Buying Club: Update

Last week, I picked up my box of organic fruits and veggies. It was a very easy process. I switched my box to a more fruit based box before the payment deadline because that is what my family likes most. It had blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, pink lady apples, black plums (which are mind blowingly good), nectarines, avocados, tomatoes, corn, grapes, bananas, peppers, rainbow carrots, and a melon. Pretty good haul. All certified organic.

All I had to do was go to the pick up location and sign that I recieved everything. It was all sorted when I got there. Everything looks fantastic!

Yes, there is an economic benefit to me buying with a buying club verse going to the grocery. Statistically, it saves about 25% to buy from a buying club verse the grocery store. However, that is not the only reason. Part of buying with this club is choosing to support a cause that I believe in. In every purchase we make, we vote in support of that product. Economics 101: Supply and demand. If we demand a certain item, the supply will eventually catch up with demand. Generally, prices drop at that time too. 

So what was I voting for? I voted for an increase supply of organic foods. I voted to have a supply of food that is closer to the grower. I voted for smaller business. I voted for local businesses and farms. I voted for a wider variety of produce options. I voted. 

We put our money out there on an almost unconsious basis. We buy what is easily available to us, generally. One stop shoping, even if the quality is not as good as what it could be. A coworker of mine passed along some advise this week, "a lazy person works twice as hard." I try to save money by shopping for the cheapest "healthy" food I can find, but end up throwing it out because it spoiled faster than it should have. 

I think American culture has turned too far toward getting more bang for our buck and giving up quality and standards we should expect. A friend of mine once told me that she would rather eat less and spend more on high quality food then to eat more on low quality food. I wasn't in a mindset to agree or really understand her point at that time, but now I am getting closer and closer to truly understand where she was coming from. 

What will we stand for right now? What decisions will we make right now to stand up for our tomorrow?

What did you vote for today?