THE CO-OP COMMONS
Awakening
Newsletter of The Food Co-op in Port Townsend
www.foodcoop.coop
April/May 2010
printed in Port Angeles on recycled paper
talk to us on facebook
3 Is Democracy Dead? time
to
deborah schumacher
4&5
7
8
11
16
vote!
Staff Writer
Democracy: a government
in which the supreme power
is vested in the people and
exercised by them directly or
indirectly through a system of
representation usually involving
periodically held free elections
(my emphasis, Merriam-Webster
online).
We are a
democratic
organization
with an elected
board of directors.
co-op
talk
Q.
I think most people would
agree that—even though they
won the legal definition of
personhood (years ago) that
includes freedom of speech
and now includes the ability to
contribute to political campaigns
(in January)—corporations
are not “the people” in a
democracy. “The people” is you
and me actively engaged in the
government of ourselves. How
can it be, then, that corporations
have gained so much power and
what can we do to change the
course of this ship we call the
United States of America?
What is a P.I.C?
What is PoGo?
What is C.I.?
What is MSD?
What are end caps?
What’s a CAP flyer?
Who is UNFI?
What’s a HABA?
See answers
Page 14
continued on page 2
May
1-14
vote
Annual
Meeting
join
Become an
owner-member
for as little as
$7 and then $2
for every month
you shop.
“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aid, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn.”
- Henry David Thoreau
THE CO-OP COMMONS
a bi-monthly newsletter of
The FOOD CO-OP
PORT TOWNSEND
established 1972
www.foodcoop.coop
414 Kearney St.
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Store 360-385-2883
OPEN DAILY
Mon-Sat 8 am - 9 pm
Sun 9 am - 8 pm
MISSION STATEMENT
Seeking to uphold the health
of our community and world,
The Food Co-op,
a consumer cooperative,
serves our membership by making
available reasonably priced whole
foods and other basic goods
and resources by means
of our life affirming
democratic organization.
PRINCIPLES
1. Voluntary & Open Membership
2. Democratic Member Control
3. Member Economic Participation
4. Autonomy & Independence
5. Education, Training & Information
6. Cooperation Among Co-ops
7. Concern for Community
MEMBER-OWNED
no annual fees
one time $5.00
$2 payments
every month you shop
until $100 capital
investment achieved,
a paid-in-full membership!
memberservices@
ptfoodcoop.coop
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE:
Brwyn Griffin, Editor
Deborah Schumacher, Copy Editor
Mindy Dwyer, Graphic Artist
Estelle Giangrosso, Writer
[email protected]
SUBMISSIONS
of interest to the community
are gladly accepted.
Please drop off articles for
consideration at the Co-op
c/o The Co-op Commons.
Include your contact information.
Submissions may be edited
for length or content.
[email protected]
The CO-OP COMMONS
is printed in Port Angeles
using recycled paper
and vegetable-based inks.
Opinions expressed in this
newsletter are the writer’s own
and do not necessarily
reflect Co-op policy or
good consumer practice.
democracy cont. . .
continued from page 1
The Vacuum at the Center
“The Costs of Community” by JohnMichael
Greer (visit him at thearchdruidreport.
blogspot.com for more interesting
commentary) suggests that we need to
look to ourselves to answer the first part
of that question. “Much of what’s wrong
with the current American political
system,” he writes, “is the result of a
vacuum at the center of that system—a
very large empty space where organized
pressure from the public used to go.”
I think he’s talking about the involvement
of ordinary folks speaking up for their
families’ and communities’ interests.
In the absence of our participation in
neighborhood caucuses and our contact
with elected officials for the development
of meaningful party platforms, elections
become “pointless media spectacles”
where promises made at the podium
are never carried forward during the
elected official’s term. Greer concludes,
“it wasn’t some conspiracy of corporate
minions who brought about that state of
affairs; what happened, by and large, was
that most Americans dropped out of the
party system, and the professionals filled
the resulting void.”
A Citizen’s Strategy
In his article Greer gives a short history of
citizen’s groups creating social change in
this country: The Grange (an organization
of farmers), who fought and won against
the robber barons in the 1880s, as well
as the Abolitionists, the Suffragettes,
and the Civil Rights movement. Rural
citizens organized themselves into
granges at a time when corporations
enjoyed even more unrestricted power
than they do now “and the railroad
corporations were the richest and most
powerful of the lot” (Greer). The Grange
farmers broke the railroad monopolies,
achieving, says Greer, “total victory”
when the railroad corporations lost their
lucrative monopoly over transport.
Groups like the Grange, explains Greer,
employed a “citizen’s strategy for
constructive social change” that worked
from the grassroots up, required almost no
money or media coverage, used “off-theshelf social technology,” and “[had] the
proven side effect of building community
on a grand scale.” Fundamentally, Greer
believes that we already have the tools we
need to make change in our participatory
government—it’s only that the tools are
not being used or are being used without
effect.
What does any of this have to do with our
co-op? Most immediately, we’re entering
our own elections cycle with Board
elections in May. The month running
up to the elections is your opportunity
to educate yourself about the issues that
affect your co-op and to participate by
casting your vote.
Just a Grocery Store
In 2008 during elections for our Board of
Directors we had our lowest voter turnout
ever: 650 voted out of an eligible pool of
4,252. My own experience of elections
(especially at the Member Services desk,
where new members’ eyes often glaze
over when I explain to them that one of
the benefits of membership is the right
to vote in Board elections) is that for
most folks it has little relevance or real
meaning in their lives. After all, we’re
a grocery store. How is who gets on the
Board of Directors at The Food Co-op
important to my life?
A good question. But think about that
statement: we’re a grocery store. The
silent qualifier that’s missing is just.
We’re just a grocery store. That statement
makes sense in the context of a culture
that regards food of any quality from
any source as just food, fuel to keep the
body going as we go about the business
of living. Nuke me a Hot Pocket, quick,
I’m in a hurry.
Or maybe you think that the quality of
the food you eat and where it comes from
is important, and that’s why you shop at
the Co-op. If so, then Board elections
matter.
Maybe you recognize that The Food
Co-op is a local business vital to Port
Townsend and Jefferson County because
it supports other local businesses and is
itself a business that employs members
of our community who might otherwise
have to commute to a job somewhere
else or leave our community altogether to
find work. If so, Board elections matter.
A Poverty of Time
Greer reminds us that “communities
need regular inputs of time and
effort from their members, or they
collapse into mass societies of isolated
individuals—roughly speaking, what
we’ve got now.” Sharon Astyk responds
(in a reply to Greer’s post; visit her at
scienceblogs/casaubonsbook.com) that
“the absent space of political and social
engagement…is a result not just of a
culture of autonomy, but of a culture of
industrialism that demands the labor of
everyone in a unified project—and leaves
very little space for other work.”
Astyk brings up a good point and one
that suggests that the problem with our
neglected democracy is not just a lack of
community participation, but a poverty
of time. “At the end of the day,” Astyk
writes, “much of the work that would
have been done in the daytime (meal
prep, domestic labor) is shoehorned into
evenings. Families are smaller, and less
likely to live together, and the erosion of
community ties creates a vicious circle—
things we once could get for free from
others, we now must work to pay for. The
time that was used to make democracy
is now subsumed into the workforce—
and our livelihoods depend on us not
undermining corporate power too much.”
Consumer or Citizen First
Laboring as so many of us do in that
unified project we call free market
capitalism, we must nevertheless decide
whether we’re consumers first or citizens
first. To be citizens, it’s necessary that
we attend to the needs of our democracy.
There’s no easy way to do that without
reassessing our lives and perhaps
reordering our priorities. I’ll end with
these words from John Michael Greer:
“The costs of community may not be
something most of us want to pay, but in
the world that is taking shape around us,
the alternative for a great many of us may
be much worse.”
“A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away
the rights of the other forty-nine.” - Thomas Jefferson
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
2
April / May 2010
outreach
from the GM
Farm-to-Cafeteria
Update
DEB SHORTESS
S.I.P.S. Manager/ Acting G.M.
Management News
You may not be aware that our General
Manager, Briar Kolp, has been away
from her office for a few months due
to a leave of absence. Management
continuity is covered in Policy B7 of
our policy governance manual. I am
designated the lead while Briar is out
with assistance from Marcia Atwood
our Store Manager, VictoriaWideman
in human resources and our finance
team. We have a team approach so
that no one person has to take on all
the GM’s duties and responsibilities.
You should also know that Briar has
built a strong foundation so that we
are not overwhelmed but operating
smoothly. We are able to take care
of normal operations as well as
continuing on with our project list.
There are several behind-the-scenes
projects in operations that I want to
share with you.
Recently, we have been able to build
a computer database for input of our
customer suggestion forms. This will
allow operations to sort suggestions
by three main categories; facilities,
products, and customer service.
