As we all know, fall in New England means local apples a’plenty! Local, organic apples come in all sizes and colors, and they don’t always look like the picture perfect apples you see in the store all year. Though they may look a little different, there’s lots to love about local apples!

Here are some good things to know about the differences between local, organic apples and conventional apples. Thanks to our friends at Bird of the Hand Farm in Sterling, Massachusetts, for the great tips!

Local Organic Apples Are:

  • Very flavorful! You can’t beat the complex flavors of an apple that has been grown by your neighbor and picked this week.
  • Nutritious.
  • More varied: the many varieties have different flavors, textures, and colors!
  • Safer for children and adults to eat. Conventional apples contain the highest levels of pesticide residues.
  • Safer for farmers to grow, by exposing the farmer to milder and more gentle inputs.
  • Supportive of the local economy and the local farmer.
  • An aid to keeping groundwater unpolluted.
  • Individual, with each fruit colored and shaped according to what happened in nature.

Local Organic Apples Are Not:

  • As picture perfect as a supermarket organic apple.
  • Flawless on their exteriors. Apples may have superficial blemishes on the skin which can be scrubbed off but are also harmless if eaten.
  • Always red. Apples may have a light coating of clay material that is used as a pesticide in organic growing. This naturally occurring substance can be polished or washed off.
  • Washed before delivery, as this would speed up the over-ripening and decay of the apple.

The next time you see a quirky local apple, don’t be so quick to judge it by its peel. Sometimes the weirdest looking fruits have the sweetest flavor.

To get your share of local apples and other seasonal organic fruits, check out our Seasonal Produce Add-Ons!

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.

This week’s Dogma Box has the delicious flavors of watermelon radishes, cranberries, acorn squash, basil, and local apples! It’s wonderful to see this variety of seasonal produce so close to Boston.

This week’s Dogma Box contains:

  • Lettuce – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Carrots – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Collard Greens – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Potatoes – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Bell Peppers – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Basil – Happy Valley Organics (Hadley, MA)
  • Cranberries – Jonathan’s Organics (Rochester, MA)
  • Watermelon Radish – Deep Root Organic Coop (Johnson, VT)
  • Acorn Squash – Deep Root Organic Coop (Johnson, VT)
  • Empire Apples – Dwight Miller Orchards (East Dummerston, VT)

As we make our way through fall, check back to see the changes in our weekly lineup of seasonal produce!

It’s a spooky week of tricks and treats!! We now have acorn and butternut squash, cranberries, and pie pumpkin add-ons available for the next several weeks! After buying out Hutchins Farm’s apple crops, we’re switching our 3 lb bags of local apples to Red Delicious apples from Bird of the Hand Farm in Sterling. Check out the newsletter!

Thanksgiving will be here before we know it! We’ve been busy over here working out the details for deliveries during Thanksgiving week.

We won’t be delivering on Thursday 11/28 or Friday 11/29, so we’re compressing our deliveries into the first half of the week.

Check out the delivery schedule below for the week of 11/25!

Monday, November 25

02108  Boston (Beacon Hill)
02109  Boston (Downtown/Financial)
02110  Boston (Downtown/Financial)
02111  Boston (Chinatown/Leather)
02113  Boston (North End)
02114  Boston (Beacon Hill)
02115  Boston (Back Bay/Fenway/Mission Hill)
02116  Boston (Back Bay/South End)
02118  Boston (South End)
02119  Boston (Roxbury)
02120  Boston (Mission Hill/JP/Roxbury)
02121  Boston (Dorchester)
02122  Boston (Dorchester)
02124  Boston (Dorchester)
02125  Boston (Dorchester)
02126  Boston (Mattapan)
02127  Boston (South Boston)
02130  Boston (Jamaica Plain)
02199  Boston (Copley)
02210  Boston (Fort Point)
02215  Boston (Back Bay/Fenway)

*Plus regular Monday office deliveries*

•

Tuesday, November 26

01890  Winchester
01950  Newburyport
02128  East Boston
02138  Cambridge (Harvard Sq/Fresh Pond)
02139  Cambridge (Inman Sq)
02140  Cambridge (Porter Sq)
02141  Cambridge (Inman Sq)
02142  Cambridge
02143  Somerville
02144  Somerville (Davis Sq/Porter Sq)
02145  Somerville
02148  Malden
02149  Everett
02150  Chelsea
02152  Winthrop
02155  Medford
02156  Medford
02176  Melrose
02474  Arlington
02476  Arlington

