Sandhills Farm to Table Co-op

No, we still don't have a Target, but the Sandhills is becoming more my kind of place all the time! If you live around here and you love fresh produce, check out the new Sandhills Farm to Table Cooperative.

Every year I eagerly await the opening of the farmers markets, so when I heard about this new venture I was curious. Basically, every week or every other week for 17 weeks, co-op members who subscribe will receive a box of fresh produce. You can choose the standard size (for two people), family size (four people), or sign up for a box buddy if you want to split the standard box with another co-op member.

From the website:

"Spring boxes will contain five to seven items of such delicious Sandhills produce as fresh Priest Farm asparagus, ripe strawberries, butterhead lettuce, sugar snap peas, heads of broccoli, spinach, greenhouse tomatoes, nutritious greens, radishes, Irish potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc.

"Summer boxes will have the usual complement of vine-ripened garden tomatoes, sweet corn, yellow squash, basil, green beans, herbs, cukes, zucchini, eggplant, okra, cherry tomatoes, etc. Fruits that follow spring strawberries include peaches, blackberries, melons, pears, plums and grapes. Thanks to Green Haven Farms, we'll have lettuce throughout much of the summer for cool salads."

YUM! Because of logistics, you can't hand-pick exactly what's in your box every week, but if there's something you know you won't eat, you can swap it out at pick-up. For example, one week I might trade someone my eggplant for extra squash.

I decided to sign up for the every-other-week package just to see how we like it the first year. I can always supplement with regular farmers market visits if we run short, as we surely will on the fruits.

There are other perks to being a member of the co-op, too -- cooking classes, canning classes, growing classes, potlucks -- at least some of which I hope to participate in. Plus, what a great way to support the community! If you're interested, don't procrastinate -- the deadline to sign up for a box subscription is Thursday, April 15.