Venus Loci

Photo courtesy Wheatsville Co-op webpage: http://wheatsville.coop/images/expimages/FE715AwningRemoval.jpg

When I moved to Texas in the fall of 2004, I shared a tiny 400 s.f. apartment within walking distance to the University of Texas with Zack, my then-boyfriend.  With not much room to roam indoors, we spent a lot of time walking the streets of downtown Austin.  One our most regular trips was just across the street to Wheatsville Co-op.  There weren’t many weeks that went by that we didn’t pop in and grab a 4-pack of their delicious vegan chocolate chip cookies.  

While we were living in that apartment, the old shopping center that stood between us and Wheatsville was torn down and a new mixed use development took it’s place.  Years later my hair stylist took a position at a salon that operates out of the new building.  Today after having my hair done I decided to walk across the street and do my grocery shopping at good ol’ Wheatsville.

The store has changed a lot since I used to shop there – they’re currently under construction to expand their building footprint.  I was delighted to see local farms and producers represented throughout the store – Green Gate Farms, Johnson’s Backyard Garden, Pure Luck Dairy, Alexander Family Farm, Vital Farms… the list goes on and on.  I picked up a few pounds of tomatoes from Green Gate Farms, I had attended a lecture on seed-saving hosted by two of their employees at the Sustainable Food Center this week and was curious what their produce was like.  I also grabbed a few from JBG, just to compare flavor.  I brought home more Pure Luck goat feta (which I am in love with – first on arugula salads, now mixed with my homegrown yellow pear & cherry tomatoes w/a little Texas olive oil, fresh basil & fresh oregano).  I picked up a dozen eggs from Alexander’s Family Farm, which I haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying yet.  And, of course, some tortillas from El Lago so that I can make some breakfast tacos in the morning.

As I was checking out I decided to make the commitment to become a member of the co-op.  As my money seems to be disappearing more and more quickly these days, I’ve been turning to grocery stores more often to make my food purchases (always choosing Texas products when available and turning away from anything out of season in the US!).  Wheatsville is the perfect halfway point between my luxurious, expensive mornings spent at Boggy Creek and the high traffic but low-cost insanity of Central Market.  Not only that, but I am now part of a democratic organization that isn’t focused on profitability, but maintains a mission to “create a self-reliant, self-empowering community of people that will grow and promote a transformation of society toward cooperation, justice, and non-exploitation.”   They aim to “serve a broad range of people by…using efficient methods which avoid manipulation of the customer and minimize exploitation of the producer and the environment” (copied out of the Wheatsville Co-op Mission Statement).   Now that’s a warm fuzzy we don’t get from shopping at H.E.B., isn’t it?  I’m excited that most of my favorite local producers are represented at Wheatsville, and better yet – as an owner I have the ability to tell the board if there’s another product/producer who I’d like to see offered at the store.  It is, afterall, partly my store now.

I came home and fixed myself a tomato sandwich with the Green Gate tomatoes and some yummy yummy fresh multi-grain bread baked by a local Great Harvest Bakery here in town.  It was delicious.  I’m looking forward to many more years of tomato sandwiches supplied by Wheatsville, and a continued involvement with the cooperative community!

mmm... the first of 2 delicious tomato sandwiches...