Fall News 2021

CO OP BEET THE

FAL L 2021

HOW-TO...GIFT BASKETS FOR THE HOLIDAYS p. 6

Gold Medal Wine p. 8

Co-op Café Staff Favorites p. 9

FREE

E DI TOR 'S L E TTE R

A natural foods cooperative since 1976 AS THE HOLIDAY SEASON NEARS, once again we are imagining celebrating with loved ones in light of the return to masking due to increased positive COVID cases in our community. I have to remind myself to focus on at least one positive thing every day with gratitude, whether it be big or small. By starting each day this way, I’ve realized my list of things to be grateful for is a large one.

We certainly have had an exciting year at the Co-op. We patiently waited for the completion of our expansion/remodel project, and now offer tasty new food options that are house made by our café team. We successfully jumped through all the hurdles and here we are today seeing happy shoppers enjoying our food while seated in the lovely dining area as well as in the refreshed store.

This is our 45th anniversary year for the Co-op. We are ever so proud to be supported by our local community. We work hard to continue to access quality, local, and organic food for you and your families with our knowledge and compassion. Thank you for the opportunity.

This past July we were very fortunate not to lose our Co-op when an internal fire ignited at the dry cleaners next door to us. I cannot tell you what went through my mind when I received the call from our security company at 4:15 A.M. that there was a fire. I ran down to the store and witnessed huge hot flames that were going strong. The amazing teamwork of firefighters saved the Co-op from burning down and I am ever so grateful to all of them. A huge thank you for the incredible work that they do in our community!

October is our annual membership drive. Without our members we would not exist.

We hope that we can inspire more community members to join our Co-op and be part of a locally owned and operated business. Thank you for your continued support and keeping your dollars local. The support for one another is so important.

GRATITUDE

In Cooperation, Lori Rosenberg

We envision a community in which everyone has access to healthy food, where Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op is a vital part of the local food system.

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Store hours 7:00am - 8:00pm Organic Espresso & Juice Bar 7:00am - 7:00pm Soup & Salad Bar 10:30am - 7:00pm Bowl'd Bar 11:00am-7:00pm M-Sat 721 South State Street Ukiah, CA 95482 707 462-4778 www.ukiahcoop.com e-mail: UNF@ukiahcoop.com

UNF Management General Manager Lori Rosenberg Facilities Dan Thompson-Sagehorn Finance Anne Wright Café Sebastian Knox Front End Lodie DeAlba Grocery Chris Jepson Human Resources Susan Winter Information Technology Tasha Jelen Marketing & Outreach Yvonne Boyd

UKIAH NATURAL FOODS CO-OP GENERAL MANAGER

VISION

OPEN EVERY DAY TO EVERYONE

MISSION

Produce Libee Uhuru Wellness / Health & Beauty Katie McClure

To sell trusted food, with knowledge and compassion.

Co-op Beet

PURPOSE

Managing Editor Yvonne Boyd

Provide and promote organically grown, sustainably produced food, goods, and services that are locally and regionally sourced whenever possible.

Promote the health and wellness of our community by providing facilities, resources, and information, and by offering effective, positive community education and services.

Embody and model sustainable, humane, equitable, green ways of working and living, creating and maintaining an ideal workplace.

Add to the enjoyment and enrichment of our greater community ventures and networks.

Editor Lori Rosenberg Art Director Nicole Martensen - Tierra Design Contributors Lori Rosenberg, Yvonne Boyd, MaryLou Leonard, Haley Moore, Chris Jepson, Sara Balsaldua, Escarled Simon, Amanda Slade, Martha Vargas, Katie Woods, Andre Fransen, Marilyn Kaye Views expressed in the Co-op Beet are the writers’ opinions and are not necessarily the views of Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op.

ME SSAG E F ROM LORI 2

G I F T B A SK E TS 6-7

Feeling grateful

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All the benefits/ Todos los beneficios 9-10

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Pedal to the Co-op!

A commitment to clean, local food with Chris Jepson

FA L L HA P P E NINGS AT T HE CO-OP

ME SSAG E F ROM THE B OA RD P RE SI D E NT 5

Staff holiday favorites

F URTHE R

Plan your holiday meals ahead

NE W B I K E RACK 4

Mendo County gold

RE CI P E S

ORD E R YOUR TURK E Y 4

How to make a spectacular one

A WA RD -W I NNING WINES

ME MB E RSHI P D RI V E / CA MPA ÑA D E ME MB RE SÍ A 3

C ONTE NTS

THE FALL ISSUE

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Calendar of events

Community resilience

October is NEW Membership Drive Month! ¡Octubre es el mes dirigida a la membresía NUEVA! What are the benefits of becoming a member?

