Coop Scoop Winter 2014

Issue #401

Winter 2014

Printed with soy ink on recycled paper

In This Issue

Urban Decay — Troy’s Community Composting Initiative Page 6

Hibernating with Houseplants gardener’s diary

14

Hydraulic Fracturing in NYS community & green living

18

open every day 8am - 10pm

Honest

Weight

Honest Weight is a member-owned and-operated consumer cooperative that is committed to providing the community with affordable, high quality natural foods and products for healthy living. Our mission is to promote more equitable, participatory and ecologically sustainable ways of living. We welcome all who choose to participate in a community which embraces cooperative principles, shares resources, and creates economic fairness in an atmosphere of cooperation and respect for humanity and the earth.

Board of Directors Vice President

Bill Frye

Treasurer

Hilary Yeager

Secretary

Committee Liaisons

(518) 482-2667 [482-COOP] coop@honestweight.coop Lily Bartels, Duke Bouchard, and Lexa Juhre make up Honest Weight’s Leadership Team

leadership Team

(518) 482-2667 + ext.

Finance Manager

Alfred Bouchard

(x107)

Systems Leader

Lexa Juhre

(x101)

Communications Leader

Lily Bartels

(x116)

merchandising manager

Sandra Manny

(x120)

Communications

Roman Kuchera

Outreach Coordinator

Amy Ellis

(x128)

Finance

Hilary Yeager

Marketing manager

Jennifer Grainer

(x106)

Governance Review Council

Bill Frye

Education Coordinator

Colie Collen

(x219)

Membership

Marwin Margolies

Front End Manager

Katie Centanni

(x109)

Nonprofit

Bill Frye

Bulk Manager

Tom Gillespie

(x130)

Nutrition & Education

Rebekah Rice, Erin Shaw

Cheese Manager

Tom Macgregor

(x118)

Personnel

Ron Royne

Food Service Manager

Donna Quinn

(x108)

Strategic Planning

Lynne Lekakis, Sam Messina

Grocery Manager

David Aubé

(x119)

Meat Manager

Nick Bauer

(x113)

operations Manager

Jenn Felitte

(x103)

Wellness Manager

Kevin Johnston

(x111)

want to advertise?

2

out and about Update from the Outreach Department

4

Food in the community Taste the Love

8

Producer profiles Palatine Cheese Liquid Assets Coffee Gatherers Granola

13

Gardener’s Diary Hibernating with Houseplants

14

february focus Heart Healthy Eating

16

only you can prevent faucet fires Honest Weight and the Antifracking Movement

18

Member profile Abe Hmiel

17

eco-consciousness and eco-consumption

20

www.honestweight.coop

Ned DePew

Contact Kim Morton at (518) 330-3262 or kim.a.morton@gmail.com

6-7

Columns

100 Watervliet Avenue Albany, NY 12206

Bylaws Panel

Interested in joining a committee?

Contact: board@honestweight.coop

urban decay Community Composting in Troy

contact us

Leif Hartmark, chair

Erin Shaw

Feature

Honest Weight is currently located at 100 Watervliet Avenue in Albany, New York.

Governance Review Council Lynne Lekakis

table of

contents

FOOD CO-OP

behind the Co-op President

message from the leadership team

The contents of the Coop Scoop are for information purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read in the Coop Scoop.

Coop Scoop

Welcome to the inaugural issue of the redesigned Coop Scoop! We are proud and happy to be carrying forth our long history of a member-generated newsletter that reflects the enduring values of the Co-op and demonstrates the diverse and broad range of knowledge and talents within our Honest Weight community.

and our planet” and express that “We are committed to helping our community learn more about growing, choosing, preparing and using natural foods.” The Coop Scoop will continue to be a highly visible platform through which members serve those commitments through our foundational value of shared participation.

As always, what you’ll encounter as you browse the “new” Scoop – the writing, photos, artwork, regular features, special articles, and a few surprises (“Co-op Kids!”) – reflects the creativity and cooperative participation of our members. The most obvious change? COLOR! It seems an especially fitting moment to adopt this more contemporary and eye-catching format, which mirrors the transition of the Co-op itself into a more modern, visually beautiful space. At the same time, like the new store itself, the Coop Scoop still serves to house and showcase the values on which Honest Weight is built.

Our thanks to Raeanne Wright, whose design expertise and artistic vision are all over these pages; to Marketing Manager Jennifer Grainer; to the Scoop’s advertising coordinator Kim Morton, whose work behindthe-scenes will continue to support production; to Education Coordinator Colie Collen; and - most especially - to the members who have created the content for this kick-off issue.

Our HWFC “Statements of Conscience” articulate an organizational commitment to “learning and teaching about alternative ways of living that are healthy for ourselves, our community, Winter 2014

For now, the newsletter will maintain a quarterly, seasonally-themed schedule, with the potential for more frequency as we acclimate to the process of in-store production. In future issues, the LT will regularly report out on how the store is doing, any issues or topics that may arise, store news, and goings-on in general.

See you in the Co-op!

Departments Bulk Department Bulk on a Budget

9

Health & Wellness Aromatherapy and Its Uses

18

classes in review

5

Upcoming Events from the archives

5 10 11

From the Suggestion Box

19

Closing Words

20

Staff pick

3

s e s s cla

out and about

by Amy Ellis, Outreach Coordinator Co-op member since 2009

upcoming events

in review

Our new store has brought with it an incredible opportunity: More space = more possibility! And the space that is our Community Room and Teaching Kitchen has been filled with those possibilities actualized every day since June 19th, when we first opened the doors of this store.

