Anyone that knows me, knows how much I detest winter. Mostly because I find the cold to be unbearable. Then there are the reminders that everything around me is dead or dormant: bare trees, brown grass and empty lots where our local farmers markets resided all summer long. Oh how I missed hopping from stall to stall, talking to farmers, and hand picking fresh-from-the-farm ingredients to bring home. When I was invited to try Farmers to You last week, which is like having a farmers market delivered once a week, I knew it could be the antidote to a long winter.

What is Farmers to You?
Farmers to You is a regional partnership linking New England farmers and producers to Boston-area families. Their motto is "the food you want, from farms you trust, delivered each week, all year long." Here's how it works:

1. Go online and place your order on Sunday. The website is essentially the online farmers market featuring everything from "Just In" seasonal ingredients, vegetables, meat and fish, dairy and eggs, baked goods, pantry items, fruit and juice, and pet items. 
2. On Monday, Farmers to You orders the food direct from the farmers. 
3. On Tuesday, food is delivered to the Farmers to You warehouse, where your order is packed by hand.
4. On Wednesday and Thursday, orders are delivered to Boston drop-off areas for pickup. There is also a home/office delivery for an added fee. 

Farmers to us
I ordered a little bit of everything: mesclun greens, potatoes, white fish, beef short ribs, butter, eggs, cheese, sliced bread, maple syrup, fresh pasta, jarred tomato sauce and apples. I picked up our order on Thursday and was greeted by Lisa who could not have been nicer and more helpful. She found my order and added a few things to the already-packed bags. When we arrived home with our bounty, everything was perfect - even the ice cream!


That night, I made a fish and corn chowder with a salad and some bread from Crossett Hill.


Over the weekend, I was feeling adventurous and made a beef short rib ragu over pasta. OMG.


Farmers < > Families
I've tried online grocery delivery and meal kit delivery services. Farmers to You is different in the best way possible. Everything was local and super fresh. And of course there's the convenience of online shopping. And I love how Farmers to You connects me to local farmers with videos about the producers and how they grow or make their products. But what I really appreciate is being able to support small farmers beyond our local farmers' market all year long.

Excuse me while I snack on more Cabot Clothbound Cheddar and Honeycrisp apples. Hey Old Man Winter. I'm ready for you!


Disclaimer: Thanks to Farmers to You for giving me a trial membership, which I received free of charge. As always, all opinions are my own.