Richard Larochelle inducted into Cooperative Hall of Fame By Valerie Setzer
In 2015, the founder of the Fredericksburg Vegetarian Group introduced me to Richard Larochelle (known as "Rich"), who was attending a meeting for the first time. He and his wife recently moved to Fredericksburg from Northern Virginia to be near family after he retired from an electric cooperative career. While chatting, he learned I'd formerly been a member of three food cooperatives, had done research on, and hoped to open a food co-op since moving here in 2007. He immediately expressed the desire to work with me on that, so we began meeting weekly to discuss first steps, and I learned just how extensive his career and knowledge of co-ops was! During his 40-year career, Rich demonstrated his passion for the cooperative business model. He spent nearly a decade with the federal Rural Electrification Administration (REA), and later held senior leadership posts with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation. With his self-effacing manner, Rich consistently fought to improve cooperative consumers' quality of life by offering steadfast encouragement, actively listening to them, properly addressing their concerns, and enhancing communities. His numerous achievements include: encouraging Congress to create the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program (REDL&G); securing passage of the REA Improvement Act of 1992; overcoming a presidential veto of
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the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992; establishing Kauai Island Utility Cooperative in Hawaii; and fashioning a fee structure for the USDA Guaranteed Underwriter Program that delivers sustainable funding for REDL&G. His co-op financial expertise enabled insight and guidance to dozens of decisive studies, and technical assistance that helped electric cooperatives in the Philippines establish the Rural Electrification Finance Corporation. Since retiring, Rich carries his enthusiasm for co-ops by volunteering. Our Fredericksburg Food Cooperative was incorporated in September 2015, with Rich as chair for our board of five directors. He's been a key player in developing the food co-op he and I imagined in 2015. He's educated our board of directors by sharing his knowledge of the co-op business model. We are inspired by Rich's work ethic and expertise as we work to open this cooperative grocery store in Fredericksburg that will focus on locally grown foods, offer a wide selection of natural and organic products, implement sustainable practices, and promote a spirit of community. In only 19 months of recruiting, our member-o owners number 420. When we reach 800, we'll seek a location and coordinate a lease; and at approximately 1,000 member-owners, we'll open a store. While retired, Rich's other pursuits include: serving as an adjunct professor teaching the "cooperative business model" at the University of Mary Washington, and actively volunteering for local causes such as: English as a Second Language (ESL), the Children's Museum, and Downtown Greens. On May 3, 2017, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, Rich Larochelle was inducted into the Cooperative Hall of Fame, established by the National Cooperative Business Association. This is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon individuals that selflessly devote their careers to promote co-o ops. We are immensely proud, and honored to know and work with him as our friend and co-w worker. More information on the Cooperative Hall of Fame is at: www.heroes.coop. For information on becoming a member-owner of the Fredericksburg Food Co-op, go to: fredericksburgfoodcoop.com, or email us at: FXBGfoodcoop@gmail.com; and visit us at Facebook. Valerie Setzer is a board member of the Fredericksburg Food Co-op.
Front porch fredericksburg
Season’s Bounty boone in june
Olde Towne BUTCHER Corner of William & Charles Streets Downtown Fredericksburg
By vanessa moncure No, not a spell-check error in the title, although my erstwhile computer assistant kept auto-correcting - "bone", "boon" and "boomer" were just three annoying "suggestions" replacing my intended subject noun. The noun in question is an endearingly affectionate almost-12-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, who, on his best days will still run with you, sneak leftovers off the kitchen table and guard his property from marauding gangs of squirrels. Old-bone days find him curled on his thick bed, rheumy eyes watching you and tail still thumping when you talk to him or better yet, when you toss him a meat-treat or a braided rawhide. Boone is my grand-dog. I mention this as my daughter, her husband and four of my grandchildren will be shortly leaving Nashville, and will stay a few days and then press on to Maine. Boone has spent assorted nights in a Tennessee kennel and many nights here in Virginia with his family, but never an entire month - and never that long with our dachshund, Noodle, who has a severe Napoleonic complex. He defers to her in all matters - sighing and looking around sadly for another bed when she co-opts his, standing far away from his bowl as she devours what should be his kibble.. No snarling back, no barking - just plain resignation which emphasizes his amazingly tolerant and loving behavior. I guess his sweet nature has been honed through years of roughhousing with his older human boys, but especially testing might be the daily too-much "love" given him by the now three-year-old twin girls. However, this past month my daughter sadly noticed him slowing and limping on their daily runs, losing enthusiasm for ball throw-and-catch and even just halfheartedly nosing his food around before searching out a soft bed in a quiet corner. A unanimous family vote nixed the idea of a non-family month-long kennel stay - so now this week, six of his humans will travel with him to Fredericksburg where his doggrandparents will spoil him a bit for the month - a nice long walk to distract Noodle from Boone's mealtime bowl might be a great place to start. Now, as you're re-checking the column's title - "Season's Bounty" hmmm…..nothing about elderly canine grand-dogs, complaints about autocorrect or the author's grandchildren. But, when we had an aged pet some years ago, I found I could spoil the dog and whip up a delicious oven casserole at the same time - a scoop in their dry food may cause excess bowl-licking and possibly the bowl brought to you as a refill (one of Boone's habits when hungry). Easy to freeze in scoops for small dogs, keeps about five days refrigerated. Hope dog and his humans love this.
