The Vine - Spring 2022

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

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Meet Your Board Election Candidates Pgs. 20-22

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A New Way of Defining Local Pg. 6

THE

Vine

Table of Contents

Spring Issue

March 2022 - May 2022 Published quarterly by

pgs. 14-16

3-5

BRIARPATCH FOOD CO-OP

The Vine Team Marketing Manager

6

From the General Manager

7

From the Board President

8-9

Rebecca Torpie

10

Editor

Paula O’Brien paulao@briarpatch.coop

pg. 17

Recipes from the Editor

Springtime Greens and Shoots Round Up at the Register

11 Apples for Gardens,

Owner Information

Art Director

12-13

What Kind of BriarPatch Shopper

Holly Pesta

Are You?

14-16

Obi Kaufmann’s Newest Book

Contributing Photographers and Designers

BOA

RD

Seanan Maher, Laura Petersen CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS

pgs. 20-22

Alana Lucia, Chris Maher, Laura Petersen, Rebecca Torpie

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Aquafaba is Aqua-Fab-U-Lous!

18-19

Laundry-to-Landscape Graywater System

20-22 2022 Board Election: Meet Your Candidates 23

BRIARPATCH FOOD CO-OP

290 Sierra College Drive Grass Valley, CA 95945 (530) 272-5333

24-25

Sustainability Goals and Updates Nevada City Rotary Club’s Recycling Project

On our cover:

For store info visit briarpatch.coop pgs. 24-25

Sacramento Watershed region illustrated by Seanan Maher

Follow us! See the latest photos and videos highlighting the best of BriarPatch!

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@briarpatchcoop

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

Recipes from the Editor

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

Recipes from the Editor

By Paula O'Brien, Editor

Love your Mother (Earth) ~ Eat to Save Water Some of your most important decisions every day have to do with the food you buy and eat. Nourishing and wholesome foods are the building blocks your body has to work with, and choosing plant-strong foods can save water, as some foods require many gallons more to produce.

Plant-based or plant-forward eating patterns focus on not only fruits and vegetables, but also nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, legumes and beans. It doesn’t mean you’re vegetarian or vegan and never eat meat or dairy. Rather, you’re proportionately choosing more of your foods from plant sources, and at the same time choosing foods grown or produced with a lot less water. Here are a few versatile, delicious recipes that go easy on the H20.

Afghan Bean Curry (Lubya) Makes 4 servings (when paired with rice) Delicious and easy to make, this recipe is a great way to enjoy the flavors of Afghanistan!

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Tbsp coconut oil, divided

1

Tbsp whole coriander seed

1

tsp whole cumin seed

¼ tsp turmeric ½ tsp dried mint 1

15-oz can (1 ½ cups) whole tomatoes

½ cup diced red onion, plus more for garnish 4 cloves garlic, minced 1

cup vegetable broth

3

cups cooked kidney beans (2 15-oz cans), drained and rinsed

1

tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

1

tsp salt, plus more to taste Cilantro for garnish Cooked basmati rice, to serve

Melt 1 Tbsp oil in saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook coriander and cumin for about a minute until aromatic and slightly darker — be careful not to burn!

Add dried mint, turmeric and tomatoes/ juice to pot (watch for splattering!).

Mash a little and cook over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, until saucy.

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Cool slightly, transfer to blender and blend until smooth. Make sure to vent.

Clean the pot, then add remaining 1 Tbsp oil. Cook onion 5-8 minutes over low-medium heat until softened with golden edges, stirring as you go. Add minced garlic and cook 5 more minutes,

stirring so nothing burns.

Add broth, spiced tomato sauce from blender, kidney beans, salt and pepper.

Simmer uncovered on low heat for about 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings.

Garnish with cilantro and minced onion; serve with basmati rice.

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

No-Meat Balls Makes 4 servings Give these No-Meat Balls the “royal treatment” with ricotta cheese, herbs and tomatoes and your life will never be the same! Great with pasta or on a big roll as a sammie. ½ cup panko breadcrumbs ¼ cup minced onion ¼ cup chopped parsley leaves & tender stems 5

garlic cloves, minced

1

Tbsp tamari or soy sauce

½ tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp dried oregano 1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for browning

Bang Bang Cauliflower

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Makes 4 servings

3

Cauliflower stands in for chicken in this delectable dish.

1 ½ lbs ground Beyond Beef or similar

cups marinara sauce

“Royal Treatment” 1

cup Ricotta Cheese

1

Tbsp each freshly chopped parsley & basil

¼ tsp fresh thyme leaves, de-stemmed

4 cups cauliflower florets 2

large eggs

2

cups panko breadcrumbs Salt to taste

1 ½ cups fresh cherry tomatoes, halved

Black pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, add Beyond Beef, panko breadcrumbs, parsley, onion, garlic, tamari, salt, pepper, oregano and Parmesan cheese.

1

Mix thoroughly and roll into golf-sized balls — about 1 oz each. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add meatballs and cook until they have a nice brown crust. Remove from skillet.

½ cup mayonnaise

Clean skillet and put back on stovetop over medium heat. Pour marinara into skillet and bring to a simmer. Put meatballs back into skillet, cover with a lid and simmer meatballs for up to an hour.

No-Meat Balls “Royal Treatment” Preheat oven to 350º. Spread ricotta cheese in ½-inch layer in casserole dish, sprinkle freshly-chopped herbs on top.

Remove meatballs from sauce and place on top of ricotta/herbs. Toss halved cherry tomatoes in olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper. Spoon gently onto/ around meatballs, cover dish with foil and cook for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and give everything a stir before serving.

Optional — top with remaining marinara sauce and remaining chopped parsley.

scallion, thinly sliced Cooking Spray

2

Tbsp sweet chili sauce

1-2 tsp Sriracha hot sauce ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt Chopped cilantro for garnish Preheat oven to 425º. Whisk eggs in small bowl; add about 1 tsp each salt and

pepper. Thin out eggs with 1 tsp water.

Put panko breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl.

