My Review of Austin's Produce Services: Farmhouse Delivery and Greenling

As a Pilates instructor, it's important I do my best to eat healthy, not only for my own body, but for my clients. I can't expect them to take care of their body if I don't practice what I preach.

 

It can be difficult to find inspiration in vegetables if you don't know what to buy, and are not exactly willing to experiment with foods you've never tried before. I know I have been known to shrug and bypass many weird looking things in the produce aisle because I have no clue what they are and how to prepare them.

 

 

I am a fan of salads. I love to keep a steady supply of random ingredients in my fridge and on my countertop, but you know as well as I do, it can be tough to keep up with the buying to make sure things are fresh. I can't tell you how many times I've popped open a bag of lettuce to find it slimy, after I just bought other things to go with it.

 

It's frustrating.

 

So when I moved into the new house, I vowed to be more prepared for this.

 

I decided to sample a couple of the local produce delivery services that Austin has to offer. I picked Greenling and Farmhouse Delivery. Luckily, they both had Groupon (or Livingsocial, I forget) deals, and I was able to set up my accounts for a great price.

 

 

My first delivery came from Farmhouse Delivery:

 

It was a lovely, full crate of produce.

A few days later, I received Greenling's delivery:



It wasn't as full, but equally as nice.


After a few months of deliveries, I was able to make a decent review for anyone unsure which service is right for them. I hope you will find it useful.

Before I dig into it though, you should know that a lot of local farms sell their produce to both companies. It could impact your decision on who to buy through, so I would advise that you explore those farms online if it matters to you. Both websites have information on who they use.

Now, on to the review!

Greenling:

You have to pay a $10 bin deposit when you first sign up. It's refundable, and as long as you don't start a collection of bins (I accidentally have 2 right now), they won't charge you an additional fee. There is a $25 minimum order, but you'll find that it is easy to fill your cart. You can add a tip for the driver when you check out, which I do. You can get deliveries up to twice a week, and you only have to have your order set by 10AM the previous day so you don't have to wait long.

The website is well-ordered. Pretty much everything has a photo. There are some freebies on the site, like local magazines, and they will periodically have sales on a few items. You'll find that they sell seconds, like bruised tomatoes or bananas. They are perfect if you plan on using them immediately. You have the option of buying preset local boxes, or creating your own, and you can even save your basket set-up for future deliveries. You can also edit local boxes.

Delivery day is always nice. You don't have to be home for a delivery, just remember to put your bin out and they will switch it out. They always keep a frozen bottle of water with anything that needs to stay cold. Last week, my eggs were in a Mylar bag right next to the bottle. If you are afraid it will be too hot and you will be gone, you can leave a iced cooler out and they will fit everything they can into it. Farmhouse Delivery will do the same. Just be kind and tip them more.

Upon opening the bin, I always know what I am getting since I picked it out. Everything is packaged well, and in most cases, things are labeled. In the event that something is out of stock, they will substitute with a like item. It can be a good or bad thing, depending on what you needed it for. I have also under/over-ordered an item because I was uncertain what a pound would end up being.

They love freebies. On my first order, I got a bumper sticker and a few pamphlets. On my second order, I got some reusable plastic produce bags. The third order was a reusable grocery sack.

Overall, I think Greenling is great for people who have set menus, and need things quickly.

Farmhouse Delivery:

There is a $20 non-refundable set-up fee and it is either $37 for a weekly delivery, or $39 for bi-weekly, which is what I did. While this is a "you get what's available" service, you do have the option to add items to your bin. You just have to make sure it is done the Friday before delivery, by noon. I was never able to take advantage of this because I would forget since my delivery was scheduled for Thursdays. I can't think that far ahead when it comes to food.

Their website is less sophisticated than Greenling's, but is still impressive in offerings. Not everything has pictures, but I like that everything is pretty much on one page. Again, I perused it, but never used it since 6 days in advance is beyond my mental capacity. There is no place for you to put a tip for the driver.

You don't have to be home for delivery, and the bin is stocked with a frozen water bottle to keep things cool. Stuff is rarely labeled, which can be trying if you have never seen a particular vegetable before. But, don't fret. The week of your delivery, you will receive an email with an inventory list and photo. It breaks it down into items that you will get, and a few items that will be either/or. The great thing about the email is that it offers recipes and ideas for the produce. It has come in handy. Both in recipe, and in identification of an alien vegetable.

