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Dan Clore
May 2, 2012, 2:36:58 PM5/2/12
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News & Views for Anarchists & Activists:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo
[An example of counter-economics to state-corporate capitalism.--DC]
http://www.pressherald.com/life/foodanddining/slow-money-offers-capital-idea-for-farmers-producers_2012-05-02.html
Natural Foodie: Slow Money offers capital idea for farmers, producers
By Avery Yale Kamila
aka...@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
The Slow Money Maine network has been in existence for only two years,
but it's already helped connect farmers and food producers with more
than $2.7 million in capital.
Grant money leveraged through the Slow Money Maine network is helping
the worker-owners of Local Sprouts Cooperative develop outreach programs
and educate staff members.
Baby sugar kelp wraps are being tested by local chefs before Ocean
Approved brings this new product to market. Ocean Approved is one of
many food businesses that have benefited from participation in the Slow
Money Maine network.
A national movement, Slow Money brings together socially responsible
investors with producers of local and organic food in an effort to
fundamentally shift how money moves through the economy and where it
gets invested. If fast money gives us high-fructose corn syrup and pink
slime, slow money gives us real maple syrup and grass-fed beef.
"It's been hard to keep up, because there have been so many deals," said
Bonnie Rukin, Slow Money Maine coordinator. "Individuals regularly
contact me about moving their money from banks, where they're getting
little to no interest, to local food businesses."
Maine companies ranging from vegetable processing operations to buying
clubs have connected with funding through the network. It's also spawned
related organizations, such as the No Small Potatoes Investment Club.
Paul Dobbins, who co-owns the Ocean Approved kelp company in Portland,
presented information about the business at the Slow Money Maine meeting
in January.
"We actually picked up a distributor as a result of that," Dobbins said.
"We've had some interest from folks on the financial side of the
business. We've pushed (off meeting with them) because we're in the
midst of our harvest season."
But Dobbins said once the harvest wraps up, he'll circle back and
connect with these potential investors.
Slow Money Maine meets every other month at the Viles Arboretum in
Augusta. About 20 people attended the first gathering in April 2010, and
the most recent meeting in March drew a crowd of more than 70. Almost
400 people are now involved with Slow Money Maine.
At the meeting taking place May 16, Tom and Kelly Roth will give an
overview of their VitaminSea Maine Seaweed company.
Based in Buxton, with its boats in Portland, the company wild harvests
and air dries seaweeds for human and animal consumption. Silvery Moon
Creamery makes a cheese using the company's seaweed, and the 50 Local
restaurant in Kennebunk uses VitaminSea seaweed in its dishes.
"I don't know what the presentation will bring," Kelly Roth said. "But
we'd really like some people involved who know more about marketing and
about business. When we go to present, we really want to see if someone
wants to help us invest in greenhouses so we can dry when it rains."
An animal feed company in Wisconsin has purchased all of VitaminSea's
supply of kelp chips and wants more. In order to fulfill that order, the
company needs to ramp up production, which requires more capital.
Rukin said one of the network's latest efforts developed a way for
individuals and foundations to provide cash donations to for-profit
enterprises. The funds are funneled through one of six economic
development organizations in Maine and then handed over to the
businesses in the form of grants.
For example, last summer the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation gave $250,000
to the Somerset Economic Development Corp., which then granted the money
to the Somerset Grist Mill, a community-supported agriculture effort, an
apple orchard and a pasta maker.
Portland cafe and catering company Local Sprouts Cooperative benefited
from a similar grant from an anonymous donor that was funneled through
the Cooperative Development Initiative.
"We've used it to support our learning and outreach programs with youths
and adults," said Jonah Fertig, a worker-owner at Local Sprouts. "We
used it to support staff time to help organize the recent Portland
Community Food Forum, and to support our workers to learn about
cooperatives."
Jonah declined to disclose the amount of the multi-year grant.
"As a small start-up food business, there are a lot of economic
challenges," Fertig said. "Local foods do not receive the same financial
support that corporate agriculture receives. Slow money is really
looking at what are some different techniques and models we can use to
support local food and producers."
Staff Writer Avery Yale Kamila can be contacted at 791-6297 or at:
aka...@pressherald.com
Twitter: AveryYaleKamila
SLOW MONEY MAINE
WHEN: 1 to 4 p.m. May 16
WHERE: Viles Arboretum, 153 Hospital St., Augusta
HOW MUCH: Free
INFO: slowmoneymaine.org
The event begins and ends with time for networking.
In between, the following will be represented:
FOOD SYSTEM PRESENTATIONS:
• Tom and Kelly Roth of VitaminSea Maine Seaweed
• Kelly LaCasse of The Maine Meal
• David Whittlesey of Bowdoinham Community Development Initiative
• Tim Schwab of Chretien's Greenhouses
UPDATES FROM SLOW MONEY MAINE PARTICIPANTS:
• Warren Cook & Linzee Weld of Technical Assistance Project
• Bob St. Peter of Food for Maine's Future
• Dorothy Suput of The Carrot Project
--
Dan Clore
New book: _Weird Words: A Lovecraftian Lexicon_:
http://tinyurl.com/yd3bxkw
My collected fiction: _The Unspeakable and Others_
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-unspeakable-and-others/6124911
Lord Weÿrdgliffe & Necronomicon Page:
http://tinyurl.com/292yz9
News & Views for Anarchists & Activists:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo
"From the point of view of the defense of our society,
there only exists one danger -- that workers succeed in
speaking to each other about their condition and their
aspirations _without intermediaries_."
