LaPlata Area Food: March 2010

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

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

This Week's Food (3/19/10)

Orders are due by noon friday! Deliveries/pickups will be on sunday this week. Please plan accordingly!

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

* cilantro @ $2.50/bunch
* spinach @ $3/bag
* arugula @ $3/bag
* lettuce mix @ $3/bag
* mesclun mix @ $3/bag
* herbe stella @ $3/bag
* swiss chard @ $3/bunch
* mizuna @ $3/bunch (mild mustard green)
* vitamin green @ $3/bunch (tender green rich in vitamins with thick stalks similar to chard)
* kale @ $3/bunch - choose from the tender red russian, standard curly, or robust lacinato variety)
* carrots @ $3.60/lb
* sweet potatoes (large @ $2.25/lb or small @ $3/pt)

From It's Only Natural Farm (formerly listed as Fresh Start Farm):

* free range, organically fed medium eggs @ $2.50/dz
* hot italian and sweet italian sausage links @ $3.49/lb
* Preorder your meat for the year by visiting ION Farm's Online Store

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

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Local, Free Range Poultry

Do you want to buy local, free range, chemical and hormone free chicken, turkey, or duck to eat? Do you scramble at the last minute to find a yummy, natural turkey for your end of year Holidays? Look no more. Two local farms that I frequent can meet your needs. Remember that there are links to the farm web sites down the left side of the blog under "Farms We Support".

It's Only Natural Farm in Nanjemoy is currently taking orders for holiday turkeys, the first of two batches of chickens, and muscovy ducks. They do more than poultry though. They raise goats, hogs, and cattle for meat (sorry but the cattle is sold out for 2010 already). This year, all animals or sides/quarters of animals are SOLD BY PRE-ORDER ONLY. Now is the time to get those pre-orders in. Just visit ION's online store. Be sure to put my name in the "referral code" area when you register. Payment is not done online right now - only ordering (then you send a check in).

Can't wait months to get some fabulous chicken? Good Fortune Farm in Brandywine has whole fresh chickens available right now. They are $3/lb and typically weight 6-7 lbs. They will need picked up within days after butcher since the farmer has no freezer space to store them for you. Let me know how many you want and I can get them or you can contact the farmer yourself (please tell him I gave you the info).

Want to taste some of this local food? Come to our Vernal Equinox Party.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

This Week's Food (3/5/10)

Orders are due by noon friday!

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

* spinach @ $3/bag
* herbe stella @ $3/bag
* mache @ $3/bag (hardy european salad green. rosettes of smooth textured, flowery flavored tiny leaves. Makes a great salad with a creamy dressing - truly unique flavor for an unforgettable salad.)
* lettuce mix @ $3/bag
* mesclun mix @ $3/bag
* mustard/asian green "stir-fry" mix @ $3/bag (tender mix of mizuna, tatsoi and other greens for quick sautee or soup or raw.)
* swiss chard @ $3/bunch
* mizuna @ $3/bunch (mild mustard green)
* vitamin green @ $3/bunch (tender green rich in vitamins with thick stalks similar to chard)
* kale @ $3/bunch - choose from the tender red russian, standard curly, or robust lacinato variety)
* carrots @ $3.60/lb
* sweet potatoes (large @ $2.25/lb or small @ $3/pt)

From It's Only Natural Farm (formerly listed as Fresh Start Farm):

* free range, organically fed medium eggs @ $2.50/dz
* Preorder your meat for the year by visiting ION Farm's Online Store

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

LaPlata Area Food

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