It’s one thing to strive to eat as healthfully and ethically as possible — it’s another to put your labour where your good intentions are. Tucked between two houses down a narrow laneway, Karma Co-op Food Store (739 Palmerston, www.karmacoop.org) has been a Toronto institution since 1972. In the 36 years since its founders started loading up their station wagons at Ontario farms and driving fresh produce into the Annex, the food co-operative has grown to close to 1,000 members, many travelling from outlying neighbourhoods to participate in this member-owned, member-operated non-profit.

The individual and environmental benefits of “eating locally” are a big topic these days, and Karma’s focus from the beginning has been to establish relationships with people who grow food. Produce manager Michael Armstrong, former percussionist for Toronto bands like Change of Heart and King Cobb Steelie, has worked closely with many Ontario farmers in the 10 years he’s been at Karma, from old-timers who were pioneers in the organics movement to committed newcomers straight out of agricultural college.

“It helps, because I know the farms and I know what’s going on there. I understand why there’s no spinach this year or that zucchini is really cheap because there’s tonnes of it,” he says.

Keeping a grocery store stocked with exclusively local produce is still not viable, Armstrong says, noting that “the growing season is really short and precarious.” While Karma does import produce to fill in the gaps — there’s no such thing as a local banana in Ontario, for example — Armstrong also buys from people like Peter Vanderpost of Kestrel Farms, who uses solar-powered greenhouses to extend the growing season. He also hopes to go even more local in the future by expanding the amount of herbs, fruits and vegetables they carry that members have grown in their Toronto backyards. “I think that would be really cool,” he says.

While the ideology behind Karma has remained pretty constant, the building itself underwent serious renovations last summer. Store manager Justin McNabb says members invested around $200,000 into making the space more open and energy-efficient, installing modern coolers and creating more natural light. “Our first hydro bill since the renovations was 50 per cent lower than last year’s,” he says. They are still working on finishing a community meeting room.

Only members can shop at Karma, but the co-op offers interested parties the opportunity to do a trial shop to check out the vibe and the prices, which tend to be on par and in some cases cheaper than other local options.

Members pay a one-time $70 loan (refundable when they leave the co-op), an annual fee and choose either a working or non-working membership. Working members are required to complete a two-hour shift once a month; non-working members pay an $18 surcharge in lieu of hard labour. The work commitment can be fulfilled in various ways, from running the register to serving on the Food Issues Committee. Seem like a lot of hassle just to pick up some groceries? McNabb and Armstrong say the sense of community makes the experience unique and enjoyable.

“People trust Karma, too,” says Armstrong. “They know there are some standards and ethics that go into what they’re going to be buying. It gives them a sense of comfort.”