CrowdFarming

What's in the box: A box usually holds a few kilos of one seasonal fruit, such as mangos or avocados, picked and shipped directly by a single organic farm.

CrowdFarming connects shoppers directly with farmers, selling organically grown produce and pantry goods that ship from the farm when the harvest is ready. There are two main ways to buy. You can order a single box, such as 2.5 kg of mangos or a mix of seasonal fruit, or you can adopt a tree, such as an avocado or olive tree, and receive its harvest each season. Adoption is the closest thing to a subscription here, and it suits people who want to know exactly which farm their food comes from. Each product shows a planned shipping date, so it is clear you are waiting for a harvest rather than ordering from warehouse stock. That honesty is welcome, but it also means less flexibility than a weekly grocery delivery. What you can buy changes with the seasons, so a fruit you like may be unavailable for months. The range goes well beyond fruit, with olive oil, cheese, coffee, pasta, jams and more from individual producers. The site highlights farms led by women and farms converting to organic, and it reports 497 farmers and more than 784,000 adopted trees. Each farmer sets their own prices, so the same product can cost noticeably different amounts depending on who grows it. Some items come in large quantities that work best for big households or for sharing.