I'm a member of a local buying club (food co-op) that orders from United Natural Foods. Tonight is my order deadline for submitting my web order for this 4-week cycle. The order won't "commit" til sometime Sunday, so I could add items if anyone is interested in trying the system. I'd be willing to show anyone how it's done, so you can consider joining this co-op or a buying club local to where you live. Lot's of nice people are into co-oping and the prices are better than the health food stores.
I could post more now on how it works, but I've got to finish my order! ;D
I would like to know about this.
First go to this web page: http://www.unitedbuyingclubs.com/
Click: "Find a Buying Club Near You" - I think they email a list to you of nearby buying clubs.
They just recently instituted web ordering (otherwise it was from a printed catalog), but you have to be a member of a buying club to see the online catalog. I could possibly figure out a way for you to see it online, not sure.
Quote from: jaqeboy on June 21, 2008, 09:43 AM NHFT
First go to this web page: http://www.unitedbuyingclubs.com/
Click: "Find a Buying Club Near You" - I think they email a list to you of nearby buying clubs.
They just recently instituted web ordering (otherwise it was from a printed catalog), but you have to be a member of a buying club to see the online catalog. I could possibly figure out a way for you to see it online, not sure.
I already have the list - I could not read the DOC file they sent back but then got a text listing instead. There are no instructions of how to actually join it.
-Paul
Yeah, I can imagine it's a mystery. It's almost like you have to really want to become a co-oper and find your way through the maze to finally get there!
You have to contact the local buying clubs, which are often run as co-ops. United is a corporation that used to be made up of Northeast Co-operatives (which was cooperatively run) and another company. Once you've contacted the coordinator of the local buying club, they may send you a sheet of guidelines for becoming a member of their particular buying club. You can start your own buying club, but you have to be ordering a minimum of $750 in a buying cycle to get them to send their truck over. It's easiest to join an existing buying club for a while and then, if you have a better idea on how it should be done, branch off and start your own buying club.
I can send you the guidelines from my co-op - PM me your email address and I'll send it over as an attachment so you can see how one might work.
Food co-opers beware!
SWAT Team Like Raid by Ohio authorities on a farm house in LaGange (http://www.christianworldviewnetwork.com/article.php/4287/Brannon-Howse/John-Loeffler)
Ohio authorities stormed a farm house in LaGange Monday, December 1, to execute a search warrant, holding the Jacqueline and John Stowers and their son and young grandchildren at gunpoint for nine hours. During the raid the Ohio Department of Agriculture and police confiscated over ten thousand dollars worth of food, computers and cell phones. The Stowers' crime? They run a private, members-only food co-op.
While state authorities were looking for evidence of illegal activities, the family was not informed what crime they were suspected of, they were not read their rights or allowed to make a phone call. The children, some as young as toddlers, were traumatized by armed officers interrogating the adults with guns drawn.
The Morning Journal, a newspaper serving northern Ohio, reported that the Stowers were believed to be operating without a license. However, the Stowers claim that the food co-op they run does not engage in any activities that would require state licensing.
...
Quote from: jaqeboy on December 07, 2008, 04:31 PM NHFT
Food co-opers beware!
SWAT Team Like Raid by Ohio authorities on a farm house in LaGange (http://www.christianworldviewnetwork.com/article.php/4287/Brannon-Howse/John-Loeffler)
Ohio authorities stormed a farm house in LaGange Monday, December 1, to execute a search warrant, holding the Jacqueline and John Stowers and their son and young grandchildren at gunpoint for nine hours. During the raid the Ohio Department of Agriculture and police confiscated over ten thousand dollars worth of food, computers and cell phones. The Stowers' crime? They run a private, members-only food co-op.
While state authorities were looking for evidence of illegal activities, the family was not informed what crime they were suspected of, they were not read their rights or allowed to make a phone call. The children, some as young as toddlers, were traumatized by armed officers interrogating the adults with guns drawn.
The Morning Journal, a newspaper serving northern Ohio, reported that the Stowers were believed to be operating without a license. However, the Stowers claim that the food co-op they run does not engage in any activities that would require state licensing.
