Local Food Update and Going Forward

 

It’s really weird how things happen. Sometime after the previous posting, I was locked out of my Blogger. I thought I would never get in; I’d reached a point where I could only hope that Blogger would eventually delete the blog. Finally, after not attempting sign in for many weeks, I decided to go at it once again, and yes, I am here because I was able to finally receive that G-code. I didn’t want the previous posting to be the last thing published to this Local Food blog. 

This post is sort of about food, but of the kind of food that supports the spirit and mental well being of community. 

I begin again. Kroger – the problem being attributed to the technological malfunctioning. Specific questions I posed to the representative employee were responded to by referring me to their corporate statement. It took a while before I could enter any of their stores again; and I seek to never be in store alone, and my exit is slow to make sure that the “machines” have okayed my purchase. May my experience, and Kroger’s offering results and understandings, be experienced through all Kroger management connections. May all the minds and hearts involved be open to healing and healed. 

What a shit storm we are currently living through as our nation goes through a world pandemic and an important social and political recconing! I have always, yes, always believed that we (holding to our national principles) could face our misrepresented past with truth and integrity and not fall prey to the bulley pulpet and adopt true national history atrocities. I never on my worst days imagined that I would live to see persons who say they are for the US move forth an insurrection; and that even as I write this some who do not show support of our democratic principles are attempting to rewrite the story. Perhaps Alzheimers or fear has taken hold on these politicians, and they have forgotten oaths taken to stand for the people, and pledges made to their constituents and the nation, and now with clay feet can set aside truth, honor and justice to censure truth speakers. 

Our nations tattered past story is being outed and presented for the cast system it is. I recall asking a history teacher back in the sixties what the difference was between India’s cast system and the legislated systemic system in the US. They looked the same to me. I was told that I did not understand. Even then, I knew that it was she who did not understand. 

We, the people, have the opportunity to “do the work” to cleanse our nations palate and heal the dishonest and dishonerable past foundation story and replace it with truth. We have the stregnth necessary to do the tough inner and outer work for our national healing. Not an easy task in any way, yet essential that we reach for it. 

I think that the majority of people want a unified country and are willing to explore ways to heal and make this happen. Many understand that supression of others and is not an allowable option. Many realzie how much of their self has to be reduced (is shamed) to hold another down because when someone supresses another because of unconscious or conscious entitlement, they, the surpressor is holding themselves right down there too. 

It is time to let go of the shameful past story and actively reach for what I imagine most want; abundance of joy, love, kindness, health, home, community of wellbeing, regeneration and uplift for every home and on every plate in the kitchen. What a melting pot of a smorgasboard of resources we have to feast upon! 

It is clear that we as a nation, and planet are up against the wall and the “bozo’s”. The real vampires are coming out of closets ready to strike at any who threaten the green blood supply. Either we will love ourselves, love our children and theirs yet to come, love our country and our planet home enough to put our collective energies toward the care and necessary shift work to move this country forward and long term, so that we can continue as the human race. 

Those who cultivate division do so as a necessary distraction and thankfully, more people seem to recognize current actions targeting voting access as acts of desperation; attempts to limit the voice of the people. Acts of fear. Limiting the voice of the people by representatives who are supposed to be representing all constituents is, from my view a relinquishing of sworn national responsibilities so that unsustainable ideas and institutions can continue grasping to ideas that are infertile seeds. 

 Our nation stood against the cast system of India and the segregation within South Africa and continue to wage wars all over the globe in the name of democratic principles (and resources). I have watched, I have listened, and I have questioned and asked through more than half a century of decades, when will the same efforts for justice and equality be taken by the US government to secure the rights of American citizens whether Indigeneous, stollen into slavery or imigrant? Silence regarding unequal treatment is never an option. We as a nation have a great opportunity to love forward. 

Our energies can go toward connecting, healing, stregnthening and rejuvination. I think that most people are ready to balance and heal the collective spirit of this nation because many still hold to an American Dream. Our nations principles are held as an ideal to work toward. I hope that we understand that a shadow will remain across our country as long as we do not not look honestly at our historical past and actively allow the nation’s healing to begin. 

New humanstory books are being written to offer a truthful and inclusive American foundation and development story. Someday, sooner than later, I hope that America will get over fear of its real back story; that we as a nation can move forward with the real American her/history in the hands of all of our students. We are more together. Together, we human beings, have a potential beyond extinction; we have the potential for regeneration and the creation of an amazing country fruited by our collective efforts. 

There is much work to be done. Let’s make steaming piles of compost out of fear, deception, ignorance and hate. Feed a love that nurtures heart, mind, body, family, community, country, planet; there is much love; yes there is love in action here in America, and upon the earth. Our survival as a species depends on our being a loving kind, the health of our nation depends on us growing up, growing together, and becoming a regenerative loving kind. 

