Date: September 3rd 2009

Dear Cooperators,

Summer is over and the harvest season has begun. And with it, I am very proud to tell you that the Kitsap Community Food Co-op is also in the process of harvesting the fruits of our labors. Beginning September 14, at our Semi-Annual Public Meeting, we will be selling our very first memberships! This is a vital step for our co-op, as it paves the way for us to begin to tap into the power of our member/owners to begin to capitalize our business. This initial money will enable us to put a down payment on a location, fund a feasibility study, hire a general manager, and much more.

For those who are unfamiliar with the way cooperatives work, instead of having one owner, a co-op has hundreds or even thousands of owners -- we call them "member/owners." In most types of businesses, there is anywhere from one to a handful of owners or stockholders who often front large amounts of their own money to get the business off the ground. In the case of cooperatives, our power is in numbers -- hundreds or thousands of owners means the investment needed from each is relatively small, and therefore, the financial risk involved is also lessened. However, we will need you to take this small leap of faith with us if we are going to be able to build your co-op. Will you join us in making this dream happen? We need your support now!

Come to the Public Meeting on Sept. 14th at Seaside Church in Bremerton from 6-9 pm to purchase one of these initial memberships, and help our dream grow! (More details about the meeting listed below.) Memberships will be $200 per household, and payment plans will be available -- more membership details to be provided at the meeting, and online at www.kitsapfoodcoop.org/Membership.html after September 14. Read more about how cooperatives work and why you should become a member at www.kitsapfoodcoop.org/Co-Op_101.html.

Cooperatively,

Laura Moynihan, Board President
Kitsap Community Food Co-op
laura@kitsapfoodcoop.org
(360) 813-1301
www.kitsapfoodcoop.org

P.S. I haven't had time to update the website about "FOOD, Inc." yet, but just to let you all know -- we made almost $400! This was the Orchard's most popular documentary to date, and the film was extended an extra two weeks -- my guess is because of YOUR support! Thank you, thank you, thank you! We hope you enjoyed the film as much as we did.


Co-op Fundraisers, Events & Announcements:


Please Support These Local Businesses, and Kitsap Food Co-op Fall Fair Sponsors:
Rodstol Lane Farm in Southworth www.rlf1916.com
Spark Creative Design www.sparkcreativedesign.com
Chiropractic Lifestyle Center in East Bremerton (360) 373-2225, and
Expansions Yoga in Port Orchard and Silverdale www.expansionsyoga.com


Come One, Come All to our 4th Semi-Annual Public Meeting
First Memberships Available!
Monday, Sept. 14, 6-8 pm (Memberships sold until 9 pm.), Seaside Church, Bremerton

Finally, at long last, we can proudly announce what we’ve all been waiting for... our first Kitsap Community Food Co-op memberships will become available at our next Public Meeting on September 14! Come sign up to be one of the lucky few who can say, I really was there at the beginning!

Enjoy meeting your fellow owners and participate in a one-hour interactive presentation by your Board of Directors. These meetings are fun & informative, and are preceded and followed by socializing and meeting other cooperators. Light refreshments will be provided. Come and be cooperative!

More information on the investment amount, payment plans, member/owner benefits and more will be available at the meeting. Memberships will be sold online after the meeting, so if you can’t make the meeting, member applications and more details will be available online AFTER the Sept. 14th meeting at kitsapfoodcoop.org/Membership.html.


Feast On Fresh, Local Farmstead Foods Prepared By Kitsap County’s Top Chefs
Peninsula Local Food Chef Showoff, Tuesday, September 15, 4-10 p.m.
President’s Hall, Kitsap Fairgrounds, 1200 NW Fairgrounds Road, Bremerton
Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the door, or online only offer of $40 per couple.

While local culinary artists show off their considerable talents at a sumptuous harvest feast on Sept. 15, its guests will be also served up some local music and fun during the Peninsula Local Food Chef Showoff, an evening filled with food, presentations, displays, and resources on how to connect young farmers, and every day residents with our fast-disappearing farmland.

Keynote speakers include:
Nash Huber of Nash's Organics in Sequim
Huber, the American Farmland Trust’s 2008 “Farmer of the Year” is a nationwide leader of and advocate for the preservation of farmland.
Kate Dean formerly of Mt. Townsend Creamery
Dean, renowned for her fabulous, high quality local artisan cheeses, has become well-known for her efforts in structuring creative ways of connecting young farmers with landowners.

