a free publication of the east end food co-op Volume 33: Issue 1 • January & February 2022
Board of Directors
Board corner Conversations on Resilience How does the East End Food Co-op remain resilient amidst climate change? How can we create a broader network in the food system and make our products more affordable? These are some of the questions we ask during our monthly Resilience Committee meetings. The concept of "resilience" that this committee is founded on is the product of diversity. That is, the more diverse a system or organization is, the more resilient it should be when faced with adversity. You might be thinking, "Wow, this sounds wonderful...but so broad and open-ended!" And, yes, that is actually part of the point. This committee exists as a space for members to brainstorm, discuss, and pinpoint the key issues that the Co-op should consider when looking at the long-term vision of our community. Currently, we are working on a scenario planning activity, where we plan responses and design systems that mitigate short-term and longterm risk areas within the Co-op. For each plausible risk, we discuss solutions and preventative measures; examples include energy disruptions, public health disruptions, national supply chain disruptions, and economic collapse. What really inspires me about this committee is its current member participation. The presence of bright, curious minds is what makes a committee like this shine and flourish. The Resilience Committee is still in its infancy and aims to avoid any fixed state of existence. Resilience, after all, is about being adaptable to new problems, circumstances, and conversations. What would you like this committee to become? What should we consider when brainstorming the long-term vision of the Co-op? Email me directly (trevorring13@gmail.com) or join our committee to share your thoughts! Trevor Ring Board Member & Resilience Committee Chair
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Ariel Barlow '22 Laura Valentine '22 Tom Pandeleon '22 Megan Moffitt '22 Jenise Brown '23 Trevor Ring '23 Marty Seltman '23 Brian Alderman '24 Mia Sorada '24 Debi Johnson '24 The board meets online the third Monday of each month at 7 PM. Members are welcome to join virtually via WebEx. Management Team Maura Holliday General Manager Amber Pertz Cafe Manager Shawn McCullough Finance Manager eric cressley Front End Manager Ian Ryan Grocery Manager Jen Girty HR Manager Erin Myers IT Manager Tyler Kulp Produce Manager Elly Helgen Marketing & Member Services Manager
The East End Food Co-op exists to enhance physical and social health to our community. To these ends, we will create: A sustainable member-owned business open to everyone; An ethical and resilient food infrastructure; A creative vision to transform the future.
The Co-operator is published by: East End Food Co-op 7516 Meade Street, Pittsburgh PA 15208 phone: 412-242-3598 web: www.eastendfood.coop Opinions expressed are writers' own and do not necessarily reflect Co-op policy. Elly Helgen, Editor Debi Johnson, Design & Layout Printed locally by Banksville Express with vegetable-based inks on recycled paper. © East End Food Cooperative 2022
Gm report By: Maura Holliday
Happy New Year! I enjoy looking forward to the opportunities that a new year offers us. And I get super excited when the seed catalogs start arriving in my mailbox! Gardening is a large part of my self-care during the growing months, my mental and physical breath of fresh air each week. When the planting, growing, and harvesting season is put to bed, I need to get creative to keep my self-care going, so I dive into the seed catalogs. Pouring over the countless seeds that I can plant keeps me hopeful when the weather is chilly and the ground is resting. In fact, you may have noticed that seed packets have begun to trickle into the front entrance of the Co-op and will soon fill up that space as we look forward to Spring. We have been keeping busy at the store and are grateful to be through the holiday season. Supply chain struggles continue, and we have seen our fair share of bare shelves in some parts of the store. We have been fortunate not to have been as severely affected as other grocers and co-ops out there and remain diligent in offering alternative options that meet our product standards when there are long-term out-of-stocks. This past summer, we formed our first-ever Diversity & Inclusion Committee comprised of both bargaining unit staff and managers. The committee is working to create a clear path towards a more inclusive place for staff, member-owners, and shoppers. We have crafted a committee charter to guide our work and the first steps in reaching our initial goals. We chose to start by looking at our hiring process and see what we can improve upon there. The first change we have made is to offer paper applications at our Customer Service desk so that if an applicant does not have access to a computer, they are still able to apply. We also shortened our website application and reduced the number of essay-style questions we asked. With a less daunting application to fill out and access to a paper one, this will hopefully lead to more applications coming in to fill open positions. This is just one step of many that need to come, but we are so excited to be taking them. We have a lot to look forward to this year as we keep making progress on our relocation project, and will soon be engaging with all of you for our Capital Campaign. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for upcoming announcements and updates as we work towards growing a resilient future for our Co-op.
