Good Food from Healthy Farms
Terra Organics News
Coolers, Terra Blend, Specials
Jul 21st
Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to our email regarding the quality issues we’ve been dealing with recently. Your communication and feedback is critical to the improvement of our operations. Please remember that your satisfaction is important to us and we count on you letting us know whenever you have an issue with your delivery.
This is the last week to take advantage of our discounted refundable deposit for produce coolers. Order one before the price goes up to $30 (closer to our actual cost for each cooler). They look sharp and they help keep the produce fresh!
Did you know that we are carrying organic coffee now? The ‘Terra Blend’ is roasted and packaged for us by Bluebeard Coffee Roasters of Tacoma. This Guatemalan organic whole bean is from Finca Bourbon, where the Echevarria family has grown their old-world Bourbon varietal coffees since 1878. Hints of summertime fruit define this yummy medium-bodied shade grown coffee. Order it from our webstore and let us know what you think!
Highlights and Specials for the Upcoming Week:
- Tahoma Farms Fava Beans, only $1.25/lb
- Yellow Crookneck, Zucchini, and Mixed Summer Squash – a summer favorite from Tahoma and other NW farms!
- Raspberries from Terry’s Berries in Puyallup are available in bulk quantities – order a half flat (6 6-oz containers) for $14, or a full flat (12 6-oz containers) for $27 – yum!
- Get your green on with Tahoma Farms kales, chards, collards, and lettuces – it’s definitely salad season!
If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email notifying you when the web store has been opened for your delivery day.
Terra Blend, Mid-Summer Gathering, Potluck
Jul 15th
Terra Organics is now offering organic coffee beans from Bluebeard Roasters of Tacoma. The featured ‘Terra Blend’ is the Organic Guatemala Finca Bourbon, an organic shade-grown bean defined by hints of crisp apple, cherry and honey. Finca (farm) Bourbon is a family owned plantation that has been producing coffee since 1878. One of the oldest farms producing coffee in Guatemala, the farm is located in Patzun, between Atitlan and Acatenango, and is the only coffee plantation in this part of the country.
The farm altitude ranges from 1,500 to 2,425 meters and most of the coffee trees in production are more than 70 years old with some over 100 years old. Finca Bourbon was first certified organic in 1996 by OCIA.
Finca Bourbon coffee is grown in volcanic soil under a full canopy of shade, and the farm is certified Bird-Friendly by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. The size of the farm is 286 hectares and with about 96 hectares under cultivation, the rest of the farm is a protected forest preserve.
Enjoy this whole bean coffee from Finca Bourbon at a discounted introductory price for this week only. Find it in our webstore under ‘more stuff’.
Join us this Sunday, the 17th from noon to 3pm for our Mid-Summer Gathering at Tahoma Farms. See our farm at the peak of the season when strawberries and snap peas are still in the fields with parsnips and pumpkins right behind them. Feel free to bring a picnic, spend some time along the river, and come with good walking shoes if you want to go on the guided tour at 12:30. We will have drinks and snacks on hand and will be mingling all afternoon.
Our address at Tahoma Farms is 21108 Orville Road East, Orting, WA 98360. We hope to see you there!
Tacoma Community garden enthusiasts! Save the Date for the Garden Leadership Summer Potluck which will be meeting on Tuesday, July 19th at 6pm to share food and community and our learning about community gardens. Come see old friends meet new ones!
What is a Garden Leader? Any of you who feel a responsibility to the overall health and success of your community garden. You may be officially called the ‘site coordinator’ or ‘president’ or ‘secretary’ or not – it doesn’t matter if you have a title – if you feel connected to and responsible for your garden – you are a garden leader. It doesn’t even matter if you have a garden yet – if you are interested in being a part of the Community Garden movement or starting your own, please come. Contact Kristen McIvor at kristenm@cascadeland.org for location information or visit www.cascadeland.org.
Got your cooler? Protect your produce and save yourself the hassle of remembering to leave your boxes out each week. Terra Organics coolers are now available in the webstore under ‘more stuff’ for a refundable deposit of $25.00. Check it out.
Highlights and Specials for the Upcoming Week:
- Lots of beautiful greens from Tahoma Farms (kales, lettuces, etc.) - check out the Web Store for our selection!
