LaPlata Area Food: March 2009

Policies

1) A la carte orders must be received by the posted deadline. Late orders will probably not be honored. If you'd like us to confirm that we received your order, just ask.

2) Payment is due either upon ordering or upon delivery/pickup. Established customers can pay by check. New customers are asked to pay via paypal or in person cash the first two times. A paypal invoice will be sent if you wish to pay in that way.

3) As of 11/18/08, delivery charges are calculated as follows: $2 flat fee per delivery plus a $0.50/mile charge for the one way distance between us. So if you live 5 miles from me, your charge will be $2 + $2.50 = $4.50. If you live 2 miles from me, your charge is $2 + $1 = $3.

4) Your produce will be delivered in reusable bags/boxes each week on Monday; alternate delivery days may be selected based on what you order, where you live, and how full my refrigerator is! We need you to leave the containers from last week where we can retrieve them when we make our delivery. This includes any cloth bags. waxed boxes, plastic bags from veggies, glass jars, and egg cartons. When you forget to leave the containers for us, you will need to bring them to us before the next week's delivery. If we forget to pick up the bags, we will be responsible for retrieving them from you. Boxes/bags that are not returned withing 2 weeks will be assessed a replacement fee. Timely return of glass jars is especially important.

5) Cold and hot weather are not very friendly to fresh produce. If you can not be home to receive the delivery, please leave a cooler outside (and tell us where it is!) in which the produce can wait for your return.

6) If you encourage other families in your neighborhood to become LAF customers, your delivery charge will be reduced. We just need to know who to credit...

7) Since farming is not a precise, predictable science, sometimes items will either not be ready for harvest, will be beyond harvesting, or will have changed between bagged, bunched, and loose. Substitutions for one variety over another will also be made upon occasion. If substitutions are unacceptable, please notify us when your order is placed. If an ordered item is not available, your account will receive a credit towards your next order or you will simply not be charged.

How Does This Work?

Every week, we visit local farms, talk with the farmers, and purchase the freshest, yummiest food. We support farmers who nurture their soil, strive for sustainable farming practices, and don't use harmful or questionable products. Each week, you choose a la carte from the list of available food and pay for what you choose. We pack your share into reusable containers and you get your food. You, in turn, leave us the empty containers from last week's order and arrange payment. It's that simple!

To assist in your enjoyment of local produce, we will share storage information, preparation tips, recipes and ways to use new foods via this blog.

Sometimes, customers will have the option of adding eggs, honey, meat, cheese, mushrooms, bulk fruits, and other foods to their orders. Monthly, we order dry goods and food staples from Neshaminy Valley Natural Foods (based in Philidelphia, PA). These additional options are called Special Orders.

Is the food organic? Organic is such a key word these days. We go for local first, choosing farms that are as close as possible to the LaPlata area. Whenever there is an organic option, we will go with that. After that, we look for farmers who use IPM (integrated pest management), composting, and other sustainable practices. If you would like your food to be strictly organic, just let us know when you become a customer!

There are three membership options:
I) Weekly delivery to your home - cost $12/month + mileage charges
II) Weekly pickup at my home - cost $12/month
III) Special Orders Only - cost $5/order

Thursday, March 26, 2009

This Weeks' Food (3/28/09)

This week orders need to get to me by 6 pm friday. Egg orders need to be in thursday. Here's this week's food options:

From Next Step Produce ...
The following are all certified organic

* salad mix bag @ $3
* mesclun mix bag @ $3
* spinach bag @ $3
* baby arugula bag @ $3
* cress bag @ $3
* mache bunch @ $3
* herba stella bag @ $3 (salad green with slight tang, forked leaves)
* vitamin green bunch @ $3
* kale bag (siberian) @ $3
* sunchokes @ $4.50/lb or a pint @ $5
* pint of garnet sweet potatoes - small @ $3
* garnet sweet potatoes - large @ $2.20/lb

From Fresh Start Farm:
* free range, organically fed medium eggs @ $2.50/dz

Please remember that between nature and labor, sometimes not everything on the list is actually harvested according to plan.

On a side note, we go to weekly delivery very soon. Asparagus season is a few weeks away. New fresh food will be available soon as the season has changed.

Friday, March 13, 2009

This Weeks' Food (3/13/09)

This week orders need to get to me by noon saturday. Here's this week's food options:

From Next Step Produce ...
The following are all certified organic

* salad mix bag @ $3
* mesclun mix (baby lettuce & baby greens + baby arugula) bag @ $3
* spinach bag @ $3
* baby arugula bag @ $3
* cress bag @ $3
* mache bunch @ $3
* herba stella bag @ $3 (salad green with slight tang, forked leaves)
* vitamin green bunch @ $3
* kale bag (winter mix) @ $3
* sunchokes @ $4.50/lb or a pint @ $5
* pint of garnet sweet potatoes - small @ $3
* garnet sweet potatoes - large @ $2.20/lb
* satina potatoes -large (yellow with buttery texture) @ $2.50/lb
* satina potatoes - quart of small @ $5
* garlic (regular or elephant) @ $8.50/lb (approx $2/bulb)

Please remember that between nature and labor, sometimes not everything on the list is actually harvested according to plan.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Broiler Chickens Available!

Fresh Start Farm has cornish broiler chickens available soon. They are grown in Nanjemoy on their new farmland. The chickens live outside and eat lots of insects. They are not given any medications or pharmaceuticals. I do not know the final price per pound, but last time they were $2.50/lb. I know they will be more this time. There are several chickens available. You can get them whole, half, or in pieces. Let me know by friday if you want any!

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