MeInMaine Blog

Tag: maine food co ops

  • Slow Money Maine, Focused On Local Sustainable Food Systems.

    Anything in a Maine community or one of the sixteen county regions is stronger with grass roots collaboration.

    Locally sourced Maine farm or fisheries produced quality food hands down strengthens the economy. Creating a diverse income stream to support all the other livelihoods needed to make the burg or village. To fund the intrastructure. To create wealth, keeping the dollars in the small Maine communities turning over, flowing strongly.

    Gardiner Maine Episcopla Church
    Slow Money Maine Meeting In Gardiner ME Held At The Episcopal Church.

    From highly creative, tightly run micro, close to home Maine food enterprises.

    Maine farming that entices our young to stay in Maine. Not cross the big green bridge on the southern end. To do more than carve out a meager living. To enhance the uniqueness of the small Maine community in other ways. And assure there is always that small Maine town on the map. Not a last guy or gal out, remember to turn out the lights situation.

    There is a shift from just you are what you eat, to how, where it is produced agriculture wildfire going on in Maine.

    A storm of not just about sitting down to eat. But “feeding” yourself with all the other experiences your body, family, community needs in this short lifetime on this blue and green marble. Pitching in to create home grown not store bought to dine on in Maine. That like hunger improves the taste because your farm neighbor grew it, your fisherman raised it.

    Gardiner Maine Slow Money Of ME Meeting
    Bringing The Investor, The Maine Micro Agriculture Producers, Co Op Vendors Together, Slow Money Of Maine Organization Meeting.

    The small Maine town is not just a collection of houses, a selection of government buildings and downtown commercial outlets. It is the people. Each bringing talents in their skill set to create the buzz. To differentiate the small Maine community, to make it truly all it can be.

    It is not just about for you quality food you toss down the gullet either.

    Not fast cheap who knows where it comes from food, but slowly raised and cooked healthy local Maine food. Way more than just setting the table with healthy fuel to keep you and the family going too. It is an attitude, a philosophy, an approach to everything you do and teach your kids in Maine life.

    I traveled to Gardiner Maine yesterday to hear several speakers showcase their local food operations.

    To highlight where a little help in financing. Could take it to the next step in expansion to extend the market.

    Slow Money Maine is one of the Maine partners that gets the discussion started, keeps it going. Breaking down barriers. By bringing investors behind the desk to make the connection with the small farm or fisheries producer out in the field or sea.

    Maine Slow Money Maine Meeting
    MOFGA Representatives Mingle, Network With The Micro Producers, Co Op Vendors At Slow Money Maine Meeting.

    The dialogue created by this group’s tie in with MOFGA, a slew of foundations pushing, promoting the same thing.

    To find ways to compete with the big cheap food policy of the nation.

    From bread baskets out west. Out of the country too. Where the national focus has been a cheap food policy. Less concern for the healthy quality of the food. Just make sure there is lots of it.

    For years small local farming trumped, squashed by the almighty dollar bottom line. Everything about just in time inventory, volume sales like other industry business models.

    Food from outside Maine’s collection of mostly small towns with shrinking populations. With fewer farms until the resurgence of local growing to feed the populace.

    Eight out of ten people live in an urban area. Not by choice, but for survival.

    Maine Oysters
    Have A Maine Maine Oysters…Their Reputation Is Catching On!

    But you have to do more than eat.

    Feeding the mind, spirit, and in the process of putting the best locally sourced Maine food on the family table working together. That leads to everyone in the small Maine community to step up.

    To know if it is to be, it is up to you and me.

    You and I are the “they” in the Maine community. Don’t bitch or complain, wait for someone else to do it. What is needed to enhance. Expand the unique flavor of our many Maine small towns, the handful of cities.

    Yesterday in the Episcopal church in Gardiner my partner and I heard presentations from the Brunswick Food Shed. A group converting slow but sure a set of derelict train storage sheds, to develop the old right of way track pathways to create a food hub and more. And from None Such Oysters talk about their coastal 6.5 acres operation. That enterprises tourist/fisheries production tale and needs.

    Maine
    Peakes Island Micro Farm Producers, Lana and Sara Cannon Talk About Their Micro Maine Enterprise.

    Also a set of sisters, Noon Family Sheep Farm, creating Peakes Island farming off Portland Maine on a small scale. Growing slowly. Same themes. Almost below radar compared to what you and I think of traditional farming. All the mountains of overhead debt, giant equipment payments, etc that come with the typical agriculture operation.

    But the pair now supplying a school kitchen and growing by inches not yards or acres. I was there at the Slow Money of Maine meeting to help out with a pair of presentations from Aroostook County. From both ends of “The County” the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. Up here in the “Crown Of Maine”.

