It all started with a cold call. MO Janet Nally happened to attend a MoonBee. Now, HWFC hosts an onsite Period Pantry.
How did this manifest? What’s a MoonCatcher? What’s a Period Pantry? And what is a MoonBee, for that matter?
• MoonCatcher: a washable, reusable menstrual pad. • Period Pantry: a refurbished newspaper vending machine stocked with free menstrual hygiene supplies. • MoonBee: an event where volunteers gather to assemble free kits and feminine products for worldwide distribution.
All are the brainchildren of Ellie von Wellsheim, who founded the MoonCatcher Project in response to an urgent need: providing free menstrual products for women and girls worldwide.
This 5013c organization was also one of Honest Weight’s Be the Change recipients.
The idea for MoonCatcher occurred to Ellie while attending a Global Giving Circle in Tanzania, where she witnessed youngsters scavenging for fabric scraps to bring family members to use during menstrual cycles. This was how Ellie discovered some hard truths about life for women and girls. It is common in Africa, she told Honest Slate, for girls to stay home from school when they have their periods because they lack access to proper supplies; many don’t even have underwear.
Previously a caterer, house painter, clothing maker, interior designer, and educator by trade, Ellie knows her way around a sewing pattern. The MoonCatcher Project distributes thousands of kits and supplies to diverse initiatives, working with Scouts, church groups, schools, civic clubs, and global organizations. It distributes two types of products: fabric-based reusable kits and in-
MO Manifests MoonCatcher Project at Honest Weight
dividually wrapped disposable supplies such as tampons, pads, etc. During Covid, volunteers also made masks.
Ellie travels regularly to Africa on behalf of MoonCatchers. Her program operates in more than 30 nations including Malawi, Japan, Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, and Liberia, as well as India, Haiti, and across the U.S.
Janet restocks the newly installed onsite box–now one of 16 in the Capital Region–located right next to our parking lot’s Free Food Fridge.
Member-Owner Janet was inspired to contact Ellie after observing volunteers at a local MoonBee. Janet quickly connected Ellie with the Co-op’s Front End and Outreach. Soon, a bright purple painted box was installed next to the Free Food Fridge, brimming with supplies for local residents and shoppers.
“Products were flying off the shelf,” Janet marveled, estimating over 500 items distributed in the first few weeks.
Each site operates with one dedicated volunteer to oversee supply; there are also collection sites where people can donate items. At this time, HWFC lacks a collection station, but “everyone wants to donate!” when they learn about it.
Janet invests time weekly through Outreach to restock, often coordinating it with her shopping trips. “To know people are out there helping in a world so divided…there is no division here,” she told Honest Slate. “It’s a Buddha-ful thing.”
MoonBees have been held at churches, libraries, nursing homes, and schools across the Capital Region, nationally, and globally. The project funds, produces, hosts events, and distributes supplies in partnership with diverse organizations.
Anyone interested in volunteering can attend local MoonBees. The next one is slated to be in Glens Falls at the Crandall Public Library on Nov. 1 from 1–3pm. Readers may also be interested in attending MoonCatcher’s Annual MoonWine and Cheese Party on Monday, Sept. 15, 5:30–7pm, at Simone’s Kitchen, 121 Jay Street in Schenectady.
2 Honest Slate
Journey to Peru, Part I: The Banana Life Cycle
by Brendan Kelly, Produce Dept. Manager
Equal Exchange, one of our most valued partners at Honest Weight, is a workersowned cooperative, founded and still based in Massachusetts, with the inspiring mission of transforming the way food is grown, purchased, and sold by embracing the highest ideals of fair trade and organic, small-scale farming within some of the most historically exploited markets (e.g., coffee and tea). Over the years I’ve been routinely impressed by its commitment to education and furthering its mission. When I was honored with an invitation to join a delegation visiting partner cooperatives growing bananas in Peru, I accepted without hesitation.
