I am grateful for many things in my life. One of the things that I am most thankful for is a long list of influential teachers and mentors that I have had throughout my time on this rock. A good teacher is hard to find and even harder to forget. So I salute each of you who have made it your life’s work to inspire minds in our communities both young and old.

And as I was drinking my coffee this fine Saturday morning, my mind drifted back to my high school history teacher, Rob Williams. Besides being a history buff, Rob was a very talented guitar player. One of his songs that always used to make me laugh (and think) was about a herd of cows taking over the farm. He called it Bovine Revolution.

I honestly had not thought about that song in a long time, but today the Bovine Revolution made perfect sense. Why? Well because cows are pretty amazing creatures, but they get a bad rap in the food and environmental world. Let me explain.

Cows are happy out on the range. They are not finicky barn dwellers like some other animals. They are great at being mothers to their young as the feed and protect them. This is not common with all animals. Pigs for example are terrible parents and the piglet mortality rate is high. Just remember that if you every find yourself on Jeopardy. “I’ll take Farm Animals for $400 please Alex.”

Furthermore, cows actually do an incredible job of building a grassland ecosystem that can turn high desert hill country into the Serengeti of grasslands. Think about what cows do as they graze…eat seed heads off of numerous grasses and then “plant” those seeds in compost with a huge cow pie. So when cows are not over-grazed in a spot, they will help a ranch flourish and plant more grasses not destroying them.

Lastly, and I have written about this before so stick with me, grass-fed beef is actually healthy for you. It is full of protein, nutrients (from the grasses), and Omega-3 fatty acids. But now you’re like, “Farmer Mont, if cows are so healthy, then why isn’t McDonald’s a health retreat? Huh Mr. Smarty Pants??”

That is a great question. And the answer you might remember from your First-Grade teacher telling you that “You are what you eat.” I think I was eating glue though when she told me that.

But folks, it is true. Cows do not produce saturated fats. Grasses do not produce saturated fats. Corn does. So when we raise our animals on corn, we get animals full of saturated fats. The meat from those animals are full of saturated fats. But when cows are allowed to graze and be raised the way Mother Nature intended, they are leaner and have a healthier fat content that is similar to a salmon and not a potato chip.

We are what we eat; Our animals are what they eat. There is no magic that goes on here folks, healthy diets lead to health.

The poor cattle in our country get this bad rap not from anything that they do, but rather how our industrial agriculture raises them. Corn gets animals big and strong quickly, but the downside is you have unhealthy meat. Grass-fed animals take longer to raise, but you have a healthy meat. Again, no magic.

So about a year ago I made a promise to you. 2019 was going to be a year that we devoted to helping New Mexican ranchers. To help a local rancher the best you need to find a home for their meats locally. Connect the dots between rancher and consumer so that all the ranchers hard work does not leave the state. Local families feeding local families. A dream come true.

Not to brag, but we did a really great job making this happen in 2019. So much so that my phone started to ring with ranchers looking for us, rather than me cold-calling ranchers telling them about our food model. It is awesome. This is what I had hoped would happen. What does this mean for you?

You will see the variety of the Local Meats increase and the price decrease. As we can offer the ranchers more support, they can lower the price to you. Simple economics. This week, for example, look for a New Mexico Rancher Pack with 2 lbs of Ground and 2 lbs of Steaks. Save $10 on this pack! And thank you for all your support of our ranching families.

Enjoy, Farmer Monte

In our continued efforts to be innovators in the local food world, I am happy to share with you a new packaging offer that we have available. We have been working with several of our members to build a packaging system that will maintain the highest quality while trying to minimize the amount of plastic we use. We have added a way for you to opt for fewer plastic bags in your order. For those of you who are happy, nothing will change. This will be a new option for folks to choose.

Minimize my plastic footprint. This “product” will be very similar to how our “Pack my order in cardboard” option works currently. You will now be able to select a minimal plastic membership as a product. When we see that product in your order, we will pack your items using only the ultra-necessary plastic bags. Meaning that if you order a salad mix, I am not going to throw handfuls of salad into your cooler.