Dip cauliflower florets in beaten eggs so all sides are coated; add to panko breadcrumbs and toss to coat. Press breadcrumbs onto florets as needed to get a good layer on ‘em.

Place coated cauliflower onto parchment-lined baking sheet with a little space between each piece. Spray with cooking spray and bake 15-20 minutes until crispy golden brown.

Meanwhile, mix together in a bowl: sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, mayonnaise, yogurt.

Drizzle sauce over crispy cauliflower, top with scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately with more sauce on the side.

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By Chris Maher, General Manager

continued expansion of community and is demonstrable and measurable.

We wanted boundaries that weren’t necessarily cut-and-dried but, rather, apolitical and defined by nature, not government.

So, with the turn of the new year, in anticipation of our expansion to Auburn (and beyond),

BriarPatch has long celebrated its strong relationships developed with local producers. Annual logic production planning with er Hydro iv R o t n e our vendor-farmers is an Sacram important component to Regionivers & Lakes R Siskiyou Counties, building a strong, clean regional food system. ive

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We sought a new interpretation that spoke to the spirit of our ideals, that allows people to think about their environment, their contributions and relationship and responsibility to it. We looked for a way to talk about local that will grow and strengthen as BriarPatch continues to, that reflects a 6

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Last year, as we prepared for our Auburn store, the need to revisit and rethink our use of the word “local” became apparent. Our current definition of “local” had been ‘produced or grown within 20 miles of the Co-op.’ We’d soon be two stores farther than 20 miles apart, causing operational and messaging difficulties for the definition in its existent iteration. Simply drawing two 20-mile circles around each location does not make sense.

The two communities we serve are different sizes, each with its unique character, and an undeniable connection between them. We want to honor that and double-down on our commitment to support and promote our local producers and the food system that links us.

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defines a watershed as “a geographic area defined by how a single system of liquid water moves above and below ground to supply essential habitat for either a single ecosystem or a network of connected ecosystems... a watershed can include many different climate types and run through many different environments yet is always connected by common drainage.” In short, we are linked by our water.

The watershed is a complex system of interconnectedness. What happens upstream affects downstream. In a sense, it’s a metaphor for our cooperative community. It’s also a reminder that with our expansion comes responsibility as we become increasingly linked: to connect our shoppers, owners and producers to a world that becomes “smaller” through technology as BriarPatch grows larger.

Fo

nsuring the Co-op supports and values local is fundamental to our strategic vision and aligns with the Board’s Ends Policies which we champion every day in our work: to help create access to high-quality foods for our community and contribute to a stronger local food system.

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

A New Way of Defining Local

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BriarPatch has begun promoting “Local” as those products and businesses from within the Sacramento Watershed region. Our new local region now encompasses the mountains framing the state’s upper-central valley, and the foothills descending into this flat, sprawling area.

In his book, The State of Water, naturalist and author Obi Kaufmann

Yet, we shouldn’t get too caught up in the minutiae of “what local means”. The ultimate goal of defining “local” is — quite simply — to increase awareness of our food sources and the social, environmental, and economic impacts of our buying choices.

The definition is the tool by which to capture our attention to this idea, and perhaps evolve our habits in service to our environment and those who live and work on it, survive by it and love it.

That said, our new watershed definition offers us opportunities to participate in activities and events to make “local” tangible and experiential, and to deepen relationships with more organizations dedicated to environmental issues in more meaningful ways than before. Be on the lookout for more moments for connection at our Co-op.

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

Planting Ideas for the New Auburn Store

By Alana Lucia, BriarPatch Board President

S

pring sprang sprung! It’s time for planting seeds and falling in love!

That’s what’s going on out in the world of nature and that’s what’s happening here at BriarPatch.

At the end of 2021 the BriarPatch staff put together a forum of people interested in planting a few ideas for the Auburn store. Invitations were sent to members with an address in that region and there were many positive responses. People showed up from the comforts of their homes through Zoom to tell us what we may not know about the Auburn area and discuss what they were looking forward to in an Auburn BriarPatch.

Some of the answers were expected.

People are looking forward to having a place where they can get all of their wholesome food in one stop any day of the week. They are excited about the wholesome options and convenience of the deli. They are anticipating a quick, easy stop to pick up something special on their way to or from Sacramento. Many people have special diets they follow for a variety of reasons, and BriarPatch accommodates those needs beautifully in one stop.

There were a few things people mentioned that struck me and warmed my heart. People are looking forward to having cooking classes to gain new skills in the kitchen and grow their repertoire of culinary delights. They are hoping to find other

community that we are looking for in the ways we find comfort in community. May there be someone there who has a special smile for us (even if it’s through their eyes).

May we have a favorite cashier or two that we’re always happy to see.

“I have some hopes for the new store myself. May we all find the community that we are looking for in the ways we find comfort in community.” like-minded people who have similar values which are expressed through food choices. There were several voices expressing a hope that the new store will be a gathering place for people who also share these co-op values and may even become their friends and community. Oh yes! I am falling in love with this idea.

May there be a trusted person in the Produce Department that can help you choose the perfect melon. May the community connections grow strong with other organizations supporting each other.

May the new store be a fertile ground for all these seeds and more.

I have some hopes for the new store myself. May we all find the

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

Get Your Greens On!

Asparagus Asparagus is one of the most versatile vegetables, because you can eat it shaved raw in salads, chopped and cooked in brunch or pasta dishes or roasted on its own. It has its own special mention in one of the first recorded cookbooks, De Re Coquinarius from the 1st Century A.D. Even back then folks were trying to figure out how to keep the heads tender while fully cooking the stalks.

Nettles When cooked properly, their spinachlike flavor is wonderful in soups, pesto sauces, beverages (stinging nettle cordial anyone?) and many dishes in which you’d otherwise use leafy greens. A brief exposure to high heat tames these prickly vines and transforms them into a flavorful dish of earthy and bright flavors.

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Dandelion Greens

Escarole

Like a heartier version of arugula, dandelion greens lend a punchy bitterness to salads when raw, but that bite is tempered somewhat when cooked.

Raw dandelion greens are also packed with iron and are a good source of prebiotics.