On July 14, after a full day of traveling, we arrived in the city of Sullana, nestled within the Rio Chira valley in the north-western coastal plains of Peru. Here we settled in for a full week of learning all we could about how bananas grow, the challenges these families face, and how their cooperatives function.
We began our time with cooperativa Rio y Valle, comprising 343 producers, each farming a .8-hectare lot (roughly 2 acres) across 9 sectors in the Piura region of Sullana province. After meeting the board of directors and introducing ourselves at their headquarters, we traveled to one of their many groves. There our tour, led by their general manager Luis, walked us through the life cycle of a banana tree, which as some may already know is not actually a tree but the
world’s largest herb. Its trunk is not wood, but a tight collection of leaf stalks forming a pseudostem.
Each plant begins its life as a “sucker” emerging from the stem of its mother. The newborns grow through their vegetative phase reaching 8–10 feet after 6 months. During this time the trees are carefully managed by field hands checking for disease and pests, and regularly trimming dead leaves.
As they reach their reproductive stage they begin producing their own suckers, typically 2 to 5 over the course of a year.
A single sucker is expertly selected by field hands to grow to maturity, eventually replacing its mother.
Workers make these choices swiftly while explaining the many factors taken into account, including: the health and robustness of the sucker, the direction and angle it’s growing so as not to interfere with neighboring plants, balancing access to sunlight while maintaining optimum shade of the undergrove, and the stability of the mother. The suckers not chosen are removed with a quick slice, ensuring they won’t take root and continue to grow. All of these choices seek to conserve energy and water within the fruit-bearing trees that will make it to harvest.
flowers are removed to promote growth and deter insects. The fingers on the edges of each hand are pruned and the less developed hands at the fruit-bearing stalk’s lowest point are removed, save for two fingers at the end. This pruning sets the stage for the banana bunches to be covered in a plastic bag, which will manage pests without using pesticides. Bags are sealed with colored plastic tape and each week a new color is used to track the complex harvesting schedule.
Over the next 8–10 weeks the bananas will be checked every two weeks. As the bananas grow they curve upward and spacers are introduced to prevent bruising and blemishes. When the bananas are 8" long they’re ready to be harvested.
We will cover harvesting, packaging, and shipping in our next installment. Stay tuned!
After 6 months they begin to flower. Each plant will bloom just once in its lifetime. The single massive flower head they produce, an inflorescence containing many flower clusters along a large stem, is self-fertile, although it still requires pollinators like bees to transfer pollen from male flower to female. The pollinated female flowers will become bananas, which are botanically a berry, as its fleshy fruit develops from the ovary of a single flower.
The pollinated fruits, known as “fingers,” form clusters known as “hands.” At about two weeks the fingers are 4" or roughly the size of an adult’s. At this stage any remaining
Service on the Governance Review Council gives an Owner deeper insight into the guiding documents and concerns currently facing the Co-op. Councilors are elected for a three-year term.
The GRC serves the Membership by providing oversight of the Board, the ballot box, and the policies of the Co-op. The five elected members meet monthly to review the monthly Board meeting and to discuss issues brought to it by Owners, Member-Owners, and on occasion, employees. It also reviews the notices for Regular Membership Meetings, can request that the Bylaws Panel consider a change in the Bylaws, and can call a meeting of the Membership if conditions warrant. It selects two Co-op Owners to serve on the Bylaws Panel. It also helps the Board Secretary maintain current copies of the Bylaws and the other various manuals and policies for community access.
GRC: WatcH Dogs
of attending the monthly Board meeting so that the attendee can let the GRC know what happened at the Board meeting; and sharing the task of observing the ballot count after a vote at a Membership Meeting. Depending on the issues brought to the GRC, Members will need to become familiar with the Bylaws and Honest Weight’s various policy documents and operational manuals, such as the Food and Product Manual.
