Announcing new LVL1 sub-group: Food Hackers

[Ben Hibben]

On the advice of several of my good friends at LVL1, who have shown increasing concern regarding the sustainability of the increasingly popular pot-luck style dinners after the meetings given that I've been primarily funding the main dishes myself, I'm forming a special group to discuss LVL1 food-related stuff, to manage the pot-luck dinners, and to help organize and efficiently utilize the cooking resources at LVL1.  We could also use a list of volunteers who'd be interested in doing the dishes from time to time as their way of contributing.

So what does this mean?  Well really all it means off-hand is that I will be formalizing some of the processes and trying to get more organized about how our Tuesday pot-lucks are handled to make it easier for people to coordinate and contribute to this effort in the manner they see fit.  (e.g. Damn; I have to stop putting this off until the last minute!)  To this end I'm looking for people who might like to join this new little group; all you need to be in terms of prerequisites is interested in food.  You do not need to cook or commit to bringing stuff or anything else.  Frankly I'd love to get some people who are good at coordinating and planning involved to help me keep track of and clearly communicate various projects -- be it providing food for a LVL1 party, a LVL1 meeting, run a food-related LVL1 workshop, or even a LVL1 Special Project (more on the first official group special project later).

I'm also looking for input on funding this little venture as it's been repeatedly stressed to me that I should not try to fund it myself directly -- and I concede that this is a valid point.  I've already poured a decent chunk of money into feeding everyone to date -- mind you I'm happy about this and did it of my own free will out of funds I felt I could afford to spend and at a rate I found economically satisfactory for the result I was getting (e.g. ~$30 a meal feeding a pretty decent chunk of people, often at least 20+, which I consider a great bargain!) so this is not a call for repayment or a complaint of any nature; I have been happy to do as I have done and I consider our pot-lucks increased participation rate a sure sign of the success of our efforts thus far.  I do *not* want our meals to end up being something people feel obligated to pay to participate in if possible; I vastly prefer that we do what we can to provide food for people free of guilt or conditions and allow people to contribute in the ways they feel comfortable (bringing something, a couple of dollars, doing the dishes, helping keep the madness organized, etc.).  If it proves unsustainable we'll make adjustments somewhere.  I have ZERO interest in setting up a "pay $5 and get some grub" type deal; my goal is to bring yummy food to my friends at LVL1, not to make money or make people feel bad/pressured/etc.  I'd rather continue to pay for things out of my pocket as time and finances allow than for that to happen.

Side note: Allow me to take this time to sincerely thank everyone who's chipped in and helped out with the food prep, clean-up, and (perhaps best of all) by bringing in dishes they or their family has made for us!  It warms my heart in ways I cannot describe using this clumsy tool called language; my skills with it are inadequate to that task.  You all rock!

It has been suggested that LVL1 pay for some parts of the food however valid concerns about whether or not dinner at the space is within the purview of LVL1 (a concern I hold myself, I might add) have led to a different, and, in my opinion (but I could be wrong -- so feel free to voice suggestions and ideas) better option: a more visible way to donate to a purely voluntary fund that will pay for the primary parts of meals that I, or whomever is doing the "main course," can draw from so as to avoid paying for the larger expenses out of pocket indefinitely.  In other words the donations gathered after each meal will fund the next meal (or, if there are not many, not fund much of a next meal).  We'll need to figure out a good way to track all this and make it transparent.  This is one reason why I'm forming a group to coordinate the pot-luck dinners; it gives us a vehicle for crowd-funding our dinners as well as a more formally-tracked way to request and allocate resources such as time in the oven or space on the range (in other words to avoid 5 people vying for 4 spots on the stove because no one checked with anyone to see who needed what).

Now on to the Special Project I mentioned.  Last year I organized a small but successful Thanksgiving Dinner for people in the LVL1 community who weren't spending the time with their extended families for whatever reason.  The food came out wonderfully and there was a lot of great conversation and wonderful camaraderie and I am very much interested in doing it again!  There's already been some people asking if I was going to do it again so I'm formally announcing that I will be hosting a turkey dinner at LVL1 again, anyone who wishes to attend is welcome (within the normal bounds of the rules of the space, naturally), and this will be the first Special Project for the food group to organize and collaborate on.  I will be delighted to take lead on this again and we'll have a nice meal for anyone who wants to attend.

