Chequamegon Food Co-op
Completely Unrefined Sugar-Free Holidays
Clover Valley Farms & Vinegary Fruit & Wine Combined
Things You’ll Love
New and Fun Items at the Co-op
And So Much More…
WINTER 2017
The Grapevine A quarterly publication of Chequamegon Food Co-op
Next deadline: January 31, 2017 Editing & Design: Meagan Van Beest Printing: ProPrint in Duluth, MN General Management Team Kiersten Galazen Vicki Richeson Meagan Van Beest Board of Directors board@cheqfood. coop Mark Abeles-Allison Derek Campbell Carole Carlson Justus Grunow Mike Hines Steve Sandstrom Kenneth Tuckwell Chequamegon Food Co-op Board of Directors meetings are held the third Tuesday of the month at 5 p. m. in the Community Room at the Co-op in Ashland. Owners are welcome! The Cooperative Principles 1. Voluntary and open ownership. 2. Democratic owner control. 3. Owners’ economic participation. 4. Autonomy and independence. 5. Education, training, and information. 6. Cooperation among co-ops. 7. Concern for community. Our Mission The Chequamegon Food Co-op is dedicated to providing ecologically sound foods and products, the production and quality of which promote the health of our members and our community. Ends Statement The Chequamegon Food Co-op exists so our community has an enhanced quality of life; our community has access to healthy, organic, and locally produced goods; our community has a thriving local economy; and our community is knowledgeable about choices that impact the economy, personal wellness, and the environment. Where We Are 700 Main Street West, Ashland, WI 54806 (715) 682-8251 chequamegonfoodcoop. com Letters or articles Submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis. We do not guarantee that a letter or article will be printed. Please include your name, phone number, and email address with your letter. Letters may be sent to outreach@ cheqfood. coop. Letters and newsletter articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Board of Directors, staff members, or management of the Chequamegon Food Co-op. Advertising Please contact Meagan at (715) 682-8251 or e-mail meaganv@cheqfood.coop.
From the Managers Kiersten Galazen, Vicki Richeson, & Meagan Van Beest General Management Team Winter is here and with it comes all the pleasures of comfort foods and hot beverages and potlucks. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. First, we need to revisit the summer in all of its fabulousness. It was an eventful third quarter, with huge sales growth of 7.4 percent compared to last year. We continue to show a small profit year-to-date and we can thank you for this continued success. This truly is your business and the more you shop, the more we can continue to invest in our community and further our mission. This past quarter, your patronage helped us award micro-loans to Maple Hill Farm of Washburn, Wisconsin for a corn crib and concrete lot and Stan Ford of Marengo, Wisconsin for an organic fertilizer buggy. We hope to continue funding projects like this which will help us keep our store stocked with more local products in the years to come. Speaking of the future, we are deep in the throes of strategic planning. To help set our direction, we asked for your input in an Open Space brainstorming session in October. You offered up your ideas to help us develop an actual, achievable plan that focuses on the areas of local, community, health & nutrition, good products, and a healthy planet. Coupled with information from our shopper survey, we will be picking three to five projects per category to implement in the coming years. Instead of waiting to complete the strategic plan however, we are already working on several projects that will hit the store soon. The biggest and soonest to be implemented will be our online shopping experience. If all goes as planned, you will be able to order online for in-store pickup sometime this month. (Delivery is still on the table in the future too!) Look for details on how to online order soon. We are also working on a new discount and rewards program. Some beloved discounts (like Senior Monday) will be changing, only to be replaced with a more robust (and equitable) set of rewards and discounts. This new program is still in the works, with details still yet to be settled. Look for the final reveal at our Annual Meeting in April and a rollout of the program in June. We hope this issue finds you cozy and warm and preparing for a season of gatherings with friends and loved ones. Here at the Co-op, we are getting ready to help you celebrate with events like our Holiday Bazaar on December 4 and piles of seasonal products around the store. We wish you and yours the happiest of holidays and hope they are filled with friends, family, and especially food! d
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WINTER 2017
Contents
WINTER 2017
2
From the Managers
4
Things You'll Love
6
Completely Unrefined: Sugar-Free Holidays
8
Events & Classes Pullout section!
