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I. A produce co-op needs 12 reliable members to be truly effective
II. Each member is responsible for their "slot".
A. A slot requires $15.00 cash/check at each pickup to be used for the purchase of the next buy. members need to make payment when they pickup produce. Pickup is every other weekend; with the exception of holidays or treacherous weather.
B. Each member is responsible for picking up the produce for their slot. As a courtesy, pick up needs to be no later than 11:00. Pickup will be at a members home.
C. Members should sign up for the most convenient date for themselves. In order to keep all tastes in mind, we ask that buying partners be rotated.
D. Members will share in the responsibility of making the 3 month schedule. The buyer who has the "co-op notebook" last, during a 3 month schedule, is responsible for making a new 3 month schedule and distributing it to all the members along with their produce on the last scheduled pick up date.
E. Upon Request, there could be a meeting held to discuss questions and concerns once every three months on the same day as when we sign up for a new schedule at 10:30 A.M.
F. If a member wishes to purchase an extra slot, she should sign up to take an additional turn on the 3 month schedule.
G. If a member wishes to make a "special order", she should turn in the money for her order in a envelope, separate from here regular co-op money, marked on the outside with her name, item(s) requested, amount of money enclosed and any special buying instructions.
H. Each member is responsible for finding their own substitutes. For example, if you know you are going out of town and won't be able to use your produce that week, you need to find a substitute to take your place for that week. Substitutes will be listed in seniority order. You will also to let the upcoming buyers know who to call for pickup instead of you. Substitutes are required to pay cash when picking up for a member.
I. We ask, as a courtesy, for members to fulfill their turn of buying/sorting before resigning their slot.
III. Buyers are to shop the Dallas market four times per year. The produce companies have the best prices. Stall buying is retail, as they purchase from the produce companies. During the summer months, you might want to check out the growers who are in the area between the sheds. If you have extra time, their produce is usually fresh.
A. Buyers are asked to consider the following when buying for the group: seasonality, price, tastes of group and fruit/vegetable ratio. You may open the boxes and check for freshness/ripeness before they load your order into your vehicle and make a change in your order if needed.
B. Buyers will sort produce and call others for pickup. Please call no later than 10:00 to ensure members can pickup produce in a timely manner.
C. Buyers are responsible for collecting the money and for properly recording, in the co-op notebook, who has paid, method of payment and who has picked up. Buyers will also need to record any information regarding upcoming substitutes, so the next buyers know who to call for pickup. The co-op notebook should be released to the next buyers when all money has been collected. If you know you are going to be the next buyer, you might want to try to be the last person to pickup, around noon, so you can take the notebook with you.
D. Buyers will insert the receipt(s) for the produce they purchased in the co-op notebook in chronological order, with the most recent receipts being to the front.
E. Buyers need to record any bad produce we end up with and/or comments. If the next buyers let the produce companies know about any previously purchased bad produce, they will make it good, but we must remember to tell them when we are there face to face.
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