Next week we’re getting a special local crop from the fields of Winter Moon Farm – spring-dug organic parsnips! Unbelievably sweet and flavorful, these parsnips are a food-lover’s best friend.

You’re probably thinking with serious chagrin, “More parsnips?! But winter is over!” Winter may be over, but these are spring-dug parsnips – the cream of the crop!

What makes spring-dug parsnips special?

These are parsnips that were planted last spring and have been left in the ground over the winter to deep freeze. When parsnips are left in the ground throughout the winter, the extreme cold converts the starches into sugar and allows the parsnips’ flavor to mellow, giving way to a brilliant sweetness.

Never had parsnips? If you like carrots, you’re pretty much guaranteed to enjoy parsnips. Sweeter than carrots and more versatile, these parsnips become sweet, nutty, and succulent when cooked. Parsnips can be roasted or used in chowder, soups, and purees. You can even make parsnip wine!

We know many of you have parsnips on your No-List, but we want you to give these guys a try! There’s no better time to try ‘em, so we recommend taking them off your No-List just for a week to get a taste of this once-a-year treasure.

These parsnips will be fresh out of the ground next week, so make sure you update your accounts this weekend or you’ll miss out on this sweet spring treat!

What do you do with spring-dug parsnips?

1. Make Chowder

2. Fry them up into fritters

3.  Make parsnip soup

4. Puff them up in a souffle

We hope you enjoy this sweet gift of the snow! Check out our Parsnip page for nutritional information, cooking tips, and more recipes!

The Dogma Box includes produce sourced as close to Boston as possible. Similar to a CSA, this box is filled with the best organic produce from local and regional farms.

This week’s Dogma Box contains:

• Daikon Radishes- Winter Moon Farm (Hadley, Ma)
• Carrots - Winter Moon Farm (Hadley, MA)
• Sweet Potatoes – Red Fire Farm (Granby, MA)
• Pea Shoots – Jonathan’s Sprouts (Rochester, MA)
• Onions - Porter Farms (Elba, NY)
• Empire Apples – Dwight Miller Orchards (E. Dummerston, VT)
• Cucumbers - Deep Root Organic Coop (Johnson, VT)
• Rutabagas - Nature’s Circle Farm (Houlton, ME)
• Parsnips - Deep Root Organic Coop (Johnson, VT)

Stay warm and enjoy these local offerings.

Visit 12/21/12

We try to make an effort to visit our local growers and vendors at least once a year, and a few weeks ago we took a trip out to our new organic milk supplier, Shaw Farm of Dracut, Massachusetts! Located just an hour north of our Charlestown office, this family-owned dairy farm is about as local as it gets for Boston. After tasting some of their legendary eggnog and other products, we’re tempted to make our visits more frequent.

Shaw Farm operates their own farm store with fresh milk, ice cream, and even baked goods. The farm store is heated by geothermal energy – a renewable energy created by the heat found below the earth’s surface. It not only helps with their energy bill, but it also reduces greenhouse gas emissions on the farm.

 1.       Story and history of Shaw Farm

Since 1908 Shaw Farm has been providing high quality local dairy products to the Merrimack Valley. Located in Dracut, MA, the farm offers fresh milk, ice cream, and many other local products. Their tagline – “if they say it’s homemade, ask to see their cows” – reminds us of the true farm-to-table process and begs us to ask the question where does our food come from?

2.       Why did they start the organic brand?

In 2007 Shaw Farm began to market its own “certified organic” milk products under the name New England Organic Creamery. Owner, Warren Shaw says changes in the marketplace driven by consumer demand for local organic milk have made this change important to the future of the farm. He saw that there was a demand for organic milk and realized that the transition to become certified organic was fairly simple since the farm already operated under many of the organic standards. Now they are the only certified organic milk producer in Massachusetts.

On extremely rainy days the cows stay indoors to prevent slips in the field. These girls are staying dry in the dairy barn!

3.       How are the cows fed?

Shaw Farm has 16 cows that make up the organic herd. The cows go out in the morning to graze on organic pasture and relax in the field during the day. The majority of the organic herd’s diet consists of organic grass from their pasture and is supplemented with organic grains. Three generations of Shaw’s take care of the 150 acres of nutrient rich orchard grasses that help give the cows their proper protein and fiber.  Warren also explained that he has never used antibiotics, growth hormones or anything that might taint the organic milk or harm his cattle.

