We know that it can be daunting to change the way you source your food, so we’ve pulled together answers to some of common questions we get asked by new customers.
Do I have to get a box every week?
No, there’s absolutely no commitment required. Whilst the majority of our customers do take a box every week, if you don’t have a large family then a box every fortnight might suit you better. Some customers only get a large meat box once a month, which they freeze and use over several weeks, whilst others just order a vegetable only box as and when they need it.
If I get a regular box, what happens if I’m on holiday or I don’t need a box for another reason?
That’s not a problem – we just ask that you let us know a week or so in advance so that we can plan ahead. This means we don’t harvest vegetables that won’t get used, or butcher meat that then has to be frozen.
Can I choose what goes in the box each week?
The contents of the box will reflect the best of the seasonal produce that’s available at the time. Key staples like onions and potatoes are normally always included, but otherwise we try and provide you with a variety of different fruit and vegetables from week-to-week. Many of our customers have told us that they look forward to the surprise of discovering the contents of the box as they unpack it.
What if I’m allergic to certain produce or really dislike a particular vegetable?
If you’re getting a regular box simply let us know if you have an allergy or intense dislike of a particular product and we’ll try to accommodate your wishes. We do like to help people overcome any vegetable phobias they might have though, and can suggest many different ways of using the contents of your box, whether that involves adding beetroot to a chocolate cake, or making a tasty parsnip curry. Just challenge us!
What’s this strange produce in my box that I don’t recognise or know what to do with?
One of the delights of a box scheme is the opportunity to try products that you don’t often see in a supermarket, whether that’s purple Heirloom cauliflower, or the rather alien-looking kohlrabi. If you get something that you don’t recognise, or simply want to know more about a particular variety, please do ask us. Equally, if you’re stuck for ideas on what to do with something and our newsletter hasn’t provided any inspiration, we love the opportunity to suggest some recipes.
Do you grow all the fruit and vegetables and produce all the meat in the boxes?
We are really passionate about eating seasonally and buying locally, and whilst we’d love to grow all the fruit and vegetables that go into the box each week unfortunately this isn’t really practical. Fruit in particular is difficult to grow in Northumberland, and we do struggle to source a sufficient range of quality locally grown vegetables at certain times of the year. When we can’t provide directly from our farm we try to source produce from other local organic suppliers, and only go further afield when absolutely necessarily (such as for bananas). Generally speaking, most of the meat comes from our own animals, many of the vegetables are grown on the farm, and some of the fruit is harvested from our fruit bushes.
When will my box be delivered?
Find out more about about our delivery times.
What if I don’t have somewhere secure for you to leave my box, or I live in a flat or shared building?
Several of our customers that live in flats or shared buildings trust us with keys or access codes to allow us to leave the boxes in communal areas instead of out on the street.
Do you provide boxes all year round?
We’re really proud that we’ve never missed a delivery round in all the years we’ve been running the box scheme. Even when there’s been a metre of snow at the farm we’ve still made it out to our customers, thanks to our trusty 4×4 truck!
Can I set up an automatic payment so that I don’t have to place a separate order each week?
Yes, many of our customers have set up standing orders so that payment happens automatically. Alternatively, we have the subscription feature on the website so that your credit card is automatically charged each time we deliver a box.