Even though most of our favorite restaurants are open again, many of us have spent more time cooking indoors in the last few months than we usually would. If you want to keep the home cooking train rolling, it’s the perfect time to tap into some of the great food delivery services that are available. Fresh organic food is pricier than what you’ll find at the market down the road, but the proof is in the flavor. Plus, think of all the money you’re saving from not dining out every night!

Beijing actually has an abundance of organic farms, so this list is by no means exhaustive, but here are three that we can guarantee are delivering fresh produce to the capital, even during difficult COVID-19 times.

Farm Fresh Plus

Farm Fresh Plus is a certified organic farm in Tianjin, which delivers to customers in Beijing every Wednesday. I’ve been using the service for almost a year, and especially appreciate the attention Australian-born owner Daniel D’urso pays to his customers. The foreigner-friendly English app makes ordering a breeze, and the range of produce available changes according to the seasons, so all you have to do is choose between a vegetarian box (including salad greens and eggs), vegan box (no eggs), or salad-greens only box, pay, and await delivery. D’urso also recently added ‘mini’ 3kg versions of each box, which are especially good for smaller households. It’s an opt-in service, so each week, you’ll get a prompt via WeChat asking you if you wish to re-order for the following week.

Farm Fresh Plus is committed to reducing waste, and all produce comes in cotton bags that can – along with the egg containers – be returned to the courier upon the next delivery, who will take them back to the farm to be washed and reused. FFP guarantee a 24-hour farm to door turnaround and are also collaborating with Beijing’s International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) to donate RMB 40 from the first order of all new members who are referred by an existing customer. 

How to order: Search Farm Fresh Plus on WeChat under Official Accounts, and select EAT from the menu bar to set up your order. Or, scan the QR code below. The app is in English.

Shared Harvest 分享收获农场

Shared Harvest sells a wide range of farm products grown on their Pinggu District farm, including organic and antibiotic-free meat and seasonal fruit and vegetables. You can choose to buy a membership, which affords you privileged access to low-stock produce or just order à la carte from the app.

As Shared Harvest operates under the Community Supported Agriculture structure, a national network of small-scale farmers, they have access to an extensive shop including health and beauty products and homewares which are all available on the app. Loyal customers appreciate the farm’s commitment to sustainability, as the farm frequently delivers in recycled containers and never uses plastic.

Owner Shi Yan has a PhD in agriculture business and management and regularly posts about the ins and outs of organic farming on her channel. She’s also a bit of a celebrity in the organic, local farming community, having appeared on a range of news media, including CCTV.

How to order: Search 分享收获农场 fēnxiǎng shōuhuò nóngchǎng on WeChat under Official Accounts, and select SHOP from the menu bar. The app is in Chinese with some English.

Gingko Farm

Gingko Farm takes its name from the 135-year-old golden ginkgo trees that grow on their grounds, an organic farm in Lizhuang Village, Chaoyang District. As well as fresh fruit and veggies, the farm also sells a range of other items such as cornmeal, preserves, dried chili, and hand-pulled noodles.

If you order before 11pm, they will pick and deliver the produce to you the following morning. Fans appreciate their speedy delivery, and also the fact that they will go out of their way to minimize plastic if you request it.

How to order: Search 银杏农庄 on WeChat under Official Accounts, and select 微商城 at the top to go to the store. The app is in Chinese only.

KEEP READING: 3 Beijing Families Discuss Growing Their Own Organic Food

This article first appeared on our sister site, thebeijinger.

Images: Shared Harvest, Farm Fresh Plus, Ginkgo Farm

From the dawn of agricultural societies to present-day backwood barns, humans have farmed, cultivated, and grown produce for tens of thousands of years. Nowadays, however, as most of us abandon our rural habitats and move to busy, congested cities, traditional farming has taken on a new form.

Driven by a growing demand for organic and sustainable food, more families now opt for the “grow-your-own” trend, where people take on backyard farming, urban farming, gardening, even going as far as cultivating a plot of land in the countryside.