4.       How does farm legislation affect the Shaw Farm business and operations?

The recent nine-month extension of the federal farm bill allowed Shaw Farm to avoid an immediate rise in conventional milk prices. We asked Warren how the farm bill and other dairy industry legislation might affect his business, and he explained that federal milk subsidies and regulations only impact dairy farms that belong to co-ops, not independent dairy farmers like himself.

Because of Shaw Farm’s proximity to the city and densely concentrated population, they have direct access to a large customer base and are able to provide dairy directly to customers and retailers, such as Boston Organics. Because of our collective support, Shaw Farm will be able to thrive, operate, and continue their environmental stewardship of the land that has been in the Shaw family for several generations.

Winter produce is in full swing, and we want to help you make the most of this season’s bounty. We’re handing out a Winter Produce Guide with produce profiles, cooking tips, and recipes for some of the produce you’ll see in boxes this Winter. Check it out!

What Happened with Prop 37 and Where Do We Go From Here?

As you have probably heard by now, Proposition 37 – California’s controversial ballot question requiring the mandatory labeling of GMOs – sputtered and stalled in the polls.

So what happened?

The proposition failed by a relatively small margin – 46.9 percent to 53.1 percent – leaving the bill motionless and many people upset. The big food industry heavily contributed to “No on 37,” an anti-labeling campaign that spent over $45 million, outspending the pro-labeling camp by roughly six to one. Their large budget facilitated the release of an aggressive advertising campaign which claimed that food prices for California families would increase by $400 per year, scaring uninformed Californians to vote no. We had been watching the Prop 37 debate closely, and like many people, felt wary about the results.

What does it mean?

Despite the proposition’s defeat, we believe we have reason to feel good about what happened this past Nov. 6^th. We met with natural foods movement pioneer and Organic Valley Coop’s Mission Executive Theresa Marquez to discuss the current state of the organic industry and how we can move forward in advocating for greater food transparency. Theresa believes the sun will shine on the mandatory labeling campaign again.

The fact that GMO labeling was on the ballot in California, and brought millions of voters to the polls in support, was a success in and of itself. The media coverage has helped propel the issues of GMO policy, research, and transparency to the forefront of the nation’s attention. The press coverage has sparked new discussions, raised the public voice on the importance of knowing what is in their food, and will hopefully bring optimism to GMO labeling on the next ballot.

There is also word that Washington State is putting together a GMO labeling law that could be up for voting as early as 2013. We suspect other states will follow. The general sense of optimism is a great sign for the future; with hard working food activists like Theresa Marquez and educated voters at the polls, food reform can be possible.

What’s next?

There is still a lot of work to be done, and you don’t have to be in California or a well-known food pioneer to make a difference. Though GMOs are not currently labeled, there are other labels that can help you make better informed decisions at the grocery store.

• Because GMOs are not allowed in USDA certified organic products, buying certified organic is a 100% guarantee for GMO-free food. If you’re not sure where to start, people have found the Dirty Dozen list to be helpful in deciding which fruits and vegetables to start buying organic.
• Look for Non-GMO verified products.

Take Action!

1.  Vote with your dollars. As sales of organic and non-GMO verified products increase, more businesses will be motivated to serve this growing market.

2.  Sign petitions to let key decision-makers know that we want foods labeled if they contain GMOs!

• Just Label It
• Massachusetts petition to require labeling of GMO foods

3.  Keep up with the conversation by following organizations that are working to improve GMO transparency:

• Our Right to Know
• Non-GMO Project

As a customer of Boston Organics, you can be sure that your food is free from synthetic chemical pesticides, herbicides, and GMOs. We only source 100% USDA and third party certified organic food for our boxes, and we will continue to make sure that the foods we provide for you and your family are safe, wholesome, and healthy.

We hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving holiday! We’ve got lots of great veggies this week along with some special fruits, including persimmons and Ataulfo mangoes! It’s also the last week for cranberries, and we still have some of our holiday produce and pecan add-ons for your cooking needs this holiday season. Check out the newsletter!

Photo By: Rikki Snyder

The Thanksgiving table is full of flavorful seasonal dishes.  Many of us use family recipes passed down through generations,  borrowed from friends, or from our favorite cook book.  We imagine many of you are using Boston Organics produce for your holiday meal and we’d love to hear what you’re making!

We invite you to share your best creations with us for our Thanksgiving Recipe Photo Contest!

