the bacon and freeze most of it, as I don’t use bacon much.  I plan to use a half-strip of bacon occasionally to cook veggies.  Yum!

Wow!  What a difference!  If we ordered 1-2 boxes a month, we would definitely be getting a lot more fruits and veggies in our diets and hopefully less processed foods.  I wouldn’t have to make special trips to organic/natural grocery stores or farmers’ markets (in the heat).  Also, we might end up spending less at the grocery store.

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Local Veggie Box (CSA-style)

I spent some time visiting family (who live on a farm) recently and loved eating the veggies that have been coming out of the garden.  My garden at home has been doing very poorly (understatement) this season, so it would be neat to get a variety of seasonal, locally-grown produce, without having to spend as much time shopping, such as having to go to organic grocers or farmers’ markets, in addition to my regular budget-priced grocery store.  I’ve read that shopping for in-season produce saves you money, but with grocery stores bringing in produce from all over the world, and prices sometimes being lower because the produce is going to go bad soon and the store wants to get rid of it, without a book guiding me through things, it could definitely be easier to just get a local box.

So, to be clear, I really want to eat more veggies.  Lots more.  I want it to be easy, without having to shop and shop and look at lists, and check prices…

I have a farmers’ market close by my home, and there are several CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture) that deliver to my area as well.  After looking up info about them and reading customer blog entries, I decided to try a local organic grocery delivery service.  They have a local box that’s very similar to CSA boxes, but I wouldn’t have to worry about pickup times and locations, ordering a minimum number of boxes, having to get a box on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule, or having to pay for the season up front.  The grocery service gets produce from local farms, puts together a weekly box, and delivers it.  Everything in the box is locally grown.  The cost is similar to local CSA boxes and there is no added delivery cost.  What I like best is that I can decide when I want a box.  It doesn’t have to be every week or every two weeks.  That way, I can try it out and see if I like it.

Another good thing is that I can add honey, bacon, dairy, and other local products to my box, saving me from trips to the farmers’ market or an organic store (for one item).

I’ve noticed that I get the same veggies every time I go to the store (carrots, potatoes, onions, romaine).  It would be nice to try some new things (and thus new recipes).  The local box comes with recipes, the company website has a blog and links to customer blogs with more recipes, and my local library has several books for cooking seasonally or from farmers’ markets/CSA’s.

What are another couple of reasons why I am going to try the grocery delivery service?  I drive by the farmers’ market every week, but I’m usually tired after work (or it’s 104 degrees).  Then, you have to navigate the stands to find your products.  I also have several organic grocery stores in my area, but having to park, go in, get produce, etc. takes time and I prefer to make one grocery stop a week, if possible.

I talked to my husband and he’s okay with us trying the grocery service out.  He also thinks the prices are reasonable.  I’m excited and can’t wait to give it a try!  Leave a comment with info if you get a CSA, organic grocery delivery, shop at organic stores, or go to farmers’ markets.

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