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College Connection Page 10

Kids Club! Page 14

Membership Form Page 19

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Contents What’s Now ��3 From The Desk Of The GM ��4 Board of Directors 2013 board@justfood.coop

Jay Johnson, President Doug Hiza, Vice President Diane Burry, Treasurer Penny Hillemann, Secretary Jenny Howenstine Ann Iijima Clark Ohnesorge David Pennock Robbie Wigley

Management Team

Patrick Neily, General Manager Stephanie Aman, Marketing and Member Services Manager Alex Beeby, Operations Manager Jeremy Bishop, Front End Manager Lindsay Byhre, Human Resources Manager Amy Collette, Financial Manager Gina Love, Meat, Cheese and Deli Manager Matt Malecha, Produce Manager Kate Wall, Grocery Manager Meg Jensen Witt, Wellness Manager

Membership Benefits

• Supporting a locally-owned, sustainable and socially responsible business • Subscriptions to two Co-op newsletters: The ComPost and The Mix • Profits returned to member-owners as patronage rebates, at the discretion of the Board. • Owner-only rates on Co-op classes • Check writing for up to $20 over the amount of purchase. • Owner-only specials on selected items throughout the store • 10% case discounts

Board Update ��5 Community Connection ��6 College Connection ��8

Kid’s Club ��10 Classes ��12 News and Events ��14 Membership ��17

About The ComPost Fertilizer For The Mind

Editor: Stephanie Aman The ComPost is a bimonthly publication of Just Food Co-op and is published for the benefit of our membership and the community. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Just Food Co-op or its members. For information about submissions, contact Stephanie Aman at 507.650.0106 or outreach@justfood.coop. Letters to the editor are welcome and may be sent to the same email or 516 Water St. S., Northfield, MN 55057. Just Food Co-op is a proud member of the Twin Cities chapter of the National Coop.

Membership application on page 17.

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What’s Now In Grocery:

Lucille’s Kitchen Garden Jellies and Jams: Great with soft cheeses, on burgers, and even the garlic hot pepper with veggies.

Page 14

In Bulk:

We have lots of new varieties of nuts and snacks. Great for road trips and picnics!

Page 10

In Produce: Blueberries Local produce

In the Deli:

Salad Bar – the Co-op not only has the only salad bar in town, we have fresh, delicious and organic choices for your salad!

Meat:

Meadow’s Pride Organic Grassfed ground beef – in our freezer patties and package (New Prague area)

In Wellness:

Sunscreen and Bug Spray – check out the article on page 13 with the coupon!

April-June 2013

From The Desk Of The GM

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Patrick Neily Co-Op Owner General Manager

With tremendous effort by our staff, we excitedly welcomed 54 new members to the Co-op!

We were talking the other day about how it seems that the past couple of months have really flown by; the question though was, why? After taking a second to reflect on what we had spent our time on it was quite clear: it’s been a busy spring at Just Food! There’s been so much going on that I hardly know where to begin.

We began the month of March with a lot on our plates – our annual CSA day, the Spring Eat Local Challenge, and Minnesota Food Share food drive just to name a few. For the past several years, Just Food has participated in the month-long food drive to benefit local pantries. This year we committed to raising a minimum of $500 and 500 lbs for the Northfield Food Shelf. On top of the store commitment, the staff committed, as part of our Open Book Management weekly ‘buzz’, to raise an additional $500/lbs. Members and staff stepped up big time, raising over $2,400

and more than 200 lbs! All totaled, fifteen Minnesota food co-ops raised more than $100,000/lbs., up from $91,000/lbs. in 2012, proving that our co-ops and the communities that we serve are Stronger Together. On March 9th we kicked off the weeklong spring Eat Local Challenge. While there aren’t as many options to choose from locally in March as other times of the year members, staff and producers came up with some great ideas to support the notion that eating locally in March is, albeit somewhat challenging, certainly possible. We capped off the Challenge with our annual CSA Day, in which we hosted seven (7) local producers to promote their farms and sign up members for this year’s shares. There was great momentum heading into April, which began with a month-long Membership Drive, new Sunday hours, and a handful of managers attending leadership trainings and conferences. Continually increasing co-op membership is vital to spreading the cooperative message, supporting our ENDS, and sustaining growth. The drive began with a mission to recruit one hundred new members, an ambitious goal but a challenge that staff and members stepped up for. We didn’t quite meet the goal, but with the help of member recruitment and a tremendous effort by staff, we were excitedly welcomed fifty-four new members to the Co-op! This number is near double the previous record for a one-month period and we learned a lot from this experience that we will use for future events. On April 7th we began new, expanded Sunday hours. After listening to member

