By Carolyn Twesten, Weaver Street Market Produce Merchandiser
Last week I received a call from my favorite California farmer Gena Nonini of Marian Farms. It’s not an everyday occurrence for a produce buyer at a grocery store to have a direct relationship with her farmers, especially if they’re on the other side of the country. That’s the co-op difference.
Gena contacted us more than a decade ago looking for a market for her biodynamic grapes that was outside of the corporate model. Growers are often at the mercy of brokers and distributors that give the farmer a market price, then mark the produce up every step of the way so that the grower gets a fraction of the end retail price. Big grocery retailers looking to be competitive with other big retailers drive down the costs paid to farmers even more. It’s this cycle that drives the small and mid-size growers out of business, leaving only the large corporate-owned farms left. Purchasing directly from growers like Gena is our way of getting great, sustainably grown products to our customers while paying a good price to the grower. All while fighting the corporate takeover of our food system!
Last month we received our first shipment of biodynamic Thompson raisins from Marian Farms. These raisins are made from the same type of grape that our customers love: the delicious, dainty and sweet golden-green seedless grapes that appear in white sacks in our stores each fall. As with the grapes we sell, the grapes that become raisins are naturally small and sweet, not super-sized with growth hormones. The workers, paid hourly instead of by amount picked, pick the grapes by hand to avoid damaging them. After the raisins are dried, workers lightly spray certified organic safflower oil to prevent clumping, making for easy pouring and scooping.
Early next week we’re expecting a pallet of delicious Meyer lemons and Satsuma tangerines from Marian Farms, the best citrus you will taste this season. If you’ve never had a Meyer lemon, it’s thinner skinned, sweeter, and less acidic than traditional lemon, and perfect to use in desserts. Like the grapes, the citrus fruits are also free from growth hormones. They will be practically right off the tree!