10
Clover Valley Farms & Vinegary: Fruit & Wine Combined
12
Words of Wellness
13
Winter Recipes
6
14 Board Update 15
Staff & Store News
10 Special Store Hours CHRISTMAS EVE SUNDAY, December 24 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
CHRISTMAS DAY MONDAY, December 25 CLOSED
New Year's EVE New Year's DAY SUNDAY, December 31 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.
WINTER 2017
MONDAY, January 1 CLOSED
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Chequamegon Food Co-op | 3
Love
Things You'll
Here are just a few of the new items we have in store for you. Look for the “New Item” tags to find other new things we think you’ll love.
HOLIDAY EDITION!
Terra Natural Designs
Good Health
Gluten Free Pretzels
Wool Scarf
Crunchy and delicious without that pesky gluten, these pretzels use whole grain brown rice and sorghum flour. Want to know a little secret? They also have Extra Goodness from spinach, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, beets, and shiitake mushrooms!
Bundle up with this fuzzy, 100 percent alpaca wool scarf. This company's mission is to make sure you know where your fashion comes from and what it does to the planet. They work with women in the Amazon Rainforest and use sustainable materials.
MontChevre
Maggie's organics
Add this earthy, gooey cheese to your next cheese board or smother it in chutney for the perfect party appetizer. Serve with crackers or a crusty bread.
Keep your feet comfy and cozy in these soft, organic merino wool socks. A touch of nylon and spandex make them stretchy to fit any foot. Made in the USA from fair trade materials, they're a great gift for anyone on your list.
Mini Cabrie Goat Milk Brie
Wool Sweater Socks
NATE'S
Savory Mushroom Meatless Meatballs Searching for an appetizer option for your vegan friends? Grab some of these meatless meatballs, cook 'em up, slather them in the sauce of your choice (sweet & sour and marinara are good ones), then sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve!
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VERIDITAS
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WINTER 2017
CHEQUAMEGON
Homegrown
HOLIDAY BAZAAR Monday, December 4 • 4-7 p. m.
Chequamegon Food Co-op
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WINTER 2017
Chequamegon Food Co-op | 5
y l e t e l p m o C d e n i f e r n U Sugar-Free Holidays
Meagan Van Beest marketing & member services manager
Whether you are new to the sugar-free way of life or just want to limit your intake, the holidays can be especially challenging to avoid refined sweeteners. How can you stay away from the sweet stuff this time of year (or any time for that matter)? Read on for our ten best tips for skipping refined sugar!
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Share the news. Tell your friends and family that you plan to avoid sugary things. That way, you avoid them being offended when you don’t accept their sweet offerings, plus you can get their support in your endeavor. Go full. Eat before heading out to parties and you’ll be less likely to slip up. Grab some protein, which is the best way to stave off hunger. Bring your own. Especially helpful if you are going to a potluck, bring a dish to pass that meets your dietary requirements. That way you are guaranteed to be able to eat at least one thing. Keep a stash. Stick bags of nuts or other sugar-free snacks in your car or purse, so that you always have an emergency, go-to food if hunger strikes. Avoid temptation. Skip going to any place loaded with sugary offerings. Yes, that includes fast food restaurants that add sugar to their sugars, buns, and other offerings.
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Use other sweeteners. There are loads of unrefined, natural sugar alternatives out there now. Some of the best are honey, stevia, and agave. Grab the fruit. If you’re craving something sweet, reach for a bag of dried fruit or an apple. Just check the label of the dried stuff – it’s sometimes sweetened with sugar. Make substitutions. Often you can substitute fruit purees such as applesauce for sugar (and butter!) in baking recipes. Use a 1:1 ratio and reduce your liquid by a quarter cup. If you don’t add any liquid, you don’t need to adjust it. Do it together. Find a buddy (friend or family) who wants to be sugar-free with you. It’s so much easier to implement a big change when you have someone to share your success with. Forgive yourself. Finally, you’re human. You will probably slip up. Forgive yourself and try again. If you find sugar-free too challenging, you can always build in a small “cheat” like a small square of dark chocolate. That way, you don’t feel so deprived, but still make a good choice. d
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er Covcipe! Re
business!