Here are the criteria:
1. We’re looking for pictures of the finished dish that you’ve created.
2. Recipes should include at least one fruit or vegetable from Boston Organics.
3. Photos should be well-lit and the subject should be in focus.
4. Please send in an accompanying recipe (source cited) with your photo. The recipe format should include an ingredient list and instructions.
5. Photos must be the property of the contestant.

Instructions:
Limit 3 photos per contestant. Please send your picture AND recipe to marketing@bostonorganics.com.

Deadline:
Submit your recipe by the end of the day on *Sunday, December 2nd*. Winners will be chosen by Sunday, December 3rd and announced the that week!

Winner Receives:
The Grand Prize winner will receive a gift bag of delicious add-on items and will be featured in our blog, social media sites, and December 3rd newsletter! Our favorites will be featured on our blog and social media sties.

If you have any questions, please email marketing@bostonorganics.com.

Good luck, and have fun!

Photo By: Deb Perelman

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, we’ve been daydreaming about all the wholesome dishes we can make with this season’s produce.

We put our heads together and planned out a menu with starters, sides, and desserts that you and your family can make with the produce in your boxes next week!

Starters:

• Curried carrot, sweet potato and ginger soup
• Mixed green salad w/apples and walnut dressing

Sides:

• Beet & apple salad
• Spiced baked acorn squash
• Potato and rutabaga gratin
• Roasted kohlrabi
• Cranberry pecan stuffing

Desserts:

• Chocolate beet brownies
• Cranberry upside-down cake (see above photo)

Stay tuned for our Thanksgiving Recipe Photo contest! We are looking for seasonally stunning photos of Thanksgiving dishes you and your family have prepared with Boston Organic produce.

Happy holidays from your friends at Boston Organics!

Thanksgiving: 5 ways to share the holiday with those in need

The smell of fall in the air, old jack-o-lanterns being hauled off and a crisp breeze can only mean Thanksgiving is around the corner. The holiday’s arrival brings friends and loved ones together to share a warm meal. However, there are still many folks in our communities in need during the holidays. We’ve put together a list of 5 ways to give people in need a happy holiday.

5 ways to give back this Thanksgiving:

1.  Greater Boston Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country.

Their Fall Turkey Drive is a great way to help out the local community. A $17 donation provides a 12-14lb turkey dinner for those in need. You can make a single donation, become an individual fundraiser or get your company involved with a corporate team.

2.  Food For Free  located in Cambridge, MA, rescues fresh food—food that might otherwise go to waste—and distributes it within the local emergency food system where it can reach those in need.

Food For Free accepts donations and welcome volunteers year round for home delivery, weekend truck routes, and office support.  A fun way to support Food For Free and satisfy your appetite is to attend a luncheon at Rendezvous Restaurant on Nov 17. All proceeds directly support Food For Free.

In 2011, Boston Organics donated over 25,000 pounds of organic produce to Food For Free.

3.  Community Servings  is a not-for-profit food and nutrition program providing services throughout Massachusetts to individuals and families living with critical and chronic illnesses.

Their Pie in the Sky fundraiser has been running each November since 1993. Boston’s best restaurants, bakeries, caterers and hotels donate thousands of pies that over 500 volunteers then sell to family, friends and colleagues. Each pie costs $25, providing a week’s worth of hearty home-delivered meals to a Community Servings’ client and a tasty Thanksgiving treat to the buyer.

4.  bostonCANshare is an annual food drive sponsored by Mayor Menino, the Mayor’s Office of Food Initiatives, FedEx, and The Greater Boston Food Bank.

Get involved by donating cans, cash and spreading the word about the can drive. All food items donated will go to local food panties to stock the shelves. Any cash donations support Boston Bounty Bucks which provide low income families with access to health fresh fruits and vegetables that they would otherwise struggle to afford.

5.  In our local community – Harvest on Vine is a food pantry in Charlestown.

Your donation of $35 will provide a local family in need with a Thanksgiving dinner. They will be feeding 600 families this Thanksgiving and could use your support!

________

In your own community, be on the lookout for a way to support those in need this holiday season through a food or clothing drive, or by volunteering with a local support group.

                ~From your friends at Boston Organics, have a very happy Thanksgiving holiday!

Thanksgiving is next week! We’ve got plenty of great fall produce going out in boxes this week, including cranberries, potatoes, beets, acorn squash, and carrots. The featured add-on of the week is crimini mushrooms, and we have a variety of Thanksgiving add-ons to choose from. Check out this week’s newsletter!