Food Co-Op

Local Residents Buy Groceries from Home

Local residents have been enjoying the benefits of the Allenspark Food Co-op.

A box of produce arrives weekly at the Community Center for those who have signed up for the Co-op’s Door-to-Door Organics delivery. In addition, folks have been ordering groceries through Local Roots in Estes Park, which also arrive at the Community Center on Monday afternoons.

Judy Brownsberger, a mother of a son age four and a daughter age 23 months, is delighted. “Between the produce delivery and the groceries from Local Roots,” she says, “I only have to go to the grocery store once every two or three weeks. My goal is to get it to every three weeks.” She describes three benefits, making the situation a “win-win” from several angles. “One, I like buying from Local Roots, supporting a local store,” she says. “Second, I only have to go to the Community Center to pick it up. With two young kids, going to the grocery store is always a questionable event anyway. And, third, some of the benefit goes to the Community Center.”

The Food Co-op is structured so that individuals get 10% off the store’s retail price, while the Community Center, Local Roots, and Door-to-Door Organics each receive a small percentage of the purchase. Shoppers also save on time and gas. In addition to purchasing weekly basics, such as milk and yogurt, residents have joined in on large bulk purchases, such as 25-lb. bags of grains, nuts, and dried fruit. Volunteer efforts to divide the bulk orders into individual portions have often been enjoyable social gatherings as well.

How does it work? With Door-to-Door, simply go to their website at

http://colorado.doortodoororganics.com.

Review the sizes of boxes they deliver and then sign up. When you’re done, contact local coordinator Mary Bernstein (303-459-0365 or naka_ima@earthlink.net) so she can notify Door-to-Door that you are with the Allenspark Food Co-op. You will be billed directly. Simply come pick up your box on Monday afternoons at the Community Center.

For Local Roots, contact Mary to get a UserName and Password for the Local Roots website at http://www.localroots.info. Review the online catalog, or borrow a printed one from the Community Center (more are due in soon). Place your order online by Fridays at noon, then come pick up your order at the Community Center on Mondays between 5:15 and 6 PM.

Working with the Local Roots catalog on-line takes a bit of work at first, Judy explains, “but once I have the item number for what I want, I keep it on a list, an Excel spreadsheet, so I never have to look it up again. I like it, because I can do it at night when the kids are in bed, rather than trying to concentrate while with them in the store.” While some folks have viewed the prices at Local Roots as somewhat higher than elsewhere, Judy has had a different experience. “Some items are higher,” she says, “but if you’re buying organic anyway, I found it comparable to much of the organic food from Safeway, where I usually go. And the organic milk is even cheaper.” Local Roots obtains the milk from a local farm and dairy, Morning Fresh. Although the store’s on-line catalog lists a non-local source at a much higher price, if a less expensive local product is available, it will come up on the order form when you enter it in. “And then having it delivered is an extra bonus,” Judy says.

Lee Skinner has been graciously donating his time and vehicle to picking up the community’s Local Roots order each Monday. The Co-op will also be setting up a food pantry available for anyone in need of food assistance. If you’d like to get started or have any questions, contact Mary Bernstein at 303-459-0365 or naka_ima@earthlink.net.