Workplace flavor and farmer's markets

Balance Concierge understands that great plans and best intentions are the not the same as accomplished goals and to-do lists done. Supporting local farmers is a nice thought. Eating a well-balanced and homegrown diet sounds wonderful, but who has time to drop everything and run halfway across town to shop a farmer’s market that is only open for a few hours each week – or maybe only a few hours a month – to pick out the perfect melons, squash, tomatoes, and jar of fresh-from-the-hive honey?

And, let’s be real. Why is it so important? The grocery store’s produce display looks pretty and they are convenient. Most grocery stores are trying to support local agriculture when they can, right? Yes, many of them are. We want to be clear about the fact that we love our local grocery stores and absolutely support them. We simply couldn’t survive without them throughout the year. 

At Balance Concierge, we also think it is wonderful to be able to help our clients enjoy the seasonal joy of living in their local area by bringing farmer’s markets directly to their workplaces.

It is a special occasion and wonderful treat to be able to take a few minutes on a lunch break to shop for homegrown fruits and vegetables and other handmade baked goods and household items. The rejuvenating respite this offers some people is enough to give them the extra boost they need to get through a demanding afternoon at work. The convenience this offers encourages other people to hold off on unhealthy snacking throughout the workday in anticipation of the tasty dinner they are going to be able to enjoy later with the vegetables they picked up on their swing by the farmer’s market in between meetings. Yet others are able to stay late to finish up a project for the team without worrying about having enough time to shop for a birthday present because they found a beautiful hand-woven rug that saved them hours of shopping for a one-of-a-kind gift.

“At our site, we partner with the wellness department and the talent department so people can earn gift certificates as incentives for making healthy choices by shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables. We schedule the farmer’s market to be here every pay day from April through October, which is the growing season in our part of the country,” said a Balance Concierge team leader and ambassador. “And, the market supplies more than just food. We also get seasonal flowers, garden plants, baked goods, handmade crafts, and decorative gourds and pumpkins.”

Balance Concierge also coordinates Community Supported Agriculture [CSA] memberships or subscriptions for employees of our clients. This has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from local growers. Usually a farmer sells a certain number of “shares” in their harvest early in their season in exchange for a weekly delivery during harvest that consists of a box/bag of vegetables and other agricultural products. Each CSA is unique and each grower offers different produce and products throughout the growing season. Our Concierge Ambassadors help by ensuring the payment and delivery process goes smoothly.

Fruits and vegetables are always a healthy choice. Many say they are healthier when they are fresh, and healthiest when they are fresh off the vine. The shortest distance from the field or garden to your plate is best. An article on tomatoes posted on Healthline.com cites excellent resources on the many health benefits of eating local produce. In the case of tomatoes, for instance, there is a scientific reason local fruit that has been allowed to ripen naturally really does taste better. The reason lies with the artificial ethylene gas used to help make green tomatoes that are picked prematurely for transporting long distances red for grocery store displays. Tomatoes, when allowed to ripen naturally, produce ethylene on their own as they ripen on the vine. However, when they are removed too early they lose their chance to ripen and lose much of their flavor. 

Tomatoes are just one example of why we feel honored to bring together our clients and local agriculture producers in their communities as they support each other and make life more flavorful. 

Interested in learning more about how Balance Concierge can help your team with farmer’s markets and CSA’s? Contact us to learn more at 877.502.2201 or Click Here.