What am I getting for my membership fee?
The membership fees help pay for annual costs which include licensing, insurance, management, and equipment. Your membership fee gives you one “piece” of the cooperative through one equal vote in governing the cooperative, for electing a governing board at annual membership meetings and other special elections.
….So your membership fee pays for your "investment" in the cooperative--the money we pool together as cooperative members to make the cooperative work. You can also view it as an investment in the community, as joining the cooperative and supporting our local producers and giving new producers an easy way to market their products (farming/producing is difficult enough!), will help the entire community as more income is secured within the community. More community members will also hopefully begin to remember where food comes from and how vital it is to our security and survival to have a local food supply.
Six Rivers Market is registered in the State of Idaho as an “Unincorporated Nonprofit Association,” meaning that no one person or entity profits from the business of the cooperative. Six Rivers was developed as a gift to the community, to be used as the community sees fit. As community members join together in supporting the cooperative, they will be helping each other to secure a safe, local food supply. The more the community utilizes the system, the lower the costs will be for each user and the greater the benefits will be for all.
How much is the membership fee? What will this money be used for?
The membership share is $25 a year for consumers and $100 for producers. It is used to pay the expenses involved with rent and deposits for our central distribution location, equipment (such as freezers and a produce cooler), promotion of the service, applicable licenses, initial operating expenses, and some reserve funds. If it becomes apparent that the membership fee should be adjusted, the membership will decide on either a decrease or increase of the fee.
I’m not sure about ordering my produce from the web. How do I know what I am getting?
As a member of Six Rivers Market you can also look forward to social events throughout the year where you get to know your farmers and fellow cooperative members. At these events producers are encouraged to bring visual samples of product for you to “try out.” Better yet, you can talk to the producer individually, to dig a little deeper into how that product was created!
Six Rivers Market also has specific Product Standards in place to ensure that all product sold through the cooperative is fresh, high quality, local food. Market Management will refuse any inferior product at time of delivery, crediting all necessary accounts.
What kind of information will I know about these products?
Each producer gives us an affidavit about the origin and production practices of his or her products, including the exact location where they were grown or processed. We will ensure that all proper certifications are valid and current. For meat products, you will know what processing facility was used. Each producer will post his or her production practices on his or her Producer page, enabling you to understand exactly how your food was grown.
Will you have food for sale during the winter?
Yes, we have plenty of food available in the winter, including freshly grown greenhouse produce, eggs, meat, potatoes and more.
I have a big garden. Can I sell my excess produce through this network?
Absolutely, yes. Customers can also sell produce they grow, and producers can also buy food through the network. If you are a consumer and wish to begin selling product, just talk with the market manager to help set up a producer membership and get your webpage set up. There is an additional fee for producers, again, check with the market manager to see how it will apply to you.
How do I join?
Go to our Join page. Whether you just want to shop through the cooperative or sell, you must first join the cooperative and submit your membership fee. Producers can then submit an additional application, and after approval, can sell through the cooperative for no additional membership fee. For more details on becoming a Producer, click here.
How exactly does the order/delivery system work?
When you join, you receive a user ID and password. When the order opens, you go to our website and log in. This takes you to your own shopping page. You can then browse the product pages and click on the icons to add items to your basket. To increase the quantity, you click on the link to the shopping cart and update the product. Always hit the update button after each change. You pay for your order when the order cycle closes by Paypal, or by check when you pick up your food.
We charge customer members 6% for buying through the cooperative and producer members 6% for selling through the cooperative as a “shipping and handling charge.” For more detailed system on fees and charges, please go to our Membership Fees and Commissions page.
How do I Order?
The Order Cycle is open for shopping Saturday morning through Monday evening each week. Go to the member log-in page or the Six Rivers Market homepage. Enter the username and password you created when you submitted your Six Rivers Market Cooperative Membership Registration form.
When you log in, if you haven't already started an order, it will ask you to choose a delivery method and site (home or work delivery, or pick up site) and a payment method. Then click the button to start your order. There are two methods of selecting products you want to buy.
You can browse through the product lists and click Add to Shopping Cart. When you do this, the system adds one of the items you have selected to your cart. If you want to buy several packages of an individual product, click on the View Your Cart button. Place the cursor in the Quantity box for the item you wish to order, and change the number to however many you plan to buy. Then click on the Update button to the right of that product entry. If you need to add notes to the producer, such as "red, medium sized tomatoes" or "make this a small pig", click on View Your Cart, place the cursor in the box for notes for that product, type in the notes, and then press the Update button to the right of that product entry. When you are done, press the click to submit your order button.
You can also browse the product lists and make a note of the product ID numbers of the items you want to buy. To enter those items, click View Your Cart and you will find a box at the top of the page where you can add items, one at a time, by entering the product ID and how much or how many items you want to buy and any relevant notes. Then hit the add this product to the order button.
To remove a product from your shopping cart, change its Quantity to ZERO and press the UPDATE button.
You can edit your order up until the time that the Order Desk closes at 5:00 PM on Monday each week. To edit your order (add or subtract items, change quantities, add notes), log in at the online ordering page. If you want to add items, you can use methods (1) or (2) above to add items, to edit quantities, or remove items, click on View Your Cart and make your changes, then press the click to submit your order button.
