Monday, September 6, 2010

Doing our Part....

Our fruit is wonderful, quite simply put: some of the best fruit anyone can buy. However, we sometimes have fruit at the end of the day that does not quite make the $2.50/lb. cut (that's what we typically charge per pound at the farmer's markets). What do we do with it? Well, it depends. If it's simply aesthetic damage(blemishes, bruises, excessive sun-spots, etc.), we'll most likely cut them up for samples for customers. If they are too soft, over-ripe, or excessively damaged, we'll sell them for 75 cents/lb. to customers who are interested in purchasing fruit to make cobblers, jams, jellies, and smoothies (a few of my customers have brought me their finished products -- absolutely fabulous!) You'd be surprised to find out how many customers return to our stall week after week for just the "75 fruit" (we like to call it that for short!)

And what if we still have not sold it all? At almost every market, we donate our a large amound of out unsold produce to organizations who feed the homeless and hungry. Here is some information of some of the wonderful organizations out there that are helping those in need. Please make sure to check out their websites!



Hayes Valley Farm
A Freeway Food Forest & Education Center
www.hayesvalleyfarm.com


Anna Chan, The Lemon Lady
Fruit Harvesting for the Hungry
www.thelemonlady.blogspot.com


Catholic Charities
Working to Reduce Poverty in America
www.catholiccharitiesusa.org


Food Runners
Relaying Food to the Needy
www.foodrunners.org

2 comments:

  1. That's awesome that you have lots of options as to how yo market your fruit. It is great to see farmers donating their extra produce.

    www.cdycattle.blogspot.com

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  2. Thanks Crystal! Your blog is wonderful! I actually lived in Kansas for 5 years. My family moved there from California to build a dairy in Southwest Kansas, Syracuse (heard of it?) My best friend actually graduated from K-State and I have visited Manhattan once. I attend Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California. Another great ag school, along with K-State!

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