While walking around at the 36th Annual International Street Festival in Orange on Sunday, I noticed a booth at the Festival that had a bunch of fresh vegetables and fruits at the table. I walked up and was a booth for Farm Fresh To You – a new CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) here in Orange County.

Farm Fresh To You was founded by Kathleen Barsotti and Martin Barnes in 1976 - marking the early stages of the organic foods movement. Graduate students at UC Davis, Kathy and Martin borrowed money from their parents to buy 20 acres of property in Capay Valley. Today, their 4 children run the farm and they have been bringing farm fresh produce to doorsteps in the Bay Area since 1992. Capay Fruits & Vegetables is a second generation organic farm which got its start in the Coastal Range’s Capay Valley 90 miles northeast of San Francisco.

They are now entering the Southern California market. Here is an exceprt from their most recent newsletters to their community partners, from Thaddeus Barsotti:

Yes, I know, LA is not exactly local to Capay. We are working with a land owner in Ventura County to bring the same farming and delivery model to our southern neighbors. Late this fall we will be working with a new grower to plant crops specifically for distribution to the LA area. Much of the first contents to the LA area are coming from our farm in Capay (still relatively local in the grand scheme of the produce world) and the balance of the product is being sourced from organic growers in the South.

The model of local produce production and distribution that we supply you with is something that could happen for Southern California too. They have all of the ingredients – land, a little bit of water and lots of consumers.

I am so excited to have Farm Fresh To You here in the Southland. I signed up right away and it was so easy! They were offering $10 off your first order at the Festival. They have several sizes and varieties to choose from. To start I decided to go with the Mixed Fruit and Vegetable box which is $23.00 a box. A few days before you can log onto their website and see what crops are being picked and what will probably arrive in your shipment. The have a delivery schedule already set up and I’m having my produce delivered to my office for me to take home. Irvine area delivery is on Thursdays and I can’t wait!

Here is an example of their pricing, and remember the price includes delivery:

Mixed Fruit and Veggies

Small $23.00 – Feeds 1-2 people
Regular $31.50
More $44.00
Monster $55.00

They also have an option called Easy To Eat, mostly fruits but also includes vegetables that can be eaten without cooking. You can also choose an All Fruit or All Veggie selection.

You can choose the frequency of delivery, once a week, every two weeks or monthly – YOU CHOOSE and you can change at any time. If you want to get a bigger box, no problem, just let them know 48 hours ahead of your delivery day. They are very accommodating and if there is something that isn’t to your liking in your delivery, they will bring you something you do like. How awesome is that?

I have always wanted to join a local farm’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, but it was the cost commitments that held me back. Yes, there is no price on fresh, locally grown produce and supporting local farmers, but I have always shyed away. Now there is an affordable model that works with my schedule and with my tastes in food.

So I signed up and asked how do I pay. They invoice you! It gets even easier. You can pay with a check or with a credit card when they invoice you. They will deliver to you on your designated day and will arrive around the same time each week.

Go to www.farmfreshtoyou.com and sign up right now. Check out their affordable pricing model and choose a box size that is right for you and your family. There are no long term commitments and if you aren’t satisfied with your order, let them know and give them a chance to make it right. You will see that each box contains 100% organic produce and raised on farms from either Capay Farms or their new farms in Ventura County and the Inland Empire.

Farm Fresh To You
P.O. Box 391
Anaheim, CA 92815
1-800-796-6009
www.farmfreshtoyou.com

Tell them Scott from FoodieInDisguise sent you!!