CHEQUAMEGON Homegrown HOLIDAY BAZAAR
Monday, December 4 • 4-7 p. m. • Chequamegon Food Co-op
✃ Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients • 1-1/4 cup almond flour • 1 tbsp coconut flour • 1-1/2 tsp baking powder, this one is corn free • 1/8 tsp sea salt* • 2/3 cup granular sugarfree sweetener of choice • 5-1/2 tbsp butter, cold or room temp • 1/2 tbsp molasses* • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract • 1 large egg • 1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips, or chopped low-carb chocolate bar • 1/4 cup chopped pecans* *optional
Directions Preheat oven to 325˚F and grease two baking sheets. In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and granulated sweetener until well combined. Add egg, molasses, and vanilla extract to mixing bowl and mix until combined. In a separate large mixing bowl combine almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Stir until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans. Place by the tablespoonful on cookie sheet, 1-1/2 inches apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cookies are browned on the bottoms. Remove and cool for at least 25 minutes or until cookies are firm. Recipe courtesy of Chequamegon Food Co-op. The Grapevine, Winter 2017
WINTER 2017
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Chequamegon Food Co-op | 7
Classes & Events WINTER 2017
Register at Customer Service or call (715) 682-8251!
December
The 12 Days of Cheese-Mas December 1-12 – All Day In-Store FREE! No reservation necessary. TASTING - On the first day of Cheese-mas, my true love gave to me an ooey, gooey wheel of brie! Each day you'll have a chance to sample one of the delightful specialty cheeses we carry and save 10 percent off the regular price. Holiday Bites: Amazing Appetizers Friday, December 1 – 5:30-7:30 p.m. Instructor: Chef Jonathan Berthel, Penokee Mountain Foods Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Wednesday, November 29 HANDS-ON - ‘Tis the season for entertaining and we’ll help you prepare to wow your friends with appetizers that not only look amazing, but taste it too. Chequamegon Homegrown Holiday Bazaar Monday, December 4 – 4-7 p.m. In-Store FREE! No reservation necessary. OPEN HOUSE - Come meet and greet local crafters and food producers who sell their products at the store. Shop sales (10% of local products and more!), sample holiday foods, and enjoy our kickoff to the holiday season. Decadent Sugar-Free Holiday Desserts Saturday, December 9 – 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Instructor: Chef Lars Dukowitz, Cooking with Lars Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thursday, December 7 HANDS-ON – You don’t need cane sugar to make sweet holiday treats. This class will teach you how to use
sugar-alternatives to sweeten your desserts. Learn about the types of sweeteners and how to use them.
store throughout the day (Look for a list and schedule online). Owners also receive 10% off wellness products.
Wellness Wednesday Wednesday, December 13 – All Day In-Store FREE! No reservation necessary. MEET & GREET – Stop by to learn more about local wellness products and services. Local wellness product makers and practitioners will be instore throughout the day (Look for a list and schedule online). Owners also receive 10% off wellness products.
Roll Your Own Sushi Saturday, January 20 – 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Instructor: Chef Lars Dukowitz, Cooking with Lars Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thursday, January 18 HANDS-ON - You’ll be rolling your own sushi at home after taking this class. Learn techniques to make tight rolls with tasty filling.
Knife Skills 101 Thursday, December 14 – 5:30-7:30 p.m. Instructor: Chef Jonathan Berthel, Penokee Mountain Foods Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, December 12 HANDS-ON – Sharpen your cutting skills in this technique-focused class. Bring your knives and a cutting board.
January Cheeky Monkey Food Safari Saturday, January 6 – 10-11 a.m. In-Store FREE! No reservations necessary. TASTING - Children ages 12 and under can sample different, unusual foods while exploring the “jungle” at the Co-op. Each child will receive a gift bag loaded with fun goodies after completing their exploration. This activity will help your child learn to try new foods, and he or she may come away with a new favorite! Wellness Wednesday Wednesday, January 10 – All Day In-Store FREE! No reservation necessary. MEET & GREET – Stop by to learn more about local wellness products and services. Local wellness product makers and practitioners will be in-
8 | Chequamegon Food Co-op
Perfect Pies Tuesday, January 23 – 5:30-7:30 p.m. Instructor: Chef Lars Dukowitz, Cooking with Lars Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, January 19 HANDS-ON - It’s National Pie Day! If you’ve always wanted to skip the store-bought shell and canned filling, here’s your chance to learn the basics of a delectable, flaky crust and a gooey (but not too gooey) inside. Wild Foods Cookery: Northern Nuts Saturday, January 27 – 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Instructor: Gil Schwartz, Seasonally Sourced Foods Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thursday, January 25 HANDS-ON - While distantly grown nuts like almonds, cashews, and macadamias are popular, we have an amazing selection of wild nuts growing abundantly right here in the Midwest. We will review identification, harvesting, and processing techniques with a focus on acorns, black walnuts, and wild hazelnuts. Cook and sample various dishes like toasted nuts, nut oils, a coffee substitute, and acorn porridge!
