November 20, 2004
The previous meeting on Nov. 8th was an introductory meeting. We discussed the kind of co-op we wanted. There were lots of suggestions about where to put up more flyers.
Some other co-ops use shares. A share would be one box or bag of a variety of foods, everyone getting more or less the same thing. A share would be $25, for instance, and we would get more than $25 worth of food.
We talked about fees. Adaline mentioned maybe $200 initial investment OR $20/year membership fee. We were asked what information we would want on a membership form.
There were seven people at the first meeting–Adaline, our organizer, John and Marilyn, Aimee, Rosie, MD and me (Barbara). My job was to make up a membership list with everyone’s name, address, phone number, and email address to be handed out at the next meeting.
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At the November 20th meeting we had two new people–Evelyn and Louise. I will add them to our list.
We now have two catalogs–United and Frontier. United carries a full line of grocery items including frozen foods, refrigerated items, special diet foods, and ethnic foods. Most foods are organic. There are also a personal care section and a supplement (vitamins and herbs) section. Frontier carries herbs and spices, cooking utensils, medicinal herbs, aromatherapy products, face and body products, and more.
Orders are to be paid by check or money order only, no cash or credit, payable on delivery.
Aimee says two vendors from the Farmer’s Market are interested.
Marilyn reported on the cost of ads in area newspapers. A 1x1" ad in Ada is $6.75, in Bluffton is $4.95, in Delphos is $5.25, and in Spencerville is $4.95. Adaline asked Marilyn and John to check on getting food co-op information in a Community Events section in area papers, also getting it on TV on cable channel 2.
Marilyn asked about getting eggs from a local organic egg farm.
I told Adaline about a butchering program at a nearby prison and suggested that if they would agree to humane killing methods (Rosie says this is Islamic and kosher), we could buy from them and people wouldn’t have to go to Detroit for kosher or Islamic meats. Currently the prison’s butchering program is to benefit only the prison population so as not to compete with Ohio butchers.
Evelyn gets the two catalogs first to give to Rosie then we’ll pass the catalogs around. Starting in January we will each have our own catalogs.
Marilyn asked how much time between ordering and delivery.
December 11th is our next meeting and also when we place our orders.
MD assured Adaline that she could send emails to the whole UU congregation.
Adaline asked if we should be taking notes for a permanent record, and I said, “Definitely!” and promptly got volunteered to be secretary.
We brainstormed to come up with a name for our group. Organic Buddies is the frontrunner so far, but we are to keep thinking of other suggestions.
It was decided that the truck would drop off the order at Adaline’s, and she would bring the orders to the UU Church for us to pick up.
MD’s job is to create an order form on the website.
Co-op info that is emailed to the co-op members can be copied for interested church members. Louise will mail stuff to co-op members who don’t have email.
Adaline is to contact the Ohio Prison Board about the butchering program, contact the two Farmer’s Market vendors, and find out the date for the Christmas Farmer’s Market.
Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Wilson