The Granola Escapades – Rawfully Organic Co-Op
Why An Organic Produce Co-Op
While on this little adventure of going all organic (which has been shot to the moon over thanksgiving while eating at friends’ houses and entertaining guests at great restaurants here in Houston), I found a little organic produce co-op called Rawfully Organic Co-op.
Bill and I are in love.
Here’s how a organic produce (or any kind of co-op really) works:
A group of people all go in together and purchase bulk amounts of produce direct from the grower/supplier and divvy it up amongst themselves (called shares) splitting the price in the process.
And that’s it.
While the explanation is pretty simple, the benefits are endless:
-You’re getting fresh produce straight from the grower. Bill has been insanely amazed at the difference in taste compared to what you buy in the store which can sometimes travel over 1500 miles to get to your plate.
-It’s organic.
-We’re saving money over grocery store costs of organic produce.
-Items are in season so they usually travel less and taste better.
-We’re supporting organic farmers (and local farmers too).
-Picking up a share is like Christmas, it’s exciting to go through and see what you’ve got.
-We get to try new things like kale and persimmons. It’s thoroughly challenged my cooking and repertoire of recipes.
I could go on and on but I’ll leave it there and get to telling you more about the Rawfully Organic Co-op and how to purchase a share.
The Rawfully Organic Co-op
Like I said before we did a lot of research and there are several co-ops in Houston. We had originally planned on trying each one and then deciding on which one to use on a regular basis, but once I met Kristina (the brain child behind Rawfully) and saw their whole set up I was pretty much sold.
Kristina started Rawfully in her living room with 12 neighbors and it has grown to over 2200 participants in the Houston area. What I love is that it still feels like 12 people in a living room. When you pick up your share from one of their three pickup locations Kristina is there, and her smile and pure energy fills the area. The whole thing is run by co-op members and volunteers. It just feels right, sharing delicious wonderful fresh food with your community. She also does it completely free because she loves it and the people it touches. I’m incredibly honored to be a part of it and to have Rawfully be a part of this journey Bill and I are on.
How It Works
There is no fee to join Rawfully Organic Co-op. (Many co-ops have a yearly fee to be a member.)
1. Visit their website www.rawfullyorganic.com, and learn more about who they are. There will be a general list of what should be in the shares that week (sometimes it varies, but be flexible, its totally worth it).
2. Order your first share on their website. Bill and I order a half share which is a ton of food (lasts well more than a week) for $48.50. After your third share you can pay at the pickup location and save a few extra dollars.
3. Choose your pickup location/day. There are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday pickups. I highly recommend going on a Tuesday or Saturday to one of the main pickup locations, you’ll get to meet Kristina and see the whole thing in action. Thursday pickups are neighborhood based.
4. Go pick up your share. You’re welcome to trade things out if you like and you get points with your box that allows you to choose some extra items. I also love that you can buy extra items on top of your share while you’re there.
5. Enjoy your delicious fresh produce!
As we walk this “granola” road as promised we’ll be sharing what we learn and any resources we can. We’ll also be adding to the series with what’s in the box posts about what we get and how we plan to eat the items. And as promised we’ll share recipes, both good and bad.
Has anyone else joined an organic co-op? What was your experience like?