WINTER 2017
February
Heart Healthy Eating Tuesday, February 20 – 6-7:30 p.m.
Date Night: Italian-Style Friday, February 9 – 5:30-7:30 p.m.
In-Store FREE! No reservations necessary.
Instructor: Chef Jonathan Berthel, Penokee Mountain Foods
Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Wednesday, February 7 HANDS-ON - That’s amore! Grab a friend or a loved one and work together to create an Italian meal from scratch.
Crazy for Creole Tuesday, February 13 – 5:30-7:30 p.m. Instructor: Chef Lars Dukowitz, Cooking with Lars
Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, February 9 HANDS-ON - It’s Mardi Gras and what better way to celebrate than with a homemade Creole meal! Creole cooking derives its flavors mostly from French and Spanish traditions, with Italian, African, German, Caribbean, Portuguese, and even Native American thrown in. The results are often complex and spicy.
Wellness Wednesday February 14 – All Day In-Store FREE! No reservation necessary. MEET & GREET – Stop by to learn more about local wellness products and services. Local wellness product makers and practitioners will be instore throughout the day (Look for a list and schedule online). Owners also receive 10% off wellness products.
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WINTER 2017
Bagel Basics Tuesday, February 27 – 5:30-7:30 p.m.
With Meredith Johnson from Memorial Medical Center
Instructor: Chef Lars Dukowitz, Cooking with Lars
DEMONSTRATION - Clinical Dietician Meredith Johnson from Memorial Medical Center will be in the store to talk you through making heart healthy choices. Stop by to try tasty samples, grab delicious recipes, and ask for tips on how to eat for heart health!
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, February 23 HANDS-ON – Soft, chewy bagels from scratch can be yours. You’ll learn how a little bit of flour, yeast, water, salt, and sweetener can be turned into a delicious dough. Plus, try your hand at poaching, shaping, and baking.
Fermented Foods Thursday, February 22 – 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Instructor: Jennifer and Andrew SauterSargent, Spirit Creek Farm
Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Tuesday, February 20 HANDS-ON - Learn the history and benefits of fermented foods from master fermenters. You’ll even get a chance to try your hand at making purple kraut.
Making Wine & Fruit Vinegars Saturday, February 24 – 10 a.m-12 p.m. Instructor: Cindy Hale, Clover Valley Farms & Vinegary Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thursday, February 22 HANDS-ON - Get a quick intro to the different type of vinegars (i.e. white distilled, balsamic, wine and cider vinegars, etc.), how they are made, and their different characteristics. You'll learn an easy to follow procedure for culturing homemade and healthful vinegars and go home with a bacterial "mother" to make your own at home.
Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner
REGISTER FOR CLASSES Call or stop by the Customer Service desk to register. Payment is due upon registration and must be received at least 48 hours prior to the class. While walk-ins are accepted, you run the risk of not having a spot without registering. Most classes require a minimum number of participants. If that minimum is not reached, the class will be canceled or postponed. Please help us keep our outreach program running by registering for classes. In the event a class is canceled due to lack of participants, you will be called at least one day before the class date. Questions? Please email Meagan Van Beest, Marketing & Member Services Manager at meaganv@ cheqfood.coop.
