There need to be six stars here. Farm Direct Co-op believes in providing people on the north shore with healthy and local food. Truly farm to my table. Folks, they have a coffee share, a pasta share, a meat share, a mushroom share - goes on and on. The fruit is amazing! Service is exceptional. If you need it they get it for you. The nicest humans you may ever meet. Ambiance is smart and ethical business people meet hippies. The best food and the best people. I cannot recommend the team enough - A++ Caveat -- its not inexpensive. Good food that pays local producers fair prices is not inexpensive. read more

After a several month stint on the FDC waiting list, I became a member this spring and the whole experience has been awesome. In case you are not familiar with the co-op thing, members pay a certain amount of money to join the co-op, and in turn, get a bounty of fresh, locally-grown, mostly organic food items each week. It cost me about $600 for the season, and that includes weekly baskets of fruit, vegetables, cheese, and herbs from mid-June to mid-October. It also includes one fall basket and one winter basket. The quality of the food I've received thus far has been amazing. Everything is super fresh and super delicious. We've had everything from bok choy and salad turnips to bell peppers and blueberries, and it's all been outstanding. Plus the cheese! Oh, the cheese. It's all been SO good. There's been goat cheese, gouda, raw cheddar, monterey jack - the list goes on. We've also gotten a couple different types of vinegar from the Herb Farmacy too. Every week brings with it a new surprise. The best thing about being a part of this CSA (other than supporting local farms, the benefits for the environment, the quality, etc) is that the different types of items have forced me to go beyond my comfort zone and try new ingredients. I never would have bought Swiss Chard, for example, at the grocery store, but I've discovered how good it is since getting it through my share. So it's opening up all sorts of new culinary worlds for me. I know there's a pretty serious wait list for next season (at last count, I think they said there were 140 names on it), but if you are looking for a CSA in or around the North Shore (they have pick up locations in Melrose, Salem, and Marblehead every Thursday), check it out! read more

As a member now for 14 seasons, I love the Farm Direct Coop. It gives me the impetus to use all sorts of Vegetables, herbs and fruit I would not normally buy. I get enough in my small share of Vegetables and large share of fruit to last me most of the winter. I wash and freeze the extras as soon as I can and then enjoy local organic vegetables like broccoli all winter. Now the Coop has added Cheese, eggs and lots of special order stuff! The staff is so good and very accommodating always. I have made lots of new friends and see many old friends every week. I cannot say enough good things about the Farm Direct Coop!! read more

The staff is extremely competent, organized and professional. This is my third or fourth year participating. I love the veggies and try new things all the time. The veggies are top notch. They give many different ways that you can volunteer as well if your work schedule doesn't allow working the actual pick up day. I usually drop off veggies to someones home that can't pick up that day. I do that a few times and thats my volunteering for the season. I don't know how the price compares to other places because I've only participated in this co-op. The location is very convenient for me. Highly recommended! read more

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~Winston Churchill I agree that the produce provided by our local farms is amazing. But the staff is a bit much, the lecturing tone of the correspondences become tiresome. read more

We got our second week's worth of vegetables today and I love the thrill of finding out what I'll end up with this week and planning my dinner menus around fresh, locally grown vegetables. read more

The most fresh, delicious fruits and veggies I've had in New England. Friendly staff and community feel.

Right near the MBTA depot in Salem is another branch of FDC, the Salem branch, which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 7 pm. No money changes hands. Joining is a seed fee of $ 285 and up, depending whether you include fruit, cheese, bread or other extras. What you get is a weekly bagful of farm-fresh produce, including some things you never see in the store like kohlrabi, garlic scapes, tatsoi or mustard greens. All grown within 200 miles -- so the best part is your dollar keeps Massachusetts land for farming -- and mostly strictly organic farms. So it's good for your family and good for the rest of us. If this sounds hectoring... One taste of farm-grown strawberries or corn or tomatoes, and you'll never be able to eat store-bought again. The staff works super-hard. Most of the heavy lifting falls on them. Although members are supposed to donate work during the season, in practice everybody's really busy and many late afternoons the depot manager's there by herself, nailing down flying tarps etc. This is a different business model, not profit-oriented. Recipes are shared on FB and in the newsletter, and you can visit the farms where your food is grown. You can order a flat from the farmer if you feel like canning or pickling. You can trade with other members during vacation weeks. And surplus food goes to needy local families. Love FDC! Every week it's like getting a present. read more

We have been members for 4 years. We look forward to each June and are very sad when our last winter share comes in December. The FDC has introduced us to vegetables we never knew existed and we love them all! We also love being a part of the Facebook group....so many amazing recipes to try! read more

I've been a member for longer than I can remember, back when it was all on paper. I love FDC, and would never, ever, go back to shopping in a grocery store when the FDC is in full swing. The selections are wonderful, and the sometimes odd and challenging veggie options push me to create amazing and unique concoctions that I would not ordinarily attempt. I mean when you have an over abundance of bok choi, you gotta figure it out! All of the produce is top quality, wonderfully fresh and flavorful, and you could not ask for a more responsive, cool, helpful, and overall darling staff to help you out. I have always gotten an email reply in just a few hours if I need to ask a question or change my plans. I've even completely forgotten to pick up my share a couple of times and the wonderful people at FDC have worked with me to either get extras at another pick up, or even put together a share for me to pick up the next day! SUPER WONDERFUL. I mean, it's not anyone's fault but mine if I forgot to pick up my stuff but they have gone out of their way to help me out. The hours are perfect, and again, the quality and peace of mind are worth more than you pay for the share. I'm thrilled to also now have an egg share and a cheese share. NOM! read more

Picked up my first share and they were organized and the veggies and cheese and fruit was great!