The Journey of A Produce Box

Welcome to the LifeDirt community! Whether you are returning or just joining us for this season of produce boxes. As you embark on the first week of the new season with our produce boxes, we want to provide you with some more details about how your produce gets to you, and what to expect at pickup!

 

Where Does Everything Come From?

 

Our produce is sourced from local farms and trusted suppliers who prioritize quality and sustainability. Each item in your box is carefully selected to ensure you receive the freshest, most nutritious produce available.

 
We have a list of partner farms that I (Miriam) reach out to on a regular basis to find out what they have available in terms of produce. Our preference is always for small scale and spray-free or organic farms, but we also take into consideration variety, how the produce gets to us, and, lastly, cost. Once I know roughly what is available the week before box week, I’ll make up a list of what will go in each size of box, and place our orders.
 
Usually, I travel to Moncton every other week to pick up some of our produce, either directly from our farmers or from an intermediary. Some vendors, such as Strawberry Hill Farm in Pembroke and our importer Mirage Foods, deliver straight to us at Stirling’s. Other times, we have items sent by freight from Nova Scotia or PEI, and at certain times of the year we get help from Pumpkin Patch to source produce from the Fredericton area.
 
In between all of this, orders are coming in through our website, phone and email, and I input those into a spreadsheet to keep track of what has and hasn’t sold.
 
Once we have all our produce together and most of the orders have come in, the team gathers at the warehouse to pack the boxes. This involves labeling boxes, separating by size, setting aside grocery add-on orders, bagging any necessary produce, packing our boxes, ensuring swap-out requests are fulfilled, and finally stacking our completed boxes according to delivery or pickup location.
 
Finally, the completed boxes are picked up by our customers at the Stirling’s Farm Gate Market or delivered by either HAL Deliveries or one of our team members. Produce box weeks are busy, long and full of heavy lifting! The best part is interacting with farmers when picking up our produce, and seeing our customers at pickup times.
 

 

What to Expect When Picking Up Boxes

 

Picking up your produce box is easy and convenient. Here’s what you need to know:

  1. Pickup Location: Stirling's Farm Gate Market, 666 Rothesay Ave, Saint John 
  2. Add-Ons: Explore available add-ons, such as specialty items or extra produce, to customize your box.
  3. Bring Your Own Bag: To reduce waste, please bring your own reusable bag to transfer your produce from the box.

 

 

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