CONSCIOUSHARVESTCOOPERATIVEPLANANDPROPOSAL

Summary
TheConsciousHarvestCooperativeisagroupofWVUstudentsandresidentsofMorgantown
whohaveavisionforalternativefoodsourcingstrategiesintheircity.Ourpurposeistogrow
food.Therearethreemaingoalsdrivingus.
1. Growfoodforlocalpantrieswhodonothaveaccesstofreshproducefortheirclients.
2. Giveanopportunitytothosewhowanttogrowfoodforthemselvesbutdonothavethe
landtodoso.
3. Promoteourvisionforalternativefoodsourcingstrategiesthroughlocalmarkets.
Weareorganizingourselvesasacooperativebecausethismodelprovidesthebestframework
withinwhichtodevelopthisinitiative.Westrivetoupholdthesevencooperativeprinciples.
1.Membership:
ConsciousHarvestwillhaveatwotieredmembershipstructure.Thefirstisapaid,thesecond
openandvoluntary.Payingmembers,arerecruitedandtheprimaryenginebehindtheproject.
Thesemembersreceiveasmallplotoflandtofarm,aroundthelargercommunalplot(seefig.
1).Openmembers,participateintheprojectduringparticularworkdaysandshareinthesurplus
accordingtothetimespentworkingontheproject.
2.DemocraticMemberControl.
Duespayingmemberselectaboardwhoseresponsibilityistoguideandfurthertheworkofthe
cooperative.Currently,theconsciousharvestisregisteredasaWVUstudentorganizationwitha
president,vicepresident,treasurerandsecretary.PositionswillbeelectedbyMarch15th,2013,
thebeginningofourfiscalyear.Wewillworktowardregisteringthecooperativewiththestateof
WestVirginiabyMarch15th,2014.
3.EconomicParticipationbyMembers.
Duespayingmembersareresponsibletoinjecttheinitialcapitalintothecooperative,andwill
renewtheirmembershiponayearlybasisorfreeupaplotforanothermember.Currently
membershipduesaresetat$150fortheseason.Membersarealsoresponsibleforseeking
grantopportunities,monetaryandinkinddonationstofurthertheworkofthecooperative.Open
memberswillbeencouragedtoparticipateeconomicallyaswell,throughinkinddonations,such
aslabor,equipmentuse,transportation.Anyprofitsfromtheoperationactivitiesofthe
ConsciousHarvestCooperative,willbereinvestedintothemaintenanceandpossibleexpansion
ofthecooperativeintootherareasofthecity.
4.AutonomyandIndependence.
TheConsciousHarvestCooperativeisanautonomouscommunitydrivenorganizationcontrolled
byitsmembers.Ifweenterintoanyagreementswithotherorganisations,including
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governments,orraisecapitalfromexternalsources,wedosoontermsthatensuredemocratic
controlbyourduespayingmembers.
5.Education,TrainingandInformation:
TheConsciousHarvestCooperativewillprovideopportunitiesforpeopletolearnaboutfood
sovereignty(controllingfoodproductionandaccess)issues.Whilethiswillbespecificto
Morgantown,theprincipleslearnedwillalsobeapplicabletotherestofthecounty,stateand
countryasawhole.WewillstrivetoworkwithWVUextensionagentstoruntrainingsessions
forcooperativemembers.Thisinitiativewillalsoprovideaplatformtodiscussimportantissues
pertainingtofoodsecurityandhungerinMorgantown.
6.CooperationamongCooperatives.
TheConsciousHarvestCooperativewillworkcloselywiththeMountainPeoplesFood
Cooperative,bothasaneconomicandeducationalresource.Wewillalsostrivetodevelop
relationshipswithothercooperativesinMonongaliacountyandbeyond.
7.ConcernforCommunity.
TheConsciousHarvestCooperativesmainobjectiveistoprovidefoodtothosewhodonothave
enough.Thismodelseekstoprovideanalternativetocapitalistandprofitdrivenmodelsof
development,insteadseekingtoimplementacommunalandlongtermsustainablefuturefor
Morgantownsfoodscape.

