 
The Co-op and the PG&E Shutoff
Although the PG&E shutoff wreaked havoc with many people’s lives, here on the coast we were at least fortunate that the fires were far away and we were in no danger.
The co-op staff and board members had been preparing for loss of electricity for the last couple of months, ensuring that our backup generator worked and emergency procedures were in place. In the last month Bill Golly has cleaned up the back storage area and ensured that one backup freezer was fully functional. A few hours before the electricity was turned off, all the meat stock was moved.
Once the shutoff happened, electronic communications among our staff were spotty, delayed, and sometimes nonexistent. To compound the situation, our GM and her entire family were too sick to leave the house. All this made it difficult to coordinate the work schedule and who/what was needed. Nonetheless the staff and some volunteers self-organized as a team. People helped spread the work via phone and Facebook (when they were functional) that the generator could not power all our refrigerators and encouraged folks to come in to buy perishables. (We are required by law to remove these products from our shelves once our refrigeration rises above 40 degrees for more than 4 hours.) Others called the local radio stations so they could spread the word that the co-op was open.
The market staff who were able to get to work kept the store open every day during daylight hours, mostly from around 8 am to 4 pm. We are very grateful to Martin, Chris, Rosario, Frank, Sara, Tristan, Victoria, Bill, and Ginny for working so well together to identify essential tasks and taking care of our customers as best they could. The stove and oven, which use propane, were operational without electricity, and Rufus came in for two days so that hot food was available for breakfast. These staff members are committed to making a difficult situation a little easier for everyone in our community.
The co-op sold out of bottled water and matches. Items we didn’t have, but were requested, included candles and pet food. We are interested in hearing from members and shoppers what other items they would have liked to be able to obtain at the co-op. We’ll maintain a list and stock up on these for future emergency outages if we can. In the end we sold quite a lot but lost at least a quarter of our perishable food (produce, dairy, etc.).
We are still compiling the information so that we know the financial impact of the electricity shutdown. We’re also researching possible recompense for our losses from PG&E and other sources. We gained valuable experience so that we can be even better prepared for the next outage. Our current generator is capable of supporting the point-of-sale system, the lights, and one refrigerator, but we are investigating greater backup capacity so that more refrigerators can remain functional.
Supplier Spotlight: Oz Farm
By Margaret Grace
Oz Farm has been providing local organic produce to the co-op ever since we opened ten years ago. After Oz changed ownership back in 2015, the new crew was enthusiastic about selling produce at the co-op as part of the farm’s efforts to distribute more local organic goodness to our community. During an interview with James Gallagher, the farm manager, he said that his favorite thing about being a supplier to the co-op is that it’s the only place in town to get local organic produce, and he loves having the produce from Oz featured there. James said, "I like seeing the product we grow go towards local people shopping at the co-op. The energy we put into growing food is going directly to feeding our community.”
As passionate Earth advocates and farmers, the Oz staff feels it’s important to eat local organic fruits and vegetables. James believes that “In order for us to continue living in this place we need to find a sustainable way of feeding ourselves. The best solutions we’ve found so far are growing organic food in small local areas and creating a resilient sustainable food system.” Oz is grateful that the co-op is also committed to this goal.
The growing season is winding down and farmer's markets will be dormant until next spring, but you can still enjoy seasonal produce by shopping at the co-op. Right now Oz is featuring fingerling potatoes with the varietal name “Leratte.” These potatoes are considered a real delicacy for their tenderness and flavor; they’re held in high esteem by chefs around the world. You can also find red Kuri Kuri kabocha winter squash. It is dark orange with succulent flesh and soft supple skin like the delicata. Chef Christopher Berger recommends slow cooking this one in an inch of water so you can eat the skin. It also makes highly nutritious baby food! If you are hosting for the holidays be sure to get a quart of fresh heirloom apple juice. It’s delicious all by itself or you can add a little kick to it when making party cocktails!
At the end of the interview, James added that, “Oz looks forward to continuing to provide the co-op with our fresh organic produce while sharing the bounty of our land with the community!”
|
