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27-01-2008, 10:28 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: My head's in a lush, isolated valley, but I can't seem to escape Reading!
Posts: 1,525
| | | Fruit 'n' veg boxes
I've just ordered by first fruit and veg box from a company which delivers locally produced, seasonal organic crops.
My two main incentives were, obviously, the environmental benefits of it being locally produced and organic and also for a health benefit as I hate food shopping so don't buy and eat as much fresh fruit and veg as I should.
I've ordered a one-off delivery as a trial but hopefully will make it a regular thing.
Does anyone else get these?
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27-01-2008, 11:13 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,578
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Not yet but it wont be long before I place an order, what company Claire, Riverford, able and Cole.........?
Tomorrow I will be ordering a basic meat box from Sheepdrove, quite pricey at 55 notes but well worth it me thinks.  Sheepdrove Organic Farm Shop Organic Meat Boxes
At least 3 roasts to be had plus a nice curry or stew with the lamb/mutton and sausages and bacon for a decent fry up! Proper job...........
Mince for spag bol or chilli. |
28-01-2008, 09:26 AM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: My head's in a lush, isolated valley, but I can't seem to escape Reading!
Posts: 1,525
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Hi Stewy,
Yep we've ordered ours from Riverford. Hopefully we're going to order a meat box too at some point but at the moment we've not got enough room in the freezer to store it.
I'm certainly looking forward to receiving it.
We've tried shopping online from supermarkets but the delivery tends to be the stuff they need to clear, close to sell-by date, etc. and there are a lot of substitutions for things out of stock, which always amazed me because I've never seen a supermarket that's run out of kelloggs cornflakes, for example! It's funny how the substitutions always seem to be their own brand too 
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All I can do is be me, whoever that is - Bob Dylan |
28-01-2008, 09:28 AM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Caversham, Reading, Berks.
Posts: 506
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Hi stewy,
Sounds like a great healthy diet, a good fry up.
agrumpycow, I've seen these boxes delivered, as stewy say's they seem more than a bit pricey, still if you've money to burn...... 
Max.
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28-01-2008, 10:11 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sheffield, FPRSY
Posts: 4,886
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
We've had an organic delivery for years - The Organic Pantry - Home - which is fairly local - I'm not too convinced of the value or ethics of the national delivery systems. Ours are not all that pricey, perhaps 10% on the supermarkets but worth it to know that you are getting most things locally grown - support the economy and the environment. Quote:
Originally Posted by m1.carson  Hi stewy,
grumpycow, I've seen these boxes delivered, as stewy say's they seem more than a bit pricey, still if you've money to burn......
Max. |
Last edited by Paul mabbott; 28-01-2008 at 10:12 AM.
Reason: clarification
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28-01-2008, 10:46 AM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: My head's in a lush, isolated valley, but I can't seem to escape Reading!
Posts: 1,525
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Quote:
Originally Posted by m1.carson agrumpycow, I've seen these boxes delivered, as stewy say's they seem more than a bit pricey, still if you've money to burn......
Max. | I wish I did have money to burn
To me, tho, I'd rather pay a bit more to get locally produced organic food that trek around a shop every few days buying produce that I'm not sure of it's origin. Still, time will tell if it's worth it!
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All I can do is be me, whoever that is - Bob Dylan |
28-01-2008, 11:55 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hidden in the clover
Posts: 1,454
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Quote:
Originally Posted by agrumpycow I wish I did have money to burn
To me, tho, I'd rather pay a bit more to get locally produced organic food that trek around a shop every few days buying produce that I'm not sure of it's origin. Still, time will tell if it's worth it! | We go to the farmers market every week, though they don't have much fruit there...
Doug |
28-01-2008, 02:08 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North Yorkshire ( Gods Country )
Posts: 841
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
As I am just a poor Yorkshire fellow, My wife has to be careful how she spends the weekly shopping budget.
Also when I have bought organic veg I have found it to be of very variable quality. I do try to buy locally grown veg and do buy a fair bit from a couple of mates who have allotments and always seem to have a surplus of something or other,,, At the moment its leeks,,, The organic meat packs referred to above are in my view just to expensive.
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28-01-2008, 02:45 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: My head's in a lush, isolated valley, but I can't seem to escape Reading!
Posts: 1,525
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Black Rabbit We go to the farmers market every week, though they don't have much fruit there...
Doug | That was another thought but work commitments mean I can't always get there 
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All I can do is be me, whoever that is - Bob Dylan |
28-01-2008, 02:57 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,578
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Quote:
Originally Posted by m1.carson Hi stewy,
Sounds like a great healthy diet, a good fry up.
agrumpycow, I've seen these boxes delivered, as stewy say's they seem more than a bit pricey, still if you've money to burn......
Max. | I've not got money to burn but I do have something that is going to do rather well on eBay though so I thought I would treat myself.
Not ordered it yet, will wait to the weekend, it says £55 per box but then it say's this."All weight in meat boxes are approximate but will be matched as closely as possible"
So I expect it will be a few quid more than the £55.
I've been to the farm once, it is absolutely brilliant.
I only have a fry up about once a month if that, I don't normally eat beakfast and if I do then it's just a bit of toast or a boiled egg and soldiers!
I take it you don't enjoy the odd fry up then Max? |
28-01-2008, 03:00 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,578
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Quote:
Originally Posted by agrumpycow That was another thought but work commitments mean I can't always get there | Do Reading have a farmers market Claire and is it any good? I should know as I live in Thatcham........ 