- WA-grown Rainier and Bing Cherries
- Yellow Summer Squash from Inaba Farms (Wapato, WA), only $1.50/lb
- CA-grown Slicer and Heirloom Tomatoes
Terra Coffee, Tahoma Farms Visit, Strawberries
Jul 7th
Join us on the 17th of July from noon to 3pm for a fun and relaxing afternoon at Tahoma Farms in Orting, WA. Take a tour with us through the fields and see how the summer crops are coming along, or stroll down to the Puyallup River and see what a certified Salmon Safe riparian area looks like. Snacks and drinks will be provided, and you are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the banks of the river or in the shelter of one of our barns. If the strawberry patch maintains its current momentum, you’ll have a chance to pick your own berries-bring a container! Look for an EVITE in your inbox and send us your RSVP from there. We look forward to spending the afternoon with you!
Keep your fruits and veggie fresh with a Terra Organics produce cooler. Custom designed and insulated, each cooler is 16.5 inches wide, and 13 inches high with a lid that opens 180 degrees. Painted white with the Terra Organics logo- they are simple and unobtrusive. (You can take a look at one in the webstore if you are curious.) For a refundable deposit of $25 you can have one delivered with your next order. Visit the webstore or send us an email letting us know you’d like one and we’ll add it for you.
Attention coffee lovers/addicts: beginning July 15th we will be offering you a certified organic whole bean coffee from Bluebeard Coffee Roasters. The ‘Terra Blend’ will feature organic coffee from family farms from various countries in Latin and South America, Africa and Indonesia. Our first run of coffee will be from the Finca Bourbon in Guatemala where the Echevarria family has grown their old-world Bourbon varietal coffees since 1878. (We’re giving you a week’s notice so you’ll have time to remember to add it to your Terra grocery list for next week’s ordering.)
Strawberry eaters!!!! If you are buying local and organic strawberries, it is prudent to plan on eating or preparing them the day you get them.
As always, if you have issues or concerns with your order, please contact us.
Highlights and Specials for the upcoming week:
· Tender and flavorful Garlic Scapes from Nash’s (Sequim, WA), $2.25/bunch
· WA-grown Bing cherries, $5.50/lb
· Tahoma Farms Mustard Greens for $2.00/bunch
· Tahoma’s first Broccoli and Zucchini of the season
· Discounts on all Bluebird grain products – see Web Store for product details and pricing.
Below is a preview of the standard box contents for next week.
If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email notifying you when the web store has been opened for your delivery day.
If you need to make any changes to your subscription, schedule a vacation or make a payment Click Here to Login to Your Account
Sincerely,
The Terra Organics Team
The Cooler the Better
Jun 30th
The Terra Organics Coolers are finally here! For a refundable deposit of $25 you can now protect your produce from the heat of the summer and the freezing temperatures of winter with a Terra Organics cooler. Custom designed and manufactured for your needs, each cooler is 16.5 inches wide, and 12 inches high with a lid that opens 180 degrees. Fully insulated, and painted white with the Terra Organics logo, they are unobtrusive and easy on the eye. Order one from our webstore under ‘more stuff’, and we will deliver it with your next order.
Save the date! You are invited to bring the kiddos and meet us for a fun and relaxing afternoon at Tahoma Farms in Orting on Sunday, July 17th from noon to 3pm. Take a tour with us through the fields and see how the summer crops are coming along, or stroll down to the Puyallup River and see what a certified Salmon Safe riparian area looks like. Snacks and drinks will be provided, and if the strawberry patch maintains its current momentum, you’ll have a chance to pick your own berries. We look forward to seeing you there!
We will have flats and half-flats of strawberries from Tahoma in limited quantities this week. We have put a few in the web store but don’t want to overcommit. If you do not find them in the web store it means that all known available flats and half-flats have been sold. We will release more to the store as they become available. You can also send us an email telling us how many flats or half-flats you would like and we will then add to your order, as available, on a first-come first-served basis.
We hope you enjoy a safe and happy Independence Day.