--Censor (Gianfranco Sanguinetti), _The Real Report on
the Last Chance to Save Capitalism in Italy_
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo
[An example of counter-economics to state-corporate capitalism.--DC]
http://www.pressherald.com/life/foodanddining/slow-money-offers-capital-idea-for-farmers-producers_2012-05-02.html
Natural Foodie: Slow Money offers capital idea for farmers, producers
By Avery Yale Kamila
aka...@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
The Slow Money Maine network has been in existence for only two years,
but it's already helped connect farmers and food producers with more
than $2.7 million in capital.
Grant money leveraged through the Slow Money Maine network is helping
the worker-owners of Local Sprouts Cooperative develop outreach programs
and educate staff members.
Baby sugar kelp wraps are being tested by local chefs before Ocean
Approved brings this new product to market. Ocean Approved is one of
many food businesses that have benefited from participation in the Slow
Money Maine network.
A national movement, Slow Money brings together socially responsible
investors with producers of local and organic food in an effort to
fundamentally shift how money moves through the economy and where it
gets invested. If fast money gives us high-fructose corn syrup and pink
slime, slow money gives us real maple syrup and grass-fed beef.
"It's been hard to keep up, because there have been so many deals," said
Bonnie Rukin, Slow Money Maine coordinator. "Individuals regularly
contact me about moving their money from banks, where they're getting
little to no interest, to local food businesses."
Maine companies ranging from vegetable processing operations to buying
clubs have connected with funding through the network. It's also spawned
related organizations, such as the No Small Potatoes Investment Club.
Paul Dobbins, who co-owns the Ocean Approved kelp company in Portland,
presented information about the business at the Slow Money Maine meeting
in January.
"We actually picked up a distributor as a result of that," Dobbins said.
"We've had some interest from folks on the financial side of the
business. We've pushed (off meeting with them) because we're in the
midst of our harvest season."
But Dobbins said once the harvest wraps up, he'll circle back and
connect with these potential investors.
Slow Money Maine meets every other month at the Viles Arboretum in
Augusta. About 20 people attended the first gathering in April 2010, and
the most recent meeting in March drew a crowd of more than 70. Almost
400 people are now involved with Slow Money Maine.
At the meeting taking place May 16, Tom and Kelly Roth will give an
overview of their VitaminSea Maine Seaweed company.
Based in Buxton, with its boats in Portland, the company wild harvests
and air dries seaweeds for human and animal consumption. Silvery Moon
Creamery makes a cheese using the company's seaweed, and the 50 Local
restaurant in Kennebunk uses VitaminSea seaweed in its dishes.
"I don't know what the presentation will bring," Kelly Roth said. "But
we'd really like some people involved who know more about marketing and
about business. When we go to present, we really want to see if someone
wants to help us invest in greenhouses so we can dry when it rains."
An animal feed company in Wisconsin has purchased all of VitaminSea's
supply of kelp chips and wants more. In order to fulfill that order, the
company needs to ramp up production, which requires more capital.
Rukin said one of the network's latest efforts developed a way for
individuals and foundations to provide cash donations to for-profit
enterprises. The funds are funneled through one of six economic
development organizations in Maine and then handed over to the
businesses in the form of grants.
For example, last summer the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation gave $250,000
to the Somerset Economic Development Corp., which then granted the money
to the Somerset Grist Mill, a community-supported agriculture effort, an
apple orchard and a pasta maker.
Portland cafe and catering company Local Sprouts Cooperative benefited
from a similar grant from an anonymous donor that was funneled through
the Cooperative Development Initiative.
"We've used it to support our learning and outreach programs with youths
and adults," said Jonah Fertig, a worker-owner at Local Sprouts. "We
used it to support staff time to help organize the recent Portland
Community Food Forum, and to support our workers to learn about
cooperatives."
Jonah declined to disclose the amount of the multi-year grant.
"As a small start-up food business, there are a lot of economic
challenges," Fertig said. "Local foods do not receive the same financial
support that corporate agriculture receives. Slow money is really
looking at what are some different techniques and models we can use to
support local food and producers."
Staff Writer Avery Yale Kamila can be contacted at 791-6297 or at:
aka...@pressherald.com
Twitter: AveryYaleKamila
SLOW MONEY MAINE
WHEN: 1 to 4 p.m. May 16
WHERE: Viles Arboretum, 153 Hospital St., Augusta
HOW MUCH: Free
INFO: slowmoneymaine.org
The event begins and ends with time for networking.
In between, the following will be represented:
FOOD SYSTEM PRESENTATIONS:
• Tom and Kelly Roth of VitaminSea Maine Seaweed
• Kelly LaCasse of The Maine Meal
• David Whittlesey of Bowdoinham Community Development Initiative
• Tim Schwab of Chretien's Greenhouses
UPDATES FROM SLOW MONEY MAINE PARTICIPANTS:
• Warren Cook & Linzee Weld of Technical Assistance Project
• Bob St. Peter of Food for Maine's Future
• Dorothy Suput of The Carrot Project
--
Dan Clore
New book: _Weird Words: A Lovecraftian Lexicon_:
http://tinyurl.com/yd3bxkw
My collected fiction: _The Unspeakable and Others_
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-unspeakable-and-others/6124911
Lord Weÿrdgliffe & Necronomicon Page:
http://tinyurl.com/292yz9
News & Views for Anarchists & Activists:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo
"From the point of view of the defense of our society,
there only exists one danger -- that workers succeed in
speaking to each other about their condition and their
aspirations _without intermediaries_."
--Censor (Gianfranco Sanguinetti), _The Real Report on
the Last Chance to Save Capitalism in Italy_
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