Photos courtesy of Magnolia Saalman
With the help of delivery service Field Goods, customers can place online orders for fresh fruits and veggies, then pick up in Valhalla.
With so many local farmers markets closed due to COVID-19, Magnolia Saalman, a high schooler from Valhalla, created Magnolia’s Marketplace, a not-for-profit organization that aims to provide people with healthy food while supporting local farms in the Hudson Valley and across the state.
With the help of delivery service Field Goods (and a handful of Saalman’s friends), customers can place online orders for fresh fruits and veggies, and grab the stuff a few days later at a pick-up site in Valhalla.
Saalman, who is entering her senior year at Valhalla High School, got the idea from family living in California, where they participate in a similar organization. “I thought it would be great to do something that could help both the environment and local businesses,” she says.
The 16-year old notes that eating local means fewer pesticides and chemicals, less in the way of carbon emissions since groceries don’t have to be transported a far distance, and nearby farms get a boost.
While local produce can be ordered directly from Field Goods itself, Saalman believes ordering through Magnolia’s Marketplace is a better option: She offers discount codes, and requires a lower minimum order amount ($16). Plus, there’s an option to place an order as a gift for someone else in the community.
Magnolia’s Marketplace also goes the extra mile, delivering to Valhalla senior citizens who no longer drive.
Here’s how it works: Place online orders at Magnolia’s Marketplace by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday night for drive-thru pick up on Saturday at American Legion Post #1038, located at 27 Legion Drive in Valhalla.