OVEN CHICKEN RISOTTO You may not have on hand arborio rice, a short-grain, high-starch traditional Italian rice, but it's necessary for making any kind of risotto, a technique for cooking arborio rice which releases its starch and makes a unique creamy texture when cooked. Usually, risotto is made adding boiling stock to the rice as needed. My Dutch oven version isn't traditional, but is delicious! Also, crimini mushrooms are a better choice than the regular white button - they hold their shape better as they contain less water. In a large shallow bowl, mix together one teaspoon granulated garlic, one-half teaspoon black pepper, one-quarter teaspoon dried thyme leaves, one half teaspoon salt and onequarter cup dried parsley flakes. Cover skin-side only of two whole chicken breasts and two whole chicken thighs (if quite large, cut in half but retain a bit of skin on each piece). Heat two tablespoons canola oil and four tablespoons of butter in large dutch oven on medium high. Place chicken skin-side down and saute until browned - the browning and parsley flakes add to the attractiveness-factor, of course you can use boneless/skinless if dietary needs require - the butter helps with browning. Remove chicken from and set aside (you're just browning one side). Over medium heat, briefly saute eight ounces of thick -sliced cremini mushrooms and one and one-half cups diced onion (I used sliced/diced giant (my garden-sized) spring onions, mostly white and some green, scraping the pan and bringing up browned bits from the chicken. Stir in onehalf teaspoon granulated garlic, one cup of arborio rice and let saute together for about a minute. Pour in four cups of chicken broth, stir around, then place the chicken skin-side up on top of the broth and rice. Cover and bake in preheated 375F oven for about 35-45 minutes, checking occasionally to see if you need more broth. Remove from oven, and when you're serving, place meat on top of risotto. Serve with steamed asparagus or an arugula salad. You can shred Parmesan reggiano cheese over rice if desired. RISOTTO FOR POOCH In another Dutch oven, place one cup rice, four cups of some type of meat broth and about one-half pound of boneless meat - you can use cooked steak, pork or chicken leftovers instead of fresh meat. Cover, and that's it - you don't even need S&P. Never never give onions to a dog (this is in addition to risks of giving them raisins and/or chocolate). They should be ready at about the same time. Enjoy your June - you may recognize me walking an older white Lab with a bossy dachshund in tow - and extra green pick-up bags (not my favorite part of the walk!).
540.370.4105 www.oldetownebutcher.com Hours Monday - Saturday, 9am to 9pm; Sunday, 11am to 6pm Keith Lebor Proprietor
Serving Breakfast Sandwiches 10am ~ 11:30am Lunch 10am ~ 4pm Open Monday ~ Saturday 10am - 4pm 540.371.2233 www.thevirginiadeli.com 826 Caroline corner of Caroline & George Streets
C L THE HAPPY M The Only Thing We “Overlook” is the Rappahannock! Monday ~ Saturday: 11am ~ 9pm Sunday: 12-8pm 1017 Sophia Street
540-899-0140 (ph)
540-899-0141 (fax)
Rand Sompayrac & Richard Moncure, Proprietors front porch fredericksburg
June 2017
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