High Plains Food Cooperative

The High Plains Food Co-op is truly a local organization. In the true form of a cooperative business, every member is part owner in this co-op. As a consumer member, I get to know the producers who are growing, raising and preparing our foods. The selection and variety is phenomenal, the quality of each item I have purchased (I have been a member since last June) is outstanding, and being a part of this will make you feel like you are in a special "family" of people.

Organizations like High Plains Food Co-op are going to make a huge difference in our ability to buy locally produced, high quality foods at a reasonable price - in turn helping the environment, and rebuilding our economy from the community up!

Here is just one example of the difference of buying through the Co-op: if you go to the grocery store and buy a 1lb package of hamburger, take it home and cook it, you will end up with about 2/3 to 3/4 pound of cooked meat - if you're lucky. That's because most of your meat has been injected with water (not to mention other things!) and food coloring to plump it up and make it "pretty" for display. When you buy a 1lb package of hamburger from any of the dozen or so producers through the Co-op (so you still have consumer choice), take that hamburger home and cook it, you will end up with pretty close to 1lb of hamburger. Most of this meat is so lean, that you don't have shrinkage from that, and it isn't injected with 30% water! On top of that, when you are on the web site placing your order, you can find out exactly how the beef was raised, including fed, and know what has been injected - usually nothing! It is truly informed consumer choice.

Now, just before you go on the site and come back discouraged because you couldn't get every single thing that you are used to finding in the grocery store - no matter what the season - remember that we can't grow things like tomatoes and cucumbers in this region during the winter! Of course, you can't find everything at the co-op all year round. That is a big part of the point! This is realistic eating locally and regionally. And the producers will go out of their way to please you!

By the way - try the sunchokes (jeruseleum artichokes)! They are incredibly delicious and so easy to fix! I have many other favorites - Becky's Bierocks, have to have them; meat from all the producers that I have tried is top quality, including the best, leanest bacon you will ever find; and I can't go a month without ordering my decaf chai tea kit!

Seriously! You have to try this!