Well friends, things are starting to pick up as we near the spring months.  

We have had the most successful winter to date in terms of how many boxes per week we have done, and it’s the first winter we have been able to deliver EVERY SINGLE WEEK!

THAT’s Y’ALL...plain and simple.  You have turned the Yellowbird Foodshed into a 12 month a year LOCAL FOOD COMPANY.  It means so much to the growers to be able to sell food 12 MONTHS a year and not just in “peak” seasons. 

Another themed box this week as you are getting everything you need (apples, oats, butter) to make something super yummy in the apple crisp/crumble family. Please post your pics to A Seat At The Table on Facebook so that we can all be jealous.

Hellow Yellow Friends,

Your feedback of the Thorpes products from Florida was awesome and could best described by Sara J… ”Omg the fruit was awesome. Thank you so much for finding a great partner to bring some sunshine to our Ohio winter fare! I mean, these greens are nurturing my soul, don't get me wrong. But I can't tell you how awesome it was to bite into some fresh, honest strawberries this week. Don't second-guess this decision for a minute.”

** We're BERRY excited to bring you the following! ------------------------------------------------------------ This is a very exciting week for us. We have had a lot of firsts this year and you all have been with us through them all….NOW, WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SUSTAINABLE CITRUS! Thorpes Organic Family Farm (http://www.thorpesorganicfamilyfarm.com/) has partnered with us to bring some sunshine and much-needed winter vitamins to our Yellowbird Family. Over the next couple of weeks you will be seeing oranges, OJ, strawberries, grapefruit, and yucca.

We have a very rare opportunity that I want to tell you about…

Our team is always researching around the country for what other farmers are doing and how they are bringing their products to market.  

In doing this last month, we connected with a small family farm in Florida that is growing organic citrus, strawberries, and yucca.  They also have a small organic farm in NY and asked if we wanted to meet them on their way up there and buy some of their stuff from Florida for our Yellowbird members.

The last time we had apple cider I said it was the last time...I lied, we actually had 1 more time scheduled.

I actually drink it more this time of year than any other time because I think I need the fruit more in the dead of winter or something…(that sounds like it could be true, so let’s go with that).

Also, please remember that you are eating your medicine each week...ESPECIALLY this time of year.  Your immunities, your defense system, your sense of humor (that can’t be true) are all influenced by the food you are fueling yourselves with

I went to a “Meat Free Monday” dinner as a guest speaker and talked about the Yellowbird community to about 30 people.  They were not all vegan or even vegetarian (nor am I), just folks that are trying to make positive lifestyle changes.

I called our winter group, the “Hard-Core Locavores”.  

I just sat down after being at Newark High School all morning.

They have a home economics teacher (yes, they still exist), and she convinced her 2nd, 3rd, and 4th period classes to take the @1803eatingchallenge that we set up.  The 1803 eating challenge is simply this…”if it ain't grown in Ohio, then we ain't eatin’ it.”  For the month of January, every last ingredient that I’m eating will be grown in Ohio.

Welcome to 2020.  

Wow, what a statement.  If I were watching a movie, and the screen said, “OHIO: 2020”, I would assume they meant that was some time in the future.  Nope. It’s today.

And TODAY we find ourselves in the middle of the 1803 Eating Challenge.

Navy Beans Part Deux:

I’ve never made homemade refried beans.  I’m not even sure what the “typical” refried bean is…kidney?  It doesn’t matter, because what I did know on Saturday was that I had an entire bag of Shagbark Navy Beans.  

I loosely followed the instructions on the back, and poured a bunch into some water.  I let that sit overnight on the counter and then I drained them and poured 8 cups of water over the top of the beans in a dish that I put on the stove to bring to a boil.  

What a fun week it was...Thanksgiving this year, more than anytime before, was such a restful week with the family. I hope that you each had time to reflect, be thankful, and eat good food. If you had a stressful or mournful holiday because of various circumstances, then peace be with you this holiday season.

