Veg Box News 10th - 13th July, 2018

We are delighted to be including so much local and UK-grown produce in the boxes this week although for some lines this does mean a slightly higher risk of changes having to be made.  We rely on, our local grower Matt's knowledge and expertise at predicting which crops will be ready during the week and sometimes we have to make a last minute substitution because a line is not as plentiful as we had hoped.  Also some crops are suffering with the warmer weather - so although we are including UK-grown Broccoli in the boxes it may be that this may not look as if it will last the week.  Make sure you pop it in the fridge as soon as you can on receiving your box.

We have sourced some cheaper old season onions for the boxes this week but do let us know if you have any problems - it's not always easy to see from the outside that an onion has gone in the middle.  We offer a no-quibble money back guarantee on produce so don't hesitate to give us a ring or drop us an email to make a claim for these or any other issues you might have.

A Note for G box customers - we have experienced difficulties getting any UK-grown carrots this week so if you want some it will be necessary to phone up and put in a side order for non-UK ones as there won't be any in the boxes.

A

New  Potatoes -Arrow or Accent 800g

Onions  400g

Carrots 300g

Broccoli

Bunched Turnips

Broad Beans

Fancy Cherry Plum Tomatoes

B's will get Courgettes in place of the potatoes

D's will get a further 300g Potatoes and a locally-grown  Lettuce

E's will also get a Lettuce and some other line to be confirmed

L's and M's will also include some items as yet unknown

K

Apples - Braeburn 600g

Bananas 600g

Oranges 600g

A Mango

A Lemon

3-4 Peaches (dependent on Size)

Q's will also get a Watermelon

Veg Box News 26th -29th June, 2018

Apologies for the lack of Veg Box News over the past few weeks.

Timings are an issue sometimes because we can’t finalise the recipe until the very last minute some weeks – and even then it may change midweek.  I’m not trying to make excuses, you understand, but just explaining.  I appreciate that while some people enjoy the element of surprise it can make planning difficult if you don’t know what’s coming.   So if you find yourself desperate to know and can’t find anything online to give you at least some clue, then please do get on the phone and we’ll tell you what we know… You can of course subscribe to this blog so that Veg Box News and our other postings come straight into your inbox.

This week you’ll see we have switched to new potatoes for all the potato boxes. These are of course more expensive, as are the new season carrots and onions, so in order to leave some of our budget for the other box elements we have reduced the portion size of these more costly basics.

We’re have also been unable to get good quality UK-grown carrots recently so they have been dropped from the G (All UK produce) boxes for the last few weeks but my source informs me that there should be some coming in next week. 

Do remember that if you find there are some things you always want, you are very welcome to add them on as a standing order each week.  G box customers will already have noticed that regular onions have already had to be replaced with either bunches of spring onions or of larger fresh green onions.  So if you need some regular cooking onions as well just let us know.

Here are the full listings:

A

• New Potatoes 700g
• Carrots 400g
• Onions 400g
• Lettuce
• Aubergine (UK courgettes or Auybergines for G boxes)
• Tomatoes 400g
• Celery

B’s will get Broad Beans 600g

D’s will get a further 300g Potatoes and a bag of Kale

E’s will also get the Broad Beans and Courgettes 500g

L’s and M’s will receive these additions and also some locally grown mini cucmbers

K

• Apples – Granny Smiths 600g
• Bananas 600g
• Pears 600g (Tuesday and Wednesday) or
• Clementines 500g (Thursday and Friday)
• Nectarines x 3
• Lemon

Q’s will also receive Avocado 300g

Just a couple of general notes as we head into the summer holiday season…

• Don’t forget to let us know if you are going away.  You don't want to come back to a box of mouldering veg on the doorstep.

• If you normally have your boxes left in a conservatory or green house, you might consider finding somewhere less susceptible to overheating.  And if you receive milk or other dairy produce it might be advisable to leave a chiller box out to keep it as cool as possible.

 

• Despite our continued campaign to reduce our plastic use you will still find some leafy produce coming in polythene bags.  Lettuces, Spring Greens, Kale and Chard all benefit from this protection, and often these come to us packed in this way.  Some customers have requested that we do not use plastic in their boxes at all.  This we will aim to do but may result in rapid deterioration of some produce.  Rest assured that we will be happy to take back any plastic bags that we have used in the boxes if you leave them out with your empty for us to collect.  We are not however a recycling business and cannot take bags or plastic containers from other sources.

Veg Box News 24th - 27th April, 2018

I’ve caught a bit of sun this weekend so just a brief Veg Box news this week…

Once again No Potatoes boxes, B’s, E’s and M’s, will be getting some Jerusalem Artichokes.  Do check these links for the best way to tackle these nobbly flavourful beauties~!

