Hi! Bergen Cty mommas?

Well, it's good to know I'm not alone.

We're in Dumont... for now. I'm hoping we can get outta here (and up to Vermont) soon!

Love your kiddos' names. Adorable!

-j

You are around the corner.

We've been looking around for something in the Bethel area of Vermont. I'd like to buy something that needed some work, and take time to make it our own. Then, put this place up, have enough to pay this off and pay off VT in full. We got in here before the "boom".

I want land.... chickens, goats, etc. Plus, I just don't want to feel like I'm always fighting everyone else's actions. I mean, I've been working with the town on some reform, and I just got myself on the environmental board, but there's only so much I can do. We're just more "home" in VT.

Plus, I like leaving my house on Saturdays. Here, I just don't. At least if I do, I don't touch Rt 4/17. Grr. :

Have you heard of Urban Organic food co-op? We just joined Purple Dragon, and I'm not sure if I like it yet or not.

-j

Hi there

We live in Passaic cty bordering Bergen cty in Hawthorne. We just joined Purple Dragon as well, but would like to find another one because we'd like one that they actually volunteer..LOL I was told online you would volunteer once every so often(think it was every 3months) and when I spoke with the lady she said that their group had decided to pay an extra $2 a share to pay someone else to do the work. Not what I was expecting. Where's Urban Organic Food co-op?

RayRay~

We were a part of Urban Organics for a while. I loved it, but I just couldn't eat that much produce by myself. My husband won't touch anything that resembles a vegetable and DS isn't far from that. Since I'm the only veggie in the family and the only one who really likes whole food, it's hard. I would go back to Urban Organics in a heartbeat if they would eat with me. But I was wasting just too much food.

Every week they post what will be in the box. You can opt to sub up to three items for $1.00 each. You also, when you join can opt out of three food items permanently. If you don't want anything that week you just email them by Sunday night I think it is and tell them to skip that week. You pay with a credit card and they leave the box at your door. The only problem I had is that I left a cooler for them to put things in and they left the box sitting on top of the cooler. Didn't help the yogurt I had ordered in the 90 degree weather. But they did take the yogurt off my bill. I just didn't order anyting perishable in the summer again. If anything was spoiled orwent bad too quickly they would take it off your bill. And the food tasted so good.

I would very much like to bea part of a coop where you can order things other than just produce. I used to be a part of such a coop that carried a lot of bulk items and things like Rice Milk and Annie's products and stuff like that. I know that they operate in this area, but every person I have contacted about this is either not taking new members or no longer doing the coop. Is anyone here a part of this type of coop? I'm more than willing to do some of the work. But I can'thave it delivered here because I live on a dead end street and have a hugh hill between the parking lot and my apartment.

And Mrs. Levine, we're right down the road from you in Ridgefield.

Kathi

Dakota's Mom - where in NJ are you? I would love to do a food box, but like you my H isn't really "into" veggies... I can't justify a whole box for myself. If you are in Bergen county, perhaps I could share with you (I'm in Passaic county, but my office is in Hackensack)?.. just an idea!

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My H and I used to live in Emerson - the traffic drove us out of Bergen County - it was crazy! Even the back roads are so clogged on a Saturday. Thank goodness for the blue laws - at least on Sunday you can make progress on the roads (although you have no where to go to, since it's all shut ).

We moved out here and it was like "the country", but now it's just as bad with Target, Walmart, LnT, Borders, etc. etc. all opening up on Rt.23.

I would love to move to upstate NY or Vermont, but my job can't really be moved.

I shop at a co-op store in Chestnut Ridge, NY (just over the border... near Tice's Corner shopping center) and they are great. It's just a little hike to get up there. It's called Hungry Hollow CoOp. Check them out. But that's not delivered food.

I am thinking that I'm going to do Urban Organic after your suggestions. I agree in that I feel like wasting food, ESPECIALLY because the Purple Dragon shares are almost impossible to opt out of -- you need to find a replacement for that week. Plus, the "extras" you can order are quite limited. That said, the people that run it are amazing, and everyone has been extremely helpful.

I dunno... I think I'm just going to do it.

Sometimes I wish we lived closer to farms!! I joined a CSA farm in Paramus (did you know there's a farm in Paramus?!?!) and it was 1) expensive and 2) a lot of food I wasn't familiar with. I mean, I'm not afraid to try stuff, but when I have three different sets of leafy greens that I have to cook -- well, let's just say my system can only take so much in the way of leafy greens. I found I wasn't getting enough of what I'd usually buy, so it wasn't worth it.

The Hungry Hollow coop is nice because they have a lot of the whole grains/beans I've been looking for. Plus, you can special order in bulk for milling and such.

Localharvest.org has been my friend in finding some of this stuff.

I think I'm going to take the plunge. Is any one a current member so they can get a referral credit?

- Jaymie

I belong to the co-op in Paramus. Joys Farm. I debated about joining this year but decided to do it (just handed in my cash). She had addressed some of my concerns-which involved a lot of the new and never been seen before stuff. There will be less eggplant and cabbage this year (so she says). I found I was buting to many of the basics and I told her that. We shall see. Plus I like supporting a local farm. It makes me feel good. This year will determine if I am going to join next year.