The GRC meets on the second Monday of each month at 7pm via Zoom. It is self-governing, has a code of conduct, and selects its own chair. It publishes its monthly agenda and the approved minutes via the HWFC website as well as archivally.
Let’s Talk About Proposed
Bylaws Changes
Keeping our
Co-op
fair, transparent, and true to our values
In Fall 2024, the Governance Review Council (GRC) brought a concern to the Bylaws Panel (BLP) about how raises were given to employees who report directly to the Co-op’s top management position (thus phrased because the title changed during the time this situation arose.)
GRC’s guiding document is Section 475 in the Bylaws. Duties involve sharing the task
Member Matters
“The Co-op is committed to providing the most nutritious foods obtainable at the lowest price and to educating Member-Owners and the community about nutrition and health.”
—MO Manual, p. 8
What does this mean in the store? It means we strive to sell food that supports our values. The Membership created a Food and Product Manual (FPM) to achieve this goal. We want everything we sell to be natural, whole, pure, local, and environmentally sustainable.
Toward this end, the Nutrition and Education Committee (NEC) maintains our FPM by staying on top of current research on nutrition, additives, and agricultural prac-
Monthly commitments: attend the 1–1½ hour monthly meeting, accept rotation in attending a 3–4-hour Board meeting, accept rotation in observing the two-hour+ ballot count, and review documents and emails as needed. The Owner receives at least three hours of time investment credit, thereby earning the benefits of a Member-Owner.
—Cindee Herrick, GRC Chair
On two occasions during the past 7–8 years, a top management person gave salary increases outside the regular annual review process. Some of these pushed pay above set salary ranges. Understandably, this raised concerns among several Board members about how these decisions were made.
The BLP discussed the issue at length. Since it has happened more than once, we agreed it’s important to make the Bylaws clearer in this area—so that we protect against future problems while still allowing our day-to-day operations to run smoothly.
HWFC’s FPM contains a comprehensive list of items we strive to avoid selling in the Coop as well as a long list of banned ingredients. While it is not possible to be perfect, we aim as an organization to adhere to guidelines agreed upon by Membership, and we are always willing to accept feedback, look into concerns, and remove items when warranted.
We try to reduce waste by encouraging shoppers to bring their own containers to shop in the Bulk Department; to be a sorted glass recycling location for the community, and to sell and accept returnable materials: glass milk containers, egg cartons, bottles, etc. Departments compost waste and reuse shipping materials. tices. The NEC proposes FPM changes that incorporate new knowledge to the Membership, and we vote on whether to enact those changes.
We’d love for you to join the conversation! The proposed changes can be viewed at https://www.honestweight.coop/page/bylaws-panel-386.html
We’re holding two information sessions where you can hear more about the proposed changes, ask questions, and share your thoughts.
Wed. Oct. 15 • 7–8pm via Zoom
Bylaws Panel (BLP)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87586907665
Sat. Oct. 18 • 11am–12pm at the Co-op
Join members of Honest Weight’s Bylaws Panel in the Community Room, or via Zoom
Bylaws Panel (BLP)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87586907665
Book Club to Meet September 18
The Book Club will meet 6pm on Sept. 18 in the Community Room to discuss Jennifer Ackerman’s The Genius of Birds.
“[A] gloriously provocative and highly entertaining book...a masterly survey of research...that has produced a revolution in our understanding of bird cognition....a work of wonder and an affirmation of the astonishing complexity of our world.”
Wall Street Journal
Birds are near and dear to my heart, maybe they are to yours too, but no matter your relationship with them, they are true harbingers of possible futures on the planet.
—Cara Benson
Sea Salt Product Nixed Department
Removes Item from Shelves Based on Unsustainable Practices
In response to inquiries about a “Dead Sea Works” brand of sea salt sold in Bulk that has been discontinued, CLM Peter Waldmann included the following statement in September’s Operational Report:
We were approached by a Member-Owner to investigate whether the farming of sea salt in the Dead Sea aligns with our cooperative’s mission and values. Our internal store-level buyer conducted a review and determined that this item is non-essential to our product variety. Through our research, we found that the negative environmental impact of mining salt from the Dead Sea does not align with our Mission Statement because of the high environmental cost of harvesting.