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and staff feedback, it was apparent that we would be able to better serve the community by offering the same hours on Sundays as we did the rest of the week. Feedback was positive from the beginning and we’ve seen only positive results from this change. Among the hustle and bustle of everything going on we even managed to send two managers to a three-day leadership training in Rochester. The training series, called Rising Stars, was facilitated by the Cooperative Development Services Consulting Cooperative (CDS) and is available to member cooperatives. In addition to learning cooperative management and leadership skills, participants have the opportunity to network, problem solve and learn from their peers. Additionally, in April I had the opportunity to participate in a series of seminars and trainings as part of the National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA) spring General Managers meeting. For three days, over one hundred and twenty five General Managers from across the country converged in St. Paul, as well as their co-ops board chairs on the first day, to learn about the state of NCGA, the cooperative industry and strategies for continuing the success of 2012’s United Nations International Year of the Cooperative into the next decade. As we discuss our future plans this summer, you’ll be sure to hear a lot more about these strategies! We’re barely into May and the list of things coming up doesn’t look like it’s going to get smaller any time soon. By the time this comes out to print, members will be

April-June 2013

enjoying a couple of additions and changes within the store. First, our Bulk and Wellness departments will have traded spaces, allowing us to increase Bulk selections by as much as 25% and create a more shopper friendly, destination Wellness department. Wellness customers can also expect increases in service, as staff will be on the floor more to assist with questions and suggestions. Shopping flow through the store is also improved by this move as we’ve progressively widened tightly traveled areas. The second change is the addition of a salad bar, something made clear through feedback as something missing in Northfield. Customers can enjoy fresh cut vegetables, organic and local whenever possible, as well as fresh sides and all of the fixings. I know I can’t wait! It feels like a lot of good has come from all of the business, but we’ll let you, our members, be the judge of that. Stop by and let us know how we’re doing!

It feels like a lot of good has come from all of the business, but we’ll let you, our members, be the judge of that.

600 Division Street South Northeld, MN (507) 507-645-7078

Board Update

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Clark Ohnesorge Co-Op Owner Board Member

Coffee with the Board 10:00am-12:00pm First Saturday of the month

I became a new member of the Just Food Co-op Board of Directors following the election held at last fall’s member annual meeting at St. John’s Church in Northfield. As I had never served on a Board before I was more than a little apprehensive about how I would get up to speed for the various tasks and responsibilities of the position. As I was to discover, Just Food has planned for and prepared to make this as easy as possible and quite enjoyable. We started our enculturation by attending the December board meeting where I discovered that the first order of business was to enjoy a delicious meal prepared by the Just Food staff along with a few minutes of conversation as we organized the various documents and prepared for business. Thankfully, as an observer, I could sit back and try to absorb as much as possible. We began by discussing the Ends statement detailed in our Policies: “Just Food Co-op nourishes a Just, Healthy and Sustainable Community.” This seemed straightforward enough, but as the president briefly directed discussion to our articles of incorporation and then our bylaws it became clear that the initial part of the learning curve would be steep. By the time we got to the month’s financial review and the General Manager’s report on policy compliance I felt a bit overwhelmed. Fortunately, there is a lot of educational support available, both within Just Food and in the larger cooperative community, so the next step was attending a daylong training session known as CBLD 101(Cooperative Board Leadership Develop-

ment) organized and conducted by CDS (Cooperative Development Services) in Minneapolis. Several new and returning board members carpooled, and I got a sense that it would be a very worthwhile day. This was indeed a crash course in several topics: the history of the cooperative movement (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Rochdale_Pioneers_Rochdale_Society_of_Equitable_Pioneers is a good starting point) the ins and outs of debt to equity ratios and assets vs. liabilities, the concept of Policy Governance, the roles of the Board and General Manager in a policy governance organization, and a review of the financial trajectories of several Minnesota co-ops, (including Just Food) as they incorporated, grew and expanded. Some handson practice constructing models of historical debt: equity ratios and assets vs. liabilities was a very helpful way to help visualize these important relationships. A collateral lesson was that there are more acronyms in the co-op world than clowns in a mini-car. Our first meeting as official board members was January, new roles and positions were adopted, committees were formed and tasks assigned and we worked on the calendar for the remainder of the year. In particular we began planning for the fall Owner’s Meeting (this one is going to be a corker…save the day as soon as it is announced!). As usual we enjoyed a tasty meal and struggled to finish up by 9:00 closing time. I enjoyed the experience immensely even as I wondered how long it would take to feel as if my head were above water.