For the Spirit, Mind and Body • Crystals/Gems/Minerals/Jewelry • Meditation/Yoga/Relaxation Products • Aromatherapy Oils/Organic Incense • Angels/Goddesses/Celtic/Soy Candles

secrets of the co-op cafe Feb. 18, 2014 | Teaching Kitchen

from our Fantastic Fermentation! class

• Crystal & Tibetan Singing Bowls • Prayer Flags & Malas/Buddhas • Books/Music/Audio CDs for ALL ages • Tarot and Oracle Cards/Pendulums • Salt & Crystal Lamps/Fountains

Co-op staff and members at this year’s Wine & Dine for the Arts fundraiser in Albany

• Fair Trade & Locally Created Gifts too!

The word is out! Since moving into our new store, the Outreach Department has become a major resource in the Capital Region for all things local, healthy, foodie, community-minded and more. The department saw a record-breaking number of event and program requests this past fall, and winter is quickly catching up. We’re proud to be an integral part of the community and a strategic partner when it comes to health and wellness issues of all types, among all ages.

Psychic & Tarot Readings / Workshops Available

384 Kenwood Ave., Delmar 439-7039 • Mon & Fri 11-6 Tues, Wed & Thurs 11-7 Sat 10-6 • Sun 1-5 Closed Sun in July & Aug. www.peacefulinspirations.net

The Sweater Venture Store Hours Mon-Fri 10-6:00, Saturday 10-5 Sunday 11-4 December Hours Mon, Tues, Fri 10-6 Wed, Thur 10-7 Sat 10-5, Sun 11-5 Supporting artisans from near and far for over 30 years

amber recommends it!

www.sweaterventure.com

4

The Sweater Venture 10 minutes away at: 700 Columbia Tpk East Greenbush,NY 518-477-9317

In addition to our mission-based classroom curriculum, Ready, Set, Grow!, which teaches children from ages 3–18 how to prepare and enjoy healthy food options, we have made our way into public libraries, PTA programming, Girl Scout troops, summer programs, community centers, garden programs and much, much more. With our new location and enhanced facility, we also have the ability to invite these groups to the Co-op and offer the same programming in our teaching kitchen.

Outreach is pleased to continue our our partnership with CDPHP, offering its members cooking classes and store tours. Our most recent class, led by Food Service staffers Michele Youngs and Cathy Antoniewicz, explored grains, breads and soups!

In January, we had the pleasure of taking our customers on a tour of Tierra Farm in Valatie, where participants enjoyed being guided through their nut production and coffee roasting operation.

January’s Food for Thought film was Symphony of the Soil, directed by Deborah Koons Garcia. This beautifully produced and scored documentary delves deeply into how complex, varied, and endangered our soil is.

We had 80 attendees this month and, as always, our committee members provided a delicious sampling of Coop foods!

If you’re interested in bringing the Co-op’s Outreach Department to your community, or if you’d like to do member work in Outreach, please contact Amy Ellis at Amy@honestweight.coop.

Coop Scoop

We’ve had classes on fermentation and on worm composting; on bike repair, soap-making, and on French, Russian, Latin American, Italian, and Chinese cuisines. Participants have learned how to make their own lotions, hair gels, and all-purpose cleaners, how to play guitar, and how to bake delicious vegan and/or gluten-free desserts.

There’s a weekly yoga class, a Pilates class, a Zumba! class, and lots of practitioners sharing their skills in massage, Reiki, Healing Touch, and other therapeutic modalities. A couple of Nutrition Counselors are available for weekly advisement, and one of our members even offers free Feng Shui consultations as well.

But what’s been most exciting about our classes is not just the content (though we’re learning a lot!), it’s the members who come together on weekday evenings to learn. Often, these classes become places for people to share stories of their grandmothers’ cooking, or of their early attempts at beer brewing and soap-making, or a place to share stories about coping with food allergies and trying new diets. Through the months, we’ve gotten to know one another in new ways.

Sample some of The Co-op Café’s most popular seasonal salads and learn how to duplicate them at home, using the best ingredients and techniques. Our skilled chefs Cathy and Michele will share their secrets, and let you in on how they come up with delicious offerings every day at Honest Weight. Sign up at www.hwfc.eventbrite.com, or at our Service Desk.

gluten-free living February 27, 2014 | Teaching Kitchen

from the ever-fun Jammin’ with Julie

This month’s Gluten-Free Living class with Margaret Bernstein will focus on dining out and social gatherings.

You’ll learn important tips to help you make safe choices that support and maintain your diet and health.

As always, the class will include a guided tour of the Co-op’s many great gluten-free resources and will culminate with a tasty treat. Sign up at www.hwfc.eventbrite.com, or at our Service Desk.

eating for optimal health March 25, 2014 | Teaching Kitchen chef Michael Lapi cooking with chanterelles

We’re excited to see what our Teaching Kitchen and Community Room can offer in the months to come—check out the class calendar and join us!

Dr. David Presser will address the essential connection between intestinal health and illness and explain how intestinal health is the foundation for general health; how it is integrally connected to our immune system; how food choices directly impact our intestinal health; and how an unhealthy digestive system leads to nutritional deficiencies that ultimately affect our overall wellbeing.

5

Winter 2014

DIY soap making on a warm autumn evening

A group of Troy composters building a bin system at Oakwood Community Center last spring.

healthy dose of community involvement in order to facilitate the needed changes. Troy Compost has stepped in to provide the organizing and labor that we need to improve Troy’s waste stream.

Urban Decay: Troy Community Compost

by Guy Schaffer Co-op member since 2012

John Cubit and I trudged back and forth through the snow-covered sideyard, hauling eleven smelly buckets of food scraps to the compost bins at Oakwood Community Center.

We dumped them in, spilling a few unidentifiable scraps (onion skins? coffee filters?) through the slats, then Cubit started hacking at a frozen pile of woodchips to cover the odiferous goop while I entered the warmth of the community center and scratched wilted lettuce leaves off the insides of the buckets.

Composting is certainly easier in warmer weather, but there’s something about subfreezing temperatures and a half foot of snow that makes us feel the earnestness of our commitment to DIY waste management.