The juicy, crunchy white middle ribs and heart, as well as inner lighter-green leaves, are bittersweet and best for raw preparations. The outermost dark green leaves are bitter and chewy and best reserved for cooking. For a great intro to this veggie, make a batch of soup with escarole and white beans.

Pea Shoots

Spearmint

These young tendrils and leaves embody the verdant energy of springtime. Very young shoots are great raw in salads, where they add a sweet, grassy flavor. Add larger shoots to a stir fry at the last minute, or any dish where you’d use lightly-cooked spinach or Swiss chard.

With its divine aroma and bright, clean taste, spearmint is crisp, refreshing and welcome in food and beverages alike.

Muddle fresh leaves into your mojito, or blitz ‘em into a pesto for pasta or a salad with feta. Or, tear the leaves and mix with basil and cilantro as part of a Thai-inspired larb dish. Tasty!

Frisée

Green Garlic

Microgreens

Curly-frilly and bitter, “free-ZAY” begs for salad ingredients that are rich and creamy. Indeed, it’s the “king” of the Salad Lyonnaise, aka “bistro salad.”

Poached egg, fried bacon lardons, and light and mustardy warm vinaigrette go with the mild-flavored light green center leaves for a culinary experience like no other. Pairs well with cheese, fruit and nuts like pecans or walnuts.

Basically, garlic harvested in its teenage years. Mild and versatile, the immature garlic bulbs and edible green stalks have an amazing nutty-oniony flavor, great fresh or cooked. Substitute in recipes for onions, scallions or leeks…and no need to peel the bulbs! For those of you looking to avoid vampires, you’re gonna need a lot of green garlic to get the desired repellant effect.

Not to be confused with sprouts, these tiny leaves come from harvesting super-young veggies and herbs.

Sprinkle peppery arugula and mustard microgreens on top of pizza for a fresh counterpoint to the cheese, or basil microgreens on top of desserts with fresh strawberries!

Spring Onions

Sugar Snap Peas

Sunflower Sprouts

Small white or purple round bulbs sporting tiny roots and bright green stalks, spring onions definitely deliver the fresh flavor of spring. They’re simply young onions that are harvested before maturity. Both the tender onions and their flavorful green stalks are deliciously edible.

Isn’t it odd, to eat the pod? Oh please, these are sugar snap peas. Just be sure to remove the string that’s found along the edge, from tip to tip. These little babies are bursting with freshness and flavor, raw or cooked. Enjoy ‘em with your favorite crudités dip, braise in butter, toss in soy glaze or pair with garlic and ginger. Oh snap!

Can you believe these little beauties with just two tiny leaves are the junior version of the majestic sunflower?

Close your eyes as you pop one in your mouth so you can focus on the flavor…a green-y, veggie version of sunflower seeds in the shell. And they’re 25 percent protein? Yes please!

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

In springtime, it’s easy being green with the vibrant, ethereal goodness of delicate greens and shoots.

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

You can donate to a worthy community cause at checkout by just asking your cashier to round up your total payment to the nearest dollar or more. Together, in small ways, we can make a real contribution to our community!

March Our Kids’ Place Preschool April Bell Hills Academy May Woolman at Sierra Friends

March

BriarPatch Shoppers raise $$ for Nevada Union High School

Women of Worth WoW helps families in crisis, victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. We also offer programs to increase self-reliance and improve quality of life by helping victims rebuild their lives with dignity, hope and safety.

April Interfaith Food Ministry Interfaith Food Ministry works to reduce food insecurity in Western Nevada County. We feed the hungry, helping to sustain good health and human dignity.

May Child Advocates of Nevada County Child Advocates of Nevada County has provided critical child abuse prevention programs and services for thousands of families for over 25 years.

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I

n September, BriarPatch shoppers raised $837.21 for Nevada Union High School’s Ag Department through the Apples for Gardens program!

The money helped to fund projects that give students like Carlos, MacKenzie and Madelynn life skills they can take with them well beyond high school.

Carlos is a senior at NU and moved to Nevada City two years ago from Zacatecas, Mexico where he lived with

OWNER BENEFIT

Why Be a Co-op Owner?

Owner Appreciation Months The Co-op announces special months during the year when owners can take 10% off one shopping trip. Check our social media or enews to find out when the next one is. his parents on a ranch. He said his family works in agriculture on the ranch, but he had little experience cultivating.

He currently lives with his aunt and uncle and works a part-time job to send money home to help his parents on the ranch.

NU’s Ag Program has helped Carlos gain confidence and is helping him improve his English skills, he says. He is learning a lot of garden vocabulary and says when he doesn’t know a word he can ask and learn. His favorite part of the program is watching the cycle of the plants — from planting a seed, transplanting from a small pot into the garden, watching it grow and then harvesting. He currently has a small garden at home where he can apply what he is learning.

MacKenzie is in her third year with the horticulture program and Madelynn is the Vice President of the FFA program.

They say the Ag program at NU is like family. It’s a safe place where everyone feels they belong and can grow.

It’s time to It’s time to BOD Election 2022 — briarpatch.coop/vote-2022

BBOOA ARRDD BBOOA ARRDD

Opt into E-Receipts Sign-up: Email hellobriarpatch@ briarpatch.coop for more info.

Vote and Become Involved Vote for the Board of Directors, run for the Board and have a say in the strategic vision of the Co-op.

Be a PatchWorks Volunteer Receive 15% off up to two shopping trips each month when you volunteer at select nonprofits.

Text Alerts Text PATCHOWNERINFO to 888-5301949 to sign up to receive important Co-op text alerts and information.

Patronage Dividend Receive a dividend on purchases made in the store in years when the Co-op nets a profit.

ownership and fellowship.

4. A stronger local food system.

5. A major employer that provides a healthy, fair and considerate workplace for employees.

6. Access to education about food and consumer issues that encourages customers to make healthier food choices.

Board Members and Meetings Board of Directors Rachel Berry, Kwong Chew, Jonathan Collier, Richard Drace, Kali Feiereisel, Mark Fenton, Katie Ivy, Alana Lucia, Alan Weisberg To contact all the Directors, send an email to: directors@board.briarpatch. coop. For individual Directors: first name and last initial (i.e. alanw@ board.briarpatch.coop). Letters may be left at Customer Service.

