Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

Robert's co-op is definitely better than the usual grocery distribution 
system, but not a final answer in all respects. I agree it's one way to get 
local food to the city. But the root problem is, you can't distribute food 
that's not being grown, and the dominant commercial model is failing. They do 
their thing, we do ours. We focus on the production of healthy food, locally 
grown and consumed on a much wider basis everywhere, and the key is in 
healthy growing soil. Grow your own and sell locally under the radar.

paul, tradingpost@riseup.net
---------------
The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our 
most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its 
renewal is our only hope.
   - Wendell Berry
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On 5/12/2006 at 10:54 AM Claudia & Linda wrote:

>Oklahoma has a food co-op that was established about 3 years ago now and
>seems to be working well.  There's a one time fee to join, refundable
>anytime you choose to leave the co-op.  Each month, producers list what
>they have available, mostly via the internet site but I believe there a
>mailed list available for those without a computer.  Consumers order
>directly from the producer and on the set date all orders are taken to a
>central place in Ok. City.  Here volunteers sort them into orders and the
>orders are delivered to other major cities for pick up.  The co-op is
>making enough to pay the route drivers for their gas and time.  The system
>doesn't cover the entire state yet but it's a start.  It's been enough of
>a threat to Tyson, that last summer their lobbyists got legislation pushed
>thru the Ok. legislature making third party delivery of processed poultry
>illegal so the co-op can't deliver farmer's dressed poultry anymore.  This
>was done very quietly and no one new anything about it until the co-op was
>raided on a delivery day.  All attempts to get the law rescinded have been
>futile; Tyson pays off too well.  But the co-op method is one way to get
>local food to the city and it obviously has the big boys scared.
>
>Claudia