Welcoming new customers in the face of uncertainty

Welcoming new customers in the face of uncertainty

When the first wave of COVID19 hit us in 2020, we saw a huge surge in the number of veg boxes we were delivering throughout the Illawarra. We were grateful to see so many new customers who were excited to be giving our veg boxes a go.

We worked extremely hard during that time. But the thing that sticks in my head the most was how proud our staff were to be working through the chaos and providing our community with safe, nutritious, and ethical produce every week. And for the first time in our eight-year history, our veg box numbers were at a level that gave us a sense of security that we could continue to operate, pay our staff fair wages, and keep developing in accordance with our mission.

But as the first wave receded and things went back to normal, so did our veg box numbers, which have gradually dropped over the last twelve months. We went back to sitting on a financial knife-edge. And then last week, we saw a surge in veg box numbers again.

We’re increasing our production, and the cabbages and cauliflower Eh Moo and Shay are planting this week will be ready to harvest in November. I hope that they have a home to go to at that time. I hope the adjustments to the delivery runs that Jaycob and James created to cope with increased demand will be useful in the future. And I hope that the additional former refugees and young people who have been brought on as staff over these two weeks to increase our capacity can continue to be employed after the world has gone back to normal.

Organisations such as Green Connect and other small businesses in the Illawarra, who are working hard to feed and service our community, can only survive if they are supported consistently.

So, I want to extend a massive thank you to our customers, new and old. Thank you for choosing Green Connect and the local, ethical, and sustainable food we produce. If you can, I hope that you stick with us long after these lockdowns so we can continue to work together to build a fairer food system and a more resilient community into the future.

Stay safe and sane over the coming weeks and I look forward to meeting/catching up with you over a cup of soup when the world returns to (something like) normal.

Cal Champagne
Green Connect Farm Manager

In your box:

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

Did you know?

Chinese Celery, also known as leaf celery, is cultivated in East Asian countries for its edible, flavourful stalks and leaves. It has a golden colour and is smaller in size than normal celery. Rarely eaten raw because of its stronger flavour, its leaves or stems can be finely chopped to use in salads, soups, stews or stir-fried rice and noodle dishes. Chinese celery is a good source of vitamin A and K and minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium, manganese, and magnesium. It is also high in folic acid, niacin, and vitamin C, which are all essential for optimum metabolism.

For more information on how to store & cook any of our vegetables, visit: https://draxe.com/ and type in the veggie you’re looking for.

You can find all of our recipes here!