Is anyone a member of a successful co-op and would be able to share some experiences and models of what works? I have been involved in my local co-op for about a year(the co-op has been around for ~3 years and is pretty successful - able to pay rent and also a few casual paid staff), and am becoming more involved in the business/ordering side of things. As I've been doing some ordering and seeing where things come from, I've realised that we are extremely dependent on fossil fuels, and there is really not much food production in my area. (a decent number of people have gardens, but the closest place we source produce from at any scale is 35km away). I'd really like to get more local food production happening. Our climate (coastal, warm temperate/subtropical) is capable of growing so much, but no one really seems to have the time/desire to produce food (though I'm starting a garden, but its a huge learning curve and I am trying to balance it with fulltime work as a tennis coach). I think thats part of the problem, most of us are caught in the 'busy trap' and not able to devote enough time and energy to really learning how to produce food sustainably. I would really like to know of ways that other co-ops have encouraged and managed more local food production. We have about 750 members, if everyone provided a little bit of surplus to the co-op... but then the problem becomes the management of it all and how/what to pay them, and the erratic supply that this would create. Anyway, I'm rambling a bit, but any suggestions/examples/creative ideas would be much appreciated. It just worries me a bit when I think that even a co-op which advertises itself and is thought of by many as 'sustainable, green' etc is so dependent on fossil energy and the current 'system'. But I also see the co-op as a great platform for launching more local food production and a better way of life for my local area. There is a great opportunity and growing momentum, we just have to harness it!
luke, it sounds like you are in a good place, that you can get some things going, or just try things if enough people will go along. one idea that comes to mind immediately is that you probably have a newsletter or flyer and bulletin boards at the co-op. the co-op may not be able to easily manage buying small amounts from many people very easily, but if you instead can set up a regular or free market where people can drop off surplus then it can be redistributed for no money at all you may still get enough takers to make it worth something. if anything people could take the leftovers for their animal feed, composting or worm bins. or hosting a regular market in season, instead of charging a fee for tables just make the parking lot or the lawn available for people to set up shop and sell their extra produce. if the co-op is busy enough that can move a lot of incidental materials for no real extra transport costs as those people will be visiting anyways. i think it would be a great use of a valuable organization.
Luke, have you looked at the oooby set-ups in NZ? https://ooooby.ning.com/profiles/blogs/what-is-ooooby