Cubit and I—and several other members of the community group Troy 6

Compost—have been doing this for about eight months now. We collect buckets of food scraps from shoppers and vendors at the Saturday farmers market in downtown Troy, then make sure that they find a new home in a nearby compost pile. This is just one of the many projects we’ve undertaken in our effort to improve Troy’s waste stream over the last year. Other projects include education and outreach, working with City Hall to design new waste management methods, and finding grants and other means of support for creating a composting system that works in Troy.

Troy Compost has been active since January 2013, though a compost system for Troy had been in the works for over a year before that, through efforts on the part of Transition Troy (a community group aimed at creating sustainable systems in the face of

peak oil and economic collapse) as well as local students, organizers, and members of Troy’s City Council. The organization exists as a loose collection of concerned citizens tied together by an email list, a website, monthly meetings, and our DIY compost-hauling program.

We began meeting as a group in response to an official presentation by the Citizen’s Working Group on Composting (CWG-C), a City Councilappointed group of Troy residents that was tasked with appraising Troy’s waste problems and finding ways to make something useful out of the city’s trash. The CWG-C’s proposed system, a multi-pronged approach including support for home composting; neighborhood compost piles; municipal curbside pickup; and commercial pickup through partnership with local haulers, necessitated a Coop Scoop

As the CWG-C made clear, Troy (like many small, East coast cities) sends a lot of waste to the landfill that doesn’t need to be landfilled. We divert only 6.3% of our household waste to be recycled or composted—well below the national average of 34%. That means that after diversion, we send 5,057 tons of organic waste and 9,255 tons of recyclables to a nearby landfill every year, an average of 200 pounds of organics per person, and 370 pounds of recyclables.

Simply put, we throw too much stuff away. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has been paying attention to the environmental movement within the last fifty years, but it pays to understand the scope of the problem locally when trying to change policy.

The current waste system puts far too much taxpayer money toward tipping fees, threatens to fill up our current landfill to capacity and force the creation of new landfills, and removes potentially useful resources from circulation, deepening dependence on raw materials that are more ecologically damaging to create and import.

But Troy Compost’s critique of our waste stream isn’t just ecological or economical. It incorporates ideals of social justice and community-building as well. As organizer Abby Lublin explains, “a city that throws away its banana peels is going to throw away people, it’s as simple as that.” Troy Compost members argue that the throwaway culture that our waste system embodies discards valuable community ties along with thousands of pounds of garbage.

Managing waste locally through small-scale, community-driven projects like community compost piles, farmers market collection, and local education campaigns holds the promise of building up social networks in Troy and strengthening community ties.

Troy’s existing resources in terms of community gardens, engineers and ecopreneurs, organizers and activists—and a city council committed to the creation of sustainable systems— have made it a fertile ground for the creation of a new compost system.

If you would like to learn more about Troy Compost and how you can get involved, visit our website at troycompost.wikispaces.com, or send us an email at troycompost@gmail.com.

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Beyond all that, throwing out all these food scraps means that they’ll decompose anaerobically, producing methane, a form of greenhouse gas with 23 times the warming effects of carbon dioxide. Throwing away one ton of organic waste in a landfill is the carbon equivalent of putting two more cars on the road.

Winter 2014

7

food in the community

Recipe

Taste the Love

clip and save!

by Michele Youngs, Front of House Manager

Simple Black Beans

Co-op member since 2013

I’ve noticed that for some people, even conversations about cooking can stress them out. For me, it’s quite the opposite. After spending my work week cooking, baking and being on my feet 15 hours a day...on my day off, I cook. Most of my Sundays start with lazy mornings in which my boyfriend sleeps in and then we go to our favorite local breakfast place. After that, I start cooking for our week to come.

Some weeks it’s soups or stews. Others it’s vegetable and grain salads, and preparing fruit for juicing in the mornings. It never bothers me to spend hours messing up the kitchen and cooking all day. In fact, it relaxes me.

Growing up in restaurants, my life has always revolved around food. It all started when I was a little girl, filling salt and pepper shakers and rolling silverware, seeing the food come in, and the dinners go out. Restaurants were always filled with excitement, and the cooks I knew had true passion for their work. Both my parents are extremely hard-working people, and I can thank them for the work ethic I have today.

After working in my family’s restaurants and other local eateries during high school, I decided to go to culinary school, where I was educated and trained in the classical French techniques that have greatly influenced my career. After graduating, I worked for one of the most hardworking, passionate couples I have ever met at their French bistro in Lee, Massachusetts. That’s where my skills were honed, and where I learned the most about life, love, family, and 8

Ingredients ½ c dried black beans Photo Andrewfor Franciosa, Co-op Member since 2009.

This isby a caption the photo above

water

Bulk on a Budget A study conducted at Portland State University, for the Bulk Is Green Council (BIG), determined that buying in bulk is a way to slash your organic food bill by up to 90%. For the most part, consumers offer three reasons to buy in bulk: • Cost savings • Environmentally friendly, with less packaging

Michelle Youngs, Front of House Manager at the Co-op

balancing it all while owning a very successful restaurant.

During my time there, I got to experience several cultures and their food: authentic French dishes from several regions and Moldavian and Russian cuisines as well. This is also where I got my first exposure to great-tasting vegetarian and vegan food. Working with local ingredients was a large focus, and we always favored quality over price. This may sound naive, but I had never felt I had culture, being an average middle-class white American girl. It wasn’t until working for and with so many ethnic backgrounds that I learned that I really do have culture, and I’m developing it more and more every day.

For me, after a stressful time or even just when I want to feel at home and at peace, nothing beats our family recipe of eggplant parm and the secret 10-hour tomato sauce. You can truly taste the love.

• Ability to buy a precise quantity For some, the ritual of a shopping trip to Honest Weight to purchase pantry-stocking items is a comforting one that connects what we eat to where it comes from. Any items that are sourced locally are labeled as such, and as a member you can receive 5% off of assorted local items that are part of the “Owner Deal.” Add that to a member discount, and the savings add up.