join a board committee The East End Food Co-op's Board of Directors is looking for member-owners to join committees. The board convenes a number of committees, including Finance, Member-Owner Participation, Expansion, Resilience, Annual Meeting, Bylaws, and Board Perpetuations and Elections. These committees all play an important role in developing proposals and recommendations to strengthen the governance of our co-op, which are discussed and voted on by the board. Meeting time and frequency varies by committee, but are typically monthly. For more information and to sign up to join a committee contact boardclerk@eastendfood.coop January/February 2022
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By: Candace davis, eefc floral buyer
Vessels, bowls, jars, bud vases (anything that will hold water); sharp scissors, shears, or floral knife; various types of greenery and floral.
Useful but not necessary materials: • Floral Frog - goes into shallow vessels to keep stems upright. Looks like a metal pin cushion or grid.
- Strip leaves that touch the water from floral stems; this will keep the water from becoming cloudy. - Trim ends of stems right before placing them into the vase; this helps water absorb and keeps floral perky. 4 The Co-operator
- Fill your vessel with water about 2 inches below the lip. Room temperature or warm water will encourage closed buds to open.
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• Floral Tape - a waterproof tape that can help stabilize broken stems. Can also be used to create a grid on top of the vessel to keep stems in place. • Floral Foam - a porous foam that you soak until completely saturated. Place into vessel by trimming with a knife. Fill vessel with water also to help hydration and help the floral last longer.
Trim your greenery/ flowers to the size of vessel, but remember to err on the side of too long making tiny cuts until it feels perfect.
There is no wrong way of creating your arrangement. Just tips and tricks to create a full and beautiful centerpiece. A general rule of thumb is adding dense greenery, hydrangea, or lay multiple buds that will create a natural grid for the rest of your arrangement. Use a single type of flower at a time placing them in clusters of 3. Save your "showstoppers" for last so they will pop. Working in a circle, turning the vessel 360 degrees consistently to have full coverage. This will make sure your arrangement has a look of fullness.
Illustrations and Page Design in collaboration with: Candace Davis, EEFC Floral Buyer January/February 2022
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It’s Time To
Ditch Those Resolutions By: Frankie Rain, Licensed Massage Therapist
Embodied Spirit offers Integrated Bodywork, a blend of massage therapy and energy work. They also offer hypnotherapy, yoga, meditation, tarot, and more. They are an LGBTQIA+, body-affirming safe space. Come as you are. www.embodiedspiritpgh.com Take a deep breath. You made it to 2022. After the last two years we have had, that is no small feat. Like every year, you may have set some New Year's resolutions in hopes of gaining some control over your life. The most popular resolution by far is to lose weight, which has been perpetuated by the $4 trillion wellness industry. In addition, we are bombarded with fat shaming from all corners of our lives that target our changing bodies due to extreme stress and trauma. I'm sure it's no surprise to hear New Year's resolutions don't work, and neither does shaming yourself into them. So let's ditch the resolutions entirely. There's a way you can support yourself moving into the New Year that will free you from those failed resolution shame gremlins, and it's incredibly rewarding. It's all about allowing what you want more of into your life and releasing what is no longer serving you. 6 The Co-operator
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Here is what you'll need: • Small scraps of paper, large enough to write a sentence or two • Pen or pencil
• Candle
• Lighter or matches
• Big bowl of water (metal or ceramic) • Trowel (or something to dig with)
Set your space by lighting the candle and filling the bowl of water. Next, think about something you were wanting to resolve — let's say losing weight. Keep in mind, it's rarely ever only about the weight, but something much deeper. It could be tied to security in a partnership, self-worth, trauma from your past, a health condition, or a million other reasons. Whatever it may be, write it down on a small scrap of paper and start a pile. Be honest with yourself. Do this for everything you want to let go of. One by one, burn each scrap of paper in the flame and drop it into the water before it gets to your fingers. For each scrap you burn, also release it with your words (e.g. "I want to let go of my feelings of unworthiness"). When they're all released into the flame, start writing down what you want to call in. An example could be, "I welcome acceptance of my body as it is." After you've made a pile, bury them outside (anywhere you want) or in a potted plant that you may have nearby. You're planting the seeds of what you want to allow into your life. Give thanks to yourself and those that guide you (your higher power, the universe, ancestors, whoever). One way to continue cultivating those seeds is to focus on practices that facilitate reconnection and bring you back home to yourself. In truth, our mind, body, and spirit are always connected, but the sea of stress we're currently living in can make us feel disconnected and out of sorts. Find what feels good; maybe that's dancing with your favorite music (try headphones if you want less distraction), sitting quietly in a comfortable spot with a hot cup of tea, writing, meditation, yoga, or stretching. You also don't have to go it alone — get support from your community, whether that's a trusted friend, a partner, or a healing practitioner, like an integrative bodyworker. The practice of integrating massage therapy and energy work has not only helped me reconnect, but it has given me the permission to live in my body as it is. Whatever you choose to do this New Year, allow yourself to welcome in some very important truths— you are exactly where you're supposed to be at every turn, food and weight are not moral issues, your body is a good body in all of the forms it takes, and you are without doubt worthy of love and belonging. Embodied Spirit is a new Co-op Community Partner! They offer Co-op member-owners a 10% discount.
