November/December 2016 Coop Scoop

ISSUE #414

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

THE GIVING ISSUE

Honest Weight’s Socially Conscious Gift Guide Ten Gifts to Reduce Waste Holiday Baking with Bulk Eight Tips for Dealing with Holiday Stress Printed with soy ink on recycled paper in Albany, NY

Georgia Julius

Education Coordinator

As a grocery store, our survival and prosperity rely on consumerism, a complicated and conflicting concept for many co-op shoppers.

world to be. I want to live in a world where we take care of each other and the planet.” As you read (and as you shop), I invite you to entertain that question: What type of world would you ideally like to live in?

I hope you find yourself inspired by these articles. You’ll see gift ideas to honor different values: gifts that reduce waste, gifts that you can make yourself, gifts that support local makers, and gifts that traveled quite a ways to support their makers, like those in womanowned cooperatives in Peru. You’ll also find pieces about the kind of giving that comes from a community rallying around a cause: committed volunteers giving their time to feed hungry Albany residents weekly, or thousands of Honest Weight shoppers donating five cents at a time to regional non-profit organizations to eventually accumulate $9,298.35.

And as we enter into the holiday season, a time when many stores and businesses turn profitable for the first time all year, some of us will be making decisions about the gifts we want to buy our loved ones or making lists of we ourselves might like to receive. No matter our traditions or customs, we will be deciding what food to put into our bodies, as we do every day, and we may also be in charge of deciding which foods to serve to our loved ones.

In this issue, we will explore ways to celebrate and appreciate while showing consideration for the environment and one another. Emily Collins, Honest Weight’s Mercantile Buyer, eloquently put it: “The way that we spend our money is one way we can cast our vote for how we want the

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100 Watervliet Avenue, Albany, NY 12206 (518) 482-2667 [COOP]

I’ll leave you to it, this final product of many hours of hard work by many dedicated people, for whom I feel very grateful.

Feel free to let us know what you think or if you’d like to get involved.

We strive to make it better all the time.

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8am TO 10pm EVERY DAY

The Coop Scoop is Honest Weight’s bimonthly Publication. It is produced by the Education Department and offered free of charge as part of our mission. Content is created

by Co-op member-owners and staff. To get involved, please contact georgia at georgiaj@ honestweight.coop. to view online, visit www.honestweight.coop/coopscoop.

Honest Weight Food Co-op is a memberowned 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 are open to the public, seven days a week.

behind the CO-OP DEPARTMENTS AND TEAM LEADERS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

Carolynn Presser

CHIEF COOPERATIVE OFFICER

Rick Mausert

(x230)

VICE PRESIDENT

Tim Corrigan

OWNER SERVICES COORDINATOR

Janet Sorell

(x104)

SECRETARY

Rebekah Rice

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Erin Martin

(x107)

TREASURER

Kate Doyle

STORE OPERATIONS MANAGER

Stephen Quickenton

(x162)

DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MARKETING

Jeff Marden

(x201)

COMMITTEE LIAISONS COMMUNICATIONS

Ned Depew

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

John Akots

(x106)

FINANCE

Kate Doyle

OUTREACH COORDINATOR

Amy Ellis

(x128)

MARKETING

Ned Depew

EDUCATION COORDINATOR

Georgia Julius

MEMBERSHIP

Carolynn Presser

FRONT END MANAGER

Katie Centanni

(x109)

NUTRITION & EDUCATION

Carolynn Presser, Rebekah Rice

BULK MANAGER

Tom Gillespie

(x130)

PERSONNEL

Daniel Morrissey, Rick Donegan

PRODUCE MANAGER

Brendan Kelly

(x118)

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Daniel Morrissey, Rebekah Rice

FOOD SERVICES MANAGER

Dan Hurlbut

(x108)

NOMINATING

Rick Donegan

GROCERY MANAGER

David Aubé

(x119)

CORPORATE COMPLIANCE

Saul Rigberg

MEAT & SEAFOOD MANAGER

Nick Bauer

(x113)

WELLNESS MANAGER

David Downer

(x122)

CHEESE & SPECIALTY MANAGER

Linda Donegan

(x230)

MERCANTILE BUYER

Emily Collins

(x148)

PLANTS MANAGER

Carol Surash

(x163)

BOARD APPOINTED COOPERATIVE COUNCILS COMMUNITY INITIATIVE

Daniel Morrissey, Carolynn Presser

GOVERNANCE REVIEW COUNCIL

Nate Horwitz

BYLAWS PANEL

Ned Depew

(x219)

Interested in joining a committee? Contact: board@honestweight.coop

Interested in advertising?

