Bountiful Baskets for 12-21

Yesterday was a great day for baskets.  The pick up at Willowbrook Plaza is in the afternoon and it was a beautiful 80 degrees.  It was a little windy which add some challenges of volunteers chasing baskets and paperwork but all in all it was great weather for December.  I got there a little early for volunteer time and waited for the truck to arrive.  The driver, George, was on time and cheerful just like always. 

This i a picture of the truck and the first pallet of produce to unload.  The volunteers snap into action as soon as George gets those pallets open and starts to unload.

Once all of the produce is unloaded and we do a count to make sure we have everything, volunteers start placing the wonderful fruit and vegetable bounty into the baskets.  Each basket gets a certain number of each item and we try to look for any bad produce and remove it.  That way the quality of the baskets is good.  After everything is evenly distributed there are always some leftovers that we call case ends.  This is the reason baskets even from the same site vary.  We take those case ends and one by one an item is added to each basket until we run out.  Our site numbers the baskets and participants never know what their number will be until they sign for it and pick it up.  There are 2 baskets for each number 1 with the fruits and one for the vegetables.  We also have a separate table for add ons but I don't have a picture of that set up.  Add ons and organic baskets are kept separate from everything else with an extra checkout sheet.  That way there is no accidental mix ups and everyone gets what they contributed for.

  
This is the conventional basket from this week.  We got romaine lettuce, english cucumbers, green bulb onions, corn, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, pomegranate, oranges, bananas, blackberries, and red grapes.

I also contributed $8.50 for a Mexican Veggie Pack.  It had cilantro, 10 tomatillos, 4 anaheim peppers, 2 jalapenos, 1 large yellow onion, green onions, 2 grey squash, 4 large dried chilies, 4 chipotle peppers (small shriveled pepper), garlic, 4 avocados.

I got the Hard Squash Pack for $9.50 with 2 spaghetti squash, 3 acorn squash, and 2 butternut squash

 

Last I contributed $26.50 for 1 gallon of organic extra virgin olive oil.  This stuff is a steal at that price for the quality.

My total price for all of this goodness was $66.  It seems like a lot to spend but I dare you to check out the prices at your local store and find this variety for less.

Happy Holidays 

~Jennifer