...
Of course....there is about to be a lack of food in the supply system.... they need to confiscate the food "for their own" good and the good of the country.
Attorney for the co-opers (the Stowers) on Alex Jones show:
Lorain County Health Department inquired, Stowers wrote a letter in response;
retail licensure law in question (law had 22 exemptions);
Ohio Department of Agriculture got involved in an undercover op, tried to join co-op;
Co-op denied the undercover operative membership, stated they were private - would not sell him eggs, but gave him some and sent him on his way;
tried to bust them for being a retail operation;
Authorities procured a search warrant;
December 1st, armed officers surrounded the house, guns drawn;
(The officers acted as terrorists, as defined under the Ohio Revised Codes);
Burst into house, ushered family into one small room;
combed over the entire personal house;
confiscated their entire personal stock of food;
took food beloinging to other co-opers who hadn't picked up yet;
took personal computers and cell phones;
still retaining their fresh meat (family was slaughtering sheep at the time)
website: Buckeye Institute, Constitutional Law Center,
http://www.buckeyeinstitute.orglawyer: Maurice Thompson
currently filing a lawsuit in Lorain County Court of Common Pleas seeking return of food and compensation (if food spoiled), injunction against these style of raids, and declaration that co-ops don't require licensure
complaint here (http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/stowers.pdf).
The Stowers tell their story:
Article here (http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/article/1284).
Here's a good article on the raid, with a lot of links:
Armed jack boots confiscate family's personal food supply. Is this a prelude to government created depression, or even famine? (http://targetfreedom.typepad.com/targetfreedom/2008/12/jack-boots-confiscate-food.html)
original article: http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=84594
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Doesn't it just make you want to join a food co-op even more?
If I buy a couple of chickens to raise for eggs/meat, can I legally sell the eggs in NH?
Quote from: doobie on December 29, 2008, 02:26 PM NHFT
If I buy a couple of chickens to raise for eggs/meat, can I legally sell the eggs in NH?
It don't bother me if you do. ;D
(otherwise, I don't know what the laws are - you might want to contact the folks at NOFA-NH, Northeast Organic Farmers Association - New Hampshire Chapter)
Here's NOFA-NH's website: http://www.nofanh.org/
OK, I duplicated this and made it a calendar post:
Co-op workshop
Training on how to order from United Natural Foods, Inc.
through a local buying club
Friday, midnight is the order deadline :o in my order cycle in the UNFI buying club I'm in.
We're going to hold an AltExpo mini-workshop training at my house at 7PM Friday evening - come earlier for snacks and fellowship (please bring beverage of choice) - for anyone who wants to learn how to use the United Natural Foods buying club system. ( Yeah, yeah, I'll give you more notice next time. ;) )
We'll have some sample products on display,
We'll have paper catalogs and you can download the .pdf file of the catalog (bring your wi-fi capable laptop).
I'll go over my recommended procedure for selecting and ordering foods from the co-op, and you can enter an item or 2 you might want onto my co-op order ( paid in advance, cash or local check). Delivery will be in 2 weeks, Friday, 16Jan09.
We'll cover how to find a co-op near you & how to start a new one - the basics of co-op'ing, especially with United Natural Foods, Inc.
The potential with a co-op is to carry even other items not carried in the UNFI catalog, and we'll talk about that, as well.
We'll meet at the hex table in the little dome at the Henniker Dome complex on 114, just 0.2 miles north of the Weare line, and a couple of miles south of the Pat's Peak ski area.
Meeting details:
7 PM (come early - focussed workshop starts at 7)
Little dome
2307 Weare Road
Henniker, New-Hamps.
map: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2307+Weare+Road,+Henniker,+New+Hampshire&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=50.910968,79.101563&ie=UTF8&ll=43.150346,-71.663132&spn=0.184851,0.30899&z=12
(Note Google Maps shows a location about .2 miles north of our actual location)
(an Alternatives Expo mini-workshop)
Quote from: doobie on December 29, 2008, 02:26 PM NHFT
If I buy a couple of chickens to raise for eggs/meat, can I legally sell the eggs in NH?