January/February 2022
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fresh mango muffins
cheese tortellini salad w/ spinach
Prep Time: 20 Minutes Total Time: 45 Minutes Yield: 12 Servings (Dozen Muffins)
Total Time: 30 Minutes Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
SALAD • 1 ½ pounds store-bought cheese-filled tortellini • 3 ounces fresh baby spinach • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved • 1 cup scallions, sliced • 2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour • ¼ cup white sugar • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1 pinch salt • 3 eggs • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted • 3 cups mango - peeled, pitted, and cubed
Instructions:
1). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners. 2). Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Beat eggs, cream, and butter until smooth in another large bowl. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture until batter is moistened. Fold mango into batter until just combined. Evenly divide batter into prepared muffin cups. 3). Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Nutritional Information:
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Instructions:
1). For the dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients and set aside. 2). For the pasta: In a medium pot, bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook until al dente, about 7-9 minutes. Drain and cool. 3). Combine the sliced tomatoes, cooled tortellini, basil and scallions. Pour over the dressing and let sit for 15 minutes, stirring often.
Calories: 169, Fat: 7.2G, Cholesterol: 63.5MG, Sodium: 102.3MG, Carbohydrates: 23.6G, Fiber: 1.2G, Protein: 3.5G Recipe credit: www.allrecipes.com
DRESSING • ½ cup olive oil • ½ cup lemon juice • 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced • ¼ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
4). Tear the spinach into the bowl and mix to combine.
Nutritional Information:
Calories: 481, Fat: 22G, Cholesterol: 25MG, Sodium: 471MG, Carbohydrates: 62G, Fiber: 5G, Protein: 11G
January/February 2022
Peanut butter protein balls
Pull Apart cheese bread
Active Time: 15 Minutes Total Time: 1 Hour & 15 Minutes Yield: 28 Servings
Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes Yield: 10 Servings
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds • 2 tablespoons flax seeds • 2 tablespoons almond milk • 3/4 cup natural peanut butter, unsweetened • ¼ cup honey • ¼ teaspoon salt • 1 cup rolled oats • ½ cup mini-chocolate chips
• 1 loaf crusty rustic bread • 1 stick salted butter • 1 bunch green onions, minced • 2 tablespoons parsley, minced • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese • 1 cup shredded mozzarella • 1 tablespoon onion powder • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Instructions:
1). In a large bowl, combine the chia seeds, flax seeds and almond milk and stir. Let stand until thick, about 5 minutes. 2). Add the peanut butter, honey and salt to the seed mixture in the bowl and stir thoroughly. Add the oats and chocolate chips and stir to mix. 3). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop level tablespoons of the mixture and roll each into a ball, then place on the prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm, about an hour. 4). Transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Can also be frozen for up to 4 months. Thaw in refrigerator for 1 hour or at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating.