•

Wednesday, November 27

02129  Charlestown
02131  Boston (Roslindale)
02132  Boston (West Roxbury)
02134  Allston
02135  Brighton
02146  Brookline
02163  Boston (Allston)
02445  Brookline (Chestnut Hill)
02446  Brookline (Coolidge Corner)
02451  Waltham
02452  Waltham
02453  Waltham
02458  Newton (Newton Corner)
02459  Newton (Newton Center)
02460  Newton (Newtonville)
02461  Newton (Newton Highlands)
02462  Newton (Lower Falls)
02464  Newton (Upper Falls)
02465  Newton (West Newton)
02466  Newton (Auburndale)
02467  Newton (Chestnut Hill)
02468  Newton (Waban)
02472  Watertown
02478  Belmont
02481  Wellesley
02482  Wellesley

•

Going out of town, or having guests in? Don’t think you can use your Boston Organics delivery? It’s easy to cancel your delivery for Thanksgiving week on our website!

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us up at 617-242-1700 or email us at [email protected]!

Thank you and Happy Holidays!

These days more and more consumers are looking for ways to avoid genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their food. There are currently two food labels that indicate the absence of GMOs for consumers: the USDA Organic label and the Non-GMO Project Verified seal.

As a local supporter of transparency in our food system, we think it’s great that consumers are able to make informed decisions about GMOs through both the Non-GMO Project and USDA Organic certification.

When you’re comparing products at the grocery store, you might be wondering – what’s the difference between these two labels, and what do they mean in terms of GMO avoidance? Here’s a general overview of the two labels and their verification processes.

 USDA Certified Organic Seal:

The National Organic Program is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Their organic certification is a process-based certification that requires farmers and producers to follow approved methods in order to achieve organic certification.

GMOs are prohibited from certified organic products, which means farmers are not allowed to grow produce from GMO seeds, their animals can’t eat GMO feed, and organic food producers can’t use GMO ingredients.

Certified organic farms and facilities follow a site-specific organic system plan and are inspected annually by third party organic inspectors to ensure compliance. In order to fulfill the USDA organic regulations, farmers and processors must prove that they aren’t using GMOs in any part of their production and are utilizing approved practices to protect their products or crops.

All USDA certified organic produce, grains, meats, and processed foods do not allow the use of GMOs.

What does the organic certification mean?

  • Processed foods with 95%-100% certified organic ingredients can be certified to use the USDA Organic Seal. The other 5% like salt and water cannot contain GMOs.
  • Prohibits use of chemical fertilizers, synthetic substances, irradiation, sewage sludge, or GMOs in organic production.
  • Prohibits antibiotic and synthetic hormone use in organic meat and poultry.
  • Requires 100% organic feed for organic livestock.
  • Verification is maintained through 3rd party inspectors’ annual site inspections, organic system plan review, and residue testing.*

*Residue testing is only done when inspectors are concerned that farms or businesses have used prohibited substances or methods. Tests can be random or risk-based, but are not mandatory.

The Non-GMO Project’s Non-GMO Seal:

The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization that independently offers GMO test verification and labeling for non-GMO products. Their verification is process-based, using traceability, segregation, and testing to ensure compliance with their standards.

Companies looking to receive the Non-GMO Project stamp must follow the project’s standards of best practices and have product testing conducted at various stages of production, anywhere from the field to the packaging facility.

Despite their inspection process, the project can’t legally claim products to be “GMO free” because the contamination risks to seeds, crops, and ingredients are too high. However, they’re the only organization offering independent verification of testing for GMO products in the US and Canada.

What does the Non-GMO Project’s Verification Process require?

  • Requires ongoing testing of all at-risk ingredients – any ingredient that is grown commercially in GMO form must be tested prior to use in a verified product.
  • They use an Action Threshold of 0.9%. This is in alignment with laws in the European Union, where any product containing more than 0.9% GMO must be labeled.
  • Absence of all GMOs is the target for all Non-GMO Project Standard compliant products. Continuous improvement towards achieving this goal must be part of the Participant’s quality management systems.
  • After the test, they require rigorous traceability and segregation practices to be followed in order to ensure ingredient integrity through to the finished product.
  • For low-risk ingredients, they conduct a review of ingredient specification sheets to determine absence of GMO risk.
  • Verification is maintained through an annual audit, along with onsite inspections for high-risk products.

