Grasshoppers Distribution

Jumping Grasshoppers, Batman!
This company has it going on… delivering great local produce, meats, dairy and other great and yummy stuff to pickup locations around the city.
If you like good, fresh, local produce and other foodstuffs, you should subscribe. Fair warning, though… if you do not like turnips, winter distributions can get a bit monotonous.

From the time I began researching Grasshoppers to the time I purchased my first box, I have seen a huge improvement in the functionality and user-​friendliness of their website. Every employee I’ve spoken to on the phone and in person at the pick ups have been super friendly, knowledgeable and helpful to boot. One of my roommates and I have been splitting the large produce box for the last two months, and at a total $ 26 dollars a week it’s not a bad deal split between the two of us.
Yes, there are some weeks where we wonder if one of the farms included in the program is actually like that weird 90’s movie The Last Supper where they’re growing tomatoes by the thousands (hopefully this one was not designed to cover up the graves of dead people buried below like in the film) and they just have so many to give out through the CSA. Some subscribers may feel frustrated with the over abundance of some fruits and veggies and the lack of others. I was totally there last week. But, one thing that has helped me to enjoy getting the same stuff over and over again is to remember that through great constraints comes great creativity. When I need to eat tomatoes or corn in every meal throughout the week, I eventually began to move beyond the obvious idea to make salsa or just the simple corn on the cob and I started trying those dishes I’d usually only eat if someone else did the labor, like corn chowder. Anything not to eat more of the same!
Their weekly newsletter informs you what you’re getting for the coming week, which is nice to be able to plan ahead for meals. Of course, the biggest perk is the fresh taste and the peace of mind knowing that you’re buying chemical-​free and locally grown food.
They’ve got 20 pick up locations, and if you miss yours one week then you can always go to their warehouse in Portland.

I signed up for a Produce for 2 share in December, picking up every other week. The offerings from Grasshopper change from week to week, and I’m always excited to see what’s in my box.
Since it’s winter, we have less fresh produce, but Grasshoppers more than makes up for it by supplementing what produce is available with delicious canned and jarred items. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve gotten a jar of delicious apple butter, a jar of «tomato cocktail» I used to make an incredible tomato soup, and a package of dried black beans. This is in addition to items like hydroponically-​grown tomatoes (yummy tomatoes! in winter!), beautiful lettuces like sorrel and red oak, garlic, winter squash, and fresh herbs.
Grasshopper’s also offers a big selection of add-​ons, including cheese, milk, eggs, grocery items like grits and cornmeal, bread, coffee, soups, and meat items. Prices are competitive, especially given the quality and convenience factor. The add-​on products, like the produce, are local. You can purchase add-​ons as a one-​time thing, or make them a part of your regular subscription. For example, I have mixed salad greens and a dozen eggs added to my subscription box.
The people who work for Grasshopper’s are a huge part of what make it successful. Every person I’ve come in contact with, either in person or over phone or email, has been friendly and helpful. When I pick up my box every other week, the person at the drop off always lets me know what’s in my box and shares a few recipe ideas. Everyone also seems to really value feedback. I love supporting local farmers and businesses, and a subscription to Grasshopper’s has been a great way to continue doing that.

We joined a CSA in Philadelphia for a summer, and while overall we were very happy with it, we had your typical gripes — too many this! not enough that! We were at the mercy of the single farm that we bought a share in, and we received whatever that single farm decided to grow.
The beauty of Grasshoppers is that it’s not tied to a single farm or a single farmer. Grasshoppers distributes crops from many different farms from around the area so that each week, instead of picking up your box and hearing, «Sorry, just 10 pounds of kohlrabi this week,» you receive a wide variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
We’re subscribed to the Produce for 2 share, picking up every other week, which is the perfect option for my husband and I, who typically eat a home-​cooked dinner 5 times/​week. Other subscription options include Produce for 2 picked up every week, and Produce for 4 picked up every week. You also have the option to not subscribe to the produce, but still order a box of the various pantry items and local value-​added foods from around the area. Add-​ons include subscriptions for various local meats, Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese, Blue Dog bread, and Lotsa Pasta, where you would receive something different each week, or you have the option for one-​time add-​ons of your choice, like Bourbon Barrel Foods products or a local pastured chicken. I’ve found some of the prices to be a little more than I would pay at Whole Foods or the like for the same products, but the convenience of having them delivered with the rest of your produce is sometimes worth the extra change.
On the day of your pickup, Grasshoppers sends a reminder email, along with a newsletter telling what’s in your box this week. This is really useful for me as I get it while I’m still at work, and can plan that night’s dinner using the ingredients I’ll receive later that day. We pick up from the Downtown YMCA, which is super convenient for us, but there are many locations around Louisville, each with their own pick-​up day and time, so it shouldn’t be a problem to find one that works for you.
For our Produce for 2 option, we pay $ 18 for each box of produce every other week. I’ve felt that this is a reasonable price for the amount of local, fresh, usually organic produce you receive. I’m interested to see this winter if the variety or amount of produce will decrease, just because of seasonality, but Grasshoppers has assured us that they will continue providing local winter-​hardy and greenhouse-​grown products through the season.
So far, we’re satisfied customers and are proud to support this local business and our local farmers.