A couple of years ago, I heard about a service called Boston Organics that delivers fresh produce to residences and businesses. I contacted them, but at the time they weren't delivering to my neighborhood. So I waited. Then last week I got an email saying that my ZIP code has just been added to their route! Yay!
This service is not a CSA but accomplishes many of the same goals—and with some added benefits. Here's how it works: First you choose to get a delivery every week or every other week—for now I chose every other week, and I'll see how that works. Then you choose what size box you want—I went with the $29 size. Then you choose what ratio of fruits and veggies you want—I opted for 2/3 fruit and 1/3 veg. I can already imagine changing things up in the summer! Then you get to tick off all the items you never want to receive. For instance, the only fruit that no one in this house will eat are pears and honeydew melon, so I put those on my "no" list, along with other things we don't like (or don't like enough), such as fennel, bell peppers, and cilantro. And, as soon as I peeked inside today's box, I added winter squash to that list—I don't mind it but would almost always prefer something else. Every week they post (approximately) what will be in the box, so you can adjust your order as needed.
Boston Organics tries to use as much local produce as possible, but there's not much available in the dead of winter around here, so they move outward from the Boston area until they find something. Specifically:
We buy locally grown produce as often as possible, taking quality, value, and variety into consideration. During the summer and fall, a lot of the produce comes from Vermont and Massachusetts. During the peak of the local growing season (late July - August) 50% of the vegetables that we offer are locally grown. Because of a fairly short growing season and difficult growing conditions, the organic market in New England is limited. As we are a year-round service a large portion of our produce comes from California, Florida, and Georgia. Tropical fruit comes primarily from organic farms in Central and South America.
Anyhow, today I received two different kinds of apples, some bananas, oranges, kiwis, and tangelos, a grapefruit, an acorn squash, a huge beet, some carrots, and a head of green leaf lettuce:
Pretty, ain't it? If you live in the Boston area, you can sign up too!
Just signed up!!!!
Posted by: Stephanie | January 07, 2011 at 09:06 AM
Been a happy subscriber here in Medford for years. Absolutely love the service. Now if we can only get the girls to eat more fruit!
Posted by: Jonathan | January 07, 2011 at 09:40 AM
Fennel? How could you turn down fennel?
Posted by: Elena | January 07, 2011 at 10:08 PM
Love Boston Organics. Great produce & even better customer service!
Posted by: Kim B | January 17, 2011 at 12:04 PM
This is really a good organic service,organic food is the way to go these days.
Posted by: cuisinart cookware | February 07, 2011 at 01:41 AM