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  • From: "Robert Waldrop" <bwaldrop@cox.net>
  • To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] Invisible structures: organizing local food cooperatives
  • Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2007 09:33:50 -0500

Organizing a local foods cooperative: the Oklahoma Food Coop experience

The early registration deadline for the Oklahoma City "how to organize a local foods cooperative" workshop, to be held May 17-19, is coming up April 16th. After that, the price increases by $25. The early registration cost is $125, and includes all meals and materials, everything except for your travel and lodging. Below is the original email about the event. This information can also be accessed at http://www.oklahomafood.coop/2007workshop.php .

We hope to see you in Oklahoma City! If you have questions that need immediate attention, call me at 405-613-4677.

Bob Waldrop, president and general manager
Oklahoma Food Cooperative
www.oklahomafood.coop

The Oklahoma Food Cooperative will host a three day workshop on May 17, 18, 19, 2007 in Oklahoma City on how to organize and operate a local food cooperative internet-based order and delivery system.

Topics to be covered include organizing campaigns, producer issues, financial accounting, computer systems, customer and volunteer issues. The event will be held in conjunction with the May delivery day of the Oklahoma Food Cooperative, and attendees will participate in all aspects of that activity.

Cost of the 3 day workshop is $125 if received by April 16, 2007 ($150 thereafter), which includes all meals (made from local ingredients) and social events, but does not include your transportation to and from Oklahoma City or your hotel cost.

Attendance will be limited to 30 people. To secure your reservation, payment must be received in full.

Workshop sessions will be held at Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church located at 7336 W. Britton Road in Oklahoma City.

The closest motel is the Courtesy Inn at 6600 NW Expressway, 405-722-8694. The next closest motel is the Executive Inn, 6410 NW Expressway, 405-728-9913. We can provide transportation to Epiphany Church from these hotels, or others further east on Northwest Expressway, and perhaps from other areas (check with Bob Waldrop on this). We will also work on coordinating transportation to the airport on the final day of the workshop.

To register for the conference, send your name and full contact info including email to: Oklahoma Food Cooperative, 1524 NW 21, OKC, OK 73106. Or send this info in an email to prez@oklahomafood.coop and either mail your check or pay with your credit card or electronic check via Paypal (send money to paypal@oklahomafood.coop and put in the comments field that it is for the 'Oklahoma Plan Conference').

More info will be available as the planning progresses at http://www.oklahomafood.coop .

Hope to see you in Oklahoma City!

Bob Waldrop, president and general manager
Oklahoma Food Cooperative
prez@oklahomafood.coop
405-613-4688

About the Oklahoma Food Cooperative:
Organized in 2003, the Oklahoma Food Cooperative operates an innovative internet-based order and delivery system that only sells Oklahoma grown or made foods and non-food products. The cooperative has both customer and producer members.

The cooperative does not buy wholesale and sell retail. Members order items from specific producers, so each produce in effect is his or her "brand" in the coop product lineup. The producer members set their own prices, and the cooperative charges them a commission for selling through the cooperative. Customer members pay a commission for buying through the cooperative. The cooperative operates this delivery cycle once each month.

Monthly gross revenues are presently ranging from $25,000 to $35,000, and the coop has 1,000 members. The coop has been completely self-financed since it was organized via the sale of member shares and operating revenues.

DRAFT SCHEDULE FOR THE WORKSHOP

May 16, Wednesday:
folks arrive, evening social event
May 17, Thursday

8 AM: delivery day begins (lunch at delivery day site)

6:30 PM, dinner, followed by opening remarks and social time

May 18th, Friday

8 AM, breakfast

9 AM: Session 1 - Getting started: the organizing campaign

10:30 - break

11 AM- Session 2 - What's for sale? Producer issues

12:30 - lunch

1:30 - Session 3 - The Amazing Portable Oklahoma Food Cooperative: Delivery Day

3 PM - break

3:30 PM - Session 4 -- How much does this cost? Financials

Saturday, May 19

8 AM - breakfast

8:45 AM - Session 5 - Internet Commerce and Local Foods: Computer Systems

10:15 - break

10:45 - Session 6, What's the market? Customer and Volunteer Issues

12:15 - lunch and closing remarks.






  • [permaculture] Invisible structures: organizing local food cooperatives, Robert Waldrop, 04/05/2007

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