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Clover Valley Farms & Vinegary
Fruit & Wine combined
Meagan Van Beest marketing & member services manager
W
hat started as a passion for growing food has grown itself into an awardingwinning (and fruitful) small business. Owners Cindy Hale & Jeff Hall, along with Eldri Snow (their full-time, yearround employee), make magic happen at Clover Valley Farms & Vinegary just north of Duluth, Minnesota. There they all work on growing fruits and herbs, taking care of a veritable menagerie of animals, and making and selling herb and vinegar products. Clover Valley Farms gets its name from the nearby town. There Cindy and Jeff set up their homestead. Jeff
10 | Chequamegon Food Co-op
worked with Duluth Public schools as a special education aid, while Cindy worked at the University of Minnesota-Duluth for 20 years as a forest ecologist. Cindy and Jeff adopted their daughter May in 2005. The couple dreamed of providing her with a life fully connected to the land and surrounding community. To do that, they started with a large garden, renovating an existing heritage apple orchard, planting more fruit trees, and eventually adding a small flock of chickens. Really small. Six birds small! After a couple of years dabbling with
WINTER 2017
Clover Valley Farms & Vinegary OwnerS Cindy Hale & Jeff Hall LOCATION Duluth, Minnesota Products herb salts, fruit vinegars, wine vinegars, shrubs WEBSITE clovervalleyfarms.com FACEBOOK CloverValleyFarmVinegary Owners Jeff Hall and Cindy Hale recently won the Micro-Entrepreneur of the Year award from the University of Minnesota Duluth Center for Economic Development for their innovative approach to a farm business. growing, they officially launched their farm business in 2007. Along with the apples, they cultivated rhubarb, currants, juneberries, basil, garlic, dill, mint, sage, chili peppers, and rosemary. Their flock of chickens quickly grew from 50 birds to 500. They added turkeys and hogs and started selling eggs and meat directly to customers from their farm. After a brief time of trying to balance farming with full-time jobs, the couple felt it was time to shift their focus toward the farm. But chickens and turkeys alone would not pull in enough income to support their family. That’s where curiosity and luck came into play. Jeff started experimenting with vinegars in 2009 using the rhubarb they grew at the farm. The couple thought they might be able to sell some of it, so they bottled it up and brought the homemade vinegars to the Harvest Fest at Duluth’s Bayfront Park. People loved it and the couple’s venture into value-added products began. From that point on, the dreams of living off their land seemed as though they could become reality. Cindy used her grant-writing experience to secure funding from the USDA for a business feasibility study. This prompted the couple to dive into the dizzying and
WINTER 2017
exhalating world of business planning, where they learned not only the ins and outs of making vinegars, but also how to get the word out about the products and the products into the hands of more customers. Since then, Cindy and Jeff have developed a variety of herb- and fruit-based products. Their product line includes a variety of herb-infused salts, salves, soaps, and vinegars. The juneberry-currant and rhubarb wine vinegars come plain or with a variety of herbal infusions. These vinegars are the key ingredient to their shrub syrups. Shrubs are a traditional way of preservation that combines fruit, sugar, and vinegar into a sweet, tart syrup. They can be used to flavor sparkling sodas and cocktails. By 2014, the business had grown enough that the couple was looking for help. Eldri found them online and asked if she could lend a hand. She had previously worked as a baker with the Kitche Gammi Club and as a kayaking guide in Bayfield, Wisconsin. She has become an integral part of the business now, and often spends time on the road demonstrating Clover Valley Farms products in stores across the region. The business grew quickly, much faster than their initial planning had
projected in fact. That meant another round of grant-writing in 2015, where Cindy again received funding from the USDA. This grant provided working capital and should help the business reach its full operating capacity by 2018. What does that mean? It means more growing, more making, more bottling, and more selling. It also means facing competition from "local food fakery." These are companies that might be locally owned, but that do not use locally grown raw ingredients. Instead, they use cheap commodity ingredients, but still brand themselves as local, commanding the additional premium price that goes along with that label. While these products bring money into the local economy, Cindy objects that they do not support local growing. Instead of focusing on that competition however, Cindy and Jeff will be exploring ways to make their business better. Fleece and other sheep products are on the radar. They are also looking to add new products like mustards and salad dressings, along with new shrub recipes. They’ll all use Minnesota-grown raw ingredients, of course! d
Chequamegon Food Co-op | 11
Words of
Wellness
Julie Sorensen wellness manager
T