¿Cuales son los beneficios de ser un miembro? . Descuentos

. Member-owner appreciation discounts.

de agradecimiento para miembros-propietarios. Obtenga un 10 % de descuento en las compras el día de su elección. Válido por un día cada trimestre.

Get 10 % off shopping on the day of your choice. Valid for one day each quarter.

. Member-owners

65 and over always receive a permanent 2% - 4% discount.

Ask how!

. Los

propietarios de miembros de 65 años o más siempre reciben un 2% - 4% de descuento permanente. ¡Pregunte cómo!

. Member-owners

save 10% when you special order a case of a product. Visit Customer Service to special order.

. Los propietarios de miembros ahorran

. Vote for the board of directors, run for

un 10% cuando piden un caso de un producto. Visite servicios al cliente para un pedido especial.

the board of directors.

. Patronage

Dividends - profits may be shared with member-owners during profitable years.

. Receive a special 10% off coupon when you become a fair share member.

. Votar por la junta directiva, postular por JOIN IN OCTOBER AND RECEIVE A 100% COTTON TOTE BAG AND ENTER TO WIN A $100 CO-OP GIFT CARD! ¡REGISTRATE EN OCTUBRE Y RECIBE UNA BOLSA TOTE HECHA 100% DE ALGODON Y ENTRA A GANAR UNA TARJETA DE REGALO DE $100 CO-OP!

la junta directiva.

. Dividendos

de mecenazgo - los beneficios pueden ser compartido con los miembros-propietarios durante años lucrativos.

. Recibir un cupón especial de 10% de descuento cuando te conviertes en en un miembro activo.

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C OMMU NI TY

Got a bike?

We Have A Bike Rack!

By Yvonne Boyd UKIAH NATURAL FOODS CO-OP MARKETING COORDINATOR

Tim Bottom (ABOVE) feels that metal has the capacity to be both functional and beautiful.

HOW ABOUT PEDALING OVER to the Coop, parking your bike in the new custom made rack by Union Ore Blacksmith Studio, and grabbing a drink or some food at the Co-op Café?

Tim Bottom is the artist behind Union Ore. Originally from Mendocino, Tim learned blacksmithing at Mendocino Art Center and has lived in Ukiah for 3 years now. Tim crafted the new bike rack completely from recycled and repurposed materials. He used ½ inch round metal from an 1890 redwood water tank band, old grape trellis stakes, and made the signature beet or beet/nip, as Tim calls it, out of an old fire extinguisher then infused it with bronze for a cool effect. The result is unique, and we love it.

Tim and his wife are both shoppers of the Co-op and we are thrilled to have this custom rack as part of our new expansion.

To see more of Tim’s work, you can find him on Facebook at Union Ore Blacksmith Studio, Instagram @unionoreblacksmith or unionore.com. To contact him directly, email Tbottom13@gmail.com.

Order your turkey for the

HOLIDAYS! Choose from Mary’s non-GMO free-range turkeys and Willie Bird organic free-range turkeys. Please call us at 707.462.4778 to reserve your turkey beginning November 1.

Pick up begins in store on Saturday, November 20.

Turkeys will be available for pre-order for Christmas.

Hams, ducks & Cornish game hens will be available too!

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Non-GMO, Free-Range | $3.99/lb* available sizes: 8-12 lbs 13-16 lbs 17-20 lbs 20-24 lbs

Certified Organic, Free-Range | $5.49/lb* available sizes: 10-14 lbs 15-18 lbs 19-20 lbs *Over the past year feed prices have doubled and our cost has increased. As a result in order to continue providing these amazing turkeys for you our prices have also increased.

ME S S AG E FROM THE B OAR D

BOARD OF DIRECTORS board@ukiahcoop.com

LEO B UC vice president

AN G I E M CC H E S N E Y secretary

J OH N B A I L E Y treasurer

LAR R Y M AY FI E L D

EACH TIME I WRITE ONE OF these notes for the Co-op Beet I think, ok we’re going to focus on the future and the positive!

How many trials can your Co-op and its staff encounter [besides disease, drought, fire!!] and continue to be here (almost) every day providing wonderful food and excellent service to its community of shoppers. We cannot thank the staff enough for their dedication.

We look forward to the fall harvest abundance, cooler weather, maybe some rain, and the joy of the holidays. We’ll soon be asking you to order your organic turkeys, stocking up on pies and seasonally appropriate produce.

Thank you for continuing to see and use the Co-op as the wonderful community resource to which it has become.

