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, January 13, 2011

This Week's Food (1/14/11)

This is the week to fill your pantry! Orders due by saturday at 11 am. Delivery is monday afternoon/evening.

From Next Step Produce:
The following are all certified organic

*** Order # of pieces you want - even if the charge is by the pound.

* lettuce mix @ $3/bag
* baby spinach @ $3/bag
* kale @ $3/bunch
* daikon radish @ $3/bunch
* small fingerling beauregard sweet potatoes @ $3/pint
* butternut squash @ $2/lb

*** Order these things by the pound or fraction thereof:

* med-large beauregard sweet potatoes @ $2.40/lb
* sunchokes @ $5/lb

From It's Only Natural Farm:
* free range, organically fed medium eggs @ $2.50/dz

From Locust Grove Farm:
* fresh goat milk @ $8/gallon, $4/half gallon, and $2/quart (perhaps, depends on whether farmer is still giving all the milk to the new kids)
* goat milk cheddar cheese @ $6/lb
* cow milk colby cheese @ $4/lb
* goat hot pepper and garlic cheese @ $6.75/lb
* goat blue cheese @ $8/lb

From the Swaruy Dairy:
* fresh cow milk @ $4/gallon, $2/half gallon, $1/quart
* butter @ $5/pound (perhaps, if the baby cows are ready to share their mama's milk)

From S&S Maple Camp in Western Maryland:
* Grade A or Grade B maple syrup @ Approx $40/gallon (we split shipping so price is approximate until I get final shipping quote)

Gallons may be split if you prefer a smaller quantity, you provide the glass jar for your portion. Maple syrup will be ordered on monday and so will not be ready for this delivery cycle. However, you will be paying for it with this order.

From Neshaminy Valley Natural Food Distributers:
There is a whole catalog of food and household items to order from. Delivery truck comes next wednesday. If you have anything requiring cold storage (freezer or refrigerator) you will need to pick up from me on wednesday. Otherwise, you order can stay here till convenient - but not for two weeks :-) To guarantee your NV order gets in before their deadline, I highly suggest you send this portion of your order to me by friday @ noon.

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

Thursday, December 30, 2010

This Week's Food (12/31/10)

The cold weather has decreased the types of greens available this particular week. Orders due by friday at 11 am. I am getting the veges on sunday this week, so delivery/pickup will be sunday morning.

From Next Step Produce:
The following are all certified organic

*** Order # of pieces you want - even if the charge is by the pound.

* lettuce mix @ $3/bag
* kale @ $3/bunch
* daikon radish @ $3/bunch
* small fingerling beauregard sweet potatoes @ $3/pint
* butternut squash @ $2/lb

*** Order these things by the pound or fraction thereof:

* med-large beauregard sweet potatoes @ $2.40/lb
* sunchokes @ $5/lb

From It's Only Natural 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.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

This Week's Food (12/17/10)

Orders due by 11 am friday. Delivery is on monday evening as usual. Next delivery date is Jan 3 (orders due New Year's Eve - Dec 31) and every two weeks thereafter.

From Locust Grove Farm:
*fresh goat milk @ $8/gallon, $4/half gallon, and $2/quart
*goat milk cheddar cheese @ $6/lb
*cow milk colby cheese @ $4/lb
*goat hot pepper and garlic cheese @ $6.75/lb
*goat blue cheese @ $8/lb

From the Swaruy Dairy:
*fresh cow milk @ $4/gallon, $2/half gallon, $1/quart

From Next Step Produce:
The following are all certified organic

*** Order # of pieces you want - even if the charge is by the pound.

* mesclun mix @ $3/bag
* baby spinach @ $3/bag
* arugula @ $3/bag
* dandelion greens @ $3/head
* rapini @ $3/bunch
* collards @ $3/bunch
* siberian kale @ $3/bunch
* red russian kale @ $3/bunch
* lacinato kale @ $3/bunch
* hakurei turnips @ $3/bunch
* daikon radish @ $3/bunch
* small fingerling beauregard sweet potatoes @ $3/pint
* butternut squash @ $2/lb

*** Order these things by the pound or fraction thereof:

* leeks @ $3.50/lb
* med-large beauregard sweet potatoes @ $2.40/lb
* sunchokes @ $5/lb

From It's Only Natural 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.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Upcoming Schedule, Chickens Available, and Local Holiday Dinners

Chickens:
If you are in need of a chicken or two for your freezer to last you till spring, check out the fabulously natural chickens available from my friend Dana at Moose Manor Farms. Harvest and pickup date is December 13. There are still chickens available.

Schedule:
So that you can adequately plan your food purchases, here is the schedule for the next few weeks:

December 13 - No delivery. I will be placing a vege order with Next Step Produce to be picked up on wednesday the 15th. If you want something I will add your order to mine, but you will need to pick up from my house in the evening.

December 27 - no delivery since Next Step is not headed to market the 26th.

January 3 - delivery (orders due New Year's Eve I presume)

thereafter, Next Step is harvesting veges every other week, so that will be my schedule as well.

Holiday Dinners:
I hope you all are preparing holiday dinners featuring the delicious local foods I have come to love. Your guests and hosts will revel in the fantastic taste of all this fresh food straight from the farm. I hope that I have encouraged you to add new food traditions to your holiday dinners!

Winter Solstice Celebration:
Please join my family as we celebrate the Winter Solstice with a Feast and Fire on tuesday December 21. We will be both inside and outside. Please bring something to share and a candle (either a large one that can sit on the counter or bring a candle holder please). More info to come later!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

This Week's Food (12/3/10)

Orders due by 11 am friday. Delivery is on monday evening as usual.