Please let me know what ideas you all have regarding this and if you'd like to participate.  Any advice on how to coordinate this would be welcomed.  More than welcomed.  Desperately sought after...  :-)

To everyone who's helped out and given me so much help and great advice so far: Thank you very much!  LVL1 is am amazing community that I am proud to be a member of.

Blenster

[Jeff Johnson]

You could always raise the cost of chips to 50 cents and $1 for sodas to help fund it.  Tracking it could prove problematic however.

Or have a suggested gift of $1 to get food.  Pretty inexpensive for a good meal, or even side meal.

[Divinity Rose]

I think charging $1 for someone to get food distracts from people who have been contributing their own dishes. I know I've put in  up to $30 or more worth of stuffs on a regular basis since I've been contributing with drinks, side dishes, desserts out of the desire to be a part of it. I think the idea is to get more people to bring stuff rather than charge people. Otherwise, why would I go to the trouble of making food, spending money  when I could just pay $1? Not how I feel about it, but that might be some people's thinking.

[Jeff Johnson]

It would be optional of course, like a tip jar.  I have brought in food before as well, but still wouldn't mind throwing in a buck for a bowl of chili, if I have  one on me.  

[Sam Dake]

I am interested in participating in whatever comes of this. Often times I've found myself wanting to bring food to parties, but not doing so for fear of interfering with the plans of whoever's organizing. A more organized group (a food board, if you will) would help reduce situations like that. However, I think making it something exclusive would be too official, and out of the sync with the spirit of the hackerspace. It's a big responsibility for a group of people to take on, and if there's a way to keep it casual, I think that's the best way to go. A general interest group that's always open to new volunteers and suggestions would probably be good. Before big events, we could just remind people that a group of people exists that's interested in organizing food, and that they'd be happy to have help.

As for the funding of weekly meals, my suggestion is to simply put out a tip bucket with a sign for a couple of weeks and see where that takes us. It could say something like "Donations for next week's meal are always appreciated!" or something like what the keg currently says, along the lines of "Food is free! Donations keep it that way." If we're getting very few donations after a couple of weeks, maybe then we could bring it up in a Tuesday meeting, just to let people know that the issue exists, and that any contributions of food or cash is great. On the other hand, this seems like an awful lot of serious and frustrated planning for what's supposed to be an optional pot luck. Ben, thank you so much for all that you've contributed. You didn't have to step in and take the role of the main course maker, but that's what you've been doing. I would like to suggest though that no one feel obligated to make enough food to feed 30ish people. Maybe we should back off a little and make it more of a true pot luck. Encourage people to bring what they can. Some weeks we'll feast, some weeks we won't. But I think right now people come on Tuesdays expecting a meal. Backing off on a main course would probably encourage people to bring food. At the moment, maybe they feel like they don't really need to because someone (you, Ben) will probably do it.

I'm rambling, sorry. My point is, maybe it should be kept casual for a while before any major weekly planning starts to happen. Just a tip jar, and more encouragement for people to contribute.

[Ben Hibben]

I'm a big fan off the optional donation idea and the notion that bringing something equates to a donation.  So does doing the dishes, in my opinion (if you knew how much I dislike doing the dishes!!).  Chris's idea was to create a donation fund that would then be used to "pay it forward" for the next meal - giving us a budget to plan around during our meal prep discussions.  If it grows large enough we can do fancier stuff (steaks!) or small enough we'll have to be more limited (soup and crackers, etc.).  This will encourage people to keep it going and support it if they like it.  I plan on keeping receipts and tracking where the money is spent so people can see exactly how we're doing things; I believe this will result in a greater willingness to chip in.

I could be wrong, though...  :-)

Blenster

[Ben Hibben]

To clarify my earlier e-mail -- I'm not really looking to make an exclusive anything; just a more defined way for people to come together to coordinate food/kitchen related needs and planning.

I do NOT want to end up being the "food bitch" for everything all the time.  LOL  I just want to make it easier for people who are interested and happen to be free to help to be able to communicate and get involved (including non-members).  I would *love* to not be the "primary" person in charge of this but realistically it is going to take someone "taking charge" to get it going and once it achieves a life of it's own it'll be where I'm aiming for and I won't be needed in that role.

