January 11, 2004

This Sunday afternoon, more than 300 Baltimoreans braved the cold weather to support a new food cooperative called "The Village," and to enjoy a Day of Renewal. Coop members held the event at St. John's Church in order to raise the seed money necessary to open a natural food cooperative in the Charles Village area.

Skai Davis, owner of the Yabba Pot vegetarian restaurant, greeted me at the door. Davis is part of the Baltimore Natural Food Buying Club, which has operated for 2 1/2 years and involves 40 families. Club members can buy all of the goods generally available at a health food store at cost, through a catalogue. The coop plans to expand beyond this buyers' club, and open up a community run business that sells affordable, healthy, organic foods and supports local farmers. In addition to the food coop, there are plans to use the space as a community center for nutrition education, holistic health care, gardens, and eventually a child care coop.

When I entered the room, a live foods demonstration was underway at the main stage and a group of teenagers took a yoga class from teacher Steffany Haaz. She got involved in this project because, "There are few places in Baltimore for people to buy affordable, fresh, organic produce." Haaz also hopes that this coop will become a model for cooperatives and food growing gardens throughout the city. As we chatted, a group of younger kids ran up and asked for a class, which she agreed to do on the spot.

I talked with lots of different people, and asked everyone why they decided to support The Village. One person told me, "I came because someone I have a crush on gave me a flier." Stand-up comedian, Jody, said that where she's from in Minneapolis, "you can't swing a dead cat on any corner and not hit a food coop." "I'm sick of swinging around dead cats and hitting nothing," she quipped.

All jokes aside, there is a great need for a food cooperative in Baltimore. Organizer Gretchen Heilman, Holistic Health Counselor at Alive and Awake Nutrition and Herbs, lamented that, "Many Baltimore residents have to take an hour bus ride just to get their groceries, or they shop at their local convenience store for over-processed, sugar-filled, artificial junk foods. Obesity and diabetes are out of control." Heilman asserted that, "Whole Foods is a great concept but I want local produce, local control, a local community -run economy, cheaper prices, and more actual whole foods versus alternative packaged and processed "healthy" foods."

Friendly event volunteer Dan Breen supports the coop simply because, "It's a good way to get good cheap food." Margie Roswell shared these concerns: "Conventionally grown food is filled with pesticides that are toxic. I don't want to support that, or put that kind of food in my body. I'm excited to have a good source of organic food." Beth, who lives near the church, opined that, "health has become really commodified." She thinks that The Village will help make healthy food more accessible to the general population.

People milled around the room talking to friends and neighbors. Local businesses sold candles, handicrafts, aromatherapy products and vegetarian food. Acupuncturists, herbalists, and other holistic healers provided information and consultations to attendees. Christy Thorndill staffed a table promoting a new yoga cooperative, which will be taking over the Yama Studios space when Yama's relocates to a bigger studio. In the body work area, massage and Reiki therapists offered their services at discounted rates, donating all proceeds to The Village.

There were music and dance performances, and workshops throughout the day. I saw a drum circle, which sparked some dance improvisation, and a Capoeira demonstration. After the performance, Jason Harris of the International Capoeira Angola Foundation talked to me about Capoeira, a martial art with roots in Bantu tradition in Brazil. It was developed by slaves who were forbidden from studying fighting techniques, and developed the art to appear to onlookers as just dance, acrobatics and music. Harris sees the legacy of Capoeira as, "people taking control of their own destiny. It was born out of a need to rebel. This is what the food coop is about. Taking control of our food, knowing what's in it and where it came from."

The Village asked people to contribute 10 dollars at the door; "Many people that were not able to pay came and enjoyed the music, workshops, got a massage and enjoyed themselves," said Heilman. Two people were turned away early on in the event due to a miscommunication among the organizers and the door volunteers. The committee apologizes for this mistake, because one of their goals was to serve people in need who may not have access to holistic health services.

The event far exceeded organizers' fundraising goal of $1,500, bringing in $2,375 for the project just with door donations. In addition to raising funds, the event helped the cooperative to sign up new members, gather resources and support, and foster the kind of community that The Village hopes to build. While I was speaking with Haaz, she noted, "There's community all around us here."

For more information, or to get involved in the coop, e-mail Skai Davis at baltimorenatural-AT-earthlink.net.