You haven’t tasted a carrot until you’ve tasted an organic carrot, fresh from the earth.

There’s just one problem; unless you’ve got a garden vegetable patch (and time to look after it), choosing organic can often mean paying a hefty premium at the supermarket.

Now there’s a genius solution that makes it both cost effective and convenient to eat organic at every meal – all while supporting small, sustainable farmers in Cork; more people than ever are signing up for a weekly veg box, delivered to your door by the very folk who planted its lush, leafy contents.

And trust us, these people know their stuff; Cork’s community of organic growers produce their crops without using harmful pesticides. This not only benefits the many people who use this fresh produce to feed their families (studies show that eating organic food makes you less likely to get certain cancers, FYI), it’s also great for the ecosystem and the environment.

It’s also nice to know your tomatoes didn’t have to fly in from Saudi Arabia and your scallions didn’t start the journey to your plate in Thailand.

Another solid perk is that most organic veg deliveries arrive in a cardboard box – that’s it, no annoying plastic wrapping, bags and containers.

Ready to go organic? These three Cork farms should be your first stop:

1. THE COTTAGE GARDEN

Run by permaculture grad Jason Linton, The Cottage Garden has been delivering chemical free, locally grown fruit and vegetables to the people of Kinsale since 2014.

You can order a Salad Box (mixed leaves, lettuce, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, radish, celery, scallions, rocket, cucumber, avocado – €7.50 or €15), a Juicing Box (apples, carrots, pears, cucumber, kale – from €10) or a custom Veg Box (choose from a list of the freshest fruit, vegetables and salad starting from €20).

Another major plus; your order is plastic free; Jason uses paper and compostable plastic alternative packaging to wrap anything that could be damaged en route.

Check out the latest produce and sign up for the new Cork City delivery here.

2. ORGANIC REPUBLIC

Certified organic by the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association, Macroom-based Organic Republic deliver boxes of organic fruit and vegetables all over Cork city and suburbs on a weekly basis.

Every week the available produce is posted on Facebook and you can check what’s in season before ordering it as part of your €20 box. This week’s assortment included potatoes, carrots, scallions, white cabbage, butternut, cherry tomatoes, pears, oranges and a lemon.

They’re now selling gift vouchers, which make a brilliant gift for a new parent or a foodie.

Visit the website and sign up here. 

3. DEVOY’S ORGANIC FARM

She once worked alongside The Bodyshop owner Anita Roddick, so Sara Devoy knows the benefits of living a more natural and sustainable lifestyle. The former publicist and her husband John, a biochemist, own Devoy’s Organic Farm in Rosscarberry.

Vegetable boxes can be collected from the farm or dropped to your home or office once a week (Cork drop-offs are available for box orders of €30 or more – chat to Adam to find out what works for you).

The basic box contains a seasonal selection of potatoes, carrots, onions red and white, parsnips, garlic, ginger, broccoli, crunchy apples, kale, organic eggs and cherry tomatoes, with juicing options available too.

Email devoysfarm@gmail.com for more details or sign up for the mailing list here.