Local Produce for 2024

I’m ecstatic to offer you local produce this year!

Yes, Chris and I have been hard at work this winter finding you another local food option for your family.

This year we are partnering with Fusilier Family Farms in Manchester, MI to bring you fresh vegetables & fruit each week with a “Local Produce Box Subscription”

Check out their Facebook page here: Facebook-Fusilier Family Farms

How it will work

We will partner with Fusilier Family Farm to offer you a “Local Produce Box Subscription”

The “Local Produce Box Subscription” is a weekly delivery of fresh produce grown by Fusilier Family Farm.

Each week, on Fridays, starting June 14th through October 25th, 2024 Fusiliers will create a box of produce, grown on their farm by their family, that you will pick up from our farm store each week.

You will pay for the “Local Produce Box Subscription” in full now. In return you’ll be guaranteed a weekly delivery of locally grown vegetables & fruit for the summer & fall.

I will be creating a Facebook group with all of us who sign up for the box (yes, I am getting a box too!) this way we can share recipes & how to best store the produce. I plan to share what I am doing with the produce each week with you.

See below why I will be getting a “Local Produce Box Subscription” this year & why it will be the best thing for you and your family.

Details

For 20 weeks this year, on Fridays, from June 14th - October 25th, you’ll receive a box of locally grown fruit & veggies for about $27/week.

Cost

• $550 total if pay by credit card. We have partnered with AfterPay where you’ll split up the cost over 6 weeks. AfterPay will break up the payments into 4 payments paid every 2 weeks. Allows you to pay $137.50 every 2 weeks for 6 weeks.

• $520 total if paid with cash or check.

• Fill out the form below to sign up. I will then send you an invoice. You will pay that one of two ways

  • Either via the invoice by credit card and to use AfterPay option

  • Or stop into the farm store to pay with cash or check to receive the discount

Pick-up Details

• Pick up is on Fridays at our farm store from 2-6pm

  • First come first serve- I will have space for 3 to be picked up on Saturdays from 10am-3pm as we’ll place your box in our cooler overnight. Add to the comments of the form you want Saturday pick up to secure this option.

• You can assign someone to pick up your box if you can’t.

• Want to sign up but have a few conflicts this summer?

  • 1st assign someone to pick it up for you. Can’t find anyone? Let’s chat and I can see what we can do.

What’s in the box?

• Each week you’ll receive about 8 different veggies and/or fruit. Or about 3/4 bushels of produce each week.

• See picture of what they plan to include and when it will be in season. This is an estimate, not exactly what you’ll get each week.

• I’m creating a Facebook group of all of us who get a box. I’ll share how I’m cooking my produce, how I’ll store it and more. You can join in too on the sharing or just observe ideas.

Ideas

• Busy schedule? Split this with a friend or family member. You pick up 10 weeks, they pick up the other 10 weeks. Or split weeks in other ways too maybe 75/25.

• Afraid this is too much for you to eat? You can freeze the extra items you can’t eat!

• Something you don’t like in your box? I plan to set up a “swapping table”. You can leave what you don’t want and pick up what you would eat. Maybe you get too much sweet corn and want to trade for more tomatoes.

Please remember…

• As the season get’s started, the first couple of boxes may be a little lighter and less variety. But trust me they will make it up in the end when all fruit and veggies are in season. We’ll be busting at the seams with produce come July!

• This subscription is paid early so Fusiliers can plan their produce to be planted for the season.

• I am also getting a box. I can answer your questions and help you pair these items with our beef and pork and even chicken too.

• Pinterest & Google will be your friend. If there’s an item you aren’t familiar with, just search for recipes.

• Locally grown produce will last longer. You’re going to have lots of time to cook & eat these veggies because their shelf life is much longer than store bought produce.

Questions?

• Call or text me at 517-262-3358 (Jackie)

• Or email me at sanfordfamilybeef@gmail.com

I’m Interested! Now what?

I need you to fill out this Purchase a “Local Produce Box Subscription” form ASAP. This will help Fusiliers plan the produce they need to plant this season for us.

Cut off for sign up will be May 13th, 2024.

Why I am getting a Box for our family this year…

The last 10 years we’ve participated in a couple different farms produces boxes like this for the summer & fall.

Here are the reasons I love them, based on my previous experiences, as well as why now…why this year?

• I know the farmer who grew it!

  • This is my #1 reason for me to get a box this year. As Chris and I have sat through meetings this winter & I have met with vegetable & fruit farmers in Michigan the future of farming at a commercial scale is getting scary. The cost of H2A wages have increased significantly. Domestic workers don’t exist. The U.S. imports 60% of our fresh fruit and 40% of our fresh vegetables & these numbers are climbing. If farmers can’t get find help decreasing the new 2024 H2A wages, the existence of some multi-generational fruit & vegetable farms in Michigan may end this year. Not to mention what these farmers are paid for their produce…makes it hard to compete with the low wages that picked the imported fruit & vegetables.

  • It was after my February producer meeting that I knew we needed to find a produce farmer, for our family and for yours.

  • Other reasons to love… knowing my farmer means I know where the produce was grown!

  • I’m supporting a local farm continue their passion of farming allowing them to pass the farm onto the next generation. Fusiliers is a multi-generational family farm

• The produce lasts longer!

  • My lettuce lasted 4 weeks, my cucumbers lasted 2 weeks, & tomatoes just as long.

  • Fusilier’s pick the produce at peak freshness, not weeks before to transport it across the ocean or country

• I go to the grocery store less!

  • With a freezer full of beef & pork and my produce box, I only have to grocery shop every 2-3 weeks to pick up the staples vs. having to go each week for produce.

  • I shop for the pantry & fridge staples I can make many different meals with, no matter what comes in the box that week.

• The produce is more nutrient dense & has more flavor!

  • This is because they are picking produce close to peak freshness vs. a week before peak freshness to travel across the country.

• I know I will have produce each week for my family!

  • Life gets busy right? Having a produce box each week forces us to eat more produce as a family. I don’t want it to go to waste.

  • I can feel secure knowing I have partnered with a local farm to ensure I have a source for produce. No need to worry about shelves at the grocery store being empty.

ALL of these reasons helps me feel secure this year. I know that no matter the labor issues & the unknowns of the world that I have partnered with Fusilier Family Farms this year to know that I have produce EACH week for my family.

There is no price tag that I wouldn’t pay to have that security and to have that relationship with another local farmer.

Are you ready to join me in getting a “Local Produce Box Subscription” this year? Fill out the form today to sign up.