Owner 32

A co-op owner profile of Dana Smith & Victor Madge, owner 32

​Dana

Why did you join the co-op? I LOVE the farmer’s market in the summer and want that access more than just one morning a week. The thought of Silver Falls bread, Fisher bacon and Gardenripe heirloom tomatoes and lettuce all together on one beautiful BLT makes me salivate uncontrollably. It also seems pretty special that I’m on a first name basis with the producers.

As an engineer and an elected official, I am acutely aware of the fragility of our built environment. When the Cascadia Subduction Zone slips, our transportation and communication networks will be devastated. There will be higher priority locations for restoration of services. Having established local food suppliers makes our community more resilient.

What is something that you love about Silverton? My favorite thing about Silverton is the sense of community. It was evident from my first encounter almost 20 years ago and has only gotten stronger.

What is your favorite vegetable? I don’t really have a favorite vegetable. I love tomatoes in the summer, Brussel sprouts in the fall, beets in the winter, and greens in the spring.

Victor

Why did you join the co-op? I feel the need to become a better global citizen and to reduce the carbon footprint I leave in my wake each day. Keeping my purchases local whenever possible helps to reduce, in an incremental way, the amount of fuel spent transporting food and produce from literally around the world to the supermarket.

I believe that if this movement were to go worldwide, we could wrest control over at least a portion of our purchasing from big corporate interests, who only have interest in their bottom line.

I believe there is a revolution happening—an evolution—to a local market economy. More and more people are opening their eyes to the reality that our planet has limited resources and that we need to use them wisely. This consciousness is growing, and I am very proud to be a part of it.

Photo courtesy of Whitney Ulven Photography