The
RARE Box
Why pay for fake food a nd fill the pockets of corporate monopolies, instead of farmers?
The RAREBox strives to offer people the most delicious & nutrient-dense food available in a convenient, affordable and connected manner. We believe everyone should share the bounty of our ancient Blue Ridge Mountains, and taste the valleys of this temperate rain forest we are so grateful to be able to grow food in.
RARE Box Standards in a Nutshell
Local
Seasonal & High-Nutrient Food
The longer the time period between when a vegetable is picked to when that vegetable hits your plate, the lower the amount of nutrients that vegetable contains. Besides supporting the non-subsidized REAL farmers in your
region, eating locally ensures the 'health' aspect of healthy eating. We use methods like flash freezing and delivering your food to you within 48 hours of harvesting to ensure you experience the optimal flavor, as well as nutrients, of your RAREBox.
Healthy Animals
Emulate the wild
All dairy products are from grass-fed cows, or humanely-raised goats. Our eggs come from a neighbor in Otto, NC who has the happiest and healthiest flock of birds we've ever encountered. All of our meats come from farms &
ranches that best try to mimic an environment that would suit the needs of each animal in 'the wild'. We only purchase pasture-raised pork, grass-fed & finished beef, grass-fed lamb, pasture-raised chicken and NC mountain trout.
Chemical-Free
Produce from REAL farms
Organic certification is expensive for most small farmers, and organic food does NOT equate to nutritious food. On our farm and the farms we we work with, methods like minimal tillage and using compost & manure, as well
crop rotations and other ecologically-sound practices to naturally create yields and ensure the highest nutrient content. All of our farmers refuse to use the quick-fix & environmentally destructive chemicals and practiv of 'Big Ag'.
Cooking Methods
Traditional & Slow-Cooking
For any 'pre-made' food in the RAREBox, we utilize the processing methods that best preserve the nutrients in each ingredient. Cooking at high temperatures for long periods of time degrades many of the beneficial vitamins
and probiotics, and many people aren't aware that that vast majority of 'healthy' cooked food from restaurants are bathed in unhealthy oils and fats. We only use grass-fed butter, avocado and coconut oils when cooking. We try to avoid using dairy, and everything is ALWAYS gluten-free.
It's Actually Rare, Y'all
The RARE Box is a collection of delicious & healthy raw foods, prepared meals and meal kits covering the full spectrum of nutrition. RARE sources almost half of the foods in our Boxes from local sustainable food producers who practice agriculture in a way that benefits all life on our shared planet, the quality and taste of the food itself, and most directly, the health of your body.
After many years in sustainable agriculture and speaking with over a hundred sustainable food producers in the Southeast, we realized that the old school method of eating (a.k.a. finding a recipe, going to market for ingredients, driving back home to prepare a meal, etc...) was not going to work with the demands and requirements of the modern lifestyle for most folks. Very few people have enough time or culinary experience to cook an enjoyable & healthy meal from scratch every day, and with the internet swimming in conflicting and confusing advice about nutrition, it is hard for people to even understand what 'healthy food' means. These modern conditions do not bode well for the future of real farmers, and the more of these agricultural experts America loses, the more extinct the idea of 'soil-based, nutrient-dense, REAL food' becomes.
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The RARE Box is our solution to addressing multiple problems (see below) surrounding true agriculture that both the real farmer and educated consumer face. The RARE Box allows consumers to directly support financially-struggling, sustainable food producers, provides consumers with the nutrient-dense, truly nourishing food that is impossible to buy at any grocery store, and offers people a way to conveniently enjoy each month's seasonal harvest on their own time. The only alternative option to the RARE Box that could provide equivalent levels of nutrition, taste, convenience and community would be if you hired a personal chef to cook your meals...who would need to be available 24/7...and would require having a 10+ acre diverse & sustainable farm nearby for the chef to source from....while sharing all this with your social media community? Um, No. The point is, the RARE Box is truly rare.
What Comes in a RARE Box?