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In Mid-February we held our annual retreat, which was also attended by Thayne Joyal. Thayne is a consultant from CDS who maintains an ongoing relationship with our store. We reviewed the CBLD 101 workshop as well as the advanced training sessions attended by our returning members, did exercises to reinforce our understanding of finances and figures (e.g. assets, liabilities, debt, and equity) as they related to our store and spent considerable time discussing what our growing membership and healthy financial status would support as we move into the future and continue to expand the ways that Just Food pursues its various roles in the Greater Northfield community. To jump to the present, the workshops, retreats, and generous mentoring by other board members have made me feel pretty comfortable with my basic understanding of the boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role and a lot more familiar with how our store operates. I know that this may be a transitory state but after the winter we just endured I am willing to enjoy it for all its worth. As a new member, I have really enjoyed the enthusiastic way I have been welcomed to the board, the strong commitment that our store demonstrates toward supporting and educating us, and the willingness to let us participate in a process that already has considerable momentum. One of the opportunities I have enjoyed a lot is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coffee with the Boardâ&#x20AC;? which meets from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 on the first Saturday of the month. When you see us sitting

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there drop by and let us know what you are thinking. Next, the board meets on the third Wednesday of the month and member/owners are welcome to attend: You can find details for attending on our page at justfood.coop/about/board. This page also contains our Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Policies, which together define the store and how it is run. If your interest in Policy Governance, or how Just Food operates, has been piqued take a few minutes to click on the various links and look over the documents. Increasing member participation serves the financial, educational and social goals of the co-op and taking a few minutes to drop by for coffee, attend a board meeting or just familiarize yourself with our governing structure is a great way to strengthen our community. Finally, congratulations to Patrick, all the staff, and the existing and especially new members who helped with the outstanding membership drive in April. As the days lengthen and we move into the local produce season our future looks very bright.

Just Food Co-op nourishes a Just, Healthy and Sustainable Community.

Community Connections

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Emily Carroll, diabetes coordinator at Healthfinders Collaborative, is the newest grant recipient of the Ron Griffith Young Leaders Fund. Name Co-Op Owner

The fund supports and develops the capabilities, talents and motivation of young adults in the Northfield community. It is a collaboration between the Northfield Area Family YMCA and Just Food Co-op. With the proceeds of her award, Carroll participated in a workshop called “Understanding Somali Cultural Beliefs, Attitudes and Practices in Maternal Healthcare.” The workshop was intended to provide a deeper understanding of the Somali culture and the issues that surface when working with Somali women. Carroll will use the knowledge gained workshop to strengthen Healthfinders’ ability to partner with and reach out to the Somali community living in and around Northfield.

The Ron Griffith Young Leaders Fund is named for the late Ron Griffith, a member of the Just Food Co-op founding team. He was widely recognized for his desire to inspire and train young leaders as a means of building a strong and sustainable Northfield community through collaboration and cooperation. Grants are awarded by the executive director of the Northfield YMCA upon the recommendation of the fund’s Grant Committee. Money is available to the community’s young leaders between the ages of 18 and 35 who need help getting their projects off the ground. Those with great ideas or projects, but without the funds to bring them to life, should contact the Northfield Area Family YMCA at 507-645-0088 or info@northfieldymca.org. Organizations and individuals interested in contributing to the Ron Griffith Young Leaders Fund are also invited to contact the YMCA.

Sign up for YMCA programs today – something for everyone! Your Northﬁeld Area Family YMCA Brochures and more information online!