Nutritional Information:
Calories: 80, Fat: 4.5G, Cholesterol: 0MG, Sodium: 50MG, Carbohydrates: 11G, Fiber: 1G, Protein: 2G
Instructions:
1). Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit. 2). Cut the bread loaf in a 1 inch grid pattern without slicing all the way through and place it on a lightly oiled baking sheet. 3). Melt butter in a small saucepan along with the onion and garlic powder. Using a pastry brush, brush the butter into all of the cracks taking care to brush the sides of the bread. Sprinkle the white and light green parts of the green onion along with the cheese into the cracks. 4). Bake the loaf covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with remaining green onions and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information:
Calories: 287, Fat: 20G, Cholesterol: 60MG, Sodium: 460MG, Carbohydrates: 14G, Fiber: 0G, Protein: 11G Photo and Recipe credit: www.themodernproper.com
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RESOURCES for EMOTIONAL RESILIENCY Good Grief Network: www.goodgriefnetwork.org A unique 10-Step Program that helps individuals and communities build resilience by creating spaces where people can lean into their painful feelings about the state of the world and re-orient their lives toward meaningful action.
New Stories for a Changing World
If you’re feeling anxious about climate change, you’re not alone. Ecoanxiety is in the news a lot these days, and I’m glad to see people talking about it because, at some level, we’re all suffering the effects of planetary devastation. Feeling depressed or anxious about this does not mean there’s something wrong with us. It’s completely natural to feel pain, fear, grief, and other emotions — because we all care deeply about our world. It’s important to recognize these feelings and attend to them (see sidebar for resources). And it’s important to find relevant stories to help us navigate our rapidly changing world. The climate crisis, along with most of the underlying, related problems we face, is largely due to the pervading narratives we live by — narratives of separation, conquest, and control. It’s “a crisis of story, of culture, and thus of the imagination,” as Amitav Ghosh says. In 2016, Ghosh looked at our inability as a society to confront this inconceivable problem in The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable. For the most part, nearly all of our significant stories, he said — in politics, history, and particularly literature — were failing to deal with the enormity of the change we’re facing. And while this is still largely the case, there has been a noticeable increase in stories directly involving climate change. Your Co-op is offering a variety of these new stories, both fiction and nonfiction.
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Visible Hands Collaborative: www.visiblehandscollaborative. org A Pittsburgh-based father/ daughter team provides training in Integrative Community Therapy, a large-group dialogic therapy that facilitates community conversation, creates and reinforces social support networks, and promotes emotional solidarity, collective healing, and resiliency. Climate Psychiatry Alliance: www.climatepsychiatry.org Climate Psychology Alliance North America: www.climatepsychology.us Raise awareness of the effects of climate change on mental health and provide directories of climate-conscious therapists. Radical Support Collective: www.radicalsupport.org Supports climate action and social justice leaders, offering coaching and training for individuals and teams, as well as custom-designed workshops, private coaching groups, and public programs.
BOOKS: Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in without Going Crazy—Joanna Macy All the Feelings Under the Sun: How to Deal with Climate Change—Leslie Davenport
One new novel, The Inland Sea, by Madeleine Watts, eloquently juxtaposes personal and planetary emergencies through the character of a young writer working as a 911 operator in Sydney. Numbing herself to the disasters she fields eight hours a day during a blazing hot Australian summer, the nameless narrator becomes more and more dysfunctional. As she self-destructs, she thinks about her great-great-great-great-grandfather, an early British colonizer who searched for a nonexistent inland sea.
MORE FICTION: Appleseed—Matt Bell Hummingbird Salamander —Jeff VanderMeer Ministry for the Future, by Kim Stanley Robinson Oryx and Crake —Margaret Atwood The Overstory—Richard Powers Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents—Octavia Butler
In contrast to this “magnificently uncomfortable” and “painfully beautiful” read, we have a collection of fiction, artwork, and poetry called Sunvault: Stories of Solarpunk and Eco-speculation. Solarpunk, both a lifestyle and a cultural movement, focuses on eco-friendly futures built by co-operative and inclusive societies. It offers alternatives to the dystopian worlds we often find in film and literature — visions that may only inspire helplessness while waiting for The Apocalypse. If, instead of giving up, we decide to change the way we live now, we need stories that acknowledge our present reality, stories that provide insight, and stories that help us imagine something different.
