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The Southwest Washington Food Hub, a local cooperative with more than 20 farms, will be selling weekly boxes of fresh produce in the region starting on June 28, according to a co-op news release.
Farms and small business owners in the group hail from Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Tenino, Centralia and Chehalis.
While the co-op’s main goal is to cut out the “middleman” and allow customers to buy directly from farmers, it also hopes to steer customers toward the stores that serve as drop sites for the boxes.
“It was great to both meet new people and connect with some familiar faces as they picked up their boxes,” said Sara Reilly, co-founder of an Olympia brewery. “We offered a 10% discount on pick-up day and several would stay for a pint or grab a four-pack to go. Some folks that had never been in before are now regular customers!”
In this way, Southwest Washington Food Hub helps facilitate a network between the business owners and farmers allowing them to benefit from shared infrastructure.
“Ultimately that means more time on the farm growing food, and it helps address the labor shortage happening on small farms across our region,” said Jim McGinn of Rising River Farm in Rochester.
Registration for the program is now open online at https://swwafoodhub.com/multi-farm-box/.
Boxes are $35 each or $525 for the whole season. Pick-up locations vary depending on the day, with Wednesday pick-up available at at the Whitewood Cider Taproom, Headless Mumby Brewing Co., Three Magnets Brewing Co. and Flaming Pig BBQ in Olympia and Tumwater,
Then on Thursday, boxes can be picked up at the Well 80 Brewhouse, Dancing Goats Coffee Tasting Lab, True Self Yoga and 8 Arms Bakery in Olympia and Tumwater.
Additionally on Thursday, boxes can be picked up at the Nature Nurture Farmacy, Shona’s Food Company and KombuchaLuv in Chehalis and Centralia.
Co-op farm members include the Kingfisher Farm, Five Hearts Farm, Newaukum Valley Farm, Kirsop Farm, Bee Organic Farm and Apiary, Rising River Farm and Wobbly Cart Farm among others, according to the release.
The summer produce box program will run until Oct. 5 and each box will include five to eight items per week, enough to “comfortably feed two to three people,” according to the release.
Produce in the boxes throughout the summer will include strawberries, sweet corn, lettuce, green beans, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, carrots, raspberries and other local specialties.
For more information email info@swwafoodhub.com.