Research Informs Decision
Here are links that support our findings: Essential Labs Dead Sea Salt https://blog.essentialwholesale.com/dead-seasalt-the-good-the-bad-and-the-alternatives/
Honest Weight Food Cooperative does not make product decisions based on country of origin, ethnicity, race, religion, or political influences.
• Come for the awe, stay for the science and song!
Copies are available at Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza for 20% off for HWFC Book Club readers (you do not need to be a member). Or you might want to get the audio version. If so, you can order that through Book House on the Libro.FM platform (discount may not apply to audio version) or Libby, the library app. Member Services will have loaner copies.
• For those looking ahead...
November’s book is Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry by Austin Frerick
(co-facilitated with Tracy Frisch of the Environment Committee)
HWFC Hires Controller: Welcome (Back) to HWFC!
Having recently hired Ryan Rose as HWFC Controller, management provided this statement to the Co-op community:
“I am extremely excited to be able to announce that Ryan Rose has started the position of Controller for Honest Weight Co-op,” Peter reported. “He is a ‘glove’ fit for the organization. He has a working knowledge of Honest Weight Co-op, authentic to the cooperative movement, entrepreneurial, and is a finance subject matter expert. Please join us in welcoming him to our Honest Weight Leadership Team.”
Ryan is a financial strategist, educator, and systems thinker with over a decade of experience supporting values-aligned enterprises. A longtime member of Honest Weight Food Co-op, Ryan served as Finance Manager from 2017 to 2021 and has now returned as Controller.
January: The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late by local author and activist Judith Enck (we hope she’ll join us for the conversation!)
He cofounded Capital Bookkeeping Cooperative, leading work with various U.S. cooperatives. His consulting covers financial oversight, audit preparation, grant compliance, systems migration, and participatory budgeting. Ryan also volunteers as CFO and treasurer of the FreeMoCap Foundation, aiding its financial sustainability.
As an educator, Ryan has trained staff and Board members in financial literacy in both English and Spanish. He has taught Intermediate Accounting at SUNY Albany’s Massry School of Business, helping future finance professionals develop key skills. He incorporates sociocratic governance and Open Book principles, ensuring that financial systems empower rather than exclude.
Ryan actively engages with the national cooperative ecosystem as a member of the Cooperative Professionals Guild and the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives, ensuring his work aligns with best practices in the cooperative finance sector. We are THRILLED to welcome Ryan back to the Co-op!
Q & A Q & A SUGGESTION BOX
Suggestion Box answers are provided by our Honest Weight managers and departments.
Q: More plugs for electric cars & solar roof.
A: We acknowledge your request. These are both very important issues for us. We’re reevaluating our car charging stations on a broad level and will address our needs. Solar panels on the roof are not part of our 2026 budget. Peter is always available to discuss these and other items in depth.
Q: Need more bathrooms, always full.
A: We appreciate your concern. We would love to add additional bathrooms, but the real estate is not available. We share your frustration.
Q: Shrimp pre-made meals ♥ please.
A: We have been working on developing a shrimp dish for the Grab n Go wall.
Q: Can we please get zip-up hoodies like the old gray ones. Please?!
A: Yes! We can do this for our next apparel order.
Q: The house-made fig and almond scones are delicious!
A: Thanks very much!
Q: We have a beautiful whale and a “reduce plastics” sign [yet] sell little blondies in large plastic containers. Why? Even plastic wrap would be better. They also mold faster in such a large container. I was told we use them for their appearance to sell. Why?
A: Is this a house-made item or something from a vendor? We are trying to determine the exact product. If it is a vendor item, we are unable to change the packaging. Let us know at Education@honestweight.coop
Q: Do a Be the Change for PBS/NPR!
