Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Mills Organic Farm

This is a profile written by our group as part of our marketing materials. I have published this here as an example of some work that we have done.

Mills Organic Farm
Kevin Lee

Portlanders definitely have local pride. They adorn their vehicles with local bumper stickers, drink locally micro brewed beer, and a select few realize the importance of eating food grown in the pacific wonderland we call home. But nobody quite knows what it means to be an Oregonian like Glen Mills.More than 81 years ago, Mills was born on a rural acreage just outside of Newberg - in the house that he still calls home.On a warm morning in early March, he emerges from the front door of his humble home and stands in the carport at the entrance of the 50 acres of land home to Mills Organic Farm. The land and the structures to his back tell the story of 100 years of farming.He introduces himself with a firm handshake and moves toward a row of raised plant boxes. Mills jumps onto the side of one of the three-foot high boxes with the agility of a 20 year-old. He uproots a handful of vetch he has planted in the beds to increase the nitrogen levels of the soil organically, fueling the crop he will plant there in just a few weeks.Mills wears locally produced Keen boots, Hustler blue jeans and a black Carhartt jacket. His hair is short and silver and his hands, lined like a book, are symbolic of Mills passion and encyclopedic knowledge. “I kind of understand the land,” Mills says, alluding to the fact that he has seen his land through the thick and thin of the better part of the past century.He jumps off the side of the box and walks toward his organic kiwi orchard where he explains the work of his “most important creature”. These creatures happen to be earthworms, which have the difficult task of rebuilding the soil that has been eroded during the past 100 years due to cultivation of the land. A little more than 20 years ago, Mills drilled a well and began irrigating his land rather than cultivating, but the damage had already been done. He relies on the worms to rebuild the nutrient-rich topsoil at a rate of one inch per ten years.Behind him are nest boxes for birds and bees, which Mills utilizes to pollinate his crops. He grabs a box full of bee larvae to expose what will hatch in the next few weeks to begin their yearly work as the weather warms. Each process of the farm is left to nature. The bees pollinate the fruit, worms compost the leaves, and Mills uses an organic clay dust to prevent insect infestation of his fruit.Being an organic farmer, Mills has made a commitment to refrain from using any type of chemical pesticides or herbicides. As a child, he recalls, the farmers would spray the crops with lead arsenic to keep the pests away. He remembers coming into the same farmhouse he lives in now, covered from head to toe in a visible coating of the highly toxic chemical. “But it didn’t have any effect on me,” Mills says laughing; comically shaking his head and arms side to side.Mills swings open the door into a barn that is reminiscent of a Tim Burton creation. The walls are covered with old exhibits and instructional paintings from the walls of the original OMSI where Mills worked for 29 years as an exhibit director. He weaves through exhibits of molehills, and root grafts, drying chambers, and conveyor belts. He throws open another set of doors to reveal an oversized looking version of a bingo tumbler. The rusted iron apparatus with a system of pulleys and chains is a walnut sorter – an essential piece in the harvest and packaging of one of his many organic crops.Mills walks from conveyor belt to husker, describing with precision the operation of each machine. He stops between each of them to share a tidbit of fascinating information about the flora, fauna, and friends he has made throughout his lifetime.He was born into farming, and has learned the practices from family, friends, practical experience, and a number of books. He works 18 of the 50-acre estate and has practiced organic farming for the past 50 years – being certified for almost 20. When asked why he began growing organic fruits, he simply replies, “they don’t have poison in ‘em”. Mills humbly admits he doesn’t know the intricacies behind organic produce, but he does know that he didn’t like being exposed to pesticides. He also knows that buyers of his products recognize a difference in freshness and taste of the produce. He says that though it hasn’t yet been proven by science, he is sure that organic produce contains higher levels of trace minerals that the body needs than conventionally grown foods. This, he believes, is because of the nutrients that organic farmers must put back into to the soil naturally that are simulated chemically in conventional farming.Unlike many of us, Mills is fortunate enough to know the history behind his work. Farming has been a part of him since his birth, and it has always been a family affair. Now, Mills works with his son on the 18-acre farm. The two of them see to every miniscule, but essential task on the farm from planting to pruning, harvesting and marketing. It is getting harder though, he admits.Though full of life and fervor, the fact of immortality poses the question of what will happen to the farm after Mills. “The kids are smart enough not to get into farming,” he says, and one of the challenges of being a small farmer is finding help that is willing to do hard work. “We are too educated in this country to do manual labor,” he says. “As a farmer you have two choices,” Mills explains, “You’ve got to be a big farmer, or you’ve got to do it yourself”. Because it is difficult to be profitable as a small farmer, Mills predicts that in the near future all of the produce we eat as a country will be imported or farmed on a large-scale conventional farm, influencing both freshness and quality. As a society, we are making it impossible to survive as a farmer, he explains, especially a local, organic farmer.Mills is used to hard work, though, but it doesn’t stop him from smelling the roses. “You’ve gotta have a little fun while you’re farming,” he says, “Otherwise you’d go crazy”.Mills Organic Farm is located on NE Springbrook Road in Newberg, Oregon. Glen Mills is the owner and operator of the 18-acre family farm. The land was certified Organic in 1989. They produce apples, cherries, figs, grapes, kiwis, pears, persimmons, plums, and English walnuts. You can support their local, organic farming practices by purchasing their produce at People’s Food Coop, Food Front Coop, and New Seasons Market.