    First the County Co Op in Houlton Maine. Check out their Facebook page. Along with co-presenters, located two hours further north Market Street in Fort Kent Maine.

    Keep it simple. Let’s grow it here in Maine and feed ourselves.

    And attract tourists to sample the delicacies of carefully grown, all healthy food. To create sustainable agriculture systems for right here in Maine. The space I call all natural, unfiltered, always pure. The place to unplug, recharge. Where if we all roll up the sleeves, pick ourselves up by the bootstraps in a shifting economy great things happen. The awareness shift back to local food happens. Leads to other home grown endeavors. All started by the back to the land thinking about everything.

    Maine Slow Money Group Meeting.
    Presentations By County Co Op Of Houlton, Market Street Co Op In Fort Kent Maine At Slow Money Of ME Gardiner Meeting.

    We can create more locally sourced farm to table Maine food.

    Making us depend less on outside Maine forces that cripple. Siphoning the money in a state not flush with it which weakens. The farmer’s markets, pop up tent outlets, food co ops, acoustic soup, Taste Of Winter suppers all helps out the famous Maine tourist industry too.

    It is way more than just creating health food systems from wholesome organic food in Maine. But making healthy communities in the Pine Tree State that starts creating the richness. The real wealth locally out in the local not out of state farm fields.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • Aunt Charlene Belonged To A Local Maine Food Co Op.

    Once a month, Aunt Charlene would do her part in the distributing of the bulk food order from the local Maine food co op.

    And ordering for what everyone needed for food supplies was done in the Ronald McDonald Room ironically. Downstairs where the little kids get wired on way too much cake and squeal, NASCAR fast circling the area the tall clown with the big feet, way too much lipstick and the wild red hair hangs out under the golden arches. You know, the place where you deserve a break today, change back from your dollar, Mickey D’s. Don’t forget to super size that value meal deal. Move ahead please.

    Eating healthier dark, heavy multi grain breads, letting go of bleached wonder white air puff stinking thinking.

    Pass the yogurt and that red pepper humus will you please? The joy of having the Maine home pantry stocked with the good stuff. To spread around the family kitchen table that is highly nutritious. Bulk bought food where you fill, store, have ready everything you need to knock down the meal times.

    To save money on avoiding all that colorful, eye catching, wallet opening marketing containers. That razzle dazzle a tired, hungry, in a hurry person pushing the wire cart with always the one bad, squeaky peg leg wheel. The place with the muzak, where you pay more for one can of corn rather than buy the whole case wholesale thinking foiled.

    Less trips, not dependent on the grocery store means more time, money for something else.

    Not running the roads as much. Savings happening, building for peace of mind, those rainy days. And along maineflowers3with the food co op bulk buying when the freight comes in, weaving in the food you grow yourself outback in the garden plot.

    The close to home locally raised produce, fruit, veggies you score when in season has another conveyor belt into that same pantry too. Fresh is best. But canning and preserving part of the ritual in a Maine household.

    Eating better, less stressed, feeling in the pink.

    You are what you eat. Not trying to just be trim but fit too and eating healthy. Because your body is a temple, something to protect, preserve and to enrich life by daily maintenance of the physical, spiritual, mental health balance. To keep it that way.

    In balance with moderation and awareness of what is going in the pie hole. The good thoughts coming out of the same portal. Or remaining silent if there is a storm in the heart or head and oh oh, here comes a tongue lashing. Heads are going to roll. Venting helps put out the fire, but inner joy, peace extinguishes the need for all that kindling to maintain and build the blaze right?

    Not happy, poor me is a choice. Staying that way is plain lazy.

    But not so hand stand, heel kicking clicking happy goes hand in hand with not feeling so hot. Maybe because the diet is not helping. But often the last place they look under, behind. It’s all in your head may need to move over with the what are you putting, funneling, siphoning into your gut cowboy? Besides that can of beans, beef jerky, slice of cactus? Washing all that trail dust down with a gallon of swamp water. MMmmm not so good. No, I’m not going to pass the Little Debbie’s oat pie hombre. You’ll get your shot of formaldehyde when it’s RIP time.

    Here is a Maine food co op directory that needs to be added to, feel free. Update to display where locally you get your bulk food, the know where it comes from and how it was grown vittles your family deserves. That’s so so important to the simpler, healthier living in Maine schema.

    Another portal to throw, toss into the grocery cart for the Crown O’ Maine Organic Cooperative. Nature’s Circle in New Limerick Maine still one more shining star organic food operation that is anything but Mickey Mouse, rinky dink. Or maybe you need quality seed to start your own backyard enterprise for good wholesome, grow it yourself food? Wood Prairie Farms is a good resource to add to the list in your determination for better, healthier living in Maine.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com