Box Item | Photo | Description | # of Servings |
|---|---|---|---|
Veggies from the Farm | An mixed variety of vegetables, just harvested the day before, will be included in your Box to snack on, or pair with and add to other meals! | 4-6 | |
Seasonal Gourmet Soups | A filling, tasty & healthy Soup made with only 5-6 ingredients, including this month's veggies ripe for harvest. | 4 | |
Salad of the Week with Homemade Dressing | We use the week's salad greens with other produce and may add cheeses, olives, charcuterie meats, etc... to your salad depending on that month's 'salad style'. We include a homemade dressing that uses either 100% EVOO or Avocado Oil as a fat - and refuse to use canola, soybean or generic 'vegetable' oils that degrade your health. | 4-6 | |
Gluten-free Bakery Items | We are in a constant process of perfecting the art of baking gluten-free bread. The crowd favorite is our light and fluffy 'Wander' loaf of sandwich bread, but we will try on occasion to mix up our gluten free bakery option with bread rolls, biscuits and muffins. | 6-8 | |
Mix of Wild Edibles | The Blue Ridge Mountains supply us with an abundant amount of extremely nutritious wild foods. We will hand-harvest edible species and include recipes and suggestions for using them in your meals. This is one of the most nutritious parts of your box, and get ready for new tastes! | 2-4 | |
Grass-fed & Pasture-raised Dairy | Pasture-raised eggs from small farms are included in every RARE Box, and Grass-fed Raw Cow's Milk (a.k.a. REAL milk), as well as local artisan raw cheeses, may be available for purchase. | 1 Dozen Eggs, 1/2 Gallon of Milk | |
Meal Standards | All meals are made with organic vegetables that are in season that month. Healthy preparation methods are used (cast-iron pans, slow cooking, low-temperatures, etc...) and the meals come with suggestions to pair your 'On-the-Farm' produce using quick and simple recipes. 3 meals are included; 1 fresh 'meal kit' and 2 large prepared, frozen meals, in addition to 1-2 vegetable side dishes. Meals with meat are made using either pasture-raised chicken, grass-fed and finished beef or lamb, or pasture-raised/forest-raised pork. We use high quality fats for each appropriate culinary requirement, and we can't wait for you to feel the difference a nourishing meal has on your mind and body. | 3 meals with (6-8) individual, adult servings | |
Wild & Medicinal, Edible Mushrooms | A small bag of R.A.R.E. grown, wild harvested or locally sourced organic mushrooms. We use fresh Lion's Mane, Pink Oyster, Silver Oyster, Shiitake, Maitake, Chanterelle and Chicken of the Woods mushrooms in our Boxes, depending on the time of year. | 2-4 | |
Chemical-free, Fruit of the Month | It is not very often you are able to find truly chemical-free fruit in our area, with pest and climate-related damage to fruit crops on the rise. Our fruit farmers ensure the plant itself and the soil it grows have enough nutrients to ward off pests and pathogens, with each harvest serving as a testament for regenerative agriculture. | 4-6 | |
Prepared Meal #1 | We try to include at least one example of a prepared meal that looks, tastes and somewhat smells like the normal 'junk food' (think pizza or Chow Mein) we all grew up on, but is prepared with ingredients and cooking methods in such a way that it is actually nourishing for your body and mind. Live a little and eat the whole thing! To live a little longer, you just need to eat the right things. | 4-6 | |
Prepared Meal #2 | The second prepared, frozen meal is the 'big show' of all the prepared meals. It has the most unique flavors, rare ingredients, and requires the most time to prepare (for us in the RARE Kitchens, not you). Depending on the meal, you may pick up on ingredients like saffron, truffle oil, pomegranate seeds or apricot preserves. This meal always impresses, and if you don't mind sharing, is great to use for dinner parties. | 6-8 | |
Meal Kit #3 | The 'Fresh, Meal Kit' is a convenient way to assemble an amazing meal using the ingredients in your RARE Box that were JUST (between 24-36 hours) harvested off the farm. Follow the directions for the meal included in the Box guide, and eat this meal first while letting the other prepared meals thaw in the fridge! | 6 | |
Vegetable Side Dishes | Add a side dish to your main meals by satueeing asparagus and mushrooms with an included garlic-dijon marinade, or use your air-fryer to heat up the buffalo cauliflower wings RARE prepared to serve with the homemade buttermilk dressing. A variety of side dishes will be included in every Box, based on the month's harvest calendar. | 6-8 | |
An Indulgent, Healthy Dessert | We promise, you will have no idea this dessert is actually good for you. We only use sweeteners like monk fruit, honey, crushed dates/figs, maple syrup and/or coconut sugar. We are very proud of our desserts, and we look forward to letting you taste something both different and delicious, that you can eat without feeling hungover or bloated the next day... | 6-8 |
The Monthly Menus for the 2023 RARE Boxes
The food & meals available are dependent on what the weather and farm conditions have allowed for, so the calendar below is a very rough estimate of what to expect for the year of 2023. Check the updated page 'This Month's Menu' for the upcoming and current month's RARE Box menus.