Mt. Hood Organics Profile

This is a portion of the marketing materials that were generated by our group.

Mt. Hood Organic Farm
T.J. Boeschen

Perched on the bountiful flanks of the Hood River Valley and dominated by the staggeringly beautiful vistas of Mt. Hood, sits a veritable agricultural Garden of Eden. John and Brady Jacobson are the proud founders and owners of Mt. Hood Organics, a 200 acre apple and pear farm which has supplied fresh produce to the People’s Food Cooperative of Southeast Portland for the last 20 years. This remarkable stretch of earth has been nourishing many a Portland shopper with organic fruit since 1989. Through his conscientious stewardship of the land, John has earned not only “USDA certified Organic” qualifications, but also the prestigious title of being a true “biodynamic” farm. As one peruses the verdant isles of Peoples’ produce section, the artistic display of the “fruits of the earth” burst forth as a tangible cornucopia of choices which most certainly would have inspired both the admiration and envy of the initial farmers who first turned over the soil of this region centuries ago. This article labors to identify John as a truly unique individual who represents not only the idyllic example of a man who has dedicated his life to a dream, but also distinguishes him as a proud spokesman of the Organic farming revolution which is just now beginning to come to the forefront of mainstream American society. As “going green” and “eating organic” have slowly moved inward from the fringes of the typical American consumer’s mode of thinking, it becomes more and more important to establish the link between the farmer and the consumer amidst the confusion of today’s modern shopping environment. This can be achieved through conscious representation of the “real” farmers who toil day in and day out to bring us the most nutritious, most healthy, and most flavorful of produce, wherein each pear or each apple actually carries a fascinating story along with it. This is the story of John Jacobson, a man who has certainly learned to separate “the wheat from the shaft” and revels in both the struggle and the rewards of living out the fading lifestyle of the classic American agriculturalist’s dream.About 16 miles south of Hood River, Smullin Road branches off of Highway 35 and leads the more intrepid of travelers through a towering stand of evergreens which slowly gives way to numerous picturesque rows of apple and pear trees. While surrounded by fragrant fruit orchards the first time visitor cannot help but gasp at the raw beauty of Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood, which rise up from the rolling hillsides like two white sentinels…guardians of this sacred and pristine expanse of “terra firma”. Hood’s regal crevasses and striking glaciers seem but only a stone’s throw away as her foothills slowly morph into the very contours of the Jacobson farm. As John himself explains, “this land can sweep you away; just like a woman can sweep you away…I live here because it’s beautiful.” When asked why he has pursued the lifestyle of an organic farmer and what is it that really pulls him to the land, Jacobson’s flair for eloquent prose and his sincere earnest tone serve him well as he elaborates, quoting literary masters such as Steinbeck and Pearl S. Buck all the while. His answer reflects both the passion and the romantic nature of a man who loves what he does, is sincerely fascinated with life, and takes pride in leaving the spectacular hills of the Mt. Hood Organics farm much healthier and more beautiful than he found them nearly 27 years ago on Sept. 24th, 1981.“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, and also the most rewarding! What is the experience to live out in the land?