VOLUNTEERS: Perhaps you’ve noticed in the last few months we’ve been lucky to have more and more volunteers who contribute their time and skills to making our little co-op work—it’s like the little engine that could! And with this growth the board has engaged Tanja Williamson to serve as Volunteer Coordinator; I feel like a little kid on the first day of school waiting for the teacher to control the bedlam and issue directives—it’s going to be wonderful! And none too soon—our makeshift systems that worked well while we were not much more complicated than a large household are on the verge of meltdown. Her email: tanjawilliamson@mac.com
FUNNY LIKE US: The Twin Sisters Mushroom fellow checked out our website, found the newsletter, and this is what he said: “We clicked over to your Co-Op site, wow, you guys have really gone after it, what a tremendous collection of good energy! Thanks also for the kind words on the mushrooms at your site forum, it is always an unexpected but appreciated treat to hear compliments from our customers, it does wonders to farm morally! [sic—I think he meant morale?] We do our best to make sure you have the best and ongoing mushroom experience you can have.” Our new fungus friends in Acme, Washington, apologetically remarking “we hope to be more on the ball” business-wise, appear to be winging it like we do and I think they might be goofy enough that Anna and I will have to plan a field trip in the fall. Regarding our juice, I talked to Tim Vincent-the-cranberry-farmer on his cell phone as he was speeding toward Mt. Vernon two weeks ago with his wife and little daughter and our cranberry juice in his truck; he commented that they had just signed a contract with Whole Foods and Central Market and he and his wife were looking at each other and saying “what do we do now???” I reassured him there are lots of extra cranberries in Bandon they could get hold of, and he said “all our neighbors are watching to see how we do!” Yay for the farmers and the little guys!
CHANTERELLES: I just got word I can get some foraged fungi for us, maybe by the end of the week!
RECYCLE, REUSE: 1. This is a reminder to return empty Moss and Lacrover egg cartons and the little plastic berry cups with lids to be sent back to the farmers for reuse. They can be stacked on the top shelf beyond the freezer. 2. Please don’t borrow or dispose of the flattened waxed produce boxes in the back of the store; they go back to Waldron Island for more fresh produce. 3. And, while I’m thinking of it, where are all those milk bottles? They need to go back to the dairy for reuse—that’s the whole idea of glass, y’know, and it’s important to return them! Manufacturing more and more truckloads of bottles is probably more of a disaster than making and disposing of plastic and paper milk cartons, it seems to me.
MOVE: Be on the lookout for Arvid’s “Expansion Newsletter Volume 4.” The vote on the move will take place during the last week of August by paper ballot. Please try to view the two sites on August 23 from 5 to 7 p.m.
THANKS! I’ve been tied up with family these two weeks and volunteers have kindly picked up my fetching duties for me. Today I’ll skip the truck fun in order to go tide pooling at noon, but I know there’ll be many able hands and I won’t be missed. All these eager people who love our little co-op really make it go!
Signing off till next week—
– e.
