Although their regular prices are not the lowest around, they run reduced-price sales on a predictable, logical, regular basis, instead of trying to outwit the customers with cheap tricks. So I can, by buying and storing wisely, manage to keep our larder full of high quality items at prices just as good as the best sale prices at the big-box stores.

They buy produce and meat from local, in-state sources whenever they can, and strongly support the local county fairs’ 4H sales. They provide country-of-origin, even state-, information with all their produce.

The shoppers, staff, from managers through to the folks who load your car are local friends and neighbors.

Instead of selling prime produce at bulk sale prices toward the end of the growing seasons, their best prices on bulk amounts are targeted to the beginning of the season, peak quality of the produce, etc. Knowledgeable cooks, canners and freezers and other do-it-yourself-ers flock in to purchase the best and freshest produce for their own home prep.
The stores also carry a full line of canning and freezing supplies on the shelves.

If you buy a boneless roast, even at the lowest sale price, and you want it sliced into portions, butchers on site will do that for you, no charge.

These stores also, while using sensible, savvy marketing techniques, also seem to avoid the cheap tricks that make everyone among us mad (e.g., advertising one item as on sale, but making it hard to find, or in short supply and, instead, giving a similar but much higher-priced, non-sale item much more prominent shelf-space).

They have self-serve boxes of hand-sanitizing wipes placed right next to the carts, so you can give the cart handle and rims a good wipe before you ever touch it – a golden touch of absolute brilliance much appreciated by customers, especially during flu season.

They give a small rebate on every re-usable bag you bring in for them to use in bagging your own groceries. They also sell tough, handy reusable fabric bags and cooler bags, which earn you another rebate every time you use them. They do what they can to recycle (e.g., all cardboard is baled and put directly in a semi trailer that goes straight to recycling).

They provide space and help for local charities, collections for local food pantry for the needy, local schools, veterans, book collections for charity, etc. etc. etc.

They provide space and expert staff to enrich the educational home economics programs run by local schools. They run nutrition education classes also, in cooperation with the local schools. They have a user-friendly child-care area, with careful supervision, so shoppers with small children may shop quickly and in peace, while their children are kept safe and happy.
They host yearly flu-shot clinics.

They have suggestion boxes throughout their stores, and they follow up and do what they say they will.

This chain is thriving. I keep wondering why many other stores don’t follow their lead and simply be honest and fair with their customers and staff, as well as innovative in customer- and environmentally-friendly ways.

if you wanna go really whole foods, viktorus kulvinskas is one of the first whole-foodies. i know someone who only eats mostly ‘raw’ ‘live’ foods, for the enzymes. she doesn’t have a line on her face. in her 50’s. enzyme-rich foods play an important role in the type of lifestyle you are adopting. i used to make and drink fermented drinks to boost the enzymes in my diet.

thanks for the info.

Child, take it or leave it. There is nothing else.

we have a great one here, everything sold has to be raised or made by the vendor. is more expensive than raising your own but is a great alternative. i can buy meats-lamb, pork, beef, veggies, fruits, ciders, canned goods, plants, honey, candles, soaps, etc….all in one place. costs a little more, but lasts longer because it’s fresher, especially lettuces. and i don’t waste as much as when i go to the grocery. our market is wednesday and saturday. it is one of the best in ohio, if not the best local one. most things are comparably priced, however the berries our too ‘dear’ as my grandma would say.

even if you have to drive a little for one it would be worth it….when i was growing up our family used to go to findlay market in cincinnati here and there for meats and things. was a great outing for our family.

my doctor says–no sugar, no wheat-but i eat sprouted breads-ezekiel bread-in wheat there is an enzyme inhibitor that is used up when it’s sprouted (used to make my own sprouted flour before i found ezekiel bread-frozen section orange label), no potatoes, no fruit juice-eat the fruit. no artificial sweeteners. no transfats-he’s been saying that since ‘93.

and stretching.

he says other things too, but those are his major ‘hit’ list.

I’m not asking for a risk free food. That’s impossible. I’d just like companies not to add exponentially to already occurring risks by spraying toxic sludge that makes things even worse or not following basic food safety guidelines.

That whole dream of some day owning a piece of property large enough for us to grow and can most of our food? Sounding better and better to me these days…