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Original poster

Organic food boxes - info required....

30 replies

Raggydoll · 12/05/2006 15:07

I hear so much about organic food boxes on this site I want to try one for myself. I'm interested in any recommendations, or feedback ... thankyou.

OP posts:
Original poster
Raggydoll · 12/05/2006 15:23

please help - have googled and there's millions Grin

OP posts:
Marina · 12/05/2006 15:31

Aw raggydoll, I don't use a separate box scheme myself because we get all our groceries online, but I know several Mumsnetters are very happy with Abel and Cole...

Original poster
Raggydoll · 12/05/2006 15:32

thanks marina - will check it out

OP posts:
nickiey · 12/05/2006 15:34

I use country store (formerly fair organics) as they operate out of the local farm \link{http://www.theorganiccountrystore.co.uk/\here}

Marina · 12/05/2006 15:35

Some of their delivery men are rather easy on the eye according to Motherinferior Wink
Think of a jolly Aussie gap year student in surfer shorts bounding up your path with a lovely box of kohlrabi and curly kale Grin

Wisp · 12/05/2006 15:41

I love Riverford..not a bad word to say about them. Comes with a note every week with what they are doing on the farm- makes you really enjoy the food!
HTH

hewlettsdaughter · 12/05/2006 15:45

HAd Abel & Cole for a while and am now trying Riverford - both good!

arfy · 12/05/2006 15:47

I have Riverford too
I sometimes wish I could choose NOT to have lettuce, but other than that I really like the newsletter/recipes that come every week, it's really cheap, and the veggies and fruit are yummy

I have a nice woman though, not a nice young maaaan. Next door gets Abel & Cole and a rather comely chap delivers her stuff - maybe it really is an A&C policy!

arfy · 12/05/2006 15:48

oh the reason I chose Riverford is because I heard the founder of it on the radio and really liked the cut of his jib

Piffle · 12/05/2006 15:49

where are you based roughly raggydoll?

lahdeedah · 12/05/2006 15:49

Abel & Cole are good

One advantage to using them over Riverford et al is that you can specify things you don't want - very useful when you can't bear another week of trying to find something interesting to do with a cabbage.

breadandroses · 12/05/2006 15:51

Abel and Cole? I like them cos you can subsitute stuff you don't like, and miss weeks if you accumlulate too much cabbage... (goes off to check bottom of the fridge)

nickiey · 12/05/2006 15:52

I can specify too with my boxes, So each week they know not to put kiwi in as I cant stand it, but they give me mango instead, yummy!
I just phone up and tell them from week to week if i need to other things like kiwi they keep on file and know not to put them in.

lahdeedah · 12/05/2006 15:53

breadandroses we obviously have similar cabbage issues Grin

Original poster
Raggydoll · 12/05/2006 15:53

ok now i REALLY want to go organic marina...!

i'm in the midlands by the way - anyone used farm fresh organics - they are a west midlands supplier?

OP posts:
breadandroses · 12/05/2006 15:55

FWIW my delivery man is mid 40s, stocky, short, sarf London. I obviously don't have the right postcode.

breadandroses · 12/05/2006 15:57

Lahdeedah, mine is worse cos I specified no spuds or onions (cheap from market). So now they give me TYPES of cabbage. Oh lordy...

twocatsonthebed · 12/05/2006 16:02

my vote is for Riverford too for all the reasons that everyone else has given and also because the veg are way better quality than anything you get in the supermarket. And if they don't cover you, they have a sister co, rivernene.co.uk, who may.

And don't go for Farmaround, we had them for a while, and the veg were really manky sometimes.

Original poster
Raggydoll · 12/05/2006 16:11

neither of the riverford companys cover my area Sad. thanks twocats, good to know the ones i should avoid. abel and cole cover my area, i'm having a look on the website now...

OP posts:
Original poster
Raggydoll · 12/05/2006 16:17

ok - we are a family of 4 (one baby) so I've gone for the small family box. its 10.00 does that sound reasonable - i would expect quite alot for ten pounds from the grocers, although from a supermarket probably alot less. I'm really excited now (about veg Blush) its coming tuesday - now what else can i get delivered...

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surprise · 12/05/2006 20:57

I spent a while running my own box scheme, and I think £10 sounds reasonable. I found that it was very hard to keep prices low and make a decent profit, so in the end gave it up. I found Abel and Cole quite pricy, although reliable and very helpful when anything arrived slightly damaged etc. Try to go to a local firm if you can, to cut down on food miles. Also, start looking for recipes for a} Jerusalem artichokes b) fennel and c) celeriac. You'll always have more of these than you know what to do with!

ProfYaffle · 12/05/2006 21:17

I went to a local company in Norfolk called Greens Organic but it was dull, dull, dull, dull, dull. Veg never varied whatever the season, I never wish to see another beetroot as long as I live.

Needless to say I no long use them.

hewlettsdaughter · 12/05/2006 21:21

If you decide to get fruit as well as veg then hoope you like grapefruit!

Littlefish · 12/05/2006 21:29

I'm in the West Midlands and I use a company called Flights Orchard Organics. They are really good, veg is excellent. They've got a website if you want to google it.

Mimixx · 12/05/2006 21:40

I just get a delivery from Tesco. Used to have delivery from Able & Cole, but you don't really choose what you want and the portions are quite small (you'd get just a few potatoes for example, not enough for a week) so now I just have a shopping delivered by tesco and I get to choose which organic fruits/veg I want. The portions are much bigger than able & cole and the delivery starts at 3.99. Even including the delivery it is much cheaper than Able & cole.