Box Item | May | June | July | August | September | October |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chemical-free, Fruit of the Month | Spring Strawberries | Juicy Blackberries | Raspberries & 'Jewelberries' | Ripe Blueberries | Fall Apples | Crisp Pears |
Wild Edibles | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Pasture-raised Dairy | A dozen eggs from happy, pasture-raised farm hens | A dozen eggs from happy, pasture-raised farm hens | A dozen eggs from happy, pasture-raised farm hens | A dozen eggs from happy, pasture-raised farm hens | A dozen eggs from happy, pasture-raised farm hens | A dozen eggs from happy, pasture-raised farm hens |
GF Baked Goods | ||||||
Dessert | Double Dark Chocolate Glazed & Filled Cake with Strawberries (GF) | Blackberry Bourbon Pie | Raspberry & Chocolate Tart | Blueberry Cheesecake | American Apple Pie | The BEST Pear Pie Topped with a Caramelized, Oatmeal Crumble |
Side Dishes | (1) Sauteed Oyster Mushrooms & Asparagus (2) Roasted Balsamic Carrots | Cauliflower 'Buffalo Wings' with homemade ranch dipping sauce | (1) Parmesan Green Beans (2) Sauteed Lion's Mane Mushrooms | Roasted Eggplant & Squash Medley | Quinoa & Sausage Stuffed Pepper & Zucchini Boats | (1) Sweet Potato Fries
(2) Roasted Beets & Carrots |
On the Farm | Salad Greens, Tomatoes, Carrots, Onion, Radish, Beets, BokChoy, Cabbage, RAdish, Kale, Mustard Greens, Snap Beans, Squash, Zucchini, Potato | Salad Greens, Tomatoes, Carrots, Onion, Radish, Beets, BokChoy, Cabbage, RAdish, Kale, Mustard Greens, Snap Beans, Squash, Zucchini, Potato | Salad Greens, Tomatoes, Peppers, Potatoes, Okra, Onions, Snap Beans, Squash, Zucchini, Sweet Corn, Cucumber, Collards | Salad Greens, Tomatoes, Peppers, Collards, Butterbeans, Squash, Zucchini, Green Onions, Herbs, Melons, Okra, Snap Beans, Sweet Corn, Cucumber | Salad Greens, Tomatoes, Green Onions, Collards, Mustard Greens, Squash, Zucchini, Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Corn, Herbs, Peppers, Cucumber | Spinach, Kale, Collards, Salad Greens, Beets, Cabbage, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Herbs, Kale, Mustard Greens, Pumpkin, Radish, Snow Peas, Sweet Potato |
Seasonal Soup | Cream of Roasted Asparagus & Pistachio Soup | Carrot-Rhubarb with Ginger | Irish Potato-Leek | Roasted Red Pepper & Cron Soup | Coconut-Curry Pumpkin Soup | Chunky Potato & Corn Chowder |
Harvest Salad | Charcuterie-Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese, Roasted Beets & Carrots | Fried Green Tomato Salad with Buttermilk Dressing | Taco Salad with Black & Black Eyed Peas and Corn, Lettuce, Peppers, Carrots, Onion, Cheddar Cheese & a Cilantro-lime dressing | Champagne-Tarragon Salad with Scallops, Mixed Greens, Onions & Corn | Fig, Flower, Pear, Walnut & Mixed Green Salad in a Lemon-Sage Dressing | Mixed Green, Apple, Cranberry, Pecan, Duck Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Salad with a Cider Vinaigrette |
Meal 1 | Beef Shepherd's Pie with Mushroom Gravy | Broccoli & Artichoke Alfredo Casserole with Italian Sausage
| Tomato-Squash Gratin | Beef & Veggie Zoodle Lasagna | Roasted Eggplant & Lamb Moussaka | Tomato & Swiss Chard Quiche Lorraine |