The experience of the Bulk Department at Honest Weight for the chef or the gastronome might be compared to the art connoisseur’s visit to an art gallery. Visually, the selection of oils and vinegars in sparkling glass jars

1 small piece of kombu seaweed (available in the Bulk Department) salt

is an aesthetic sight to behold. The category selections are nothing short of amazing. With every kind of salt imaginable, one can purchase just a small amount of each. And with a vast array of containers for your purchases, a bulk item becomes a unique and practical gift. The selection of various sizes and types of bags, glass spice bottles, and syrup bottles, as well as a variety of plastic containers, allows for some creative shopping. Bringing your own reused containers is a convenient and environmentally friendly option as well.

Though it can at first be intimidating, each time you visit the Bulk Department it becomes more familiar. Try buying small amounts of various things, like dried beans, to test out and compare them to your favorite prepared foods or restaurant dishes.

Try this simple black bean recipe, to the right, for a dish made with bulk items that’s easy and delicious.

1. Quickly sort through beans, discarding any debris (there likely won’t be any, but it’s good to check). Then rinse and drain.

2. Cover beans with plenty of water (they will swell as they soak). Leave them for 6-8 hours, but longer is also alright.

3. Drain, and add to a cooking pot with a small piece of kombu seaweed. Cover the beans with fresh water that rises 2“ above the surface of the beans, then bring to a boil and lower the heat.

4. Gently simmer, covered, for about an hour (may need a little more time) then add just a bit of salt to taste during the last minutes of cooking. (If you add salt earlier, the beans will not become tender.)

The secret to REALLY delicious beans is the addition of kombu seaweed, ensuring a rich creamy texture and plenty of flavor.

Recipe by Roberta Duncan Co-op member since 2012

Coop Scoop

Winter 2014

9

Staff Pick

from the archives

Recipe clip and save!

Totally awesome products picked out by our totally awesome staff!

Raw Oatmeal Cookies Our previous Coop Scoop masthead which started in 1989.

Ingredients 2 cups oats 1 cup raisins 3/4 cup pitted dates 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground allspice 2 tablespoons honey or 2 tablespoons agave nectar

directions 1. Put the dates in the food processer and mix until fine.

2. Add the oats, raisins, ginger, allspice and honey/agave. Blend until the mixture sticks together.

Marwin

Bulk Kombucha

Our first advertisement, ever!

“I love“I Aquavitea Kombucha in bulk.

You can bring love Aquavitea Kombucha in your own get a new one, bulk. jar Youor can bring your ownand it’s cheaper by the jarthan or getpre-bottled. a new one, and it’s made in Vermont by pound It’s also cheaper by thethat pound than pre-kombucha-on-tap. a small company pioneered bottled.

It’s also made in We have different flavors allVerthe time; it’s definitely the mont by a small company that cooperative beverage of choice.”

Woodland Hill MOntessOri scHOOl Ages 18 months to 14 years old

pioneered kombucha-on-tap.

We have different flavors all the time; it’s definitely the cooperaYou cantive findbeverage our Aquavitea Komof choice.” bucha station near the bulk department, where you can fill your own bottle for $2.69 per pound. Right now our flavors are Hibiscus Ginger Lime, Elderberry, and Original, but as Marwin says, we’re always getting new varieties!

10

Apply now for Fall 2014

Join us for an

Open HOuse saturday, April 5

3. If you’re using cocoa nibs, add them at the end and give one final mix in the food processor so that the nibs are mixed in with the rest of the ingredients.

4. Form the mixture into little balls using your hands. Then lightly press them in between your palms to flatten the cookies. Put on a plate or in a tub and keep in the fridge.

photo courtesy of community playthings

12:30-3:00 pm

Coop Scoop

Winter 2014

Montessori 101 session 1:30 pm

Recipe by Bonnie Mion Co-op member since 1993

100 Montessori Place North Greenbush, NY 518.283.5400 www.woodlandhill.org 11

producer profiles

Jean’s Greens

Recipe

clip and save!

Winter Citrus Salad Ingredients: 3 pink grapefruits

Come in, enjoy the aromas while you browse our selection of teas, coffees and essential oils. You will find over 200 herbs and spices & herbal products to help you stay healthy through the seasons.

We also carry cards, gifts, candles, bath & beauty products, jewelry and gem stones.

3 large navel oranges or 2 navel & 2 blood oranges

Visit us on line at www.jeansgreens.com

3 kiwis

or at our retail location

1 star fruit 1 cup pomegranate seeds 1 generous bunch watercress or 2-3 cups arugula Oil and vinegar of choice for greens

The first stated mission of the folks at Palatine Cheese: “To make something common, uncommon.” And that’s exactly what they’ve done with their line of handmade cheddar cheeses and cheese curd.

Bonded & Insured Call us for info 518-207-0427 www.twentytoes.com

Earl and Carol Spencer, who run the operation in Nelliston, NY, were dairy farmers for 32 years before they renovated a vacant building and, using milk from a cooperative of local farm-

Open Tues Wed & Fri 10-5, Thur 10-6 Sat 10-3

1. Cut off tops and bottoms of grapefruits and oranges with sharp knife.

2. Place cut-side down on cutting board and skin fruits top to bottom, removing white pith and skin.

3. Cut in circles---do same with kiwis, with sharp paring knife.

4. Slice unpeeled star fruit and seed pomegranate.

Betsy Mercogliano, CPM, LM (518) 449-5759

Tisha Graham, CPM, CLC

Fred Cashmere, owner of Liquid Assets Coffee, Tea & Spice Co., has 25 years of coffee roasting experience. His business began as a labor of love in Boston, Massachusetts, but has since taken root on State Route 43 in Averill Park, New York.

