Dia Garland

I do, our supplier is Blooming Prairie. They serve the mid-west area.

We have a $10 fee to join, this in one time only fee. It is designed to
reduce the number of people who call and request info and then never join.
If they have to fork over cash for the paperwork, then they are probably
interested.

We also have a percentage fee on each order, it varies from 2 1/2% to 3 1/2%
depending on our equity in Blooming Prairie. I think at the beginning our
percentage was 5% so we could get a fund started for needed items.

Then we have a 1$ per delivery fee that covers our donation to the church
that we have delivery in.

Since we are actually a buying club, not a co-op, we do not have equity fees
in our group. If you want to have a true co-op then you would charge equity
fees for your supplier, and your own group.

Some people have a co-ordinator who does most of the work and receives a
salary, or discount. Others share the work equally. We do charge a 10%
surcharge for members who want to order but don't want to work. Currently
we have no non-working members.

We do have a web site, but I don't know if it is okay to post the address as
it is supposed to be for members only. I will email our co-ordinator and
see what she thinks. Email me privately if you have specific questions.

Dia

[email protected]

I can remember when I was younger and my mother belonged to the food co-op.
We'd get such wonderful things like chocolate covered raisins. I'm sure she
belonged for other reasons...but I just remember the raisins. This was in
Upstate NY, though, I don't think anything like that exists in FL, where we
are now. :-(

JoAnna

Pris

no, I'm talking about FRESH FOODS, not dry/bulk food items, I guess I didn't
make myself clear ... this is a fresh foods co-op w/ our h-s group, it's not
for anyone's profit except to get fresh produce and save groc $$$ ... my
friend and I are planning to charge $8 for half a basket - $15 for one
basket (meaning laundry basket) ... we're going to the local farmer's market
(which is HUGE) @ 7am and we'll divide everything up @ home and people can
pick up their baskets by mid-morning ...

I was curious how other (frsesh) food co-ops worked ...
Pris

----- Original Message -----
From: Dia Garland <moocow@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2000 11:12 PM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] food co-op???


> I do, our supplier is Blooming Prairie. They serve the mid-west area.
>
> We have a $10 fee to join, this in one time only fee. It is designed to
> reduce the number of people who call and request info and then never join.
> If they have to fork over cash for the paperwork, then they are probably
> interested.
>
> We also have a percentage fee on each order, it varies from 2 1/2% to 3
1/2%
> depending on our equity in Blooming Prairie. I think at the beginning our
> percentage was 5% so we could get a fund started for needed items.
>
> Then we have a 1$ per delivery fee that covers our donation to the church
> that we have delivery in.
>
> Since we are actually a buying club, not a co-op, we do not have equity
fees
> in our group. If you want to have a true co-op then you would charge
equity
> fees for your supplier, and your own group.
>
> Some people have a co-ordinator who does most of the work and receives a
> salary, or discount. Others share the work equally. We do charge a 10%
> surcharge for members who want to order but don't want to work. Currently
> we have no non-working members.
>
> We do have a web site, but I don't know if it is okay to post the address
as
> it is supposed to be for members only. I will email our co-ordinator and
> see what she thinks. Email me privately if you have specific questions.
>
> Dia
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
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>

Pris

btw, I found Blooming Prairie's website but it's on a much larger scale than
what we're interested in but thanks anyways, Dia ...

http://www.bpco-op.com/ ... I included the website in case anyone else in
midwest is interested ...

Pris




----- Original Message -----
From: Pris <x_t_sipr@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2000 11:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] food co-op???


> no, I'm talking about FRESH FOODS, not dry/bulk food items, I guess I
didn't
> make myself clear ... this is a fresh foods co-op w/ our h-s group, it's
not
> for anyone's profit except to get fresh produce and save groc $$$ ... my
> friend and I are planning to charge $8 for half a basket - $15 for one
> basket (meaning laundry basket) ... we're going to the local farmer's
market
> (which is HUGE) @ 7am and we'll divide everything up @ home and people can
> pick up their baskets by mid-morning ...
>
> I was curious how other (frsesh) food co-ops worked ...
> Pris
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Dia Garland <moocow@...>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2000 11:12 PM
> Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] food co-op???
>
>
> > I do, our supplier is Blooming Prairie. They serve the mid-west area.
> >
> > We have a $10 fee to join, this in one time only fee. It is designed to
> > reduce the number of people who call and request info and then never
join.
> > If they have to fork over cash for the paperwork, then they are probably
> > interested.
> >
> > We also have a percentage fee on each order, it varies from 2 1/2% to 3
> 1/2%
> > depending on our equity in Blooming Prairie. I think at the beginning
our
> > percentage was 5% so we could get a fund started for needed items.
> >
> > Then we have a 1$ per delivery fee that covers our donation to the
church
> > that we have delivery in.
> >
> > Since we are actually a buying club, not a co-op, we do not have equity
> fees
> > in our group. If you want to have a true co-op then you would charge
> equity
> > fees for your supplier, and your own group.
> >
> > Some people have a co-ordinator who does most of the work and receives a
> > salary, or discount. Others share the work equally. We do charge a 10%
> > surcharge for members who want to order but don't want to work.
Currently
> > we have no non-working members.
> >
> > We do have a web site, but I don't know if it is okay to post the
address
> as
> > it is supposed to be for members only. I will email our co-ordinator
and
> > see what she thinks. Email me privately if you have specific questions.
> >
> > Dia
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Call Your eGroup and Save With beMANY!
> > http://click.egroups.com/1/5072/14/_/448294/_/961992670/
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> > Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
> >
> > To Unsubscribe: mailto:[email protected]
> >
> >
>

Dia Garland

Ooooh! Good idea! Let me know how it works out, it sounds like a good way
to get fresh foods for less.

