All Summer long, I enjoyed visiting my local Farmer’s Markets and spending my $20 cash I would allow myself weekly on fresh fruits and vegetables, and whatever finds were there. I was always amazed at how much I could get, and loved finding new ways to use what I bought.
What I couldn’t use immediately for making my lunch at home, or dinner for my family, I would prepare and freeze in Ziploc bags for later use. But with the onset of Fall, the Farmer’s Markets won’t be in operation any more, except in one location, 20 miles north of my home. I’m sad to not be able to visit the Farmer’s Market with my re-usable bags and coffee, perusing the offerings from the local growers and businesses.
Last week a chance coupon arrived on my doorstep quite literally. We receive a long paperboard “dog ear” of coupons that are attached to the front doorknob of the house. I usually look at them in case something should catch my eye. As I went down the strip, there it was, Door To Door Organics. I read the $5 off coupon wondering what it was all about, and went to my computer to do more research. A Door to Door organic produce delivery service. Interesting!
Operating in Colorado, Kansas City, Michigan, and the Eastern region (Connecticut, down to Virginia), they support local growers, and businesses to provide low cost organic produce to help you eat healthier. So in my ongoing quest to eat healthier, I decided to try Door to Door Organics. I ordered the itty-bitty box of fruits and vegetables, for roughly $20 plus shipping (I figured doorstep service ought to be worth something), and started telling everyone how excited I was for my first delivery.
The website, www.doortodoororganics.com said I would be receiving an email confirming my delivery and telling me what would be in my itty-bitty box. Friday I received my email. It would include 3 pears (2 Starkrimson, and 1 Anjou), 3 apples (2 Fuji, and 1 Granny Smith) 2 oranges, 1 cucumber, 1green leaf lettuce, 1lb beets, 2 Russet potatoes, and 1lb yellow onions. I customized my order by making my three allowed substitutions of a persimmon, spinach, and lemons. Now to wait.
Friends I told looked at me like I was crazy. “Why organic?” “Why delivery?” “Why don’t you just get your fruits and vegetables at the grocery?”
I am killing several birds with one stone: I’m buying direct from the grower produce, that’s organic, so it’s not bathed in a “cocktail of chemicals,” and I’m not paying grocery store markups, or for their shipping from other states in the US, Mexico, Chili and other countries. I’m all for a Global economy, but I like the idea of helping people who are working hard right here. I’m excited to learn how to prepare and eat persimmons, and other things they will bring me.
It also is a week-to-week commitment, and if I don’t need produce one week, I can put my delivery on hold. I hope it will carry me through at least until April when I can start visiting the Farmer’s Markets again.
Christine Jeffries is a writer/editor for work and at heart, and lives in a home of testosterone with her husband and two sons. She started a women’s group, The Wo-Hoo! Society, in the interests of friendship, networking, and philanthropy. The group meets separately on a monthly basis in the Phoenix and Kansas City areas. Christine is interested in women’s health and promoting strong women.