Jess Hayek, CE, Doula

(518) 584-6619

ers and a 17,000 pound vat, began to produce 25 flavors of cheddar and 7 flavors of cheese curd.

The rest of Palatine Cheese’s mission: “Be an asset to the community. Treat everything and everybody with respect. Be responsibly profitable.” We’re happy to share these guiding goals with them.

liquid assets coffee

want to advertise in the Coop Scoop?

Contact Kim Morton at (518) 330-3262 or kim.a.morton@gmail.com

directions:

Co-op member since 2005

palatine cheese

Cat Sitting in Your Home

1545 Columbia Tpke., Castleton, NY 518-479-0471

by Pat Sahr

(518) 727-8219

Liquid Assets offers coffee grown on small, well-established estates in the world’s premier growing regions. The coffee beans are hand-selected and

The Family Life Center (518)465-0241 www.albanyfamilylifecenter.org

custom roasted. In order to ensure the finest quality and attention to detail, Fred sees that the beans are processed in small batches using a cast-iron, gasfired drum roaster.

Coffee lovers who shop at Honest Weight will find freshly roasted beans including Italian Roast, Kenya Turkish, Fred Head, Indo Noir, Kwanza Blend, Sumatra, Midnight Mocha and Rocket Joe’s.

gatherer’s granola

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Alessandro Gerbini (Sandro to his friends and family) is in the business of “making granola for people with taste buds.” Honest Weight customers will find it in the Bulk Department and can be assured that 75% of the ingredients are organic.

5. Lightly dress greens and place on platter or individual plates.

6. Layer fruits on greens and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

During his college years, Sandro began using a family recipe to make granola for his friends. By 2010 he was bringing it to the Delmar Farmers

7. Enjoy!

Market, where it quickly caught on, and Sandro soon had trouble keeping up with orders. Shortly thereafter, he decided to devote himself full time to baking granola and developed two more flavors.

Now Gerbini’s venture occupies its own space in Schenectady, NY. He has eight employees and sends granola to retailers in eleven states. Rumor has it that three new gluten-free flavors will be available soon!

by Rose Knightly Co-op member since 2010 12

Coop Scoop

Winter 2014

13

gardener’s diary

Yang Style Tai Chi

Hibernating with Houseplants byJen O’Connor

member

Each spring the plants and I crawl out of the house, our eyes blinking in the light, feeling as if we’ve hibernated all winter long with the chipmunks and the woodchucks. Near my compost pile, I pull the plants from their hermit crab shells, exchanging the geranium’s pot for the slightly larger pot the rosemary had been living in, leaving the rosemary without a shell to call home until I clear a path to the pots inside the shed.

The First Frost seems like a distant memory, leaving me in a confusing state of equal parts sadness and relief.

At First Frost the work on the farmstead is far from done: the apples in our small organic orchard have yet to be harvested, and most of the plots need to be amended with compost and prepped for winter – but it is just one step toward the end of the season, one step toward the indoor time, one step toward hibernation.

In late September I haul chipped terracotta pots to the gardens, digging up the rosemary and sage plants that will join me inside for the winter.

Undoubtedly there are other pots, arranged on the picnic table or strewn about the patio stones, that never made it into the gardens. This year they include two Lemon Geraniums, vibrantly-scented annuals I could not bear to part with. There were also pots of wide-leaf Berggarten sage, purple sage, variegated golden sage, and common sage. The common sage was grown from a single seed I found tucked away in my seed closet which I couldn’t resist planting at the height of spring - the time when all gardeners convince themselves that 14

Three Months $49

FORUM

Join the conversation!

Did you know there was an online place to share your ideas, comments and suggestions with your Co-op community ? Join the conversation by going to: www.hwfccoopcomm.boardhost.com

In the mornings of early fall I dutifully bring the pots back out to the sunshine, one of my last outdoor rituals of the growing season. I haul out five or more rosemary plants, all cloned from a single rosemary plant I bought more than six years ago. Now at two-and-ahalf feet tall the bucket of soil for that one is nearly too much to carry but I do, because I know it will give me gorgeous purple blossoms in the dead of winter when I need them most.

When frosts turn to freeze, my plants are placed in their permanent winter locations. Some grace bookshelves

All Classes Taught By Grandmaster Tom Mazzaferro 1237 Central Ave (Suite 210) www.HalcyonTaiChi.com

A geranium: one of Jen’s beloved houseplants

they’re going to thin and repot every tiny seedling that emerges from the potting soil, because they simply don’t have the heart to kill anything growing in the fragile spring. The mystery sage seed sprouted in less than a week, spent the summer on the picnic table, and then joined me inside with the others after the frost.

Start Taking Control Of Your Own Health and Well Being Try “Real” Tai Chi

MasterMazz1013@yahoo.com

in the sunroom. Others are placed on end-tables in south-facing bedrooms.

The sages and the rosemary and the geraniums join the family of jade plants, the other plant I clone with as much reckless abandon as my rosemary.

Each fall as I’m scurrying alongside the squirrels, I stare at the half-empty bag of potting soil in my shed and think to myself “I ought to bring that inside,” because I know that come January I will be absolutely dying to thrust my hands into some dirt, make ever more cuttings of jades and rosemary and cactuses, and pot them up. But each fall when I remind myself to bring the potting soil inside along with the plants, the last thing I want to do is think of even more plants. I want the plants to sleep. I want to sleep. I want the growing season to be over. And then it is, and I want it back.

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as a way to create a serene state of consciousness.

Heart Healthy Eating

by Cara Benson Co-op member since 2013

*Flaxseed (ground). One of the best sources for omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and phytoestrogens. Flaxseed can be easily ground in a coffee grinder and sprinkled on cereals and yogurt, and used in baking. *Salmon. It’s typically considered the number one food for those all-important omega-3’s. It can be grilled with lemon and a little dill for a clean taste.

