Earthlings Coop/Internet Grocery

For almost ten years now, some Richmonders have been getting organic pre-packaged foods and goods through the Earthlings Organic Food Cooperative, which has been based in Oregon Hill. The cooperative name sounds impressive but really its been more of a buying club with aspirations. Roughly once a month, Earthlings members order their buying selections through an internet website and then a truck from United Foods comes and delivers the cooperative’s order. For the last two years or so, the delivery site has been on Sundays on Linden Street near the William Byrd Community House gym, Grace Arents Community Garden, Byrd Market location. A scene from last week’s delivery:

Members help unload the truck and organize the delivery to their homes. Some orders are ‘splits’ which means a bulk order with members taking different portions from it. The idea is that this supports organic food choices, makes organic food more affordable, increases community involvement in food, lessens the carbon footprint, and offers a good alternative to traditional grocery shopping. Whether the idea works depends on having enough people involved to get a good-sized order with members volunteering. The aspects of internet grocery shopping are also part of the mix.

Personally, I would love to see the Earthlings concept get combined in some way with the Byrd Market and local CSA’s for fresh produce, but coordinating deliveries is still problematic. In the meantime, the Earthlings coop is looking for new members. Please contact Mim Scalin at mim4art at gmail.com or Kathleen Travis at travis.kathleenc at gmail.com if you are interested. You don’t need to be an Oregon Hill resident to apply (but it doesn’t hurt, either).

3 thoughts on “Earthlings Coop/Internet Grocery

  1. More on the topic of local food production/security:

    This map from Perdue University accesses crop production statistics at
    the county level. The information is not up-to-date; it comes from
    back in 1997. What even that old news does provide is an interesting
    base line for research regarding local food production.

    Items of curiosity for the Richmond Area:
    http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropmap/virginia/counties/henrico.html
    http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropmap/virginia/counties/hanover.html

    Total US Crop Map (click on state, then locality for details):
    http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropmap/default.html

    Comparisons of metropolitan areas are revealing. Anyone, say,
    considering relocating to or from a given area can consider relative
    food security based on the ratio of greenbelt to high-density
    population center.

    Anyone looking to grow food to fulfill a particular market need might
    gather up-to-date research by asking potential food retailers &
    restaurants what they would like to have locally grown for their
    customers’ demand to keep dining daily. As less food can be
    affordably trucked in from elsewhere, the answer more frequently
    becomes, “Anything & everything that grows in Virginia.”

    What are some of the crops included in “anything & everything that
    grows in VA”?
    http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropmap/virginia/crops/vegetable.html

  2. respected sir/mam

    i need a help regarding earthing problem
    i want to know how to do proper earth in
    hill side area will u please help me

    thanking u
    ssp

  3. Pingback: Oregon Hill » Natural Food Coop on Pine Street? - Richmond, Virginia

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