b'Farmers can join for $25. When we vote on loans, its one member/one vote, no matter the size of a members donation. When the loans are repaid, capital revolves into future loans. So, you can think of these groups as non-profit grassroots revolving loan cooperatives, but we dont. We think of them as CSAs of investing. Informality and conviv-iality prized. Business meetings take place at someones home, a local Grange hall, a farm, with many smaller get-togethers along the way. There are five SOIL groups as of this writing, four in Colorado and one in Virginia, on our way to many more, we hope. Collectively, theyve received $1.25 million over the past few years from 304 donor members and made more than 60 loans. 18Two Roots Farm, Basalt, COlorado received a 0% loan.Ollin Farm (below), Longmont, COlorado received a 0% loan. SOIL Boulder inaugural meeting18 The Virginia SOIL group, which is managed out of Charlottesville by Virginia Foodshed Capital, makes loans across much of the state and its donors are similarly spread out.It is therefore making loan decisions via its board, with donors advising, but not voting.38'