Upcoming Board Meetings The upcoming meeting agenda is available at least one week prior to the meeting.

Ends Policies

Tuesday, Mar 29, 2022 Tuesday, Apr 26, 2022 Tuesday, May 31, 2022

BriarPatch Food Co-op exists so that Owners, customers and members of our community have:

For meeting times or additional information, please contact Mary Hunter at maryh@briarpatch.coop.

1. A successful and vibrant cooperatively-owned business that acts as a leader among local businesses and food co-ops nationally and contributes to environmental stewardship through its business practices.

2. Access to high-quality, healthy products, especially local and organic food.

3. A community center where people experience a sense of connectedness,

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

OWNERS ’ Info

Board Committees To find out more about the Board’s standing committees, please add the following Committee names to the subject line when you email us at directors@board.briarpatch.coop.

Board Development Committee Finance Committee Executive Committee Governance Committee

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

What kind of BriarPatch shopper are you?

The Hunter

The Gatherer

BEER

Goes in with a mission to come out with a cart full of groceries to stock the fridge. May not know exactly what they are going to get, but when they see it, they will pounce.

The EuroShopper

Monday

Tuesday

The Stomach

Wed. etc.

Comes in on a daily basis to buy their fresh items. Loves all things fresh. Also called a ”Perimeter” shopper.

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Roams the aisles, looking for edible delights. No particular plan. If it looks delicious it goes in the basket.

Lets their tummy do the choosing. Some are of the “Hangry Shopper” variety and should just be given a cookie the minute they walk in so they’ll take it down a notch.

The Exercise Shopper

The Accidental Shopper

Will never use the cart, must carry everything as a form of exercise… and with the amount of goodies in their loaded arms, they just might skip the trip to the gym.

Comes in for Two. Specific. Things. Comes out with 28.

But needed Every. Single. One.

The Power Shopper

Label-Loving Lollygagger

Person on a mission. Has the list, has the coupons, in and out. May wear sunglasses in the store — no time for small talk in the aisles.

Thoughtfully perusing every inch of every aisle, exploringing for “new and cool” stuff and checking the ingredients before something gets a precious spot in the shopping cart.

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

Do you see yourself in one (or more!) of these profiles? Whichever type of shopper you are, relax, we got you (and we love you)!

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

O

Obi Kaufmann’s Love Story for California Continues with Newest Book

bi Kaufmann has dedicated his life to studying California’s natural world. His writing and art are influenced by a path combining science, an inquisitive and creative mind, a knack for research and an unquenchable wanderlust. And the good news — this adventure through Obi’s subjective lens —is available as an invitation to us all to join him.

By Laura Petersen

T

his spring, the artist and author is releasing the much-anticipated newest book in his California Field Atlas series. The Coasts of California, a nearly 700-page odyssey, is sure to be an instant Kaufmann classic alongside The California Field Atlas, The Forests of California and The State of Water— Understanding California’s Most Precious Resource.

Native plants, animals and landscapes come to life in warm, earthy watercolors, immediately charming and drawing the reader into the pages of the latest addition in the natural history

series published by HeyDay Books.

Easily accessible to nature lovers young and old, anyone who picks up a copy can embark on Kaufmann’s world of analytic discovery, diving deep into art, ecology and philosophy. Illustrated stories and maps spin an almost fantastic tale, spanning ridgelines and rivers, mountains and valleys. Yet this is no myth or makebelieve. These characters and places are as tangible as our own backyards.

“These books are me looking at California. This is my process of figuring it out. The reader is invited into the narrative that is affectionate, intimate

The Coasts of California: A California Field Atlas

By Obi Kaufmann

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Bursting with color, The Coasts of California is in Kaufmann’s signature style, fusing science with art and pure poetic reverie.

And much more than a survey of tourist spots, Coasts is a full immersion into the astonishingly varied natural worlds that hug California’s shoreline. With hundreds of gorgeous watercolor maps and illustrations, Kaufmann explores the rhythms of the tides, the lives of sea creatures, the shifting of rocks and sand, and the special habitats found on California’s islands. At the book’s core is an expansive, detailed walk down the California Coastal Trail, including maps of parks along the way—a wealth of knowledge for any coast-lover.

and loving,” says the artist and naturalist who has captured the hearts and minds of many in recent years.

Finding his way along this journey to get to know California’s wonders, Kaufmann has developed a specific analytical approach to storytelling that shares his unique voice and eye. To make sense of his surroundings, he has invented a new genre of nature handbook, affectionately referring to them as love stories and family albums.

Over time, his relationship to his subject has matured and deepened, allowing him, and us, to tap into a rich vastness of biodiversity across the biosphere more infinite than the human mind is able to comprehend.

“The more I learn about California and nature, the more that I find there is to learn. It’s like a magic well and I’m drinking from this well and as I’m drinking and drinking and drinking, the water level doesn’t go down, in fact there’s more water to drink from.”

A leap of faith Kaufmann is the son of an astrophysicist and clinical psychologist and grew up in the East Bay, scrambling around Mt. Diablo on weekends. Trained from an early age to be a mathematician by his late father who studied the cosmos, the artist and poet is very sensitive to what science is.

“I realized at some point how he explored the universe, I explored California, as a metaphor for looking at nature in general.”

Kaufmann has a connection to Nevada County’s own Yuba Watershed. His mom lives near the headwaters in the mountain town of Truckee and he regularly visits friends in Nevada City. In the past, his writing has taken him to a cabin in Sierra City, on the North Yuba.

Kaufmann’s examination of California’s complex and intricate waterscapes illuminates very clearly how what happens upstream affects what happens downstream. The food we grow, the return of wild fisheries, the lessons we learn from Indigenous cultures; our very existence depends on finding the right balance.

Kaufmann spent 20 years as a gallery artist, never able to leave his day job, until the day he put away the oil paints, picked up watercolors and returned to his childhood hobby of backpacking. It is here that he has found his niche, a space to thrive.