www.northﬁeldymca.org * 507-634-0088

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Cooperative Connection

Connect to Local MN Farmers the Old Fashioned Way: In Person Living in Minnesota, you have probably driven past a rolling corn, soybean or vegetable field at least a few times. Most likely you have seen a cow or two out to pasture. The farms whizzing by in your rearview mirror may seem distant and perhaps unimportant in pursuit of your next destination. That next destination may involve being connected to your computer, iPad, television, or smart phone. However, what happened to being directly connected to local farms and where your food is grown? Through the third annual Eat Local Farm Tour on Saturday, July 20, 2013, the Twin Cities food co-ops restore this face-to-face connection by providing their members and the general public with an easy opportunity to meet eighteen diverse Minnesota farmers. This experience teaches attendees first-hand about sustainable and organic agriculture. The eleven food co-ops sponsoring this year’s tour are Eastside Food Co-op, Harvest Moon Co-op, Just Food Co-op, Lakewinds Natural Foods, Linden Hills Co-op, Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op, River Market Community Co-op, Seward Community Co-op, St. Peter Food Co-op, The Wedge and Valley Natural Foods. “When you drive by a field of corn or soybeans, you don’t get the connection with the vegetables, the chickens and the eggs and so on,” says Rae Rusnak, owner of L&R Poultry and Produce in Kenyon, Minnesota. “However, on the Twin Cities food co-ops’ Eat Local Farm Tour, you do. You need to have a personal experience with something before you really put some ownership and connectivity to it, realizing that it is

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something important that is worth having and worth preserving.” For that Eat Local Farm Tour veteran looking for new places to visit, the 2013 tour line-up does include six different farms, including Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery, Growing Lots Urban Farm, Riverbend Farm, Stone’s Throw Urban Farm, The Beez Kneez Bicycle Delivered Honey and 10th Street Farm and Market. Visit Rusnak at L&R Poultry and Produce on the 2013 Eat Local Farm Tour and you will have the chance to see free-range boiler chickens and laying hens and perhaps even get the chance to pick an egg. Stroll further to tour five acres of vegetable gardens and make sure to visit the turkeys on the other end. Don’t forget to linger through the maple syrup woods and then end your day with a picnic lunch in the shade.

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3rd Annual Eat Local Farm Tour Saturday, July 20, 2013

This is just the beginning of the farm adventure you can have on July 20. From poultry, dairy, beef, bee and vegetable farming, whether it be on a small or large scale, the exploration opportunities are endless. All tours are self-guided and the hours of operation differ from farm to farm. Look for free detailed 2013 Eat Local Farm Tour guidebooks complete with maps, suggested geographic routes, hours and tour activities at all participating co-op locations June 1. The other farms rounding out the tour include Big River Farms, Cedar Summit, East Henderson Farm, Ferndale Market, Gardens of Eagan, Kohnert Farm Organics, Living Land Farm, Simple Harvest Organics, Thousand Hills Cattle Company and the Women’s Environmental Institute.

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St. Olaf College St. Olaf Garden Research and Organic Works

Name Co-Op Owner

Our goals are to practice sustainable farming methods; to provide fresh, local vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers to our community; to foster agricultural awareness; and to provide education about sustainable food production.

Despite Mother Nature’s grumpy attitude these past few months, spring is here and STOGROW is busy! Our student farmers and volunteers are cleaning up the farmer for the upcoming season, our bees have arrived, and our seeds are ordered! Next week we will have our annual Seedling Adoption event where students plant seeds that they will grow into seedlings in their dorm rooms before returning to the farm. This year’s plants will be sweet peas and sunflowers!

STOGROW (St. Olaf Garden Research and Organic Works) is a studentrun community initiative. Our goals are to practice sustainable farming methods; to provide fresh, local vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers to our community; to foster agricultural awareness; and to provide education about sustainable food production. As practical idealists, we put our ideas to work at our campus farm located on an acre of land at the James Farm House, looking over St. Olaf’s restored prairie lands. The farm began in 2005 by St. Olaf alumni Dayna Burtness, current owner of Laughing Loon Farm, and a fellow student. Established on a campus with strong commitments to sustainability, STOGROW represents St. Olaf’s dedication to educating students on how to live sustainably and be active stewards of the Earth. STOGROW works to collaborate with other student organizations to increase student awareness and knowledge

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about organic and local food, as well as how they can be involved in their food production. STOGROW is also a research location for students interested in environmental sciences and business management. Additionally, STOGROW is a pivotal link in St. Olaf’s full-circle food cycle since it both sells its produce to St. Olaf’s Bon Appetit cafeteria and amends its soil using the compost made from the cafeteria’s food waste.

Farmer Payne making our bees feel at home!

