Packing Morning
Packing Morning
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning, our packing barn operates through a tightly timed four-hour window from dawn until dispatch. We move fresh produce from field collection to ready delivery crates in four hours flat.
Four hours
Four hours,
five to nine
From the first cut at 5:00 to the closed crate at 9:00, every step happens in one morning, in one valley, by people who know the growers by name.
Three steps, one morning
Dawn Field Harvest [ 5:00 ]
The work begins at 5:00 sharp across our partner fields while the morning air is still cold and damp. Growers like Hana Moreau cut crisp lettuces and chard, while Rafael Ortiz pulls carrots and beets from moist soil before the sun warms the earth.
Washing and Sorting at 14 Orchard Lane [ 7:30 ]
By 7:30, crates of harvested produce arrive at our central packing barn located at 14 Orchard Lane in Wren Valley. Co-founder Tomas Achebe leads the barn team through careful inspection, trimming, and cold-water rinsing in stainless steel washing troughs.
Crate Assembly and Dispatch [ 9:00 ]
By 9:00, all crates are fully assembled, covered, and stacked systematically by delivery route near the barn loading doors. Delivery lead Lena Sorensen coordinates route schedules for afternoon transport across our twelve city neighbourhoods.
Returned Wooden Crates and Minimal Packaging
We package all produce in sturdy, reusable wooden crates that circulate continuously between our barn and member homes. We charge a $0 crate deposit, asking only that you leave your empty wooden crate and folded paper wraps outside your doorway on your next delivery day. Lena Sorensen and our drivers collect the used crate when dropping off your fresh box, returning it to 14 Orchard Lane to be sanitized and packed again. This circular system completely eliminates single-use plastic bags and disposable shipping cartons.
The crate that returns is the crate that comes back full.