After three years of juggling multiple box types, exclusions and their replacements, optional box add-ons, deliveries, and coordinating this with growers and producers across the state, plus the logistics of freight to make sure everything arrives in good condition and within a narrow time-frame to then pack and send out, we’ve actually managed to get to the point where most weeks we get the vast majority of it right, and at times possibly even make it look easy. This has not been one of those weeks… On the plus side, fruit supplement recipients this week get an extra punnet of strawberries free, and those who get budget boxes will get (roughly) two extra leeks, due to a couple of errors in ordering; on the down-side Mr BB is thoroughly frazzled and suspects that in the midst of dealing with problem after problem today there may be some unexpected packing errors too. A reminder – as per our refunds/replacement policy we’re more than happy to replace or refund (whichever is 
practical) missing items, or missed substitutes, or indeed any items that might not have arrived with you in good condition; whilst after a day like today we’d rather not hear about it, we’d still rather you told us and not someone else! We can’t always get it right but we’ll always try and fix the problem if we don’t.
Along with the welcome flood of strawberries this week (following the painfully long strawberry drought for close on two months), this week’s boxes also feature some beautiful tatsoi from Richmond Farm. This versatile green is similar to spinach in many ways, and can be used cooked or raw in salads, but actually belongs to the same family as cabbage and turnips. Premium Fresh have started harvesting their Chantenay carrots – a short, stubby variety that’s ideal for eating whole, either steamed or in slow braises, and we’ve included these in our standard ($20, $30 and $40 boxes). $20 and $40 boxes include pickling onions from Moore’s Farm Fresh in Scottsdale – which also work well in stews, and are beautifully sweet roasted. If you’re interested in making your own pickled onions in larger quantities than what’s in this week’s box, we can arrange bulk orders for $1/kg – just email and let us know. $40 boxes this week (along with some other boxes where we’ve used them as substitutes) are also lucky to have some delicious field-grown tomatoes from Kevin in Dromedary – his roadside stall is on the Eastern shore about half-way between Brighton and New Norfolk if you want to get any more of these beauties!
