Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Urban Greens Food Cooperative- Providence

My latest locavore food adventure was joining Providence's only cooperative food market, Urban Greens Food Co-opUrban Greens Food Co-op is a community of members who believe in establishing a full-scale, cooperatively owned market to expand access to healthy foods throughout our community.  They are scheduled to open this fall, I hope you join me and become a member in this sustainable food adventure.



So What is a Food Cooperative?


A food cooperative or food co-op is a grocery store organized as a cooperative. Food cooperatives are usually consumers' cooperatives and are owned by their members. Food cooperatives follow the 7 Cooperative Principles and typically offer natural foods. Since decisions about how to run a cooperative are not made by outside shareholders, cooperatives often exhibit a higher degree of social responsibility than their corporate analogues.  ^ The food cooperative. Guardian.co.uk. 8 December 2005.






The following information is from the Urban Greens website. 

Urban Greens Food Co-op?


Urban Greens is a food co-op working to open a full-scale consumer-owned grocery store on Providence’s west side, to provide direct access to affordable, local, natural products. Urban Greens Food Co-op evolved out of a buying club that began in the year 2000 and is still in operation today. By opening a community-owned grocery store Urban Greens will meet our community’s needs for healthy food, support our local economy, and provide a sustainable community based-alternative to corporate supermarkets.

The store will have about 6,500 square feet of retail space, with another 1500 square feet of office space and storage space: the size of a well-stocked neighborhood grocery store.  The atmosphere will be warm, friendly, neighborly and informal.  The members shop at Urban Greens for reasons of health, affordability, politics, community involvement and quality.  The co-op will welcome members of the community into the storefront through classes and workshops on topics such as nutrition, health, gardening and more.  All members will have a equal opportunity to make organizational decisions and to become involved in programing.

Mission


Urban Greens is a food cooperative on the west side of Providence with a mission to provide simple, direct access to affordable, local, natural products through a full-scale, community-owned grocery store.



Values



  • Equal Access: Every person, regardless of economic or social status, deserves access to healthy, affordable food produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
    •  Local Agriculture: Our health is dependent upon responsible stewardship of the planet's resources. Supporting local agriculture is an important part of this stewardship. Happily, local food also tastes better

    •  Local Economy: Small businesses, as opposed to national retail chains, keep a higher percentage of every dollar spent within the community. The co-op will help create and support jobs for local farmers, food producers, and staff.

    • Cooperative Principles, Cooperative Values: Cooperatives are based on the values of democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. As a cooperative, we believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.

    • Community Partnerships: Building and sharing strength requires actively seeking collaboration with neighbors, community members, local community groups, small businesses, non-profits, members and non-members.

    • Social Entrepreneurship: We can affect social change in our food systems through entrepreneurship. The cooperative measures success in terms of both social change and economic viability.

    Membership Options

    • The full one-time cost of a member share is $160, which can be paid in full or $40/year over 4 years.
    • We also offer the option to purchase a low-income member share, which reduces the cost to just $80, paid in full or $10/year over 8 years. (Download the Membership Form for more details about member shares)

    Contact Information


    Urban Greens Food Co-op
    1560 Westminster St
    Providence, RI 02909
    401-267-UGFC
    info@urbangreens.com


    I hope you join me and I look forward to seeing you as a member.

    Until I blog again:  Eat Well, Live Life and Be Safe

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Now Legal to Raise Chickens (hens) in West Warwick, RI

Urban Chickens - THE VOTE

TOWN OF WEST WARWICK
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
DATE: TUESDAY, JULY 17, 2012
PLACE: TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBER
1170 MAIN STREET, WEST WARWICK, RI 02893
Tonight the West Warwick Town Council voted and passed ORDINANCE NO. 2012- 6,
 
It is now legal to raise chickens (hens) in West Warwick, RI if you abide by the following:
 
TOWN OF WEST WARWICK ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL ORDINANCE NO.

