Doors open!

Hey! You! Not a member yet because you haven't got an invite?

Well now you don't need one. That's right, the doors are open, and everyone's invited! Just click the "New User?" link on the front page of westmichigancoop.com, and get started!

Bonus: prices are now listed between cycles. Previously, this information was hidden as the producers may be changing that information between cycles. Now, however, there are disclaimers (everywhere!) declaring that the prices are subject to change until the order cycle opens. Once the cycle opens, prices are locked, until the next cycle begins.

Shop away, happy Co-Operators!

Aren't you glad...

... you shop at the coop?

Today I read another article regarding the biggest beef recall in history, which I blogged about previously. Fortunately, it seems that the government is taking swift action to review and tighten the regulations on factory farming. I know that the revelation of what goes on inside a factory farm, thanks to the Humane Society of the United States undercover investigation, is not an isolated event, and I can only hope for a positive outcome of all this.

We should all consider ourselves fortunate to be in West Michigan, where we can buy local meat, cheese, and eggs from humane family-run farms. So what if it costs a little more than what you could get at the grocery store? As the Humane Society asks "What's the cost of our appetite for cheap meat? If the answer is cruelty and unsafe food, it may be too much to stomach."

While I will always advocate a vegetarian lifestyle, I also believe strongly that if you eat meat, you must know where it comes from and how the animal was treated. With that in mind, the Coop will be announcing our Summer 2008 Farm Tour series shortly, where you can continue to learn about life on a real farm, tour the farm, and connect with your farmers. In the meantime, keep shopping, and stay tuned!

A few new features...

Hi, everyone!

I've been introducing a few new features over the past few weeks, and I thought I'd take a moment to highlight what we're doing to try to make your shopping experience on the Co-op a nicer one.

First, there is now a "New" and "Changed" product section. When we add new producers, or when new products get added by existing producers, they will be highlighted here each month. Check them out - we might be carrying what you were looking for last month! The Changed section highlights products that have been changed - description, name, or price. So check those out too! The New and Changed sections are available from the Front Page, as well as from your menu when you log in.

Second, product information is now available at any time during the month. Though we don't publish prices in between ordering periods, we do now make the extended description and producer information available at any time. Now, you can "pre"-shop in your spare time between cycles, and new members can see what will be available when the ordering starts up. You can also add items you want into your favorites, so that come ordering time, you surf to your fav's and start loading up your basket!

Finally, and the biggie, is product pictures. Producers: this one's for you! It's now possible to add pictures of your products for all to see. You do need a Flickr.com account - that's where our pictures are hosted. This significantly reduces the storage and bandwidth requirements for the Co-op server, keeping our upkeep and maintenance, in a word, sustainable. You can get all the gory details on the wiki, and you can see an example here.

If you have a great idea for a feature you'd like to see on the site, don't hesitate to write me - paul@westmichigancoop.com.

Thanks all!

ABC News airs HSUS undercover investigation

When I turned on the TV last night I was astounded to see a news story in progress about an undercover investigation into a California factory farm who is a major supplier to America's School Lunch Program.

This kind of story NEVER gets any attention from the mainstream press. Of course, it is only because downed cows were being fed to our children, but whatever exposes this atrocity to more people, I'm all for it!!

ABC News aired a good 3-4 minute chunk of the undercover footage to millions of people. It's great. This would have never happened 10 years ago. I hope that as more people are exposed to the truth, more people will stand up and demand stricter regulations placed on factory farms.

The story was a result of an investigation conducted by the Humane Society of the United States. You can read all about on their website.

Earthlings

Not only is Jaoquin Phoenix a life long vegan, but he is also a big Animal Advocate. I recently watched Earthlings, a DVD narrated by Jaoquin. Earthlings is a disturbing look into the ways animals are treated. This film analyzes society's treatment of animals for pets, clothing, entertainment, scientific research, and food. Many of the footage is taken from undercover investigators who use hidden cameras to unveil the horrors that our fellow "earthlings" are put through.

Thankfully, we are fortunate to live in West Michigan where we have lots of alternatives that don't harm animals, especially if you are a member of the co-op. If you choose to eat meat, you can shop for beef, poultry, lamb, goat, and pork from a host of different farmers who treat their animals humanely. If you are Ovo-lacto vegetarian (like me) you can get eggs from free-range, hormone-free chickens, and cheese from free-range grass-fed chemical-free cows and goats. If you are vegan you can get soaps and other household products that were not tested on animals. Yeah, we are pretty lucky to have all this available to us!!!

If you are on the fence about becoming a vegetarian, or you only buy half your meats from the co-op, I strongly urge you to watch this video so that you can find out the truth behind your food. Another benefit to the Internet besides allowing us to shop online, is that you can watch the video for free at http://www.moviesfoundonline.com/earthlings.phpSet some time aside, it's 1 hour 35 minutes long but well worth the watch!

Happy Holidays!!

Thanks for helping us grow this year by shopping the West Michigan Co-op. We had a great first year and helped local producers sell about $50,000 worth of food and other items. It's a huge first step towards building a sustainable local food system and you helped make it happen.
Please have a safe and happy holiday and come back and see us in 2008!
Gail Philbin

Go Green for the Holidays!

Looking for unique "green" Christmas gift ideas this year? Consider giving (or asking Santa for) an annual membership to the West Michigan Co-op!! Annual fees are $35 to shop once a month at our year-round on-line farmers market! If you are interested please send your payment along with the name of the gift recipient and an email address to:

Tara Simmons
Media Rare
1111 Godfrey SW, Ste. S250
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

I will send an email invitation to join the WM Co-op to the gift recipient and mark that person as paid.
* Also available through the co-op are t-shirts for $20 and cloth shopping bags for $25, both with the West Michigan Co-op logo.
All gifts will also be available for purchase this Saturday December 15th between 1:30-4pm at Media Rare for the Member Pick-up.
Thanks and Happy Holidays!!! :)