Food Connect

I stumbled upon Food Connect a while ago and was impressed by the concept.

But I didn't join up - because I didn't want to spend that much on vegetable boxes each week.

Then my good friend Night Child subscribed and gave fairly glowing reports.  She trialed a few similar companies and finally settled on Food Connect as the one to go with on a permanent basis.

She informed me that though a subscription is made for a number of weeks they don't have to be consecutive weeks.  That is, you can subscribe for four weeks but spread those out fortnightly.   This was exactly what I had decided I needed.

But I didn't join up - because  I kept making excuses during 'The Great Slump'.

Then, as you'd know from my earlier post, 'The Great Slump' ended, prompted by some health woes and a talk with my doctor about diet changes required.

So at last I have signed up to Food Connect, with a whopping 13 week subscription.


Yes, yes... but what IS it?

Food Connect is a company that has operations running in three capital cities, Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide.   It finds local farmers that are within a certain km radius from the city who also have or are working towards organic farming standards.

These farmers deliver their produce weekly to a warehouse where they are packed into boxes.  The boxes are delivered to local 'city cousins'.  A city cousin is someone who volunteers to be the city contact for an area.   There are city cousins all over the place - my local one is only a 3 minute drive from my home.   Subscribers then pick up their box/es from the city cousin and enjoy the fresh and local produce! 

I think it works well all-round. 

I know I'm supporting truly local farmers.  When I was going to the fruit and vegetable markets I found out there was only one or two stalls that were actual farmers in the 'local' area, one of those being Stanthorpe - a good 3+ hours drive away!   Other stalls, the cheaper ones I was using more, were still importing fruit and veg from around the country and overseas.... and then taking it to about 3 markets before it ended up at mine.  All of the food connect farmers are truly local farmers.

I know I'm getting fresh fruit and veg.   I'm not buying stock that has first flown around the world, then sat on a supermarket bench for a few weeks first.   I'm not buying stock that has gone to the West-End, Powerhouse and Nundah markets before hitting my local fruit and veg market.

I'm supporting a company with sustainability ideals.  All boxes reused until their useful life is ended.  We are even encouraged to go creative and decorate our boxes and date the artwork so they can see how long the box's useful lifespan is - and to bring joy to other subscribers who get the box later!   Also, the idea of supporting local farmers feeds into the idea of eating seasonally and reducing food miles.

I know I have my fruit and vegetables sorted out... until November!  I've paid upfront for my 13 week subscription (spaced out fortnightly), which was a bit of an outlay but now I don't have to try to find the time or impetus to go to local markets for almost half a year.  I have no excuses for not buying veges this pay. 

They are flexible so I'm not locked in...  If I find I'm overrun by veges or am going on holidays I can halt my subscription for a week or two.  Or I can add another box in... or order some extras...  Whatever.  It's flexible.

The farmers are getting a regular and reliable income.  This is why the system is a subscription based one rather than a buy a box now... and maybe another one in three weeks.


I pick up my first box tonight and am super-excited.  You will no doubt get a post full to the brim with lovely fruit and veges tommorrow!