Meal 2 | Lamb Barbacoa Tacos with a Butternut Squash Crema & Red Cabbage-Avocado Slaw | Smoky Beef Brisket with Garlicky Mashed Potatoes | Apricot-BBQ Pork Ribs with baked potatoes & corn | Persian Pomegranate & Walnut, Pasture-raised, Chicken Fesenjan with Rice & Tzatziki Sauce
| Beef Enchilada & Roasted Pepper Casserole Baked in Homemade Sofrito and a Spicy Squash Crema | Smoky Spanish Saffron Beef Stew with Mixed Root Vegetables & Millet |
Meal 3 | Spinach & Pork Belly Pizza | Teriyaki Stir-fry with Mushrooms, Carrots, Asparagus, Onion & Broccoli
| 1 Pesto Pizza Base &
1 Marinara-Pizza Base
Toppings: Meatballs, Tomatoes, Peppers , Onions & locally made mozzarella cheese balls
| Massaman Thai Curry Vegetable Stir Fry | (1) Margarita Pizza Base with Multi-Color Heirloom Tomatoes & Farm Cheese
(1) White sauce Pizza base with Shiitake and (hopefully) Chix-of-the-Woods mushrooms | Sweet Potato Gnocchi & Oyster Mushrooms in a Maple-Bacon Butter Sauce |
F.A.Q.' s
Can I substitute items?
Is all the food grown on the R.A.R.E. farm?
Do I have to sign up for a subscription?
What's different about your food versus other grocery stores or farmer's markets?
Where do I pick up my Box and how do I pay for it?
Can I add additional items from the online Farm Store to my box?
Is it actually a box?
Can I cancel a Box after I've confirmed for the upcoming weekend?
Not this year. We currently don't have enough staff or inventory to substitute some items for others. However, feel free to reach out to Rob or Jesse and if you catch us in time, we might be able to make something work.
Yes and no. We grow many of the items in your Box, but we also purchase food from other farmers we know uphold our R.A.R.E. standards. This allows for a greater diversity of food in your Box, and also helps support our fellow Blue Ridge REAL farmers.
No. We send you a text on Tuesday of the week we are offering a Market Basket. Once you reply yes on that Tuesday (and it is first come, first serve), we will reserve a market basket slot for you and begin preparing for it's completion and delivery that ensuing weekend.
Fresher, tastes better, higher nutrition, utilizes 95% seasonal ingredients, supports REAL local farmers, provides unique recipes & dishes you won't find in restaurants, but MOST OF ALL - makes eating healthy EASY and something to look forward to.
We will either personally deliver it to you, create a local pick-up point that you will agree to before confirming your RAREBox, or you can pick it up at the RARE Farm.
Yes! When you go the farm store page, scroll down to view our additional products. Select those additional products with the market basket (or within 3 days before pick-up/delivery) and we will include your selected items in the basket.
Yes and no. We bring each 'RAREBox' in whatever packaging we have available, and try to re-use packaging as much as possible.
We do all of our prep for each week's Box every day leading up to when you receive it, so the short answer is no. However, we will provide you with your next future RAREBox free of charge.