A: Fun idea! Email Anastasia at Education@ honestweight.coop for the Be the Change application.
Q: Thank you Thank you Thank you for baking traditional cake with wheat flour and simple ingredients. Thank you!
A: Yeah! You got it.
Q: Catherine offers great customer service helping me navigate GF breads.
A: Thank you! We think she’s great too!
Q: Thanks for having Oatly oat milk at a pretty good price!!
A: Thanks for taking the time to give thanks.
Q: We should get Jackson’s super veggie straws. Delicious & not harmful for the body!
A: We are unable to get Jackson’s as it is not carried by our distributors.
Q: Béquet Caramels (display by registers 3-4). Please stock Celtic Sea Salt flavor. It tastes really different from Classic Caramel. They are both amazing. (Caramel Apple flavor sucks but maybe someone likes it.) Thank you.
A: The Béquet Caramels Celtic Sea Salt flavor has been out of stock from our distributor. We’ll keep trying to get more.
Q: We’ve come to pick up [Equal Exchange’s] Love Buzz coffee multiple times when it is not in stock. Why is the supply not increased? An adequate amount is not available.
A: We had a distribution issue and are aware of Love Buzz’s popularity. We’ll continue to order mass quantities every week.
Q: If you could stock white anchovies that would be lovely. Thank you!
A: We stock Ortiz Conservas Boquerones Marinated Anchovies in the cooler with smoked meats.
Q: Please remind cashiers to ask if we’d like to round up to donate.
A: Thanks for your input. Please feel free to let your cashier know if you want to round up for “Be the Change.”
Q: Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar Refreshers Prebiotic Honey and Green Tea.
A: We carry this item! Aisle 3.
Q: Xanthan Gum by Bob’s Red Mill in Grocery. Pretty please.
A: We will keep it in stock.
Q: Where are house-made salmon burgers?
A: They are available on the Grab n Go wall.
Q: I‘d like around 2–3 hot bar options without onion/garlic or minimal onion/garlic for people with FODMAP diet, please?
A: We have a wide variety of items available. See the Grab n Go wall for additional items.
Q: Expand that refillery station please! Loose laundry detergent! Broader selection of refill products. ♥ ♥ ♥ Thank you!!
A: Our space is quite limited at this time. We’ll keep your suggestion in mind for future developments.
Q: I’d like sushi options without cucumber.
A: We offer sushi sans cucumber and make rolls to order when the station is staffed.
Q: You should have a kids’ area with board games and snacks for us to wait in while parents shop! Thank you!
A: Based on our traffic flow, having a kids’ corner is not conducive to our business. We’re working on making our store more child-friendly with cooking classes, kids events, and field trips.
Q: Create some homemade lemonade with seeded watermelon and mint! Please.
A: We do seasonally change our lemonade flavors. Historically, mint doesn’t sell very well.
Q: Delaney @ Juice and Java was SO helpful and made great recommendations. She was so joyful and made my experience great.
A: She’s incredible! We love Delaney too! Thanks for the nice comment!
Q: A Deli Department customer stated that new containers for cups are difficult to use, especially for people who have arthritis.
A: We have had to move to tamper-resistant packaging. We apologize for the difficulty.
Q: Can we please get some more of those vanilla protein bars, the ones on the top shelf on the left. They’re my favorite. Thanks.
A: Healthy Truth? That product is no longer available. A replacement product will be available soon.
Honest Slate 6
B o a r d Decisions
At the Sept. 2, 2025, HWFC Board of Directors meeting, the Board:
• Rescinded the vote taken during Aug. 19, 2025’s Board work session regarding merging the Outreach and Education positions.
• Made two separate decisions to add to the agenda a Board work item to discuss and decide on the proposed merger of HWFC’s Outreach and Education positions and to insert in the agenda following review of next meetings.
• Approved August 5, 2025’s Board of Directors meeting minutes as presented.
