What Negev Nectars Members are saying about their first delivery
Thanks to so many of you who have written in to let us know that the package arrived. A few notes we thought we would share:
“Thank you so much for the delightful gift from Negev Nectars, which arrived last night. What a delightful (and delicious) surprise!
You have inspired me to start a new tradition for Shabbat Chanukah: to dip the challah not only in salt, but also olive oil from Israel — a nice parallel to the honey of Rosh Hashanah.”
It is here! My first shipment. How thrilling for me. How thrilling for you!
The packaging was beautiful — clean, minimalist, easy to open.
The welcome letter was lovely and the paper stock was classy!!!
I loved finding each “present” nestled in the paper.”
“I loved my first shipment from Negev Nectars! The herbs were so fragrant, I almost felt like i was in Israel! Everything is delicious and fresh. Opening the package and finding all the goodies was such a treat. I was very pleased with the quality and number of items, especially for the price . . . I was so happy with it that I wanted to give this as a gift to several friends for Hanukah.”
“What an extraordinary gift came to our home today! . . . I really would like to visit with some of the farmers when we make our way to the Negev this February, so I’ll be in touch about how to do that.”
Taking Orders Again Beginning January 4th
Happy Holiday Season. We’re quite excited about the response to the first deliveries and to the excellent feedback we’ve been getting. We will open up again for Business after the New Year. Watch for the 2010 special holiday offering for Purim (Michloach Manot). Plan to send a new taste of the Negev to friends and family.
Any orders made between December 21 and January 4th will be processed and delivered for early January.
The Packages Are Arriving . . .
. . . and we’re getting really important feedback from so many of you. Thank you.
Quick note on the Nana (spearmint): We know there’s a lot of it, but it should last a while. If you keep it in an airtight container, in a dry and cool place, dried mint has a 1 year shelf-life. For full-time members, we’ll have different herbs for the following shipments, so don’t worry that you’ll be inundated with mint, though it wouldn’t necessarily be the worst of problem.
Happy Hanukkah for all those celebrating!
Hanukkah Order Deadline Extended
Get your order in by Friday the 11th and we’ll be able to ship gifts to friends and family that will arrive before the end of the holiday.
And don’t worry, we’ll still be taking orders after Hanukkah.
First Shipments Are Ready
Just last week we received our first shipment from Israel. It was incredibly gratifying (and laborious) to unload all the phenomenal products from our producers and we are so incredibly grateful to them for their hard work. And many thanks go to all those involved in the transport.
And with that our Negev Nectars Gift Boxes are about ready to be sent out and will be early next week, so all of our full CSA members and Taste of Negev Nectars members will receive their shares by Channukah (on the West Coast by the first few days of the holiday). For all of you who have given Negev Nectars as a gift, your friends, family and co-workers will similarly receive their gift next week.
Information about the contents of the package will be enclosed, but below is a preview of the products we’ll be featuring this first round:
- 1 bottle of Doron’s Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, made of a blend of 50% Barnea olives, 30% Sourya Olives, and a 20% mix of Barnea and Picual olives. It’s a gentle, fruity and very mediterranean oil.
- 1 bottle of Doron’s Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, made of a blend of 70% Barnea olives and 30% Sourya olives. This belnd is aromatic, sharp, and tastes very much like its desert surroundings.
- A Pear-Cardamom Chutney made by Chami of Desert Magic in Moshav Kadesh Barnea
- An Organic Sesame-Date Tahini from Kibbutz Neot Smadar
- Edward’s Eucalyptus Honey from Edward (well, his bees)
- An Organic Herbal Tea Blend of lemon verbena, lemongrass, rosemary, sage, thyme, mint and sage from Kibbutz Neot Smadar
- Nana (Mediterranean Spearmint) grown and harvested by Shlomo Azulay of A.S.H.B.A. Farm
- Za’atar (Mediterranean Oregano and a staple of Israeli cuisine) harvested by Orly and Yoni from Orlyya Farms
Introductory Holiday Offer! + Registration Deadline Extended to Dec. 6
To give you a taste of Negev Nectars we are offering a single shipment option for the holidays. Join the Negev Nectars community in supporting small-scale farmers in Israel by purchasing a taste for the holidays and introducing your friends and family to a sampling of Negev Nectars’ finest products.
<< We’re taking orders for Chanukkah through December 6 >>
Checking in with our Farmers, with Photos
Marvin went to Israel as a participant on Hazon and the Heschel Center’s Sustainable Food Tour this past November. Before the tour he checked up on how some of our farmers in the Negev are doing. Here are some pictures:
Marvin at Doron’s dinner table, in Doron’s house in Ezuz. Doron’s family is of Yemenite origin and he grew up in Tel Aviv right outside of old Yemenite quarter, where to this day you can find the most delicious Yemenite cuisine. Doron is an incredible host and a fantastic cook. Many of his meals feature his organic olive oil and the cheese that his best friend and neighbor, the goat herder of Ezuz, makes.
Here Shlomo is giving a tour of his farm, A.S.H.B.A. farm, to Marvin and two friends. Shlomo is very passionate about his land and about how he grows without any sprays or chemicals, even the “organic” ones. He is relatively new to the Negev, having only started his organic farm after the withdrawal from Gaza when he had to give up his farm of thirty years.
Another shot of Shlomo.