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes

A

(G substitutes in brackets)

Potatoes – Sorrento 1.2kg

Carrots 600g

Onions 500g

Spring Cabbage

Mushrooms

Fennel (Cucumber)

Pepper (Swede)

B’s will get Jerusalem Artichokes instead of the Potatoes

D’s will get a further 800g Potatoes and a Cauliflower

E’s will get Jerusalem Artichokes and a Cucumber

L’s and M’s will get the above additions and also a portion of Tomatoes

K

Apples 600g

Bananas 600g2

A Mango

Lemon

Clementines 500g

A Grapefruit

Q’s will also Oranges 600g

Veg Box News 17th - 20th April, 2018

It is so nice to feel a change in the weather and refreshing to see a few new lines coming available for the boxes.  Roots are lovely but it’s nice to have a change.  UK tomatoes from the Isle of Wight have started to arrive along with UK grown Cucumbers.

We’ve gone for Burkina Faso Mangoes for the fruit boxes this week.  Mangoes are always a slight risk for the boxes as it is impossible to predict what state they will arrive in and we have sometimes had problems when they haven’t ripened subsequently.  The mangoes from Burkina Faso have generally been of a more reliable quality but please, as always, don’t hesitate to get in touch if you experience any issues with them.

A

Potatoes 1.2kg

Onions 500g

Carrots 600g

Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Courgettes

Celery

Pepper

B’s will get Leeks on Tues and Wednesday or Tomatoes on Thursday and Friday.

D’s will get a further 800g Potatoes and a Bag of Chard or Pak Choi

E’s will get Leeks and a portion of Tomatoes

G’s will be getting UK grown Leeks and Cucumber in place of the Celery and Pepper

L’s and M’s will get the above additions and a Cucumber.

K

Apples 600g

Bananas 600g

Mango from Burkina Faso

Lemon

Blood Oranges

A Grapefruit.

Q’s will also get a portion of pears

Just a last note to say there are still one or two Kilos of non-organic Seville oranges left if anyone hasn't got around to making their marmalade this year.  Give us a ring and we can get some to you (while stocks last...)

Veg Box News 20th - 23rd March, 2018

Late and basic Veg Box News...

A

Potatoes - Marfona or Cara (both good all-rounders)1.2kg

Carrots 600g

Onions 500g

Broccoli 400g

Leeks 500g

Fennel 400g

Pointy Peppers

B's will get Parsnips 600g in polace of the potatoes

D's will get a further 800g Potatoes and a Lettuce

E's will also get a Tundra Cabbage

G's will get Mushrooms and Beetroot in place of the Fennel and Peppers

L's and M's will get the above additions and a punnet of Mushrooms

K

Apples - either Crimson Crisp or Ida Red 600g

Bananas 600g

Pears 500g

Avocados 250g

Lemon

Oranges 600g

Q's will also get Kiwis 500g

Veg Box News 23rd - 26th January, 2018

As I have mentioned previously in Veg Box News, cold frosty weather is not conducive to the picking of vegetables in British fields so once again we are a little at the mercy of our suppliers as to whether the ordered veg actually arrives.  Likely lines to be affected are the Artichokes and Cabbage particularly. 

A

Potatoes – Desirée (we hope) 1.2kg

Carrots 600g

Onions 500g

Jerusalem Artichokes 600g

Cabbage – Savoy or a Tundra

Fennel 400g

Butternut Squash

B’s will get Leeks 600g instead of Potatoes. They won’t get the fennel but will get a Red Pepper

D’s will get a further 800g Potatoes and a portion of Purple Sprouting Broccoli

E’s will get the Fennel Leeks and Red Pepper

L’s and M’s will get the above additions and also a Lettuce

K

Apples – Crimson Crisp 600g

Bananas 600g

Blood Oranges 600g

Pears – Conference 400g

A Grapefruit

A Lime

Q’s will also get a Mango.

Blood oranges are particularly tasty at the moment – it’s a good time of year for citrus generally – but they are not to everyone’s taste. The Navels are good too though so let us know if you want to have those instead.

For those with a sweet tooth, we still have (non-organic) Seville oranges… We’ll take great care to make sure we don’t put the Seville oranges in the fruit boxes by mistake, as happened once a few years ago!!  Lot of complaints that week - Oops!

Veg Box News 17th - 20th, October, 2017

A mixture of roots and leaves grace the boxes next week – although broccoli of course is actually a flower head, so…

Next week we will be taking part in the Bradfield Farmers Market again so if you’re out that way come and pay us a visit.

