Organic Food Buying Clubs

Organic food buying clubs are part of the local food movement, encouraging the local production of food and providing a great way to get healthy, organic food at a great price. It can also promote the local production of excellent, organically produced foods, such as hormone-free raw milk, wheat, vegetables, honey, butter and cheese.

So What Are Organic Food Buying Clubs?

It's a group of people with similar interests in food who agree to band together to purchase a lot of food at a better price. They then distribute that food to the members at a discounted rate.

Whether it's beef, pork, or produce, you save money when you band together and buy a large quantity of food at a discounted rate. 

Just imagine it as your own local, organic grocery store where you have a real say in what's on the shelves.

Imagine getting your favorite organic food brands at a far better price, or having access to unusual brands of food. That's the beauty of organic food buying clubs.

Food clubs recognize the strength in numbers. A local producer might not be encouraged to sell organic raw milk if he only has one or two customers per week. But you can bet he'll be more powerfully persuaded if he can reach 100 customers who buy from him on a weekly basis.

Forming a Food Club

If you want a food group in your area, you will need to find at least 30 like-minded people in your area. How you find them is up to you, but if you are a member of any homeschool or church groups, those are good places to start.

Once you have your group in place, you'll need to start looking for food to purchase. You can find local farmers by searching through online places such as Craigslist and local Yahoo homesteading groups, if you have any (there are at least two of these pertinent to Oklahoma). Also ask for names of local farmers at your local feed dealers. Once you get some names, contact the farmers and ask if you can visit and see their farm. That will give you a good idea of whether the animals are healthy and well cared for.

Where To Find Local Producers

Visit local farmers' markets. You can often meet with the producers there and find out if they sell a bulk discount. You can also look for producers at places like Facebook Marketplace. Type in the word "produce" in the search column. You will likely get results such as fresh fruits and vegetables as well as beef and pork. 

Another good place to search is the site LocalHarvest. On this site, you can find a wealth of local producers from your area providing a wide range of locally produced food, including beef, pork, and poultry. 

Also, search for opportunities to sign up for community supported agriculture in your area. It’s a great way to contribute to the welfare of your community and get fresh, locally produced food. The process is simple: 

At the beginning of the growing season, purchase a community supported agriculture share. That upfront payment will cover the cost of seeds, required tools, and other needed items. After that, you will get distributions regularly of whatever is produced, including fruit, meat, and vegetables.

Because the food is going directly from the farm to your plate, it gives you a better appreciation of eating food seasonally. Plus, you get to experience new varieties of fruits and vegetables.

Related Articles:

Do you live in an urban area? Learn more about homesteading in the city here. 

Or grow a smaller garden in containers. Find out about container gardening here. 

Or you can grow herbs and certain vegetables inside using an aquaponics system. Here's what you need to know. 

Growing vegetables in a raised bed is an easier way to grow vegetables. You control the type of soil, and the smaller beds are much easier to weed. Learn more here. 

You can often keep chickens even in a small backyard, especially if you raise only hens. Learn how to keep an urban flock by clicking here. 

If your city won't let you keep hens in the city, you can change the laws. Learn more about it here.

Learn More About Self Sufficient Living

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About the Author

My name is Sue Merriam, and I began the journey of self-reliant living more than three decades ago, which enabled me to stay home with my children. Fifteen years ago, I founded Joyful Homesteading to help others save money and face the future without fear. My goal is to give you practical, honest advice so you can save money and experience the joy of simple living. I hope you join me.

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