Riverford Organic veg box

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Riverford Organic veg box
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Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Feb 09, 14 7:22 pm Post subject: Riverford Organic veg box

We're thinking of getting an organic veg box, probably from Riverford as it's reasonably local and their vans zoom about around here. We'll also get their organic milk and I might look at their meat although I tend to buy that from the next door villages these days.

Any comments, hints or tips? At first glance the options seem a bit overwhelming but I expect we can narrow it down after a while and get a box where we can use everything.

jamanda
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Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Sun Feb 09, 14 7:24 pm Post subject:
I thought they were down in South Devon. Why not Hall farm at Petrockstowe? Their stuff always good.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Feb 09, 14 7:27 pm Post subject:
They'll not deliver here and even if we persuaded them we'd be the only one so probably too many food miles.

nats

Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 2374
Location: Swindon but not a Swindonian

Posted: Sun Feb 09, 14 7:44 pm Post subject:
We get one (I know, not really local to Swindon but web ordering, keen pricing etc make it worth it for us, and the local place didn't use to deliver to this side of Swindon - they do now but we're settled! and it's still better than supermarket. No tips other than to say that the dairy is rather nice! I lurve their butter! And like the non-homogenised milk too.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Sun Feb 09, 14 9:51 pm Post subject:

We used to get Riverford boxes - only don't now because we produce more of our own, and I can buy their veg and milk from the local shop.

The milk is good - not homogenised. The veg is great - not tried their meat.

I used to go online and look at this week's box and if it was full of things I already had, would swap to a different box or have a week off.
I really learned what was seasonal and to like some veg I hadn't really bothered with before.
If we stop growing veg, I would go back to them

Chickem

Joined: 27 Mar 2009
Posts: 3958
Location: Sunny Devon

Posted: Sun Feb 09, 14 10:13 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

They'll not deliver here and even if we persuaded them we'd be the only one so probably too many food miles.

I work for them..... where are you? I may be able to help

( Riverford may be organic but they are NOT carbon footprint friendly!)

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15997

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 14 9:33 am Post subject:
One reason I wouldn't use Riverford is that I am not convinced that, in spite of them claiming stuff delivered to Hampshire is not all grown in Devon, it is a good idea. This is the problem with trying to reduce your carbon footprint; is it better to get a veg box which may have stuff in it from 2 counties away, or go 15 miles to town once a week buying very local produce on the way?

jema
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28239
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 14 9:40 am Post subject:
We had the Riverford ones for a while and I thought they were pretty good, but it ended up with too many turn into soup Fridays, I think veg boxes fit the way some people plan their weeks food, but don't suit everyone.

gardening-girl

Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 6024
Location: Somerset.

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 14 10:13 am Post subject:
My friend milks on the farm. Lots of fruit/veg bought in from all over.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 14 10:45 am Post subject:

jema wrote:

We had the Riverford ones for a while and I thought they were pretty good, but it ended up with too many turn into soup Fridays, I think veg boxes fit the way some people plan their weeks food, but don't suit everyone.

That's my main concern. I know we can adjust the order but it's not going to be the same as just buying the items we need.

I'm not really bothered about their carbon footprint because if it saves a shopping trip or means a different company doesn't have to specifically alter it's route then no matter where the produce comes from it will have a lower footprint than other options.

It's also just a stopgap until the summer when we can buy veg from a much closer place and grow our own.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 14 10:50 am Post subject:
Why not just pop to chickem's farm shop or your local farmers market and buy what is available each week?

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 14 11:16 am Post subject:

Chez wrote:

Why not just pop to chickem's farm shop or your local farmers market and buy what is available each week?

Loads of reasons. One it's too far away - I don't drive somewhere unless I can do several things and I don't tend to go out that way much. We do use our local farmers market - when it's around and it isn't at this time of year. Local FM doesn't to milk or butter. Etc, etc.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 14 11:26 am Post subject:
I guess we're lucky, our market is all year and is in a town with a good range of shops. My perception is that Riverford have gotten too big to be quite as eco as they started off.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 14 11:33 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

jema wrote:

That's my main concern. I know we can adjust the order but it's not going to be the same as just buying the items we need.

Why do you need to go for a box? You could always just select what you want from their online shop.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Feb 10, 14 11:55 am Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

Treacodactyl wrote:

jema wrote:

That's my main concern. I know we can adjust the order but it's not going to be the same as just buying the items we need.

Why do you need to go for a box? You could always just select what you want from their online shop.

I gather it is cheaper as they pass on some of the savings they make (I assume it will save them money if they pack 100 identical or similar boxes rather than hand pick 100).

Plus it might encourage us to find a use for a veg we may not tend to buy on it's own. We just need to avoid turnip soup Friday.

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