Our goal is to be able to listen
more effectively to you. With this
system, the forms are being routed
so that your questions are answered
more promptly. We will still post
the suggestion forms for members
to view near the customer courtesy
phone.
We are planning some resets of
products. The sections which will
be soonest reset will be: non-food
cleaners (to accommodate bulk
dish soap among other things); ice
cream, frozen desserts and treats; and
refrigerated foods. This is where you
brwyn griffiN
Outreach/Education Manager
will see our category management
work on display. The basic premise
of category management is to
discontinue products which are
not selling well to make room for
new items or products suggested
by members, as well as taking into
account unique member requests,
such as special dietary foods.
Some of the management/buying
team have been working for a year
on a product matrix to help assess
new items. The matrix addresses
many aspects about each product as
well as the manufacturer, including:
ingredients,
origin,
packaging,
ownership, and more. There is much
discussion among our team about
each aspect and we have only been
able to review about one-third of the
matrix topics. Relating the matrix
to our mission and principles is also
part of our discussions.
There are two supporting pieces
of information which will stand
alone and support the matrix that
are almost complete. They are
a GMO (genetically modified
organism) statement about products
containing GMO ingredients and an
unacceptable ingredient list for The
Food Co-op. We built on work that
other stores have done to create our
documents. We have had requests to
label products which contain GMOs.
Our GMO statement will address
the complexities of this issue. Look
for both of these documents to be
available by mid-May. We will
have these documents available in
the store, on our website, and at
the Annual Meeting for member
discussion.
Movie showing at 1pm
Please join our e-mail list
Send your email request to:
follow us on
twitter
ptfoodcoop
[email protected]
Stay
Connected!
find us
on facebook
www.facebook.com/TheFoodCoop
“The price of the democratic way of life is a growing appreciation of people’s differences, not merely as tolerable,
but as the essence of a rich and rewarding human experience.” - Jerome Nathanson
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
3
April / May 2010
introducing five candidates. . .
Let Your Vote Count
JANET WELCH
Elections Committee Chair/Board Member
Participate: It’s crucial to a member owned
cooperative. Voting in the election for the Board
of Directors is the essence of this cooperative
democracy. The Board’s role is to make strategic
decisions that enable The Food Co-op to adhere
to its mission and remain financially stable.
This year there are five candidates running for
three positions. These five owner-members
represent varying perspectives, interests, skills
and passions. They are committed to cooperative
values and are willing to put their energy into
the governing of this organization.
The good news: the Co-op remains in a
financially sound position, even as the global
economy continues to falter. Hard work on the
part of the staff and Board and support from the
members is key to stability in tough times. The
year ahead will offer challenges as the Board
makes decision about changes to the store to
improve access to reasonably priced products.
We will need to be creative and vigilant to strike
a balance of food affordability and paying fair
prices to the farmers who grow our food. We
must be diligent in deciding on the products
on the shelves and remain a positive force for
change in the world.
Here’s how: review the candidates’ statements
here, on the Co-op website (www.foodcoop.
coop) and at the Board’s board at the front of
the store; attend the “Cake with the Candidates”
event on April 20; and make sure we have your
correct mailing address when we mail your
ballot on April 30. Then exercise your right to
help shape the future of the Co-op between May
1 and 14.
See page 16 for Board Calendar
JOHN BARR
JOE BRESKIN
Our local foodscape is rapidly changing. It’s
an exciting and challenging time to navigate the
complexities of what to eat and where to get it.
An ever-expanding selection of fresh local foods
is available at the Farmer’s Market and our Food
Coop, more local farms are springing up, more
people are joining community gardens or growing
food at home - there’s never been a better time for
local eaters.
Joe Breskin #674 I love this Co-op and hope we
continue as a vital, alternative business model in
our community. I have been a member since 1976
and I buy nearly 100% of my food at this Co-op.
I offer my skills, expertise, historical perspective,
long term commitment and energies to help the Coop integrate our mission and principles with our
ways of doing business.
Candidate
Candidate
Organic food is showing up everywhere: we can
now eat bread made from locally grown organic
wheat, organic Safeway brand corn chips, even
organic food from China.
Unfortunately many of us face growing concerns
over rising food costs and shrinking budgets.
Many of our best-loved food suppliers have been
swallowed whole by corporate behemoths. Most of
our canned foods are lined with BPA - a known
endocrine disruptor. We’re deluged daily with false
promises and misleading labels, and we can still
take home a free disposable plastic bag with every
purchase of produce or bulk foods.
We’ve come a long way from the bad old days
when our choices were few, and weekday sales were
less than hundred dollars a day. But now is not the
time to rest on our laurels - we still have work to
do. If you want a Coop where all of the information
is made available for informed choices, where we
find ways to reduce the use of disposable plastic
bags, a Coop that insists our suppliers find better
alternatives to cans with BPA in the liners ... If you
believe that our Coop should focus on our primary
mission - whole foods at affordable prices - then
I’m your man.
I’ve attended most of the Co-op’s meetings for
5-6 years and understand the important dynamic
between the Board and Operations. I have worked
on our product selection guidelines, boycott policy,
and am helping to harmonize the rules that govern
our Co-op with our Mission & Principles. I will
continue to work to assure that the process that
puts the products on our shelves is transparent,
trustworthy and truly reflects the values we share.
I’ve consulted on food safety, traceability
and packaging. I’ve been Director of our local
Economic Development Council. I’ve built small
business accounting systems from scratch, helped
local businesspeople understand their financial
statements, and built our City’s budgets and capital
facilities plans.
I have worked effectively with our Co-op’s Board,
Staff and owner-members to get a Product Boycott
Policy written, adopted and tested. Over the past
year, our Board Committee has been developing
straightforward understandable policy language to
make the General Manager’s job easier.
Our work is far from complete. After years of study
I am ready to sit on the Co-op’s Board of Directors,
to represent the broad interests of our membership.
I am prepared to be YOUR representative insuring
that our Co-op continues to bring the best possible
food to your table at affordable prices.
“Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work,
a civilization work.” - Vince Lombardi
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
4
April / May 2010
vote for three
SAM GIBBONY
RICK SEPLER
STEVE MOORE
Candidate
Candidate/Re-election
Candidate/Re-election
My name is Sam Gibboney and I am asking for
your vote to serve on the The Food Co-op Board
of Directors. I believe The Food Co-op is more
than a store – it is a hub of our community. I also
believe that healthy food, healthy landscapes
and healthy communities are inextricably intertwined. Together we can help the Food Co-op
to serve as a leader in creating a healthy, vibrant
community.
I work and live in Port Townsend with my son
and husband. We have been members of the Co-op
for over sixteen years and are extremely grateful
that the Co-op exists in a community our size.
I own and operate ISE Consultants, a firm that
specializes in water and natural resources issues.
I have a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
and a Master of Public Administration and would
bring a wealth of experience to the Board.
I LOVE my Co-op! I have spent some time
thinking about what else I might tell you about
myself and my candidacy for re-election to the Coop Board – and this is what I came up with.
As a board member for the past two years, I have
tried to actively listen to the hopes and concerns
of our owner-members who have written or made
comment at our regular meetings. Additionally, I
have sought out the opinions of many of our ownermembers who don’t participate in the governance
process, but regularly shop at the Co-op. I am
privileged to serve both groups. This means
representing to the best of my ability the interests
of those who don’t participate directly at Board
meetings. My informal conversations indicate this
latter group is generally satisfied with the operation
of the Co-op.
Recently many of us have been working to
support efforts to bring whole, fresh and local
foods into public schools as well as other projects
to help bolster our local food economy. The
work to accomplish the mission of the Co-op
doesn’t just occur within the walls of the store
on Kearney Street. It happens in our kitchens, in
our farm fields and in what we feed our children.
It would be an honor to serve and I ask for your
vote.
I joined the Co-op as soon as I moved to Port
Townsend and I do 90% or more of my shopping
there. I love the Co-op as a place that embodies
those shared community values that I hold dear.
We strive to do the very best we can in choosing
healthful and nutritional food products – and we
struggle to balance the objectives of buying the best
products we can (local and/or organic) at prices
that fairly reward the producers - while trying to
keep food prices low.
We struggle to stay ahead of all of the ways in
which our food-shed is threatened by commercial
agribusiness - through changes in company
ownership, changes in ingredients, and changes in
packaging – and things change SO fast that no one
can keep up.
We are a major and important employer in our
community, providing good wages and benefits
in a difficult economy and in a county with below
average wages and relatively few employers – and
we have a great staff that is knowledgeable and
helpful and friendly everyday.
And finally, the Co-op serves as a community
center where we see our friends and neighbors,
where we debate and wrestle with challenging
questions like those mentioned above, and where
we each have the opportunity to participate in
democracy at its finest.
I hope to have the opportunity to continue to
participate in the governance of this wonderful
place. Please give me that opportunity.