Go to the NH Department of Agriculture, it should have the laws listed under poultry... you may need to page down a ways to find 'eggs', but in general it mainly a matter of being honestly marketed.
Quote from: Alex Free Market on January 04, 2009, 10:37 AM NHFT
For the benefit of the ignorant (and the lazy who don't want to do the necessary research), what exactly is a food co-op, what's the benefits and drawbacks, etc...
I can only speak from my own experience of shopping at a few co-ops. Basically they are locally owned farmers markets turned into a store. They range from very small to very large. The first grocery store we used to shop at in Concord (in the 50s) was called the Coop, but it was more a real grocery store, though it could have gotten its name from having local ownership among some of the shoppers.
Basically, normally anyone can shop at a co-op, members get a discount and often volunteer to work as well, usually in lieu of or for a discounted membership fee. The food tends to be on the wholesome side, much is local or organic, but not everything. Hanover has a huge co-op that is almost indistinguishable from a Stop&Shop, other than if you are a member. Concord has a medium sized co-op that has been gradually growing in size over the years. Like all co-ops it has bulk food available in bins, but also has a small cafe in the front where you can eat lunch.
in Jack's case ... he gets food unavailable at stores for the same price
no multi-levels of marketing
no profit on bottom levels
Oops, sorry for the delay in responding to this - procrastination kills!
In the case of a food co-op, like I'm in:
A co-operative is merely an enterprise that is run by the same folks that are the customers. Instead of realizing a profit, they realize savings from paying the retail prices. We have infrequent meetings to settle business issues and we each accept some work role. Each person has to be involved in breaking down the order delivery. My work role is to train new members on how to use the on-line ordering system.
Ours is a natural foods co-op and we act as a buying club to purchase (in one order as a group) our foods from United Natural Foods, Inc. You could form a co-op to buy anything you wanted to, though. UNFI encourages buying clubs, since they evolved from a bunch of local hippie co-ops - it's their roots. Yeah, we use USD, not barter or silver, since all UNFI takes is USD. That doesn't mean a co-op couldn't do that, though. Like anything, you just have to find people to accept the alt. currency.
I won't get into the reasons to eat natural foods - that's another topic, but if you wanted to get better prices than the stores, purchasing together with others is a way to buy in volume and get wholesale prices. Our co-op doesn't have a store, so we don't have an overhead cost there (we have some minor expenses, like banking account costs). If the order is of sufficient size, the co-op delivers to us by truck (including refrigerated and frozen foods). We receive the truck at the town hall, and in good weather, we just break down the produxts off the pallet right there in the parking lot and put the stuff immediately in our cars.
You're right in that just working together to buy natural foods isn't as self-sufficient as growing your own food, but we can buy almost every home need through our co-op, including soap, trash bags, socks, sodas (natural) and all kinds of stuff - 60,000 items in the catalog. What is good about it is working together with other people to operate the enterprise and save money at the same time. I'm conducting an AltExpo mini-workshop on co-oping every month until we gather enough folks to start a new co-op - see this thread (http://nhunderground.com/forum/index.php?topic=16666.0).
Here's a link to the Wikipedia article on co-op'ing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-operatives) and the co-op movement. Btw, a credit union is just a co-op that handles money instead of food!
Quote from: Alex Free Market on January 04, 2009, 10:37 AM NHFT
For the benefit of the ignorant (and the lazy who don't want to do the necessary research), what exactly is a food co-op, what's the benefits and drawbacks, etc... I'm sure I can look it up on Wiki, but if somebody could give me a brief encapsulation of the whole thing from the Free Stater perspective, if you will.
Why... for example, would I not just go to Sam's Club or Costco to buy my stuff in bulk, and get insane prices which are amost unbeatable? Though I realize a 30 pack of "Hot Pockets" for $6 won't exactly satisfy the organic food types, which is the kind of crap that Sam's Club and Costco seems to sell... I don't think they have much in the way of good health food... but still.. the prices of these big chains would seem hard to match.