How this will look for you as a customer is items like baby spinach and salad mix will continue to be placed into plastic bags. But heads of lettuce, bunches of greens, herbs, and all roots will no longer be placed into plastic bags for you. If you select this option, you will be responsible to make sure that all produce is properly taken care of once the order arrives to you.

With that said, let me stress that we do not use plastic frivolously. Every item that we put into plastic bags right now is done so we maintain the highest quality of our/your produce. Greens, tender herbs, and roots are all very susceptible to dehydration in your refrigerator. So I am happy to offer this option to minimize plastic…But, this is not for everyone.

If you like to cut, chop, and prep all of your produce as soon as you get it home, this is perfect for you. If you are like me and a little lazy at prepping all your veggies the minute they hit your kitchen counter, please please do not select this option. I want to save the world, but I also want a very crisp and fresh salad.

Look for this new option under our Harvest Box tab. And I really thank you for all the feedback. Despite what my high school Math teacher, Ms. Wrenn, might tell you, I actually listen to constructive ways to do things better.

Well, what else is happening this fine February? Oh yes, New Products. I have to tell you that I am loving the new products that we have been bringing in for you. Quick highlights…

Breads. Ciabatta and Focaccia rolls. Holy guacamole are these dudes yummy. Toast them for a few minutes and enjoy.

Pastas. If you want to feel like you are dining at a 5-star restaurant in your underwear, then stay home and fix up some of our fresh pastas. Olive oil, salt/pepper and you are in for a treat. I don’t think I have had better.

Local Meats. Our roots are in produce, no one loves produce more than I do…but we have one of the best pasture-raised meat offerings that you will see anywhere in the country. I am not exaggerating. With the help of our dedicated ranchers and our local USDA butcher (Mickey), we have built a meat program that I love and completely stand behind.

In my past, I have been a Vegetarian because I hated the industry that was raising animals. I told myself that I would eat meat when it was a system that I believed in. And we have put together a fantastic partnership of local lamb, pork, and beef. All animals born on the land (not on a concrete floor in a barn). Raised With their mothers. Space to roam. Healthy grass and grains to eat. Clean water and plenty of New Mexican sunshine.

This is The Way that animals are supposed to be raised. No corners cut. No exceptions. You all give us and our ranchers tremendous support through this program and I cannot thank you enough. We have not eradicated factory farms, but we now have access to healthy and humane meats on a year-round basis.

I have said it many times, I am a realistic hombre. The Local food model that we have built (are building) will not appeal to all New Mexicans. Yes, the Big Mac will survive. But throughout my life, my dad always reminds me that “happiness is about having options.” Knowing you have Choices inspires happiness. We create the lives we lead. So my goal is simply to bring you and your family local, healthy, and yummy food Options. What you do with those options is up to you amigos!

Enjoy the journey, Farmer Monte

A new year. A new decade. What will our canvas look like 10 years from now? Can’t wait to find out.

I do have to say though that I love when the holidays are over. I am not really good at sitting around the house watching lint collect in my bellybutton. My body and spirit feel better in motion. Not very Zen Master of me, but I am ok with it.

For me, January is a time of reflection and a time of optimism. What have we learned from the last 12 pages on the calendar? And what kind of new adventures are in store for us? So seeing as how it is freezing outside and I have a fresh cup of coffee, let’s dive in here and look at a few things.

What a year of learning. And I feel like I end up saying that every year, which I am hoping is a good thing, albeit humbling. We moved into our new warehouse early this last year. What a change this place has brought to our systems and to our crew. The movement between people and food has come together in a special way I have to tell you.

Because of this better Food Flow, we have been able to add some great projects to the mix. 2019 we launched our Fresh Juice program as well as our Meal Kit category. In less than a month, those new additions grew to over 18% of our sales. Truly incredible to see these additions become so popular so quickly. And the energy continues into the new year, so check out all of the new faces that we are bringing you on the site.

I feel like we are at the convergence of two big movements right now–the Artisan/local food movement along with Convenient food. I really think that these two forces are shaping the future of food. People are looking for more convenient food choices, but they don’t want crappy fast food either. So the vacuum that has been created is for quick meals (or already prepared foods), healthy offerings, at a good value for your money. Fine dining is transitioning in this country to more interesting flavors in a casual way.