It is a mucky process, he explains, that requires making map after map, painting after painting, followed by painstaking editing where half the collected content is thrown out. Often, the organization and arrangement of the book does not reveal itself until the final phase.

“I saw this space. I didn’t know what it was going to be. I just knew every page should drip with color and soul.”

“It’s a perilous act of faith that I have to invest in and just hope it comes out at the end.”

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

A miracle to steward

Kaufmann sees small family farms, community-supported farmers markets and food cooperatives that value a “locavore” mentality over big industrial agriculture as important links in a sustainable future.

“You’re taking care of a value system that is approachable and investigatively sustainable. We don’t really know what sustainability is. Talk to me after a thousand years. It’s all largely like we are

Yuba River painting by Obi Kaufmann

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022 feeling our way. If we have a shot, I bet you all (food cooperatives like BriarPatch) are on to what might be our best bet.”

In California’s Central Valley, as technology for water conservation increases, new wells are being drilled at alarming rates for “big ag” crops like almonds, olives and wine grapes. Without oversight and careful regulation, this could set the stage for environmental disaster. Traveling extensively up and down the state for book tours, Kaufmann doesn’t see the individual as the problem. Instead, it’s the rhetoric from big venture capitalists that distracts us from what matters.

“Everywhere I’ve gone, there’s nobody who wants a degraded environment.

We all want to be a healthy people on a healthy land. Getting there involves community-oriented efforts, like the food co-ops. This is where you move your values with your dollars.”

In many ways, Kaufmann’s books are a wake-up call to take care of and preserve the beauty right in front of us. Every single one of our national landscapes in California is either threatened or endangered, but despite that fact California has a very low species extinction rate, less than 1 percent. This gives us hope.

“So, what that means, is that it is all still here. What that means is that there is a miracle to steward. I’m not saying 16

The State of Water: Understanding California’s Most Precious Resource

By Obi Kaufmann In this book, full-color maps unravel the braided knot of California’s water infrastructure and ecosystems, exposing a history of unlimited growth in spite of finite natural resources—a history that has led to its current precarious circumstances. In The State of Water Kaufmann argues that environmental conservation and restoration efforts are necessary not only for ethical reasons but also as a matter of human survival. Offering nine perspectives to illustrate the most pressing challenges facing California’s water infrastructure, from dams to species revitalization, Kaufmann reveals pragmatic yet inspiring solutions to how water in the West can continue to support agriculture, municipalities, and the environment.

there are any laurels to rest on, because if and when it goes, it’s going to go hard.

At this point, what I’m suggesting is just as likely, there is a point of hope for every point of despair. It is entirely possible to conceive of California’s natural world to be in better shape at the end of the 21st century than how we left it at the end of the 20th century.”

Extreme wildfire, drought and historic winter storms have left us all a little shaken, creating climate anxiety among the hardiest Californians. Yet, California is on track to become carbon neutral by 2045, making

the state a world leader in environmental responsibility and leadership.

“Nature has an inclination toward regeneration. With half a chance, nature rebounds.”

Right before us, all around us, we can find a great stillness, by getting out and developing a relationship with our watershed and the natural world.

Kaufmann asks those who come to hear him speak — When was the last time you went camping? Go to the Yuba. Take off your shoes. Dip your toes into the water, he encourages.

“Quietly, let yourself be there, just for a moment. Whatever happens, we are going to need you grounded, centered and unpanicked. Whatever happens, we are going to need you, calm,” says Kaufmann.

The prolific writer who hasn’t taken a day off in years is already deep into the next installment of the Field Guide series, The Deserts of California. After that, he’s planning a year-long retreat from his writing desk to lace up his hiking boots, sling on a pack and set out on a walking book tour of California, visiting mountain trails, backroads and towns up and down the state. Nevada City and Grass Valley bookstores will surely be on the route.

Stay tuned!

Learn more about Obi Kaufmann: californiafieldatlas.com heydaybooks.com/authors/obi-kaufmann Follow on Instagram @coyotethunder

The Forests of California: A California Field Atlas

By Obi Kaufmann The Forests of California features an abundance of Obi Kaufmann’s signature watercolor maps and trail paintings, weaving them into an expansive and accessible exploration of the biodiversity that defines California in the global imagination. Expanding on the style of the Field Atlas, Kaufmann tells an epic story that spans millions of years, nearly one hundred species of trees, and an astonishing richness of ecosystems. The lessons in this book extend well beyond California’s borders. If Peter Wohlleben’s The Hidden Life of Trees and Richard Powers’s The Overstory opened readers’ eyes to the awesome power of arboreal life, The Forests of California gives readers a unique and unprecedented immersion in that power.

S

o, you’ve opened a can of chickpeas and the first thing you do is send that gooey liquid down the drain. Nooooooooooooo!

Press pause, save that stuff.

It’s called aquafaba and it’s Aqua-Fab-U-Lous!!!

Aquafaba is the thick liquid you get from cooking legumes, such as chickpeas, in water for an extended period of time.

If you’re new to the wonderful world of aquafaba, stick to what you strain from canned chickpeas, since it’s nice and thick. Once you get the hang of it, you can use what you make yourself from cooking chickpeas at home, since you’ll have a better idea of the consistency that’ll get you the desired results.

Aquafaba can replace egg whites in a recipe, as well as whole eggs in baked goods. Two Tbsp unwhipped aquafaba is the equivalent of one egg white, and 3 Tbsp equals a whole egg.

When you’re ready to measure the

aquafaba a recipe calls for, vigorously shake the unopened can of chickpeas.

Drain chickpeas through a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl; reserve beans for another use. Whisk aquafaba and then measure. The starches in the aquafaba settle in the can and need to be agitated to ensure they’re evenly distributed.

If you’re going to whip it into foam, add 1/8 tsp cream of tartar for the aquafaba in a 15-oz can of chickpeas. It’ll help the foam whip up faster and stay fluffy longer.

Store aquafaba in a sealed mason jar in the fridge where it’ll last for up to a week.

