Standard Boxes vs. Build Your Own... by Andrea Evelsizer
I've been getting a few questions about why the products differ sometimes between what's in the standard boxes and what's available on the storefront for Build Your Own Box (BYO) and A-La-Carte customers. (Note: Full and Lite Bounty customers receive what we call the "standard" box with weekly seasonal contents based on our winter production planning.)
Of course we would like to be able to offer everything to everyone all the time. That would be ideal...but unfortunately availability depends a lot on pre-planning and of course weather, pests and other on-farm commitments.
Let's use strawberries as an example. We know that strawberries are a favorite for many of our subscribers and we were looking forward to the day that strawberries appeared in the box. However, due to the cooler temperatures this spring, the season started slowly. Our producers (Furleigh Farms) have a U-pick farm and many of their regular customers were also waiting for those beauties to turn red and were pre-ordering/standing in early morning lines to get berries. So initially, we just didn't have enough to offer strawberries in the standard boxes as well as on the storefront.
In the winter (well before berries are harvested), we had planned with Furleighs to ensure that we could offer 2 quarts worth to all of our standard box customers. However, since the Build Your Own Box option is new this year we just didn't know what to expect from the BYO box customers. The BYO customers have been ordering more frequently that we expected (which is great) so we are learning that we may need to plan for greater inventory next year.
Because the standard box customer have pre-paid for standard boxes all season, they are getting the products that were in the production plan and the BYO are sometimes getting offered different things. In reality the we have been able to offer early tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, peas, kohlrabi and mint on the storefront before we could put them in the standard boxes because quantities were limited. Each week we pack 65-75 standard boxes which are all the same so we need to have 65-75 of each item to fill those boxes.
So it kind of goes both ways, sometimes the storefront has more variety but sometimes we don't have enough for both types of customers.
We appreciate your questions and suggestions related to how we can improve our planning and options for next year so feel free to reach out to me and I'll do my best to help!
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In This Week's Box
Beets
Chard
Cucumbers
Garlic Scapes
Kohlrabi
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Yellow Squash
Zucchini
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Alien or Kohlrabi????
Info from MercuryNews.com
Kohlrabi looks like a vegetable you’d see in “Star Wars” or on an alien planet. This odd-looking vegetable has an odd-sounding name, which is actually German for “cabbage turnip.” Kohlrabi has been popular in Europe for more than two centuries, but it’s catching on here very slowly. You can find kohlrabi in bot  h light green and purple varieties. Whatever the external color, kohlrabi has a creamy white flesh and a flavor similar to a slightly sweeter broccoli, with just a hint of radish.
Enjoy kohlrabi raw, sauteed, mashed or roasted. It’s loaded with fiber, vitamins B6 and C, and potassium — and very few calories. Just 36 per cup. Check out these 5 great recipes from www.theKitchen.com .
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GET INVOLVED
North Iowa Local Food Connection
is coordinating another great Field Day coming up on July 21 near Forest City.
For details about this and
other great events visit
www.healthyharvestni.com
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Preservation Tip of the Week
Garlic scapes freeze well, can be truned into pesto and can be dried into "garlic powder".
Check out these great tips from www.growagoodlife.com
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Sauteed Beet Greens
Olive oil, to coat pan
2 bunches beet greens, washed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Andrea's Notes:
Use garlic scapes since you have them and bacon drippings!!!
For Directions go to FoodNetwork.com
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Baked Squash & Zucchini Spears
2 zucchinis, quartered lengthwise
2 yellow squash, quartered lengthwise
⅓ cup parmesan, grated
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp kosher salt (or sea salt)
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Andrea's Notes:
Adjust seasoning to taste!
For Directions go to ASweetPeaChef.com
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Coming Soon...
Broccoli, Candy Onions, Peppers, Beans
p.s. All past newsletters are available at www.northiowafresh.net
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