I recently visited with a potential client who turned out to be one of the operators of a local food buying club (sometimes called a food co-op), calld Funky Farmz. After looking into it, I was surprised at how many of these Co-Ops there are and how their popularity is growing. The clubs buy produce and other food-related items from local farms and businesses, take orders from the members, and then distribute the food on a specific day and time from someone’s home or business. Along with health and financial benefits, it’s a great way to support local farms and businesses through community effort.
Everyone wants to eat better and more inexpensively these days—me included—so I decided to give it a try. I ordered a half basket (pictured above), and it was loaded with a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruit. Some of the produce immediately went to the stock-pot; I basically just chopped up vegetables and herbs from the basket and simmered them in beef stock made from local range-fed soup bones. The result was delicious and the cost equated to around a dollar a bowl. I now have many bags of soup in the freezer for future healthy and inexpensive meals. I’ve met some very interesting people through this effort and feel good about supporting the local economy.
To learn more about Funky Farmz, visit their Web site at http://store-mva7ef.mybigcommerce.com/.
Enjoy!
Mike
