So just what exactly is Misfits Market – and why are we talking about using this cool little service today on the blog?
Every so often, in addition to our gardening, DIY and recipe articles, we love highlighting a unique product or service that aligns with our core values of organic gardening, sustainability and simple living.
And without a doubt, Misfits Market checks every one of those boxes and more. Especially when you consider they are all about fresh vegetables, organic farming, and taking care of the environment too!
Fresh Vegetables In The Winter – Using Misfits Market
We certainly grow all of the fresh vegetables we can in the spring, summer and fall. And of course, preserve even more to use all winter long.
But we do love and certainly miss the taste of fresh organic vegetables in the middle of winter. Of course, living in Ohio, it’s a bit hard to grow those in the dark, dreary months of winter.
We do grow a few of our favorite herbs indoors. And at the same time, grow a few rounds of fresh salad crops in our cold frames. But when it comes to fresh peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, zucchini and other warm weather vegetables, the only option is the local supermarket.
Not only is it an expensive option, we have simply never been fans of the whole store-bough chain of vegetables. There is a tremendous amount of waste in the entire process, and knowing if they are truly organic or not, and how they are maintained can be another issue too.
And that is where using Misfits Market has been an amazing fit for us this winter!
What Is Misfits Market
We first learned of Misfits Market from Mary’s brother. He discovered the service when looking for a way to have fresh vegetables delivered to his home. As soon as he told us the story, we were more than intrigued.
Misfits Market’s mission statement is to “bring delicious, fresh, and affordable misfit produce to people everywhere. And even better, “to reduce food waste at a scale that creates positive and lasting impact.
In a nutshell, they work with organic farmers to provide produce that might not make the cut of “perfect” that many large grocers require. In essence, saving this from perfectly good food from the scrap heap. They in turn ship the produce right to your door, and at a significant savings!
A Focus On Organic Produce & Sustainability
One of the things we love most is Misfit’s Market is their focus on organic. All of the produce in their core subscription boxes are certified to be both non-GMO and organic.
The term “Misfits” is all about using produce that is ignored by the big chains. Perhaps a pepper with a small scar or blemish. Tomatoes that are slightly misshapen, or cucumbers and zucchini that are too skinny.
You know, the same delicious fresh vegetables we pick routinely and eat straight from our own garden every spring, summer and fall! They don’t always look perfect either, but they sure taste just as wonderful!
As for the shipping, we love their take on being as socially responsible as possible. From using 100% recycled and recyclable shipping boxes & paper insulation, to 100% compostable produce bags made from plant based resins, Misfits ships with the Earth in mind.
Ordering – Using Misfits
So how does it all work? You can certainly find all of the details on the Misfits Market Website, but for us, we have a fresh produce box delivered every two weeks. (There are additional options for frequency and size of the boxes delivered)
A few days before our box is shipped, we receive an email to “Build our Box.” From there, we select choices from what is available. As with any growing season, the produce rotates with what is in season.
Misfit’s then fills the box as best as they can to the choices, with a few substitutions here and there based on availability.
For us, it’s a bit like Christmas when it arrives. We use the smaller box size, and the cost is right around $22. To us, it is a fair amount of produce for an extremely reasonable price! Especially when you consider you are helping farmers and the food chain.
It is important to understand that this is not the perfect, unblemished produce you might find in your local grocery store. But still extremely good and delicious, and that is really all that matter to us.
One thing is for sure, for us, using Misfits Market is certainly a great option when we can’t grow it! Here is to having access to fresh vegetables, even when you can’t grow them! Jim and Mary