I assume this is a money thing, not a barter type thing... in which case, I don't see how that is particularly useful for living a self sufficient lifestyle, since a key component to self sufficiency involves trying to get away from having to pay for things, and simply growing/making it yourself and then either using it yourself, or bartering it.
Food co-ops seem like a "multi-level marketing" type deal... sort of like Amway. Not that their is anything wrong with multi-level marketing in my opinion... I don't know, I'm a "newb" to this self sufficiency stuff... so just asking....
They have a .pdf catalog that gets revised each month. It's only available once you logon as a member. PM me your preferred email address and I'll send you the .pdf.
Quote from: Alex Free Market on January 19, 2009, 09:47 PM NHFT
Thank you for the explanation, dear sir.
While I'm at it.... I might as well ask, do you know if UNFI has a master catalog online of their stuff (like in pdf format, or whatever)? I looked at the site, but a catalog was not readily apparent.
Thinking this might possibly be interesting for future reference, if I could get an idea of what they are selling, etc...
Got the okay to have the next workshop/training meeting at Liberty Books in Concord. We're not too far off from having a sufficient number of people to buy together as our own new buying club. Join in! I'll announce the date of the meeting soon.
I encourage anyone attending meetings at Liberty Books to buy something while you're there.
Quote from: Lloyd Danforth on February 18, 2009, 07:16 AM NHFT
I encourage anyone attending meetings at Liberty Books to buy something while you're there.
Right! That's the general idea - Jim is welcoming to folks having meetings in the store (with the idea that it'll encourage you to do your book-shopping there, of course).
I went to the Co-op in Hanover or Lebanon, (can't remember), this past weekend and it was expensive.
I asked for some membership literature but it was very confusing so I asked the cashier if being a member meant that my bill would've been less. She mumbled something like, no but you might get money back at the end of the season. Did I hear her right? Does that make sense?
Serves me right for hitting the bong before going to a damn new place/experience. :-\
Quote from: raineyrocks on March 16, 2009, 05:42 PM NHFT
no but you might get money back at the end of the season. Did I hear her right? Does that make sense?
I was a member/owner for 5 years at that store and I would get a dividend back at the end of the year based on my purchases...as I do for car/house insurance from Amica - a mutualist insurance company.
Quote from: BillKauffman on March 16, 2009, 07:38 PM NHFT
Quote from: raineyrocks on March 16, 2009, 05:42 PM NHFT
no but you might get money back at the end of the season. Did I hear her right? Does that make sense?
I was a member/owner for 5 years at that store and I would get a dividend back at the end of the year based on my purchases...as I do for car/house insurance from Amica - a mutualist insurance company.
Oh, I see it's based on your purchases, thanks! :)
Being a co-op member is the same as being a stockholder. Co-ops are nominally non-profit; any profits that aren't funneled back into the business are distributed among the members, just like stock dividends.
Just like "the Farm Co-op" we know around here, which is the Southern Farmers Association. Or Farm Bureau insurance.
The Hanover/Lebanon Co-op (forgot the actual name) has several locations. It's probably high, because it's natural foods.
We're in the process of starting a new co-op here. I have a list of about 50 people who will get the initial invite to a start-up business meeting at Liberty Books in Concord - details to follow. Write if you'd like to be added to the email list: co-op@AltExpo.org.
PS: We just had a new mover to Derry yesterday who has extensive co-op experience back in her home state (sent her an email).
I think co-op'ing will be a huge benefit to Porcs. Firstly, it's a learning experience on how to self-govern. It's not actually easy, so some of the sessions will be about the decision-making process itself and the attendant communications issues. The people side is a lot harder than the business side, but well worth learning improvements to that side.
Then, there's the issue of getting lower prices for natural foods. Our co-op should be less expensive than the co-op markets, since we won't have brick and mortar costs (at least at first).
59 on the list and counting, and the new mover is offering to help by sharing her extensive experience with everyone.
In co-oping tradition, I'm asking one of the interested peeps to take on the task of scheduling the first meeting at Liberty Books.
I'll create a page on the AltExpo site that'll lay out any other details.