… it’s a whole different lifestyle than living in the city, it’s seductive… the same experience as you might have by completing a marathon or some other great accomplishment or other things that invoke in us some kind of special feeling… it’s there every day when you’re living out in the land like this and you feel like, this is mine. We’ve had 10,000 years of joint farming history as people who stopped being hunters and gatherers, it’s somehow really in us; it’s an acquired trait. Having this land fits with what I like to do as a person also. I’ve come to learn about the value of architecture, and music, and literature, and a person’s life. I have the opportunity now if I need a farm building to pack my fruit in or store my equipment I can ornament it…me who’s not an architect or a wealthy person… I can make my finest effort to create something so that people will come along some day and say, ‘we see why he struggled to do this and he never pretended that he had any special talent at it’. How could you live in this place and not want to build a meadow or create an ornamented building that’s pleasing? There’s something in a human mind that resonates when they see good architecture, read fine literature or hear wonderful music. So it has that element of opportunity to it. It’s a pure thing to say, I love my land I’m a modern day Joseph Wayne (Steinbeck), and I want to have the finest thing… that some day somebody will come down to the end of Smullin Road thinking that they’re not going to do anything more than buy a couple pounds of organic fruit, or to rent a cottage to go skiing, or to get married here or be a guest at a wedding and see something where that just really makes them feel good, it’s like going to a concert and hearing fine music or reading a good novel…they’ll say, ‘I drove into this place and there were geese and ducks on lakes, there was lots of open area for the wild animals, insects everywhere you look, flower gardens and if you look at the flowers there are bees and butterflies all over them… this is a healthy environment. I looked at the buildings and they were WAY beyond what they needed to be to do the task, which was to grow and pack fruit, or to store a tractor. They were like some poor man’s Versailles, or some poor man’s Timberline lodge… ornamented with the unnecessary, and it told a story about animals that were going extinct, perhaps through a relief carving in the wall or through murals on a ceiling. I stayed in a room and I pulled open the shutters and I looked at the view and I said, this place is incredible, how come I didn’t know about it?’ Now that’s how you use the 26, 426 days of your life.”As we sit outside near the packing house, with the mountain reflecting the light of an azure blue sky behind us, a gentle breeze tousles John’s hair and he moves a calloused hand to brush a silver lock away from his gentle eyes. Clad in overalls, a flannel shirt and worn fingerless gloves which have frayed away to nearly nothing, Jacobson certainly fits the bill as the classic rural farmer and seems at home in his environment…blends with it as if he belonged to the land and the land to him. He goes on to mention that by growing organic fruit he feels like in a way he is literally rebuilding the land. There are many more wild animals now than when he bought the farm 27 years ago. As an example he explains with proud enthusiasm that they have elk every fall. Whenever the snow gets deep on the mountains they come down to lower elevations to find something to eat and they always find a home at the Jacobson farm. John gestures towards a small hill at the edge of a clearing in the forest off to our left and says, “there’ll be 40 of them in a herd, they’ll come down that hillside over there and stand there in the moonlight and eat the apples and pears that we’ve thrown out as compost. Every kind of bird that lives in Oregon, and migratory varieties as well, can come here and feel safe. There’s lots of food for them, there’s lots of insects here, we have more insects now than ever before because we don’t use herbicides, pesticides or fungicides; we don’t use any of that stuff.” Following the lead of visionaries such as Rudolph Steiner, in 2008 Mt. Hood Organics achieved full “biodynamic” status which elevates them even one notch higher than USDA “certified organic”. Though he admits that it perhaps won’t change the economics of the farm John says, “It’s more apropos of what we’re trying to do here as a family and the respect that we have for the land….it’s embedded within our morals and our values as organic farmers. There’s some satisfaction in that… you feel like you’re doing the right thing… particularly now