Road Trip to MOON Co-Op

By Sarah Tyrrell

At some point during my last four years at Miami I was fortunate enough to stumble upon MOON Co-Op , the local cooperative grocery store here in Oxford. Technically named Miami Oxford Organic Network, MOON is like many other food cooperatives, which can be found all over and all follow the seven cooperative principles. MOON has been around since late 2011 with this mission serving as its foundation:

"Our goal is to empower the members of our community to live a more sustainable lifestyle. We hope to accomplish this by:

• Providing a retail outlet for products that are produced in ecologically acceptable ways
• Utilizing local and regional producers to strengthen the local economy and reduce transportation costs
• Educating consumers and producers about sustainable principles and choices
• Informing consumers about where their food comes from and how it is produced
• Providing a place for the sharing of diverse foods and cultures"

Discovering MOON was one of the better and unique experiences I've had during my time as an undergrad. I never would have anticipated something like it would have existed in Oxford, and I'm certain many other students feel similarly. Though one would think it would be more popular among students, it has truly been a sort of hidden gem. Whether this is because students have never heard of MOON or, if they have heard of it, have no idea where it's located, what better way to explain MOON and it's location than to show people? Join us on our short trip in this video.

[wpvideo RDlX4AjN]