In Cooperation, Marylou Leonard

MA RYLOU L E ONA RD president

RESILIeNCE

UKIAH NATURAL FOODS CO-OP BOARD PRESIDENT

director

ST E V E N O L I V E R I A director

BET H S A LO M O N E director

20% OFF

, Beauty & Wellne h t l a e H ss all Thursday, December 16 includes supplements, tinctures, lotions & potions! fill your holiday gift basket: see our recomendations on pages 6-7

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How To Make A Great Gift Basket

By Hayley Moore

UKIAH NATURAL FOODS CO-OP HEALTH & BEAUTY CLERK

Gift baskets are such a fun and beautiful way of showing your appreciation! Whether it is as a thank you, for a birthday, or just to send love, they add a special personal touch to gifting that won’t go unnoticed. Here are some tips that will get you started on your way to creating an unforgettable basket.

1

PICK A THEME

Choose your items based on your goal theme. Are you trying to stay local? Do you prefer woman owned and eco friendly? Do

Journals, mugs, and beeswax candles make great additions, all available at the Co-op.

2

CHOOSE A BASKET AND FILL YOUR BASKET BASE

When choosing a basket, remember that the basket itself can very much be a part of the gift. If they love cooking, consider a fruit bowl or mixing bowl to build from. If they love to shop, a roomy purse or market basket are wonderful options. As for filling the base, I have found that tissue paper works the best for me, but there are many options including fabric, grass, or recycled paper.

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BUILD FROM THE BACK TO THE FRONT

Heavy, bulkier items should be placed at the back to avoid crushing or covering smaller items.

you just want gifts for a really great spa day?

Here at the Co-op, we strive to bring in items that will benefit our community both from the side of the producer as well as the customer. Buying local keeps it local! We also love supporting women in business and when buying from other countries we keep informed about worker conditions and fair trade pay. Your dollars matter and giving a gift can start by making a gift of choice in your products. For this basket I chose items from predominantly women owned companies, including many local ones, and decided to keep a fall color theme.

For the chef on your list: wine, crackers, olives, and artisan utensils. Check our homegoods aisle for special kitchenware.

The most fun thing for me about making a basket is being able to add creative extras. Ribbon, a gift tag, a beautiful card, even some flowers or sprigs of greenery will catch the eye and also help to fill your basket out.

G I VI NG

4 ADD SOME FLAIR! Remember that you are giving a gift that you put time and heart into. Making your own variations on a basket is your personal touch and that is a gift in itself! Happy creating!

Haley shares some of her favorite products at the Co-op that are perfect for creating a bountiful gift basket!

Magic Fairy Candles, Self Love Soap $8.35

Root Girl Herbals, Moon Dance Body Oil $26.69

Blue Heron Botanicals, Ruby Red Grapefruit Lip Tint, $6.69

Magic Fairy Candles, Full Moon Bath Bomb $10.45

Wild Carrot, Love In a Mist Facial Toner $19.99 Masala Cards, Owl Card $4.19 Honey Mama’s Chocolate, Cocoa Truffle Bar $2.85 Wild Crafted Rebel, Ylang Ylang Serum $13.35

Witch In the Woods.

Herbal Hand Sanitizer $4.99

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THE TAS TE TE S T

42nd Mendocino County Fair

Wine Competition

By Amanda Slade

UKIAH NATURAL FOODS CO-OP WINE BUYER

REPRESENTING UKIAH NATURAL FOODS CO-OP as the Beer and Wine Buyer definitely has its perks, and one I really enjoy is being invited to events that I would not have had the opportunity to be a part of otherwise. I recently had the pleasure of being a judge at the 42nd Mendocino Wine County Fair Competition. Being part of a distinguished panel of some of the greats in the industry, who have many years experience in wine judging and the wine community, was a highlight. Everyone involved could not have been more gracious, intelligent, and extremely down to earth.

Many of the wines we judged are carried here at the Co-op: Husch, Barra, Brutocao, Boonville Road, McNab, Graziano Family

of Wines, Bock Wine and Spirits, McFadden, Father’s and Daughters, Frey, Rural Wine Company, Roederer, Scharffenberger, Bergin-Sipila Vineyards, and Meyer Family Cellars. My job at the Co-op is to promote local Mendocino Wines and present them to you, our customers. I want to bring in as many local wine producers as I can and promote the amazing and innovative artists we have in this supportive, sweet community. I also want people to know how much labor and love goes into each bottle of wine, from the early stages of the grape growing, to picking grapes in the cold Autumn mornings, the bottling process, and then packing the bottles in boxes to get to you, the consumer. While I was tasting all these phenomenal wines, I could definitely taste the different com-

"I WANT TO PROMOTE THE AMAZING AND INNOVATIVE ARTISTS WE HAVE..."