Wow, talked to Michelle from Michigan just now and she is a serious co-oper - she's been with a co-op that's been around for 40 years and she's been with it for 15 years. They consistently ordered $10,000 per order and got a 15% discount off the UNFI catalog prices! She's going to help set the agenda for our first meeting and give us lots of tips to make it really work well. I'm really looking forward to this.
I've set up a temporary web page with info about the newly-forming co-operative here: http://altexpo.org/co-op
It's not ready for prime-time, but I wanted to get something out there. I'll update it with meeting info, etc. as that develops. There is an area below the article for comments, which could include suggestions for a name, items to carry, etc.
We've set a date/time/place for an organizing meeting for the new co-op and announced it at the Merrimack Valley Porcupines meeting this past Saturday:
Thursday
April 23, 2009 (save the date)
Concord, New-Hampshire
Be sure to write us at co-op@AltExpo.org to be added to the invitation list. We will mail out the suggested agenda as that has developed when we get nearer to the meeting date.
Be sure to review the information on the temporary site: http://AltExpo.org/co-op and post your suggestions in the comments area at the bottom for agenda items, products to consider, etc. We'll post some documents there, as well, that will be relevant to the organizing meeting.
I met the delightful founder of INJOY Organics (http://injoynow.com), Carolyn Kelley, at the A Market store in Manchester on Saturday after the MVP meeting. She has a line of high quality foods, beverages and supplements with healthy alternatives to regular salt and sugar. Her operation is in Northfield, N.H. and she's very willing to have the co-op purchase from her. Maybe we could even have her in at some point for demonstrations of her products!
We may move the meeting to Wednesday night, 22April, due to one key member's schedule. Gotta find out if Jim has an open spot that night.
Be sure to write to co-op@AltExpo.org if you want to be added to the invitation list and, after I can confirm the date, we'll send out a first brief invitation. Be sure to make your suggestions, requests, ideas, etc. to the comments section of this page: http://AltExpo.org/co-op
OK, there's a new way to get onto the invitation list. We've created a google group: http://groups.google.com/group/new-co-op
email announcements will go out from there.
PS: anyone have objections to the use of Google groups? If there are objections, we can do something else - I'm not stuck on them.
OK, I've got 2 nays so far for Google, :-\
The official invitation email went out last night. The meeting is on for Wednesday night, 6:30 at Liberty Books. We're suggesting people bring snacks, beverages, a box of tea, etc. so we can all munch out and get through the meeting and leave excess tea behind for the next meeting.
It's not too late to get the invitations. Just write to co-op@AltExpo.org and we'll send it out to youl
ugh, apparently there was an email problem and some did not get the invitations, so they went out a second time about an hour ago.
The meeting is on, the response seems pretty good so far. I'll send out an early FAQ tonight along with a proposed agenda late tonight. The FAQ's should go onto the temporary site, as well: http://AltExpo.org/co-op.
We had a great meeting earlier tonight with 8 organizers in attendance. We selected a temporary meeting facilitator (pending establishment of by-laws), meeting secretary, membership secretary, United Natural Foods co-ordinator and "computer guy". We anticipate we'll also need a treasurer, a supplier coordinator and an education/programs coordinator.
We resolved to meet again next Wednesday night to continue the organizing process. April 29th, Liberty Books, 6:30 PM. Other details on the temp. site: http://AltExpo.org/co-op
Last night, the new membership secretary got set up with email that'll forward to him, so if you want to be added to the "invitation/announcement" list now, please write to him at co-opmemsec@AltExpo.org.
We haven't set up membership and by-laws, etc. yet, so there is no official membership, just the list that the invitations/announcements go to.
Sorry I couldn't make it. Spent some time at the hospital. Not as much fun...trust me!
Quote from: Scott Roth on April 24, 2009, 02:36 PM NHFT
Sorry I couldn't make it. Spent some time at the hospital. Not as much fun...trust me!
Yikes! You okay?
Just you wait, we'll include health services in the co-op when we hit 1000 members!
Quote from: Scott Roth on April 24, 2009, 02:36 PM NHFT
Sorry I couldn't make it. Spent some time at the hospital. Not as much fun...trust me!
