Many of us intend to go to the farmers’ market every week. In California we appreciate how lucky we are to have fresh produce year-round. However, it seems that all too often we run out of time, the trip to the market never happens and somehow it becomes a rarity. Enter David Levine, who brings the farmers’ market to our doorsteps.
After a career in the restaurant industry mostly in the Midwest, Levine moved to Marin with his family five years ago. This month his brand-new business Three County Collective made its first 10 deliveries in Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties. Levine hopes that the orders will continue to come in.
Here’s how it works: The Terra Linda resident sources fruits, vegetables and handcrafted products made from local artisans. Shoppers place their orders online, with a Sunday cutoff. Deliveries are made on Wednesday—in the middle of the night or early-morning hours—when it’s still cold. Given the season, the majority of products include meats, cheeses and pantry items like spreads, jams, coffee and breads.
“I consider us a CSA [Community Supported Agriculture] plus,” explains Levine, whose model supports multiple sources. He also works with very small producers who often only sell their products at the farmers’ markets. “Our goal or motivation was to help farms, ranches and artisans who wanted to start their own CSA or delivery system, but didn’t have the time or resources—we are doing it for them.”
There is a $50 minimum and a $4 delivery/handling fee for all orders. The locally harvested and produced items are delivered in insulated eco-friendly grocery totes, which are exchanged on the next order. To learn more or to order your own taste of the county, visit threecountycollective.com.
