March | 2014 | The Boston Organics Blog

We all know that April showers bring May flowers, but as you trudge through the last of the ‘wintery mix’ this week, remember that early spring rain is a good sign for a spectacular local produce season!

Read our newsletter to learn what our farmers are up to and see what’s fresh this week. You’ll also find recipes, tips for testing the ripeness of an Ataulfo mango, and the winning photo from our final Instagram contest.

Our Dogma Box includes organic fruits and vegetables sourced as close to Boston as possible throughout the year. Similar to a CSA or farm share, this box is filled with the best organic produce from local and regional farms each week.

The potatoes in this week’s Dogma Box come from Nature’s Circle Farm owned by Dick York and his daughter, Meg. Nature’s Circle started growing organic crops before most people knew about organic certification. Their potatoes come with a recipe for Roasted Potatoes with Basil, which works perfectly with the fresh basil also included in the Dogma Box this week!

This week’s Dogma Box contains:

The seasons are starting to change, and so are the contents of our Dogma Box. Check back every week to see what’s fresh, local and regional!

It may be hard to tell beneath several layers of scarves, jackets, and coats, but spring has officially arrived. Over the next few weeks, our farmers will be working earnestly in their fields while we patiently await their first harvests of the new season!

In the meantime, farmers like Doug Coldwell at Happy Valley Organics and Michael Docter at Winter Moon Farm continue to bring us their fresh and colorful winter bounty. Read this week’s newsletter to see what’s good in this week’s boxes and find the link to our latest blog post about the collapse and repair of our iconic cargo bike.

Our final Instagram contest runs this week with our
LIVE BOSTON ORGANICS photo contest.

How to Enter:

1) Follow us on Instagram: Our handle is pretty easy to remember – @BostonOrganics. In order to enter, you either have to make your account public or let us follow you back.

2) Post a photo: Show us what it means to be a Boston Organics customer. How does having easy access to fresh, healthy, organic fruits and vegetables affect your lifestyle. Use your Instagram skills to make it look good, and tag it with #MyBostonOrganics

3) Win: If our panel of produce experts select your photo, you’ll get your next box of fresh, organic produce for FREE!

Each photo entry will receive a score based on the following criteria. The photo with the highest score will be deemed The Winner.

1-10 points: Photo includes a variety of Boston Organics products or the green delivery bin.
1-10 points: Photo promotes the mission and values of Boston Organics.
1-10 points: Photo, caption, and hashtags display creativity and artistic use of Instagram.

When is the deadline?
The contest runs from Monday, March 24, 2014 at 9:00AM EST until Sunday, March 30, 2014 at 9:00PM EST.

What do I win?
The photographer that meets the contest requirements by the deadline and is selected as The Winner will receive a free organic produce delivery from Boston Organics. Add-ons not included.

What else?
The winner’s photo will be highlighted on the Boston Organics Facebook and Twitter pages. Boston Organics reserves the right to repost all contest entries.

Contest Requirements
To enter the contest, you must be following @BostonOrganics. In order for your photo to be judged either: (1) The “Photos Are Private” option on your Instagram account settings must be set to “OFF” or (2) You must allow @BostonOrganics to follow you back. You may enter as many photos as you like as long as each photo is different. The photo must be posted within the time frame of the contest. Photos posted before the opening of the contest will not be eligible to win. The photo with the highest score according to the posted criteria will be deemed the Winner.

Photos must be uploaded in accordance with the Instagram Terms of Use Policy. ANY ENTRY DEEMED INAPPROPRIATE OR UNSUITABLE, IN BOSTON ORGANICS’ SOLE DISCRETION, WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. Entries must not contain material that is inappropriate, indecent, contain profanity, nudity, sexual content, hateful content of any kind, content that promotes violence or harm to another living creature, or any other offensive content. Entries cannot contain any material that could reflect negatively on the name, reputation, or goodwill of Boston Organics. Entries must not violate or encourage the violation of any law, rule, or regulation.

Winner will be notified via their Instagram account and is responsible for contacting Boston Organics through the stated methods to redeem their free delivery. For questions, email [email protected].

The following contest has ended

Our March Instagram contest series continues this week with our
WHAT’S COOKIN’ photo contest.

How to Enter:

1) Follow us on Instagram: Our handle is pretty easy to remember – @BostonOrganics. In order to enter, you either have to make your account public or let us follow you back.

2) Post a photo: Show us how you cook with the items from your Boston Organics delivery. Use your Instagram skills to make it look good, and tag it with #MyBostonOrganics

3) Win: If our panel of produce experts select your photo, you’ll get your next box of fresh, organic produce for FREE!

Each photo entry will receive a score based on the following criteria. The photo with the highest score will be deemed The Winner.

1-10 points: Photo makes judges hungry. 1-10 points: Photo promotes the mission and values of Boston Organics.

(Bonus points for using a recipe found on the Boston Organics website.)