I am intrigued by the Urban Coop and I like the idea of food being delivered rather then me having to deal with picking it up. So much to think about. It would be easier for me to schlep over to Tice's Corner if I did not work full time. I prefer to be local on the week-ends.

It's funny, I don't have that much of an issue with the 4/17 thing. I am usually able to avoid it on Saturdays. Maybe I just don't go anywhere on the weekends. : ?

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Yeah, that's me!! haha

How long have you been a member at Joy Farm?? I was a member about three years ago. I did like the fresh cut flowers we'd get, but honestly, as much as I like them, they turn into cat food -- my one cat loves eating grass/flowers (she actually LOVES lettuce... weird, I know). I just remember picking up a share one week and it was bok choy, swiss chard and another bunch of greens -- and I thought "what do I do with this?!?" It was nice supporting local, and it was easy to get to, but I just wasn't getting enough out of it.

Hungry Hollow is open on Sundays, and it's open early. Plus, an added bonus is in the summer when that old Dairy Queen is open -- hehehehe. Bad, I know!

All this food talk is making me remember that I have to dehydrate some celery and onion that's been sitting too long (we have a pickup on Thursday for PD).

-J

I had joined last year for the first time. There were no fresh flowers (which would have been cat food in my house, too) but she had worked out some deals with other farms and I had some of the best corn I ever had, some fruit and a jar of raw honey. My problem with it last year was the plethora of eggplant (dh is the only one who likes it) and cabbage (I am really the only one who eats it) so a fair bit was wasted on those 2 items. When I filled out the survey this year I told her I was hoping for more of the basics and less of the exotic because I did not like how much filler I had to buy. She responded to me by telling me she would get some more of the basics in there. Although she did say carrots never worked out for her but she would see if she could trade with another farm for them. I found myself buying carrots, broccoli, etc. from the farmers market at the Ridgewood train station (some yummy fresh mozzerella from there, too). On the upside though, I never knew I liked beets. I was very impressed with myself for making beet dishes.

I may have to trek up early on a Sunday Morning. Do you know how early they open? I have to figure out if I can do it before I drop off the kiddos at Hebrew School or maybe I will just need to wait until the school year is over.

What do you do with dehydrated celery? I have a dehydrator and so far the only thing I have made is apple rings.

I use the dehydrated celery for soup bases and such. I either rehydrate it first or just throw it in and let it cook that way. It works! Same thing with the onion... I dehydrate it in biger pieces then break it up to "mince" it. Then I use it that way.

If you like apple rings, you'll LOVE banana chips -- sprinkle some cinnamom -- YUM! A Mandolin slicer will give you the best results, because then they will be even. You can do the same with mango.

We did get fresh flowers when I was a member, but the basics were slim. The corn comes from Old Hook Farm in Emerson -- they are on Old Hook Road. You should check that place out! Oh, and I LOVE the Ridgewood farmer's market -- and the same vendors are in Rivervale on Thursdays (I think that's the day... don't quote me on that just yet). That mozz is so yum. I've been tempted to make my own, but I haven't got the guts to try it yet.

Uggh... I just looked up HH and they changed their hours on Sunday!! I know I've gone earlier. Here's what the site says:
Monday-Friday: 8am - 7pm | Saturday: 9am - 7pm | Sunday: 11am - 5pm
Maybe a call to them would be warranted. Here's their info:
841 Chestnut Ridge Road (Rte 45) | Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977 | 845-356-3319

Kudos for you making beet dishes. What sort of things did you make? My hubby would just make them up and eat them himself when we got them. Not my thing! We got a lot of tomatoes, and she notified me that I'd have so much I'd have to can -- and that was hardly the case. I mean, I understand the year was bad for the crops, but I didn't feel we were compensated enough with other stuff (enough of the swiss chard already!!) to make me satisfied.

Oh... now I'm slobbering thinking about those pies that the Amish people sell at the farmer's market.... yuuuuum.

I have a ton of apples... I should just make one myself.

Banana chips sound yummy but would require me to wrangle the bananas out of my childrens hands. I come home with a bunch and they are gone by the next day. My little monkeys. How long do you dehydrate them for? I am quite the novice with the dehydrator. It scares me.

Thanks for the info on Old Hook Farm and HH. I will have to try to check them out.

As for the beets, I tried a couple of the recipes from here: http://www.thatsmyhome.com/farmers/beet-recipes.htm. I made another dish that involved lemon juice and thyme but I can not find the recipe now.

Last year was not a banner year for the tomatoes so no notification on the need to can. I am taking a wait and see approach with the csa this year. I voiced my concerns, she says she is going to get more basics in there, so we shall see. If it is more of the same I doubt I will join it next year.

Now I want some apple pie. I have a whole bunch of granny smith apples that I am planning on making apple rings with. Maybe I will have to make a cobbler instead.