that the world is coming to realize more and more that our impact on the earth is not a good one.”Mt. Hood Organics stands out as a perfect example of a more esoteric vision of what a farm ought to be. Jacobson’s tone shifts as he works to find the words and the analogies to compare his style of organic farm versus the growing number of organic corporate farms which have recently been snapped up by agribusiness giants such as Post and General Mills. This new wave of popularity has spawned an “organic frenzy” which has dramatically increased the demand for everything “organic” within a burgeoning $11 billion dollar industry. John’s concern for the future of organics echoes the words of author, Michael Pollen, who writes in The Omnivore’s Dilemma, “surely there comes a point when the process of industrialization will cost organic it’s soul.” John’s words come at a quicker pace and the frustration in his voice adds a note of tension which hangs suspended in the mountain air. “Because organic has become a growing thing among chain stores, there now needs to be more supply. People who own big farms and corporations that own big farms have realized that there is a market out there and so what they do is they buy a bunch of land, they look at the list of what makes a farm organic and they go out and get certified. The list is kind of like a syllabus from a college course…it has all the do’s and the don’t dos. Same for organics… (the list says) you can’t use these things or you can use those. So some big corporation who owns 1000 acres can come along and decide well, I’ll do it also. Do they really care about migrating geese or ducks that live in a pond at certain times of the year behind these trees that I built, well no, they couldn’t care less about that, they’d fill in the wetlands and plant an orchard there if they thought it was profitable. A biodynamic and an organic family farmer would really be more likely to care about the place, really care about the ground water and the air and minimize their use of water and take into consideration the animals that coexist with them on that piece of land.” Perhaps the next time we are pushing our shopping carts down the aisle it would behoove us all to remember that awareness breeds conscious decisions, which ultimately lead to informed purchases at the supermarket (or the farmers market for that matter). Once the connection has been made between the food we eat and the lives of those who grow it, that red D’Anjou pear or Jonagold apple sitting in our basket takes on new meaning. It does indeed have a story behind it. The hopes, the dreams, and the very livelihood of those who’ve invested so much energy to bring it to our table are all encompassed within the seeds, the flesh and the skin of the fruit itself. As the small family farm fades from the landscape of our modern industrialized world we must remember to cherish these stories and support the few “true organic farmers” who have managed to defy the odds and live out their dreams. Perhaps through fairer government legislation, consumer outcry for safe, pesticide-free, local foods, and conscious informed decisions, we can help people like John Jacobson continue to provide us all with some of the most flavorful and nutritious apples and pears which have ever been wrested from the soil of the Hood River Valley. Mt. Hood Organics was the first certified organic commercial farm in all of Oregon…let us all do our part to make sure it is not the last. Please take the time to learn about your local farmer and become acquainted with the details of their lives and the challenges they are facing today. As consumers, every day we have the power to promote and sustain many local farms such as John Jacobson’s little slice of heaven hidden away at the end of Smullin road. If you’d like to visit the farm to buy some fruit, have a picnic beneath the mountain, escape to a charming romantic cottage, or even profess your love and devotion to your new husband or wife, John’s email is: mthoodorganicfarms@gorge.net and his phone numbers are: 541-352-7492 & 541-352-7123. They also have a lovely website www.mthoodorganicfarms.com which gives the viewer a tantalizing glimpse of this magical piece of earth.