As we transition into our “WINTER” months, we get to do some unusual things with our boxes. We begin to include some products that might not make it during our other seasons.

Well folks...the time to celebrate is before us. Thanksgiving has been the traditional “ending” of our year at YB. This year is slightly different as we will be coming right back to keep the fun rolling ALL WINTER! However, we will be taking next week off to celebrate with family and friends so it still has that same celebratory, “WE DID IT!” feeling.

We consider it all joy to be gathered with you in spirit around your various tables and layouts.Well folks...the time to celebrate is before us. Thanksgiving has been the traditional “ending” of our year at YB. This year is slightly different as we will be coming right back to keep the fun rolling ALL WINTER! However, we will be taking next week off to celebrate with family and friends so it still has that same celebratory, “WE DID IT!” feeling.

We consider it all joy to be gathered with you in spirit around your various tables and layouts.

I don’t know the first thing about KimChi. Here is what I do know…

It’s good for your gut.

Therefore hipster’s love it

Therefore I love it

ALSO…this batch is made by Krazy Kraut which is

An Ohio company

Using Ohio grown produce

And they gave us a great deal on it because we have such cool members

This week, ONLY THE MINI boxes will be getting it. NEXT WEEK THE BASES AND FULLS will get it.

Asian P’s make a curtain call but bring a poncho to this party because the juice is loose. Good golly, I bit into one just now and I felt like I was sitting front row at a Gallager show. The flavor is somewhere between cotton candy and John Candy.

There is so much happening right now that I’m not sure where to begin...let’s just use bullet points as those seem to be a good way to make some sense out of my ramblings.

BLACK RADISH!!

Seems like every week we have one “show stopper” type product and this week we are blown away by the black radishes. Mile Creek Farm over in New Lebanon, OH has been a new partner with us this year for many of your great products and this is one of their beauties.

2 things coming in your box this week on card stock…
-A recipe for Acorn Squash and Apples that you can use this week, and then add to your recipe box...you do have your grandma’s old recipe box right?
-A card with a promo code on it for the online store...use promo code “GROCERY” at checkout to get $5 off an order of $50 or more...and YES, YOUR BOX COUNTS TOWARDS THE TOTAL!

Spigariello or “Broccoli Leaves” have made their way back around for the second time into our boxes.

Deep Purples and Reds are brewing this week.

My oh My it’s a beautiful time to be eating the produce of OHIO!

We have 5 BRAND NEW varieties hitting the boxes this week but none more awesome than the purple carrots. I wish I could see the looks on each of your faces when you see them for the first time...and then TASTE them for the first time.

Our last farm dinner event was spectacular and I am still full in both heart and stomach

PLUMS! I haven’t tasted them yet because they are not here yet. (Tuesday at 3pm) BUUUUTTTT…...they are on their way so let's keep our fingers crossed.

I ordered a box this week from a national food delivery service called “Farmbox Direct”. It was $50 to have a box of “natural” fruits and veggies delivered. It got here and it had about $7 worth of food in it and about $40 worth of packing materials. These were things that looked like they had been pulled off the shelf of the nearest Kroger...2 weeks ago. I’m not trying to run a dirty campaign here but let’s not be tricked any longer by fancy packing materials and million dollar marketing campaigns.

“I want my honeycrisp, honeycrisp, honeycrisp. I want my honeycrisp, honeycrisp, honeycrisp. OHHHIOOOOO, Hoooneyycrisp Aappllllles” (chili’s baby back ribs? anyone?)

They are big. They are tasty. They are the most expensive apple on the block, but we figure let’s come out swinging for apple season!!

If you want more, you can order them on the store for the upcoming week.

Pears, Leeks, and Grapes...where do we live? The Garden of Eden??

Nope, it’s OHIO!

(Throwback line to the movie Field Of Dreams…”Is this heaven?” Kevin Costner:“No, It’s Iowa.”)