Dia
----- Original Message -----
From: Pris <x_t_sipr@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2000 11:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] food co-op???


> no, I'm talking about FRESH FOODS, not dry/bulk food items, I guess I
didn't
> make myself clear ... this is a fresh foods co-op w/ our h-s group, it's
not
> for anyone's profit except to get fresh produce and save groc $$$ ... my
> friend and I are planning to charge $8 for half a basket - $15 for one
> basket (meaning laundry basket) ... we're going to the local farmer's
market
> (which is HUGE) @ 7am and we'll divide everything up @ home and people can
> pick up their baskets by mid-morning ...
>
> I was curious how other (frsesh) food co-ops worked ...
> Pris
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Dia Garland <moocow@...>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2000 11:12 PM
> Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] food co-op???
>
>
> > I do, our supplier is Blooming Prairie. They serve the mid-west area.
> >
> > We have a $10 fee to join, this in one time only fee. It is designed to
> > reduce the number of people who call and request info and then never
join.
> > If they have to fork over cash for the paperwork, then they are probably
> > interested.
> >
> > We also have a percentage fee on each order, it varies from 2 1/2% to 3
> 1/2%
> > depending on our equity in Blooming Prairie. I think at the beginning
our
> > percentage was 5% so we could get a fund started for needed items.
> >
> > Then we have a 1$ per delivery fee that covers our donation to the
church
> > that we have delivery in.
> >
> > Since we are actually a buying club, not a co-op, we do not have equity
> fees
> > in our group. If you want to have a true co-op then you would charge
> equity
> > fees for your supplier, and your own group.
> >
> > Some people have a co-ordinator who does most of the work and receives a
> > salary, or discount. Others share the work equally. We do charge a 10%
> > surcharge for members who want to order but don't want to work.
Currently
> > we have no non-working members.
> >
> > We do have a web site, but I don't know if it is okay to post the
address
> as
> > it is supposed to be for members only. I will email our co-ordinator
and
> > see what she thinks. Email me privately if you have specific questions.
> >
> > Dia
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Call Your eGroup and Save With beMANY!
> > http://click.egroups.com/1/5072/14/_/448294/_/961992670/
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> > Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
> >
> > To Unsubscribe: mailto:[email protected]
> >
> >
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Was the salesman clueless? Productopia has the answers.
> http://click.egroups.com/1/4633/14/_/448294/_/962037821/
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
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>
>

[email protected]

I have been reading a lot about these food co-op things. They sound great
but forgive me I really do not even know what they are. Can someone please
explain? I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

Lorrie

Pris

Hi Lorrie ...

wellllll, the idea behind our food co-op is to SAVE $$$ and to get a FRESHER
selection than our the groc stores in our area offers, in other words cut
out the middle man and get the food home SOONER!!! our fresh veggies/fruits
spoil w/i a day/so b/c of the HEAT even the ORGANIC foods ... our h-s group
(25 fms) are pooling our $$$ together and buying fresh veggies/fruits from
the farmer's market in town ... the last co-op lady who ran this usually had
c. $400 per wk (cash) $8 for sm basket/$15 per large and we always trusted
her to find the best deals, she was just TERRIFIC finding the best
watermelons, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, green beans,
whatever/whatever ... if your fm doesn't care for something you need to
tell her beforehand and she'd sub w/ something else ... also, if the fm
isn't going to be in town a particular week, no biggie, they just don't pay
for that week but you MUST TELL b/c others are depending on your $$$, too,
so to speak ... so, it was on a week-to-week basis and pay as you go sort of
thing ... several of our fms have LARGE fms w/ 8/10 dch, so it worked out
beautifully b/c they always order several baskets ... my prob is I've
participated in food co-ops for yrs JUST NEVER ORGANIZED one before and the
idea is sort of overwhelming me, you know shopping w/ other people's $$$!!!
*ACK* ... our regular co-op lady's dh is in the process of transferring, so
a friend and I decided we'd try our hand @ it instead of having our co-op
dissolve!!! oh and the idea behind having each fm bring 2 laundry baskets
is they'll leave a basket w/ us and take the other FILLED basket home
... this way we won't have to worry about finding enough paper/plastic bags
and we're more environ friendly, too ... this is really a lot of fun (on the
buyer end, I mean) BUT I'm a little apprehensive about buying for THIS MANY
FMS!!! ACK!!! also, another thing the last lady did was once you've
participated in the co-op for 2 consecutive mths then you can help pack the
baskets and only have to pay 1/2 price for your baskets that week but I
don't know if we'll continue that/not???

sooooooo, *INPUT*, I need *INPUT* <VBG> ... what other ideas do ya'll have
that would make things run smoother for us newbies???

Pris ~> now, leaping off to the library (Monday afternoon is library day @
our house) ... ttfn ...


----- Original Message -----
From: <Momandmore@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2000 1:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] food co-op???


> I have been reading a lot about these food co-op things. They sound great
> but forgive me I really do not even know what they are. Can someone
please
> explain? I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
>
> Lorrie
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> http://click.egroups.com/1/5211/14/_/448294/_/962045986/
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
> To Unsubscribe: mailto:[email protected]
>
>

[email protected]

Thank you for the information Pris. This sounds like something that would be
fun and beneficial (and overwhelming). Also sounds like a very educational
thing for the kids.

Someone mentioned they did not think there was such a thing in Florida. I
live in South Florida where it is very difficult to grow a lot of fruits and
vegetables. Guess we could work with what we got.

Lorrie

[email protected]

Hello everyone..
I was wondering if anyone knew how someone could locate a food co-op in
their area?
Thank you,
Sheree