This trend is perfectly suited for what we have built over the years. We are high quality foods in a very approachable way.

So in 2020, look for a lot more energy and focus on Meal Kits and a launch of a Prepared Food line. The idea (to begin with at least) is a seasonal fresh deli with a lot more Grab n Go options. Use the prepared foods to be the Synergy among all of our suppliers. If you think about it, in one sandwich you can support a local farmer, baker, dairy, and rancher in one bite.

This is the reason why Wendell Berry reminds us that “Eating is an Agricultural Act.” What we choose to eat shapes the way our vegetables are grown, our animals raised, and our food produced. As I have written about many times, our dollar bills are essentially votes. Where we spend our money, we in turn cast our votes. It is the purest sense of democracy that we have.

With that, I have to tell you that New Mexico is (and has been) very supportive of the small agricultural producers. I have seen many farms and local food businesses in other markets close due to a lack of support. Not many home delivery companies still out there when 5 years ago there were tons. So personally I am grateful to have started this mission (and was born) in a community that values food choices. You should feel proud of all that you support too. Because the Mom n Pops could not do it without you. Keep up the good work!

Lastly, we had a driver out this week and so I had the opportunity to grab the keys and get some deliveries done. I wanted to share with you a cute story that happened. I was delivering an order to a customer’s house and their neighbor also was getting delivery. The young girl (maybe 6 years old) who lives at the house saw the delivery van at her neighbor’s, she ran outside and (patiently) waited for her order.

It made me smile and think of how important it is for our kiddos to love and be excited about their food. I can promise you that if you love food at 6 years old, that girl will make better food choices throughout the rest of her life. Sure she might eat cheap ramen in college or live on peanut butter and jelly for a month straight at some point…But her folks are giving her a relationship with her food. And that amigos, is priceless.

Enjoy the adventure with your food! Farmer Monte

Okie Dokie, let’s dive into November head first. We’ll start with product news and see where the ramblings go from there.

With the cold weather, all of the fruit has been taken off Paul’s trees at Excelsior Orchards. A pretty great harvest season we have enjoyed over the months from his trees. This week we will see the last variety of plums, the Simcas, and some incredible Fuji apples. Here is a quick tutorial on the fruit.

Simcas are a late season plum that have two cool traits that I love about them besides their flavor. First is they are a Free-Stone fruit meaning that the flesh of the plum does Not stick to the pit. That gives us/you flexibility in how you can use these plums. You can eat them out of hand, pit them and make jam, pit them and dehydrate them for enjoyment this winter, or even make a pie. Tons of flexibility here.

Second thing I love about them is the dark skin with golden flesh. Most plums are similar on the inside as they are on the outside. Simcas break the rules. Dark skins after sunbathing on the trees all summer with a gorgeous golden flesh. Unique as they are yummy. We’ll probably only have two weeks with these guys so dive in now.

Fuji apples are the most celebrated apples around and after one bite, you will know why. One of the most crisp (or is it crispest??) apples that you can sink a tooth into. They sit on the branches all season, then you have to wait for a good frost (about 24 degrees) to shock these guys into expressing more sugar. This one cold snap makes a pretty bland apple amazing.

That transformation happens a lot in the produce world. Fruits like melons, pears, and corn start out pretty darn starchy. But when they get hit with a little cold weather in their face, all of the starches turn into delicious sugars. So some of the best melons you will taste in a season, come at the end of the season. Right before the frost kills all your plants, you get some truly incredible melons. It is an interesting dance, but a flavorful one. And one I look forward to every season.

Other produce news, citrus season has begun. Grapefruit, Lemons, and Limes splash the pot this week with Oranges next.

I love these changes to the seasons. Right when I feel my body beginning to fight some cold or allergies, Citrus season comes in to save the day. Bourbon can only kill so many germs by itself you know? Sometimes you have to add Vitamin C to keep yourself healthy. Look for a slew of citrus (and citrus juices) coming your way this late fall and winter.

Speaking of juices. I have been digging our new juice bar so much that I felt like our 12 oz juices left me hanging a little bit. The Big Bear needs more juice in his belly. So we have made all of the juices Pints (16 oz) and are making preparations for adding some larger formats too.

