464618 Wed Nov 28 17:04:30 -0800 2007 9 8 Midwest 0 3163411 Catching another post regarding the horrific quality of garlic and shallots as of late reinforced my desire to support local farmers and produce. I have been looking into co-ops. Am I on the right track? The one that is the closest to my home is the Gale Woods Farm but they say the meat is sold frozen Grr.... http://www.threeriversparkdistrict.org/parks/galewoods_produce.cfm I want to support local farmers and eat seasonally but does that mean being a Minnesotan I have to sacrifice lettuce salads in the winter. Which brings me to one more question and corny as it may be, anyone tried those Aerogrow gardens advertised? They sure make it look like you get tons of tomatoes and lett uce. Wed Nov 28 17:04:30 -0800 2007 19777 Clams 1 3163473 Which part of the Midwest are you asking about? This board covers a wide area. You mention being a Minnesotan - are you looking for a co-op in the Twin Cities? Wed Nov 28 17:27:35 -0800 2007 3163411 55363 nsxtasy 2 3163490 Yep, something in the Twin Cities metro area but preferably the western suburbs. Wed Nov 28 17:31:33 -0800 2007 3163473 19777 Clams 1 3165462 sounds like you might be confusing CSAs with co-ops, Clams CSAs are farms which are supported by members who contribute money or labor or both and in return receive produce, milk, eggs, etc, usually weekly, biweekly, or monthly for a growing season, or year round for meat csas. co-ops are grocery stores that are patronized by members & non members-- members pay a one time membership fee and are eligible for member specials, discounts on cases of food & large special orders, and if the co-op profits, the members receive a check at the end of the fiscal year based on their purchases. co-ops generally are natural food stores which tend to source produce, meats & other foods locally and sustainably. here is a directory of food co-ops: http://www.coopdirectory.org/directory.htm#Minnesota incidentally most meats from small local farms will be sold frozen, as the farmer has to schedule slaughtering of many animals through her/his processor, & can't logistically slaughter a partial animal to meet one customers' demands. the meats are flash-frozen as a matter of course prior to storage in each farmers' cold storage meat locker. Thu Nov 29 11:11:38 -0800 2007 3163411 46030 soupkitten 2 3165721 Here are two other links, one for CSA's and one for the Twin Cities local coop association (most but not all MSP coops). Land Stewardship Project's Spring 2007 CSA list: http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/csa.html Twin Cities Coops: http://twincitiesfood.coop/ Thu Nov 29 12:15:29 -0800 2007 3165462 10516 MplsM ary 2 3165950 Thanks, soupkitten -- I was off composing a post on the difference between a CSA and a co-op, but you have summarized it perfectly. Clams, I was in both the Mississippi Market and Seward co-ops in the last three days. Here is a partial list of the local vegetables they had on offer, almost all of which were organic or transitional: watercress, napa cabbage, baby bok choy, herbs, green cabbage, red cabbage, squashes, mushrooms, radishes, sorrell, hydroponic lettuces, broccoli crowns. The local coop for the western suburbs is probably Lakewinds. They may have at least some of the same suppliers; I see a lot of crossover within Seward, Mississippi Market and Linden Hills but also notice they are not identical. Do check them out. Thu Nov 29 13:23:58 -0800 2007 3165462 10514 KTFoley 1 3165987 I recommend stopping the Wedge. It's busy, but mighty easy to get to. If you are a member there you get the same benefits at Seward, Miss Market, etc.. but the Wedge has different things to vote on. Also don't miss their bakery. It is oodles better than Seward (sorry Seward, but the Wedge kicks any bakery in town's butt in my opinion) Thu Nov 29 13:31:45 -0800 2007 3163411 120962 reannd 2 3166654 Soryy, but I don't get the Wedge. Super annoying to get in and out of (like all of Uptown area), and a lot of attitude per capita. I'll take Mississippi Market or the Hampten Park Coop anyday. Thu Nov 29 17:44:31 -0800 2007 3165987 27022 lindseyanne 1 3165990 Yes, you're on the right track. I both belong to a co-op (Mississippi Market, which is in St. Paul) and participate in a produce and chicken CSA (from a local farm in Wisconsin). I love them both. They meet different needs. If you participate in a CSA, what you get in your box every week (or every other week, depending on what "plan" you have--different farms offer different plans), what you get will be exceedingly local. Even if brussel sprouts are in season and most farms in the Twin Cities have them, if your farmer didn't plant them or they didn't come up or they were infested by bugs, you won't get any brussel sprouts in your CSA box unless your farmer has pity on you and does a "swap" of something he has an abundance of with another local farmer who does have brussel sprouts. (Sometimes they'll swap with a neighboring farm when they have over/under supply issues.) Also, most produce CSA's in Minnesota don't go year-round. They typically start up in late May or early June and go to October or November or December (again, it depends.) In the spring, you'll get tons and tons of greens and hardly anything else, because that's what grows in MN that time of year. In mid-summer, you'll get tons and tons of basil, cukes, zukes, and tomatoes. And this time of year, you'll get onions, squash, potatoes and carrots. It's a great program but variety is not guaranteed and it's exceedingly seasonally focused. The co-ops are much more flexible. Mississippi Market, for instance, brings produce in from CA and WA, in addition to featuring local produce (of course). They are more like a regular grocery where you can get canned food and other staples, as well as dairy, meat, produce, bread, etc. ~TDQ Thu Nov 29 13:32:14 -0800 2007 3163411 12005 The Dairy Queen 1 3166770 I'm hooked on this board for life. You have all been so helpful! Thank you everyone! Thu Nov 29 18:35:52 -0800 2007 3163411 19777 Clams