Final Reflection Assignment

1. The most valuable information that I gained from this class was from the reading and from the movies. This class offered an abundance of information related to the natural food industry and particularly the value of food and the importance of where is came from. Specifically the most valuable learning was the knowledge about the reality of the current large corporation organic produce and meat industry. The realization that organic is not necessarily good was so valuable to learn. To really understand all that goes into the organic movement and the truly important aspects of quality food is so important. Although I had an interest in organic before I took this class, I now understand the importance of local and the importance of understanding how the food was grown and produced rather than just buying because there is the organic sticker.

2. Working with the “Friends of Farmers” group was a rewarding experience. We agreed on the product we wanted to deliver and we worked well together without many issues. We had a good attitude within the group as well, all members participated evenly and worked hard towards the goal.

Luke Kincaid 10/10
Kevin Lee 10/10
TJ Boeshcen 10/10
Tara Barrick 10/10
Katie Kulper 10/10

3. I do believe that we met all the goals we set out to accomplish in the class;

-Introduce students to the complexities and challenges of healthy communities, related to urban design, society and food issues.

-Orient students to the particular history and culture of cooperative businesses and
the natural food industry.

-Provide students with ethnographic tools to successfully interact with individuals, groups and cultural landscapes, and be able to document and analyze their observations and communicate them to others.

-Gain a cultural sensitivity to be able to work with and understand the experiences of a diverse community of people.

-Learn environmental and social ethics related to sustainable agriculture, land use, and food issues.

-Apply experiences into a final presentation which demonstrates strong communication skills, critical thinking and reflection.

-Learn skills working with others, especially related to taking initiative and communicating in a direct an timely manner.

The class was organized in a great way. The reading was applicable, the movies were thought provoking and most importantly we were given a great deal of independence as students to create our own projects and carrying them out in a way that we say fit. This style of teaching I believe was similar to a job situation where we would be sent to accomplish a specific goal.

4. Daily this class encouraged us through the movies and through the reading to analyze our own personal lives and to change the way we think. The class addressed issues of fair trade, quality food, economics, societal norms and pressures, politics and governmental policies and we were encouraged to think about these things and do what we can affect positive change. The class also encouraged me to think about how my own decision affect the things around me. Simply the food purchases we choose to make on a regular basis affect all of the things I listed about.

5. People’s is a great organization and they were wonderful to work with. If I were to change things for future students, I would incorporate more opportunities to talk about the reading. All the reading are so thought provoking and there should be opportunity to discuss the issues raised.

Assignment #4

Luke Kincaid
TJ Boeschen
Katie Kulper
Tara Barrick
Kevin Lee

PART I: The largest problem area related to wider food politics or food industry that we have discovered is the large disconnect between the consumer and the producer. Samuel Fromartz uncovers the truth that often food usually travels between 1,500 and 2,500 miles before getting to the consumer in the grocery aisle (Fromartz 71). Also, farmers markets, like those held at co-ops like Poeples, are an alternative means for farmers to connect with their consumer rather than selling to a wholesaler or distribution center that causes an even larger disconnect and broken trail between the consumer and the producer (Fromartz 87).

PART II: It is the focus of People’s food Co-op to bring the community together and focus on the local aspects of food and food production while eliminating agro-business, establishing relationships in the community, and providing a wholesome place to shop. People’s website states that, “Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity.” It continues, “In the tradition of their founders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty openness social responsibility and caring for others.“ In an attempt to increase its market and community involvement, People’s is considering expansion or diversification of its products, possibly including a deli, or community kitchen that would increase People’s connection with the community in which it operates.

