Group Buy 2008: Organic Nuts

I personally eat a lot of nuts (see -Turbo Charge Your Almonds-, -Spicy Candied Pecans-, -Two Brazil Nuts a Day Keeps the Doctor Away- and nut sprouting question) because they're a nutrient dense snack and they're delicious. There is credible research that proves tree nuts are actually good for you and not the fatty villain portrayed on the USDA Food Pyramid. Nuts are a great source of protein (especially almonds and walnuts) and are loaded with essential minerals and vitamins, especially the antioxidant vitamin E. They also contain critical amino acids and are a decent source of fiber.

Last year, I orchestrated a group buy for shelled almonds, walnuts and pecans (for people living in the SF bay area) for members of the SF Weston A. Price Foundation and Local Forage. I am doing the same thing this year - for walnuts and almonds. Unfortunately, my wonderful supplier for pecans hasn't received his shipment yet for 2008, so we are going to go with just almonds and walnuts for now. Please note that I cannot ship the nuts to you. You have to be present to pick them up.

The almonds and walnuts will supplied again by Ruth Hartnett. Ruth is a local WAPF member who has about 9 acres on Grand island in the Sacramento Delta where she uses sustainable/organic methods and biodynamic fertilizer. She seems to be following a Joel Salatin-like model (as described by Michael Pollan in Omnivore's Dilemma) of healthy food production and family farm sustainability. She sells walnut wine, bison, pastured chickens and rabbits, winter squash, mineral broth with a rooster base (excellent for calcium) and a grape juice made from italian Barbera grapes pressed with the grape seeds — a unique and wonderful array of products. 

The almonds that we're getting from her are an old variety the Spanish brought when they came to California and are unpasteurized and shelled. They are round-shaped and have a higher concentration of almond oil.

If we can get pull enough people together to buy 50 pounds of almonds, Ruth will give us a price of $8.50 per pound for the almonds which is great. 4/14 UPDATE: Walnuts are $7.90 per pound.

Here's how this works, folks.

1. In the comments area below, please indicate the number of pounds of each nut. They must be in 1 pound increments.
2. Once I determine that we have a minimum of 50 pounds of almonds, I will send out another post* with the payment instructions. You must pay through Paypal via instant transfer from your checking or savings account (not by credit card as they charge 2-3% for credit card transfers). If I accepted a check from you last year, I will do so again this year. I'm trying to keep personal checks to a minimum for obvious reasons. So get your checking accounts hooked up to Paypal now!
3. Once all the payments are received I will place the order.
4. When the order arrives, you must physically pick it up; there will be no mail shipments. The pick up will be at a location in or around Cole Valley on a designated day. I will notify you of two pickup dates via email.
5. I do this as a service to our community. I'm not marking up the prices.

So all you have to do right now is indicate how many pounds you want in the comments area below. Please plan on following through with your almond order because our low price depends on it. Please include your email in the post so that I can contact you if necessary. And then watch Local Forage for further updates and for the final request for payment.

Thanks.
~Carla

* Your best bet for staying in touch on this matter is subscribing to Local Forage via email. Sign up for this in the right hand column of the blog where it says "Subscribe". 

 

Comments

[switters]

Hi Carla,

I'm in for 6 pounds of almonds and 6 pounds of walnuts. Thanks a lot for organizing this!

Chris Kresser

[celeste]

I'm in for 4 lb of almonds and 2 lb of walnuts.

[Andy R.]

I am present:

1 lb almonds.
1 lb walnuts.

[Rick Warren]

Count Gia and I in for:
5 lbs. of almonds
2 lbs. of walnuts

Thanks,
Rick

[Cristal Guderjahn]

4 pounds almonds please!!
So awesome. I hope hazelnuts are next.

[Martyne Viens]

5 lbs almonds
5 lbs walnuts

thanks,

Martyne

[melissa]

Hi Carla,
I'm in for...
2 lbs walnuts
2 lbs almonds
Thanks for this opportunity!
Melissa

[Monika]

6 pounds of almonds
5 pounds of walnuts
Thanks!Monika

[liz&aimee]

1 pound of almonds and 1 pound of walnuts, pls!

[Joni]

I am grateful :)

5 lbs Almonds
5 lbs Walnuts

Joni

[marianna pollak]

2 pounds of almonds
2 pounds of walnuts
thank you!

[Layne]

2 lbs walnuts
2 lbs almonds

Thanks

[Gay]

8 pounds almonds

[Claudia Mansbach]

Hi Carla,

Thanks for this!

10 pounds of almonds please

Anyone want to join up from theEast Bay?

[Tim Reeves]

Hi Carla

4 pounds almonds
4 pounds walnuts

Thanks!
Tim Reeves

[Nina]

Thx Carla!
4 lbs almonds
4 lbs walnuts
for me.
Nina

[ingun schneider]

5#almonds
3#walnuts

[Isabel Bauer]

Hi Carla,

How far is Cole Valley?

I am interested in
10 lbs. almonds
2 lbs walnuts

Thanks for taking this on,
Isabel

[Isabel Bauer]

Hi Carla,

How far is Cole Valley?

I am interested in
10 lbs. almonds
2 lbs walnuts

Thanks for taking this on,
Isabel

[Joan Chua]

Hi Carla,

6 lbs. almonds
3 lbs. walnuts please.

Thanks very much,
Joan

[vicki]

Carla,
I'd like 5 lbs. of almonds.
I am one of the people that said I would help weigh and bag the nuts; let me know approx. time frame. Thanks!
Vicki

[Osa Sister]

Thanks, Carla.

I'd like 15 lb of almonds.

I'd be happy to help coordinate a pick-up for East Bay folks. Please email me if you'd like to be part of this.

Osa

[Deborah]

Hi Carla;
We'd like 10# almonds and 4# walnuts.
Thanks again for doing this!
Let me know if you need help bagging.
Deborah

[vicki]

I would like to add 5 lbs. more of almonds to total 10 lbs. Thanks!

[Amy Coulter]

Hi Carla,
I would like 10#s of almonds and
5#s of walnuts, please. I would be happy to coordinate with others who may need to pick up from San Leandro/East Bay. I can do this on a Thursday or Friday. Hope that will work.
Thanks so much.
Amy C.