Food on the table

I came across box schemes very early. Largely because I happened to live in a Welsh town where one of the first UK schemes was set up. Very quickly I became a loyal customer (well I fancied the farmer) and then an agent – building up a customer base of 10-20 boxes a week and earning myself free veg -using this new fangled e-mail technology (it was very new fangled in 1994). Finding customers in a University agricultural department with a strong organics group was not so difficult. Two years ago I met one of my first ‘clients’ at a Soil Association conference. He had recently bought his own organic farm in the north-east of Scotland –Jeez I can think of better places to farm but its nice that these small things can take such deep roots.

I digress. I’ve been a customer of box schemes on and off (mostly on) for some 15 years now. I love them. Here’s this weeks’ bag (contents: one bag of winterpostelijn, three white onions, two fennels, three apples, four bananas and two beetroots).

Why do I like these schemes so much?

Firstly they train me away from being too price sensitive: I pay, in this case, €8, for most of my week’s fruit and vegetables. Second, they get me to experiment with vegetables that I wouldn’t otherwise buy and keep me out of the habit of buying the same old favourites. This is a little bit like having a garden (without getting my hands dirty) - using food that is in season and when it comes around. It serves as an inspiration of new ways to deal with food and develop a new relationship with it (OK my relationship with beetroots is always, at best, challenging – but isn’t that the way of all good relationships?) Thirdly, it is based on continuing relationships of trust between me, as a consumer, and my suppliers. The same lessons apply as to me as a small business- in my relations with my clients and suppliers: I value keeping a relationship with same mechanic, hairdresser, computer systems troubleshooter, whatever. Looking to save a few percent on price is not nearly as important as knowing I am dealing with someone I trust. Committed business relationships are a way of building trust and stability and cutting out so much of the crap associated with a free (spot price) market economy.

But equally there is a political component to my choice. The consolidation of retail power in Northern countries is driving small producers out of business. To achieve cheap prices the multiples want suppliers who can guarantee bulk volume. Economics takes priority over ecology. To supply bulk buyers a farmer has to specialise in one or two crops. But this is a risky strategy – drought, frost, pests, disease or a market glut can all too easily destroy the main cash crop and a farmer’s livelihood. Through diversifying, farmers spread their risks. That is also lesson I also try to carry with me in running a business – in developing a loyal and varied client base rather being dependent on one or two main customers. Both my immediate neighbours in the business park where I am based have gone bust in the past year because they were over reliant on one customer. That’s an important lesson.

Back to the kitchen. Today I wanted some (fresh) Basil to complete a recipe and I went round all the market stalls and sadly it’s out of season. But I did end up with a fresh sprig of thyme and a pot of chives. I was tempted by the pots of samphire at the fishmongers, but at €4 per 100g it seemed too expensive (just to show I am not completely price insensitive). Last week I acquired a mortar and pestle (after months of hunting) for one at a good price- and today went to the Toko and bought fresh cumin, coriander and mustard seeds. Something spicy is going to be cooking tonight!


Technical footnote: Box schemes fall into three main categories. Firstly there are those run by wholesalers who tend to mix and match –using local produce and supplementing this with imports in the off –season. I currently subscribe to one of these from (Odin). This suits me because in winter I get some off season / tropical produce (this week’s bag includes three Dutch products, two from Italy – the onions and fennel - and one from Peru – the bananas). Secondly, there are farm-based ones – which sell exclusively (or mainly) their own produce – these can get quite boring in the lean months (Feb- April). Some have a closure period at this time, which means they can struggle to maintain client loyalty. Thirdly there are Community Supported Agriculture Schemes (CSAs) such as this local one These are slightly different in that you pay a lump sum up front for produce throughout the year. The farmer and his members discuss what to grow next year and usually the members go and pick their own produce. Economically this is attractive as it means no harvesting, packing or distribution costs for the farmer – and it can be an incredibly educative experience (for adults but especially children) about where food comes from (not a shelf in the supermarket) and its seasonality- but joining such a scheme depends upon access and your willingness to pick your own food. If you really want to go it by yourself you can always get an alottement.


Some acknowledgments are due here: Firstly to Joe Strummer, whose song “Sandpaper blues” inspired the title for this thread on my blog: “Keep the lantern bright, keep food upon the table”. Wherever your soul is now Joe "shake it well tonight as well as you are able. Secondly to Nigel Slater whose Kitchen Diaries and recipes have been a long-standing inspiration in my kitchen and in my blogging about food. Thirdly to Jan Douwe van der Ploeg whose work about farmers, autonomy and agency crystallised things that I knew for years but had never seen so lucidly expressed before. Finally, and most of all, to all the farmers (and the customers who support them) who have realised that growing one or two crops for Albert Hijn or Tesco (to name but two) is not a viable way forward. Diversity is the way for maintaining our ecology, economic viability and sanity!