I didn't know until I began manning the drop-in how much Mind do to promote self-care in North Wales. Over the spring and summer months, Mind are running a Food Co-op with Belmont farm in Llanrwst.
How it works
I pay £3 a bag each Friday and get a selection of veg on Tuesday morning that I can collect. When supplemented with a couple of bags of frozen veg that I bung in the freezer this will easily last one person a week and suits how I meal plan.
The taste of the carrots, broccoli and swede is superior to supermarket veg. The potatoes arrive in baking or salad varieties every time. I usually adhere to Daniel Plan, which says no to starchy tats, I am therefore breaking a few of my own rules. I say it's worth it!
The exotic items, like the sugar snap peas with air miles that sneak in once in a while also taste good. I tried growing my own veg the year my sister got married and I can attest it is not as easy as it looks. I'll spare you the details.
Two years after I put down the watering can, I'm delighted with the encouragement to be a little creative with my meals. And I'm certainly saving money with fewer supermarket trips, leaving me time to exercise extravagantly on sunny spring days on my second-hand bicycle.
Helpful Links
Food Co-ops in Wales are non-profit making, and are supported by the Rural Regeneration Unit (RRU) a task force linked to the Welsh Assembly Government. Unfortunately, the website advertised on the official bag pictured above appears to be down at the moment. If you're inspired, you can check out the active Facebook page from the RRU, or read the press releases with local contact details listed below:
https://www.facebook.com/RRUFoodCooperatives
http://www.physicalactivityandnutritionwales.org.uk/page.cfm?orgid=740&pid=29570_