Free State Wyoming Forum
Discussions Not Related To Free State Wyoming (FSW) => Everything Else => Topic started by: Scheherazade on June 23, 2016, 02:38:40 PM
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I just heard about a food co-op that has a bunch cities it serves in Wyoming as well as quite a few other states. I thought some here might be interested in it. It's at bountifulbaskets.org
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I have been doing that for some time now. For a family, it is a good way to keep fruits and vegetables coming in. There is usually no choice about the contents of the basket. (The exception is when there are extra items and those are added randomly to the baskets.)
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I helped Linda set up the "bountiful baskets" here several years ago. It seemed like a very good thing in the beginning, but the baskets soon became full of fancy stuff I would never have purchased, or common things I could get at a better price in town. With no flexibility, I soon came to the conclusion that it was not a good deal for me and dropped out.
All of the produce is, of course, the same commercial stuff you find in any grocery store, and often is overmature or damaged. It is not really all that fresh when you get it either way, but at least you can choose what you really want at the store. I'm sure it works out fine for a lot of people, just consider well what you are expecting.
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Bountiful Baskets is a great deal when you consider that it is an all volunteer ran co-op. I ran the one here in Newcastle for a few years before it was so overwhelmingly popular as to need to have a second week added to the route. After a while the popularity has dwindled but it is still popular here and in my mind still one of the best deals in town as far as produce goes. Yes there are times when we as volunteers might miss something in filling the baskets that is not pristine but over all the basket is full of good stuff. Then there is always lots of added things you can choose as well.
My suggestion is try it for a few times and test it out and see for yourself and don't
just take someone else's opinion.
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It always depends what your goal is.
If your goal is to buy local and keep money in the community things like this are usually good.
If your goal is to save money these are usually not for you.
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Nothing in the baskets is "local."
It's a great idea for a lot of people, just has some serious limitations.
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This summer, Hulett is having a "community market" every Tuesday for locals to sell their produce and homemade things. I will be there selling soap. I think there will be a lot of veggies for sale when they are ready.
If I heard right, I think there are also markets in Newcastle, Upton, and Belle Fourche.
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If I heard right, I think there are also markets in Newcastle, Upton, and Belle Fourche.
Far as I know, the only "farmer's market" ever in Newcastle did not have any "local" produce, just the usual trucked in - at far more than grocery store prices. Never heard of one in Upton. The farmer's market in Belle Fourche is supposed to be terrific, but it's much too far for most of us to drive to get a few fruits and vegetables. Maybe we could carpool? I'll look for a website there and see if they actually have any local produce.
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Nothing in the baskets is "local."
It's a great idea for a lot of people, just has some serious limitations.
If some or all of the products are produced "local" (where I live local is under 200 miles) then it keeps money in the local economy.
If it's flown in from Costa Rica and just marked up it's a scam. IMHO