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June 30, 2005
Ü Would Love Organic Valley
I have not mentioned recently how much I love Organic Valley. After their presentation at a dinner for high falutin' food funder types in Davis last night, I am compelled to gush about them. Again.
Here's why they are awesome: they're a cooperative completely owned by family farmers, not some ginormous industrial food company. They continually pay their farmers much more than the national average for their organic milk/eggs/whatever. The average age of their farmers is under 40, which is Totally Inspiring (the young folks get it!), considering the national average is over 55.
And their products are actually worth eating. That's not just my bias; their cheese wins awards, here and abroad.
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In another presentation, there were some wild statistics thrown out about cooperatives. According to someone who apparently knows a lot about these sorts of things, there are more co-op members in the US than there are people who own shares on the stock market. And more people in the US work for co-ops than for companies traded on the stock market. I don't care how many REI members or Good Vibrations employees there are (yes, they're a worker-owned co-op), I'm a bit shocked. Haven't tried to confirm or disprove the statement; I'm just passing it on for interest's sake.
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The Food. As it should be at any foodie event, the multi-course meal featured all sorts of goodies from local farms that were listed on the menu. Because I am a lightweight and had already had a glass of the Rominger wine, I was unable to partake of more than a taste of the 2003 Bonny Doon Vin de Glacière before driving back to SF, alas! At least I got home in one piece.
Posted by Elizabeth at June 30, 2005 02:40 PM