BusinessPlan
ConceptMap

Land
Weexpecttodraftamemorandumofunderstandingbetweenthelandownerandconscious
harvestcooperative,whichwillgovernourcompensationfortheland,carefortheland,logistics
(parking,storage,irrigation,fencing...)andanexitstrategyshouldtheprojectfallthroughforany
reason.
Compensation
WehopethattherelationshipbetweenthelandownerandtheCooperativecanbeasymbiotic
one.Whilewedonothavethecashflownecessarytopayforrentortractortime,wewouldlike
tocompensatetheownersfortheuseoflandandequipment.ConsciousHarvestCooperative
membershaveagreedtocontributeonehouroflaborperweektoanyprojectsthatareneeded
aroundthefarmapproximatingapproximately40hoursoflabor/monthduringthegrowing
season.Wewilldraftaworkschedulewhenmembersareavailableforthiscompensation
laborandmakeitavailabletothelandowner.
Setup
Landtilledover.acreplotand12individualplotsontheremainingacre
Weplantoenclosetheentireacrewithfencing
Whileweareexploringalternativeirrigationplans,weplantobeginbypullingahosefrom
thesourceonthefarmtotheConsciousHarvestPlot.
Wewillconstructalockedtoolboxonsitetostorenecessaryequipment.
Memberswhodrivetothefarmwillparkinthelotat595GreenbagRoad.

CarefortheLand
Wehavetheresourcestoworkwithinanorganicframework.Wewillbenotbeusingpesticides
butinsteadimplementanIPM(IntegatedPestManagement)systemviacroprotationand
companionplanting.
Wehavethemeanstoacquireorganicfertilizerandenvironmentallyfriendlysoilmediumsand
alloftheseedsorseedlingsthatweplantwilleitherbeeitherorganic,orheirloom,never
geneticallymodified.
Weareenvisioningcompostingourorganicwaste(grass/stalks/overripe)onsitetouseas
fertilizerinsubsequentseasons.
ExitStrategy
Whilewearebuildingthisprojectwiththehopeofcontinuityinyearstocome,shouldweneedto
dissolveitforanyreason,allequipmentpurchasedbythecooperativewillbemadeavailableto
thelandownersiftheywantit.Wewillremoveanyfixturesthatthelandownernolongerwants
anddonatethemtoHabitatforHumanityRESTORE.

Capital
Memberequity
Therewillbe1012memberplotsavailable.
Allpayingmembersworkingindividualplotswillcontributeaonetimeyearlypaymentof
$150
ConsciousHarvestwillthusstartwithaworkingcapitalof$1,500$1,800frommember
fees.

OtherFundingSources
Memberswillseektoraisefundsfromfamilyandfriendsinterestedinsupportingthis
project.
Kickstarter,anonlinefundraisingtoolforstartups,willbeusedtoreachouttowider
networksinterestedincontributingtowardthesuccessofthisproject.
WewilljoinanEntrepreneurCafeeventinthesummermonthstopresenttheprojectand
hopetoraiseadditionalcapital.EntrepreneurCafeisaprogramdevelopedandhostedby
VisionSharedinCharleston,WV
WewillreachouttotheMountainPeoplesFoodCoopforfinancialandlogistical
support.Oneofourmembersisontheboard,andthreeofthemareemployees.
TapintoresourcesattheWestVirginiaSustainableCommunitiesPorgram(WVSC)
whichprovidesawidevarietyofassistanceincludinghelpwithgrantwriting,and
organizationalsustainability.
Donations
Wewillreachouttolocalbusinessesfordonationsoftools,seedsandequipmentforthe
farm.

Schedule
FarmPlan
ThefollowingFarmplanisaworkinprogressandmaystillevolve.Wehaveincludedithereto
demonstratethatweareactivelythinkingaboutprojectinputsandyields.
Plant/Variety

Estimated
SowDate

Estimated
Harvest
Date

Potato/Carola April7th13th
Russet

August3rd

Cucumber/
Marketmore
76

June22nd
Aug3rd

May1st4th

Projected
Yield

Notes

2035lb/20gal
can
Companionplantingwith
radishesdiscourages
cucumberbeetles.
+Plantonoppositesideof
5

potatoarea
BushBean/
Contender

April1320
June9
+continuous
Early
plantingevery August
2weeksthru
May.