However, it is apparent that some of our more
active (and vocal) owner-members believe that the
Co-op has lost its way. It appears that they advocate
for a return to a smaller organization that values
member benefits (lower prices) over participation
in the broader community (encouraging local ag
and education).
This election presents a clear choice: You can
vote for candidates who wish to turn back the
clock and return the Co-op to a prior incarnation.
These candidates wish to reduce costs, reduce the
number of products carried, scale back community
outreach, reduce paid staff and “take back” the Coop. Alternatively, you can vote for candidates who
believe that the current incarnation of the Co-op
appropriately balances community outreach and
involvement and low cost to members.
As a candidate, I believe the current direction
of the Co-op best represents the interests of the
majority of our owner-members. If you agree, then
I respectfully ask you to reaffirm your approval and
vote for me.
“If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all
persons alike share in the government to the utmost.” - Aristotle
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
5
April / May 2010
eat well. . .be well
Growth & Spring Cleaning
Change in the For Body, Mind
Co-op Kitchen & Home
ESTELLE GIANGROSSO, Co-op Kitchen Staff
JAN TOBIN, Wellness Department Manager
T
A
In recent years many new salads have been shared as Featured Recipes by
cooperatives belonging to the National Cooperative Grocers Association.
Your Co-op, one of the top ten most successful co-op delis in the country,
has submitted several favorite recipes of its own, including the Orange
Quinoa and Sesame Snap Pea salads.
For the Body and the Mind
The liver and the gall bladder are the organs correlated with the spring season,
a traditional time to cleanse and detoxify the liver. As a detoxifier, the liver
breaks down hormones, waste products, chemicals, toxins, alcohol and drug
metabolites and excretes them in the bile. The liver also regulates blood glucose
(sugar) levels in concert with the pancreas, metabolizes carbohydrates, fats and
proteins, and stores many fat soluble vitamins and iron.
o many, spring brings growth and change and that’s what the Coop Kitchen is striving to offer. Have you noticed new soups, salads,
spreads and entrees in our cold case, Grab and Go and hot bar? Have you
tried them? Deli staff would be happy to accommodate you with a tasty
sample—just ask.
s winter moves into spring, days move from early darkness to longer
light, and nature springs into action. And so do we. As we move from
a more sedentary lifestyle into more activity, it’s a natural time to do spring
cleaning for our bodies, our minds and in our homes. Following are a few tips
and recipes to help freshen and restore your inner and outer environments.
One of our most popular recipes, the Beet and Kale salad, was shared with
us by the Ocean Beach Peoples Food Co-op Deli. A delicious salad, and an
extremely healthful one at that, we can hardly keep it from flying out the
door. The fact that it’s practically raw gives it texture while the hemp seeds
lend it a palette-pleasing nutty flavor.
Liver Support Herbs
Brew as a tea infusion: dandelion root, milk thistle, licorice root, nettle and
raspberry leaf. Peak liver function is between 2 and 4 a.m.; taking these herbs
at bedtime can help support this function.
In April you can expect to see a salad based on a recipe from the Sno-Isle
Natural Foods Co-op, the Puget Sound Artichoke Salad, a fresh pepper,
kale and artichoke salad with a Mediterranean twist. We’re also introducing
an Asparagus Potato Salad made with blanched asparagus, tomatoes and
carrots garnished with scallions and tossed with a zippy miso-mustard
dressing (recipe from Lakewinds Natural Foods).
Spring Cleaning for the Home
There are several excellent safe and effective cleaning products available in
The Food Coop. Or make your own from basic ingredients, many of which
can also be bought in our store. Below are two receipes for creating your own
cleansers.
In addition to these new-to-us recipes, the food services team is always on
the look-out to rotate new salads into our cold case or new goodies from
local vendors. Look for dishes like the Tex-Mex pasta salad, Wild Garden
salad, and Greek Rice and Chickpeas. New sinful creations from Anca:
Tiramisu and Sticky Buns.
Cinderella All-Purpose Cleaner
1 cup liquid castile soap (try our own co-op brand!)
6 cups water
¼ cup eucalyptus or thyme leaf tea, strained
¼ cup lemon juice
Swish all ingredients together in a cleaning bucket and use with soft, colorful
cotton rags.
While there is a standing entree schedule, we swap our soup schedule every
month, often to accommodate the seasons. And did you know that you can
often special order old favorites (seasons allowing) for special occasions or
for your own personal cravings?
Rose-Scented Elbow Grease
1 cup baking soda
1 Tbsp salt
¼ cup rose petals
Pulverize the ingredients together in a blender. Sprinkle on area to be
scrubbed, wet slightly, and scrub! Baking soda raises the pH of the cleanser
and can help stop corrosion.
As we serve you, our fellow owner-members, we are always seeking
feedback. Please don’t hesitate to speak to staff or fill out a member
comment card.
Recipe source is the Frontier Herb website at www.frontiercoop.com
“The citizen can bring our political and governmental institutions back to life, make them responsive and
accountable, and keep them honest. No one else can.” - John Gardner
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
6
April / May 2010
eatin’ with the season
WHAT’S IN
SEASON
April & May
fresh greens,
plant starts,
storage roots,
artichokes,
arugula (baby),
bbokechoy
e t (baby),
s,
APRIL & MAY
PRODUCE REPORT
Lighten Up With Spring Greens
DAVID DUNN, Produce Team Leader
Hopefully, with the return of that great big fiery ball in the sky, you’re able to shake
off that winter chill. And, if you’re like me, your body is craving some fresh, green,
local produce. Here’s a list of some foods that might help you feel some life come
back to your body after all that heavy winter food:
• Arugula: Fresh and tender greens that have a bit of spiciness. An excellent
veggie starts from
Midori Farm,
•
nursery plants from
Windy Meadow
Nursery, AND...
fresh flowers from
Corona Farm,
Dragonfly Flowers,
& Half-Moon
1 large red onion,
chopped
cabbage,
carrots,
cauliflower,
chard (baby),
collard greens,
garlic (storage
& baby greens),
Jerusalem
artichokes
(sunchokes),
kale, leeks (baby),
lettuce,
mushrooms, parsnips,
potatoes, raab (kale
& cabbage), rhubarb,
rutabagas, spinach,
turnips.
Also...
Seed Dreams seeds,
MESS O’
GREENS
•
•
•
•
source of vitamins A & C, folic acid, calcium, manganese, and magnesium.
Arugula also contains anticancer compounds called glucosinolates that have
antioxidant activity and are stimulators of natural detoxifying enzymes in
the body.
Lettuce: A good source of chlorophyll and vitamin K. Romaine lettuce
has the highest amounts of vitamins with vitamins A, B1, B2, and C, folic
acid, manganese and chromium. Basically, a low calorie source of nutrients.
Eat raw or steamed (aka “wilted”). Steaming reduces bitterness and brings
out the sweetness.
Spinach: An excellent source of vitamins C and K, carotenes, and folic
acid. Spinach is a very good source of manganese, iron, magnesium,
vitamin B1, B2, B6 and E. It’s also one of the highest vegetable sources of
lutein (promotes healthy eyesight), with antioxidants and anticancer agents
to boot. Spinach is a big bag o’nutrients in a delicious green that goes with
almost anything, cooked or raw.
Asparagus: An excellent low-calorie source of potassium, vitamin K,
folic acid, vitamins A, B6 & C, riboflavin and thiamin. Also a very good
source of protein, niacin, phosphorous, protein and iron. And as many
already know, it’s often used as a diuretic.
Raabs (the flowering tops of cabbages, kales, mustards): A very good
source of protein, vitamins A, B6, C, E, K, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin,
folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc and
manganese. Wow! And this from a plant that got ignored all winter; now,
you get to eat the flowering tops.
Dandelion greens: A very good source of vitamins A, B6, C, E, K,
thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium and manganese. Also a good
source of folate, magnesium, phosphorous and copper. Dandelion greens
can be a bit bitter when eaten raw; lightly steam to reduce the bitterness.
1 large bunch of greens
(Collard greens and any
of the kales work well or
mix them up), cut into
bite-sized pieces
1-2 Tbsp olive oil or
butter
1-2 tsp apple cider
vinegar
Brittany sea salt (chunky
sea salt available in the
bulk section)
• Rinse greens well in a
colander
• Sauté onion in olive oil
or butter in a skillet until
soft but not caramelized
• Add rinsed greens to
onions and add a little
water
• Steam greens until
tender (5-10 minutes
depending on type of
greens)
• Lightly toss in apple
cider vinegar and salt
If you’re looking for some recipe ideas, don’t forget to check out the recipe rack
near the Produce door, or feel free to ask any of the produce employees for cooking
tips and ideas. We’re ready to load you up with ideas to help get good food into you!
