Two cities, fourteen shops, one chilled van running overtime. Ann on stretching the round without thinning the quality.
Each Monday I pin up the crate list — what peaks, what fades, what surprised us. This summer the list travelled further than ever: two cities joined the round, and our Thursday van now rolls before dawn instead of after breakfast.
What loves the road
Roots and orchard picks ride beautifully: carrots, onions, apples and pears land as crisp as they left. Tomatoes ride only at breaker stage and colour up at the shop — a habit our oldest customers taught us long ago. Olive oil rides best of all, which is why our export story began with it.
“Anything that loses its flavour in the van stays home. The neighbours dine handsomely in August.”
What never boards
Soft berries past the county line. Salad leaves older than a day. Anything gathered under-ripe to endure a trip it should never make. Refusing those orders cost us in year one — and won us the customers we keep.
How a crate runs
Shops and kitchens hold a standing 10kg crate, trade items until Wednesday noon, and take delivery chilled Thursday or Friday. New accounts begin with a trial month. If your shelves sit near our round, write — the van may already pass your door.