 Key Differences Between the Labels:

What’s the Best Way to Avoid GMOs?

Both USDA organic certification and the Non-GMO Project seal are great methods for avoiding GMOs. Furthermore, both labels are helping to provide greater transparency for consumers about what’s in their food and how it’s being produced.

Beyond banning GMOs in fresh and processed organic foods, the USDA organic certification takes a holistic approach to the health of our food system and food producers. Organic products are produced without the use of synthetic chemicals, which are dangerous for farmers, consumers, our land, and our water systems. These extra steps help to promote a sustainable and safe food system.

The Non-GMO Project’s strict set of standards and guidelines, including multi-level testing, ensures that companies and producers are avoiding GMOs in all aspects of production. The Non-GMO Project also provides education to the public about the risks associated with GMOs, the importance of labeling, and tips about how to best avoid them.

 Go Organic for Unprocessed Foods

Unfortunately, the Non-GMO Project only verifies meats and processed foods commonly found in the center aisles of the grocery store. Due to the lack of verification for fresh produce, buying certified organic produce is the only way to avoid GMOs in your fresh foods.

Since the US government does not enforce the labeling of GMOs for all food producers, the Non-GMO Project is filling a much-needed void. Choosing any product that has been verified by The Non-GMO Project is a safe bet for avoiding GMOs, and it’s the only safeguard against GMOs when not buying organic.

Check out these resources for more information:

Learn more about why we only carry 100% certified organic produce!

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

This week’s Dogma Box has the delicious flavors of beets, cranberries, and dill! It’s wonderful to see this variety of seasonal produce so close to Boston.

This week’s Dogma Box contains:

  • Dill – Happy Valley Organics (Hadley, MA)
  • Bell Peppers – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Lettuce – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Potatoes – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Kale – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Dandelion Greens – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Beets – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Cranberries – Jonathan’s Organics (Rochester, MA)
  • Daikon Radishes – Deep Root Organic Coop (Johnson, VT)
  • Spencer Apples – Hutchins Farm (Concord, MA)
  • Rutabagas – Blue Ox Farm (Enfield, NH)

As we make our way through fall, check back to see the changes in our weekly lineup of seasonal produce!

October is packed with food events and celebrations. It’s Fair Trade Month and Non-GMO Month, and this Thursday is national Food Day! We’re celebrating the fall harvest this week with pumpkins, fresh Cape Cod cranberries, and root veggies. Check out the newsletter!

It’s Fair Trade Month!

October is Fair Trade Month! We’re celebrating by offering some new fair trade products and by visiting our friends at Equal Exchange in Bridgewater, MA. Equal Exchange lives and breathes fair trade through their company cooperative, purchasing strategy, and mission.  We’re proud to be a supporter of their great work!

What is Fair Trade?

Fair Trade is a set of business practices adapted by the producers and buyers of agricultural commodities, or simply, the process of giving a fair exchange for the product you are receiving.

More specifically, fair trade tries to achieve these goals:

  • Raising and stabilizing the incomes of small-scale farmers, farm workers, and artisans
  • More equitably distributing the economic gains, opportunities and risks associated with the production and sale of these goods
  • Increasing the organizational and commercial capacities of producer groups
  • Supporting democratically owned and controlled producer organizations
  • Promoting labor rights and the right of workers to organize
  • Promoting safe and sustainable farming methods and working conditions
  • Connecting consumers and producers
  • Increasing consumer awareness and engagement with issues affecting producers

About Equal Exchange:

Equal Exchange was founded in 1986 to support small farmers by connecting consumers and producers through information, education, and exchange of products in marketplace.

Today, Equal Exchange is an organic fair trade coffee and chocolate importer and distributor that supports a network of small cooperative farms around the world. We had an opportunity to check out their facility and meet two members of the Peruvian cooperatives who produce the coffee and chocolate in the Equal Exchange products we carry!