As a reminder, all of the juices are made fresh for your order. We do not turn on our juicers until you add them to your order. So we make juices daily in order to bring you the freshest juices that we can. All raw, no pasteurization, and all Organic. Seeing as how we sold 400 of these juices this week, I know many of you have tried them. But for those of you sitting on the fence, try them out, you’ll love them. I promise. Who woulda thunk my childhood Lemonade Stand would turn into this?

Quick trip down memory lane about my Lemonade Stand as a kiddo. I was learning how to ride my Huffy bike as my brothers and I were hosting a Lemonade Stand for the neighbors. Our Stand was getting rather popular and so I wanted to showoff my bike skills a bit. I decided to take my hands off the bars. Sure enough I lost control of the bike and slammed into the Stand sending juice and Dixie cups flying. Believe it or not, lemonade on road rash is a good reminder to stay humble.

Lastly this fine week, Meal Kits. I cannot tell you the positive response that we have seen with our Meal Kits. It seems that we have finally struck the right balance of convenience, flavor, and value. We try and shape these recipes as an easy Crock Pot slow cook, or from Fridge to Table in 20 minutes. I know we all lead busy lives and eating healthy is difficult when time is in a pinch. Allow us to help you make planning and cooking healthy easy this winter. Also, at less than $6 a serving, you will not find a less expensive meal around. Do yourself a favor and try them out.

Have a yummy week, Farmer Monte

I have to be honest that I am not one who likes to use Customer Surveys when it comes to launching a new product. You probably know that about me. I love surveys after the fact to see how we are doing. I mean everyone needs a report card right? But proactive surveys don’t tell you much. Instead, I like to launch something, throw the spaghetti against the wall, learn from what the demand tells us. Then either ditch it if it’s not working or tweak it to make it a winner at our table.

Let’s take our many iterations of the Meal Kits for example. I think I have lost track of how many different ways that we have tried to make Meal Kits work for our customers. Maybe a dozen different tweaks to the idea. Fortunately, I think that we have finally found our sweet spot. As my sage father, Skip, says, “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.” Sales of our meal kits have been solid and logistically they are not a complete pain in the rump roast for us to do well. So now comes the fun part, expanding the scope of the Meal Kits.

Let me lay out how we hope to diversify and expand the Meal Kit line-up to serve you and your family better. First off, you will notice 6 categories of meal ideas that we will highlight weekly. We found that Pastas, Tacos, Salads, Pizzas, Protein Bowls, and Seasonal Recipes have all been popular. So what you will see on the web site now is each of those effectively being their own category. Those categories will remain fairly consistent for the short term and we will change the recipes within those categories weekly.

For example, we will celebrate the category Taco Tuesday every week, but the tacos we offer will change from week to week. Chicken fajita tacos one week, calabacitas tacos the next, and good ole ground beef. You get the idea, same category but different flavors each week to enjoy.

All of these recipes will be quick to prepare, healthy to eat, and insane value for your wallet/purse or Fanny Pack. Working directly with the grower, dairy, rancher etc., we are in a unique position to bring you the highest quality foods for the lowest price. Great deal for you and our producers alike.

Second piece of wonderful news that I want to share with you is that we have launched our farm-fresh Juice Bar. Again, with our access to the best fruits and veggies in the state, it is a no-brainer for us to expand the ways that we bring you Organic fruits and veggies. I am happy to eat oranges, but I also am in love with fresh squeezed orange juice. Every time I sip fresh squeezed juice, I immediately feel like I am having brunch on Mexican beach with my hairy toes dug into the warm sand. And I want to feel like that more often. So we bought a juicer!

This week we will launch this new (ad)venture with 3 juices and then begin to flesh out the offering in the upcoming weeks. This week look for Apple Cider, Orange Juice, and a custom blend with Celery-Apple-Cucumber-Carrot and Lemon. Yes these are all Organic and No will never have any fillers in them.

Why will these be so special? Well besides using the freshest fruits and veggies, we will not make the juice until someone orders them. Our goal is not to make juice and then let it sit on the shelf hoping someone will buy them. That’s a good way for you to drink old juice and for us to have to throw out product.

