I had a request from a member that I would like to share with you. She asked me to please stop members from doing horrible thing to the fruits and vegetables. I agree with her sentiment and hereby ask you (and to ask you to ask everyone else) to stop doing these horrible things:
- Dumping Apples out of boxes instead of hand placing them.
- Removing fruits from the protective trays in which they are delivered
- Making mounds of Bananas.
- Peeling Corn and leaving the now worthless Corn behind.
- Leaving Carrot greens or Fennel fronds on the shelf.
- Mixing Sugar Snap Peas with Peas in the Pod.
- Breaking off Portobello stems (don't kid yourself-this is stealing)
- Breaking off Asparagus "butts" (don't kid yourself-this is stealing)
- Tearing off Leek greens (don't kid yourself-this is stealing)
It is very difficult for workers in the produce aisle, with little or no experience or supervision, to make the right decisions concerning produce handing or even where to place the approximately 250 different items we carry. We have a tool which very few workers are aware of, one which will help guide you with necessary fundamentals of produce handling. There is a green flyer in a rack to the right of the Mushrooms, entitled "An Introduction to Working in the Produce Aisle". Please take a few minutes to read this before you start your work.
Here are a few interesting numbers for the two week period that ended 5/20:
- 8,324 pound cups of organic Strawberries (By the way, the first few local Strawberries arrived 5/22 and 5/25. We only received 384 pints this week and look forward to higher numbers next week)
- 7,172 pounds of organic Mineola Tangelos (whose season may be ending)
- 7,498 pounds of Avocados
- 22,325 pounds of Bananas
- 4,333 pounds of Mangos
- 1,152 Pineapples
- 5,592 bunches of various Kale
- 9,742 pounds of Carrots
Today we have 80 local items.
Allen Zimmerman - Produce Buyer - General Coordinator