Encompassing the ideals of interdisciplinary work at St. Olaf, each year the student farmers bring a variety of perspectives to the farm with studies ranging from the environmental sciences to studio art and philosophy to define what it means to live sustainably. Through our work farming, we explore our role in the environment – physically, intellectually, and emotionally. The farm loves visitors and invites all community members to make a visit this summer! Groups and individuals are welcome to come see what is growing, say hello to our bees, and enjoy the beautiful scenery! The farm is located at 8997 Eaves Ave in Northfield (same location as the Cannon River Watershed Partnership). If you are interested in talking with the farmers, please feel free to email at farmers@stolaf.edu. Also, follow STOGROW’s blog (stogrowfarm. wordpress.com) to stay updated about what is happening at the farm!

The farm loves visitors and invites all community members to make a visit this summer!

April-June 2013

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Carleton College Sub Headline?

Guthrie Cunningham, 114 Co-Op Owner

If you would like to make a community project suggestion or get involved, please email cunningg@carleton.edu.

Amid periodic snow coatings, the Carleton College Student Farm has begun planning and seeding for the 2013 growing season. The farm is a self-sustaining, student run business that sells its produce to Carleton foodservice provider Bon Appétit to be used in the dinning halls. Last year’s interns Tori Ostenso ’15, and Ellie Youngblood ’14, are handing the reigns to Zach Mitchell ’16, and Guthrie Cunningham ’14. In addition to the standard groundwork and field preparation that the garden requires, the farm this year will be more actively engaged with community projects and the use of the farm as a multisensory learning environment. They are currently seeking involvement with programs like the YMCA’s Prairie and Wood program that meets at the Carleton Farm House, the Friends of Way Park initiatives, and Montessori school.

This year will also see increased attention to updating the farm’s infrastructure, hoop house and cold frames, as well as overall visibility around campus. The students have been working with Bon Appétit chefs Vale Riggs, Michael Delcambre, and Gibson Price to determine what varieties of produce to offer. This year they are hoping for increased spring greens, as well as herb, spice, and fruit ingredients that can be saved over the winter and used during the Eat Local Challenge, when Bon Appétit adheres to a strictly 150 mile production radius. If you would like to make a community project suggestion or get involved, please email cunningg@carleton.edu.

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Outdoor Liv’n It’s that time of year that we are spending as much time outside as humanly possible, but it’s also that time of year that all those lovely creepy crawly biting insects are out in force. I have in the past relied on the standard bug sprays with DEET to help repel bugs but once when I was on a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters the bug spray I brought along leaked all over my bag, ate a whole in my pack and through several t-shirts. I was appalled. I have since learned that DEET is registered with the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) as a pesticide and it also has the ability to build up and be stored (bio-accumulate) in not only our cells but in animals as well. DEET has also been shown to cause cells to mutate (cell mutation is a precursor to the development of cancer). So I went on the hunt for alternatives. After some research into natural alternatives I found that you can use natural plant extracts to repel bugs and that many of the natural bug sprays do just that. Plant extracts are also known as essential oils and there are a few that are commonly used to repel bugs; eucalyptus citridora, cedar, peppermint, lemongrass, tea tree, and rose geranium. There are some great pre-made essential oil blends (blending together one or more of the above oils) available at the co-op and elsewhere that have been proven to be as effective or even more effective in repelling biting insects (including ticks) than the DEET laden conventional bug sprays. Essential oils are safe to be used on children and adults alike and are also not harmful to the environment. But the best part about using essential

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oils for repelling bugs is that you can mix and match your own to make your own bug spray. Meg Wellness Co-Op Owner

Simple recipe to make your own bug spray: 30 drops of Eucalyptus Citridora 10 drops of Rose Geranium 10 drops Lavender 10 drops Peppermint Mix together in a 4 oz spray bottle filled with 1 oz of vinegar or vodka and then fill the rest with water. But if you’re like me and just want to purchase a pre-made essential oil bug spray, my favorite is the All Terrain Herbal Armor, which we’re offering a $0.50 off coupon on this month, see details below. So remember to apply often and get outside and enjoy the summer.

Enjoy 50 Cents off All-Terrain Herbal Armor Bug Spray! Valid at

Just Food Co-op 516 Water Street S. Northeld www.justfood.coop 507-650-0106

Valid on 4oz size and larger.

PLU #99080

Kids Club! Meet Grassfed Gretchen Grassfed Gretchen is the third in the cast of Kids Club characters to be announced. It’s fitting to have Gretchen be presented with this ComPost as it’s June Dairy Days (come down for a fun festival on June 8 at the Co-op!) and the Eat Local Farm tour is July 20 – ask your parents if you can visit some local farms that day. Gretchen comes to us from local artist, Matthew Bunch, who created the Kids Club Crew.