I want to make thing easier by providing the tools and space for the communication to take place.  I very much see this as a less formal group.

Not that I think that groups like the Rocketeers (to pick an example) mind people chipping in either, mind you.  They all seem pretty open to any interested people getting involved.  If someone comes along and is interested in rocketry we all know to point them towards Nathan and his group; I'm just looking to make something so people know where to point food-related questions...

I'm thinking of a dedicated google-group and maybe something on the website (menu/calendar/etc.?) for people to use to coordinate.  This way we can do this sort of conversational logistics without clogging the main mailing group or requiring people to read everything here (many people don't) to sort out what's happening.

Blenster

[Sam Dake]

I like Chris's idea, and keeping the receipts is a good idea. In response to your other post, you were probably clear enough in your first email. I have a bad habit of reading something, thinking it over, then posting responses to my own worries without clarifying that I even thought whatever it is I'm posting a solution to (just ask Brad, this drives him nuts :P). I think I did that here, so I'm sorry for getting ahead of myself. 

Phase1) Read Phase2) ??? Phase3) Post

I also like the idea for a dedicated google group, or other means of centralized communication about foodstuffs.

[JAC_101]

Soda/Coke/Pop and chip cosst are intented to pay for the soda/coke/pop and chips, not fund another venture.

Indirect costing schemes are bound to get more and more indirect until no one is sure of what it is for.

Meals and snacks should remain seperate.

 

Now if LVL1 is to provide money for the meal venture then it should be FAP'd as a seperate item.

On Wednesday, November 7, 2012 4:12:10 PM UTC-5, Jeff Johnson wrote:

[Todd Welsh]

I do NOT want to end up being the "food bitch" for everything all the time.

 

Note to self: cancel the "Food Bitch" apron order. :)

 

I say, keep at least part of the food discussion in the main group.  It needs to be visible that people are working on it and that is doesn't just "happen."  Also, you want more poeple involved, right? 

 

That being said thank you for taking this up. 

 

I think if you are going to partake in the food, under most circumstances, you should be contributing as well.  Either money, food, consumables or a significant chore (clean all the dishes, make the main dish, set up the whole thing, something like that)  If not, double up next time.  As has ben pointed out, this is separate from reguar LVL1 money.  I don't want new people coming in saying "it's $50 a month *and* they feed you on Tuesdays!" :)

 

On a personal note, I have a tight schedule right up until 8:00 but if you give me a shout by say, Monday afternoon, I can bring in a non-perishable item. (Meaning it will be in my car for a day, but it will get there!)

 

Todd

[Ben Hibben]

I'll wear it if  you buy it...  ;-P

I do plan on keeping food-stuff on the main list for visibility but not all the details need to hit this list.  A couple of posts with "here's what we've been discussing" and a link to join in if they want to may work for that.  I'll be figuring it out (making it up) as I go until we find a stable solution...

Blenster

[Jeff Johnson]

> Note to self: cancel the "Food Bitch" apron order. :)

Funny you say that.  I took this picture in a store in New Orleans this year.  Ending up buying the one on the left for a friend who cooks when we go camping.

On Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 2:47 PM, Todd Welsh <blackbelt...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Divinity Rose]

What about having a cabinet or shelf that is for Tuesday potlucks. People can put stuff in there that can be utilized for the potlucks. That way left over nonperishables or bread, chips, etc can be stored there and accessed the following week. As for putting a non-perishable in your car. Just put a box of them there to hold you over for a few weeks :p

That way some people might bring more than one week's worth of donation so they don't' have to remember every week. You could put a cash donation box inside it ?

[Ben Hibben]

Excellent idea Divinity!  We need to take a look at reorganizing the kitchen a bit as it is to find places for the donated dishes and such as well.

Blenster

[Jeff Johnson]

Another thought may be to just do a big potluck on the first Tuesday of the month, and everyone "try" to bring something in.

[joy elation green]

I will have some rice crispy treats shaped like pumpkins tomorrow. ^_^

[Jeff Johnson]

Here's a thought.  What if one meeting per month, there was a contest such as chili, appetizer, soup, desert etc.  Part of the rules is you have to turn in the recipe.  At the end of the year compile a list of all the LVL1 recipies (or just keep adding to the Wiki) by category and order of winners (or at least the top 3).