• Based on feedback, meetings, discussion with the Marketing Manager, Member-Owners, and in open Board meetings, rejected a merger of the Outreach and Education positions into the proposed Community Engagement Education Specialist job description; requested that Marketing prepare a fulltime Outreach job description for posting and submit to the Board a budget amendment needed to cover this position, if any is required.
• Added 30 minutes to Oct. 26, 2025’s Regular Membership Meeting agenda for discussion of the Food & Product Manual’s Section 7, specifically how the language “strive to
avoid” is defined and implemented at HWFC, as requested by Member-Owners Cathy Holmes, Saul Rigberg, and Brett Robert; and to accept petition requirements as completed. The discussion will be inserted into the agenda following the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee’s presentation.
• Approved the 2025–26 Honest Arts Committee work plan as submitted.
• Approved the 2025–26 Anti-Racism Committee work plan as submitted.
• Appointed Kim Kaiser to the current vacant seat on the Bylaws Panel.
• Approved Oct. 26, 2025’s Regular Membership Meeting notice as presented in the Board meeting packet with the following changes: add 30' for discussion of Section 7 of the Food & Product Manual, specifically how the language “strive to avoid” is defined
HWFC Coffeehouse Open Mic Mon., Sept. 15, 6:30–8:30pm
HWFC’s café fills with music every 3rd Monday of the month. It’s open to Co-op and community members alike.
Join us for an evening with local performers and artists. Performer sign-in starts at 6pm. All family-friendly performances are welcome!
septemBer 2O 25
honestslate@honestweight.coop
Contact with questions, comments, & ideas.
Submissions Policy
• Maximum article length is 800 words.
and implemented at HWFC, as requested by MOs Cathy Holmes, Saul Rigberg, and Brett Robert, thus extending the meeting’s end time from 7:55pm to 8:25pm; and inserting an asterisk after the word “vote” [located] in the BLP–proposed Bylaws changes presentation line and GRC Elections presentation line and just before “Voting for Proposed Bylaws Changes and GRC Election will open after the GRC Election and Q&A.”
• Approved 1 time investment hour for Owners and MOs who attend a gathering at the Co-op to view & discuss Grocery Democracy; plus 1 time investment hour for those contributing to the potluck.
• Adjourned the meeting at 10:15pm, at the conclusion of the Executive Session.
White Affinity Group Meetings
Third Thursdays 6:30–7:45pm via Zoom
This is a group meant for white folks to work on eliminating racism and white supremacy. Join us as we share thoughts, feelings, successes, and mistakes in a warm, friendly, and nonjudgmental atmosphere.
Contact Tam for the Zoom link at Listeningpartnerships@gmail.com
Statement of Purpose:
Honest Slate is a platform for HWFC Membership, Staff, Management, and Governance: promoting transparency, reporting news without bias, and sustaining community.
Editors & Contributors September 2025
Cara Benson
David Bulnes
Brendan Byrne
Stephanie Conde
Elisa Grimm
Cindee Herrick
Brendan Kelly
Don Kennison
Irene Kim
Carol Ostrow
Anastasia Rogers
Karen Roth
Robin Schatz
Janet Sorell
• Material is published at the discretion of the Honest Slate team.
• Only signed work is accepted. Items are edited for length, grammar, & style.
• We may consider unsolicited material but encourage submitting ideas first.
• Letters to the Editor do not require preapproval.
Honest Slate articles are for informational purposes and are not intended to diagnose or treat disease. Opinions expressed in Honest Slate do not necessarily represent the views or policies of Honest Slate or Honest Weight Food Co-op.
A summary of preliminary committee reports submitted to the Board of Directors (BOD) for its September 2, 2025, meeting. See Board Meeting packet for details. Board-approved committee reports are posted on HWFC’s website. Our committees help to run Honest Weight. See if there is a committee for you.