This is a clipped recipe
Nutrient profiles from the following websites:
www.nutritiondata.com
www.everynutrient.com
all kinds of greens.
adapted by Deborah
Schumacher for cooking
Flower Farm.
“Civilization is the process in which one gradually increases the number of people included in the term ‘we’ or ‘us’ and at
the same time decreases those labeled ‘you’ or ‘them’ until that category has no one left in it.” - Howard Winters
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
7
April / May 2010
farmers market
A FINE BALANCE:
MIDORI FARM
(or love, gratitude and fermented burdock)
WILL O’DONNELL, PT Farmers Market
They might not agree
with my
assessment, to them it’s an awful lot of hard
work with not a lot of security. But I see
Midori Farm as a model small farm business.
Marko Colby and Hanako Myers have listened
to the experts. They have diversified (mixed
vegetables, plant starts, kraut) and specialized
(an emphasis on Asian vegetables), they have
added-value (Kim-chi and Kraut variations), they
have a variety of sales outlets both wholesale and
direct, local and out of county. And they have
done it all so well, on less than 3 leased acres.
I wanted to know how, how are they able to do it
so well?
Hanako, being modest and reserved, was a little
reluctant to comment, but said, “If it’s true, it’s
because we love the work we do, and we are
grateful: to spend our days outside, working with
plants, and with each other. And I think because we
love to learn, and farming gives us that opportunity,
to keep learning about things we love.”
That sense of love and gratitude carries through
to all their products. When I asked about why
they felt it was important to have a value-added
component to their farm business, Hanako gave a
number of well reasoned answers (use of surplus
crops, better return on labor, etc.) but then added,
“I think Marko just has a touch for making it
(kimchi and kraut). And we wanted to grow on
that.”
I see it at their PT Farmers Market stand, which
is clean and well organized, yet abundant
and beautiful. Their produce is immaculate.
When discussing why they specialize in Asian
vegetables, she replied that it was partly because
she is Asian, and that she and Marko tend toward
a more Asian diet, but also because the Asian
varieties “are more delicate.” She said they can
be more sweet, or mild, or even stronger in flavor,
but what I was hearing was an appreciation of
varieties whose flavors are more complex, elusive,
and maybe refined.
photo by Will O’Donnell
See Farmers Market
calendar on page 13
The challenge in growing unique varieties is
education. Marko and Hanako enjoy sharing
recipes and ideas with customers at the Farmers
Market, which is essential when trying to sell
crops like burdock, one of their favorites. Marko
also teaches classes on fermented foods at The
Food Co-op.
Quality is a major focus for Midori Farm. Higher
quality can also bring a higher return—essential
when farming a smaller acreage. But when
Hanako spoke of quality, she talked about their
relationship with The Food Coop, which accounts
for almost half their income. Hanako is grateful
to the Co-op for placing a higher value on quality
and education and factoring that into payment to
their local suppliers.
“The Co-op staff is really kind and helpful,”
Hanako explained. “They have been really
generous about giving us space, especially for our
plant starts. And they are great with educating the
customer and giving planting info.”
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” - John Quincy Adams
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
8
April / May 2010
vendor spotlight
WINDY MEADOW
NURSERY
soil that
feeds
the plants
that feed
you
THE STUFF IN
COCO-COIR POTTING SOIL
• Immediately available nitrogen supplied by an
•
•
Adapted from
“Understanding Organics”
Scott Titus, Windy Meadow Nursery
•
•
Scott Titus of Windy Meadow Nursery, photo by Brendon O’Shea
In 1989 I started Windy Meadow Nursery
with the idea that the plants I produced would
perform better in the landscape than my
competitors if I developed a superior growing
medium. Armed with 15 years experience in
horticulture, I experimented with combining
various animal manures, organic, and
chemical fertilizers in the greenhouse soil.
The organic nutrient formula we use today
was worked out over eight years; each batch
of soil used in the nursery was chemically
analyzed and altered depending on how the
crops we produce performed. Our actual
production became the trials we used to arrive
at the mix we use today for the 800 varieties
of plants we grow every year.
Intrepid Coco-Coir® Premium Potting
Soil has been registered for use in organic
agriculture by the Washington State
Department of Agriculture since 1999 and is
the first coconut-based potting soil to be sold
in the United States. Intrepid Coco-Coir®
also became the first potting soil with active
cultures of biological fungi and beneficial
microbes sold to retail gardeners in the U.S.
The soil is predictably and naturally disease
suppressive and plays a major roll in our
integrated pest-management program.
The addition of these biological agents greatly
enhances the availability of nitrogen and
phosphorus in the organic mix. In fact, at Windy
Meadow, we have eliminated the use of phosphoric
acid in the feed water for our nursery plants for
up to three years. By doing so, we have greatly
restricted phosphorus from leaching into the
groundwater—we’ve also saved a lot of money
by not having to purchase phosphoric acid.
While conducting market research, I learned
that the average gardener, while very concerned
with putting three meals on the table every day,
doesn’t think twice about feeding the flowers!
I developed Intrepid Coco-Coir® with this
customer demographic in mind. Intrepid CocoCoir® is very easy and forgiving to grow plants in
with minimal extraneous inputs. Our soil contains
water-insoluble forms of organic and sustainable
nutrients that will never leach away from the root
system and affords the home gardener a very
successful gardening experience.
Intrepid Coco-Coir® Premium Potting Soil is
available in the outdoor floral/garden section of the
Produce Department as are the Intrepid brand of
nursery plants. Windy Meadow Nursery is located in
Ferndale, Washington.
•
•
•
OMRI-certified compost and blood meal; fishmeal
and feather meal supplies very slowly available
nitrogen.
Phosphorous from fishmeal and finely pulverized
bone meal that has been fractured with sonic sound
waves to the consistency of cake flour (rates of
phosphorus availability in a biological system are a
function of particle size). Even though we never use
phosphoric acid in the liquid feed program, we get
superior root development and flower production.
Potassium comes from wood ash, kelp meal and
coconut pith. The pith from the seed of coconut
palms has very high concentrations of plant
nutrients, especially potassium. Since the potassium
is part of the pith, it’s available to the plant over a
long period of time.
Calcium is supplied by carbonate lime, dolomite
lime, wood ash, fishmeal and bone meal.
Magnesium is supplied by dolomite lime and
olivine flour. Olivine is a locally-sourced mineral
that is comprised of magnesium iron silicate.
Iron is supplied in a slow release form by olivine,
while blood meal supplies the more soluble form
of iron.
Silicon is supplied when the high level of biological
activity present in the soil weathers the olivine.
Silicon is an essential nutrient for some plants,
most notably cucurbits (squash family). Recent
studies indicate that silicon has also been shown
to increase the brix (the measurement in percent
of total dissolved solids or carbohydrates in the
cytoplasm) index of hothouse grown vegetables.
For vegetables, the higher brix measurements are
used to indicate when a vegetable has reached its
peak nutritional value for harvesting.
Micronutrients are also supplied by coconut pith,
kelp meal and wood ash.
NOTE: A member comment card came in that
requested we research Coco-Coir products
to determine if they were toxic to dogs. The
Food Co-op contacted Scott Titus at Windy
Meadows and he had this to say: “It’s a common
misconception - it’s actually coca (not coconuts)
that’s toxic to dogs because of the chocolate
content. Coca shells are sometimes used in plant
mulch.” So, your beloved pets are safe around
Coco-Coir potting soils, no worries.
“The only way to make sure people you agree with can speak is to support the rights of people you don’t agree with.”
- Eleanor Holmes Norton
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
9
April / May 2010
store shelves
Researched & written by laura lawless, Grocery Buyer, Crista rutledge, Mercantile Buyer, deb shortess, SIPS Manager
THE FOOD CO OP
organics
New!
TO-GO WARE
“Reduce Your
Forkprint!”
TAKE BACK YOUR CHEESE!
Due to the recent unavailability of
PVC-free plastic wrap, the wrap we are
currently using to package our cheese
leaches a chemical called DEHA, a
potential endocrine disrupter, into the
outer two slices of cheese.
Service Paper, our main paper goods
supplier, is researching the availability
of a non-PVC wrap and we are awaiting
samples and information about any
options they may have found.* We are
currently researching plastic wrap on prepackaged Tillamook cheeses. Tillamook
is checking with their supplier to answer
our questions.
Ask at the cheese or deli counter for
current options and check our website
for more information about DEHA.
no added fragrance
Bamboo utensil sets include
a pair of chopsticks, a fork,
knife, and spoon. Included is a
compact portable holder made
of R-PET (recycled PET plastic)
with a handy clip. Bamboo does
not stain or absorb flavors.
New!
*Organic Valley cheeses are wrapped
with a layered plastic. The layer in contact
with the cheese is PVC free.
We will be offering three cheeses from the
cheese counter that have been wrapped
using an alternative. We will be testing
several wraps including wax paper bags,
cellophane sheets or bags, and parchment.
