Organic Food Delivery in Willits, California

In Willits, there are several options for those looking for organic food. We have several restaurants that feature organic foods, such as Burrito Express, Mendonesia Café, the Purple Thistle and Paradise Juice & Coffee. Mariposa Market, which has recently moved to a larger building next door to their previous location (still on South Main Street), offers a wide variety of packaged, bulk and fresh organic foods in addition to paper goods, cleaning products, creams and supplements that appeal to the healthy choices many of us seek. Ray's Market and Safeway have smaller selections of organic foods and products, adequate for the casual purchase. The farmers market offers a variety of products weekly, including meats, vegetables, fruits, fish, baked goods, bulk grains and other items.

For those who want to eat only local organic foods, and have a regular supply of seasonal produce, the best options in Willits are the CSA's. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and this innovation is making small scale local organic farming economically viable. Rather than taking their produce to the large food distributors or to the local farmer's market to sell it at the variable price the market will bear, CSA's work on a 'share' or subscription basis. The farmer determines the price of a share and charges an annual or periodic fee. In return the farmer delivers a given percentage of the farm's production to the shareholder. In Willits we have four local CSA's and one that delivers to Willits from Covelo, only 40 miles away.

Live Power Community Farm, in Covelo, is our largest CSA. It has been in operation since 1973 using animal and human labor to produce a wide variety of produce. They have 160 shares each year delivering a bushel of produce each week for each share from May to early December. My wife and I bought a half-share from them for several years and enjoyed figuring out how to use all the produce that we received. We only stopped because our schedule took us out of town for months at a time, and the share had already been purchased. Each Tuesday in the produce basket, they have a newsletter which includes news of the happenings on the farm, the interns they have each year, recipes for some of the more unusual produce they may provide, and events (such as work-days and feast days) that happen at different times through the year. The cost varies slightly from year to year. The half share that we purchased cost about $16 per week, paid on an annual or monthly basis. They have eggs and sometimes meat as extras. Stephen and Gloria Decater, who own the farm, are always encouraging of the other CSA's and commercial farms that are springing up in Mendocino County.

Brookside Farm, located on the grounds of Brookside Elementary School in Willits, has been in operation for three years. A project of North Coast Opportunities, the farm is operated by Jason Bradford and a steady stream of volunteers. The property has been provided by the Willits Unified School District and the farm cooperates with the school system to provide more fresh food for the cafeteria. Brookside sells 16 shares at a cost of $750 per year (averaging to just $14.43 per week). Jason estimates that they provide between 400 and 600 pounds of produce per share over the course of a year. They provide a basket once a week (on Tuesdays) from May to November and once a month from December to April.

Brookside Farm has reduced their produce varieties to concentrate on the things that grow best on their farm as well as what their shareholders want to eat. They will be working with several off-site producers this year to increase the amount of potatoes, squash, and onions available. A winter basket will include both storage vegetables; such as winter squash, several varieties of potatoes, onions and garlic; and fresh items such as carrots, parsnips, leeks, kale, tree collards and chard.

In the spring the baskets start slow in April, adding produce as it becomes ready to harvest. A typical basket includes potato onions, lettuce, radishes, peas, beets, carrots, and new green onions. The summer baskets overflow with green beans, tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, cabbage, garlic, onions, cucumbers, and tomatillos.

Fruit will also be included in season. Currently the farm produces strawberries and expects the raspberries and blackberries to come in this year. They are tending fruit trees (trimmed short enough that the school children can easily pick them) that are expected to start bearing this year or next. The trees include several varieties each of apples, peaches, and plums. Table grapes, planted several years ago, should also start bearing soon.

Mendocino Organics, just completing its first winter of operation, specializes in winter vegetables and delivers weekly from December through April (21 weeks). They have a good hillside location in a nearly frost free valley provided by Golden Vineyards at the Hart Arrow Ranch. Partnering with Golden Vineyards and Live Power Community Farm they provide a set amount of a large variety of root vegetables and winter greens. This year a full share cost $900 ($42.86 per week for the season).

Mendocino Organics operates throughout the year to provide locally grown organic meat (sheep, cows, chickens, & goats) distributed directly and through other CSA's, restaurants, and retail outlets.

Happy Belly, a Local Food Subscription company, has been in operation about two years. In the words of Holly Madrigal, they are "similar but different from a CSA". Happy Belly contracts with farmers and food processors in Mendocino County for specific non-veggie items and sells shares in those specific items rather than in the whole service. Now starting their second year of operation, their offerings this year will include beef and pork from Mack Magruder, lambs from the Schmidbauers, chickens from Mendocino Organics, olive oil from three producers (Olivino, Golden Vineyards, and Filligreen Farms), pies from Sweety Pies, and fruit from a variety of suppliers. Last year was a difficult year for local fruit producers and the drought may affect this year's crop as well, but the fruit they hope to supply may include blue berries, Asian pears, peaches, apples, and figs. Share prices are being determined now based on availability. They will require a %50 deposit on shares with the remainder due at delivery. Last year they served about 20 families in the Willits area. They hope to increase that number this year. They will be changing their delivery day to Thursday and will have a table at the Farmer's Market for that purpose. They do not have a website, but inquiries can be directed to Holly Madrigal at one_visionary@yahoo.com.

The final CSA is Green Uprising on East Hill Road. They are just gearing up for their first year in full operation. Michael Foley says they are going to try a slightly different approach to the CSA. Starting Shares will cost $150 which will create a credit balance that can be claimed from the farm as produce becomes available for harvest. They will be setting up a fruit stand at the farm (just East of the bridge on East Hill and a little West of the intersection with East Side Road). The farm stand will be operated from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm daily as a self service stand. Shareholders can pick up what they like on Sundays.

This spring they have planted lettuce, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, kale, broccoli, radishes, green garlic, beets, turnips, and salad mix. In the summer Michael expects to have tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, fennel, garlic, kale, summer squash, beans and salad mix. Much of the summer crops will continue into the fall. In addition they are planning for cabbage, collards, Asian vegetables, lettuce, beets, turnips, winter squash, and more salad mix. They are planning winter crops as well, but have not settled on what they will be as of yet.

Depending on the weather this year they are hoping for a good crop of fruit. Apples, pears, and blackberries are probable and they hope for plums as well. If you are interested in getting a share contact Michael at foley.mw@gmail.com.

Sources: Interviews with Jason Bradford of Brookside Farm, Michael Foley of Green Uprising, and Holly Madrigal of Happy Belly; personal experience with Live Power Community Farm supplemented by their website; discussions with Adam Gaska and Paula Manalo of Mendocino Organics supplemented by their website.