GOLD Category: Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 HUSCH CABERNET SAUVIGNON $22.99

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plexities, depths, and layers in each wine.

It really was an honor to be considered for this role and it is one that I will take with me wherever I go.

A huge shout out to Bernadette Byrne, Executive Director for Mendocino Winegrowers Inc., for putting this event together, and to my fellow judges Dan Berger, Jim Gordon, Laura Ness, Chris Sawyer, Greg Richtarek, Ziggy Eschliman, Marsella Charron, and Wilfred Wong with whom I had the honor of sharing this amazing and humbling experience. Thank you to all the winemakers and wineries who produce such a special niche of wines in this community. We appreciate you, we see you, and we value your hard work.

Congratulations to all of the participants, and to all the winners.

DOUBLE GOLD Category: Blush and Rosé Bock Wine And Spirits, 2020 CHANCE CREEK ROSATO DI SANGIOVESE $14.39

DOUBLE GOLD Category: Pinot Noir 2019 RURAL WINE COMPANY PINOT NOIR $22.99

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Martha Vargas, Café Clerk

Andre Fransen, Kitchen Lead

GATHER We're looking forward to sharing some celebratory meals with friends and family, and who better to ask for recipe recommendations than our Co-op Café staff? From savory to sweet, these favorite family recipes have you covered.

Marilyn Kaye, Café Clerk

Kati Woods, Café Clerk

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Tamales de Piña (Pineapple Tamales)

Brown Sugar Bourbon Glazed Ham

Ingredients: 30 sweet corn husks 2 pounds of fresh corn masa dough ½ tsp baking soda 2 Tbsp warm water, as needed 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup vegetable shortening or lard (for extra flavor), at room temperature.

1 cup white sugar 2 ½ cups of pineapple, cut into chunks

Ingredients: 8-10 pound smoked ham 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup bourbon 2 Tbsp whole grain mustard 1 Tbsp cornstarch 1 Tbsp ground cumin 1 Tbsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground allspice ½ tsp cayenne pepper 2 tsp salt

Preparation: 1. Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 30 to 6o mins. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.

2. While corn husks are soaking, combine masa dough, baking soda, and water in a bowl. Knead until dough has a smooth and even consistency, adding more water, 1 tsp at a time, as needed. Don’t add too much water, to have a nice consistency.

3. Beat butter, vegetable shortening or lard, and sugar together in a second bowl with electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Slowly add masa and knead until mixture has a uniform consistency. Mix in chopped pineapple.

4. Spread about 1 tablespoon masa mixture onto a corn husk. Fold the bottom of the husk over the filling, then fold sides of husk together, one over the other. Finally fold the top of the husk into the tamale, making a little package. Repeat with remaining husks.

5. Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low. Add tamales with the open side up and cook covered until filling is heated through and separates from the husk, about 1 hour.

Preparation: 1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil and lay the ham on it, flat side down.

2. Score the ham with cuts one inch and ¼ inch deep. Do this in two directions creating a grid pattern over the entire surface of the ham.

3. In a medium bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients for the glaze. Rub half the glaze over the surface of the ham and bake for 45 mins.

4. Pull the ham out of the oven, rub the rest of the glaze over the ham, and place it back in the over for 45-75 mins, or until dark and crispy.

Green Bean Casserole

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Ingredients: 1 lb. of green beans trimmed, and in a large pan of boiling water cook until bright green and about 6 mins.

2 cups cream 2 cans of condensed cream soup 2 cups shredded cheese 2 cups French fried onions ¼ cup diced onions 1 cup sliced mushrooms

Ingredients: Crust: your favorite pie crust dough Filling: 6-7 large apples, cored, peeled, thinly sliced (Granny smith, Pink lady, Honey crisp) ½ cup sugar 2 Tbsp lemon juice ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¼ tsp cloves ¼ tsp nutmeg 1 ½ tsp cinnamon Streusel Topping: ½ cup old fashioned oats ½ cup packed brown sugar ¼ tsp cinnamon ¼ cup flour ¼ cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

Preparation: 1. Mix green beans, diced onions, 1 ½ cup of French onions, 1 ½ cups of cheese and mushrooms together in a separate bowl.

2. In another bowl, combine soup mix and cream until smooth.

3. Mix both mixes together until all the green beans are fully covered.

Then add the mixture into a 13x9” casserole dish and put in the oven for 30 to 35 mins at 350 degrees.