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SEC. 4-24 ABATEMENT OF NUISANCE ANIMALS AND CONDITIONS, ADDING SEC. 4-24.1 KEEPING OF HENS AND AMENDING SEC. 4-34 KENNEL LICENCE OF THE WEST WARWICK CODE OF ORDINANCES.
WHEREAS: There has been shown an interest by the residents of the Town to raise hens for the personal consumption of home grown hens and the production for personal use of eggs from such hens, and

WHEREAS: The Town Council is desirous of enabling such endeavors but doing so in a manner that will be in the best interests of the Town and will have no adverse affect on the surrounding neighborhood, and

WHEREAS: The Town Council had been made aware of an error in the provisions for the issuing of kennel licenses and now desires to correct such error, Town Council

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDAINED that the Town Council of the Town of West Warwick hereby that the West Warwick Code of Ordinance shall be amended as follows:

Sec. 4-24. Abatement of nuisance animals and conditions shall be amended,

Sec. 4-24.1. Keeping of hens and shall be added, and

Sec. 4-34. Kennel license shall be amended as follows:
Sec. 4-24. Abatement of nuisance animals and conditions.

(b) In addition to those animals prohibited by Rhode Island General Law, the keeping of specific creatures is designated as a public nuisance: fowl, poultry except hens as hereinafter provided for in Sec. 4-24.1 hereof, rabbits, pigeons, poisonous snakes, pigs, minks and any similar species which carry or may carry and spread diseases or otherwise may be considered unsanitary or present a nuisance or hazard to the general public, except for the following:
(1) Pet stores that are in compliance with all applicable local ordinances and state laws;
(2) Agricultural enterprises that are in compliance with all applicable local ordinance and state laws;
(3) Research facilities that are in compliance with all applicable local ordinance and state laws;
(4) Creatures kept by special permit approved by the town council, with conditions as established by the town council;
(5) Rabbits and pigeons for personal enjoyment and/or use.
Sec. 4-24.1. Keeping of hens.
(a) The keeping of hens shall be subject to the following restrictions and regulations:
(1) The keeping of hens shall be permitted in Residential Districts only and shall be on a lot containing a dwelling in which dwelling the owner of the hens must be a resident.
(2) There shall be no more than 12 hens per lot.
(3) The keeping of any roosters is prohibited.
(4) All hens must be provided with both a hen house and a fenced outdoor enclosure subject to the following conditions, restrictions and regulations:
a. The hen house must be covered, predator resistant and well ventilated.
b. The hen house must provide a minimum of two (2) square feet per hen.
c. The hen house must be kept clean, dry and sanitary at all times.
d. The hen house must be located on a permeable surface that prevents waste run-off.
e. The hen house must provide the hens with adequate protection from the elements and inclement weather and provide for the hens good health and prevent any unnecessary or unjustified suffering.
f. The enclosure fence must adequately contain the hens and provide security from intrusion by any predators or animals, wild or domesticated.
g. The fenced enclosure must be kept clean and sanitary at all times.
h. All manure must be composted in enclosed bins.
i. No food shall be placed in the open for the feeding of the hens except in such containers as will prevent the scattering of such food upon the ground.
(b) All hens shall be subject to the nuisance provisions of Sec. 4-24 of the West Warwick Code of Ordinances and must be confined in the hen house between the hours of 9:00 pm and 8:00 am.
Sec. 4-34. Kennel license.
(a) Required. No person shall operate a kennel as defined herein, without first obtaining a license to operate said establishment by the state director of environmental management, as provided in §4-19-6 of the Rhode Island General Laws; and obtaining a license to operate said establishment as issues by the town council.
(b) Kennel permitted. No license shall be issued by the town council, director of environmental management to operate a kennel on premises other than those designated by the zoning ordinances.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SEC. 4-24 ABATEMENT OF NUISANCE ANIMALS AND CONDITIONS, ADDING SEC. 4-24.1 KEEPING OF HENS AND AMENDING SEC. 4-34

Until I blog again: Eat Well, Live Life and Be Safe