Where we are: A group of Cheeselanders are trying to lower food costs by creating a co-op. The leaders of the project have sent around questionnaire asking for the types of food the members would like to purchase. They are also looking for volunteers to do the shopping and tend a community garden. They received a good response and are trying to put together a plan for how the co-op will operate.

June: I’ve put together a spreadsheet showing how many animals want what type of food.

Shirley: What is rack of yak? I’ve never heard of that.

June: I don’t really know. Maybe it’s like antlers on a deer?

Shirley: That seems a little wasteful. What would we do with the rest of the meat.

Evelyn: Maybe whoever sells it can find a use for the rest of it.

Clarence: Folks actually want canned vegetables? What type of animal uses vegetables in a can?

June: I don’t know. How would they even get it open?

Shirley: That really isn’t our issue. We need to find out what most animals want and try to find the best price.

Clarence: That reminds me. Do we want to interact with humans?

Shirley: We’d prefer not to. Why?

Clarence: I saw an ad for something called a Farmers’ Market. Apparently, humans bring stuff they’ve grown to this market and sell it to other humans. The pictures look pretty good.

Evelyn: But we couldn’t tell whether or not it was animal-friendly. Some of them were selling meat.

June: I’m not going anywhere near someone who could turn me into stew.

Shirley: I agree. We only buy from other animals.

Clarence: I found a couple of places where the more you buy, the less it costs per item.

June: That’s what we want!

Evelyn: Does it look like enough carnivores are going to join to let us buy meat in bulk?

June: Actually, it looks like the Carnivore Cafe and Bone Appetit would order enough to make it reasonable for the large cat families who want to join.

Evelyn: That’s good. We’re going to need a carnivore to do that shopping. I’m certainly not going to a market where I could be on the menu.

Shirley: That shouldn’t be a problem. That cute brown bear couple, Iggy and Sue, said they would be willing to head up the carnivore shopping team.

Clarence: I really like them. I’m sure they’ll do a great job. Do we have any volunteers to lead the herbivore shopping?

Shirley: The b!ison brothers, Gary and Larry, said they would give it a try.

June: Excellent! Are we set for sorting and distribution?

Shirley: Yes, we have several animals who said they would rotate through that.

June: Ooh. I think this is going to work! What about the community garden?

Clarence: A couple of the teachers at Myron Mockingbird Community College are going to head that up. They are going to give students credit for actually growing the food and also for marketing it to the co-op members.

Evelyn: That sounds wonderful! Any volunteers for the cheese?

Shirley: Several young goats want to try making artisanal cheese and selling it. They’re trying to talk some of their sheep friends into joining them.

Clarence: No cows? That’s disappointing.

Evelyn: After they see what the goats and sheep are doing, we might get some volunteers.

Clarence: Maybe we should ask at Pinochle Club?

Evelyn: That’s a good idea! What’s next?

Shirley: We have to create a list of the foods we will be offering and get pre-orders for the first delivery.

June: And we’re only sending the list to the animals who have paid their membership fee, correct?

Clarence: I think we should allow them to pay the membership fee with the first order. That’s what we’ll be doing with new members.

The other animals nod in agreement.

June: Okay. I’ll get the form put together. Let’s plan on the first Saturday of the month being co-op delivery day.

Shirley: We can make it more often if we get enough members to support it.

Next week: Does the co-op have a successful beginning?