Groceries!
Its Tuesday Night and I’m reminded that I only have a few mores hours to get my grocery shopping done! I really should set a calendar reminder - in fact, I’m doing it right now - Tuesday 9 pm get groceries before midnight! Luckily I don’t have to leave my house! I support local farmers and food production businesses by grocery shopping each week on South Sound Fresh! I get quality food from farms in my area, delivered right to my door. These days, gas is expensive and time is limited, so I’m extremely happy that even in my rural area, the SSF team will bring me my box of love right to my driveway. I love how I can pick each item I want based on availability of the small producers, as I grow my own garden and don’t always need 10 bundles of kale all at once as might happen in a CSA box picked for me. (PS, our Kale plants have been popping OFF this past week - time to get on making some kale chips! Got a favorite recipe?) If I didn’t have reliable garden access, I would definitely sign up for the CSA box which chooses a variety of beautiful produce and products at a great price, without the need of weekly reminders to put in my order.
This week I’m ordering French breakfast radishes and Hakurei salad turnips from Harp Acres, yogurt and farmhouse cheddar from Tunawerth Creamery, rebel island granola mix from Blue Heron Bakery, and a delicious sounding baba ganoush from Yola that Shaina and I are going to enjoy with crackers in the cupboard that need to be eaten! We might try to make our own version of the zatar flatbread listed - thanks for the inspiration, Yola! We’ve been really loving Tunawerth products and have made them our main source of dairy these past few months. We even purchased some fresh cream, put on some dance music, and did some shaking until we had a DELICIOUS butter! Shaina thought just buying their butter is more efficient, but did she count the workout from the dance party as an added benefit and one fewer trip to the gym? II’m looking forward to snacking on turnips in memory of my Grandpa, who passed away almost a year ago now - turnips were his favorite afternoon snack, at least in my kid memory. Loving how I can do a quick read up of Harp Acres through SSF’s “Meet the Producers” page and confirm that their growing methods align (and exceed) my desired standards! At Harp Acres, “we believe in growing healthy clean food for our family and local community, by using low-impact techniques that build soil health and have a positive impact on the community. We use no GMO products, no petroleum or synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.”
I feel easily overwhelmed when trying to be an ethical consumer at grocery stores these days. Most products I could desire are available year round, with stores offering an increasing number of options for products, all which contribute to their growing sizes, but none of which usually showcase local producers. Even when I try to narrow down by organic or fairtrade, I have to do calculations on price and feel sometimes swindled by these producers that I have no connection with. I enjoy the simplicity of a limited amount of items to choose from on SSF, all local producers who I can look into their farming practices with a few clicks, and my bank account appreciates that I didn’t also pick up 20 additional off-list items I didn’t know I needed while at the big box grocery. The money I spend stays in the area and supports my neighbors, allowing myself and others to continue to have local fresh produce nearby, regardless of the success of my own garden.
How many South Sound Fresh similar online marketplaces showcasing local producers and their goods exist out in America? I’m in awe of Tracy and the rest of the SSF team in their ability to make this alternative food distribution system available to my community. It’s a well designed website that is simple to use, though I’m sure complicated behind the scenes. My goal is to become a producer listed on the SSF page, selling fresh and dehydrated mushrooms and special-tea products, so hopefully I’ll soon get a better understanding of how the behind-the-scenes magic works! It’s not easy competing with giant corporations and big farm pricing, but we need to remember the power of choice as consumers! I feel LUCKY to have access to this model of online shopping direct from farms is easy, enjoyable, educational and DELICIOUS.
Your local farm fangirl,
T