Save a piece chilled to toss in a salad or with whole grain pasta.

Walnuts and almonds, great foods for heart health.

Photo by Andrew Franciosa, Co-op Member since 2009.

The heart is an amazing organ. It is the engine for our living, pumping an incredible 70 ml of blood throughout our entire bodies with every beat.

Picture it, a flesh glob the size of a fist closing and slightly opening as it sends 70 ml of needed nutrients and oxygen to the farthest reaches of toe and scalp on one press. Beat.

70 ml. Beat. 70 ml. To keep it running smoothly, we need to feed it well.

Fortunately, this can be fun, easy to do, and extremely tasty. The suggestions here do not represent specific diets such as gluten free, raw food, or otherwise, but are based on general plans for heart healthy eating.

foods to go for: *Walnuts and almonds. They’re rich in plant omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, magnesium, fiber, heart-favorable mono- and polyunsaturated fats, and phytosterols.

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*Black and kidney beans. They are a great source for B-complex vitamins, niacin, folate, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and soluble fiber.

It’s an excellent time of the year for bean soup or chili! *Spinach. It’s packed with lutein (a carotenoid), B-complex vitamins, folate, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and fiber. It’s a great substitute for lettuce on sandwiches, or as an easy raw salad with walnuts, sliced green peppers, dried cranberries (without sugar), a little goat cheese, and some balsamic vinaigrette. Serve it over quinoa and your protein, fiber, and taste are all covered. *Oatmeal. It’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, folate, niacin, calcium, and soluble fiber. An amazing start to a winter day, topped with a little cinnamon, chopped apples, and raisins. Or it’s a great nighttime snack!

*Apples. Rich in the antioxidant flavonoid compounds quercetin, epicatechin, and epigallocatechin, and in pectin and vitamin C. They’re great sliced, with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top, cut up into salads, or just munched on whole. *Dark chocolate! It has resveratrol and cocoa phenols (flavonoids). Be sure to get the kind with 70% or higher cocoa content. Of course, don’t overdo it, but as a treat it can help in lowering blood pressure.

Overall, eating lots of fruits and vegetables; getting fats from unsaturated sources such as avocados, vegetable oils, and nuts; and consuming lean protein are good bets for heart health.

Avoiding salt is also always recommended (unless you’ve just hiked ten miles, sweated, and have very, very low blood pressure to begin with.

Then, a bag of high sodium potato chips might be the ticket!). There are so many flavorful ways to dish up tasty eating; your heart will thank you for the effort.

Coop Scoop

Illustration by Meg Sodano, Co-op Member since 2013.

Aromatherapy and Its Many Uses

by Alena Gerli, NEC Committee Member Co-op member since 2013

Perfumes are the feelings of flowers - Heinrich Heine The most aromatic holidays of the year are behind us, with reassuring smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, and the crisp aromas of fresh pine and rosemary. But the power of scent is available to you all year; you don’t have to bake or keep a tree in your home.

Through just a few drops of oil, you can recreate an entire environment and affect your state of mind.

Copious volumes have been written on the subject of volatile plant oils and their properties. Gifted to us by nature, aromatic oils have been used throughout the ages and been woven into the traditions of many cultures for pampering and beautifying the body, physical and psychological healing, and elevating the experience of cultural rituals.

Today, the practice of using essential oils is called aromatherapy. According to Theresa Molnar, executive director of the Sense of Smell Institute, “Scents can have positive effects on mood, Winter 2014

stress reduction, sleep enhancement, self-confidence, and physical and cognitive performance.”

While our tongue has five receptors, and the myriads of hues we perceive through our vision are formed by combining just a few primary colors, our noses have up to 350 smell receptors. Within an instant, scent is absorbed and delivered to the limbic system in the brain, “the parts of the brain that are responsible for emotional processing, associative learning, basic memory and motivation,” says Dr. Rachel Herz, an expert on the psychology of smell. “In other words, the ability to experience and express emotion grew directly out of our brain’s ability to process smell.”

historical examples The practitioners of the Ayurvedic system, an ancient form of medicine still practiced in India, relied on herbal and plant extracts to heal psychological and physical ailments. The Ayurvedic tradition promotes the use of incense as a means of illness prevention, and

In ancient Greece and Rome, the use of all things fragrant was a standard part of daily routine. Alexander the Great brought previously unknown herbs and spices from the lands that he conquered. Hippocrates, the father of Western Medicine, is said to have studied and documented over 200 different herbs, and used aromatics in his practice as a physician. Public buildings in Rome were fumigated with essential oils, and public baths were scented with lavender flowers.

Cleopatra, Egyptian pharaoh, was an ardent user of the many aromatics available in her day. She preferred rosemary, lavender, spikenard, myrrh and jasmine in milk, which together created a peaceful aroma that strengthened her mind, and empowered her toward courageous acts.

While coping with the responsibility of ruling France after the death of her husband Henry II, Catherine De Medici found that the fragrance of patchouli kept her steady, awake, and capable.

Called at times “the ambassador of perfume,” she is recognized for awakening the scent industry in France.

Should you decide to include plant or herbal aromas in your life, the Wellness Department at Honest Weight carries a wide variety of pure plant oils. If you’re interested in learning more about specific oils and their properties, you might investigate www.aromaweb.com/essentialoils, a site I find well organized and comprehensive.

