Alder Site for Bountiful Baskets

Alder Site for Bountiful Baskets

A while back I wrote about the Bountiful Baskets program.  Now I am happy to write that there is a Bountiful Baskets site here in the Ruby Valley.  Saturday, June 22, I will be picking up my Bountiful Basket from the Alder School.  Kaycee Gilman is the site coordinator working hard to make sure that everything runs smoothly.  The next pick-up will be Saturday, July 6 with ordering beginning at 10 am Monday July 1^st…you must order by Tuesday July 2^nd at nine p.m. if you want to get a basket July 6.  Ordering early is the best chance to get a basket (there are only so many) and get the add-ons. 

“Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op (BBFC) distributes produce baskets, organic produce baskets, artisan bread and sandwich bread every other week.”  It is “a grassroots, all volunteer, no contracts, no catch cooperative.”  According to the website, bountifulbaskets.org, because they don’t pay employees (rely on volunteers) at the sites, they are able to sell produce for “rock bottom” prices. The program would not happen without volunteers.  If you choose to participate, choose to volunteer once in a while, when you are able. 

Go to the Bountiful Baskets website (www.bountifulbaskets.org) and create an account.  The one-time ‘first time’ basket fee of $3.00 applies to all the sites you visit.  These three dollars goes towards the laundry baskets used at the site.  When you participate, you transfer your basket of produce (approx. 50% veggies, 50% fruit) from the white baskets to your own container(s)—laundry baskets, reusable grocery sacks, cardboard boxes, etc.  There is no commitment.  Close to where we live in the Ruby Valley, there are 2 sites in Dillon that alternate weeks, a site in Whitehall, a site in Ennis and now the site in Alder.  Butte also has a half-dozen sites and Bozeman has sites that you could schedule into a big shopping trip.  There is no commitment to just one site and the benefits of the program are amazing.

Our family has been so happy with the Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op.  I know we save money on produce.  We get good quality produce that has allowed us to incorporate veggies into every dinner meal.  It has helped to plan a week’s worth of meals knowing that I have certain items that need to be used quickly.  We eat a lot more fruits and veggies and if there is a vegetable I need for a meal, I just go to our local grocery store.  The friend that got me hooked on the program shared that her family was able to cut back on extra starches, eliminating rice or pasta by adding more veggies to the plate.  There are add-ons:  cases of produce, breads, oils, extra packs with herbs and veggies specific to regional cuisine and they are great deals.  The case of broccoli mostly went in the freezer and we enjoyed some great broccoli-rich meals. 

Talk to friends who have used the Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op.  Split baskets with your friends.  Volunteer!  Check out Bountiful Baskets on Facebook; join the Ruby Valley Bountiful Basket group.  As local produce becomes available, make sure to support your local farmers and Farmers Markets.  Thanks for reading and I hope you are enjoying the short summer.  Share at www.sustainablysadie.blogspot.com.

Twin Bits

The next TBCA meeting will be at Noon at the Ruby Valley National Bank in Twin, Wednesday June 26.

Twin Bridges Farmers’ Market Saturdays, 9 am to Noon, Twin Bridges Main Street Park.  Contact Sarah Miller at tbfarmersmarket@hotmail.com.

Sheridan Farmers’ Market begins Thursday June 6^th, 4 pm to 6 pm at Sheridan’s Main Street Park.  Contact Ann Goldthwait at Kindred Spirits LLC gift shop in Sheridan. 

Floating Flotillas and Fish Fantasies will be Saturday July 27 at the Madison County Fairgrounds in Twin Bridges.