When you open the bin, it's always a surprise. Yeah, you kinda know what you'll get, but the either/or items are what you're banking on. The bin is almost always filled to the brim. Everything is usually huge. The first day, I got a cauliflower the size of my head.

I usually spend a good 30 minutes to an hour washing, peeling, and chopping up things for storage. I always received some sort of greens for a salad, so I had to learn pretty quickly how to properly prepare and store them so they would last. FYI, even though I only got the bi-weekly bin, my produce would last until the next one, assuming we didn't eat it before then. Great longevity.

I will admit to having issues receiving the same thing over and over. Like carrots. The growers send what they have, and if you're not a fan of something, you can call and tell them to lay off the sweet potatoes. Of course, I never did. I forgot.

I do think that if you are someone looking to explore new veggies, you'll love Farmhouse Delivery. I never would have discovered kohlrabi, and my love for it without them.

If you're wondering which delivery service I ultimately opted for, it was Greenling. I deliberated for a month before realizing that even though I loved the discovery of Farmhouse Delivery, I wasn't using all the things that were showing up. I don't want to be wasteful, and it does cost money, so I decided that it would be best to cancel.

FYI, Farmhouse Delivery was amazing with cancelling. Since you can use it seasonally, they don't mind if you cancel. I wasn't guilted for it, I just called and told them my name and said they would pick up my bin on the next delivery day. I may consider using them again when I have more money to burn, as they are so friendly, and I do love surprises, even if it is food.

I hope you can make a nicely informed decision from my review. IF you have questions about my experience, you can always comment here, and I will answer it so everyone can see.

Enjoy your Thursday!

Sterling silver victory.

It has been over a year since I have touched any crafts. Between the horrible trauma of the move to Austin, and then living in a tiny, cramped cave of a house with no adequate lighting, it was tough to muster the desire to do anything creative. My studio was basically a barely unpacked room, which conveniently made it easy to repack when we moved into our current house.

 

We are only in this home for a year, and then we will be on the search for a house to buy, but I am already feeling the creative desire creeping back into my brain. The studio is much bigger now, and while it isn't super bright, it is definitely far more conducive to making things.

 

Yesterday, I finally replaced the broken blackout blind with a nice 2-inch faux wood and now I have functional room I can make things in.

 

I unpacked my silversmithing chest with only minor loss. A year of chemicals not being used can destroy them, so I got lucky with only a bit of seepage. It made me realize that the $50 chest I bought with separate plastic compartments was a wise investment.

 

 

 

It was a bit like Christmas since I had kinda forgotten what I had, and what I had bought right after I moved. I also discovered some almost-finished pieces in my tumbler. So I filled it back up with shot and polishing compound and set it rolling again.

 

I also tested out the torch again, and came up with this quaint little ring:

 

You'll have to pardon my iphone photos, but it is an oval size 7 ring with a filed finish. It's something I haven't made before and it looks really pretty stacked with a plain band. I skipped the pickle, and tossed it straight in the tumbler, so I hope it turns out.

Apparently, my torch was a bit upset with me (and the altitude change) and it spat big orange fire for a little while, but after some adjustment, and allowing it to breathe, it calmed down.

I will be re-photographing all my jewelry soon and offering it for sale again. I have a new backdrop on the way and I am hoping to streamline the photographing-to-sale process. It can be annoying and time consuming.

I want to get back into silversmithing when I'm not teaching/taking Pilates so keep an eye out. I'm also taking requests! And as always, if you see something I post here that you want, let me know, and I'll give you a price and first dibs before I put it up for sale. The above ring included.

 

Exercise with polka dots!

It's tough to really decorate my Pilates studio with polka dots since it's a rental, and what I really want to do is not a cheap design. It's part of the down side of being an interior designer. I have great taste but I have to wait another year before I can implement it in my home. It's a bit of a bummer, as I know this next year will drag on like it's 10 years, but I can still dream.

The second best thing to teaching in an inspiring dot-laden studio is wearing said dots.  Would you believe that finding anything in the exercise apparel world other than tiny dots is a tough thing?

I see lots of small polka dots on waistbands, but never anything big and bold.