You can also freeze it up to three months. Measure it into 1 Tbsp portions into an ice cube tray, and just thaw out and use those little “nuggets ‘o gold” in place of eggs. Easy peasy, and you’ve now effectively made something outta nothing!

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

AQUA-FAB-U-LOUS

Tbsp arrowroot starch

Preheat oven to 375º. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add coconut to food processor. Blend about one minute or more, just until coconut flakes start clumping together.

When you squeeze some together, it should stick together kind of like wet sand.

Add coconut oil, maple syrup, aquafaba, salt and vanilla and mix 20 seconds to combine. Add arrowroot starch and pulse to combine until a wet dough has formed.

Scoop into 1 ½ Tbsp mounds, gently

Aquafaba can replace egg whites in a recipe, as well as whole eggs in baked goods

Here’s a great vegan coconut macaroon recipe to try: 3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut 1 ½ Tbsp coconut oil 3

Tbsp maple syrup

1 ½ Tbsp aquafaba Pinch sea salt ½ tsp vanilla extract

transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet with room between each cookie.

Bake 13-15 minutes, until tops are lightly golden brown and bottoms a little darker golden brown…careful not to burn the bottoms! They’ll puff a little while cooking.

Cool on pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a plate/cooling rack to cool completely.

Best served at room temp.

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

Laundry-to-Landscape Graywater System

Go to waterwisesupply.com for instructions and components to DIY your laundry-to-landscape graywater system.

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

A conventional top-load washing machine can use up to forty gallons of water per load. Consider rejiggering your washing machine to irrigate your garden, rather than send all that valuable water to the sewer. This low-cost graywater system allows you to pipe laundry water outside to outlets in the landscape adjacent to thirsty plants and trees. As long as you’re using biodegradable products for your laundry, graywater is perfectly safe for plants. This system is easy to install and gives great flexibility for irrigation.

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

2022

Board Election Candidates 3 Seats and 3 Candidates

Vote May 2-16

All candidates’ responses are unedited.

Please refer to briarpatch.coop/vote-2022 for full candidate profiles. You can vote online with a valid email address.

Ballots open May 2 at 8:00am and close May 16 at 5:00pm.

BOA

RD

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BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

Kwong Chew

Katie Ivy

Deborah Yashar

I believe that I have what it takes to be a good Board Director. For any successful organization, it is critical to have continuing competent, cohesive, and proven leadership. I feel that I have the necessary skills, insight and experience from my many years on the board, to continue to contribute positively and especially in this important phase of our history as we evolve into a multi-store entity in Auburn. Coupled with my business background, active presence on other related boards, community exposure and as a continuing Board Director, I am positively confident that I will continue to bring deep dimension, diversity and leadership.

Like so many members of the BriarPatch community, I bring a unique and varied perspective to my undertakings. I believe this perspective makes me a good Board Director. I currently work as a bilingual third grade teacher at a local public school called Bell Hill Academy. Before becoming a teacher, I helped manage a small, organic, educational farm in Nevada City, called the Food Love Project.

In our spare time, my husband and I tend our front yard veggie patch and volunteer with a local environmental non-profit called the Wolf Creek Community Alliance. These experiences have helped put me in touch with the community that BriarPatch serves and the shoppers, staff, and farmers that make it what it is. I will be a good board member because I am connected to many facets of our community, from farmers and gardeners to parents and students. During my time on the Board, I have served as Board Secretary and on the Board Development and Governance committees. I have also participated in trainings, board retreats, and co-op conferences where my capacities as a Board Director grew and matured. I look forward to continuing my development in years to come.

I am committed to using my creative energies and professional skills towards healing the land for future generations by working with teams to advance a just and regenerative food system. As Board Director, I will enthusiastically bring my 20 years of experience working with organizations and farmers from all walks of life towards achieving this goal. I have dedicated my career to this cause since earning my BA in environmental studies and sustainable agriculture/agroecology from the University of California Santa Cruz. Since then I have worked with a wide spectrum of business and non-profit enterprises such as the Ecological Farming Association (EcoFarm), where I currently work as Marketing and Communications Director and help organize the oldest and largest ecological farming conference on the West Coast, each year. I enjoy volunteering with like-minded entities and also bring experience serving on boards and food-based organizations such as the Santa Cruz Community Farmers Markets, the Agriculture & Land-Based Training Assoc (ALBA), and others. I am known to my colleagues and peers for my integrity and dedication to furthering whatever cause I commit to and can offer my keen ability to listen, be curious, discuss, and get down to the heart of the matter. In this case, the matter is a successful and vibrant cooperatively-owned business that is a leader locally and nationally, and has expanded to Auburn, CA. What a huge accomplishment and window of opportunity to continue expanding a resilient food economy! I would love to support BriarPatch in meeting its challenges, whatever they may be, so it can continue to grow its impact today and tomorrow. Thank you all for considering my earnest application!

21

Full candidate profiles can be read at briarpatch.coop/vote-2022

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

Use Your Voice in the 2022 Board of Directors

Election!

BriarPatch Food Co-op is a democratically run cooperative and the Board of Directors serves a critical role in overseeing and guiding our Co-op. Your Vote Matters! Participation through voting is a major contribution you can make as a Co-op Owner.

It’s time to

Full candidate profiles can be read at BBOOA ARRDD

briarpatch.coop/vote-2022

How to Vote The 2022 Board Election, held May 2 through 16, will be here soon! In this election, three seats for Board Directors are open.

Important points to remember: • If your email address is inaccurate, the Co-op must send your election materials to the latest postal address we have on record.

Update your email address at updateinfo@briarpatch.coop, to make voting as easy as a few clicks of a mouse.

This year, we’re donating $2 for every vote cast to the Foothills Fresh program led by Sierra Harvest. The program is working with the nationally-recognized Chef Ann Foundation to revitalize school meal programs and bring healthy scratch-cooked breakfast and lunch to 10,000 children living in Western Nevada County.

We want to hear from YOU! This year candidates are inviting owners of The Patch to share their insight. We want to continue to serve our BriarPatch community in a relevant, meaningful and delicious way.

Look for questions seeking your expertise about your Co-op on your ballot.

