Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Keeping Track of Common Meals

[pattymara (pattymara]

<< My question is, How do other communities keep track of how often 
> people eat
> and work?  Is it the honor system or some other system?

At Tierra Nueva, central CA coast, we have 2 or 3 meals per week,
depending on whether cooks and cleaners volunteer.    Monday, Wed, and
Sat nights.   In the summer it generally drops to 1 or 2 meals per week. 
 Potlucks happen too, but are "hosted" by a volunteer, and cleaners can
come without bringing food.

The "rhythm" we have finally found that seems to work is:   whoever eats,
cooks OR cleans twice a month,  Honor system.  Every once in a while,
someone (usually the kitchen manager) keeps track to see if it is really
so, and gives a gentle nudge to the freeloaders.    

Meal costs: Cooks (3)  eat free.  Cleaners (2) eat for half price.  
$2.75 adults  1.25 kids   Usually purchased in a meal ticket of ten. 
Cooks keep receipts of all purchases, submit them to the meal manager (6
month rotation volunteer, free meals in return) stapled to the sign up
list and a check appears in our cubbies.   Kitchen manager (volunteer
position) keeps the pantry stocked.  25 cents per meal goes towards
pantry stocking. 

We have a separate account for our Comida Nueva money to keep it separate
from HOA funds, and not taxable income.   

Sometimes we have a solid run of 3 meals a week, sometimes we don't. 
Summers are always fewer meals.    

New community members are often intimidated by the responsibilities of
cooking for 30 - 60 people, and ease into the job with encouragement and
help from other cook team members.  Cook teams usually stick together
because it is fun, but sometimes a cook will sign up with folks they
haven't worked with. 

Providing meals for the community is a big deal.  Huge effort,  when you
mindfully observe all that it takes to get the job done.  Sometimes we
have the energy for it, sometimes we don't.  The world keeps spinning,
and we cycle around.   It all works out, plays out, eventually.  

Patty Mara
Tierra Nueva, central CA coast



 

    

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