he holidays are upon us and I love to shop the local holiday bazaars and craft shows. It’s fun to meet and support the local people who create the items rather than shop online. I often find new local products to bring in to the store this way too. If you want to skip the hubbub and shop local, the Co-op has many locally made products that make wonderful gifts. Here are some of suggestions to help you out with your holiday shopping for anyone on your list. For Little Ones - Why not grab one of our locally made “Lake Superior” or “Olive You” onesies from Three Sisters Studio? Or get Solekicks – handcrafted leather baby and toddler shoes in a variety of colors and patterns. I especially love the red ones with “Heart Wisconsin” – perfect for that Badger fan. The Lake Superior design is also popular. Sogg E. Bear Cub organic cotton teething bears have been a customer favorite
Save the Date! Wellness Wednesday
2nd Wednesday of each month Owners receive 10% off health & body care products! DECEMBER 13 JANUARY 10 FEBRUARY 14
for years and they continue to be the perfect gift for babies cutting teeth. Seed & Sew snack and sandwich bags are great replacements for plastic lunch bags – washable and available in such fun patterns! For the Cook - Pick up a Three Sister Studio Lake Superior dish towel, a pair of locally made beeswax candle tapers, and a bag of local wild rice. Northern Nectar honey, local maple syrup, and jams and butters from North Wind farm or Bayfield Apple Company also make great gifts for foodies. I love Lotta’s Small Batch sauces (Bourbon Espresso and Butterscotch), too. They make awesome sundaes! For the Fashionista - Everyone is wearing leggings so give the sister, friend, or teen on your list a t-shirt and Lake Superior leggings from Three Sisters Studio. Mittens for the whole family are also available at the Co-op. The polar fleece mittens from Maggie’s Sewing Nook are all locally made. For the Grandparents Grandma or grandpa would love a Cherry Therapy pillow or a CrampAid Cozy heat therapy pack for relief from aching joints. Beauty sleeper eye masks are a great idea for the young and old who need a little help falling asleep. I like to spray mine with lavender oil. For Stocking Stuffers - Our local soap was hidden on our shelves, so we moved it to a new wooden display rack. Now, you’ll easily find a wide variety of scents from Sweet Pea Soapery, Maple Hill Farm, Buzz & Suds, Lake Superior Lather, and Twin Oaks. The Lake Superior soap from Buzz &
12 | Chequamegon Food Co-op
Suds makes a great stocking stuffer for someone who loves the lake. For the Crafty - Local beeswax candles from Northern Nectar come in many sizes and colors. You might want to buy their local beeswax blocks for your own DIY projects. Wickie Candle Company have scented candles in tins – how about giving the scent of Oak Island Trail to a summer visitor now far away? For the Stressed - If you have someone to pamper on your list, try Best Body Butter from So-She or one of the solid lotion bars from Sweet Pea Soapery or Buzz & Suds. Lea’s face products are wonderful gifts and her herbal salve is very popular. Bath bombs are a new product for us (I was waiting for a local source rather than ordering them from afar) and am happy that we now have them in stock. Lake Superior Lather also makes perfume roll-ons in four scents. For the Dogs - We can’t forget Rover when we are filling out our holiday list. Look for wonderful leashes from SoftLines, an Ashlandbased company. These leashes are soft, flexible, easy-to-grip, and they even have a floating, swim style. Racey’s Tasty Dog Treats come in two flavors (one is even gluten free) and make a great gift for the pet in the family. If you just need a card, we also have an entire card rack stocked with all local cards. Still not sure what to get? We would be happy to help you find these wonderful locally made items located throughout the store to make your holiday list complete. d
WINTER 2017
Warm up YOUR MENU
Winter Recipes
Potato Lasagna
Ingredients 3 medium potatoes, scrubbed clean 1 pound part skim ricotta cheese 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese 1 stalk broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces 2 cups thick spaghetti sauce 1 tablespoon olive oil
Preparation Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil in a 2-quart baking dish and tilt dish until the bottom has been evenly coated. Set aside. Place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water, then place on the stove over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, then check the tenderness of the potatoes by piercing with a paring knife. When they are tender but not falling apart, remove from heat and drain. When cool enough to handle, slice potatoes into 1/3-inch thick rounds. Line a fine
mesh strainer with two layers of paper towels, place over a bowl, and dollop the ricotta on the paper towels. Gently pat the cheese and let stand to drain as much liquid off as possible, at least 20 minutes. Scrape the cheese into a medium bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Assemble the casserole: Place a layer of sliced potatoes on the bottom of the prepared pan. Dollop the ricotta mixture over the potatoes and spread to make an even layer. Sprinkle the broccoli over the ricotta and press gently to make a level surface. Cover the broccoli and ricotta with the remaining potato slices, then top with spaghetti sauce and spread evenly. Cover the sauce with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake lasagna, uncovered, for 30 minutes. The sauce will be bubbling vigorously around the edges and the cheese will be golden brown. Let stand 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Recipe courtesy of Chequamegon Food Co-op. Reprinted with permission from StrongerTogether.coop.