Anything in your shopping cart at 5:00PM Monday evening, the time the order cycle closes, is considered an order for that product. We do not have a "check out" or "send order" page at this time.
Note: the shopping cart will show a subtotal, but it will not necessarily subtotal everything you have ordered, as items with random weights (such as packages of meat or cheese) will not be totaled until that information is updated from the producers.
Some items are listed with an approximate weight. A chicken, for example, is sold by the pound but there isn't a standard weight, only a range of weights. After the order closes, the producer selects an item to fill you order and enters the weight of the product, which will appear on your invoice.
IMPORTANT: Any questions about products should be directed to the producers themselves. We at Six Rivers Market are not likely to have the answer to a question about a product. Please feel free to contact any of our producers directly with any questions about their products.
All orders include a coop shipping/handling/transportation charge of 6%. Sales taxes are also added to the invoices. Pickup locations and contact information will be listed on your invoice.
How do I pay for my Order?
If you do not have any variable weight items in your cart (such as poultry or squash), you can pay in advance through Paypal. Please print out your receipt and bring it with you to Delivery Day. We receive updates from Paypal on who has paid, but we may not receive the Paypal receipt in time to make note of it before you pick up your order. Or you can choose to pay by check at time of pick-up. If you do have variable weight items, you may not receive your final total until Delivery Day, so you may pay by check at time of pick-up.
What is the Order Cycle?
Six Rivers Market cooperative runs on an “order-cycle system,” meaning that product is available at set times each week and varies week-to-week according to season and availability.
The basic idea behind the order cycle is that each producer is in charge of keeping product posted as it is available. Since we are dealing with small producers and fresh product, the product that is available each week will vary. That fact, combined with the fact that Six Rivers will simply facilitate the postings and sales, rather than actually manage an entire “inventory” of product from all producers, brings the necessity of an “order cycle” into play. The feedback we’ve received from consumer and producer members says that weekly order cycles are best, mostly for the sake of remembering it each week. To see the Order Cycle schedule, please go to the Order Cycle page.
What about delivery?
Delivery should be a very real option in the future, but for now we just want to get Six Rivers Market started. In fact, our preliminary survey revealed that there wasn’t a strong desire for delivery. But if someone wants to pursue some sort of delivery system, “Delivery” would be a great product to add to our line-up. Could be by car, by bike, or some other creative means! Contact us if you would like to learn more about how this could be the start of a great new business for you!
There’s a local product I would like. How can I get Six Rivers to carry it?
Just let us know. We’ll be sure to let producers know the desire is there for that specific product, or for more of a specific product.
What about non-food items such as crafts?
In 2009 we opened the Market selling food items only. In November 2009 the Six Rivers Market board approved the sale of nonfood items up to 30% of total items being sold (at the discretion of the Market Manager). All items must be created within 100 miles of Sandpoint, ideally highlighting locally grown or harvested materials. For example, hand-crafted wreaths incorporating locally grown dried herbs and flowers are much better suited to this market than artificial silk wreaths. Timber products, beauty products, art, and fiber arts are just a few products ideally suited for sale through Six Rivers Market.
Do you have plans to build a physical store?
We are starting slowly and will grow as the community supports us and encourages our growth. Our number one priority is to make the process of buying locally grown and processed foods as simple as possible. A physical store complicates things a bit. A full retail presence could be a real possibility in the future, but that will be up to the cooperative members to vote for it and for the community to support it.
What about complaints or returns?
Six Rivers Market reserves the right to reject any food product consigned to us for delivery to customers that we believe is not up to standards or is delivered spoiled or contaminated, and we will certainly do this if we feel necessary. In such a case, you will receive a refund or credit to your account. Other than that basic responsibility, your purchase is direct from the producer, so any problems with your order must be taken up with the producer whose product you purchased. We are responsible for any mistakes we make with your order (such as not delivering something or delivering the wrong product), but any other questions or concerns should be directed to the producer.
Are these procedures set in concrete?
No. Because this is a new service, these procedures may change from time to time and member customers are invited to make suggestions and participate in our planning process. All cooperative members should vote in our annual meetings and conscientiously elect a governing board of directors. Our board meetings are held at least monthly and anyone may attend. Meeting details will be posted on the Attend page. We want this to work for everybody, and for everybody to have a sense of ownership.
Why are you starting this service?
We (meaning the organizers) want simple access to great, local food. Six Rivers Market was developed on a volunteer basis as a gift to the community.
What is your legal structure?
We are organized in Idaho as an “Unincorporated Nonprofit Association”. Idaho currently has no cooperative law, so we will operate as a cooperative, with a cooperative business structure in place. This means that no single individual or company will benefit from the proceeds of the co-op.
Do you need volunteers?
YES. We have plenty of opportunities for volunteers to help with sorting and making up the orders. If you want to participate in these activities, please contact the coop at customer@sixriversmarket.org. If you are interested in becoming a board member or would like to serve on a special committee from time to time, please go to our Board and Management page for more information. The Board and management are often in need of local talent to help with marketing, legal affairs, and a number of other special projects. Let us know how you would like to help!
What else do I need to know?
Please see the Membership Handbook. Or feel free to email us with specific questions.
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