How To Make An Egg Buddy Materials needed: • 1 egg • 1 egg cup cut out of an egg carton • Glue • Markers • Wheat grass seeds • Cotton ball

There is a video of this project on our Facebook page! (please “like” Budding Farmers)

Instructions: 1. Crack the top of an egg off and remove yolk and white 2. Color your egg’s outfit on the egg cup 3. Put the egg in your egg cup cracked side up 4. Color eyes or glue googly eyes on your egg 5. Draw a mouth on your egg 6. Carefully put the cotton ball inside your egg 7. Sprinkle wheat grass seed on top of the cotton ball 8. Water the seeds and continue to water every couple of days

The Budding Farmers Beet Eggs are awesome! Most of the eggs sold at Just Food Co-op are super local and produced by farmers within 20 miles of Northfield. Did you know that chicken eggs come in many different colors including white, brown, blue, and green? You can tell what color egg a chicken will lay by the color of their earlobes! Yes, chickens have earlobes- they are covered up by their feathers so you have to search for them though.A chicken with white earlobes will produce white eggs and a chicken with red earlobes will produce brown eggs (a special breed of chicken called Aracuana produces blue and green eggs and they also have red earlobes).

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Coloring Page

April-June 2013

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Allison K. Schmitt Co-Op Owner

Second-hand Chef One of the nicest compliments I’ve ever received is that I could make a feast out of nothing. Granted, the compliment came from one of my sisters after I dressed up a package of ramen noodles – hardly most people’s idea of a feast. But it illustrates my long-time love for the challenge of making use of the ingredients I have on hand. Now, I can imagine what you’re thinking when you read, “secondhand chef.” But let me challenge you to think of it in more appetizing terms. How much of what you eat has been touched by your hands only? Unless you provide all your own food, what you eat has been touched by other hands. Someone’s hands put the crunchy lettuce into the display bin. Someone’s hands put that glossy cucumber into a box. Other fingers gently grasped the juicy tomato to pluck it off the plant – to say nothing of the tillers of the soil, the baggers of the bread and the servers of the french fries who all play a part in our daily sustenance. The name “second-hand chef” is also inspired by my job at Just Food Co-op. In a spirit of stewardship, store policy allows employees the scratch-and-dent produce or out-ofdate grocery items that other stores routinely toss. An overabundance of bruised pears or carton of unfamiliar cow’s milk substitute gets my creative juices flowing. The juicer I bought at the Useda-Bit-Shoppe keeps me supplied with citrus juice and fruit drinks. My food dehydrator, constantly stocked with kiwis, plantains or figs, has gotten more use in the last few months than it did in the nearly 20

years since I bought it. Thinly-sliced, raw squash is easily transformed into salty-sweet chips in the oven. Sliced bread sticks, drizzled with oil, sprinkled with herbs de Provence and baked to a golden brown, are tasty croutons, hummus scoops or snacks all on their own. Holy Land flatbread and pomegranate seeds become Lebanese Fattoush (mamaslebanesekitchen.com/salads/ fattoush-salad-recipe), a refreshing vegetable salad drizzed with homemade pomegranate molasses and dressing. Ruby-red beets and whole coconut become the surprisingly savory Beets with Coconut (foodnetwork.com/recipes/beetswith-coconut-recipe/index.html). Humanely-raised cows provide the milk for paneer (Indian fresh cheese) that gives texture and protein to miscellaneous greens and tomatoes that go into saag paneer (food.com/ recipe/jaffreys-homemade-indiancheese-with-spinach-481923). The nuts and seeds that remain after I bag dozens of multi-grain buns top my salads. My co-workers may have observed that I get especially animated when it comes to fresh greens. To feed my newly-acquired obsession with kale chips, I pounce on the green bundles that occasionally appear in the culled produce box. I gravitate toward recipes that involve what I call “passive cooking” – preparations that don’t need constant tending, like crock pot dishes – so that I can simultaneously work on other cooking projects. The same is true for the “low and slow” kale chip preparation I favor.