Personnel Committee (PC)
∙ Shared explanation and vote process on additional staff position/committee. Announce, advertise, and gather nominations and interest. Elections to occur Sept. 15— 21. Announced in All Staff Meeting on Sept. 25.
∙ Discussed ad hoc exploration of Peer Review Training. Seeking dates and space for those interested in beginning training on topics for Peer Review Panel Participants and Staff Representatives. Synopsis not available at meeting; submitted to BOD separately Aug. 11.
∙ Discussed revising Code of Conduct “Universal Expectations” to include Anti-racism frameworks, shared values, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) behaviors.
∙ Awaiting Problem Solving Questions or Additions from request to BOD.
Governance Review Council (GRC)
∙ Discussed Section 7 of Food & Product Manual (FPM). Reached consensus that labeling shelf tags would flag “strive to avoid” items for customers.
∙ Shared BOD meeting summary.
∙ Examined GRC’s Strategic and Long-Range Plan. Plan to meet Aug. 15 deadline for revised version.
∙ Discussed HR’s Conflict Resolution Policy including Peer Review Panel review and discussion in September.
Bylaws Panel (BLP)
∙ Developed language for Honest Slate article on proposed Bylaws changes on Wage and Salary increases. Awaiting BOD approval.
∙ Requested BOD allow 10 minutes at Oct. 26 RMM to present proposed Wage and Salary increases to Membership and 15 minutes for Membership Q&A followed by a Membership vote on proposed Bylaws changes. Plan to communicate with ENC so it can develop language for vote.
∙ Requested BOD select appointee to Bylaws Panel to fill vacancy.
Anti-Racism Committee (ARC)
∙ Completed 2025-2026 work plan and requested BOD approval.
Nutrition & Education Committee (NEC)
∙ Discussed Section 7 of FPM and possible changes.
∙ Reported on NEC findings from review of store products.
∙ Discussed developing a system to record findings.
∙ Discussed research findings on health effects of carrageenan and fluoride.
∙ Continued monthly FPM tabling.
∙ Concerned about removal of copies of FPM from entrance area.
∙ Concerned print copies of FPM are not current.
Communications Committee (CC)
∙ Reviewed September Honest Slate material and planned October’s issue. Showed guests the ropes. Discussed Co-op’s identity and values.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee (DEIC)
• There was no discussion as only one member attended, another was hospitalized and unable to participate, and others didn’t share that they would be absent.
• Requested permission from BOD to submit DEIC work plan in September. DEIC spent a couple of months rewriting its existing work plan, which was a long complex document, before receiving the template. With the template, we need to start over again but were unable to with only one meeting attendee.
Honest Arts Committee (HAC)
∙ Discussed current show, featuring work of Bill Petit, Susana Kaiser, & Wendy Santana.
Reception held Aug. 9 was well attended. Plan to take this show down end of August or early September.
∙ Discussed upcoming shows, including plans for Anastasia’s sketch class students to show their work in September. The Poetic License show, a collaboration between Hudson Valley Writers’ Guild and Upstate artists, is scheduled for Oct. 1–Nov. 15; reception scheduled for Oct. 3.
∙ Discussed improving gallery connections, including installing a feedback/suggestion box, hanging a clipboard, or using a QR code. Want to avoid hearing comments thirdhand.
∙ Discussed signage in front entry area announcing show and location of gallery. Discussed meeting with new Marketing Director to explore other ideas.
∙ Discussed 2025-26 work plan. Requested BOD work plan approval.
∙ Discussed new hardware ordered in early summer.
Environment Committee (EC)
•15 members attended August’s meeting.
• Planning an additional Elfun Computer recycling event, likely in October.
• Planning another movie night.
• Several members attended a Beyond Plastics webinar, reporting back ideas.
• Sustainability manual on hold.
• Formed subcommittee for grant writing, energy systems, low GWP refrigerants.