So enjoy the journey, and remember that: “Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived.” - Helen Keller 17

You Too Can Prevent Faucet Fires

by Colie Collen, Education Coordinator Co-op member since 2006

The scene at that rally was incredible; people from all over the state rode into the capital in busses, with signs, homemade banners, t-shirts, and giant papier-mache water droplets to emphasize the dangers of fracking to our water supply. There was a surprising amount of dancing, singing, chanting, and drum-playing. For all of the frustrations and fears of a group organized around a dangerous subject, it felt like an truly joyous meeting of the minds. Signs read, “Don’t frack with my future,” “We <3 frack-free NY,” and “No Drill No Spill.” from the January 8th rally against fracking and for renewable energy

“We need to speak with a unified voice,” says a Wyoming rancher in Josh Fox’s groundbreaking documentary Gasland, a film that has educated millions of viewers about the risks and secrecy surrounding the practice of hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking. Touted by fossil fuel companies and the politicians they support as the answer to our continuing need for fossil fuels, fracking provides a domestic source of natural gas, but comes buried under a mess of doubt and uncertainty.

There are now more than a million fracking wells in the United States, in which massive amounts of water and chemicals (some of which are “proprietary,” meaning their content is not disclosed to the public, and others of which are known human carcinogens) are injected at high pressure to create cracks in the shale bedrock, which then release natural gas. The entire hydraulic fracturing industry is exempt from the Safe Drinking Water Act, and existing fracking activity has poisoned drinking water all over the country, making it unfit for people to drink or bathe in. There are also issues of increased truck traffic in rural communi18

ties, upheaval and contaminations of soils, and damaging effects on wildlife.

In New York, there is a moratorium on hydrofracking. Though there is a lot of interest on the part of the industry, and though our state sits on a good portion of the Marcellus Shale, there has been no fracking activity in the state as of yet.

governor cuomo has announced his intention to make a decision during 2014 on whether to allow fracking in New York, and has stated that he wants science to lead the discussion. “It’s one of the most important decisions I think we will make as a government, with far-reaching consequences,” Cuomo said at a news conference last year. “It’s more important to be right than fast.”

Many cities in New York have issued their own bans or moratoriums on fracking within city limits, and at the most recent January 8th rally against fracking at the Capitol, thousands turned out to make their voices heard, including lots of active Honest Weight members.

at our september meeting, the Honest Weight Co-op membership signed onto the New York State Coalition Against Fracking, an organization dedicated to supporting a ban on fracking in New York State. Honest Weight stands in solidarity with the many businesses and individuals who believe that fracking is a dangerous proposition. We hope to work together with other members of the coalition to develop an economy based on energy efficiency, conservation, and safer, renewable energy production. Protecting our environment and our food supply is a goal that Honest Weight has always been committed to, and the anti-fracking movement is an extension of those principles. We want to speak with a unified voice, as the Wyoming rancher says, and in lending our support to the Coalition, Honest Weight adds a strong voice to the chanting, singing, dancing crowd.

For more information about hydraulic fracturing and its implications for New York State, visit www.nyagainstfracking.org and check out Josh Fox’s website, www.gaslandthemovie.com.

member profile Abe hmiel, Produce Department Co-op member since 2012

Life Outside the Co-op: finishing PhD in NanoScience, amateur vegan cheesemaker

Q: Abe, what do you like about working in Produce?

A: I love it! I feel like a kind of superhero, making sure that folks in the Capital Region have access to the best produce! I have also done food demos in the teaching kitchen, making raw desserts and vegan cheeses.

Q: Do you come up with the recipes yourself? a: Mostly they are modified from a magazine or a cookbook, like for example, for a spirulina pie, I substituted agave with dates to make the filling more solid. And, I know what you’re thinking, but its not like eating algae pie, it was sweet and delicious!

Q: So were you a child prodigy, cooking from an early age?

A: NO! I had no cooking skills until I lived on my own during college and even then my repertoire was pretty basic - mostly quesadillas. When I moved to Albany and started participating in Food Not Bombs, I had to learn how to invent recipes with very

little time or sometimes weird vegetables.

Q: What is the weirdest vegetable you had to use? a: Artichokes! For some reason, whenever we got donations of artichokes, we would get like 20 of them, and to this day, I have still never successfully cooked an artichoke.

Q: You demo vegan foods. . . are you vegan? a: Yes, but only since 2012. During my participation in Occupy Albany (as the resident dishwasher), I realized you can’t change the world without changing yourself. So I became vegan to help me feel better and to work through some problems I was having.

Shortly after, I noticed profound benefits. My allergies were either gone or greatly reduced.

Q:: What do you think of the new Coop? a: I LOVE IT! In the past month, I’ve been there almost every day doing work in the café. All my friends are there either working or shopping, my partner works there, and the café is warm and comfortable. Also, since the expansion of the Deli, it’s no longer a gamble to go there for lunch; I’m sure to find something I want to eat.

Q: So when should we expect to be able to buy your vegan cheeses at the coop? a: I would love to start that business. Right now, I’ve tested about 12 different recipes and 2/3rd of them are ridiculous.

Q: Ridiculous good? a: Very good!

The best though, is my Raw Herbed Cashew Chevre, I always have it on hand. I want a career in research, but if I could do a side business in vegan cheeses, that would satisfy pretty much all my values.

Abe’s next vegan cheese demo is March 16th. If you are interested in getting one of his recipes or in helping him make artichokes, email him at: abehmiel@ gmail.com Interview by Shanna Goldman Co-op member since 2002

Offering classes in: Iyengar Yoga All Levels + Gentle, Senior Vinyasa Flow, Kripalu Yoga , Kirtan and Dance

540 Delaware Ave. Albany, NY 12209

For Information: www/THEYOGALOFT.NET Call: Gerry 438-2557 Marge 482-8124

Coop Scoop

Winter 2014

19

from the

suggestion box

Q: Put in a growler station please!

A: This is something we plan on doing in 2014.

Q: Deli has gotten more vegan-

friendly - THANK YOU! Delicious too. Can you put some tamari out with the condiments?

This is a caption for the photo above Illustration by Meg Sodano, Co-op Member since 2013.

A: Thanks very much for the positive input. We really do try to meet all of our diverse customer preferences. We will put out some tamari.