4. For the last 10 mins, sprinkle ½ of French-fried onions and ½ cup of cheese on top.

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Preparation: 1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Filling: Place apple slices in a large bowl. Add lemon, sugar, flour, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon.

3. Streusel Topping: Whisk oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

4. Roll out chilled pie dough on floured surface until 12” in diameter. Place in a deep pie pan. Trim any overhang, and crimp edges. Fill with apples. Top with streusel. Cover loosely with foil.

Set pan on baking sheet and bake for 30 mins. Remove foil and continue to bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 4 hours, then drizzle with salted caramel.

G ROC E RY

FURTHER

By Chris Jepson UKIAH NATURAL FOODS CO-OP GROCERY MANAGER

The Co-op carries over 6,000 organic products.

The total organic acreage farmed in Mendocino County is approximately 14,000 acres.

THE TRANSITION FROM FALL INTO WINTER often triggers a need to reflect over the last year and look forward to the next. Life slows if only for a moment and sometimes if we are lucky there is room in our busy lives for some thoughtful consideration. Families and friends are drawn together in some form or another and conversations often wander to the chaos of the prior year and the uncertainty of the next.

Looking back can be painful, especially knowing now what we didn’t know then.

Have we done enough? Did our actions make the world a better place? Could we have done better? Taken things further? A resounding YES to all of these questions.

We did our best with the resources and information we had at our disposal. But also equally true, of course we could have done better and, knowing what we do now, we have to do better!

For me, everything revolves around food. Buying and selling food is my living, growing food is my relaxation, and cooking food is my art.

Your life likely has some differences but the core idea remains the same. You do something and owe it to yourself, and all the rest of us, to do it even better. To push past what was once good enough and strive for something that wasn’t attainable at the time but just might be now. I don’t know what pushing things further looks like for you; you are the expert on what you do and know what needs improving. With food I know at least a few of the attributes I’m chasing, maybe some of them apply to your passions as well.

Food should be clean! Non-gmo is a start, organic is better, but there is no such

thing as clean enough. We must always be asking, how much cleaner can it be?

Not damaging the land isn’t enough. The production of food should have a positive impact on the land and the human and non-human communities that live on it. A reduction in packaging is great, but honestly no amount of plastic should be entering the waste stream. A commitment to local sourcing cuts down on fossil fuels burned for transportation, but how local can we get?

Certainly we have made progress but there is so much further to go.

I’m encouraged and inspired by the resilience I see in our local producers, they have not taken the easy route. Competing on the marketplace against giant companies is full of risks and the playing field has never been level. The last few years have brought fires, droughts, shortages of goods and labor, increasing prices of feed and packaging, and a host of other unanticipated difficulties. And yet I see new local producers all the time, the drive to produce and create on a smaller scale continues to grow. Perhaps these chaotic times are providing the inspiration to do it yourself, do it better, and share it with the rest of us. I can only hope so.

"Food should be clean! Nongmo is a start, organic is better..."

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What's Happening OCTOBER, NOVEMBER & DECEMBER

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1 – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31 Membership Drive Join the Co-op this month and receive a 100% cotton bag + enter to win a $100 Co-op gift card.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15 – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17 Pumpkinfest 2021 Co-op Sponsorship

MONDAY, OCTOBER 18

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 15

MONDAY, DECEMBER 20

Board of Directors Meeting – 5:30pm All members invited to attend.

Email lr@ukiahcoop.com for location details.

Board of Directors Meeting – 5:30pm All members invited to attend.

Email lr@ukiahcoop.com for location details.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24

Turkey pick-ups begin

Christmas Eve Store Hours 7am-4pm

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25 Thanksgiving Day Store Closed

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25 Christmas Day Store Closed

Board of Directors Meeting – 5:30pm All members invited to attend.

Email lr@ukiahcoop.com for location details.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1 Reserve your Christmas Turkey!

Stop by customer service or call (707) 462-4778

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16

SATURDAY, JANUARY 1

20% off all Health, Beauty, and Wellness products.

New Year’s Day Regular store hours 7am-8pm

Reserve your Thanksgiving Turkey!

Stop by customer service or call (707) 462-4778

New Year’s Eve Regular store hours 7am-8pm

INTERNATIONAL CO-OP PRINCIPLES 1.

2.

3.

Voluntary & Open Membership Democratic Member Control Member Economic Participation

7.

4.

5.

6.

Autonomy & Independence Education, Training & Information Cooperation Among Co-ops

Concern for the Community