Anonymous wrote:MOM’s has the best produce outside of a CSA or farmer’s market, if you don’t want to commit to an entire season.

Lancaster Farms supplies the majority of MOM’s produce in the summer, so it’s really the same quality as an excellent CSA/Farmer’s market but without the commitment.

MOM’s has the best produce outside of a CSA or farmer’s market, if you don’t want to commit to an entire season.

We used to do Lancaster but so much went to waste -we could never get through all the radishes, collard/mustard/dandelion greens, etc.

We do Norman's now and a large share supplies our produce, definitely cuts our grocery bill, and helps us eat more veggies. We pick up but they also deliver.

We do two farm shares year-round, one delivery and one pick up. We eat a mostly plant-based diet, and I care a lot about getting as much of our food as possible from local farmers, both to support the local farms (and maintain areas of Maryland agriculture) and also to have a better sense of where our food comes from/how it is produced (especially milk, eggs, and the meat we do eat). In general, I am SUPER happy with this set up and very pleased with the variety and quality of the products. I do think we save money, but that is primarily because we eat a lot less meat and shop at Whole Foods normally. Yes, paying $5/dozen for eggs through a farm is more expensive than paying $3/dozen at Giant, but it is not much different than WF. Same with organic milk, meat, and produce.

We get a weekly milk/eggs/dairy products delivery from South Mountain Creamery. They also have local meat, produce, and pantry items. Pay $100/year for free delivery (otherwise free delivery minimum is $65/order) and tip $5-10 per week.

We also have a weekly farm share through Norman's. We have to pick it up in our neighborhood once a week. We pay about $40/week for a large share, which is all of our produce for a family of 4. I think that is an incredible value for what we get... no way I could get all the produce I wanted for a week at WF for $40. The best thing about Norman's is that it is a choose-your-own model, which means I never have to take things I don't want. Instead there are three tables set up like a farmer's market with 12-15 options at each table. One table is fruit, one table veg, and the last a mix of fruit, veg, and specialty items (jams, nuts, etc.). I fill a large basket at each table, which means I take as little or as much of any item that I want. It's a wonderful model, and so much better than CSAs I have bought in the past where I ended up with 20 pounds of eggplant for weeks on end...

Anonymous wrote:We use Lancaster Farms each summer. You don't know what you're getting more than a week in advance, and I'm not 100% sure it saves money. There's also way too many radishes in the beginning of the season, and sometimes way too much corn toward the end. But it's convenient because it's delivered to our neighborhood, and our goal was to increase the amount of vegetables we eat and to support smaller farms, not so much to get a discount.

We also use Lancaster. I don't think it's cheaper than buying vegetables in the grocery, but it may be cheaper than the farmers market. However, the produce is SO GOOD and flavorful that I will never go back. And getting a box every week is convenient for me and helps us maintain a vegetable-focused diet.

We definitely eat less meat in the summer when we are working through veggie boxes and have, over the years, developed a lot of tricks to use everything in the box. (pickle radishes! freeze corn for later! etc.)

We use Lancaster Farms each summer. You don't know what you're getting more than a week in advance, and I'm not 100% sure it saves money. There's also way too many radishes in the beginning of the season, and sometimes way too much corn toward the end. But it's convenient because it's delivered to our neighborhood, and our goal was to increase the amount of vegetables we eat and to support smaller farms, not so much to get a discount.

I’m trying to figure out how we can start saving money on meat, produce and dairy without sacrificing quality, or more of my time. I’ve started looking at local CSAs here in Montgomery county, but it seems like some things that are cheap are countered by other, more expensive items. And that the items differ between CSAs. Do people order from multiple services? Is there a strategy here I’m missing?