Eco-consciousness and Eco-consumption: Questions to Consider

Q: A class/panel series on Food/

by Maddalyn Costelloe Co-op member since 1990

Eco-consciousness is an awareness of our impact on the planet. It means acknowledging that we have created environmental problems, and taking responsibility to work towards solutions. One of the major ways that we can be eco-conscious is by questioning how we spend money, and by shifting our consumer habits to support eco-friendly businesses.

You can start by asking some questions about the things you regularly purchase: What chemicals were used to grow, make or process this food or product? Was water required during manufacturing or as an ingredient?

Check the labels for “organic” and “fair trade”and “equal exchange.” Who made it? Were the working conditions safe and healthy? Were the workers paid a fair wage? Are the cosmetics and other products that you buy “cruelty-free?” Do the farm products you buy come from monoculture farms? Did they require large farm machinery? Were chemical fertilizers, 20

pesticides, or herbicides used? Were the seeds genetically modified? What were the conditions in which animals were bred, raised, and killed? What kind of life did they have?

It’s important to know that when you buy food or products from companies that may seem small, some of them are owned by conglomerate megacorporations like Kraft and General Mills, which sometimes change the manufacturing process and/or ingredients of the original products.

The Cornucopia Institute, at www. cornucopia.org, is a good source of information on this topic. Some of these biggest food corporations have spent large sums of money to stop GMO labeling legislation. To find out more about that issue, check out www.inspirationgreen.com.

I need this? Can I grow it, make it, or buy it used? And how will I discard it after it doesn’t function or I don’t need it anymore? Could someone else use it, or can it be re-purposed? Will it end up in a landfill or the ocean?

What we choose to spend our money on is one way we use the power that we have as individuals. Buying from small local farms and businesses helps them to thrive. And being eco-conscious by supporting businesses that grow food and make products responsibly is something that we can all try to do, and something we need to do whenever we can, if we want this planet and all of the life that depends on it to survive.

Ag stuff (GMO, pesticides, etc.) run by someone in the research field going over issues with Ag business but also hype/false information by opposition to big Ag - would be great to educate our customers.

A: That’s a great idea! Do you know of a person who could teach such a class?

Please let our Education Coordinator Colie know. Send her an email at Colie@ honestweight.coop

Q: Please provide more space for people to share current community publications of interest, brochures and flyers. This is a great service that builds community and consciousness.

A: Have you checked out our cafe? Feel free to place your community interest items on the racks or bulletin board provided there.

Q: Could we install electric car

charging ports?

A: We have the infrastructure installed as part of our goal to provide this service in the future. Please stay tuned.

Q: Please put a link for cooking

instructions and proportions for bulk items (soup mixes and pastas, for example) online.

A: Thank you for your suggestion. This is something we hope to work towards in the future. If you would like to help bring it to fruition as part of your member work, please speak with us.

Q: I suggest you keep being awe-

some! Love the morning mushrooms at the hot bar!

A: Thanks for the kind words and for the Deli love. We always appreciate it.

Thanks for being such a great customer!

Q: Offer to-go mugs with the HWFC

logo as part of a “club”: buy a mug, get coffee for a discount.

A: This is something that we’ve thought about, and we hope to implement it this year.

Q: What happened to vegan pizza?

A: We currently offer a bake-your-own pizza on the “What’s for Dinner?” case.

We regularly make vegan pizzas and are happy to accommodate a request, if given appropriate time. We’re sorry you were unable to find them. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Q: Co-op picnic for one year anni-

versary!

A: We are hoping to have an outdoor event for members this summer!

Even more important than these considerations, though, is the question of whether the product you are buying is really necessary to your life. Before you buy anything, you might ask: Do Coop Scoop

Winter 2014

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closing words

RED PINES

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For is there any practice less selfish, any labor less alienated, any time less wasted, than preparing something delicious and nourishing for people you love?

from Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation

MARCH 4 Self Care for Bodyworkers: Treating Hand, Wrist and Forearm Pain w/ Kelly Hochheimer, LMT

MARCH 23 MARCH 30 “Frozen” Shoulder; A Connective Tissue EarthStone Hot Stone Massage 2: Perspective w/ Dale Perry, LMT Advanced Skills for Stoneworkers w/ Yvette Hayden, LMT MARCH 28-30 A Symposium on the Fascial Pelvis w/ Lisa Satalino, PT Visit us online to

MARCH 15 Foot Reflexology Training Level 1: The Science, Art and Heart Class #1 w/ Holly Papa, LMT & Denise Halley, LMT

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MARCH 29 Medical/Functional Massage: Thoracic Outlet Syndrome w/ Dale Perry, LMT

see our full calendar of upcoming Spring Classes!

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Michael Pollan 22

MARCH 21 Exploration of Subtle Healing Energy w/ Kerstin Maile MD, PhD (Germany), LMT

MARCH 8 Lymphatic Facilitation for Head, Neck and Face w/ Dale Perry, LMT

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MARCH 1 Aromatherapy and Massage for Athletes w/ Vicki Gardner Nichols and Rachel Nichols, LMT

www.CNWSMT.com/redpines.php

co-op kids winter word search Z S L I M C O L D I G Y H J Z

Z T N O H M E O T S Q L A N D R G A L O O J T T S A O K R D

S X Y N C W M A N O Z V A C T N I O A Q A C T U Y S O B G V Q U T T R C T R H V H G D B R C C O R B C F A S C O C B T O U Q S E D E U K E J D F C B U

A P A P F H O W C K W P I O I D T M L N P N H R O Z O Y T I E W S R C E D T S E X J O E I H C F S N N Q A S T D Z Q G U U I A U R M O V A E T Y R E K A L E P U O J C B S V T D D M

BEETS

COOP

SNOWMAN

BROCCOLI

ENDIVE

SPROUTS

BRUSSEL

ICE

SQUASH

CARROTS

KALE

TEA

COCOA

ONION

WINTER

COLD

POTATO

help the sunlight reach the vegetables!

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