We may try a variety of cheeses as we
test alternatives. We have previously tried
alternative wraps in the cheese case and
found that they did not sustain the quality
of the cheese to our standards.
skin
nutrition
REC YCLED
GLASS RE
TABLEWAAIN THE FOOD CO-OP ORGANICS
FROM SP
Post-consumer glass from wine and pop bottles that
can be recycled and that’s dishwasher and microwave save and ovenproof. Plates, bowls, glasses and
mugs.
The Food Co-op now has our own locally manufactured line
of organic skin nutrition. Clean with no added fragrance.
Available in lotion, liquid soap, skin balm and lip balm.
Formulated by Bunny’s Bath of Port Townsend.
Liquid soap and lotion also available in bulk .
Organic
Dairy Alternatives
SILK
PRODUCTS
We have discontinued the following
Dean Foods products because they
contain non-organic soybeans, which
likely contain Genetically Modified
Organisms (GMOs): White Wave Silk
Creamer, White Wave Silk Yogurt &
White Wave Aseptic Soymilk.
“We preach the virtues of democracy abroad. We must practice its duties here at home. Voting is the first duty of democracy.”
- Lyndon B. Johnson
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
10
April / May 2010
store shelves
MIDORI FARM
CERTIFIED ORGANIC
PLANT STARTS
Selected for their ability to thrive in our Maritime
NW climate, these plant starts are healthy, happy
and “grown hardy” in Midori Farm’s unheated
greenhouses. Over 100 varieties of veggies,
companion plants and culinary and medicinal
herbs grown in Midori’s own blend of bio-active
potting soil. Ready to plant the day you take them
home! See page 12 for planting schedule.
New!
NASH’S FLOUR
We now have pastry flour grown by local farmers
(from soft white winter wheat, ground
at the Bell St. Bakery in Sequim) and
medium grind bread flour made from
hard red winter wheat, which
has a high protein content
ideal for baking both
breads and pastries.
Also available in bulk
in whole berry form
(ideal for soups or home
grinding), as well whole
grain triticale and rye
bagged on Aisle 5 with
our other grains.
CHRISTINA
JAMES WINES
MIDORI FARM’S
FERMENTED FOODS
Marko and Hanako at Midori Farm have a new value-added product for sale at our store. In
the produce department salad case you’ll find Kim Chi, Sauerkraut and a variety of different
jars of fermented goodness made from their farm’s garden produce.
New!
yum!
New!
PANE D’AMORE
PANINI BUNS
& FROZEN PIZZA
DOUGH
After so much sadness at losing
pizza dough from The Village Baker,
Pane d’Amore is now producing
pizza dough. Available on the
bottom shelf of door 4 in the
freezer section.
New!
Pane d’Amore has also made their
panini buns (great for sandwiches
and burgers) available for home
panini pressings.
Found on the bread aisle.
CB’S NUTS
While these certified organic nuts are not grown
locally, they are roasted locally in Kingston and are
fresh and tasty. Our organic bulk peanut butter
stock will now be roasted and delivered weekly.
We’ve also added organic Oregon-grown bulk
pumpkin seeds in the shell and organic New
Mexico-grown peanuts in their shell. In the produce
department, we’ve added organic
California-grown
in-shell Pistachios
(8 oz. bag).
These nuts are
roasted locally,
supporting a
small, independent
business in our
community.
We are happy to finally offer
Christina James wines, reasonably
priced with the finish of much more
expensive wines.
Sangiovese, Columbia Valley 2006,
Cabernet Sauvignon, White Bluffs
Region Columbia Valley 2006, Pinot
Noir, Willamette Valley 2007.
Made in Port Townsend with the
finest grapes in our region.
“A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but won’t cross the street to vote in a national election.”
- Bill Vaughan
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
11
April / May 2010
local harvest
Midori Farm 2010
PLANTING SCHEDULE
Early Spring
Peas (sugar snap peas, snow peas & sweet
peas), Baby Pac Choi, Strawberries, Artichokes,
Kale mix, Lacinato Kale, Lettuce mix, Arugula,
Spinach, Butterhead Lettuce, Greens mix, Walla
Walla Onions, Red Onions, Sorrel, Pansy
Mid Spring
Beets, Rainbow Chard, Cabbage, Cauliflower,
Broccoli, Rhubarb, Cilantro, Parsley, Thyme,
Marjoram, Oregano, Sage, Calendula,
Nasturtium, Chives, Leeks, Shallots
Late Spring
Brussels Sprouts, Fennel, Cilantro, Marigold,
Celery, Dill, Beans (filet bush beans & pole
beans), Catnip, Borage, Angelica, French &
Mexican Tarragon, Mint, Shiso, Echinacea,
Anise Hyssop, Nicotiana
Early summer
Slicing, Paste & Cherry Tomatoes, Squash
(zucchini, summer, winter & pumpkins),
Cucumbers, Sweet & Hot Peppers, Eggplant,
Tomatillos, Basil, Sweet Corn, Lemongrass,
White sage, Lavender, Rosemary, Monarda
Mid-summer
(for late-season harvest)
Fall Broccoli, Romanesco Cauliflower, Winter
Lettuce mix, Napa Cabbage, Over-wintering
SOCIAL CHANGE - ONE MEAL AT A TIME
Reflections on Menu for the Future
DEBORAH SCHUMACHER, Staff Writer
Menu for the Future is a six-week discussion course in thinking about food and food choices
sponsored by the Northwest Earth Institute and supported by local organizations like Local 20/20
and The Food Co-op. These meetings have been going on in the homes of folks living in east
Jefferson County in February and March; small groups of people concerned about our food system
who get together once a week to discuss, in facilitated sessions, readings centered around questions
of agriculture and our food system as it was, is, and as those attending imagine it might be.
A “circle” question at the beginning of the meeting starts the conversation. The first circle question
asked us to remember and share a food memory. Our collective memories included family fishing
trips, berry picking, and a fondly remembered “Stained Glass” cake baked by one attendee’s mother
that included in the recipe Jell-O® and Cool-Whip®. My own food memories are as schizophrenic
as our food system today: everyday after school I would walk to the corner market for Hostess
Cupcakes and Dr. Pepper; and one summer with my grandparents on Hornby Island in Canada, it’s
famously remembered by my family that I ate by myself a whole pot of steamed clams that we’d
harvested from the beach that morning. Industrial eating at its worst and local eating at its best.
At this first meeting, our group also talked about the guilt and anxiety felt by so many of us when
we’re trying to decide what to eat. In one of our readings, the author shared her guilt about the
pineapple that found its way into her grocery cart and her anxiety about buying eggs when local
eggs weren’t available. I think back on the 100 Mile Diet and that earnest effort by a Canadian
couple to source all their food from within 100 miles—and their struggle through a sense of
deprivation to a renewed sense of connection to the sources of their food. Local eating challenges
followed around the country (our own was launched at Earth Day Every Day 2007 with mixed
success).
I think now we’re entering the nitty-gritty part of it. The honeymoon is over and we’re waking
up to the compromises and trade-offs we engage in as we try to lay the groundwork for a food
system that works. How do we reconcile an understanding of the health and environmental costs
of industrial food with a fond memory-taste for a cake with Jell-O® and Cool-Whip® and Hostess
Cupcakes? How do we balance the expense of local eggs and milk, in an economy that offers as its
remedy for loss of income “cheap food,” with an earnest desire to support the local farm economy?
All questions still up for grabs.
To connect with a group in your neighborhood email local NWEI contact Peter Bates at
[email protected] The Food Co-op has purchased course books for the discussion group
that are available for checkout to members taking the course.
For more information about Menu for the Future and the Northwest Earth Institute, visit
their website at nwei.org/discussion_courses/course-offerings/menu-for-the-future
Cauliflower, Collard Greens, Winter Kales,
Sprouting Broccoli, Raddichio, Escarole, Frisee
WATERLESS STEAMED GREENS
For chickweed, nettles, lamb’s-quarters, spinach, and many other mild-tasting and commercial leafy greens.
Rinse the leaves and stems of a large quantity of greens well. Discard any debris, shake off excess water
and chop greens. Place in a heavy pot with no additional water and no steamer rack (greens cook in
the water clinging to the leaves). Cover and cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until just wilted
(avoid overcooking). Mix in a few drops of olive or sesame oil, lemon juice, and pepper, or your choice of
seasonings, and serve.
