Hey Everyone,

In between sending out the crafter spotlights we thought you’d like to know that we passed the $300,000 in sales mark yesterday afternoon! Everyone has worked hard this last year to continue on the path to full sustainability. Many of you may know were not entirely there yet but we are closer than we were and we are always looking for good ideas and help.

We need to give a big shout out to all our loyal volunteers who do anything from cleaning the Co-op, staffing the register, sitting on our board, going and picking up deliveries and even going and getting new equipment.

We also need to give a huge thanks to our staff who have worked hard this year to make the Co-op a welcoming and friendly place. They work hard doing day to day tasks like receiving, staffing the register, restock and numerous other tasks.

And last but not least our loyal members and customers that have made us a part of their regular day. Without your continued support and purchases we would not be on the path forward.

So thanks again to everyone in the community for continuing to support us as we grow and strive for sustainability!

Hi Folks,

For our next spotlight for the month of December we are going to look at our local jewelry makers!

First up is Louise Shorette from Jackson (she also does the felt birds from a previous post). She makes earings under her Oh My Goddess! label.

And then we have Heather Selin from Jackson who makes earings under her Glad Girl brand!

And finally we have items from Doreen Dickson (Maid In the Woods) also from Jackson…. apparently Jackson is the home of all our jewelry makers!

She makes earings, necklaces, bracelets, key ring scented fobs and several other small items. She also makes yoga cushions! If you want to see more examples of her work Check out either her website or Etsy site with the links below.

Maid In The Woods Website

Maid In the Woods Etsy Store

Hey Folks,

It’s that time of year again where we start planning for the spring planting season so that means it’s time to put in your group orders with the Co-op. As usual please find the instructions below from Ed and if you have specific questons please either stop in the Co-op Tuesday am or give Ed a call on that day and he’d be happy to help!

People who want to order should go to the fedco seeds site to place their part of the group order. 25% of the refund will be retained by the co-op as a donation.
The group name is: marsh river co-opThe group numbers are:

Seeds 99002

Trees 49817

Potatoes 69084

Growers supply 39016

To place an order.Group Member Instructions:
————————————-
1. First get the group order number. There will be a separate number for each division (Seeds; Potatoes, Onions and Exotics; Organic Growers Supply; Trees; and Bulbs), if your coordinator has chosen to coordinate an order from more than one division.
2. Go to the division in which you are building an order, using the links in the page header. Log in using your own email address.
3. When you review your order prior to checking out, click the ‘Part of a Group’ checkbox. Then go to ‘Check Out Securely’ and type in the group order number where indicated.
4. You will receive a confirmation email at the address you used to log in.  Until your coordinator finalizes the group’s order, however, Fedco cannot confirm receipt of your order.

The discount for any fedco division are as follows   $100.00     5%off                                                                               $300.00    10%off                                                                           $600.00    15%off                                                                             $1200.00  20%off

Deadlines for orders are:
Trees order by 1/17/20 pick-up 5/1/20

Seeds and organic growers supply order by 1/30/20 pick-up 2/13/20

Potatoes order by 4/6/20 pick-up 5/1/20

Hey Folks,

For our next spotlight on crafters we are going to focus on our visual artists (painting, photography etc.)

First up is our Board President and Founding Member Kim Jacobs who has a broad selection of art items in the Co-op including gift bags, magnets, calendars, picture books, note pads and many other small items (we even have wine bags!). So if you’d like to give a bit of a fantastical gift her items would be perfect for you. If you want to see more details about here work follow this link. Kim Jacobs Illustrator

We also get to welcome two new vendors who have art cards in the Co-op, Honey Petal Plants (one of our board members Astrid Bowlby) from right here in Brooks, she joined the community a few years ago but here is an older profile if you are interested in her works.

Astrid Bowlby, Profile

We also have a few new items from Squeezebox Press in Belfast!

Then we have photo cards from Mulberry Marsh Designs from right over in Jackson. She focuses a lot on her very nice sheep who provide her with materials for her other fiber crafts which she sells at the United Farmers Market in Belfast. If you’d like additional information follow the link below.

Mulberry Marsh Designs

And then we have our selection of bird cards and prints from Laura Zamfirescu from Monroe. She sells photography cards and large prints of her favorite subject, birds! She even has a few cards that are holiday themed, check out the hats. For more info follow the link below,

Laura Zamfiescu Photography

Hey Everyone,

In the start of a new tradition(we did it last year so two years makes it tradition) we are going to put a spotlight on all of our wonderful crafts/crafters we have in the Co-op! We are going to break out the posts into loose categories to make them a bit easier to handle and we’ll try and make sure we hit everyone in turn!

And spotlight on the first crafters are our ornament folks;

Our own Louise Shorette (one of our brand new board members) has some wonderful hand felted birds made right in Jackson from Maine produced wool roving. They would be lovely on small branches that don’t support a lot of weight.

And then we have Gourdaments (Cindy Smith) also from Jackson who dries gourds and then paints them for a light weight ornament. There is a long process involved from start to finish and she has ornaments for every season available!