Organic Veg Box

Anne_Marie_2

Curry_Queen wrote:

Well, I'm not sure what on earth I was thinking earlier this week (and can't honestly remember the phone call taking my order for this week) but I seem to have landed myself with a family sized organic veg/fruit box :eek:

Under normal circumstances it wouldn't matter so much as I'd have found ways to creatively use everything up and/or freeze some of it, but due to me not being well lately I'm barely cooking anything anyway and the freezer is already packed to the ginnels with perishable stuff I've shoved in there to save for later so it doesn't go off :rolleyes:

I even had a nightmare last night that I was drowning in a sea of veggies ... but that's what it feels like right now

Aaaw CQ, you wee soul. Perhaps they have just made a mistake. Any chance you can borrow space in a friend's freezer?
As it was my first order, decided to go for the small box, and said fortnightly rather than weekly, just to see how it went. Plenty of veg in small box for me, as DH and DD don't really eat veggies unless I disguise them, apart from in soup, and then it's okay to fling anything in. Will just have to top up with soft vegetables like tomatoes, mushrooms etc.

squeaky

louise wrote:

Can anyone recommend a company that delivers to crewe (is there any out there that deliver on a weekend?)

Hiya,

If you log on to www.bigbarn.co.uk and type in your post code or your town it will show a map (and below that a list with contact details) of a number of box schemes in your area. Then it'll just be a case of picking one that looks OK. Friends and neighbours might already be using one! It's surprising, once it comes up in conversation.

Curry_Queen

I don't think it's them that's made the mistake as I know I was pondering about trying the family box at some point just to see what the difference in variety was. I must say I'm impressed, both with the quantities and quality of what they've sent but there's enough to last me 2-3 weeks :doh:

I know from experience that organic stuff doesn't keep as well though so it will be a battle to use it all up before it goes off and I can't bear to throw anything out

They're a really good company though and you don't have to order every week ... they call you on a Monday to check your last order was ok and ask if you'd like anything this week, then deliver on the Friday, but they don't charge you until the following Tuesday after delivery!

I could actually have got away with waiting another week to have another delivery as I still have spuds and veg left from before :doh:

competitionscafe

You could freecycle any excess - I freecycled some of my spud surplus and 3 people were very happy to come to my flat and collect their free potatoes (better than going in the bin!) Or you could offer it to a neighbour?

Anne_Marie_2

Well CQ, only thing that I can thing of to save on waste is to give it away to family, friends, neighbours. If you have the energy and inclination, do one of your great veggie curries or something of that ilk, and donate that to any of your friends.
I did a charity thing a long time ago at work. Cooked curries - veggie and chicken ones, also did rice, put them in tinfoil dishes. Don't think I was allowed to sell the dishes, but for a charity donation which was a specified amount, anyone could have one. They went down a treat on late and night shift time. Only snag was my hubby was well miffed off that I was cooking curries for 2 days a week, and he wasn't getting any, unless he paid for it! I made quite a bit of money for the charity, but had to stop - was interfering with my home life.
Anyway, what am meaning here is if you make a curry for friends/family and they protest, you can ask for a donation for your favourite charity, and that shouldn't give offence to anyone.

Curry_Queen

Thanks to both of you for the suggestions, and ordinarily I wouldn't hesitate to give stuff away if I couldn't use it but I don't have any neighbours/friends here to do that with unfortunately. A few months ago I sent a HM cake home with one of DS's friends, as his dad is a single parent whom I know, but it didn't go down well apparently so I've not bothered since

Community spirit isn't what it used to be and there's a noticable difference when you're a northerner living darn sarf!

competitionscafe

About 12 years ago when I was effectively homeless and had to stay in the YMCA in Crouch End, we only got about £7 a week from our benefit as the rest was automatically deducted to pay for the weeks meals. We got breakfast, lunch and dinner Mon to Friday but only breakfast on a weekend (or nothing if you slept in!) Anyway, there was a local woman who used to cook up a big curry (apparently she was from the Caribbean, so usually goat curry and rice) and bring it in every Sunday night to the YMCA as a donation - not enough for everyone there obviously (and some people living there were working, albeit low paid) - so it was first come first served, but I will never forget her gesture of kindness and generosity even if I never got to thank her in person (they just announced over the tannoy when there was 'free curry' in reception, by the time you got downstairs she had always gone, although if you were lucky the curry hadn't!)

Anne_Marie_2

competitionscafe wrote:

About 12 years ago when I was effectively homeless and had to stay in the YMCA in Crouch End, we only got about £7 a week from our benefit as the rest was automatically deducted to pay for the weeks meals. We got breakfast, lunch and dinner Mon to Friday but only breakfast on a weekend (or nothing if you slept in!) Anyway, there was a local woman who used to cook up a big curry (apparently she was from the Caribbean, so usually goat curry and rice) and bring it in every Sunday night to the YMCA as a donation - not enough for everyone there obviously (and some people living there were working, albeit low paid) - so it was first come first served, but I will never forget her gesture of kindness and generosity even if I never got to thank her in person (they just announced over the tannoy when there was 'free curry' in reception, by the time you got downstairs she had always gone, although if you were lucky the curry hadn't!)

Thanks for that reminder about charity, also fm CQ about difference living down in South.
One thing that I do know is that a lot of places, old peoples homes etc. will not take free food, due to regulations. Personally, I think this is a total nonsense. If I was wanting to poison anyone with food, can think of a few nasties who I have the displeasure of knowing rather than some innocent homeless or old person!
Sorry about my rant, but just reminded me that someone closer to home is having a rather bad time just now, so probably not eating properly. Will make soup today and drop off tomorrow after work.

Penny-Pincher!!

Hey

TBH I dont normally but organic fruit and veg but got some yesterday heavily reduced in Asda. Brocolli and Cauli mix reduced to 20p, bag of carrots to 25p and sprouts to 10p-will report back later on the taste and quality I normally spend around £5 a week on fresh fruit/veg and do get alot for my money (well I feel anyway) Normally get:

Potatoes
Carrots
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Broccolli
Parsnips (2 for sunday roast)
Swede
Apples
Bananas
Oranges
Sprouts (a few for sunday roast)

How would this compare to an Organic Box-price wise? I understand the quality would be much better etc. We eat veg with every meal, unless its something and chips IYKWIM.

Thanks
PP
xx

Anne_Marie_2

Penny-Pincher!! wrote:

Hey

TBH I dont normally but organic fruit and veg but got some yesterday heavily reduced in Asda. Brocolli and Cauli mix reduced to 20p, bag of carrots to 25p and sprouts to 10p-will report back later on the taste and quality I normally spend around £5 a week on fresh fruit/veg and do get alot for my money (well I feel anyway) Normally get:

Potatoes
Carrots
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Broccolli
Parsnips (2 for sunday roast)
Swede
Apples
Bananas
Oranges
Sprouts (a few for sunday roast)

How would this compare to an Organic Box-price wise? I understand the quality would be much better etc. We eat veg with every meal, unless its something and chips IYKWIM.

Thanks
PP
xx

Others may say differently, but personally find that organic veg is more expensive, unless you can get it reduced - I just choose to buy organic, personal choice thing. What I really should do is grow my own, as have enough space, but am a lazy so and so, and gardening is really not my thing, unless its in a tub. See my earlier post on this thread for contents of my box - cost £12.50 in total, £10 for veg, £2.50 for fruit.