Highlights and Specials for the upcoming week:
· First of the season WA-grown apricots, $2.25/lb
· WA-grown Chelan cherries, $5.50/lb
· Snow peas from Alvarez Farms in Mabton, WA, at $2.50 per ½ lb bag
· Black Splendor plums, $2.50/lb
· Vine tomatoes (BC, Canada) at $2.50/lb
· Discounts on all Bluebird grain products – see Web Store for product details and pricing.
Please keep in touch and let us know how you are enjoying your produce by emailing info@terra-organics.com.
If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email notifying you when the web store has been opened for your delivery day.
If you need to make any changes to your subscription, schedule a vacation or make a payment Click Here to Login to Your Account
Sincerely,
The Terra Organics Team
Salmon Safe
Jun 23rd
Although we’ve seen the sun appear a couple of days this week, it’s hard to believe that summer has officially begun. Lucky for us the early season crops like lettuce, kale, chard and strawberries are growing beautifully. Tahoma Farms CSA box subscribers will receive the first of the season’s strawberries next week. We are expecting our quantities to increase over the next couple of weeks so keep an eye out for them in the webstore.
Today we are pleased to announce that Tahoma Farms has received its Salmon Safe certification. The decline of salmon populations has become one of the most pressing environmental concerns facing our region, and Tahoma Farms is actively working to protect water quality and habitat along our stretch of the Puyallup River. Some of the practices that we have put into place include maintaining a buffer of trees and vegetation along the stream banks, and controlling erosion by cover cropping bare soil. Practices such as these help to improve passage for migrating fish and restore the health of critical riparian ecosystems. Click here to read more about Washington’s Salmon Safe program and certification process.
If you’d like to add free money to your Terra Organics account this summer keep spreading the word to your friends about us. When they sign up with us all they need to do is give us your name and you will receive a $10 credit. Once you have received 10 credits we’ll apply an additional $100. Look in our webstore for our very lovely wallet size referral cards (free) to have them added to your next order.
Highlights and Specials for the upcoming week:
· First of the season WA-grown apricots, $2.25/lb
· WA-grown Chelan cherries, $5.50/lb
· Snow peas from Alvarez Farms in Mabton, WA, at $2.50 per ½ lb bag
· Black Splendor plums, $2.50/lb
· Vine tomatoes (BC, Canada) at $2.50/lb
· Discounts on all Bluebird grain products – see Web Store for product details and pricing.
Please keep in touch and let us know how you are enjoying your produce by emailing info@terra-organics.com.
Below is a preview of the standard box contents for next week.
If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email notifying you when the web store has been opened for your delivery day.
If you need to make any changes to your subscription, schedule a vacation or make a payment Click Here to Login to Your Account
Sincerely,
The Terra Organics Team
Strawberries!
Jun 16th
We are ridiculously close to having our very own Strawberries and with the heat we’re expecting at the beginning of next week, one of summer’s true pleasures is almost upon us after a long, fruitless winter. We will also have them for sale by the flat, for those that want to freeze, jam, bake or otherwise consume lots of strawberries over a short (or long) period of time.
For now, we have some exciting local offerings from Eastern Washington – English Peas, Sugar Snap Peas, Green Cabbage and even Red Cherries – and a selection of 18 veggies from Tahoma Farms in the web store. Over the course of the local season, we will see an additional 35 to 40 different crops coming from Tahoma Farms and in the web store. How’s that for flexibility and selection? This time last year we only had the ability to manage 20 items or so. And when we move into a bigger space at the end of this month we will have the capacity for even more items. We think it’s all pretty exciting and we hope you do too!
Some of the local specials available in the web store for your Terra Organics order next week:
- Willie Greens Baby Spinach at $3.50 per 1/2 pound bag
- Tahoma Rainbow Carrots at $3.00 per bunch
- Yakima Asparagus for $6.00 per pound
- Tahoma Mustard Greens at $2.75 per bunch
- Yakima English Peas at $3.50 per pound
Below is a preview of the standard box contents for next week.
If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email notifying you when the web store has been opened for your delivery day.
If you need to make any changes to your subscription, schedule a vacation or make a payment Click Here to Login to Your Account
Sincerely,
The Terra Organics Team
Help us protect Pierce County Farmland!
