Wednesday, August 27, 2008

More Procedures

Here are some answers to questions that I've gotten-
How does the calling tree work?
You will each be sent a roster with the names & phone numbers of all the co-op members (I will post the calling tree on the blog without phone numbers; we don't want to publicize that!). To the right of your name & phone number(s) will be the names of 2 other people. These are the people you will call! If there are no names after yours, it means you are at the bottom of the calling tree. We will rotate every few months to give everyone a chance to call!
On delivery day, I will receive a call from the truck about an hour before it arrives. I will call the 2 people under me and tell them the time of the TRUCK ARRIVAL and the PICKUP time. ("Hello Christine! Just letting you know the truck will be here at 10:15am, and pickup will be at 10:45am.") They will then call the 2 people under them and give the same information, and so on. Within half an hour or so, everyone should have gotten a call. Those who are sorting need to be at the delivery location at the TRUCK ARRIVAL time; everyone else needs to come at the PICKUP time.
FYI--Most co-op members are now using the text message alert to hear about pickup time. If you are on the text distribution list, don't worry about the calling tree!

If you are out of town, YOU need to arrange for someone to get your basket & pay for it. You also need to arrange for someone to replace you in the calling tree. If you are not able to find someone to take your basket, let me know. We might be able to arrange for someone from the waiting list to take it for that week.

Each person will be assigned a basket letter (A-Y). Your letter will be next to your name on the roster. When you arrive to pick up your basket, find the YELLOW box with tabs in it. Under the letter of your basket, there will be an index card. You need to sign your name and write the check number of the check you are using to pay. Then, put the index card back into its spot, with your check (or cash) in front of it. Make your checks out to PAIGE BEAL.

AFTER you have paid, find the laundry basket with your letter on it, and take that basket. Each basket will also have a couple of cardboard boxes on top of it (the boxes in which the produce came). You are responsible for disposing of those boxes. Everyone must take their cardboard boxes--it is not fair to Angie (whose home is being used for delivery & sorting) to leave all the boxes in her driveway. There is a cardboard recycling bin on the south side of the Cedar Hills City office building if you want to just take your boxes there and drop them.

There will be 2 laundry baskets with each letter on them. The first week, you will only take one of your baskets. The next time, bring that basket back, and your produce will be in the 2nd basket. If you bring your empty basket back each time, there will always be one to use for sorting the next time.

Finally, occasionally there will be an uneven number of produce (ie, 28 stalks of celery instead of 24). In this case, the people sorting will get first choice or leftovers. If there is anything left after that, we will put it in a box at pickup time and you may take whatever you like.

Sorting Schedule

Please watch for co-op emails to get the current sorting schedule!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

The Cedars Produce Co-op!

Welcome to the Cedars Produce Co-op! We are so excited to finally have everything set up and ready to go. Our first delivery will be on Thursday, September 4. Below are the procedures of the co-op (written by Paige Beal).

The Cedars Produce Co-operative Procedures
Welcome to our neighborhood produce co-operative! You will find that being in this co-op allows you to benefit from great fresh produce at a great price. Following are some of the procedures you will need to understand as you join this co-op, so please read this carefully and make sure that you understand everything. Because this is a non-profit venture, and everyone is expected to contribute, you must be willing to do your part to help things run smoothly. Failure to do so will result in your being asked to leave the co-op. Thanks!

Each member agrees to pay a $50.00 deposit when joining the co-op. $15.00 of this money will be used to buy laundry baskets for sorting produce. The other $35.00 will be kept as a deposit in case you fail to pay. If you decide to leave the co-op, this money will be used as the payment on your last order.

Produce will be delivered every other Thursday. The head of the co-op will receive a call about 45 minutes before the truck arrives. A telephone tree will be put in place in order to call everyone and let them know when the produce will be ready. Unless other arrangements are made, you MUST be available by phone on Thursday mornings, and you must be able to call the people below you on the list.

Every co-op week, 3-4 people will be assigned to sort produce. When it is your turn to sort, you need to be at the designated location at the time the truck arrives. It will take about 45 minutes to divide the produce among the 24 baskets.

When you are not sorting, you will be notified of the pickup time. You must be there on time to pick up your produce. When you arrive to pick up your produce, you CANNOT take it until you have paid. There will be a file box with a section for each person, and you must leave your check or cash in the box before leaving. If you are unable to pick up your basket, YOU must arrange for someone else to get it for you, and to pay for you.

If you do not arrive on time to pick up your basket, your basket will be left outside at the designated location. Your deposit will be used to pay for that basket, and you will have 2 days to get a new deposit paid, or you will be replaced in the co-op. The co-op assumes no responsibility for any produce that goes bad from being left out when not picked up.

If you are unable to get your produce one week (i.e., you’re out of town), it is your responsibility to find someone else to pick up and pay for your basket for you. If you do not find someone to take your produce, it will be donated and your deposit will be used to pay for your order. Again, you will need to re-pay your deposit in order to keep your place in the group.

If you decide you no longer want to be in the co-op, you must give 3 weeks notice. If there is a waiting list, then someone from the waiting list will be allowed to take your place. If there is not a waiting list, you need to help find someone to replace you in the co-op.

If there are items in an order that you do not want, you may trade with someone in the co-op. However, you must make the arrangements for the trade yourself, and not expect the sorters to trade items in different baskets.