Adapted from Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants by “Wildman” Steve Brill
“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome,
indescribably magnificent world in itself.” - Henry Miller
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
12
April / May 2010
co-op community
Co-op Board
Calendar
Port Townsend
Farmers Market
April 6*
Board of Directors Meeting
Saturday Market Uptown
April 9
Member Relations Committee
4:30 pm
OPENS MAY 1st
through Christmas
April 14
Product Review Committee
4:30 pm
April 20
Cake with the Candidates
7 pm
April 22
Agenda Planning Meeting
3:00 pm
May 1-14
Board Elections
May 4*
Board of Directors Meeting
May 7
Member Relations Committee
4:30 pm
May 12
Product Review Committee
4:30 pm
May 18
Annual Meeting
Northwest Maritime Center
6-9pm
Tyler between Lawrence and Clay
Co-op April Events
April Salmon Saturdays
drawings at 1:00 pm
win a whole Cape Cleare Salmon
be present and an-owner-member to win
Closed May 15th for Rhody Parade
More Farms, Food and Folks than ever
Bi-Monthly Cooking Demos
Local Arts, Crafts and Music
Washington State’s biggest
small town market!
New this season:
Rick Oltman and salmon winner Jim Richard
Bob’s Bagels! Mystery Bay Seafood!
Handmade Chocolates,
30-minute parking!
Music Court, Better Accessibility,
Bicycle-powered Vegetable Home Delivery
courtesy of the Recyclery!
AND LOTS MORE!
Wednesday Market Uptown
Polk Street between
Lawrence and Clay
OPENS JUNE 2nd through
September (3-6pm)
Food and Farms only
Music and courtyard!
May 20
Agenda Planning Meeting
3:00 pm
Sunday, APRIL 18, 1-4 pm
“Our Co-op Kids Festival”
Boats, Planes, Worms & Fish
an Earth Day celebration
Co-op parking lot
Tuesday, APRIL 20, 7-9 pm
“Cake with the Candidates”
Meet candidates for the Co-op Board
Co-op Kitchen’s famous carrot cake
Co-op Annex, 2482 Washington St.
Sunday, APRIL 25, 1-3 pm
The Food Co-op sponsors
“Two Angry Moms”
a film by Amy Kalafa
Rose Theatre
$5 tickets available at The Food Co-op
PoGo
Policy Governance
Committee Meeting
Wednesday, APRIL 28, 6 pm
The Food Co-op co-sponsors
for date & time call Board Assistant
Cindy Scott 379-5798
“Walk A Mile in Her Shoes”
Sexual Assualt Awareness Month
Parade sponsored by Dove House
Meet at Rotary Park (by P.T. Ferry)
Join our Co-op male staff wearing
women’s shoes to show support!
All meetings are held in the Co-op Annex at 2482
Washington Street
unless noted otherwise.
*Check the Board’s board in the store
or our website at www.foodcoop.coop
for Board meeting time.
“I always believe that ultimately, if people are paying attention, then we get good government and good leadership. And
when we get lazy, as a democracy and civically start taking shortcuts, then it results in bad government and politics.”
- Barack Obama
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
13
April / May 2010
Slow Food,
Slow Money
& Co-Op
Principals
brwyn griffin
Editor, The Co-op Commons
I
n Dave Gutknecht’s editorial from
Cooperative
Grocer’s
March/April
magazine titled, “Redefining Prosperity,
Building Resilience,” he states, “…food co-ops
operate in the crosscurrents of dynamic local
revival and deep national problems: Slow Food
and junk food. Slow Money and accelerating debt.
Community building and civic decline.” Dave’s
comments feed directly into the topics we bring
to this issue of The Co-op Commons, where we
speak to the responsibilities of shared decisionmaking, democracy, and the allowing (or not) for
corporate control of our choices.
Years ago the Slow Food movement began,
attempting to encourage folks to once again return
to their kitchens with the principle of “good,
clean and fair food.” As you can see from the
following Slow Money principle, the message is
similar to the guiding principles of the Slow Food
movement: “There is such a thing as money that
is too fast, companies that are too big, finance
that is too complex. Therefore, we must slow our
money down -- not all of it, of course, but enough
to matter.”
co-op talk
Nationally, other co-ops are discussing Slow
Money. Slow Money is a book by Woody Tasch
(Chelsea Green Publishing, 2008) and a nonprofit (Slow Money Alliance). One of the Slow
Money principles includes the sentence, “The
21st century will be the era of nurture capital,
built around principles of carrying capacity, care
of the commons, sense of place and nonviolence.”
Slow Money Principle IV states, “We must learn
to invest as if food, farms and fertility mattered.
We must connect investors to the places where they
live, creating vital relationships and new sources of
capital for small food enterprises.”
Members of Local 2020, a citizen-based
organization promoting sustainability on the North
Olympic Peninsula, have recently been discussing
New Money on shared e-mail. Similar to Slow
Money concepts, visionary New Money ideas
range from local currency to purchasing futures
in Pane d’Amore bread. Basically, New Money
would relocate dollars from Wall Street to Water
Street. New Money, Slow Money, they both speak
of local resiliency. And by the way, cooperatives
nationwide were proof solid of the resiliency of
local ownership. As a group, cooperatives fared
better in our recent economic downturn than multinational and chain grocers.
Keeping the money (and decision making) at home
is a basic premise of The Food Co-op. In joining
The Food Co-op you become a co-owner of a
local business that supports other local businesses.
Becoming an owner-member of The Food Co-op
may be a decision made simply to receive the extra
10% discount when shopping at the store. But it
also represents another potential opportunity:
Shared resources applied to shared values.
The $2 capital investment you pay to The Food
Co-op every month represents collective capital
that can be applied to many different uses. In May,
our membership will elect three new members to
our board of directors. This select seven-person
group has the potential to lead The Food Co-op
in a visionary way, working cooperatively with
operations management to benefit our community
at large…or not. If you’re an owner-member, when
you get your ballot in the mail, remember that
along with the benefits of being an owner there
is also a democratic responsibility (opportunity)
to select sound leadership with visionary skills
enabling The Food Co-op to not only survive, but
to promote local revival and resilience.
Sources: www.l2020.org
www.slowmoneyalliance.org
www.ncga.coop
(from page one)
Answers:
P.I.C.
is a Person In Charge at the Coop. Employees go through special training
to qualify to hold this responsibility, for
which there is a pay incentive.
PoGo
stands for Policy Governance, the
system by which our co-op is governed. We
refer to the PoGo Committee, an advisory
committee to the Co-op board.
C.I.
is Capital Investment and refers
to the monies paid to the co-op for every
month members shop, up to a paid-in-full
membership of $100.
MSD
refers to the Member Services
Desk at the front of the store, where Special
Orders are placed and picked up, event
tickets are sold, and questions can be
answered.
End Caps
are the fixtures at the end
of some aisles where products on special
are often placed.
UNFI, formally known as Mountain
Peoples Warehouse, is the leading
independent national distributor of natural,
organic and specialty foods and related
products in the U.S. delivering grocery
products, nutritional supplements, personal
care items and organic produce. United
Natural Foods, Inc. is one of the main
distributors at the Co-op.
CAP stands for Cooperative Advantage
Program. National Cooperative Grocers
Assn. provides support to member co-ps in
the form of promotional flyers and coupon
books reflecting deals made on behalf of
member co-ops. This term will be changing
in late 2010, when you will begin to see the
new green Co+ symbol replacing the red
CAP symbol throughout the store.
HABA stands for Health And Beauty
Aids and is a term you will hear in the
Wellness department as well as seen written
in the UNFI catalogue.
“A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.”
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
14
- Henrik Ibsen
April / May 2010
healthy living
Molly Force
LIVEN UP
YOUR
LIVER
ND, Member-Owner & Naturopathic Physician
S
pring is energetically a time of new
beginnings, renewal, and growth. You
may be noticing your body craving ways
to release stagnant energies generated
over the winter months. Spring provides you the
optimal opportunity to stimulate and cleanse your
vital organs.
Just like our homes, the body also benefits from
a good spring-cleaning. We focus on the liver in
the spring because it’s one of your body’s most
important cleansers. Your liver acts as a filter and
purifier. It breaks down cellular waste products as
well as any chemicals that are put into your body.
Your liver also sorts though most of the nutrients
from your foods. It’s responsible for blood sugar
regulation and the breakdown and storage of fats.
Your liver is a key organ for proper metabolism
and detoxification of your body.
Improve your overall health and promote wellness
throughout the year by supporting your liver in
its job of filtering and eliminating wastes. These
simple nutritional tips can be used this spring as
preventative measures to help you get healthier
today and stay healthier tomorrow.
What is the most effective, cost efficient way
to enhance your liver function? Food.
Nutrition truly is the foundational step in supporting
proper liver function. A liver-fortifying diet is low
in artificial and processed foods and high in plantbased whole foods like vegetables, whole grains,
legumes, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Eating a liversupportive diet will provide you with a wide range
of essential nutrients for proper liver function.
Liver-supportive foods will help you feel better by
increasing your liver’s capacity to eliminate waste
products from your body.
Foods to Avoid
When you eat these foods, your liver can become
overworked. Avoiding or limiting these foods in
your diet will decrease the strain on your liver.