1-10 points: Photo, caption, and hashtags display creativity and artistic use of Instagram.

When is the deadline?
The contest runs from Monday, March 17, 2014 at 9:00AM EST until Sunday, March 23, 2014 at 9:00PM EST.

What else?
The winner’s photo will be highlighted on the Boston Organics Facebook and Twitter pages. Boston Organics reserves the right to repost all contest entries.

Contest Requirements
To enter the contest, you must be following @BostonOrganics. In order for your photo to be judged either: (1) The “Photos Are Private” option on your Instagram account settings must be set to “OFF” or (2) You must allow @BostonOrganics to follow you back. You may enter as many photos as you like as long as each photo is different. The photo with the highest score according to the posted criteria will be deemed the Winner.

Photos must be uploaded in accordance with the Instagram Terms of Use Policy. ANY ENTRY DEEMED INAPPROPRIATE OR UNSUITABLE, IN BOSTON ORGANICS’ SOLE DISCRETION, WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. Entries must not contain material that is inappropriate, indecent, contain profanity, nudity, sexual content, hateful content of any kind, content that promotes violence or harm to another living creature, or any other offensive content. Entries cannot contain any material that could reflect negatively on the name, reputation, or goodwill of Boston Organics. Entries must not violate or encourage the violation of any law, rule, or regulation.

Winner will be notified via their Instagram account and is responsible for contacting Boston Organics through the stated methods to redeem their free delivery. For questions, email [email protected].

Fresh is Best!

Our March Instagram contest series continues this week with our
FRESH IS BEST photo contest.

How to Enter:

1) Follow us on Instagram: Our handle is pretty easy to remember – @BostonOrganics. In order to enter, you either have to make your account public or let us follow you back.

2) Post a photo: Use your Boston Organics produce to show us why “Fresh is Best.” Use your Instagram skills to make it look good, and tag it with #MyBostonOrganics

3) Win: If our panel of produce experts select your photo, you’ll get your next box of fresh, organic produce for FREE!

Each photo entry will receive a score based on the following criteria. The photo with the highest score will be deemed The Winner.

1-10 points: Photo depicts the concept “Fresh is Best.” 1-10 points: Photo promotes the mission and values of Boston Organics.

1-10 points: Photo, caption, and hashtags display creativity and artistic use of Instagram.

When is the deadline?
The contest runs from Monday, March 10, 2014 at 8:00AM EST until Monday, March 17, 2014 at 8:00AM EST.

What else?
The winner’s photo will be highlighted on the Boston Organics Facebook and Twitter pages. Boston Organics reserves the right to repost all contest entries.

Contest Requirements
To enter the contest, you must be following @BostonOrganics. In order for your photo to be judged either: (1) The “Photos Are Private” option on your Instagram account settings must be set to “OFF” or (2) You must allow @BostonOrganics to follow you back. You may enter as many photos as you like as long as each photo is different. The photo with the highest score according to the posted criteria will be deemed the Winner.

Photos must be uploaded in accordance with the Instagram Terms of Use Policy. ANY ENTRY DEEMED INAPPROPRIATE OR UNSUITABLE, IN BOSTON ORGANICS’ SOLE DISCRETION, WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. Entries must not contain material that is inappropriate, indecent, contain profanity, nudity, sexual content, hateful content of any kind, content that promotes violence or harm to another living creature, or any other offensive content. Entries cannot contain any material that could reflect negatively on the name, reputation, or goodwill of Boston Organics. Entries must not violate or encourage the violation of any law, rule, or regulation.

Winner will be notified via their Instagram account and is responsible for contacting Boston Organics through the stated methods to redeem their free delivery. For questions, email [email protected].

We know that Boston Organics customers are ahead of the curve – you set the trends. We want to reward our earliest followers on Instagram, so we’re hosting a photo contest on Instagram every week in March! That means four chances to win a FREE box of produce!

This week, the rules are simple. “Share your box. Win a box.” Here’s how to enter:

1) Follow us on Instagram: Our handle is pretty easy to remember – @BostonOrganics

2) Post a photo: Show us what you got in your most recent Boston Organics delivery. Make it pretty, throw on a filter, add some Instamagic, and tag it with #MyBostonOrganics

3) Get liked: Share your photo with your friends, and encourage your followers to like your post. The post that meets the above requirements and has the most likes by the deadline wins!

When is the deadline?
The contest runs from Monday, March 3, 2014 at 8:00AM EST until Monday, March 10, 2014 at 8:00AM EST.

What do I win?
The photo that meets the contest requirements and has the most likes by the deadline wins a free organic produce delivery from Boston Organics. Add-ons not included.

What else?
The winner’s photo will be highlighted on the Boston Organics Facebook and Twitter pages. Boston Organics reserves the right to repost all contest entries.

Contest Requirements
To enter the contest, you must be following @BostonOrganics. In order for your photo to be judged either: (1) The “Photos Are Private” option on your Instagram account settings must be set to “OFF” or (2) You must allow @BostonOrganics to follow you back. You may enter as many photos as you like as long as each photo is different. The photo with the most likes on Instagram within the posted deadlines will be deemed the Winner.

