Bulk Purchasing from Local Farms!

2018 Season

The Local Food Buying Club has undergone operational changes.  An iteration of this program has transitioned to the Stevens Point Area Cooperative in 2018.

History of Farmshed’s Local Food Buying Club (LFBC)

The LFBC was a community initiative that enabled people to purchase local produce in bulk with the option of processing those items in the Farmshed kitchen for long-term storage. The club’s intention was to inspire participation from people at all places on the food spectrum, and encourage individuals to learn from one another, share in the preservation experience, and eat nutritious, quality locally grown produce year round.

Now the Co-op is picking up where we left off with the Local Produce Case Program.

13 items. 5 local organic farms. 1 common goal. 
The Stevens Point Area Co-op wants to increase your access to local produce–so, this season, from March 1 through April 1, Co-op members will be able to reserve cases of local produce for a special, ultra-low case price.
 
All produce will be sourced from five community and local farms: Whitefeather Organics, Growing Earth Farm, Cattail Organics, Field Notes Farm, and Red Door Farm (all of whom you can regularly find in our produce cooler).
 
There will be 13 items available to reserve for the special case price: beans, storage beets, broccoli, kraut cabbage, storage carrots, pickling and slicing cucumbers, grade A yellow onions, grade A yellow and russet potatoes, sweet corn, and paste and slicing tomatoes. 
 
How it works
  1. From March 1 through April 1, members can reserve cases of local produce either by filling out the form online or in-store.
  2. Put down a case deposit of $10 on reserved cases by April 15. Deposits can be paid for either over the phone or in-store.
  3. Members will be notified to confirm the order prior to order being placed, with information on when case(s) will be available to pick up.
  4. Pick up your produce case(s) from the Co-op and enjoy: can it, freeze it, consume it all fresh (we won’t judge), and savor the taste of community produce over the long winter months!
Why we’re so excited about LPCP
Why does the Co-op care about increasing access to local produce? It’s easy to see in the chain reaction this program sets off.
By reserving cases ahead of time, our local and community farmers are able to plan and plant, knowing they have a guaranteed and fair income coming from these orders. This in turn, allows us to offer you, our members, a special price that then allows you to consume (and preserve!) more local goods from harvest through the winter.
By eating more local produce, we grow + support our own economy, increase our nutrition + our food awareness, and all around, create opportunity + confidence in our own community.

Contact Meliss at the Stevens Point Area Co-op for all the details or visit the webpage.

melissah@spacoop.com

Local Produce Case Program

Resources for Buying Locally in Bulk

Check out these resources from Oregon State University-Extension to help you plan quantities for your bulk purchasing:

Fruit and vegetable yield chart

How much to can chart

Year-round seasonal eating fun facts:

How to Eat Local in the Winter: 10 Foods You Can Find All Season Long [Infographic]

 

WHY SUPPORT FARMSHED

We Believe: 1) Food should be grown in a sustainable manner 2) People should know how to buy, grow, harvest, preserve, and prepare local foods 3) The public should know local farmers 4) Farmers should know who eats their food

BECOME A MEMBER

Your membership supports our programming as well as our production greenhouse and community kitchen
Event
7/6/2019 - Chef on the Square
Stevens Point Farmers’ Market, Stevens Point WI
7/9/2019 - Community Potluck "Keep cool, Chill out"
Central Rivers Farmshed, Stevens Point WI
8/3/2019 - Chef on the Square
Stevens Point Farmers’ Market, Stevens Point WI