Maximising Freshness

One of the benefits of buying direct from a local farm is the freshness of the produce you receive. How many people can say the lettuce they just bought was harvested that morning?!

There are lots of high-tech ways that large-scale supply chains extend the shelf-life of their produce. We know that some of these have an impact on our health and nutrition. Unless you grow your own food, getting truly fresh produce can be surprisingly difficult.

Maximising freshness has always been important to us at the Green Connect Farm. Here are a few of the changes we’re rolling out to improve the quality of produce our customers receive:

Delivering all veg boxes on TUESDAYS (starting May 1^st 2022) This means that all customers will receive their veg box on the same day it is packed and that leafy greens like lettuce and silverbeet are harvested.
Lining cut items like pumpkin and cabbage with compostable waxed paper to keep them cleaner and fresher
Purchasing a new (to us) refrigerated van to keep produce cooler as it’s being delivered.
Changing our SMS notification system to alert customers when their boxes are scheduled for delivery and when they have been delivered so you can collect your items more quickly.

We have always sourced additional produce from other organic growers to supplement what we grow and give customers more variety in their veg boxes. We continue to work with our supplier to ensure these additional items match the quality of everything else in our boxes.

If you ever have questions or concerns about the quality of produce in your box, please get in touch with us at [email protected].

Enjoy!

Lindsay Burlton
Fair Food Coordinator

In your box this week:

Note: We sometimes need to make changes to what we pack in your veg box based on the quantity or quality of produce that we can harvest and source. If you have any questions about what is in your box, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

Did you know?

Eggplants are related to tomatoes, capsicums, and potatoes and are incredibly versatile vegetables! Like shapeshifters, they readily absorb flavours from sauces or other foods they are cooked with, and their spongy flesh changes texture based on how it is cooked. Try them baked, stir-fried, grilled, barbequed, deep-fried, braised, marinated, or pickled. It can be cooked into soups, curries, stews, or pastas, blended into dips, or cooked in a casserole.

Check out our new Eggplant Produce Page for more information on this awesome vegetable, including storage tips and recipe suggestions!