Winchester is the best one I have ever been too, they average around 90 stalls which is quite impressive. |
28-01-2008, 03:34 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: west wales
Posts: 703
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
I have friends that gets the able & coleman one, and the riverford they are happy with them. I am getting a local veg box though the guy had some problems during the dry spell in the spring then the torrential rain, which meant all the spinach bolted, but it's very good quality. Better than buying organic from a shop as it tends to be much fresher. And it gives him a living. |
28-01-2008, 03:37 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sheffield, FPRSY
Posts: 4,886
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Black Rabbit We go to the farmers market every week, though they don't have much fruit there...
Doug | Well, it's not the time of year for fruit - unless it's air-freighted in
Need to make do with what's in season (leeks and sprouts!)........ |
28-01-2008, 03:41 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sheffield, FPRSY
Posts: 4,886
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Quote:
Originally Posted by stripee I have friends that gets the able & coleman one, and the riverford they are happy with them. I am getting a local veg box though the guy had some problems during the dry spell in the spring then the torrential rain, which meant all the spinach bolted, but it's very good quality. Better than buying organic from a shop as it tends to be much fresher. And it gives him a living. |
I agree - there's very little waste from our box - a few cabbage leaves. And it hasn't been treated with preservatives. £7-8.50 a week supplies our veg needs with what we grow ourselves. We also get most of our dried/canned stuff from them which is a little more expensive than the shops but not worth worrying about (especially if you consider the transport that we would have to pay for going to a supermarket).
Ours also do meat, dairy and bread if we had wanted it. One thing that they don't do is beer and wine .....
Last edited by Paul mabbott; 28-01-2008 at 03:41 PM.
Reason: punctuation
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28-01-2008, 03:43 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: West Molesey, Surrey
Posts: 1,295
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
We used to get a box once a fortnight, I guess for the same reasons as most people: local, organic etc.
However, we stopped in the end because as everything in the box is obviously only available 'in season', we found they bulked out the box with things like cabages and more exotic stuiff like squashes, which can be a bit same-y after a while, particularly if you're not fond of them, and there was little variation.
Cheers,
Adam |
28-01-2008, 03:46 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: My head's in a lush, isolated valley, but I can't seem to escape Reading!
Posts: 1,525
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stewy Do Reading have a farmers market Claire and is it any good? I should know as I live in Thatcham........
Winchester is the best one I have ever been too, they average around 90 stalls which is quite impressive. | There are a few farmer's market in Berkshire, Newbury's probably your closest, detailed here: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire Food Group
I haven't been to the one in Reading for so long I can't really comment on it. I keep meaning to go to the one in Purley-on-Thames as it's just down the road but that annoying thing called work keeps getting in the way
I think they're definitely getting more popular, though.
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28-01-2008, 03:48 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,578
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
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28-01-2008, 03:51 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: west wales
Posts: 703
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
With the box I get, which is £6, has a variety of vegetables, and if you don't like something, you get something else. What one of us doesn't like the other usually likes. There is never anything left! But there is no organic fruit box that I can get here. Also I pick the box up from a shop where the man leaves all the boxes rather than him delivering them all around, it would take him too long |
28-01-2008, 03:52 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,578
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Quote:
Originally Posted by agrumpycow There are a few farmer's market in Berkshire, Newbury's probably your closest, detailed here: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire Food Group
I haven't been to the one in Reading for so long I can't really comment on it. I keep meaning to go to the one in Purley-on-Thames as it's just down the road but that annoying thing called work keeps getting in the way
I think they're definitely getting more popular, though. | I go to Newburys all the time but it is quite small, Andover's is not too bad.
As I say Wichester is brilliant, theres an excellent bread stall amongst other things, had a nice Buffalo burger there a few months back, very nice it was too......... |
28-01-2008, 04:21 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: My head's in a lush, isolated valley, but I can't seem to escape Reading!
Posts: 1,525
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stewy I go to Newburys all the time but it is quite small, Andover's is not too bad.
As I say Wichester is brilliant, theres an excellent bread stall amongst other things, had a nice Buffalo burger there a few months back, very nice it was too......... | I feel a trip to Winchester coming on
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All I can do is be me, whoever that is - Bob Dylan |
28-01-2008, 04:32 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hidden in the clover
Posts: 1,454
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul mabbott Well, it's not the time of year for fruit - unless it's air-freighted in
Need to make do with what's in season (leeks and sprouts!)........ | Don't think you understood me Paul.
I've been going to the Reading Farmers market for 2 years now, in fuit season and not.
Not much fruit there.
Stewy - the Reading farmers market is all over the Thames valley. And it IS good. Especially for all types of meat, and some great big dirty veg too.
Doug |
28-01-2008, 07:12 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sheffield, FPRSY
Posts: 4,886
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Yes, I misunderstood! Come to think of it, I seldom see any in our local markets - except apples in the autumn. Perhaps farmers don't go in for fruit growing - different species! Quote:
Originally Posted by The Black Rabbit Don't think you understood me Paul.
I've been going to the Reading Farmers market for 2 years now, in fuit season and not.
Not much fruit there.
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28-01-2008, 07:15 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sheffield, FPRSY
Posts: 4,886
| | | Re: Fruit 'n' veg boxes
Yes, I was only joking. 
Although that list is a bit iffy - I wouldn't expect to see passion fruit at a farmers market ever let alone at this time of year. I'm not convinced that we'd get rhubarb yet either. Quote:
Originally Posted by Stewy | |
28-01-2008, 07:47 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Em | | |