Equal Exchange’s Agricultural Cooperatives:

We met with David Contreras, a representative of ACOPAGRO, and Hildebrando Cardenas of Oro Verde (Green Gold), two cooperatives from Peru. Both of these co-ops are certified organic and sell their products using fair trade standards.  The stories of how these co-ops came about are captivating and demonstrate why fair trade is so important.

The area of Peru where these two co-ops were formed had a very different landscape before their creation. David and Hildebrando described their communities as being overrun with cocaine growers, smugglers, and gangs. Their communities were impoverished, underdeveloped, and struggling. Each of these cooperatives have made large strides in turning their communities around.

ACOPAGRO:

In 1997, ACOPAGRO was established with the help of the United Nations to promote cacao (chocolate bean) cultivation and help local farmers come together as a collective. Since their creation, they’ve grown to 2,100 producers. Their vision is to improve cacao yields and productivity, diversify their crops, and improve quality of life for their workers.

David explained that ACOPAGRO’s farmers own their own land, produce their own crops, and deliver them to the cooperative’s facilities where the cacao is combined and made ready for sale. The co-op’s efforts have set the standard for cacao in their area, allowing them to demand a fair price. Their monetary successes have allowed them to set up savings accounts and put money towards education and health care for the farmers and their families.

Oro Verde:

The revival story at Hildebrando’s Oro Verde is similar. Oro Verde is made up of two groups of people who came together to successfully farm the land and make a living. The area where Oro Verde is located was poverty stricken, a major drug trafficking zone, and had severe deforestation, hunger, and poor nutrition problems.

Oro Verde was founded in 1999 with the goal to revitalize their landscape and community with a specific focus on improving the lives of their farmers. By creating a much needed path to local and global marketplaces, the co-op’s collective selling power has enabled them to use capital as a means to improve their living conditions.

Oro Verde now has 1,050 members and sells to major global markets like the U.S., Europe, and Canada. As they grow they continue to put focus on maintaining ancestral culture and building community by improving member housing, offering education, and improving farming techniques and productivity.

In addition to their community focus, Oro Verde has set a plan to plant 2 million trees by 2014 as a way to offset their operation’s carbon emissions and reduce their footprint to zero.  In an effort to build their natural resources, they’ve taught farmers about composting and using naturally derived fertilizers as a way to feed their cacao and coffee trees.

Boston Organics and Peruvian Cacao Growers

Why is Fair Trade Important?

These two stories are examples of how fair trade can help small farmers and co-ops thrive. Fair trade creates a standard for purchasing and producing, allowing small farmers to reach global markets as a means to improve their livelihoods and local communities.

Equal Exchange is a leader in the fair trade industry; their support of small farmers and co-ops around the world is monumental. Through their focus on fair trade, they’re helping to build a healthy food system and a healthy global work force.

Here are some of Equal Exchange’s fair trade practices:

  • Provides pre-harvest financial support up to 50% of the purchase
  • Offers an international marketplace for farmers’ products to be sold
  • Purchases crops at a premium and sells them in the local organic markets
  • Sets up direct supply channels with farms to cut out middlemen and increase direct revenues to the co-op
  • Sets a high standard for fair trade practices
  • Only works with co-ops to promote the benefits of collective farming (health care, selling power, community improvements)

We’re honored to work with Equal Exchange to get quality fair trade products to your doorsteps!

How Can You Get Involved In Fair Trade Month?

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

This week’s Dogma Box has the delicious flavors of delicata squash, sweet orange peppers, and basil! It’s wonderful to see this variety of seasonal produce so close to Boston.

This week’s Dogma Box contains:

  • Basil – Happy Valley Organics (Hadley, MA)
  • Orange Bell Peppers – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Tomatoes – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Lettuce – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Sweet Potatoes – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Kale – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Carrots – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Onions- Porter Farms (Elba, NY) or Bok Choy – Atlas Farm (S. Deerfield, MA)
  • Delicata Squash – Deep Root Organic Coop (Johnson, VT)
  • Sister of Fortune Apples – Hutchins Farm (Concord, MA)

As we make our way through fall, check back to see the changes in our weekly lineup of seasonal produce!

This week we’re celebrating fall in all its splendor. Tons of local fall crops are coming in, and we have 3 lb bags of organic Sister of Fortune apples from Hutchins Farm of Concord! Check out the newsletter!