PART III: The strategy for overcoming the disconnect between the consumer and the producer will be achieved in the following ways:Methodology: collecting information regarding farmers that People’s does business with, visiting the farms, conducting genuine interviews that highlight the human interaction with the product, and using photographs to create a human connection in the store.Theories: we feel that based on what we know the customer will be drawn to the marketing materials that will highlight the human features of the products available at People’s based on the connection with the farmer.Timeline/Responsibilities:Week 1 (ending 02/16): contact farmers regarding interview and farm visitsWeek 2 (ending 02/23): conduct on-site interviewsWeek 3 (ending 03/01): continue on-site interviews, analyze and compile dataWeek 4 (ending 03/08): begin profile write-ups and marketing materials including posters and maps.Week 5 (ending 03/15): complete materials and prepare final product using produced materials and multimedia presentation.Kevin: Interviewing / ProfilingLuke: Maps of farms / PowerpointTJ: Photography / Overview WriteupKatie: Digital / Graphic Design ElementTara: Digital / Graphic Design ElementPresentation: The final presentation will include images of the marketing materials we have produced, an explanation of the profiling process, and the final information and profiles that we developed and how it will help People’s marketing campaign in the future.Final Product: profile write-ups, marketing posters including photographs and farmer information, and map.

Part IV: For my personal participation in this group marketing project I will partake in all the interviewing process of the farmers and will be in charge of creating a powerpoint and writing the presentation which will be presented in front of the class.

Part V: Within this project, we are practicing important skills which are goals within the capstone such as critical thinking, communication, ethics and the diversity of human experience. We have used critical thinking to analyze potential problem solving areas for People’s marketing as well as finding the best way to use marketing materials within the store. We used communication in the interviewing of the farmers, writing of the profiles and the presenting of our materials to People’s and the class.

Assignment #3

1) The book Omnivore’s Dilemma, written by Michael Pollan is an incredibly engaging book that jerks readers into an upright position on issues such at health and nutrition, the treatment of animals, the health of our environment, the inefficiencies of our corporate food system, the bureaucracy that dictates what will sit on the shelves of our supermarkets, the longevity of our local economy and so on. All of these are presented in ways that provoke us to thought; thought that hopefully will in turn provoke us to change. What kind of change though? This is a question that I have had to ask myself.

After reading Michaels book I have come to the following conclusions. Our food system is driven primarily by money, not social values or health or taste but money. People want to buy food cheap and producers want to produce food in the cheapest possible way to make a profit. As long as people will continue to buy these cheap foods then corporations will continue to sell them. Whatever the corporations need to produce is what in turn the farms will grow, usually corn and other high capacity foods. The only way to change this if you believe in higher quality food that is local and produced in an environmentally safe way is to show the farmer and the corporation that we are willing to pay for those beliefs. We must “put our money where our mouth is”. We live in a consumer based economy, which means that production will eventually go where the consumer wants it to go or at least where the consumer will pay for it to go. If I want grass fed beef, which I do, I must be willing to pay more for it until the point at which there is enough supply that the price will come down.

As far as what should consumers be eating? I personally feel that consumers should do their best to eat foods that are grown organically, treated humanely (if animal products) and comes from local growers and suppliers. There are several reasons for this; to understand exactly what you are eating by knowing where it came from and how it was made, to cut down on the use of fossil fuels to transport food & to support our local economies to ensure that farming is not outsourced, to maintain health by eating foods that have not been produced with chemicals, the use of GMO’s or produced in a manner that negatively affects the land and environment.

I would encourage people to eat whole foods as much as possible rather than foods that are highly processed because even if a company is local or the food is organic, when it is highly processed it can be difficult to fully understand just how the food was made and all the details of the ingredients and their quality. To ensure a healthy and safe product it is best to stay local, go with producers you know who grow organic and to keep it all unprocessed so you can do the processing yourself and cook food in a healthy way.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts and berries are reasonably simple to choose by seeking out a local organic farmer. When it comes to animal products however, choosing becomes much more involved. With meat, poultry and dairy not only are you choosing the product itself but all the food that was fed to that steak producing steer, milk producing cow or egg producing chicken. In many cases these animals are fed for a year or more until they are slaughtered; which means that so many items have potentially entered the body of that animal. How these animals are raised affects quality, taste, nutrition and fat content of the animal). What they are fed, how their feed was grown, if they are given hormones or antibiotics, whether the animals get exercise and clean air, do they sleep in their own feces. As you can see there are so many factors.