Jun 9th
In 2004, 31,000 acres of farmland were designated Agricultural Resource Land by Pierce County. The cities of Sumner, Bonney Lake, and Orting are now requesting that protected prime farmland be de-designated for urban expansion. Although county planning staff members have recommended that the Sumner and Orting proposals be denied for being inconsistent with the county’s growth policies, their recommendations urgently need the support of Pierce county residents.
There are eight amendments currently under consideration by the county that would de-designate a total of 580 acres of farmland. Below are four of the most important amendments that need our immediate attention. Follow the links at the end to send a message to the county that you support the permanent protection of Pierce County farmland. Thank you!
OPPOSE U2 – The City of Ortingwants to expand into 243 acres of protected farmland and 74 acres of rural land. This area is SW boundary of Orting, and north and south of the Kapowsin Hwy adjacent to Calistoga Avenue bridge. The County’s Planning Staff agrees that U2 should be opposed.
OPPOSE U3 – The City of Sumnerwishes to expand into 144 acres of protected farms for big box stores, strip malls, and apartments. This area is south Sumner and south of Highway 410.
OPPOSE U5 – Bonney Lakewould re-designate 191 acres of protected farmland for urban development in the Fennel Creek valley. Increasing development next to Fennel Creek will harm the creek’s water quality and pave over working farm land. Again, the County’s Planning Staff agrees that U5 should be opposed.
SUPPORT U8 – East Pioneer Road area. Several years ago, the county expanded the area nearPuyallup where high density residential development is allowed provided Puyallup agreed to protect 160 acres of farmland and open space. Puyallup did not comply with this condition and so Pierce County is considering removing the land from the urban growth area and protecting its working farms.
Here is how you can support local farms and local farmers:
Attend the Pierce County Planning Commission public hearings on Wednesday June 15, 2011 and ask them to protect working farms by recommending denial of U-2, U-3, and U-5 and approval of U-8. The public hearing will be at in the County Annex Building at 2401 So. 35th St, Tacoma, WA starting at 7:00 p.m.
Write or email the Planning Commission before June 15th asking the commission to recommend denial of U-2, U-3, and U-5 and approval of U-8. The mailing and email addresses are listed below.
Where to Email or Write the Pierce County Planning Commission:
Pierce County Planning Commission
Pierce County Planning & Land Services
2401 So. 35th St, Tacoma, WA 98409
Send emails to: tfairba@co.pierce.wa.us
Some of the local specials available in the web store for your Terra Organics order next week:
- Willie Greens Baby Spinach at $3.50 per 1/2 pound bag
- Tahoma Dandelion Greens at $3.25 per bunch
- Yakima Asparagus for $4.50 per 3/4 pound bunch
- Ralph’s Greenhouse Bunched Spinach at $3.25 each
- Tahoma Red Butter Leaf Lettuce at $2.75 per head
Below is a preview of the standard box contents for next week.
If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email notifying you when the web store has been opened for your delivery day.
If you need to make any changes to your subscription, schedule a vacation or make a payment Click Here to Login to Your Account
Sincerely,
The Terra Organics Team
Tahoma Wakes
Jun 2nd
For the next 22 weeks, our little farm in Orting will seed, transplant, nurture, harvest, pack and deliver over 50 varieties of vegetables and a few fruits for our Tahoma Farms CSA box. With average temperatures a full ten degrees below the norm so far this year, it’s kind of amazing that we will still be able to start the season on schedule. But with good drainage, a few season-extension growing techniques, a lot of skill and a little bit of luck, we have the following crops ready for the CSA:
Green Leaf Lettuce, Baby Carrots, Bunched Spinach, Baby Bok Choy, Mustard Greens, French Breakfast Radishes, Leeks, Cilantro and Romaine Lettuce!
You can also find most if not all of these veggies at the Phinney Farmers Market this Friday from 3 to 7 and at the 6th Ave Farmers Market in Tacoma, each Tuesday, also from 3 to 7 pm. Come say hi to Kim and Hillary if you’re in the neighborhood!
