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DUE TO TANYA’S UPCOMING DELIVERY (of a baby, not veggies) NO NEW CUSTOMERS ARE CURRENTLY BEING ACCEPTED.  HOWEVER, YOU MAY ADD YOUR NAME TO A WAITING LIST FOR BEING CONTACTED AT THE END OF THE SUMMER.  THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST!  freshinoki@yahoo.com

There are many fantastic reasons for wanting to choose naturally grown, locally harvested fruits and vegetables. I have always had a passion for good food, but when I moved to Okinawa with my husband and young son a year ago I wasn’t sure where to start.  I knew there were a lot of small farms operating here on Okinawa, but since I didn’t speak Japanese I wasn’t sure how to directly access all the goodness.  Luckily, I stumbled upon Fresh In Oki and began ordering bags for myself.  I was thrilled to be receiving farm fresh produce from someone who could actually explain the sometimes unusual fruits and vegetables.

After getting bags for a few months, I contacted Melody about a job.  I began delivering for her last summer and when she decided to return to the States, I happily took over the business. 

One of my favorite parts of the job is seeing the smiles on your faces as you open the door to beautiful bags of fruit and vegetables each week.  I know some people wonder whether they’ll like everything in the bag or whether they’ll be able to eat it all.  I have found that I eat it if it is there.  Maybe I wouldn’t buy eggplant if I were shopping for myself.  Or maybe I wouldn’t pick up those mushrooms.  But if they come in the bag, I find a way to use them.  When the end of the week comes, and the bag is empty, I feel great knowing my family has eaten all of that!

–Tanya

 

And why is the produce delivered by Fresh In Oki so great?  Here are a few reasons:

Health

Produce harvested when it’s ripe has the highest vitamin and mineral content.  But when vegetables and fruit travel thousands of miles to your stores, they are picked well before they are ripe. Also, produce grown with little or no pesticides and chemical fertilizers is best for our health — especially for children whose bodies are still developing.

Convenience

I utilize several Farmer’s Markets in Onna and Uruma (about 30 minutes north of Kadena), that might be difficult for most busy families to get to weekly.  But with Fresh in Oki, families can benefit from these incredible fruits and vegetables by simply placing an order on this site.  The bags you order will then be brought to your door.

Support

The Okinawan people are such gracious hosts to the large group of foreigners living here. Personally, I like knowing that my money stays on island to support their families just as they have shown support for mine.

Earth-friendly

Chemicals used by conventional farmers ultimately damage the soil and enter our water table.  Choosing vegetables and fruit grown with the health of our ecosystem in mind is the most responsible choice we can make.  In addition, buying local means drastically reducing the fossil fuels used and reducing other transport related effects on our environment.