Orange-Glazed Brussels Sprouts Ingredients 1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoons orange juice Zest of one orange Pinch of salt and ground black pepper 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts Preparation Rinse the Brussels sprouts in cold water, trim the stems, remove the outer leaves, (including any torn or ragged ones) and cut them in half from top to bottom.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and sautĂŠ for about 4 minutes, then add garlic and sautĂŠ 1 minute more until the Brussels sprouts start to brown on the edges. Add the water or broth, cover, and let steam for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by stirring together the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, orange juice, orange zest, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Remove lid from the Brussels sprouts and add the glaze ingredients. Cook on high for about two minutes or until the glaze becomes syrupy, stirring or tossing until well coated. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts and serve warm.
Recipe courtesy of Chequamegon Food Co-op. Reprinted with permission from StrongerTogether.coop.
WINTER 2017
Black-Eyed Pea Succotash Ingredients 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed 1 cup edamame, shelled, frozen 1 cup sweet corn, frozen 1 cup red bell pepper, finely diced 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely diced 2 tablespoons scallions, chopped (about 3 scallions) 1 1/2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 1 tablespoon honey Pinch cinnamon, ground 1/2 teaspoon chili power 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped Salt and pepper to taste 8 chicken or turkey sausages (optional) Preparation Place oil in a large pan and sautĂŠ onions and garlic until translucent. Add black-eyed peas, frozen corn and frozen edamame. Stir until frozen vegetables are thawed. Remove from heat. Combine honey, mustard, vinegar, cinnamon, chili powder, and chives, and whisk to make dressing. Stir all ingredients together with the dressing. Prepare the sausage links according to directions. Serve sausages with succotash on the side. Recipe courtesy of Chequamegon Food Co-op. Reprinted with permission from StrongerTogether.coop.
Chequamegon Food Co-op | 13
Chequamegon Food Co-op Board Of Directors
Board News Become a Board candidate! Contact us at board@cheqfood. coop to learn more about the candidate process.
Ends Statement Who We Are Chequamegon Food Co-op exists so our community has an enhanced quality of life. What We Strive For Our community has access to healthy, organic and locally produced goods. Our community has a thriving local economy. Our community is knowledgeable about choices that impact the economy, personal wellness, and the environment. What is an ends statement? An ends statement defines organizational purpose, telling a story of what results affect people for a specific benefit. Ends statements justify the existence of an organization.
Board Info Minutes and agenda are posted in store and on our website.
Board Update Steve Sandstrom board president Even though the Annual Meeting and election of new Board members are many months away, it’s time for interested folks to start thinking about becoming a candidate. If you have ever thought about running for the Board, we would strongly encourage you to attend one of the regularly scheduled monthly meetings held in the Community Room on the third Tuesday of every month. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about serving on the Board. Also, if you know of another Co-op owner who you feel would be a suitable candidate, we encourage you to ask them to run or pass on their name to one of the current Board members, so that we can contact them. Board members serve a three-year term. We meet once a month as a full Board. Occasionally there are additional committee meetings. Once a year we have a Board retreat, which is typically held in the fall of the year and spans two consecutive evenings. Although not required, we do strongly encourage our Board members to take advantage of other training sessions and workshops that are available during the year. I have thoroughly enjoyed serving on the Board and have found it to be personally very rewarding. We are very fortunate to have a strong Board of Directors right now and want to continue this in the future, so please give running for the Board your careful consideration. In other news, there have been several Co-op owners who have inquired recently about whether there will be a patronage refund paid out this year. At this point in time, it is unlikely that the profit level of the Co-op will allow for this payment to members. The decision to expand the Co-op to its present size and location was a major financially undertaking. It required borrowing a substantial sum of money which has increased our debt load. The good news is each year since the expansion was completed we have financially outperformed the previous year. This year we should be very close to break-even, possibly even making a small profit. We set several monthly sales records and at the same time have made great progress in controlling operating costs. If this trend continues we should be on track to once again be able to offer a refund to our members. It is important to note that many food co-ops across the Midwest have been struggling to be profitable the last few years. Our numbers have been significantly better than many of our Midwest co-op neighbors. The Board really appreciates your patience and patronage. Our success is due to an incredibly loyal membership, great employees, and a very competent General Management Team. As we close out another successful year at your Co-op, I want to say a BIG thanks to everyone! d
