Hello Folks,
There’s a threshold we cross every year, not always in the same week or even month. It goes from chilly, brisk, or cosy to harshly, bone-bitingly cold. From cute scarf and an oat-milk latte (in a Locavore resuable cup) to two layers of thermals and a hot water bottle. Autumn is aesthetic, but winter is serious business.
We’ve got lots of hardy wintery veg for you this week. Swedes, cabbage, kohl rabi, leeks. It’s overwhelmingly Scottish, although at this time of year we now have very little from our own farm. We’ll miss the Locavore produce a lot, but will look forward to its return next year! In the meantime, warm yourself up with a stew, kale stamppot, or a cabbagey potatoey fry-up.
If you’d rather warm up by thinking of milder climates, then look to our fruit bags, bursting at the seams with Spanish oranges and persimmons, or else to our supplementary veg bags, which, with their chayote and avocados, almost demand you make tacos. I’d never heard of chayote until last week, but now I can’t wait to try it. If you’re as uninformed as me, I’d recommend this article which will get you thinking about this little green fellow’s incredibly varied potential. There are also courgettes, which I’d recommend using in this recipe (leave out the bacon and/or crème fraiche if you like, but I think the parmesan would need a replacement) for something as warming and satisfying as a good stew, but with flavours that will set your mind wandering.
Introducing Your Veg Box Team
Our final admin team member is Sam!
“
Hi
everyone! I’m Sam, one of our veg box coordinators. I have been in
this role since the end of August, which is when I moved over from St
Andrews, where I did my undergrad in geology and environmental
science. So there are lot of things to get used to! Although I’m
orignally from the west coast, I feel right at home.
I’m
really enjoying working for Locavore, as I am passionate about
sustainable farming and empowering locally grown produce.
It is very exciting to be part of a company that is undergoing so many positive changes to create a great service for its customers.
As far as a favorite vegetable, I must say I don’t think I can be pinned down. I love the thrill of trying something new. Give me the chance to cook and I will more than likely try out something completely new, just to challenge myself, and sometimes to the disappointment of those trying it…
It has been a pleasure getting to work on this team, and I look forward to Locavore’s continued success!”
Monthly Specials
This week, subscribers can look forward to their Pulse, Grain, and Pasta boxes! We offer this box in three sizes, at £10, £15, and £20. They’re packed full of useful neccessities and interesting new things to try. This week (look away if you want the surprise) they include brown lentils and basmati rice. I’ll be using those in a mujaddara– it’s a great mid-week winter warmer that’s far tastier than something so simple should be. They also include borlotti beans, Palestinan maftoul, and rice noodles, so there’s something for everyone. Let us know what you cook!
Next week it’s the treat boxes again, so let us know now if you’d like one to look forward to. We have sweet boxes and savoury boxes, so whichever is more of a treat for you can be waiting with your veg. What a way to brighten up a week!
The Good Food Fund
As the weather gets colder, the work of our Good Food Fund partners becomes more significant to people who are affected by homelessness. The Marie Trust in the city centre is an important resource offering a cafe as well as showers, laundry facilities and a variety of training opportunities for people who have barriers to accessing the labour market. Your donations enable us to support this project with a weekly donation of fruit.
As always, let us know if you’d like to add a weekly or monthly donation to the Good Food Fund to your subscription (or increase your current donation) so you can help support its work.
Check out storage guidance here for helpful tips and tricks on how to prolong the life of your fresh produce. If you’re wondering where your veg comes from, have a look at these maps. You can also join your fellow subscribers over in the Facebook group and check out our Veggiepedia!
In the veg boxes this week:
Subject to last minute changes
| Small veg box | Farm | Organic Certifier |
| Robinta Potatoes | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Carrots | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| January King Cabbage | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Leeks | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Claytonia | Locavore Left Field | Soil Association |
| Standard veg box | Farm | Organic Certifier |
| Robinta Potatoes | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Onions | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Carrots | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| January King Cabbage | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Kohl Rabi | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Swede | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Cauliflower | Pollybell Farms, Lincolnshire | Soil Association |
| Leeks | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Cavolo Nero | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Large veg box | Farm | Organic Certifier |
| Robinta Potatoes | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Onions | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Carrots | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| January King Cabbage | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Kohl Rabi | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Swede | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Cauliflower | Pollybell Farms | Soil Association |
| Leeks | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Kale (Westland Winter) | Left Field, Locavore | Soil Association |
| Salad Mix | Left Field, Locavore | Soil Association |
| Extra Large veg box | Farm | Organic Certifier |
| Robinta Potatoes | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Onions | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Carrots | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| January King Cabbage | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Kohl Rabi | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Swede | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Cauliflower | Pollybell Farm, Lincolnshire | Soil Association |
| Leeks | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Cavolo Nero | Chapel Farm | Soil Association |
| Tomatoes- Classic Vine | Tomato Stall, Isle of Wight | Soil Association |
| Claytonia | Locavore Left Field | Soil Association |
| Small fruit bag | Farm / Origin | Organic Certifier |
| Comice Pears | Mole End | In Conversion |
| Herefordshire Russet Apples | Carey Organics, Hereford | Soil Association |
| Navelina Oranges | Spain | Caae |
| Medium fruit bag | Farm / Origin | Organic Certifier |
| Comice Pears | Mole End | In Conversion |
| Herefordshire Russet Apples | Carey Organics, Hereford | Soil Association |
| Navelina Oranges | Spain | Caae |
| Large fruit bag | Farm / Origin | Organic Certifier |
| Comice Pears | Mole End | In Conversion |
| Herefordshire Russet Apples | Carey Organics, Hereford | Soil Association |
| Navelina Oranges | Spain | Caae |
| Blueberries | Spain | Caae |
| Extra large fruit bag | Farm / Origin | Organic Certifier |
| Comice Pears | Mole End | In Conversion |
| Herefordshire Russet Apples | Carey Organics, Hereford | Soil Association |
| Navelina Oranges | Spain | Caae |
| Blueberries | Spain | Caae |
| Persimmons | Spain | Caae |
| Small supplementary veg | Origin | Organic Certifier |
| Courgettes | Spain | Caae |
| Avocados | Spain | Caae |
| Standard supplementary veg | Origin | Organic Certifier |
| Chayote | France | Ecocert |
| Courgettes | Spain | Caae |
| Avocados | Spain | Caae |
| Mixed Herb Box | Strawberry Fields, Lincolnshire | Soil Association |
Enjoy!
The Locavore Team