Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op

I've been interested in the idea of food co-ops for some time. For those who aren't aware the idea of a food co-op is a bunch of people who purchase food products together so they can buy in bulk and share the reduced cost. So it's a good way to get inexpensive produce, but even more importantly they buy from local growers and the produce travels no further than your direct region. I'm a big fan of eating as local as possible both because I like supporting local growers and, even more importantly, because the food tastes better! I don't think it's the case with some things, for instance I have no idea where my baking powder is produced and I don't think being shipped hurts it, but when it comes to fruits and veggies I like to start in the back yard and work my way out.

All of that is a long introduction to my experience this last weekend with the Bountiful Baskets co-op which serves Utah, Arizona, Texas, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada and Washington. The system is pretty easy. They list what's available where and collect donations on Monday and Tuesday of any given week. Then on Saturday of that week you show up at your location with a big box and collect your produce. The basic basket can be organic or non organic and is half fruit and half veggies. Then there are additional add ons like bales of carrots, breads or other weekly specials. I found the whole thing simple and for my $25 donation (prices are $15 for non organic and $25 for organic) I got a grundle of stuff:

cherry tomatoes
strawberries
oranges
apples
pineapple
2 heads lettuce
celery
2 bunch radishes
2 cucumbers
fennel
broccoli
5 pounds of garnet yams

And I'm likely missing more. My basket runneth over and everything has been so yummy. I'm pretty sure we're going to try again next week. Maybe this time we'll add bread to the list and dump strawberry mango jam on it. :)

Here's contact information if you want to give it a whirl:

Bountiful Baskets Webpage - For ordering and seeing what's available week to week.
Bountiful Baskets Facebook page - They have some fun recipes here.

Jana Brown