Before you set up a full-fledged food cooperative, we would suggest starting a simple buying club. In a buying club a group of friends and families get together to purchase in bulk together. No real paperwork or organizational structure needs to be in place.
You simply find out what you can buy cheaper in bulk, put your money together, buy it and redistribute it. A little organization and written records might help (smile).
We just want to emphasize that it is not the paperwork, but it is the group’s determination to work together that is the key for success. This is why we suggest starting small and working with people that you already know, TRUST, and can depend on. Of course that may be a tall order in itself.
Please have all potential members of your buying club or coop to frequent MuhammadFarms.com, so that it will help them understand the need to work together to secure healthy food.
To start a food co-op you need members, a non-profit charter and a state sales tax number. You may become better acquainted with the co-op concept by requesting free information from Federation of Southern Cooperatives, 2769 Church Street, East Point, Ga. 30344 (404)765-0991.
After locating sources for purchasing produce wholesale, you should sell produce at the current retail market price. Records are kept of each member’s purchase. At the end of the year, the cost of the operation including shipping and storage is deducted from the receipts. The money saved is either refunded to members proportionate to the amount of individual purchase or reinvested in the co-op. Since there is no middleman, the individual is able to obtain quality produce at a greatly reduced cost.
As people hear more about what is going on with their food they will be looking for means and methods for getting out of the death loop. You should be in a position to provide them with the opportunity for developing or joining a co-op.
At the first meeting you should discuss the purchase fund, source of produce, choice of foods, place of distribution and the number of orders per month. Enlist volunteer workers. You will need someone who has had bookkeeping experience to keep records of the financial transactions.
Since the group will have to send or bring money with the order, you will need an initial investment. It is a good practice to open a checking account in the name of the bookkeeper. Collect the initial sum decided upon by each member. Give a receipt for the investment. This will entitle the member to purchase up to that figure on each order. Hence, if A. Muhammad deposits sixty dollars into the account, he will have the right to a maximum purchase of sixty dollars on each order. The co-op investment will limit the size of the group purchase. Upon receiving the food purchase, each customer will have to pay the cost of the order to maintain in the checking account the initial investment of the group. An alternative is to have the customer mail or bring the cost of the purchase with the order. This would eliminate the need for an initial investment.
Begin with a small variety of produce. Become acquainted with the problems of operation. As the group’s trust in the co-op increases, the members may be persuaded to consider an investment in a communal backlog of non-perishable seed (i.e., wheat, navy beans) – at least one hundred pounds for each man, woman and child.
Initially the perishable staples may be oranges, carrots, beets, turnips, apples, butternut squash, potatoes and onions. Find out when the desired produce is in season in different locales. By ordering a large quantity, transportation costs can be cut in half. In addition, many growers allow a discount on group orders. Of course, if you help with the harvesting and transport your own produce the increase is savings are phenomenal. You might consider asking independent food stores to join you in the purchase.
In placing the group order, select one member to compile the individual orders. Regular dates of the month should be set to call the members to request that their orders be mailed, called or faxed into the co-op. On the assigned day, members who did not mail an order should be contacted to make certain they did not intend to order. A tally of the orders should be taken to ascertain that none of the members exceeded the size of their initial investment or the amount of money sent with the order. Then place the order with the dealers. On arrival of the shipment, notify members so they can pick up the produce. For large orders where storage space is lacking, immediate pick-up is recommended. A policy should be implemented which charges members extra for late pick-up. Those who did not send money with their orders should pay at the time of pick-up.
When members of the co-op are planning a car trip, it would bring the co-op substantial savings if a van or truck were used to pick up produce en route. Planning is of prime importance. Before vacation time, write the dealers or farmers to find out what is available. Send the order to the farmer informing him of the approximate time of your arrival. If circumstances prevent you from making the trip or arriving on time, it would be most courteous to call the farmer to let him know so that he can make alternate plans. His time is as important as yours.
First choice should be non-perishable staples – one ton of wheat seed or flour, navy beans or rice can be readily loaded into a van. Be certain to reduce the speed of your vehicle. Inflate the tires appropriately for the extra weight and test your breaks.
Second choice items should be the semi-perishables – apples, carrots, turnips and other tubers, squash, citrus, mangoes, papaya. If you pick and transport the produce yourself, you can use canvas and wet newspaper to protect fruit and vegetables from the sun.
When the produce arrives you will need a temporary storage space where members can pick up the goods. Choose a centrally located home with a cellar, sun porch or garage, readily accessible to all co-op members. A room can be adapted for long term storage of seed, apples, tubers and citrus by installing a used air conditioner to provide a low temperature. An inexpensive insulator can be installed in the room to cut down heat entry.
The cooperative can also be used as a vehicle for investment through collective purchase of land or a farm, near, yet distant enough to have lower acreage cost and tax base. This land can become a rejuvenation center where members can work toward establishing a financially, self-sustaining farm community From working in the sun, open air, in a community spirit, with a sense of fulfillment and achievement of unity with nature, you will improve in appearance, develop a rimmer figure, enjoy new health and tranquility. By involving the children you will be helping to create a generation based on a solid foundation of health.
With investment in a greenhouse, you will be supplying vegetation for your co-op all year round. Such a project will be self-supporting and health-promoting. All members of the co-op can participate in the work on the farm.
In preparation for a safe area or farm away from the cities one first should check to see if any members of the co-op have heir property or family members with such property. It is estimated that Black people living in Chicago own more land in Mississippi than do the Black people living in that state. Much of this land is just sitting there growing weeds.
When such a piece of land has been obtained then those who have free time should start clearing the land and building. It would be good to build special, hidden reinforced concrete underground storage areas for water, tools, books and enough food and seed to tide you over until the disruption passes or you are able to start farming.
In your retreat you should include for storage a substantial supply of seeds for your vegetable garden. In the future seeds will be of more value than money. To make life easier be sure to have garden tools such as shovels, spades, forks, rakes and hoes in storage. For indoor gardens store up trays, glass jars, gallon cans, liquid and/or powder kelp fertilizer and peat moss. A stainless steel distiller (which can be operated on electricity as well as wood stove) and/or a water purifier is a must for survival. A manual grain mill when adjusted for fine grind will enable you to use it as a blender for greens; a juicer for grass, weeds and sprouts; a grinder for sesame and sunflower seeds to make yogurt; and as a juicer for shredded carrots or beets.
You might consider storing the following amounts of food for each person: 50 lbs. unshelled buckwheat seed, 100 lbs. wheat, 25 lbs. mung beans, 25 lbs. unshelled sesame seed, 50 lbs. of natural rice, 50 lbs. navy beans, 30 lbs. honey and 1 quart of liquid kelp or other seaweed. Seed should be stored in a cool, dry place. Take special precautions against rodents. The senses of wild animals are very keen; they can present a hazard to your food supply.
Keep on hand gardening tools, bikes and repair kit, short wave radio, axe, building tools, numerous nails, saw, hand drill, books on gardening, building and education, and warm, durable clothing and bedding.
If you are unable to start growing food before famine becomes acute, at least get your land cleared and composted. Dig a well for water. Have an above ground fuel storage tank installed, filled and locked.