Enjoy a Cup of Bliss Coffee from Wooded Bliss
All coffee is fair trade, organic, and shade grown. Coffee is roasted per order.
Order 1/4 lb, 1/2 lb or a full pound. Prices are $2.50, $5.00 and $10.
Let us know whether you would like whole bean or ground.
Packaged in a reusable jar. Please return the jar.

From Locust Grove Farm:
*fresh goat milk @ $8/gallon, $4/half gallon, and $2/quart
*goat milk cheddar cheese @ $6/lb
*cow milk colby cheese @ $4/lb
*goat hot pepper and garlic cheese @ $6.75/lb
*goat blue cheese @ $8/lb

From the Swaruy Dairy:
*fresh cow milk @ $4/gallon, $2/half gallon, $1/quart

From Next Step Produce:
The following are all certified organic

*** Order # of pieces you want - even if the charge is by the pound.

* mesclun mix @ $3/bag
* baby spinach @ $3/bag
* arugula @ $3/bag
* dandelion greens @ $3/head
* rapini @ $3/bunch
* green wave @ $3/bunch
* collards @ $3/bunch
* siberian kale @ $3/bunch
* red russian kale @ $3/bunch
* lacinato kale @ $3/bunch
* hakurei turnips @ $3/bunch
* daikon radish @ $3/bunch
* small fingerling beauregard sweet potatoes @ $3/pint
* butternut squash @ $2/lb

*** Order these things by the pound or fraction thereof:

* leeks @ $3.50/lb
* med-large beauregard sweet potatoes @ $2.40/lb
* sunchokes @ $5/lb

From It's Only Natural 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.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

This Week's Food (11/26/10)

Orders due by 11 am friday. Delivery is on monday evening as usual.

Enjoy a Cup of Bliss Coffee from Wooded Bliss
All coffee is fair trade, organic, and shade grown. Coffee is roasted per order.
Order 1/4 lb, 1/2 lb or a full pound. Prices are $2.50, $5.00 and $10.
Let us know whether you would like whole bean or ground.
Packaged in a reusable jar. Please return the jar.

From Locust Grove Farm:
*fresh goat milk @ $8/gallon, $4/half gallon, and $2/quart
*goat milk cheddar cheese @ $6/lb
*cow milk colby cheese @ $4/lb
*goat hot pepper and garlic cheese @ $6.75/lb
*goat blue cheese @ $8/lb

From the Swaruy Dairy:
*fresh cow milk @ $4/gallon, $2/half gallon, $1/quart

From Next Step Produce:
The following are all certified organic

*** Order # of pieces you want - even if the charge is by the pound.

* lettuce mix @ $3/bag
* mesclun mix @ $3/bag
* baby spinach @ $3/bag
* arugula @ $3/bag
* dandelion greens @ $3/head
* green swiss chard @ $3/bunch
* rainbow swiss chard @ $3/bunch
* rapini @ $3/bunch
* green wave @ $3/bunch
* collards @ $3/bunch
* siberian kale @ $3/bunch
* red russian kale @ $3/bunch
* lacinato kale @ $3/bunch
* leeks @ $3.50/lb
* hakurei turnips @ $3/bunch
* cherry bell radishes @ $2.50/bunch
* shunkyo radish @ $2.50/bunch
* daikon radish @ $3/bunch
* small fingerling beauregard sweet potatoes @ $3/pint
* butternut squash @ $2/lb

*** Order these things by the pound or fraction thereof:

* med-large beauregard sweet potatoes @ $2.40/lb
* sunchokes @ $5/lb

From It's Only Natural 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.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

This Week's Food (11/12/10)

Orders due by 8 pm friday (yes in the evening). Delivery is on monday evening as usual. Summer veges are gone!

Enjoy a Cup of Bliss Coffee from Wooded Bliss
All coffee is fair trade, organic, and shade grown. Coffee is roasted per order.
Order 1/4 lb, 1/2 lb or a full pound. Prices are $2.50, $5.00 and $10.
Let us know whether you would like whole bean or ground.
Packaged in a reusable jar. Please return the jar.

From Locust Grove Farm:
*fresh goat milk @ $8/gallon, $4/half gallon, and $2/quart
*goat milk cheddar cheese @ $6/lb
*cow milk colby cheese @ $4/lb
*goat hot pepper and garlic cheese @ $6.75/lb
*goat blue cheese @ $8/lb

From the Swaruy Dairy:
*fresh cow milk @ $4/gallon, $2/half gallon, $1/quart

No butter or buttermilk for several months. One of the cows had her calf so she is nursing the little one.

From Next Step Produce:
The following are all certified organic

*** Order # of pieces you want - even if the charge is by the pound.

* romaine lettuce @ $3/head
* arugula @ $3/bag
* mesclun mix @ $3/bag
* dandelion greens @ $3/head
* boston lettuce @ $3/head
* green swiss chard @ $3/bunch
* rainbow swiss chard @ $3/bunch
* rapini @ $3/bunch
* green wave @ $3/bunch
* collards @ $3/bunch
* siberian kale @ $3/bunch
* red russian kale @ $3/bunch
* hakurei turnips @ $3/bunch
* cherry bell radishes @ $2.50/bunch
* shunkyo radish @ $2.50/bunch
* daikon radish @ $3/bunch
* small fingerling beauregard sweet potatoes @ $5/pint
* butternut squash @ $2/lb

*** Order these things by the pound or fraction thereof:

* med-large beauregard sweet potatoes @ $2.40/lb
* sunchokes @ $5/lb

From It's Only Natural Farm:
* free range, organically fed medium eggs @ $2.50/dz

From Westmoreland Berry Farm:

I am headed there this saturday to purchase from the market. Please check their web site and let me know if you want me to pick anything up for you.

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