End Note: 63 Suffragists of Color Quilt, a commemorative quilt made in celebration of suffragist was recently on exhibit in the Grunwald Gallery in the Eskanazi Museum with a Voters Timeline for People of Color. You can read a little about the quilt here. https://quilterscomfort.blogspot.com/ 

 

 

Key words Kroger, voting, cooperation, healing, regeneration, community, love more, government, voting, compost, local food, local food bloomington, @localfoodbloomington, Indiana, food shopping, hope, collaboration, environment, quilt, Eskanazi Museum, Grunwald Gallery, suffragists

A Few Good Things about Bloomingfoods Coop And Why It Matters in Community

A Few Good Things about Bloomingfoods Coop And Why It Matters in Community

Local Apples Bloomingfoods Fall 18 by Patricia C. Coleman.  Apples are from Apple Works Orchard

Bloomingfoods matters.  I’ve asked a few people to tell me a few good things about Bloomingfoods.  Most of these folks have decades of experience with the Coop and are also member-owners of the store.  I encourage you to share your own reasons why Bloomingfoods matters. 

- Bloomingfoods and Coop was founded in 1975 and laid the foundation for the mega organics and bulk foods now being sold and consumed in Bloomington, Indiana and in most other communities across the nation.  Everyone realizes that Bfoods is in a major shift time.  What happens to the foundation of healthier foods truly depends upon the community of its members.  Even if you have been hurt by some past experience, that is just it, a past experience.  Let’s all grow on and up otherwise we step aside and allow mega corporation dollars to roll over the foundations of local foods in communities as it forces its way across the nation. 

Those very same corporations that now have their own organic brands previously spent huge sums of money working to deflect  and destroy coops, organic standards and GMO regulations for the healthy foods markets here and in other countries. 

The Coop is a store that has played a role in supporting some local growers and farmers and vendors and made the welfare of growers everywhere a priority.  Bloomingfoods created educational and community opportunities fostering the understanding of healthy food for healthy people and healthy community.  For decades Bloomingfoods has nurtured the seeds of sustainable community.  

I asked a few folks to tell me a couple of good things and here is some of what was offered. 

I appreciate Bloomingfoods because :

-- Bloomingfoods is locally owned, by its members.  This is just one thing, or maybe two,

-- it's the one that matters most, and that no big chain can match

--it is earthy and offers community and a sense of belonging

-- there is so much for shoppers and members to like:

---I can buy favorite foods, even kombu from Japan!

--It is a store where you LOVE to run into friends

--of the fact that Bfoods is of the community, for the community

--the staff for whom this is more than a job

--the comforting scale of the buildings

-- I have seen little children grown up shopping with their parents and then take their

   first jobs there

--of the bulk foods section

-- if I don't like something about Bloomingfoods, I have the power to try to change it

    through the democratic process.  How much power you have depends on whether

   others agree with me, and how involved I'm willing to get. The decisions in national  

  chains are made who-knows-where, to profit the owners or shareholders; if it's

  profitable to close a community's only natural-foods store, for instance, they'll do it. 

--It matters that Bloomingfoods is owned and run by members of our community.

--that it is a welcoming place

--it is ours

--it is a welcoming safe place for my children

--the big variety of local and organic foods

--the affordable and delicious deli

 --good food equals good health which equals longer life expectancy

--co-op is an opportunity to guide our youth in cooperative principles they may not   

   receive elsewhere in their education

--It is a place that has supported local growers and producers educating the larger

   community regarding health and community benefits of locally grown food.

--that it helped educate this city to the amazing health benefits of food.

--  it has helped the community to develop an infrastructure toward sustainability. 

-- it has the good old co-op feeling!

--of the fact that it connects personally to so many peoples’ story and a gem that you

   can still come home to, though very different, you can still come home.

Bloomingfoods Coop has offered and continues to create employment opportunities that connects community through owner membership and education and this has been part of the national muscle that works to educate and obtain protective regulations regarding organics, GMO’s, Monsanto’s pesticides and food labeling.  Our Coop has been invaluable in community building and local foods education in particular and the organization worked diligently with local groups and individuals to develop and strengthen our local Farmers Market, Tuesday and Wednesday Farmers Market as well as the Winter Farmers Market. 

Bloomingfoods Coop is here because a small group of local people received a loan from, I think Cathy Canada, a then local because they valued having healthy organic and bulk foods available in the community.  Cooperative membership has grown to more than twelve thousand member owners.  These members and the community at large will decide what happens to the mother and father of organics, bulk and whole foods in Bloomington. 

I hope that every small business is paying attention because this pattern of destroying or neglecting locally owned small businesses in favor of those with large purses is truly death to communities.  Check out what membership means at Bloomingfoods Coop https://www.bloomingfoods.coop/members/

I want to believe that people in this and other community’s want more connections with their foods than a faceless corporation can ever give.  I hope that the people here want stores that nurture and ultimately will try to stay within our community when times are tough. 

I hope that you will share into the larger community your reasons for why Bloomingfoods matters. 

I am member #244 and I think that the Coop matters.

Local Food Fairy

localfoodbloomington@gmail.com