Food buying groups
Some things there are sent to delight the heart. I had two come my way this week. You have to be so lucky!
The first was a post on Transition The Grove’s Food and Gardening Forum from heathere looking for people who are interested in bulk-buying food together. This sort of food cooperative whether completely spur of the moment or more formalised is a chance for great friendship and sharing to happen. It goes almost by its very nature right to the heart of what it means to be human.
Imagine us out there with a pack of the clan’s menfolk hunting down a beast together. We needed to be able to share the hunt and share the catch. There were no fridges and no-one could rely only on what they could catch alone. There were too many unpredictabilities. Luck might bring more than could be eaten or nothing at all for too long. Sharing is a key resilience skill a key survival skill.
The companionship of seeking food planting gathering together usually women’s work also is made possible as shared work a time for socialising and looking out for each other.
Bulk-buying food is a way to reduce cost of some of the staples. A trip to a wholesale warehouse or the Rocklea Markets for bulk purchases will result in very cheap fresh food in bulk quantities that are hard for one family to eat while fresh. Bulk storage over a long period has its own problems.
So sharing is a way to have the best of both worlds. The cheapness and freshness of bulk purchases and the sharing to get quantities down to a handleable amount. Sharing petrol for a drive to the warehouse or market.
Anyone interested in being part of bulk-purchasing? Get onto the Food Forum on Transition The Grove’s website and indicate your interest and we’ll make sure you get included.
I said there were two things that came my way this week to delight my heart. The second was when Transition The Grove member and friend Frank turned up on our doorstep laden down with a big basketfull of fresh fruit and vegetables from the Rocklea Markets. He and his wife Jeanette had made a spur of the moment trip that morningand he was sharing the bounty. The fruit and veges were crisp and fresh and we felt very loved and lucky. Of course it was also a great opportunity for a chat and a catch-up and fortunately I could give Frank a big slice of my second fruit cake (the first went fast and now the second has nearly gone!).
Isn’t it funny how the bonds of sharing and giving go so far beyond the mere physical things the carrots or apples or cabbage? Having companions on the journey who are friends and who are involved in mutually looking out for each other – what a difference they make.