Invitation to Community Members:
Tell us about items you’ve found at HWFC that customers might not know about— products people might otherwise assume must be sourced at mainstream groceries. Publicizing hard-to-find foods or goods can increase product awareness, sales, and customer retention. Send honestslate@honestweight.coop feedback on items available at HWFC, whether everyday or specialty!
Learn best committee practices at: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ftvx34ims3ggzkypsktiy/Committee-Guidelines-2023.pdf?rlkey=s579bylhckh94rcg7hz7w7yjo&e=1&dl=0
Honest Slate
memBer-owner C o - o p p o r t u n i t i e s
G r e e t i n g s , hwfc
Member-Owners and Owners!
We gave 3 orientations in August and welcomed 31 new Owners! This addition to our community is a tribute to the Member-Owners and staff whose combined effort in the store every single day clearly demonstrates our mission and has provided a positive experience for these new Owners. Every one of you is valuable.
Opportunities for Member-Owner time investment in departments are listed on the website: https://www.honestweight.coop/ page/member-owner-needs-and-opportunities-101.html. Scroll down to the ONGOING NEEDS section.
Our access to the general public while maintaining our robust time investment Member Program sets us apart from many other consumer co-ops. However, this unique position does not mean we have all the answers. To increase our understanding of the cooperative movement in general, cooperative groceries, and their role in the current economic and political climate we are planning a special event for our community:
GROCERY DEMOCRACY:
Master the Art of Communicating Economic Democracy at Food Co-ops
This 70-minute webinar was recorded in March 2025 with Jon Steinman [author of the HWFC Book Club selection Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants], and John Restakis [author of Humanizing the Economy: Cooperatives in the Age of Capital and Civilizing the State: Reclaiming Politics for the Common Good].
Their conversation asks the question, “How do cooperatives respond not only to the question of the supply of affordable goods and services to their members, but also to the broader question of the erosion of democratic values and the power and agency of consumers within the marketplace?”
With a review of the evolution of cooperatives and the climate from which they originally emerged, the moderators present a foundation for each cooperative to find their own response to what is happening today, and to affirm that there is a role for co-ops in meeting “the current moment.”
After viewing the webinar, the Board purchased a license that makes viewing available to the HWFC community of Member-Owners, staff, and Owners. Join us to view, reflect, and discuss topics presented in light of our own cooperative experience and our hopes for HWFC’s community-led future. After the video, a moderator will facilitate a group discussion.
Strive for Clarity: Refining Our Understanding of the FPM
The Nutrition and Education Committee (NEC) will meet twice this month: Sept. 8 and Sept. 15 • 5:30 pm via Zoom at this link:
Barbara Eckhaus announced at Sept. 2’s Board meeting that the committee will discuss and recommend a new title for Section 7 of the Food and Product Manual (FPM) in order to clarify its language and intention.
Conversation at the Board meeting touched on coming to a consensus regarding the definition of our “strive to avoid” policy. One MO pointed out that some ingredients found in products we carry on our shelves have been on the banned list. How strictly are we to enforce this policy? What if it’s the only product of its kind available, for example?
Attend one of these committee meetings to add your voice. Then join the October RMM, when we’ll have open discussion.
To underscore the importance of the content AND of us coming together in community, the Board has approved 1 hour of time investment for attending plus 1 additional hour for providing food or beverages (potluck) to nourish our bodies as we feed our minds with information and our spirits with community.
Watch for a way to let us know you’re coming and what tasty potluck treats may be in our future. We can’t wait! To allow as many of us to attend as possible we will offer two showings:
Saturday, Oct. 4 • 10am–12noon
Monday, Oct. 6 • 6:15–8:30pm
We will start on time and leave as much time as possible for sharing so please plan accordingly.
t h a n ks for all you do every day to enrich our community —Karen, Temporary Membership Manager
Deviled Tomato, Anyone?
Herbalist, Member-Owner, and vendor Erin Ethier took a break from farming to send us her photo of a mischievouslooking home-grown tomato.