Wow, what happened? I hope your okay too!
Oops, got busy and forgot to announce that we were having another organizers' meeting earlier (Wed. evening).
We had some bad news on a policy change by UNFI, but we also explored the other possible suppliers. We're still looking for someone to help with organizing the info on all the possible local suppliers (farms, etc.)
Ran over the possibilities for how all this information would be shown on our site for our members and how we'd handle member ordering from the various sources.
We also batted around ideas for a name for our co-operative venture. We are not going to stay on our Wednesday night track for meetings. We have to wait for a key member's new work schedule before scheduling our next meeting, so if you want to be on the list to receive the announcement of the next meeting, write to us at co-op@AltExpo.org.
Another organizational meeting of the [no name yet] co-op is planned for Sunday, July 12th at Liberty Books in Concord.
We decided to wait on hooking up with United Natural Foods because of an onerous new policy from them and instead, start out with Frontier Foods. We'll be gathering up order items to place with them.
Frontier is so much easier to get along with and eager to have relations with local co-ops, being a co-op themselves. They have a free membership, a smaller order minimum and a couple of other things that Michelle is on top of (she's the Frontier co-ordinator).
Details to be posted at http://AltExpo.org/co-op.
OK, we're re-starting the co-op!
Organizing meeting
Saturday
2 October 2010
2-4 PM
Liberty Books
75 Allison Street
Concord
tel: 223-0335
We have lots of new interest. We've passed around signup sheets at a buncha different meetings and we're calling everyone together. Don't worry if you can't make this meeting because I'm sure we won't have all issues settled at one sitting.
Where we stand:
For a name: "the Shire Co-op" is getting a favorable nod from most - short and sweet. We'd end up with a web address of shire.coop
First suppliers: We are considering Frontier Foods and Associated Buyers and will choose which one we'll go with first and probably place the first orders at the next meeting.
Our goal and mission: Come help us outline that - we've got a lot of ideas that are not yet committed to writing.
temp. web site: http://AltExpo.org/co-op (http://altexpo.org/co-op)
A little FB group related to the co-op idea: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Associated-Buyers/105650582809192?ref=ts (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Associated-Buyers/105650582809192?ref=ts)
The meeting went well last Saturday with a couple of new people added to the organizers committee and new work roles taken on by everyone.
16 October, noon at AltOberfest (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122404424482042)in Londonderry: next co-op meeting. At this one, you'll be able to sign up as a charter member and place a first order. We'll lay it all out and you can jump in.
We'll give the answer to Kat's question: "Why would I want to do all this work to buy food when I can just go to Market Basket?"
By the way, we tentatively chosen a name, pretty sure it will stick:
The Shire Co-op
Rusel, you started something there with that Shire thing :)
Quote from: jaqeboy on October 05, 2010, 01:18 PM NHFT
16 October, noon at AltOberfest (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122404424482042)in Londonderry: next co-op meeting. At this one, you'll be able to sign up as a charter member and place a first order. We'll lay it all out and you can jump in.
We'll give the answer to Kat's question: "Why would I want to do all this work to buy food when I can just go to Market Basket?"
Will the information be available after the meeting for those who can't attend?
Quote from: porcupine kate on October 07, 2010, 06:02 PM NHFT
Quote from: jaqeboy on October 05, 2010, 01:18 PM NHFT
16 October, noon at AltOberfest (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122404424482042)in Londonderry: next co-op meeting. At this one, you'll be able to sign up as a charter member and place a first order. We'll lay it all out and you can jump in.
We'll give the answer to Kat's question: "Why would I want to do all this work to buy food when I can just go to Market Basket?"
Will the information be available after the meeting for those who can't attend?
Sure. White is putting together a Facebook announcement page for the Shire Co-op, then there'll be a link to our temp. page at http://AltExpo.org/co-op, (http://altexpo.org/co-op,) where all the meeting notes will be kept. Our own website will come later.
Here's the new Facebook page for the Shire Co-op:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=152225991481591 (http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=152225991481591)