+DirectSow

Summer
Squash/Early
Prolific
Straightneck
andDark
Green
Zucchini

April2027
June9
+continuous
Early
plantingevery August
2weeksthru
June

+DirectSow

SnapPeas/
SugarAnn

March30or
ASAP

May19or
56days

+DirectSoworStart
indoorsifpossible

Tomato/WV
63

Transplant
outsideApril
21June2nd

June29th
LateAugust

+Particularlywellsuitedto
thisarea.Seedsfreefrom
WVUstartedbyTammy
Thorne

Tomato/
Sophies
Choice

Transplant
June8
outsideApril6 LateJuly
13th

SmallPlants,doesbetter
incoolerclimates/seasons

Pepper/Hot
Chili/Bell
Type

Transplants
OutsideMay
1422

SowindoorsASAP
Growingahottervariety
willgiveuspepperstouse
nextyearinpestrepellents

Radish/
SparklerTop

March1030 April4May
+Plantalso
14th
with
Cucumbers

June24
LateAugust

+DirectSow
+Allowradishesplanted
withcucumberstogoto
seed.

Moretocome
midsummerplanting
pestcontroloptions
covercropsandcoldframes/lowtunnels
Forfurtherinformationaboutourplantingscheduleonthecommunalplotpleasedonothesitate
tocontactbrookenantz@live.com.
WorkSchedules
Ourgoalistohaveatleastonememberoftheconsciousharvestcooperativeonsiteeveryday
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oftheweekthroughoutthegrowingseason.Workschedulesarestillbeingdetermined,but
whenfinalizedwillbemadeavailabletoallthoseinvolvedintheproject.
Approximatelyonceamonthwewillhavevolunteerdays,wherelargergroupswillcometothe
farmtocontributetheirlabortotheproject.
Marketing
AccordingtotheUSDAsEconomicResearchServicethepastfiveyearshaveseenfood
insecurehouseholdsinMonongaliaCounty,WVgrowby3.4%.Todayanestimated14%ofthe
populationstrugglestoputsufficientnutritiousfoodonthetableeveryday.Localreligious
organizationsandhomelesssheltersprovidefoodforthosewhoneeditwithinthecounty.West
VirginiaUniversity'sextensionofficeandotherlocalorganizationsarealsoattemptingtoassistin
theproblemsoffoodinsecurityinthearea.Moreover,therearethirteenregisteredfoodpantries
inMonongaliaandmanymoreworkinginsmallerscalesthatarenotregistered.Thesepantries
are"inthetrenches"sotospeakofcombatingfoodinsecurityandworkingwiththosethatareleft
inthegapsofthelocalfoodsystem.
TheConsciousHarvestCooperativeseekstobecomeoneofthestopgapswithinthiswider
system.Producegrownonthecommunalplotwillbededicatedtolocalfoodpantriesand
conversationshavebegunwithSt.Ursulasfoodpantrytofigureoutthelogisticsofdelivering
andstoringoursurplus.
Producefromindividualplotswilleitherbeconsumedbythegrowersthemselvesorsoldtothe
cooperative.ThecooperativewillorganizeafarmersmarketstandinMorgantownonceamonth
topromotetheprojectandseektoraiseawarenessandfundstowarditslongevity.TheMountain
PeoplesFoodCoopwhohasexpressedaninterestinsellingourproduceattheirstore.Finally
theMountaineerCountryFarmersMarket(http://mountaineercountryfarmersmarket.com/)will
alsobeapotentialoutletforthesaleofourproduce.
Anyrevenuesfromfoodsaleswillbedirectlyreinvestedintotheprojecttoimprovetheavailability
oftools,irrigationsystems,reimbursemileageandlaborforlogisticalcoordination.
Ifyouhaveanyfurtherquestionsabouttheviabilityofthisplan,pleasedonothesitatetocontact
JoshuaLohnesat818.212.0836orbyemail:josuelohnes@gmail.com.