Reviews for: Bell Organic Gardens

We did a season with Bell Organic last summer. We liked parts of it and yet we felt it left a lot to be desired.

The cost. I hate to hit on this in the beginning, but it sets the stage for our mild disappointment. This is not a super expensive CSA, but it is also not cheap - $475 for a half share. For what we paid, we could have bought exactly what we wanted every week at the farmer's market. I love trying new things, but had we just set aside $30 or so per week, we could have gotten what we wanted, including fruit (which we didn't get with our half-share) and been completely satisfied. As it was, we still hit up the farmer's market nearly every week hoping to get the stuff we didn't.

The quality of the produce was generally good. Somehow, though, our pick-up site tended to have less variety than the newsletter said would be coming. There were things we never got and then things like scapes and chard and jalapenos we would get for weeks in a row. I love stir-fry as much as the next girl, but baby beets or broccoli raab would have been a welcome change. We also never saw flowers, except once there may have been some zinnias, but I can't remember.

The volume of produce seemed to be lacking, rarely filling more than half a reusable bag, even when winter squash came on. We kept being told that there would be more next week, but even in the end we felt the helpings were a bit anemic. The portions of individual items were often so small we could only steam and toss with olive oil or throw into the big pot of stir-fry. I will say, though, we got basil nearly every week, and if I was more creative with basil, that would have been awesome.

Our farmer seemed very committed to providing good quality stuff, and it was super local. I thought the service was great and if we missed a week, we'd just double up later.

We may just be jaded, having enjoyed the bountiful fruits of our community garden for the two preceding years. Participating in the CSA did take some of the stress out of trying to eat fresh, local foods and balancing life, and we like supporting our farmers. We will be trying a new farm this year and hopefully it will serve our needs better.

We joined midseason and didn't know what to expect. Boy, were we pleasantly surprised! Each week, we were provided with an abundant harvest of fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits, and beautiful wildflowers. It was like Christmas every time you pick up your order! David and Jill are two of the nicest people you'll ever meet, and their organic garden veggies are the best you'll ever eat! I can hardly wait for the golden heirloom tomatoes, the fresh spicy basil, piles of arugula, just picked corn on the cob, and all of the other garden treats. As a family with growing hungry boys, we loved the various options to choose from each week. It was great to know that if I wanted extra tomatoes and no fennel, I could do that. And if I wanted more corn on the cob and didn't need any herbs, that's okay too. We are lucky to have them in our community and I am so glad we found them! If you get the chance to join this co-op, do it. You will not be disappointed!

We love our CSA relationship with Bell Organic Gardens. David and Jill put their hearts and souls into this project, and it is a joy to see the beautiful things they have grown when we arrive at the pickup each week. They go above and beyond to make sure that they provide fabulous food and a great experience for their members.

The allotments are generous, varied, and of gorgeous quality. Jill maintains a blog listing the items for each week along with recipes and tips for using both familiar and less familiar items. In addition to raising the bar on the quality of our diet, my family and I have learned a great deal from our association with Bell Organic Gardens. We are grateful for the Bells and their tireless efforts to provide us with beautiful, organically grown, local food.