Order on line www.LocalFoodChefShowoff.org, or in person at Monica’s Waterfront Bakery and Cafe in Old Town Silverdale; Hi-Lo’s 15th Street Café in West Bremerton; C.J.’s General Store in West Bremerton; Pheasant Fields Farm in Silverdale; or CBParkshore in Port Orchard. This event is open to the public and all ages are welcome. Help us out by telling them you found out about the event from the co-op!

About KCAA:
Kitsap Community & Agricultural Alliance (KCAA) is a community membership organization dedicated to building a local food network. The mission of KCAA is to provide advocacy for agriculture on the Kitsap Peninsula; enhance life, family and community on the Kitsap Peninsula; and connect agriculture with the Kitsap Peninsula community. Learn more at http://www.buylocalfoodinkitsap.org.


Mark Your Calendars: The Fall Fair is Almost Here!
Seeking Sponsors, Vendors, Volunteers and Attendees for Family Friendly Farm Fair
Rodstol Lane Farm, 4154 Rodstol Lane, Southworth
Sat., Oct. 3, 10 am - 3 pm

With a banner summer, autumn harvests are just around the corner… just in time for the Kitsap Community Food Co-op’s second annual Fall Fair! You'll have a number of activities to enjoy on this historic farm located in Southworth: "harvest" and carve a pumpkin from our mini pumpkin patch; see an old fashioned cider press in action; browse the many vendors displaying their wares for sale; listen to live music, purchase raffle tickets for TWO Southwest Airline tickets to anywhere (worth $850!) or one-of-a-kind tote bags designed by local artists; and new this year -- pony rides! We will also have a number of free activities for kids.

Sponsors: Last year’s event was a huge success, attracting an estimated 200 people for a first-year event, even in rainy weather. This year, with your additional support (and hopefully, better weather!), we are expecting 500. We welcome the consideration of locally-owned businesses and organizations who would like to become a Sponsor of this event. For just $100, you will receive mention on our website and email newsletters in the weeks leading up to the event, on our printed literature available at our Farmers Market booths in Bremerton, Port Orchard, and Poulsbo, as well as getting a mention at the Fair itself! Those interested in sponsorships should contact Lenore Burke at lenoreone@mac.com.

Vendors: We have 35 spaces available for local crafters, food, artisans and more. Our vendors were very pleased with their sales last year, and we expect an even bigger crowd this year! We will also have volunteers on hand to help you with load-in and load-out. Interested? Send a photo of your booth to Cynthia Mora at cynthia@rlf1916.com. Spaces are first come first served -- we sold out of spaces last year, so don't delay!

Volunteers: Contact Laura Moynihan at laura@kitsapfoodcoop.org if you are interested in filling a two-hour volunteer slot for this event. (We are also seeking people who will lend us their walkie-talkies to use at the event.) Meet other like-minded co-op folks and enjoy a free homemade dinner if you attend the setup session on Friday night!


Kitsap Community Food Co-op Raffles

Calling All Co-operators! Have you been wracking your brain trying to figure out how you can support and help the Kitsap Community Food Co-Op WITHOUT rearranging your schedule, taking on yet another project, or doing any heavy lifting? Well, here's your chance!

We need items donated for our raffle event at the Fall Fair on October 3. We are looking for expensive, rare and much sought-after items such as a bar of pure gold, the Hope diamond or the invention of a car that runs on air! However, if you don't have any of those things lying around, we will take other items such as a nice piece of art; outdoorsy-type things like a new backpack, binoculars, or tent; handcrafted jewelry... or you could offer a gift certificate for services such as a massage, dinner at an establishment (especially one that supports the Co-op), or a bouquet of flowers from a local flower shop, just to name a few ideas. We are looking for new / in new condition items that will garner much attention, interest and desire!

Please send your e-mails with a photo of the item to Lenore Burke at lenoreone@mac.com. We will make arrangements to pick up from you.

Thank you for your special support to the Co-op! Without our people, we won't exist!


Seeking Co-op Book Club Leaders

Do you have a passion for food-related authors and topics? Ever participated or lead a book club? We've had some requests to start a book club for books like "Food, Inc," "Omnivore's Dilemma" and others. This would be a great way to help the co-op, meet other cooperators, and help educate our community on these important issues. If interested in leading or joining a co-op book club, contact Jennifer Green-Mitchell at jennifer@kitsapfoodcoop.org.


Volunteer Opportunity: Looking for Help Sewing Aprons & More

We are needing some help making a few homemade tea towel aprons to sell at our Farmers Market and booth events. Got a machine? Can you sew in a straight line? You're qualified! The pattern is very easy, and we're also looking for innovative ideas for men's, women's and children's aprons, or other ideas. Contact Laura at laura@kitsapfoodcoop.org or call (360) 813-1301 if you are interested.