We want to do the Juice Bar differently. I don’t want to guess how many juices we will sell. It is a heck of a lot easier to just make the juice when you order it rather than play a guessing game. So you order them, we juice them, and you get super fresh juices delivered to you door. Simple. And we have found that the simple systems are usually our best systems.

Quick recap, look for the 6 new rotating weekly meal kit offerings in both the Harvest Boxes as well as the Meal Kit tab on the web site. All of those meals are less than $4 per serving. You could not beat that if you were subsisting on Nacho Bell Grandes.

And check out the Organic freshly squeezed juice bar that we have launched for you to help ensure that you will not get scurvy this fall and winter.

Have a tasty week amigos, Farmer Monte

To begin with this most amazing September week, a huge Thank You! to you all. And you’re probably saying “A thank you…for what? Did my holiday fruit cake arrive early this year?” No, this is a thank you for you understanding on our need to change our delivery fee structure. Let me explain.

Over the past 16 years that we have been feeding you, your amigos and your family, we have had to raise the delivery fees at various points. Every time (without exception) we have gotten absolutely run over by loss in sales, upset phone calls, and emails criticizing my mom’s ability to raise a son. All in all, not a pleasant experience I can assure you.

This time I braced for the worst when we changed our delivery structure. We needed to do it, but I honestly was thinking that it might be the end of the business if we did not keep the support of the community. I even called my old dance troupe, Thunder From Down Under, to see if they would hire me back if things did not go well with the delivery fee change.

(Very) Fortunately, we did not lose anyone to the change. We actually increased our membership through it. Never saw that coming but I am so thankful for you and all of the support to help us make these necessary changes in our business model.

I have mentioned this before but will reiterate it again now. The mom n’ pop home delivery model has been absolutely decimated over the last several years. Companies who mentored me, helping shape the direction of our business have lost support from their communities and had to fold up the tent. Throughout California, Colorado, Arizona, Texas and other parts of our region, home delivery models have shut down.

This is sad to see because in the ashes of those companies closing their doors you find less economic diversity, less support for small growers, and fewer choices in the marketplace. You are left with big companies who will not even return a grower’s phone call let alone buy food from them.

Our community support keeps the local food landscape growing and evolving to meet the challenges and opportunities that face all our local producers. The food world is unforgiving so your support cannot be overstated. We need you.

Here is one email that I received that I thought summed up the new move very well… “I just wanted to say that I think your decision to charge a delivery fee is right on. It makes sense business-wise and It made me stay on your site and shop a little longer to get to over $75 for stuff I actually eat but usually buy elsewhere. I was always just too rushed to take the time to shop online. So thanks for slowing me down and for all that you do to bring food to our table. -JP”

On to the next part of housekeeping this morning, the use of Plastics in Grocery & Produce. For those of you keeping score at home, plastics have become the new public enemy #1 in the sustainability world. Plastics are a very hot button issue. And recently we have had some members say that they are going to quit our service unless we stop using plastics. So this is probably a good time to communicate our view on plastics.

First off, our use of plastic is very thoughtful. It is not by accident that we use plastic for the things we do. Greens wilt without protection from the refrigerator. Refrigerators are great at keeping things cold, but they dehydrate the air and therefore kill greens that are not protected. So I will Never compromise the quality of our food to save a plastic bag.

Secondly, we do not use a lot of plastics compared to much of the produce world. Because we buy directly from the growers, they bring their harvest to us in reusable totes or cardboard. We recycle 100% of our cardboard and compost 100% of any unusable food. There is not a retailer who is as environmentally friendly as we are. I can promise you that.

Lastly, folks we just do not use a lot of plastic. Look at the size of your cooler. That is the size box that we get 2,000 plastic bags! If our average customer receives 4 bags a week, one box (the size of your cooler) will be enough plastics bags for 9 years! I can guarantee you that you are producing more waste in your house than 1 cooler of plastic every 9 years.

These also are not one-use bags. We have the useful little zip on them so that after you use the greens in them, pack a sandwich and take it to work. Store opened cheese in them. Make them last. So we will not be getting rid of our plastic bags but we will continue to use them sparingly as we always have.

Thanks for your understanding. Please let me know if you have any questions, Farmer Monte