By Edward Shanahan

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Where's the beef?

As an early $150 share-holder in the River Valley Market, the long-promised Northampton Food Co-op, I’m getting weary of the open membership meetings, b-i-n-g-o games, promotional gimmicks, e-mail traffic, and other activities designed to distract us from one fact: there ain’t no co-op.

Where’s the beef?

When will we have a market and why has it taken so long? Markets don’t thrive on letters of intent and fun and games, even with free popcorn thrown in. The whole experience is beginning to feel like a endlessly long-running Reality TV series and we can’t shut off the set.

At this point, if there aren’t enough interested members after three years of organizing the question might be asked: Is there even a need for a local food co-op? Wasn’t a food co-op already operating in Northampton 25 years ago, but ultimately folded for lack of support?

Maybe it’s time to return the $150 checks and take down those yellow lawn signs.