Black Currants and Raspberries to the right
Many years ago, before we even started working at Cooks, KB was in Duluth. On his way home, he passed a tiny sign on the roadside saying, “Black Currants and Raspberries to the right." The right happened to be a few turns and three or four miles into the countryside, but it certainly started with a right-hand turn!
Mike Åas had a small farm where he grew black currants and raspberries. At the end of every season, he’d drive his semi over to Frankfort, Michigan, and swap some of his crop for black cherries and blueberries from a similar farm on the other side of the big lake. KB landed in heaven. Good thing he was driving the station wagon, because he bought one of everything!
Two of the many beauties of Mike’s program: the quality of the fruit was off the charts, and you could purchase Mike’s crops in bulk — 5- or 10-pound boxes. No measly pints or half pints here. There was enough to share or to preserve or to eat straight out of the box, until you just couldn’t eat another bite!
With our Crop Share program, we try to honor Mike’s notions of quality AND quantity. The program has grown to include not only fruit, but also farm-raised meats, veggies, cheese, fowl, seafood, olive oil, even pizza from our friends at Mucci’s.
Our goal is to provide a “Share” of our friends' production, at the height of quality, in a quantity that makes us happy and inspires us to dig in and enjoy. Enjoy while the enjoying’s good!
We’ll hope you’ll stay connected so you can learn about the ever-changing roster of interesting items.
Cheers!