BOARD MEETINGS All meetings are the third Tuesday of each month at 5 p. m., unless otherwise noted, in the Community Room. Tuesday, January 16, 2018 Tuesday, February 20, 2018 Tuesday, March 20, 2018 Contact the Board board@cheqfood. coop
www.deltadiner.com 14 | Chequamegon Food Co-op
WINTER 2017
Fresh Picks From Produce
WINTER 2017
Staff Updates
Sarah Jackson produce manager
You’ve probably noted some increasing prices (hello, avocadoes!) and some shortages (where you at, spinach?) in our coolers and cases. A number of factors have affected the supply of fruits and veggies this year, from labor to weather. While we do our best to let you know when supply will be an issue (and to keep prices reasonable), we thought this would be a great opportunity to give you a little behindthe-scenes explanation of what the produce world has experienced this year. Many growers are facing labor shortages due to immigration concerns. This has led to some crops not getting harvested at all, and then left rotting in the fields. Along with the scarcity of help, labor costs have continued to rise. Many states increased their minimum wage standards this year. For example, California raised its minimum wage by 50 cents to $10.50 an hour. That minimum wage will now increase each year until it reaches $15 an hour in 2022. The reality is that with better wages (yay!) for workers comes higher costs for consumers (boo!). Add to this the number of weather-related events that happened this year and you’ve got a recipe for higher prices and smaller supply. Hurricane Irma not only wiped out a partial citrus crop in Florida, it also left damage that will affect the trees for years to come, including split trees, fruit knocked off the limbs, and trees standing for days in three feet of water. The hurricane also impacted eggplant and cucumber supplies. Wildfires in northern California hit the grape industry hard. Finally, the heat in northern California continues to affect greens (especially lettuce, spinach, and romaine), along with green beans and broccoli (where the price is especially high). Now, we move to the local scene. You may have noticed there were no local Brussels sprouts this year. The crop didn’t work out. It also wasn’t a really great berry year for our Bayfield supplier. The wet weather meant lots of moldy berries, so we were not able to bring them in. Even after all of this doom and gloom, believe it or not there’s good news in Produce Land! There’s still lots of local fruits and veggies available this time of year. You’ll find squash, onions, kale, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, garlic, lettuce, shallots, apples, cranberries, and pumpkins. Speaking of pumpkins, it was also a great year for them. We’re sure you saw the gigantic ones from One Man, One Shovel from Seeley, Wisconsin all around the store. Citrus will be coming on strong very soon. Pears from Washington are in season (great with cheeses, especially stinky ones!). Persimmons are ready too. It helps to remember that if you are on a budget, eating seasonally is the way to go because fruits and veggies cost less during that time. d
We say goodbye to: Tim Schmidt, cashier/stocker Skyler Viano, cashier/stocker Lars Dukowitz, deli assistant We say hello to: Pat Brown, wellness assistant Kristin Marincel, deli assistant Lindsay Larson, cashier/stocker Maddy Rice, cashier/stocker We note the following anniversaries: Julie Sorenson, 17 years Corrine Sigmund, 7 years
Artists of the Month Enjoy the following shows on our Art Wall: DECEMBER - Anneli Schraufnagel JANUARY - Corrine Sigmund FEBRUARY - Audrey Joner
Micro-Loans Proposals for the spring cycle are due by March 1 with funding decisions made by March 15. Pick up an application at Customer Service or download on the Community page of our website.
715.779.5807
Serving Lake Superior’s
SOUTH SHORE CHEQUAMEGON BAY &
www.ApostleIslands.com WINTER 2017
Jen Banowetz, LMT Vaughn Library Building • Ashland 715-209-2825 • gaviamassage@gmail.com Chequamegon Food Co-op | 15
PRESRT STD. U.S. Postage PAID DULUTH, MN PERMIT NO. 1003
700 Main Street West Ashland, WI 54806
WeOur Owners Coupon
Save 10% on any one visit
Must present coupon for discount and have a current owner account. Valid through February 28, 2018. Excludes non-discountable items. No Additional DISCOUNTS APPLY.
WINTER 2017
• Sugar-Free Holidays • Clover Valley Farms & Vinegary • Words of Wellness • Winter Recipes • Store News
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