In the book Omnivores dilemma, there was a narrative about the life of steers on cattle feet lots. In the many examples it was found that these steers live in bare dirt pens crammed in with thousands of other steers. The quarters are tight so that the steers cannot move and will gain weight faster without exercise. For grass fed animals it was unusual to find that these cows are fed no grass as all. Their diets consist of 75% corn along with hormones, antibiotics to keep healthy, protein and liquid fat. The antibiotics are necessary because the animals are in such abhorrent conditions that if not for the antibiotics the steers would become sick and die; not only because of the feces and close quarters but because of the large amounts of corn in their diets which is very difficult for the rumen(digestive system) to tolerate. The protein and fat are necessary to achieve 4 pounds of growth a day so the cows will be ready for slaughter in a cost effective time amount of time. The protein comes from ground up byproducts of other cows and chickens and the liquid fat also comes from other cows that have been slaughtered.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Assignment #2

1a) The other day, I took a trip to the New Seasons Market to make some specific food purchases; sugar, tapioca, protein, apples and coconut milk. I chose New Seasons because I knew that there would be alternative organic options to some of the non-local items I was searching for. After a very long label reading, aisle searching process, I ended up with the following products: (each with a brief description of my purchasing motivations)

“Lets Do Organic” Tapioca – The only organic tapioca offering and the label revealed that the only ingredient was in fact tapioca and there were no surprise additions.

“Woodstock Farms” Pure Cane Sugar – This sugar is organic and after inspecting many of the organic sugars I discovered that several actually appeared to be bleached so I picked Woodstock brand because the sugar was an off white/almost tan color which lead me to believe it was less processed.

Gala Organic Apples – I chose apples because we are in season for apples and I chose these red Gala apples because they were the only organic apple offering from Oregon.

“Native Forest” Organic Coconut Milk – Although coconut milk is by no means produced locally I chose this canned offering simply because it was organic and therefore I felt more confident about the quality of the product. There were a couple different organic options and I chose “Native Forest” because the tapioca box recommended it.

“Biochem” Whey protein – Although I could not find any organic whey I wanted to stick with Whey because it is easily digested by our bodies so I looked for an all natural offering which there were a few. Interestingly, the all natural offerings appeared to have many surprise additives so after reading many labels I settled on Biochem brand because they had a Whey powder that was not sweetened and did not have flavors or any additive of any kind just 100% whey protein.

1b) When it comes to food, I am not easily influenced by external marketing if at all. I am a very pragmatic thinker when it comes to the things that enter my body. When I go to shop for food, rather than look at the posters or advertising, I immediately look for the labels, I am interested in substance. I think about additives, chemicals, whether food can be found locally, fat, sugar and sodium and calorie content. I see food as the substance which makes my body function and my mind perform, just as unleaded fuel is exactly what my car needs to function. Of course sometimes I eat for the taste rather than just what my body needs as in the case of the Tapioca pudding made with coconut milk, in that instance though I will at least try to find a version that is less processed and organic.

4) After spending time in New Seasons Market as well as People’s Food Co-op I discovered many differences. Immediately when I walked into New Seasons Market for the first time I was struck with the colorful, clean and sharp appearance. Expense has not been spared to make New Seasons an enjoyable place to shop. The lighting in nice, the produce is displayed wonderfully and there are samples awaiting you near the entrance. People’s co-op does not have the budget that New Seasons does to have the flashy store with all the wonderful displays and sexy advertising. Although there are product similarities everything comes on a smaller scale at People’s. Both stores offer organic, gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, local and other alternative offerings. New Seasons however is capable of offering numerous items of each product to supply for a vast majority of diverse people. New Seasons also works hard to appeal to the mainstream rather than only the alternative crowd. New Seasons offers many products that are imported, unhealthy and highly processed. For example you can buy Pepsi at New Seasons whereas you will only find alternative soda at People’s. People’s works hard to please their members but by no means works on a scale to offer it all or to offer multiple selections of each product type. The product offerings at People’s are much more specific with a smaller target market and all of the food more closely resembles their mission to provide food that is local, and organic.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Assignment 1

1a) According to Organic Inc it would appear that people often choose their food on the basis of taste.

