THE FOOD CO-OP HANDBOOK: How to Bypass Supermarkets to Control the Quality and Price of Your Food

An essential reference work on the co-op movement which, in between the feminist and New Left polemics, offers all you need to know to set up and operate your own alternative to the monopoly pricing of supermarkets and American agribusiness. The four-member collective responsible for collating this information, researched all around the country, are active in the New England Federation of Co-ops and their commitment is not just to save money and improve nutrition but also to organize and educate the community. Politics aside, their sourcebook is most valuable for the many tips on the endless bugs that the inexperienced member is bound to encounter trying to put this utopian scheme into practice--i.e., making substitutions for unavailable items, keeping track of inventory, curbing nibblers, paying for spoilage, setting up order forms, acquiring the most basic equipment, spreading the work load fairly--not to mention hassles like taxes, food stamps or insurance. This is a very complete and realistic guide to a social experiment that's riddled with pitfalls but rewarding in every way.