UNMC students and employees have until May 1 to sign up to receive farm-fresh vegetables and herbs delivered to campus this summer. But don’t wait until the last minute as participation in the program is first come, first serve.
Delivery of the familiar green bags begins the week of May 12 through the Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA), a coordinated effort to link farmers with individuals and families who wish to eat fresh produce and dairy and support the local farm economy.
Robin Jaeckel, administrative associate for the associate dean’s office in the College of Public Health, coordinates UNMC’s corporate membership. “It’s easier than going to a farmer’s market because it saves time and gas money, and it costs less than the supermarket,” she said.
A standard produce bag is $20 per week and a standard produce bag plus bi-weekly eggs and cheese is $24 per week. A small loaf of bread from the Great Harvest Bread Company and eggs are available at additional cost. Participants also can order additional items available in the store from Tomāto Tomäto’s website and pick them up with their weekly bag.
The program, organized by Tomāto Tomäto, a year-round indoor farmer’s market in West Omaha, was first introduced to the UNMC campus two years ago and has been popular among employees, Jaeckel said.
Fresh food will be delivered to campus one day every week in the CSA bags until Aug. 28.
“If you get something you don’t like or can’t have, you can swap it with another ‘bag buddy’ or donate it,” Jaeckel said. Bags also can be shared with co-workers.
Tomāto Tomäto also inserts a weekly newsletter in the bags that identifies the farmers who supplied the produce and simple recipes for the vegetables. Jaeckel also emails the bag’s contents and more recipes to participants a few days before the weekly delivery.
Contact Robin Jaeckel to obtain a UNMC corporate enrollment form.