Here are the lists for next week…

A

Potatoes 1kg
Carrots 600g
Onions 500g
Broccoli 400g
Pointy Cabbage

Leeks 600g
Beetroot 600g

B's will get a Lettuce in place of the potatoes

G's will be as A or B

D's will get a further 800g Potatoes and a Lettuce

E's will get 400g Peppers and a Lettuce

L's and M's will get the Peppers, Lettuce and a Squash.

K

• Apples 600g
• Banana 600g
• A Grapefruit
• Avocados 300g
• A Mango
• Mandarins 500g

Q's will also get a portion of Kiwis


With the wetter weather coming we would appreciate it if you could keep empty boxes dry when leaving them our for us to collect - just fold them flat and pop them into a binbag if you haven't got anywhere undercover to store them.  No expense has been spared to bring you this stunning tutorial video...

Veg Box News: 3rd - 6th October, 2017

Bit late this week with the posting so just a skeleton Veg Box news today.
So here are the box lists for the first week in October....


A

• Potatoes 1kg
• Onions 500g
• Carrots 600g
• Savoy Cabbage
• Sweetcorn x 2
• Salad Pack
• Celery

Rainbow Chard

B's will get Red Peppers (approx 300g) instead of the potatoes

D's will get a further 800g Potatoes and a Bag of Rainbow Chard

E's will get Rainbow Chard and Red Peppers

G's will be the same as the Standard boxes as all produce is UK grown

L's and M's will receive Rainbow Chard, Red Peppers and a Squash

K

• Apples - Windsors 600g
• Bananas 600g
• Pears 600g
• Pomegranates x 2
• Oranges 600g
• A Lemon

Q's will also get a portion of Grapes 400g

Veg Box News: 12th - 15th September, 2017

Organic September is upon us - the Soil Association's annual promotion.

Win an Organic Hamper from Windmill Organics

 This year Windmill Organics are offering a hamper of organic goodies in return for you granting access to your email inbox.  Send us an email for a chance to win - put 'I want to win the hamper' in the Subject line - that's all -  and we'll add you to our mailing list and Windmill will add you to theirs. (You can unsubscribe at any time!)  Of course, if you want to share a vegetable related joke at the same time we'd be delighted to receive them - but the quality of joke will not affect your chances of winning

Here are the lists for next week's boxes.  At this time of year most of the produce is grown in the UK and so G Boxes will resemble the standard A and B boxes.  As usual some lines are grown very locally - this week the Leeks and Kale are both from Sheffield Organic Growers.  SOG are also supplying all our requirements for courgettes in the shop.  Cucumbers and parsley are also from these local growers. Fennel will be coming from Wortley Walled Garden.

A

• Potatoes 1kg
• Onions 500g
• Carrots 600g
• Broccoli 400g
• Fennel
• A Bag of Chard
• Leeks 500g

B's will get a Kohl Rabi in place of the potatoes

D's will get a further 800g of Potates and a bag of Kale or Cavolo Nero

E's will get the Kohl Rabi and some Pointed Peppers

G's as per standard boxes

L's and M's will get the above additions and 2 Sweetcorn

K

• Apples 600g
• Pears 600g
• A Melon
• Grapefruit
• Bananas 600g

Q's will also get a Mango.

This weekend (Sunday 10th, September) we will be attending Kelham Island Farmers market

Need to change your delivery order?  Need to cancel for a holiday?  Email us on info@sheffieldbeanies.co.uk

Veg Box News: 5th - 8th, September 2017

Apologies for late posting!  But we’re having a few problems posting things on our website at the moment so I’ve set up this blog as a temporary place to post Veg Box News.  It’ll take a little getting used to this end so bear with me!  I hope you find it easy to use.  Our archive is still available on the website but this will gradually grow as a resource too.  I'll keep you posted of any further changes.

A

• Pots 1kg
• Onions 500g
• Carrots 600g
• Beetroot
• Broccoli 400g
• Sweet Corn x 2
• Punnet of Tomatoes

B’s will receive a Salad Pack in place of the Potatoes

D’s will receive extra potatoes and a Celery

E’s will receive the Celery and the Salad Pack

L’s and M’s will be receiving other mystery additions from Sheffield Organic Growers.

All the produce in the Standard Boxes is UK at the moment so G boxes are the same as A's.

K

• Apples 600g
• Oranges x 3
• Bananas 600g
• Pears 600g
• A Punnet of Plums
• A Lemon

Q’s will also get a portion of Kiwi fruit.

We will happily take back the punnets used and either reuse or recycle them.

The weather has changed now and there is a very autumnal feel.  If it looks like rain on your delivery day please put any empty boxes in a dry place or wrap them in a bin bag.  It only takes one rain burst to make the boxes unusable.  Thanks!!

Need to change your delivery order?  Need to cancel for a holiday?  Email us on info@sheffieldbeanies.co.uk