The organic food movement seems to be at its peak, but questions are still being raised. Are organic foods healthier? Does organic food have the potential to be available to all? Will organic food be a passing trend or the future of food? We chatted with three families who grow organic food about their views on the practice.

The Zhou Family

What reasons made your family decide to start growing your own food?
It started as an idea years ago when my daughter and I made a plan for a family farm when we lived in rural England. Since then, I’ve visited many farms in the UK and US, and I love the feeling of being close to nature, it’s something I’d like to share with more kids and adults.

Now that we grow our produce, I find it to be the most natural environment for a person. Through it, I wish to teach my children, as descendants of a mainly agricultural country, the skill of providing for oneself, and staying true to one’s roots.

How has being able to grow your own produce helped during lockdown?
Amidst the lockdown, our little farm has become a reliable source of food. We harvest so much produce that it not only feeds ourselves but our neighbors as well. It’s also a place to raise spirits and refresh ourselves without the threats of the coronavirus. The vibrant, green land is a wonderful sight, and we keep healthy and fit by working.

How do you think the food industry will be changed by the public’s preference for organically grown food?
Growing your own food is a lifestyle enjoyed by more and more people. It is an experience whereby you work hard to feed yourself and learn to cherish every piece of food you have. I believe consumers will be more educated in sustainability and produce less food waste if they took part in this activity.

Do you believe that organic foods have the potential to become a global norm?
Yes, I believe so; it is only a matter of time. More people will learn the lesson from environmental degradation, natural disasters, and will learn to cherish the earth – eating organic is the best way of conserving the earth and protecting our motherland.

Growing plants is an educational process

The Ong Family

What reasons made your family decide to start growing your own food?
I’ve always had the romantic idea of growing my food, and we’ve been looking for an opportunity to be more committed to this idea. We found starting a proper vegetable garden to be quite unpractical, so we eventually decided to start a small, aesthetic vegetable garden in our backyard.

Growing plants is an educational process, it’s about knowing what has or hasn’t been put into your food, the presence or absence of pesticides, what is or isn’t in season. That process of nurturing growth is also calming, almost meditative.

What is your view on the organic foods trend?
The term “organic” is often misunderstood by the general public, as the definition varies from place to place. I’ve had people telling me not to use pesticides when we were infested with bugs, not to use medicine when we experienced a disease, while other people that believe a certain amount of chemicals is essential. Everyone has a slightly different perception of “organic”, which makes taking up organic farming a difficult task.

“I wish to teach my children the skill of providing for oneself”

Do you believe that organic foods have the potential to become a global norm?
Growing and eating organic foods is not cost-effective. The other day, a friend joked that the amount of money I’ve spent on this garden for a year would exceed our family’s annual food bills. Financially speaking, not everyone has the prerequisites to afford organic foods, let alone start an organic garden.

The Zandian Family

What reasons made your family decide to start growing your own food?
I enjoy the slow-paced, rural lifestyle of growing, nurturing, and picking things. It’s relaxing to tend to my plants and fruits, and they give me great comfort.

What is your view on the organic foods trend?
It’s a good thing that people prefer organic foods since I do believe they are a healthier option. However, organic foods are not always affordable, which makes them not readily available to the general public. Even starting a small garden costs a fortune, and the organic label on supermarket goods only increases their price.

How has being able to grow your own produce helped during lockdown?
Every morning I take a trip to visit my plants, tomatoes, strawberries; they keep me busy and fill in the time gaps that have appeared since the lockdown.

Do you believe that organic foods have the potential to become a global norm?
It would be fabulous if it were for everybody, but the global population is growing, and the slow, inefficient methods of growing organic foods will not be able to sustain our global needs.

KEEP READING: Get Fresh Organic Produce From Beijing Farms, Delivered Right to Your Door

Photos: Courtesy of Lauren Zhou