Would like to go to a LDS cannery in Tennessee or Georgia

[Guest]

I would like to go to a LDS cannery. Alabama does not have one. I found one close to Nashville but you have to be a member. I would be willing to travel to Georgia or Tennessee if someone is planning a trip in the next few months. I've never been to one and I am not sure what to expect or how to go about ordering what I need.

Thanks guys

[ridgerunner]

I haven't been to the one in Nashville this year. Rumor has it that a member has to "sponsor" you in order to purchase goods. I do know that the area available to members only has way more inventory and lots of variety not available to non members. I had a friend that went back in March, but I do not have any updates since then. I am not a member.

There is also one (LDS Cannery) in Knoxville, TN; but I have no knowledge of their operation.

[rockriver]

do you have an lds friend..
if so ask about the cannery and let them tell you. then ask if you can go with them.
if not convenient, ask what you need to do to visit without your friend. don't push.
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if you do not have a lds frined, call the local temple and ask the above questions. ask slowly and politely.
admit your lack of knowledge. don't push.
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if neither of the above works, call the cannery. stay polite. tell the truth. be willing to call whoever they tell you to call.
they owe you nothing. i have seen people make demands like they would at walmart and i've heard folks brag on the internet
about how they demanded this or told the volunteers at the cannery how something was going to work or in some other manner bragged about how they showed their a@@ at the cannery. this aint walmart. pretend this was your house and someone showed up with demands.
how would you respond. if you let them in your door once, and they "showed out" would you let them in again? i wouldn't.
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i called the cannery near me. i asked about going. i was told to call someone else. then told to call someone else.
i was calling volunteers at their homes i learned later. i didn't push. finallly i was given a date i could come. they wanted to know
how long i would be there, and quantities. be ready to answer those questions.
example:
i'm looking to can about 50 cans. and i'm bringing 2 other family members. do you think we could do this in about 2 and a half hours?
let them know you will be bringing cash. ask if that is alright. i think they prefer cash. especially from non members.
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they will probably ask you to complete the order form that is on their website. you can calculate your cost to the penny.
ask if you should fax the order ahead of time.
this helps them know if they need to get in more raw materials.
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some suggestions..
don't go there with the idea of evangelizing your religion.
on one visit i let the room know that i had some coke products and the other families there were invited to have one.
i thought i was being nice and willing to share.
that was not a good idea.
there was a long silence, then smiles and politeness. they explained to me that they teach against caffeine... that it is not healthy.
i apologized and took my cooler back to the truck. then apologized to each family and the managers quietly and sincerely.
don't tell them how to run their business. their prices are very low. the lowest i've found. they don't factor in money to pay for
hassle from heathen.. like walmart and local stores do.
when i've gone, i've always left a gift of product for them to distribute as they see fit. they've always turned me down when i made the offer, then accepted it and said it would be used for a needy family. i advised that is what i wanted done with the product. this kind of act has helped me gain access again.
if they tell you "no" when you ask about coming, just agree. say thank you, hang up and go pay a lot more somewhere else. if you act polite then maybe you can try again later. if you are a jerk -- you hurt yourself and all other non lds.
keep in mind the folks you are dealing with are all volunteers.
on my paid work, i have to let folks gripe and complain.
on my volunteer work, i don't have to listen to it..
keep that in mind when you call them.
i have a friend who wants me to take him.. ain't gonna happen.
he's too quick to speak his mind. his showing out will hurt me.
i took a relative. all he wanted to do was strut around wiht his fancy coat on.
he didn't want to help me and he let be known that he wasn't there to help others.
what a mistake on my part.
being a smart a@@ on his part was a bad idea. being humble would have been a good idea.
it hurt my standing with the managers.
i took my son who speaks portugese. i made it real clear what the rules were before we got there.
he heard the family next to us speaking portugese. he responded to them in their tongue. they helped us.
we helped them. this helped my standing with the managers.
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good luck!
and best wishes.
by the way. by the time i took a day off from work. drove hundreds of miles, spent all day. on the road meals, mileage, etc...
i probably didn't really save any money.
ordering from our websites sponsor jrh would have been a lot simpler and possibly cheaper!
i have! and the food was great and professionally packed!!

--
rr

[barfife]

There is one in Tucker, GA, a suburb of Atlanta. I have not had any luck on getting in. When i spoke with them over the phone, they said that you have to be sponsored to gain entry.

Rockriver,
thanks for the suggestions. I will try again.

[1Admin]

Rockriver- what a great post!!!! Seriously!!!

If people just understood how what you posted right there would help them in LIFE and in every interaction of this kind, it would get them SO MUCH FURTHER. And in turn- GET THEM MORE OF WHAT THEY WANT.

This BS "me first" push "my" agenda attitude is what is ruining our country.

We all tend to think we are better than "sheeple." I've met just as many people who call themselves survivalists and preppers who act like that, as "normal" folks a.k.a. sheeple.

I don't think the average "prepper" understands just how detrimental this attitude may be to him later. Your trying to make a trade with someone after something happens, you get all demanding and rude- someone may just shoot you in the face. I'm serious. And it might not always be the rough looking heathen type that some folks right now are thinking "I wouldn't associate or trade with someone like that." It could be the friendly, soft spoken type that would just see that type of attitude as a potential for violence.

We have to "get along to go along" sometimes. That means understanding that sometimes you have to slow down and stopping acting so flipping pushy and selfish. Help others first and often times you get what you want also. Most importantly show RESPECT to those in authority over you- whether you realize they are in authority over you or not. Easier still, just show everyone a certain amount of respect. In a new environment understand the onus is on YOU to act correctly, show respect, etc. Like RR said- "or you won't be invited back."

Campouts are a perfect example of this- their have been a handful of folks over the last 10 years that just have not been invited back. Why? One family was stealing things (thankfully it appears it was just from me, not anyone else), several others just had pi$$ poor attitudes. We don't need that crap and those folks are NOT welcome back. That's life, you weed out the losers and keep moving forward!

Your ACTIONS speak louder than your words, your money, etc. We see this all the time in business, the "well I'm spending $50. with you so I can treat you like crap" attitude. Nope sorry, don't need your money that much, have a nice day pay more for it elsewhere buh bye!

The biggest problem is, few people think about how their actions will be perceived by others.

[puternut]

All the above is great advise and I agree fully. Early last year the LDS were open to non-members coming but with the economy they shut that down on the day I was to go. No hard feeling, I have a friend I have know for years but not kept in contact with. Called him and was told to "come on down", turnes out he works there 3 days a week!
I spent about 4 hours helping them place produce into bags that he deleviered to some of their smaller churches on Fridays. We had a great time and I gained a lot of good will. The couple that run the cannery are some of the nicest folks you will meet.

LDS believe in storing 3 months food, paying off your bills, then adding to your storage until you have at least 1 year food. (This was on a sign on the wall). They dont believe in caffeine so out of politeness I brought water instead of my normal Tea to drink.

If you are allowed in volenteer to can more than you need. It will be placed aside and used for those that are not able to can or only need a few cans of a product, this will help you and them.

Just some thought from my visit.