Food Shed Co-op: It's about farmers, consumers, community

Interview by Sue Rekenthaler

To say our roots run deep in this community would be an understatement. My husband and I have farmed a small Certified Naturally Grown* farm in Richmond, for over 18 years. This farm has been in my husband's family since 1923. We want to see our money kept close to home, and being farmers in this community, we want to be a part of a business that makes that a priority. A thriving economic base makes for a thriving community, and the Food Shed Co-op will allow us to keep our tax dollars in the community.

Since we are farmers, our livelihood depends on our ability to sell our produce. We are fortunate to have a loyal customer base but we are always looking for outlets for our produce. To continue to thrive and be truly sustainable we need to have a local partnership, and the Food Shed Co-op would afford us that. It would grant us the luxury of reaching more customers that care about how their food is grown. It would also benefit our loyal customers by giving them a place to buy our produce during the week, since we sell on the weekend at the farmers market.

Lastly, becoming Food Shed owners is a win-win situation for us. We are so proud to be a part of the Food Shed because it give us food security. In today’s society food is grown using questionable practices. It is shipped thousands of miles, and all of this impacts the quality of food. By being a part of the Food Shed we are supporting local, sustainable, organic farmers. We know, we are supporting our neighbors, and that is taking a proactive stance on food security. If you care about your community, we would love for you to join us!

*Certified Naturally Grown (CNG), "The Grassroots Alternative to Certified Organic", is a US-based farm assurance program certifying produce, livestock and apiaries for organic producers who sell locally and directly to their customers.

Would you like your local business to be featured on the Food Shed Co-op Blog and in our newsletter? Send us an email or Facebook message and we will arrange an interview. Many thanks to Sue from Natural Farm Stand for supporting Food Shed Co-op and sharing her unique perspective on how our community-owned grocery store will benefit our community. Stay tuned for more interviews with your favorite local businesses!