August 20th, 2009
We’ll be at Boston GreenFest on Friday and Saturday, feel free to swing on by and say hello!
August 12th, 2009
We just heard from our friends at Save that Stuff about the impact of our recycling/composting efforts so far this year. Here are some fun facts!
From 1/1/2009 to 7/31/2009 we have saved: 162 adult trees 54 cubic yards of landfill space
44,831 kilowatts of electricity or 26 barrels of oil
And we’ve reduced our Carbon Footprint by 10.63 Metric Tons of Carbon Equivalent, which is equal to removing 8 Cars from the roadway each year.
August 10th, 2009
The first local heirloom tomatoes and Maine wild blueberries of the season are here! The heirloom tomatoes are from Atlas Farm in South Deerfield, MA; and the wild blueberries are from Burke Hill Farm in Cherryfield, ME.
August 10th, 2009
Over the weekend Jeff stopped in at Atlas Farm in South Deerfield, MA. Check it out!
August 3rd, 2009
In general, it looks like the bill is of most concern to small farms and small food processors that would have to follow more costly and stringent guidelines concerning traceability.
There does appear to be a chance that the bill would prevent certain certified organic farming methods that encourage/promote biological diversity.
The bill has passed through the house of representatives and now has to go through the Senate.
For more details, please visit the Organic Consumers Association website…
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18709.cfm
To brush up on the whole process of passing a Bill…
Video – School House Rock – I’m just a bill
Lyrics- School House Rock
Organizations like the Organic Consumers Association are busy coming up with next steps.
We’ll keep you posted.
July 31st, 2009
Michael Pollan’s most recent book In Defense of Food and article in the New York Times hit on a key but underlying theme about what Boston Organics is partially about; encouraging and supporting a lifestyle of eating and preparing simple ingredients. While living in San Francisco from 1995-2002, I underwent a lifestyle transformation. Part of that transformation included eating more healthy foods thanks to a home delivery service called Planet Organics. I had always considered myself a healthy person that exercised regularly and ate a balanced diet.
Receiving a mystery box of produce every week made me aware of how little I cooked and how little I knew about fruit and vegetables. It was sink or swim; would I be able to get through the box in time before the produce went bad or the next week’s delivery arrived? I stuck with it and without consciously realizing it I started to spend a little more time in the kitchen as well as feel better and more positive. As I started cooking more with basic ingredients, I found myself reading packaged food labels more and eating less processed foods. Don’t get me wrong, I still eat processed foods. I try to eat ones that have ingredients I recognize.
It’s funny, a few years ago while making a delivery, one customer commented that with Boston Organics, “you really have to roll up your sleeves and get dirty”. I had not really thought of the service in that way before, but it’s kind of true. For the most part, you have to be actively engaged to utilize this service. We’ll pick the order, determine most of the contents, and deliver it to you; but after that, it’s up to you to decide how you will eat it. Some level of preparation is required.
Although time is a huge factor in why we cook less, there are other less obvious reasons that Pollan describes. One thing that I have realized over and over is that it usually takes about the same amount of time to cook a meal as it does to order and receive take out. With three children, and a small business (my other child), I’ve been able to cook dinner almost every night for my family. It’s often as simple as adding sautéed vegetables to pasta, burritos or rice, or chopped tomatoes, lettuce and avocado to tacos. We’ll order take out occasionally, but more to give me a mental break; however deciding what to have for take-out can be draining too.
If you are new to Boston Organics, you may find yourself being challenged to get through all the food. I encourage you to stick with it. Obviously we will benefit from your continued business, but ultimately you may find it rewarding in ways you had not expected.
– Jeff (owner and founder of Boston Organics)
July 28th, 2009
We are proud owners of a new cargo-trike, and we’ll be using it to make deliveries that are close to our HQ. Our first day brought some challenges, but we’re off and pedaling! Rob went along to assist Cathy, and here are some pictures!
We’ll post more pictures soon and keep you in the loop on our bicycle deliveries!
July 27th, 2009
New Customer Promotion! Anyone who signs up between 7/27/09 and 8/7/09 and enters the promotional code 5PROMO will get $5 off of their first delivery!
July 27th, 2009
Gideon Porth
Owner @ Atlas Farm South Deerfield, MA
http://atlasfarm.com/
FAVORITE FRUIT OR VEGGIE?
Lettuce for growing, Cherries for eating
WHY FARMING?
My first farm job was in 1996. I was always very interested in the environment and once I started farming I felt it was the most intimate connection between people and the world around them. I also like driving tractors and getting dirty!
CHALLENGES THIS SEASON?
So far, rain seems like a persistent challenge this season.
July 10th, 2009
Rick and Laura Pedersen
Owners @ Pedersen Farms, Inc. Seneca Castle, NY
FAVORITE FRUIT OR VEGGIE?
Tomatoes
THE STORY:
We began our own farm in 1983, celebrating our 25th year last year. Laura grew up on a vegetable farm and Rick’s family had a hobby farm. He was always interested in growing things, so after Cornell, Rick worked on Laura’s family farm until the time was right for us to start on our own.
CHALLENGES THIS SEASON?
This year feels like the recession year for agriculture, kind of like 2008 was for the rest of the country. Prices for most of our products are flat or decreased from last year, yet our costs have stayed the same or gone up for most inputs with fuel being the only major exception.
Labor, year in and year out, is our biggest concern. We have a great crew now, but immigration reform is needed to be sure we can get and keep the workers we need.