Photos must be uploaded in accordance with the Instagram Terms of Use Policy. ANY ENTRY DEEMED INAPPROPRIATE OR UNSUITABLE, IN BOSTON ORGANICS’ SOLE DISCRETION, WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. Entries must not contain material that is inappropriate, indecent, contain profanity, nudity, sexual content, hateful content of any kind, content that promotes violence or harm to another living creature, or any other offensive content. Entries cannot contain any material that could reflect negatively on the name, reputation, or goodwill of Boston Organics. Entries must not violate or encourage the violation of any law, rule, or regulation.

Winner will be notified via their Instagram account and is responsible for contacting Boston Organics through the stated methods to redeem their free delivery.

We know how to patch a flat tire and how to change brake pads. We know how to put on a new chain, but what do you do when your cargo bike literally snaps in half?

The frame snapped in half

This year’s winter weather has been rough, but our dedicated cargo bike driver, Graham, has pedaled through wind, sleet, flurries, squalls, ice, and snow. Though the weather could not break his swashbuckling spirit, the elements slowly corroded through the cargo bike’s steel frame. Below, Graham retells the story of the cargo bike’s collapse.

“Wham! It just broke.”

Our cargo bike was custom-built for Boston Organics in 2009 and it has survived the likes of Irene, Sandy, and Nemo. A local pedicab expert and longtime Boston Organics customer has helped us with past repairs, but this job required a different set of skills and some heavy-duty tools.

Not sure what else to do, we brought the broken bike to our friends at Webster Auto Body in Somerville. Jerry Siegel and his brothers have been repairing our vans since we started delivering produce in 2002, but their experience with auto body repair and metalwork goes back much farther than that.

Webster Auto Body fixes it all

When Jerry’s great grandfather, Joseph Alexander Siegel, opened a blacksmith shop on Webster Street (Somerville) in 1902, the introduction of the Ford Model T was still six years away.

As cars replaced carriages, the Siegel family adapted. They learned the latest technologies and auto repair techniques while upholding their high standard for quality. Jerry said that he had never repaired a cargo bike before, but we trusted his skills and we knew he wouldn’t steer us wrong.

Look at that solid metalwork

After only a couple of hours in the shop, we went to check on our cargo bike and found it was as good as new! Webster Auto Body welded the frame back together and taught us how to avoid future corrosion.

Our cargo bike is now ready to ride and Graham is back on the road. You might see him making deliveries in Charlestown tomorrow!

Cars may not go the way of horse-drawn carriages any time soon, but we may have discovered a new niche for Webster Auto Body: cargo bike repair.

The English cucumbers in this week’s Dogma Box are long, skinny, and super crunchy. Nearly seedless, this thin-skinned variety of cucumber is known for its easy preparation and mild flavor. Grown in greenhouses heated with geothermal energy, these cukes are a real winter treat!

This week’s Dogma Box contains:

Though English cucumbers don’t hold up well when pickled, they make great additions to salads and can even be used in our Creamy Cucumber Soup! As the seasons change, so do the contents of our Dogma Box. Come back next Tuesday to see what’s fresh, organic, and local.

We have plenty of green to go around this week with chard, lettuce, cucumbers, kiwis, Bartlett pears, and zucchinis going out in a number of boxes. We even have a new variety of radish from Winter Moon Farm, the Green Meat Radish.

Keeping with the theme, this week’s recipes are all green too. Learn how to make our Very Green Lentil & Chard Soup and how to make pesto without any basil! Check out the newsletter to see what’s new and fresh at Boston Organics this week:

This week’s Dogma Box should come with a warning: “Caution, scent of fresh basil may be overwhelming.” Our Dogma Box customers are getting an early taste of spring with fragrant basil from Happy Valley Organics. Grown in solar-powered greenhouses in Whately, this is the freshest basil you can get – unless you grow it yourself!

This week’s Dogma Box contains:

The days are getting brighter, and so is our Dogma Box. Check back every week to see what’s fresh, and watch the seasons change!

When you open your box this week, you might think that you accidentally set your clocks to summer. But don’t worry, you didn’t “spring ahead” too far, you’re just looking at greenhouse-grown basil from Happy Valley Organics.

Learn how Doug at Happy Valley Organics grows basil year-round in Massachusetts, find a Dr. Seuss-inspired basil recipe, and see what’s happening with our March Instagram contest series when you read this week’s newsletter!

It’s not easy being green in the middle of winter, but this week’s Dogma Box has some fresh green sprouts and crisp green cucumbers! The sprouts come from Jonathan’s Organic in Rochester, MA while the Deep Root Organic Coop cucumbers are grown in greenhouses powered by geothermal energy.

Regional organic cucumbers grown with green energy in greenhouses…that’s a lot of green!