• According to our bylaws, each Owner household is entitled to one vote by the primary Owner of Record. Co-op Owners of Record who are fully paid or current on membership payments by 5:00pm on March 21, 2022 are eligible to vote.

• Login information for online voting will be mailed and emailed to voters in late April.

• Ballots open May 2 at 8:00am and close at 5:00pm May 16.

Stay informed! Learn more about the three candidates vying for open seats and get all the latest updates on voting instructions here: briarpatch.coop/vote-2022 If you have any questions, or if you don’t have a device with internet access, please call Chelle Wheatley at (530) 272-2667 ext. 134, or email elections@briarpatch.coop 22

BOA

RD

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

y t i l i b a n i a t s u S AND UPDATES

Help BriarPatch reach our Waste Not Goals in 2022!

T

he Co-op works hard to reduce its carbon footprint. Our shoppers see lots of our initiatives, like our 2025 Sustainability Goals, but we’re also busy backstage, in our offices and behind counters, challenging ourselves to work more environmentally-minded. These changes are good for the earth, our workflow and the bottom line!

Finance Dept.

Produce Dept.

Reducing water and energy usage by letting ice sink drain overnight instead of melting. This’ll save about 500 waterproof wire produce ties and 100 gallons of water per week!

Wellness Dept.

Reducing paper waste by asking vendors not to send paper catalogs. As of press time, 13 companies were contacted, saving at least 20 lbs of paper/year.

Reducing paper waste with reusable notepads, stickynotes and dry erase boards. Updating heavily paper-based processes to digital, like accounts payable.

Estimated savings: 15,000 pieces of paper/500 stickynote pads annually!

Facilities Dept.

Marketing Dept.

Perishables Dept.

Reducing paper waste by upcycling.

Set up a paper shredder in the printing room with shreddings repurposed for packaging material to eventually be composted. Over 34 pounds of paper have been diverted from the landfill so far! (Did you notice we changed the customer comment form to a QR code you can fill out on your phone?)

Merchandising Dept.

Reducing paper waste by digitizing product request forms, using online spreadsheets to complete tasks.

Reducing food waste going to landfill by offering a Food Waste Bin in the employee break room. In two months, 784 lbs of food waste went to feed local pigs.

Reducing food waste going to landfill.

In one month, local pigs received 98 loaves of bread by simply removing it from plastic bags and putting it in food waste bins.

Meat & Seafood Dept.

Diverting paper and plastic from the landfill with additional back-of-house recycling bins for plastic and paper.

Goal: divert 1,095 lbs paper and 365 lbs plastic per year.

Now it’s your turn!

We’re teaming up with YOU, our BriarPatch owners to help us reduce the Co-op’s waste even more! Last year, we mailed 26,000 print copies of The Vine magazine, weighing 5,525 lbs! That’s a lot of paper!

In 2022, we’re asking lovers of the old-fashioned paper version of The Vine to use the owner perk of “Opting-In” to continue receiving a print copy via snail mail. For those who don’t “OptIn” you’ll be automatically enrolled to receive our digital version starting with the summer issue — saving trees, fossil fuels and water! Our digital magazine is fun, engaging and shareable with live links to additional content like videos, and to our advertisers.

With paper costs rising exponentially and no end in sight, switching to digital will save the Co-op $50,000 annually (that means more money for the things you care about, like healthy food!). We’ll continue to make paper copies available in the store and around town at various locations.

Want to Opt In? Email ownership@briarpatch.coop.

Include Primary Owner Name, Owner Number and your mailing address. Be sure to include “Vine Opt-In” in the email subject line.

23

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

All Decked Out: Nevada City Rotary Club’s Recycling Project Turning plastic garbage into decks and patios

A

small group of volunteers from the Nevada City Rotary Club, concerned about the amount of plastic ending up in landfills, is working hard to keep soft plastics from the waste stream.

“Our ultimate goal is to educate the public about the importance of recycling and to provide a method for people to recycle items that are not taken by Waste Management, so that less plastic goes into the landfill,” says Christine Newsom, one of 30 active members of the small-butmighty service club. Christine is the chairperson of an environmental committee of five started last summer.

We’re amazed at all they have accomplished so far.

Last November, Christine came up with the idea to team up with Trex, a pilot project that has taken off and is turning hundreds of pounds of soft plastics into decking and patio furniture. BriarPatch is one of several collection locations in Nevada County, and the project is so popular volunteers can hardly keep up with it. They surpassed their six-month goal of collecting 500 pounds in the first three months!

“The public response to our plastics collection program has been 24

amazing,” says Rotarian Robin Milam.

“Clearly this plastics recycling collection is a project our community wants to support!”

Now, thanks to the Rotarians, BriarPatch shoppers can recycle clean, stretchable plastic film (like grocery bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, dry cleaning bags, newspaper sleeves, ice bags, plastic shipping envelopes, Ziploc and other clear zipping food storage bags, cereal bags, case overwrap, salt bags, pallet wrap and stretch film, wood pellet bags and produce bags).

Nevada City Rotary Club members showing us how it's done with a new pilot project to recycle soft plastic and keep it out of landfills.

Volunteers need your help to make this project sustainable.

Please be mindful of what you put in the bin. The plastic must be clean, dry and free of food residue, and it needs to stretch when you poke a finger into it.

Rotarians collect bags twice a week and hand-sort them, which can be timeconsuming if mixed with unacceptable refuse. Depositing garbage in the bins makes extra work for our hard-working plastic recycling heroes!

“We have been going through all the bins sorting out crinkly plastics, holiday wrapping paper and bottle caps that Trex will not accept. We want to remind people that Trex only accepts clean, stretchable plastic bags, bubble wrap, and the like. Please, no paper and with plastics, if it crinkles or is dirty, please

dispose of that plastic separately,” says Robin.

It’s obvious there is a big need, but is the project sustainable for the long term? Rotarians would like to see the project extend into the future with the assistance of the broader community.

We’ll be following this story and will keep you updated. If you belong to a service group, business or government agency and want to help, you can reach out to ncrotary.org, or email news@ ncrotary.org Look for the soft plastic recycling bin at BriarPatch next to Customer Service, near the exit doors.

