The week of Co-op

Is super busy for me. I am the frontier rep now and so I have all these orders that I need to get together before co-op day.

Okay let me tell you a little about what co-op is..

It is where I get most all my groceries.. There is no grocery store it is all done over the Internet and e-mail (which are very important).

But, basically I shop for organic foods that you may or may not find in Waycross. So, one day out of each month I travel to Hinesville and pick up my food. We all meet at a Church where a distribution team will make sure you get all the food that you have ordered. It is organized chaos in there. You will see people moving about all over the place hollering for this and that. Also, there is the wonderful background noise of all the home school children playing. You will see a team of weighers and the measure all the food to make sure you get the right amount. You will see a team of runners these are the people that the food that has been weighed and marked for delivery. Then you will see people who work on getting the grocery part out. Which is like canned goods or other items that don't need to be weighed or cut.

BUSY. BUSY. BUSY.

There are several of us from the home school group here that go and do the co-op thang. There are several reasons why I love the co-op.

~1. I go to the grocery store 50% less. I will spontaneously buy if I have to walk down an isle to get my groceries not in co-op. I have time to mull it over.
~2. I know the food I am getting is healthy and not injected with the bad stuff.
~3. I am able to plan my meals better this way. I have about 3 1/2 weeks to confirm my grocery basket.
~4. I get to meet new and wonderful people.
~5. I also get to hang out with them all day.

Day of co-op.. I usually try to leave the house about 10 mins to 10. Bro and I will load up with our snacks and lunches. We will eat at the co-op. It takes about an hour and some change to get there. But, when I do get there I have to unload my car.

It almost looks like I am moving out.. I have to be honest this back space is pretty packed on the morning of..I pick up for one other person and sometimes I may pick up for two. It just depends on the month and what is going on.

The Day After

Sometimes (if I have time) I will put all the cold food like eggs and veggies and chicken away on the same day. That is if I have time. Usually I don't.
So, if I don't them I leave it all in the cooler and do it the next morning..

I get everything laid out to see what I have and where it needs to go..I got all the lettus washed and cut up. I got all the broccoli washed cut and frozen in containers with enough for a side with one meal.
I separated and cut chicken and wrapped up enough in each package for a meal..

This is 25 lbs of chicken. Boneless skinless Breast and leg quarters.

Nice and separated ready for the freezer..
Organization is a big part for me I need things to be in order so that I can get what needs to be done! Done! I takes me about 2 to  2 1/2 hours to get all the food put away. It calls for another busy day..

But once it is all don't I have 3 1/2 weeks to recoup and do it all over again.

OH HOW I LOVE CO-OP!!!!!