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Big News...

More Bread Shares available!

Welcome our new hires

Space still available in Salem!

Mission statement

Weather Policy

More Bread Shares Available!

Bread lovers, rejoice! A new partnership with Iggy's Bread of the World has enabled us to more than quadruple the number of bread shares available. Marbleheaders may remember when Iggy's had a storefront in town. Iggy's offers quality and dedication to local ingredients similar to that of A&J KIng, which will continue to provide a portion of the bread share each week. We will now offer a limited number of bread shares at each depot on each day. Shares are $60 for the season and will be delivered 16 times -- almost one a week! Act fast, though -- the number of shares is still limited. Less than half of our members can get them each depot day.

Welcome our new hires!

FDC has added four new employees to our roster. Tina Gross has joined us in the newly created position of Community Outreach Coordinator, helping us to strengthen our FDC community through planning potlucks, volunteer projects and many other activities. She'll be stopping by all the depots in the next few weeks -- be sure to say Hi. Another new employee will be familiar to many Salem Depot members -- Heather Collis-Puro will be rejoining as Salem Depot Coordinator on Tuesdays. Welcome back, Heather! Dana Pratt will now job share with Heather and Julie in the Thursday Coordinator position. And last but not least, Michele Fjelde Burke has joined the Melrose team as Tuesday coordinator, joining Jacq, who will remain as our Thursday Coordinator. Be sure to introduce yourselves.

Enrollment News - Space available in Salem only

Marblehead and Melrose are sold out for both days for the 2010 season. There are still plenty of spots remaining in Salem. If you would like to join the Salem Depot, please send in a deposit of $100 and fill out an enrollment form (see tab to your left).

If you would like to join the waitlist (for Marblehead or Melrose), you can access the Waitlist Sign-Up Form tab to your left.

Financial aid is available to those in need, thanks to the generous donations of the membership to our Community Aid Fund. If you are interested in receiving an application or want more information, please email julie at farmdirectcoop.org.

Our Mission

Farm Direct Co-op is a not-for-profit member organization with the mission of promoting environmentally sustainable lifestyle options through the distribution of locally grown organic food.

Environmental sustainability is based upon reverence and respect for the natural resources which sustain life. The goal is to meet our needs while taking no more from the earth than can be replenished. This ensures a healthy, productive environment for generations to come.

Supporting local, ecologically sound agriculture is one step we can take toward achieving a more sustainable lifestyle. Buying locally grown food conserves fuel and reduces pollution by shortening shipping distances. Local food is also fresher, and therefore tastier and more nutritious. Choosing organically grown food provides for the conservation of our valuable agricultural soils. Supporting local farmers contributes toward preservation of the rural character of the New England landscape.

Weather Policy

When the weather is horrendous, we are still distributing at the depots. The depot coordinator can make his or her own call about the safety of being outside. If they feel unsafe because the rain is too heavy, or lightning gets too close, they may choose to close up. We would contact those who haven't come yet if this happens, and make the goods available to members at an offsite location (another members' home, or other location). So go get your share. If you are unsure,feel free to call 1-877-332-3276 to speak with your coordinator to see what the plan is.

Julie

Need Help With Your FDC Bill?

In these uncertain economic times, everybody needs a hand now and then. If you are struggling to make ends meet and could use a little help with paying for your share, please contact Julie--Julie(at) farmdirectcoop(dot)org (email address is spelled out to thwart spam). Members have been very generous this year with our Community Aid Fund and we are prepared to offer confidential financial assistance with shares.

From Asparagus to Zucchini: Cookbook Order Form

One of the most fun� and sometimes most challenging � parts of eating locally through the FDC is figuring out what, exactly, to do with some of the less familiar vegetable offerings that grow well in the Northeast. When you arrive home with your bags of produce, you may feel like a contestant in Iron Chef -- Today�s secret ingredient is�. Fennel! One terrific resource we�ve found is From Asparagus to Zucchini:  A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh, Seasonal Produce,    a cookbook put together by the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition. Organized by vegetable, with a history of each, tips for cooking and storage, as well as recipes, the cookbook is straightforward and very easy to use. We are selling this indispensable, nationally renowned resource for people who want to make the most of local and seasonal produce to members for $16 -- a discount of 25 percent from the cover price. They may sell out fast, so to reserve a copy, fill out the form below.

Thanks for Attending the Annual Meeting!

Thanks to everyone who made the annual meeting a success! The food was delicious -- whoever brought that mushroom lasagna needs to send the recipe to me for the blog! Kids were kept occupied with a variety of crafts and puzzles while adults got to enjoy conversation and community -- as well as vote in our new slate of directors. Thanks to Marblehead member Wendy Panchy for the photos -- look for more in the newsletter!