 Hydrogenated oils (trans-fats): Many
processed and packaged foods contain
these. Look for hydrogenated and
partially hydrogenated oils in
ingredient lists when buying
packaged foods.
 Saturated fats: These are found in high
amounts in animal sourced food products
like meat, lard, and dairy products (milk,
butter, ice cream, cheese, etc.).
 Sweets: Refined sugars, high fructose corn
syrup. High amounts of natural sugars can
be equally damaging for the body as their
refined sugar counterparts. Enjoy natural
sugars in moderation. Avoid artificial
sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame.
 Processed foods: Fast food, many
packaged foods, foods that have long shelf
lives and lists of ingredients that sound like
chemicals rather than foods.
 Conventionally raised and processed
animal products (meat, poultry, eggs, and
dairy)
 Alcohol, drugs, and caffeine
Liver-Supportive Nutrients & Herbs
There are many nutritional and herbal supplements
that protect and enhance the function of your
liver. Lipotropic agents are compounds that
promote the flow of fat and bile to and from your
liver. They essentially act to decongest your liver
while encouraging fat metabolism. Supplementary
formulas containing lipotropic agents can be helpful
to encourage detoxification while supporting liver
function. Lipotropic nutrients include Choline,
Betaine, Methionine, Vitamin B6, Folic acid and
Vitamin B12
There are many wonderful herbs that
support the liver. I am happy to help
you determine herbs and doses that
would be appropriate for you. Liversupportive herbs include burdock
root, celandine root, dandelion root,
rosemary leaf, milk thistle
seed, yellow dock root and
nettle leaf
There are many ways to enhance liver function and
promote healthy detoxification. The most effective
and safe way to do a healthy spring cleanse is with
the guidance of a licensed physician or health care
practitioner. As always, I’m happy to answer any
questions you have and help you formulate a liver
support plan that is tailored to you and your health
goals.
Liver-Supportive Foods
 Foods high in sulfur: garlic, onions,
legumes, eggs
 Foods high in water-soluble fibers: pears,
apples, beans, oat bran
 Brassica (cabbage) family vegetables:
broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage,
cauliflower, collard greens, kale
 Vegetables rich in detoxification nutrients:
artichokes, beets, carrots, chard, dandelion
(root and greens)
 Herbs and spices: turmeric, cinnamon,
rosemary, ginger, licorice, garlic
Dr. Molly Force is a family practice naturopathic
physician who specializes in combining natural
healing with conventional medical diagnosis and
therapy. Her practice is located in The Uptown
Center for Natural Medicine in Port Townsend,
where she is the director of Prosper Natural
Health. She can be reached at 360-385-5375.
“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.” - Buddha
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
15
April / May 2010
food for thought
Freedom to Choose:
FOOD DEMOCRACY &
THE PASTEURIZATION
OF MILK
DEBORAH SCHUMACHER, Staff Writer
The history of the pasteurization
of milk might be less about consumer safety
than about protecting markets. In his Daily Dose
newsletter Dr. William Campbell Douglass
II, M.D. says, “The International Dairy Foods
Association and the National Milk Producers
Federation want all unpasteurized products
to follow the same standards as other milk
products—in other words, they want everything
pasteurized.” Not, he says, because raw milk is
dangerous (he says it isn’t, and I’ll testify to that
because I’ve been drinking raw milk for years
with no ill affects), but because “it’s harder for
Big Dairy to profit on raw milk, and harder to
tax.”
Health departments and other officials seem
especially vigilant when it comes to monitoring
dairies that produce raw milk for direct sale
to customers. We’ve seen this in our own
community. Late last year a WSDA press release
linked drinking raw milk to three E. coli infections
in Washington. The press release was posted at
the chill case where Dungeness Valley Creamery
raw milk is sold in our store. In their defense,
the Creamery replied in a press release dated
12/3/2009: “The press release failed to mention
that there has been no proven link between the
illnesses and our milk…they fail to mention that
e coli has never been found in any of our milk…
ever.” The creamery goes on to say that there are
100,000 instances of illness from 0157 H7 e coli
strain every year in the U.S.—and asks why news
about these illnesses aren’t released to the press.
“When someone who drinks raw milk becomes
ill,” the Creamery’s press release observes,
“government agencies immediately report an
‘association’ with raw milk, ignoring other
vectors of disease and subsequent tests showing
the milk to be clean” (quote from Sally Fallon of
the Weston A. Price Foundation).
In some states, it’s illegal to sell raw milk and it
continues to be illegal to sell raw milk across
state lines. Dairies wishing to sell unpasteurized
milk directly to small markets must pass through
a complicated and expensive certification process.
In this state, getting caught selling uncertified raw
milk will mean paying stiff fines in the thousands
of dollars. My own experience purchasing raw milk
before having access to Dungeness Valley Dairy’s
milk was one of secrecy and anxiety. Whether I
was buying from an uncertified dairy or a personal
friend, it was understood that I must not say who
I’d bought the milk from or where. And yet I have
no problem going to the grocery store and buying
cigarettes (if I smoked, which I don’t), which have
been conclusively shown to cause lung cancer.
“Cow shares” are another way people have tried to
circumvent legal restrictions on access to raw milk.
A cow share involves a group of people collectively
owning a cow or a group of cows, sharing the
cost of feeding and sometimes the work of caring
for the animals, in order to have access to raw
milk. Creating cow shares can be a complicated
legal process with oversight from state health
departments that often seems to actively frustrate
the process. In some states cow shares are illegal.
In Canada, it’s rumored to be illegal for a farmer to
give raw milk from her own cow to her children.
According to the Weston A. Price Foundation
website (www.realmilk.com), there are genuine
health benefits to drinking raw milk. “Real Milk,
that is, raw whole milk from grass-fed cows
(fed pasture, hay and silage), produced under
clean conditions and promptly refrigerated,” the
Foundation claims, “contains many anti-microbial
and immune-supporting components” (including
a natural antibiotic called lactoferrin according to
Dr. Douglass). The Foundation also warns, though,
that “this protective system in raw milk can be
overwhelmed, and the milk contaminated, in
situations conducive to filth and disease. Know
your farmer!”
In the 19th century there was a push to pasteurize
milk partly because of the filthy conditions of
some dairies and because milk was transported
without refrigeration from the country to the city.
At this time, there were legitimate concerns about
bacterial infection from Brucellosis (Undulant
Fever) and other microbes. But even then, the
push to pasteurize may have been as much about
the interests of commerce as about public health.
The Secret History of Milk by Ron Schmid, ND is
an interesting story about the development of milk
pasteurization in this country. Current cases of
Brucellosis, occurring mostly in slaughterhouse
workers, number less than 200 a year.
Who decides whether milk gets pasteurized or
not? That’s a good question. Right now there
seems to be powerful incentives to continue with
the pasteurization program that have little to
do with public health. The recent near collapse
of our dairy industry, when the price producers
received for milk was less than their cost to
produce it, suggests that there’s a lot of money
to be made by the middlemen who process milk
for market. Do we want a food system shaped by
the needs of commerce—or a food system shaped
by the peoples’ desire for access to healthy food?
If we choose health, then “food democracy” is,
among other things, actively working to preserve
our ability to buy and sell food directly to one
another without intervention from the corporate
pursuit of profit and our government’s too-often
willingness to assist.
“When great changes occur in history, when great principles are involved, as a rule the majority are wrong. The minority
are right.” -Eugene V. Debs
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
16
April / May 2010
staff
Staff Spotlight:
Recipients of Hearty
Thank-you Award!
Mike Jones, aka CHICO
The Food Co-op’s formal recognition program
rewards employees for “going the extra mile”
and awards $100 or paid time off.
Grocery Asst. Team Leader
February
Indi Nelson
Interview by ESTELLE GIANGROSSO, Staff Writer
Michael Jones was introduced to me as “Chico,” Chico being the town in
California he hailed from. This was back in the age of the two great Mikes (the
other great Mike is Mike Olson) of the Grocery Department.
January
Shila Zimmerman &
Dorothy Hoffman
Staff Anniversaries!
9 years
René Tanner
7 years
Estelle Giangrosso
Sue Sjoland
6 years
Crista Rutledge
5 years
Yvonne Cleveland
4 years
Brwyn Griffin
3 years
Steve Schauer
2 years
Cameron Meiner
Kevin Terry
1 year
Mike first started working at the Co-op in 2003 as an A.M. grocery stocker;
later in ‘05 he started working evenings, that being when I became really
acquainted with him. My first interaction was a heckle about my roommate’s
Bauhaus shirt. Mike has distinctive tastes in music.
Mike left The Food Co-op in 2006 for the wide world only to return to the
relative calm of Port Townsend last year. He confided in me that he felt lucky
to be able to return to something he enjoys doing, slinging freight, in a manner
of speaking.
