Jeremy Morse
Pontiac April 13, 2022
Farms and gardens throughout the Pontiac have started accepting reservations for their summer produce baskets.
These baskets are a form of community supported agriculture, where consumers are able to connect with and buy directly from local producers.
Each basket guarantees a week’s worth of produce for a set price. Depending on the . . .
producer’s policy, customers must pay the total amount upfront or make separate payments throughout the season.
“It’s really important because they’re getting the money in the spring where you need the money,” said Audrey Lapointe, owner of Quyon’s Jardin de Fabie. “You need to secure what you’re going to be growing.”
Lapointe has sold produce baskets for the last four years, with a focus on versatile, staple vegetables. For her customers, the appeal of these baskets is not only found in their quality of produce, but also in their ability to show support for local producers.
“There’s a kind of commitment from the customers saying ‘We want to encourage organic, small, ecological growers,’” said Lapointe. “They’re ready to pay half of the price of the season, even before they get one vegetable.”
When grocery store prices are more unpredictable than ever, these baskets also provide peace of mind for consumers.
“They get fresh local vegetables every week, they get what’s in season and they’ve prepaid that amount, so they’re not subject to the changing prices in the grocery stores,” said Cynthia Case, co-owner of Bristol’s Le Domaine de la Belle & le Gentleman. “The idea is to cut the middleman so they get better produce, but also the best possible prices for what’s available.”
This is Le Domaine de la Belle & le Gentleman’s first season in operation. Case has decided not to rely on traditional revenue streams, such as farmers’ markets, and instead focus on their baskets. “If my tomatoes get beaten up, that week I might not have tomatoes at the farmer’s market because my baskets have priority,” she said.
Case has scheduled an 18-week basket program from June until October.
Throughout the season, the baskets will feature different vegetables and herbs. For those uninterested in a specific item, Case is open to exchanges within reason. “We’ll try and find a solution to accommodate.”
Case plans to offer recipes with the baskets to help customers cook with any unfamiliar vegetables and herbs.
Reservations for both Jardin de Fabie and Le Domaine de la Belle & le Gentleman’s baskets can be made through their respective websites.
