Getting Fresh Fruits and Vegetables During the Covid-19 Crisis

Dixie Chile Ranch, April 2, 2020 – Southern cooks have always been known for comfort food created from fresh ingredients. Now, with the Covid-19 crisis, everyone’s staying home to save lives. But as seasonal fruits and vegetables start to appear, folks are wondering how to get those fresh ingredients.

The Dixie Chile Ranch (four miles north of Kenton) and its resident farmer, Tim Brady, have been working on solutions to that question.

“We want to make our fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables readily available to all our current customers and new ones who want to know where their food comes from, how it’s handled and who’s handled it,” Brady said. “Right now, it’s uncertain whether local farmers’ markets are going to be open for ‘business as usual’ or not. So we’ve put together four plans to help our neighbors purchase fresh fruits and vegetables as they become available while maintaining social distancing for everyone.”

The Dixie Chile Ranch has the following plans:

1. Roadside Stand Pick-up:

• 

• 

• 

Customers can order online, through email or text message for pick-up at our Roadside Stand at 3159 E. Union Grove, Kenton TN 38233. Pay for your order online with a debit or credit card through our Secure PayPal Payment Portal or at the time of pick-up with a local bank check or cash. By ordering in advance, we can have your order bagged and ready to go so all of us can maintain sensible social distancing. Details: http://dixiechileranch.com/reserved-order-pick-up/

2. Kenton, Martin & Union City Direct to Home and Business Deliveries:

• 

• 

• 

Business and Home Deliveries will begin in late April or early May with strawberries when they’re ready to harvest. Individual item ordering and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Boxes will be available for purchase each week.

The plan is to deliver direct to your HOMES or places of BUSINESS on one scheduled morning each week. Customers sign up at http://dixiechileranch.com/home-business-delivery-service/. Details for each town or city on this web-page. Please select just one town/city when registering.

“We’re asking customers for the Home/Business Delivery Service to put a cooler on the front porch or at the business entrance so their orders can be put inside it, thus keeping the food fresh and maintaining social distancing,” Brady explained. “If folks live outside of these three towns or cities, please email your name, street address, and phone number to dixiechileranch@gmail.com and we’ll see what arrangements we can make so it’s do-able for all of us.”

3. Annual CSA Membership:

Plans also include an Annual CSA Membership delivering to homes and businesses in Kenton, Union City and Martin on their designated delivery days. If members pay their Annual CSA Membership fee by May 24, 2020, they’ll save $160 over the course of 16 weeks during the summer. Details at http://dixiechileranch.com/home-business-delivery-service/

4. Martin Area Farmers’ Market:

“If the Martin Farmers’ Market is permitted to operate, we’ll be there on Saturday mornings like we have in the past, beginning in late April or early May with strawberries when they’re ready to harvest. Martin CSA members can pick up their CSA boxes at the Market,” Brady said. “Keep in mind these are uncharted waters, so we’re open to any suggestions or ideas to make access to our locally-grown food as simple, easy and as affordable as possible for all of us. So feel free to send us your thoughts and ideas: dixiechileranch@gamil.com or call 731-225-0456.

We can make this work!
We’re honored to be your farmer.
Tim and Terri Brady