The UCOP Sustainability Committee and UCOP Human Resources are running the project as part of the ever-expanding systemwide sustainability efforts and the UC Living Well campaign.
"It's like having a personal shopper for organic food," said UCOP Executive Secretary Gail Coufal. "And I believe in eating seasonally. Plus, they gave me a reusable bag where everything fits in perfectly."
Produce boxes are $60 for four boxes, $88 for four boxes plus four flower bouquets, or $188.50 for 13 boxes. Subscribers can choose to have their boxes delivered every week or every other week. The boxes weigh about 10 pounds in the winter, 15 pounds in the summer. The typical spring produce order includes carrots, broccoli, red kale, 1/2 lb. salad mix, green cabbage, potatoes, beets and green garlic.
Anne Buckland, who organizes the produce program, said it's been a great fit for the Franklin building.
"What's great about this program is that it makes it easier for employees to eat healthy food because we're delivering fresh organic food right to them," Buckland said. "This is a service where the costs are low and the return is high."
The pilot program runs through September and organizers would like to see it continue if things go smoothly.
Each week the Full Belly Farm produce box comes with a seasonal assortment of organic vegetables and fruit and a newsletter called The Full Belly Beet. The newsletter has cooking and produce storage tips, plus info about healthy-living related community projects.
"We started off with about 40 subscribers," said Buckland. "And it seems to be growing every week. Plus, there are some employees who share a (subscription) box."
When the program kicked off in late June, UC students from the California Student Sustainability Coalition donated 45 organic cotton bags to the cause.
People use the bags, made by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, to carry their vegetables and fruit home.
Buckland said it wasn't hard choosing Fully Belly Farm as the produce supplier. With a long track record as an established farm actively promoting local organic food use, Full Belly Farm, located in Guinda, Calif., north of Sacramento, was a natural fit, said Buckland. In addition, co-owner Judith Redmond is a UC Davis graduate who is very active in the organic food movement.
Buckland said the program has been a hit among employees.
"They like the convenience, the price and the variety of the produce," she said. "The variety of produce gives people the opportunity to try out vegetables and fruit they normally would not buy."
To view a list of box items and for more information, visit www.fullybellyfarm.com.
For more information about the UC program, contact anne.buckland@ucop.edu