Late last year, Chico’s experience working in the grocery department at Whole
Foods in Bellevue and Seattle granted him the position of assistant team leader
of Grocery. I imagine a tough job but one that supports the details, keeping the
department working efficiently, ordering and working with his fellows. One of
the things he enjoys the most in his time here is working hard with his team
and “getting a lot done.”
When living in Seattle, a co-worker turned him on to a sensational game that he
enjoys very much, and he has in turn got me playing the game with him—the
infamous massive multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft!
When conducting this interview, I was able to pin him down while playing
with him online. He finds it to be a very “non-linear and versatile game” and
recommends it to those who enjoy the fantasy genre, gaming or role-playing.
Staff
Picks
Solstice
Dark ChocolatePeanut Butter
Gogi Bar
Recommended
by Cameron Meiner, Deli
When not at work or playing “WoW” Mike has taken up playing the guitar again,
starting afresh taking lessons with local rock star/instructor Steve Grandinetti.
A fond memory of mine is watching him play with his band The History of
Punishment with co-worker Mike Olson, whom we all miss. When I asked him
what his dream job would be, he didn’t hesitate to answer, “musician!” Chico
also enjoys skateboarding. If interested, ask him about joining the “old man
skate club”…while he’s still young.
Carrie Blair
Chelsea Guenther
Anniversaries are dated from
date of hire for paid employment
and may not reflect years of
work as a volunteer.
WAY TO GO!
Our Kitchen is SUPER Clean! We’re proud to announce that
The Food Co-op Kitchen has received perfect scores in every
inspection since 2005 and was recently awarded the Jefferson
County Health Department’s Outstanding Achievement Award!
“As long as the differences and diversities of mankind exist, democracy must allow for compromise, for accommodation,
and for the recognition of differences.” - Eugene McCarthy
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
17
April / May 2010
take back your food
A call to educate yourself about
food issues & take action
Check the kiosk at Member Services for updates
Local
State
WA FOOD POLICY FORUM PASSES SENATE & HOUSE
CHIMACUM GRANGE FOLLOWS STATE, FEDERAL LEGISLATION
The Washington State Senate & House passed SB 6343 after it passed the
Senate Ag and Rural Development Committee earlier this year. The forum
would bring together farmers, labor, independent grocers and international
trade to address food system challenges. Benefits include job creation, keeping
food dollars and tax revenue in-state, and improved health from increased
access to healthy food. The bill awaits signing by Governor Gregoire.
With the help of new legislative liaison Holli Johnson, Chimacum Grange
is focusing efforts on water issues and expanding opportunities for their
farmers market. They’re watching legislation at both the state and federal
level, including the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (S 510). They warn
that language in the senate version allows the inclusion of even very small
farms under the provisions of the bill.
National
International
MONSANTO EXEC APPOINTED TO FDA POST
Monsanto’s Michael Taylor, adviser to commissioner of
the FDA Margaret Hamburg, was named deputy commissioner for foods.
Taylor will be responsible for implementing new laws aimed at food safety
including S 510, the Food Safety Modernization Act. “We are at an historic
tipping point — a moment when the forces have aligned like never before;
the president, Congress, industry and the public have stepped up their support
for our mission,” Taylor told a gathering of FDA staff members last month.
RELEASE OF GE EGGPLANT HALTED
In February, India halted the commercial release of the world’s first genetically
engineered eggplant, called Bt brinjal. India’s environment minister, Jairam
Ramesh, said that given the lack of consensus within the scientific community
and the pitch of public opposition, further study was needed to guarantee
consumer safety. Former managing director of Monsanto India, Tiruvadi
Jagadisan, joins the critics of Bt brinjal, perhaps the first industry insider
to do so. Jagadisan, who worked with Monsanto for nearly two decades,
including eight years as the managing director of India operations, spoke
against the new variety during the public consultation held in Bangalore,
saying the company “used to fake scientific data” submitted to government
regulatory agencies to get commercial approvals for its products in India.
FDA REVERSES POSITION ON BPA
The Food and Drug Administration has reversed its position on the safety of
Bisphenol-A, a chemical found in plastic bottles, soda cans, food containers
and thousands of consumer goods, saying it now has concerns about health
risks. “We have some concern, which leads us to recommend reasonable
steps the public can take to reduce exposure to BPA,” said Joshua Sharfstein,
FDA’s deputy commissioner. Regulators stopped short of banning the
compound or even requiring manufacturers to label products containing BPA,
saying that current data are not clear enough to support a legal crackdown.
BILL TO WATCH – S 3002
The Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010 (DSSA), introduced by Senator
John McCain (R-AZ), aimed to identify and remove illegal steroid products
from the legitimate dietary supplement marketplace. As written, the bill
would have repealed essential sections of the Dietary Supplement Health and
Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) and would have created a regulatory climate
similar to the one in Canada that resulted in thousands of natural products
being removed from the marketplace. In March, Senators Orrin Hatch (RUT) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) reached an agreement with McCain and cosponsor Byron Dorgan (D-ND) on “reasonable measures to strengthen the
regulation of dietary supplements without opening up DSHEA.” We’re all
encouraged to continue to let our senators know about our opposition to S.
3002 to dissuade other senators or representatives from taking it up.
NAIS ABANDONED FOR NOW
“Faced with stiff resistance from ranchers and farmers, the Obama
administration has decided to scrap a national program intended to help
authorities quickly identify and track livestock in the event of an animal
disease outbreak” (NY Times). Even though the National Animal Identification
System (NAIS) has been abandoned for now, officials plan to start over to
try and devise a livestock tracing program that could win widespread support
from the industry.
“Our personal consumer choices have ecological, social, and spiritual consequences. It is time to re-examine
some of our deeply held notions that underlie our lifestyles.” - David Suzuki
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
18
April / May 2010
First and Third
Sundays
The
FOOD CO-OP
15
Salmon
Saturdays
be present
and an ownermember to win!
May
Boats, Planes, Worms & Fish
1-4:00
10% OFF MOST ITEMS
FOR MEMBERS
7-9pm
Sunday
April 18
in the parking lot 414 Kearney St, Port Townsend
WIC Items, Milk, Magazines,
Alcohol, Special Orders
& Co-op Staples
EXCLUDED
Co-op Annex
2482 Washington St
Kids
Festival
n
April 15
20
18
Our Co-op Cake with the
Kids
Candidates
Festival
Meet the Candidates & enjoy
in the parking lot the Co-op Kitchen’s carrot cake
1-4pm
Sunday
m
r
FOR ALL AGES
OUR CO-OP
y
drawings at 1:00
win a whole Cape
Cleare Salmon
be
Appreciatio
Da
The ReCYCLERY
Bike Clinic
at the Co-op
2-5 pm
FREE Service
COMMUNITY EVENT
Me
Ap ril
co-op calendar
In honor of Earth Day
Join us for fish printing, knot tying,
worm bins, pea planting,
model airplanes, fiddling, boats,
sing-along sea chanties, face painting
& community fun.
28 The Food Co-op co-sponsors:
Co-sponsored by The Food Co-op, Sound Experience (Adventuress), Schooner Martha, Northwest Maritime Center,
Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, P.T. Marine Science Center, P.T. Aero Museum, Alcyone Sail Training,
P.T. Fiddle Orchestra, Tri-Area School Garden/Compost Program and “Our Kids Our Business.”
25 The Food Co-op sponsors:
Two Angry Moms
a film by Amy Kalafa
ROSE THEATRE
1:00pm
Benefit For
The Farm 2
Schools
Coalition
Walk A Mile
in Her Shoes
6pm
Sexual Assualt Awareness Month
Parade sponsored by Dove House
Meet at Rotary Park (by P.T. Ferry)
Join our Co-op male staff wearing
women’s shoes to show support!
$5 tickets available
at The Food Co-op
1-14
18
15
Voting Ballots Annual
Period Counted Meeting
NW Maritime Center
431 Water Street
6-6:30pm refreshments
6:30-8pm reports
8-9 discussion group
elections
New Directors will be
announced
WSU Master Gardeners
every Friday 2-5:30
Co-op Alcove
“Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
19
April / May 2010
celebrate
“To forget how to
dig the earth and to
tend the soil is to
forget ourselves.”
the earth
- Mohandas K. Gandhi
Our Co-op
Kids Festival
worm bins/school compost
Marko Colby
of Midori Farms
(gotta luv him!)
The -OP
O
C
D
O
FO
Our Co-op
Kids
Festival
Boats, Planes, Worms & Fish
PRINTED IN PORT
ANGELES ON RECYCLED
PAPER
The Food Co-op
parking lot
1-4:00
Our Co-op Kids
Festival
Seed Painting
Sunday
April 18
April 15 is Member Appreciation Day... 10%OFF for owner-members... PRIZES... CAKE!
THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop
20
April / May 2010