Food Coop

[magenta321]

Is anyone a member of one?

I just saw a thing on tv about one, and apparently one is available in my area.

I'm a little disappointed, however. The one on tv was in Manhattan and people were shopping in a market, choosing the food they wanted. They paid $100 for membership, but save (paying about 20% over cost, which is supposedly 1/3 of retail). I sort of liked this idea, but, I'd have to see if with such a high membership fee, if I could make it work for me.

But then I found the local coop. They seem to have no membership fee (yay!) but you have to buy a food package each month (boo!). You're not picking out your own food. I don't like this. For example, there were four meat products in this month's package. One is hotdogs (that's meat?) and one is crab. I don't want either of these in the least. Also, they are selling you prepped meals. For example, one thing was chicken kebabs. I would never buy the prepped kebabs in the grocery store because I know I could buy the chicken and the peppers, etc and put it together.

If it was market style I could shop the way I like to shop, and not rely on others to "choose" what we will eat for the week. I'm pretty disappointed, tbh.

Anyone out there find a good coop near them? Is it worth the price of membership if you are paying one?

[mtbat]

There are different types of co-ops, I know the kind you're talking about, you may want to keep looking and see if there is anything else-how much is the monthly charge for the food? would it actually save you money?

[magenta321]

There was a weekly plan of $25, but like I said, it was junk that I do not really eat, and prepared stuff. I would end up spending MORE money by doing this, even if I could use/eat everything they provided me.

I was very sad and desperate for a coop because I couldn't find a farmer's market by me. There is one I drive past every day, but the land is for sale. In April or May the signs went up that said the farmer's market would open soon. Then last week the signs came down. Next they tore down the area where the tables are, and the cashier would stand. So, gone were my plans to have fresh, locally grown produce for this summer.

However, I see today that they are remodelling. Thank god! I'm hoping it will stretch my dollars a bit and help me afford better food whenever they do decide to open.

I can't tell you how long it's been since I bought a fresh vegetable. I miss them, but I get sticker shock at the supermarket and end up just walking away from them all together.

[emeleel]

Try here:

Local Harvest / Farmers Markets / Family Farms / CSA / Organic Food

They have links for not only farmer's markets, but grocery stores, co-ops and more. HTH!

[magenta321]

Thanks, Melanie. It turns out there is a farmer's market listed there on Saturdays in my town that I didn't know existed.

There is a CSA too, but it's completely full and there's no way to join it. Boo

[mjfrombuffalo[$]]

Online sites to buy locally-farmed foods (from NYTimes 6/5/08):

Spud.com (west coast)
Greenling.com (Texas)
Naturaldirect.com (Illinois)
Organicstoyou.org (Oregon)
Mypersonalfarmers.com (parts of NY State and Conneticut)
Harvestcycle.com (Sarasota Florida)


These services try to make an effort "to reduce the energy costs associated with transporting food from farm to table."

[magenta321]

Boneless Delmonico Steak - (1.1 - 1.3 lbs)($32.95)
This succulent grass fed & finished boneless Delmonico rib steak is beef the way it used to be! Fast-frozen & vacuum sealed, this is Natural, Organic Grass Fed Beef from From Manx Station Farm in Greenwich, NY. Minimum 1.1 pound total weight.

Mesclun Mix - 5 oz.($6.25)
A salad mix of assorted small, young salad leaves. The mix varies and may include lettuces, spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, mustard greens, endive, dandelion, frisée, mizuna, oak leaf, mâche, radicchio, sorrel, and/or other leafy vegetables. Sold in 5 oz. units.


Sounds great but, a little 'spensive!!!