Harvesting basket

[Megshannon]

I am now part of a CSA that includes extensive PYO crops. Do any of you have a favorite harvesting basket/container?

Thanks

[laohaire]

I just use a wire basket with handles that I just happened to have - didn't buy anything for this purpose.

I also have a small collection of pint and quart berry containers that I keep and reuse (the cardboardish kind). If I use these, I might bring a flat cardboard box I have - it's a little bigger than the box a flat of jars might come in, and about the same depth, no lid. So I can arrange these containers in the box and nothing gets squished. I've been using that exact box for years, lol. I've seen alcoholic beverage boxes from liquor stores that are like this, too. I use the berry containers for berries, of course, but also for herbs, beans, peas, cherry tomatoes and peppers.

I once bought a half bushel of canning tomatoes that came in an actual bushel basket, and I've kept that to pick apples into.

I've been known to reuse bread bags and tortilla bags (the latter have a zip enclosure that's nice) for produce, but not really for PYO. Bread bags are great for carrots and potatoes, for example. I like to use the zipping tortilla bags for spinach. I also have some cloth bags I use for produce.

Um, I hope I answered your question in at least a semi-useful way.

[mindymom]

look for containers with strong sides that fit snugly inside your cooler.  it's also nice if whatever you use stands out in a natural environment - i once spent 20 minutes finding my berry box in a strawberry patch after an urgent trip back to the car with ds.  i usually make ds and any other kids who are with me share my container, rather than give them their own, for qc and to avoid spillage.  hth.