Learn more about Trex recycling efforts: recycle.trex.com

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

GROCERY BAGS

BREAD BAGS

DRY CLEANING BAGS

ZIPLOC + OTHER - STRETCHABLE RECLOSABLE FOOD STORAGE BAGS

PRODUCE BAGS

PALLET WRAP + STRETCH FILM

CASE OVERWRAP

BUBBLE WRAP

NEWSPAPER SLEEVES

CEREAL BAGS

PLASTIC SHIPPING ENVELOPES

ICE BAGS

SALT BAGS

TREX.COM/RECYCLING

WOOD PELLET BAGS 25

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

nkify! u l c De r Life You

SPRING CLEANING 1. Call 1-877-411-3662 2. They tow your clunker away 3. You get a tax receipt 4. Relax with KVMR

Donate Your Vehicle!

Advertising in The Vine is “Arf-fordable” Want to get noticed by a growing audience?

Our digital and print format circulation is now over 20k, available to readers throughout the GV/NC community, and on down the 49 to Auburn. Copies are distributed via email and direct mail to Co-op Owners, and available at locations all over Grass Valley, Nevada City and Auburn.

CCL# 710908

10%onOFF LABOR first service call (530) 388-0086 mjpplumbing.net Remodels Kitchens Bathrooms Additions Renovations 26

New Construction Tankless Heaters All Size Jobs Residential Commercial

reen!

G o G

Have your order packed into boxes to reduce plastic & paper.

Type GO GREEN in the special instructions for curbside pickup.

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

The Rene Randall Team & The Andrews Team

A local lender with big advantages.

Purchase | Refinance | Renovation | Construction

Rene Randall Sales Manager NMLS 328955

Donna Ponce

Loan Officer Assistant NMLS 1003202

Chris Andrews Loan Officer NMLS 1389474

(530) 271-1850 evergreenhomeloans.com/renerandall

©2022 Evergreen Home Loans and Evergreen are the trademarks or registered trademarks of Evergreen Moneysource Mortgage Company® NMLS ID 3182. Trade/service marks are the property of Evergreen Home Loans. All rights reserved. Licensed under: CA Licensed by Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the CA Residential Mortgage Lending Act 4130291. 0122

the eatery

Tue-sun 10 am to 4 pm

the annex tue-sat 5 pm to 8:30

LOCAL | ORGANIC | EATERY 530-470-6161 | HEARTWOODEATERY.COM 239 COMMERCIAL STREET, NEVADA CITY

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27

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

the n i Jo

Hearts & Hands Club

Give as little as $5 per month Help where the need is greatest: provide food, shelter, case management, housing aid, and more

Automatic monthly giving Easy on your pocketbook but impactful for those in crisis

hhshelter.org/hearts-hands-club/

everything you need to every

Start Your Garden Seed Starting Supplies Soil Blockers Seed Starting Kits Heat Mats Paper Pots Germination Mixes and more!

50 New Varieties of Organic Seeds Corn Lettuce Tomatoes Peppers and more!

All Peaceful Valley brand seeds are

TO GERMINATE

125 Clydesdale Court, Grass Valley, CA 95945

TERMS & RESTRICTIONS APPLY

9:30am-5pm Monday-Saturday • Closed Sunday

Phone (530) 272-4769 • Toll-Free (888) 784-1722

First U.S. Home Loan Solutions Why look further than your local Credit Union for great rates on home financing? First U.S. has the diverse financing options you need and the savings you deserve.

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Low rates No points and low fees Unique loans not found at other financial institutions

Call one of our real estate specialists and we can help you find the right loan for your needs and the right rate for your budget: (800) 556-6768

Grass Valley’s Financial Co-Op 28

2100 Nevada City Hwy. Grass Valley, CA 95945

firstus.org

BYLT.ORG

We are growing on down the road!

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

Save Land Build Trails Encounter Nature

Where: 2505 Bell Rd. in Auburn.

When: Current goal is Summer 2022! This goal may change...stay tuned.

For updates visit briarpatch.coop/auburn

www.gvfarmersmarket.org

29

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

Briar Patch members receive a $300 Briar Patch Gift Card for going solar with us!

We offer complete solar systems including battery storage options.

Contact Us! 30

149 E. Main Street Grass Valley, California

info@cal-solar.com www.cal-solar.coop

(530) 274-3671 CSLB #779624

It’s called an Education Savings Account (ESA), and petitions are now being circulated to collect signatures for two different but similar ballot initiatives that would allow voters in California’s 2022 general election to approve a state constitutional amendment providing for ESAs.

Go Home Feeling Good

Photo credit: Unsplash

an alternative to public schools.

BriarPatch Food Co-op | Spring 2022

YES, there is

An ESA allows a student to enroll in any private or public school of their choice by redirecting existing government funds—with no tax increase. Find out more about each ballot initiative at these links:

BriarPatch is hiring!

californiaschoolchoice.org

Great pay, excellent

fixcalifornia.com/education

benefits and employee

Ad paid for by Doug Miller, Grass Valley CA, not affiliated with any organization.

discounts!

Visit briarpatch.coop for more info and to apply.

Tune in for the BriarPatch Food Co-op Farm & Agricultural Reports at 8:22 am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on Newstalk 830am KNCO.

Chris Gilbert

Moe Howard Tom Fitzsimmons

Dave Bear

Paul Haas 31

BriarPatch Food Co-op 290 Sierra College Drive Grass Valley, CA 95945

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BRIARPATCH

This paper is made from 30% recycled paper

DEAR OWNERS,

Opt In to continue receiving The Vine by mail!

In 2022, we’re asking lovers of the old-fashioned paper version of The Vine to use the owner perk of “Opting-In” to continue receiving a print copy via snail mail.

For those who don’t “Opt-In” you’ll be automatically enrolled to receive our digital version beginning with the summer issue. See page 23 for more info and instructions on how to Opt In.

PLEASE NOTE: You will no longer receive The Vine by mail after this issue unless you Opt In!