But I do get lucky sometimes:

Margarita Activewear Polka Dot Pants #509

The biggest polka dot workout pants I have ever seen! You can click on the photo for more info, but they certainly fit the bill. If only they were a bit less expensive, and capri leggings. I get super warm quickly down here in Austin.

My other option?

These:

Nike Pro Polka-Dot Workout Capri Pants

A much nicer price point, bright colors, and even though the dots are smaller, I think I could rock these in the studio and stay cool.

I'm always on the look out for bold polka dot workout clothes, so if you see some, let me know!

Nike's Versatile Pilates Shoes

Whenever I go to Pilates class, I sometimes see people wearing yoga socks:

Half Toe Socks w/ Grips by Toesox, Inc

I'm sure you've seen these around. They are great in theory, but in practice, if you're like me, they suck. They are hot to wear, come up over the ankle, and while the socks stick to your mat (or reformer), your feet don't necessarily stick to the inside of the sock.

I'm a sweat machine in class, so these socks would never work for me. When you're standing on a carriage, the last thing you need to worry about is if your socks are safe. Strength and balance mean nothing if your feet slip out of sweaty loose fabric.

The problem is, sometimes I do need a bit of help in the sticky department. Even worse, as an instructor, sometimes I have to demonstrate an exercise, and I hate slipping in and out of sweaty shoes after I have been teaching in them for hours.

Then a few months ago, I discovered these:

Nike Studio Wrap Pack

These are Nike's new Studio Wrap Shoe.

Click on the photo and fall in love.

I first heard about them a few months ago, and since then, I have been saving up for a pair. They were released in early March, and they have pretty much been sold out from day one. The ones you see now (and the neon yellow pair on the site) are new releases. They cost $110, and are a great investment.

If you go to Nike's website, you can see that they are a perfect design for working out. They stay on the feet, have sticky bottoms, and come with an arch ribbon as well as an over-shoe so you can leave them on when you go to and fro. Also, they are far cuter than toe socks.

I'm glad they are releasing new colors, and so far, the two new ones seem to be in stock. They are pretty much the only shoe made for yoga and Pilates, and I just need to bide my time until my coffers are full enough to afford a pair.

I'm also hoping they continue to release more color combinations and patterns. I love the polka dots though!

If you own a pair of these, I'd love to hear your review!

Updating information!

I have been updating the information on my tabs along the top of my site. I initially did a quick and dirty write-up for each tab, but I spent today cleaning it up and adding to it. You'll notice that I put in a tab that compares group classes to private sessions so people can make a better decision on what they want to do.

The biggest thing was that I added my address. I had tried to omit it so I wouldn't be receiving solicitations and unannounced visitors which could potentially disturb a session with a client, but I discovered that my business listing wouldn't be published without it. The concentration of a client in mid-short spine massage takes precedence over anything else, so I am working on a sign for my door that prevents unnecessary disturbances.

I'm thinking "Go away, I don't want to buy your crap!".

Unless it's Girl Scout Cookies. Seriously, who can turn those away!

Okay, so I don't really have a sign idea. I just need to be sure that packages are quietly left at the door, no one rings the doorbell, and the only people who knock are those I am expecting.

I have been getting good feedback about my studio. It's nice and open, and it's easy to move around. I have a couple clients that I have warned to be a bit dolled up so I can take a photo or two of them in action. I promise to put them in the most flattering position possible. They deserve no less!

Oh, and for those of you who are waiting for all the clothing/shoes/furniture/food/everything else posts to show back up, please have patience. Starting a business can give you a bit of tunnel vision, and it's a bit consuming. I have some ideas in my head, just not enough hours in the day!

I hope you had a great Tuesday!

Ready for Pilates?

I am!

Now if I could just get the search engines to find my website!

Minus a couple pieces of art, Polka Dot Pilates is open for full business! I mean, it was open before, but now it's super ready. It's nice and sunny in the studio, and I think my rearranging made it much more spacious. Here are a few pictures I uploaded to Facebook yesterday. You'll have to tell me what you think:

Spiffing it up

I'm in the process of adding all sorts of Polka Dot Pilates-related info to the website, and some other stuff... you know the stuffy kind of stuff. If you see a glaring error, or think there is something I should add that I missed, please let me know. My plate is overflowing right now, and my brain isn't quite working!