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First, I de-rib and wash the kale leaves. The drier they are the more quickly they bake. I’ll prep them the day before I plan to bake them if I can; if not, I’ll layer them between kitchen towels and press gently to blot them dry-ish. I preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Then, I’ll arrange the pieces on baking sheets. (They’ll shrink considerably so they can be crowded and slightly overlapped.) Next, I spray them lightly with coconut oil spray and season them –with salt, sesame seeds, an Italian herb blend, seasoned salt, lemon juice or, my favorite, chili powder with a healthy dash of cayenne pepper. They’ll take upwards of 30 minutes to bake, depending on how damp and how thick the leaves were when they went into the oven. My oven heats unevenly, so I always rotate the pans after 20 minutes or so. The result is a delicate, crunchy snack that I feel good about eating. They don’t last long, so I don’t have to worry about sealing them in an airtight container to keep them crisp. So, there’s “second-hand chef” in a nutshell. I hope this will inspire you to look at the ingredients in your kitchens in a new way. I hope it will encourage you to be good stewards of the abundant food with which our society is blessed. Most of all, I hope it leads you to be thankful for all the hands that help bring this food to our tables.

Thinly-sliced, raw squash is easily transformed into salty-sweet chips in the oven.

Sliced bread sticks, drizzled with oil, sprinkled with herbs de Provence and baked to a golden brown, are tasty croutons, hummus scoops or snacks all on their own.

Linne Jensen Realtor® Thinking of buying or selling a home? Please call or text me for a free consultation.

612-309-2174 linnejensen@edinarealty.com

Allison Schmitt is cuisine-curious world traveler who is grateful to be surrounded by good food and great people as a grocery stocker at Just Food Co-op.

April-June 2013

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Bulk Produce

Matt Malecha Produce Manager Co-Op Owner

Occasionally, the produce department gets an opportunity to join in on a bulk buy. Bulk buys give us the ability to offer a great in- season product at a special price. Sometimes the more we purchase, the better the price. This summer will bring us a few specials- the most well-known are peaches and blueberries. Organic peaches had been a special purchase we participated in a few years ago. Although the farm we had been buying from is no longer in business, there are still ways to offer you great deals. Our own Val Critser has been able to work with the warehouses we purchase from to secure special prices when these items are available. Blueberries from Michigan have been one of our most successful special buys. These large plump blueberries taste fantastic! Although not organic, because of Michiganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

climate they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the pest problems that require heavy spraying. They are great for canning, freezing, baking, and of course fresh eating. The berries will be offered both in five (5) pound boxes and at a bulk price. Please sign up, so we have enough for everyone! There is a sign up sheet at customer service desk for people that wish to preorder cases. This helps us get an idea of the quantity to bring in, as well as negotiate a price. Summer special buys need not be limited to peaches and blueberries. You have the option of creating your own special when you purchase a case. Members can receive a 10% discount on any case ordered! Cases vary in sizes but can be a great option for events, juicing, or canning. Special order forms are available at the customer service desk.

These large plump bluberries taste fantastic!

The ComPost

Member Name 1: �� (Other members of the household are welcome to use the member number)

Street address: �� City: �� State: ____ Zip:__________ Phone: �� Email: �� Would you like to receive the bi-weekly email updates? __Yes __No I agree to buy 1 Class A (voting) share for $25.00 and 20 Class B (non-voting) shares at $5.00 each in the Just Food: Northfield Community Co-op (the Co-op) for a total of $125.00. I understand that this application is subject to acceptance by the Board of Directors of the Co-op and that my membership is subject to the Co-op Articles of Incorporation, By laws and membership provisions. I have received a copy of the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws and acknowledge the statement of membership provisions listed on the opposite side. I am paying for these shares as follows: ____ $125 paymentin fullwith this application. ____ $ 25 down payment + $10 processing fee ($35 total initial payment), with a $25 payment quarterly for a total of $135 (1 year payment option). ____Other terms arranged on request. �� Please tell us how you learned about the Co-op: �� Referred by: �� Member signature: �� Date: �� Please give this application to a cashier or send it along with your payment to:

516 Water Street S Northfield, MN 55057 507-650-0106 justfood.coop

April-June 2013

Membership

Member Name 2: ��

l! ca

justfood.coop

516 Water Street S Northfield, MN 55057 507-650-0106

Making fresh bread & sweets daily!

We can help with graduation parties, family reunions, and wedding receptions.

Give us a call!

Brick Oven Bakery 630 Professional Drive Northfield MN 55057 (507) 645-9517 bread@brickovenbakery.com www.brickovenbakery.com

Your local source for preservative free artisan bread!