Contact: Kim Morton (518) 330-3262 kim.a.morton@gmail.com Printed with soy ink on recycled paper in Albany, NY

Cover photo by Andrew Franciosa ISSN 2473-6155 (print) ISSN 2473-6163 (online) The Coop Scoop is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing medical or health advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider. We are not responsible for errors or omissions. Honest Weight is not responsible for, and does not necessarily agree with, our guest writer’s articles.

Words & Recipes

Mathew Bradley‘s hand drawn illustrations are likely familiar to you if you spend time at Honest Weight Food Co-op.

He likes music, vegan food, and Alene Lee, who is a cat. Visit mathewdoesstuff.com for more.

Kate Farrar is the Crew Manager at Hearty Roots Community Farm in Germantown, NY. She has been farming vegetables since 2012. Through farming takes up most of her time, she occasionally writes for Edible Hudson Valley, and enjoys taking photographs and throwing on a ceramics wheel. Though she only recently joined, Kate is thrilled to be a part of the Co-op because of her continued interest in knowing that food is sourced with consideration.

Andrew Franciosa is a computer nerd turned photographer who regularly contributes photos to the Coop Scoop. After discovering Honest Weight in 2008, he became interested in making better food at home. Countless hours of practice later, flavorful vegan meals are finally being prepared regularly.

Barry Koblenz is president and owner of Base Twelve Photo. An avid racer and cyclist, he resides in Albany with his life partner and assistant, Colleen, and their dog Cody. Visit www.basetwelvephoto.com for info about hiring Barry to capture your event.

Behind the Scenes

Erin Coufal is the Communications Manager at Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless and a vegan Mom to two awesome kiddos. Honest Weight is her “happy place” because of the food, friends, and conversations.

Amy Ellis has been HWFC’s Outreach Coordinator since November of 2010 and was a member-owner prior to that.

She manages and works in conjunction with a team of approximately twenty-five member workers to implement the many facets of community outreach, helping to make the Co-op much more than “just” a grocery store.

Karla Guererri lives in Troy and has been a Co-op member for several years. She is a semi-retired educator with a public school background. Karla has written articles for iSanté and Santé Magazine, along with a short story under a pen name in a little known journal, Adventures for the Average Woman.

Amy Halloran’s love for pancakes led her to write a book about regional grain production, The New Bread Basket. Her writing traces changes in the food system for farming newspapers, locavore outlets and foodie sites. She teaches classes about food justice and manages a soup kitchen, working to increase the amount of fresh food in the menu. She lives in Troy where she eats pancakes almost every day, and her kids don’t get tired of them either.

Tara Herrick Brown, M.S. is a holistic health practitioner in Delmar and offers Resonance Repatterning® sessions at the Co-op. To learn more about Tara and her practice, INUR Wellness, LLC, please visit www.inur.com.

Julie Harrell has written articles for the Coop Scoop since April of 1995, when her first article, An Organic Baby at Honest Weight, was published. She and her husband, Jerome, live on a farm with three horses, four llamas, five cats, two dogs and bees. Her daughter Reesa is a stylist at Stiletto in Albany. Contact Jules at photonicgirl@hotmail.com.

Rebecca Angel Maxwell has been a member of Honest Weight for fourteen years, bringing her family along for the ride. In addition to being part of the Nutrition and Education Committee, she teaches classes on gluten-free cooking, tea, and utilizing the bulk department. While not at the Co-op, Rebecca is a music teacher, writer for www.GeekMom. com, and publisher of TeaPunk Tales.

Luke Stoddard Nathan is a journalist living in Troy. He can be reached at luke.s.nathan@gmail.com.