INSIGHT: Climate: A New Story —Charles Eisenstein The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis—Amitav Ghosh Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World —Katherine Hayhoe Emergence Magazine (online) Orion Magazine
We also urgently need a diversity of voices. So we’ll be offering as many different perspectives as we can, including: All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, writings by 60 women at the forefront of the climate movement; Tales of Two Planets: Stories of Climate Change and Inequality in a Divided World, John Freeman, ed.; A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis, by Vanessa Nakate; and two books by young leaders in the climate movement, Diary of a Young Naturalist, by Dara McAnulty, and Warmth: Coming of Age at the End of Our World, by Daniel Sherrell.
FOOD & DIET: Food is the Solution: What to Eat to Save the World —Matthew Prescott Kiss the Ground: How the Food You Eat Can Reverse Climate Change, Heal Your Body & Ultimately Save Our World —Josh Tickell Sitopia: How Food Can Save the World—Carolyn Steel PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The Atlas of a Changing Climate—Brian Buma How to Prepare for Climate Change—David Pogue
As Catholic priest and “geologian” Thomas Berry (Dream of the Earth, The Great Work) said, “We will go into the future as one Earth community or we will not go at all.” And Ghosh, in his work, calls for writers to give voice and agency to that larger Earth community. Two important books to consider in this light are Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change, by Sherri Mitchell, and The Red Deal: Indigenous Actions to Save Our Earth, by The Red Nation. Both advocate Indigenous leadership, deep decolonization, and a radical transformation of our relationships with each other, with all our relatives — winged, scaled, rooted and all — and with the land itself. Hear! Hear!… Or, I should say, Read! Read!
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staff picks
leah leah
luke
Selena selena
Steel Cup Coffee Roasters Colombia Roast: "Local, delicious, balanced cup of coffee!"
Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base: "Kitchen Lifesaver!"
SweeTango Apples: "The most important thing in the store."
comment cards Hoping to see ashwagandha tea in our bulk tea selection. We have powdered ashwagandha in bulk. There are no plans to carry the whole root, but you can special order it in a 4 oz or 1 lb bag. -Chad, Bulk Herbs Please restock the capsule-making machine in the bulk herb section! So helpful! Absolutely! Our distributor was sold out for a little while but they are back and currently on their way! -Chad, Bulk Herbs Can you order Blue Chamomile Aubrey Shampoo? Unfortunately, this product was not selling well. It is still available through one of our distributors so if you are a member we can special order it for you! - Amanda, Health & Beauty Can you order The Challah Raisin Braid from Mediterra? We do not carry this. If you're a member you are welcome to place a special order! - Berry, Bread 12 The Co-operator
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It would be good to have regular teaspoons for bulk spices. Some spoons are messy for most spice jars! I will take that into consideration for the future, but for now there is a mix of soup spoons and tea spoons. There are also some spice jar-sized funnels you can use. - Chad, Bulk Herbs I love the veggie chicken (vegan) lunch packet. I think the brand is Asmars? Will you be getting that back in? It's the only one w/o onion and garlic. Yes, they changed how we order it so we'll have it back. Also, the brand is Sunneen Foods. Friday delivery only. - Evan, Perishable I'm looking for eco-friendly spoons, forks & knives for parties. I'll bring in the World Centric cornstarch cutlery. - Jared, Grocery Can you order cauliflower pizza crust without egg? I'll look for one, thanks! -Evan, Perishable
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Employees of the Month! Breezy
Parker Parker has been in specialty grocery for 9 years. He’s been a stockroom supervisor at the Coop for one year and loves being a part of this truly special store. Outside of the Co-op, he enjoys Chinese tea culture, watching movies, and spending quality time with his partner and cat.
Having always been interested in natural foods & remedies, Breezy aspired to work at a co-op and has been at EEFC for 2.5 years now. When not at work, Breezy enjoys playing video games, watching movies, being out in nature, listening to music, and hanging with their cat (and BFF!), Cici.
register round up To support these organizations, tell your cashier to Round Up your total at the register! Register Round Up Funds raised to date: $196,687.14
JANUARY Recipient
FEBRUARY Recipient
Advances the protection of all animals by empowering people to affect change through education, policy, and community action. www.humaneactionpittsburgh.org
Brew House Association Provides space and support for people to connect and expand their relationship with the arts. www.brewhousearts.org
April 2013 - November 2021
January/February 2022
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