1b) I do agree that food is often chosen on the basis of taste, however I don’t agree that we can make broad generalization about how food choices are made because it is very different for each person. To some taste could be the only factor, to others simply the nutritional value or perhaps the convenience or perhaps based upon dietary needs and perhaps many according to the price. I feel that it is necessary to not that some currently choosing food based upon price may not have a choice in the matter and perhaps if prices were lower then they would change their criteria. As for myself, food choices are made on the basis of nutritional value to my body. Second to nutritional value I make choices according to how the food is made (organic and local) and if these requirements are fulfilled, I choose based upon taste. I likely make these choices because my family has always been concerned with nutritional value and eating healthy foods.

2a) The film “Super Size Me” gives a bit of a grim outlook for the future of food. Morgan in this film would have us believe that ALL fast food companies are out to get us and their only aim is to make us fat and take our money. Rather than simply educate us on the harmful effects of eating fast food in excess, I feel that Morgan took more of a “scare tactic” approach in this film. While it is true that Morgan had an enormous decline in health, body composition and organ function, it should be noted that he did not exercise during the 30 day period and he did not make any attempt to choose the Macdonald’s foods that were less harmful. I do believe that Macdonald’s food is very unhealthy and should not be eaten very often, but if I had to eat at Macdonald’s for 30 days I would have the self discipline to pick my foods very carefully and I would also make sure to exercise regularly during that time. After reviewing the www.Mcdonalds.com website I have concluded that you could potentially eat a decent meal with a grilled chicken salad with low fat Newman’s Own salad dressing coupled with 2% milk or water rather than a soft drink and no fries. Classic chicken sandwich that you can order grilled rather than crispy which could also be ordered without fried and with milk. For breakfast there are hotcakes that could be ordered without syrup and there is also a sausage burrito which is not too bad. The film “Super Size Me” was an excellent opportunity to educate people about why most Mcdonald’s food is so unhealthy and how they can make wise choices about fats, sugars, oils, calories etc. I feel strongly that people need to be disciplined and learn how to make good choices rather than simply be scared away from certain foods.

2b) It is clear the Organic Food is more pricey in the market than non organic food. There are also many external costs associated with this type of food or I should say of not eating organic. One is the amount of chemical fertilizer that is saved from eating organic and potential antibiotics or pesticides that are used. Another cost which is represented in the price is the lower yield that is associated with organic farming and the fact that it is more labor intensive than conventional farming. In trade for these things however, you get a higher nutritional value, better taste and a clean conscience. The books “Omnivores Dilemma” and Organicize Me” touch on all of these points in different ways.

3) A cooperative business structure is one is which the members of the cooperative are also owners of the cooperative. The structure is one member, one share, one vote. Voting is another important part of this structure because all of the members have the chance to be intimately involved in the decision making process of the co-op. In addition to voting members often receive dividends from the organization.

4) My first impression of the business expansion at Peoples is that they have had great success. I have been to other co-op that are not as successful as People’s and I believe the difference is a clear vision and strong ideals. Customers seem to respond well to this environment where they know exactly what kind of product they will receive. Peoples does not attempt to carry a better version of all the things that other supermarkets hold, they simply carry what they can feel proud about it seems. I think they are running a good business because of this narrow vision. It seems though they have many ideas for further expansion which could derail them if they do not stay focused. I don’t think the goal should always be to get bigger.

5) It seems People’s has made a huge attempt to brand itself as the community brand. I think their brand can be summed up in the name “People’s”. For the people, by the people, owned by the people is the impression that I get. When you look at the website, the most noticeable feature is all the pictures of happy smiling people from the community, when you see the store you notice the large sign reading People’s and when you are in the store the employees are very friendly and there is a noted emphasis to show that foods are local and just how local they may be. For these reasons I believe their brand identity is local community.