Organic Vegetable Box Scheme

Shillingford Organic Vegetable Boxes began life in 1990 when Tim Deane set up Northwood Boxes, credited as the first box scheme in the country, supplying locally grown organic vegetables to friends and neighbours in the village of Christow. In 2000, Tim joined forces with Martyn, Northwood Barton Boxes was born and the business expanded into Exeter.

In 2004 Tim took on a role as part-time technical advisor for the Soil Association thus had less time for growing. At this point the business rebranded as Shillingford Organics. Tim still supplies many crops to the box scheme and the ethics and ideals behind Shillingford Organics are still based on those developed by Tim more than 15 years ago.

Vegetable Boxes - A vegetable box creates a direct relationship between us as growers and you as customers and encompasses more than just the aspect of trade. It gives us a predictable income, but also allows us to grow and sell our produce in a way that does not compromise organic principles and gives us the satisfaction of a sense of community and knowing that the crops we have cared for are going to good homes.

For you it means good fresh produce of a flavour which has been proved to encourage even children to eat vegetables. It also allows you some sense of connection with the source of your food, and the knowledge that you are not underwriting a wasteful and destructive system of transportation.

Once a week we deliver boxes of organics vegetables to designated collection points points in Exeter and the Teign Valley. Each box contains a selection of fresh vegetables, many picked that same day and which vary according to the season. There are a few staple vegetables that appear on a regular basis throughout the year, like potatoes, carrots and onions, but otherwise we try to offer a range and variety of produce to make cooking and eating a pleasurable experience.

Packaging - We use returnable plastic boxes, in preference to cardboard, as they are strong and can be kept clean (they last for years and do not disintegrate when filled with rain-fresh leaves). It is important that the empty box is returned to the collection point each week for refilling.

We are committed to reducing our use of packaging and so we do not wrap items individually - however some products like beans, peas and sprouts are packed in bags. Where possible we use paper bags that can be composted or recycled and only use plastic bags for a few items.

Likes and Dislikes Scheme - When you join the scheme we provide a list of the different crops that we expect to have available throughout the year. With this list there is a form on which you can state up to three items per season Summer and Winter) that you would rather not receive. We will try to replace these items with either; something you like (subject to availability) or another make-up crop.

In order to ensure the continued success of our unique scheme, we do not allow you to change your preferences on a regular basis.

Contents & Value - Boxes prices remain the same for the whole season, although exceptionally (due to a hard frost making harvesting difficult for instance) prices might be reduced for one week. The value when compared to shop prices will vary considerably over that time. Early summer boxes may have only 7 or 8 varieties, but during August and September could contain upto 12 different items. After Christmas 8 will normally be the maximum possible, but the vegetables in season at that time of year tend to be substantial and a box will feed then as well as it does during the summer and autumn.

Through the boxes we are dividing the harvest between our customers. The cost of each box can be seen as a part of a subscription to this harvest, i.e. we are selling a weekly supply of produce, rather than individual vegetables by weight and market price.

Shillingford Organics has joined the Healthy Start Scheme. With Healthy Start, you can get free vouchers every week which you swap for milk, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins. Healthy Start replaces the Welfare Food Scheme. Click www.healthystart.nhs.uk and follow the steps to see if you qualify.

 

 

 


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