Way back in September, I was lucky enough to visit Daybreak Growers Alliance for a story in Maine Farms annual journal on new kinds of CSA models. Daybreak is a women-owned, year-round custom vegetable and product box that sources from 70+ farm and food businesses to aggregate, market, and deliver high-quality food. Rather than just getting a standardized farm share, you can choose what you receive each week and if you live close to a neighborhood pickup site (I live close to a few) you can just walk on over and pick up your box. I love Heiwa Tofu and 44 North Coffee already so it was easy to sell me on the model.

I got there just as farmers were dropping off produce in receiving (remember peaches and plums?) and got to see all the fresh fruits, veggies, and mushrooms from each farm once as they came off the truck and then a second time when they were packaged. Daybreak also delivers to wholesale clients like restaurants and bakeries in Portland and partners with Waldo County Bounty to bring farm fresh produce to people who need it. I hopped in their van and hitched a ride as they delivered to the Casco Bay ferry terminal to send boxes to the islands and then drove on to deliver to local restaurants. This all takes an amazing amount of organization and attention to detail and the Daybreak team was really on top of everything. Now that my old CSA is over, it’s time for me to sign up!

I worked with Ellen Sabina on this project (Thanks to Alexandra Morrow for recommending me many months ago) and Kate Cough wrote the magazine story. Thanks to the team at Daybreak Growers Alliance for being so kind and welcoming and answering all my questions. I always have a million questions.