Regrettably, due to insufficient interest, we are going to go ahead and reschedule the farm tour we had planned for this Saturday. We promise to give a little more advance notice for another weekend day in the not-so-distant future and at a time when we can also offer some strawberry u-pick action!
Some of the specials available in the web store for your Terra Organics order next week:
- Blueberries for $3.25 per 6 oz clamshell
- Raspberries for $3.00 per 6 oz clamshell
- Yakima Asparagus for $5.25 per pound
- Flavorosa Pluots for $2.75 per pound
- Small Peaches and Nectarines at $0.75 each
Below is a preview of the standard box contents for next week.
If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email notifying you when the web store has been opened for your delivery day.
If you need to make any changes to your subscription, schedule a vacation or make a payment Click Here to Login to Your Account
Sincerely,
The Terra Organics Team
On Super-Food
May 31st
First, a little blurb about a super-food powerhouse…
Red Dandelion Greens from Springhill Farm in Albany, OR.
These attractive red-veined greens feature a spunky, bitter-sweet, cool taste. Low in calories and high in vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and fiber, dandelion greens are a nutritious addition to a variety of meals. Try them lightly braised or steamed as a side dish, or add them to soups or stews. Cooking the greens can help to calm their peppery bitterness, but if you prefer their raw flavor, try mixing with other types of salad greens for a zesty green salad.
Some of the specials available in the web store for your Terra Organics order next week:
- California Blueberries for $3.25 per 6 oz clamshell
- Red Cherries for $9.00 per 1.33 pound bag
- Green, Seedless Grapes at $3.50 per pound
- White Corn at $1.00 per ear
- Yellow Peaches and Nectarines at $1.25 each
Below is a preview of the standard box contents for next week.
If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email notifying you when the web store has been opened for your delivery day.
If you need to make any changes to your subscription, schedule a vacation or make a payment Click Here to Login to Your Account
Sincerely,
The Terra Organics Team
Spring at Tahoma Farms
May 20th
This is what spring looks like in the garden and on your doorstep next week: Baby Bok Choy, Radishes, Arugula, Spinach and Leeks – all from Tahoma Farms – and local Rhubarb and Asparagus and Apples to round out the PNW box next week. Everything is definitely a couple of weeks behind, but this is how it all starts: greens, greens and more greens!
For those that missed last week’s email, two exciting announcements based on the feedback we received in our recent survey:
First, a new and improved Referral Program: Beginning next week, you will receive $10 for every new customer you refer. Once you have referred 10 people we will match your account $100 which effectively makes each referral worth $20.00. And to sweeten the deal, upon signing up and providing us with your name, new customers will receive 10% off their first order.
To help make spreading the word easier, we have handy new business-card size referral cards that can easily be given out to prospective new members which will remind them to remember you when signing up. We will be including a few of these cards in each order for the next couple of weeks.
Thanks to all of you who consistently spread the word about us!
Second, a change in our Web Store Hours: Beginning this week, the web store will open on Friday morning for everyone except those that receive a delivery on Friday. The new schedule is as follows:
| Delivery Day | Store Opens | Store Closes |
| Monday | 2 AM on Friday, of the week preceding your delivery | Noon on Sunday, the week of your delivery |
| Tuesday | 2 AM on Friday, of the week preceding your delivery | Noon on Monday, the week of your delivery |
| Wednesday | 2 AM on Friday, of the week preceding your delivery | Noon on Monday, the week of your delivery |
| Thursday | 2 AM on Friday, of the week preceding your delivery | Noon on Tuesday, the week of your delivery |
| Friday | 2 AM Saturday, of the week preceding your delivery | Noon on Wednesday, the week of your delivery |
Some of the specials available in the web store for your Terra Organics order next week:
- California Blueberries for $3.25 per 6 oz clamshell
- Small Cantaloupe Melons at $2.75 each
- Red, Seedless Grapes at $4.50 per pound
- White Corn at $.90 per ear
- Local Asparagus at $4.75 per pound
Below is a preview of the standard box contents for next week.
If you have an order scheduled for this upcoming week, you will receive an email notifying you when the web store has been opened for your delivery day.
If you need to make any changes to your subscription, schedule a vacation or make a payment Click Here to Login to Your Account
Sincerely,
The Terra Organics Team