Melanie Pores is presently retired after having served a 30+ year career as a bilingual teacher, teacher-trainer, resource specialist, school board member, adjunct professor and educational researcher and policy analyst. She has been an Honest Weight Food coop member since 1978.

Pat Sahr has been a member of the Co-op since 2005, during which time she’s worked as an outreach assistant and a shopper’s helper. She contributes to the Coop Scoop as the writer of the Producer Profiles. Pat says, “It’s a pleasure being part of the Honest Weight family, and I’ve especially enjoyed communicating with the various producers whose products are sold at the Co-op!”

Pictures

Contributors

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Donna Eastman has been a Co-op member for many years- she remembers the Quail Street days! She stocked shelves in Grocery before becoming a Coop Scoop distributor, which is a job she really enjoys. Donna is a music therapist and animal lover. She has five cats and a dog named Rosie who does agility and therapy work.

Georgia Julius is the editor of the Coop Scoop. She can be reached at georgiaj@honestweight.coop.

Joan LaChapelle, Co-op member since 1976, has been on the Nutrition Committee for many years. Her interest in writing and editing began as a medical secretary at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, in Washington, DC. Before retiring, she helped the Chief of Vascular Surgery and 15 military physicians “look good on paper.” Joan has two children and a granddaughter.

Kim Morton, member of Honest Weight Food Co-op since 2005, is the Founder of First Division Marketing where she focuses on driving brand recognition and delivering revenue to a variety of high-tech companies. She has two young boys- Iggy (9) and Xavier (6) who attend Woodland Hill Montessori, where Kim likes to volunteer when she can. She has been handling Coop Scoop advertising since 2009 and looks forward to helping the publication grow.

Doug O’Connor, Co-op member since 1989, has been distributing the Coop Scoop to businesses and organizations around Albany and Delmar for a very long time.

Printed by Fort Orange Press in Albany, New York COOP SCOOP

CONTENTS

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

4 CONTRIBUTORS 6

FOOD NOT BOMBS

Luke Stoddard Nathan

8

PRODUCER PROFILES

Pat Sahr

PAGE 6

10 HOMEGROWN AND OH SO HAPPENING

Georgia Julius

11 ENVIRO TOKENS: ONE YEAR AND $9,298 LATER

Amy Ellis

12 GIFTS OF GOOD WILL

Colie Collen

PAGE 8

14 HEALTHY LIVING TODAY

Julie Harrell

15 SELF-CARE IN A SEASON OF GIVING

Tara Herrick Brown

16 HONEST WEIGHT’S SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS GIFT GUIDE

Karla Guererri

PAGE 10

page 7

19 TEN GIFTS TO REDUCE WASTE

Rebecca Angel Maxwell

19 KIDS COOKING CORNER

Rebecca Angel Maxwell

PAGE 16

20 RECIPE BOX: BAKING WITH BULK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

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FOOD NOT BOMBS

A look at the Albany chapter of a grassroots network of volunteer-run collectives that turn food waste into free community meals across the United States in an effort to combat the violence of war and hunger. words by Luke Stoddard Nathan photos courtesy of Luke Stoddard Nathan and Albany Food Not Bombs

Every Monday at 5 p.m. in Albany’s Townsend Park, a narrow triangle between Central and Washington Avenues, a sandwich-board sign promises something dubious: “FREE FOOD.” An arrow points to a row of folding tables, crowded with bowls of vegan fare: roasted okra, stringbeans, and squash; veggie burgers; potato-leek soup; pasta; corn-tomato salsa; baked tofu; garlic bread; mashed potatoes; stir-fry with peanut sauce; big apple pies; small apple pies; fruit salad; and fruit pudding. “It sounds weird, but it’s good,” Jay Toraty, 24, said of the last dessert, which he made by mixing soy milk with mashed peaches, bananas, and pears.

“That’s a pretty good spread,” said Nickleson Cook, 31, as three dozen diners queued up for a free meal one Monday in September—no money down, questions asked, or sermons suffered. Hours earlier, Cook, who is front-end floor manager at Honest Weight, squeezed fifteen boxes of 6

culled produce and baked goods from the Slingerlands ShopRite into his Honda Fit, dropped the haul at another volunteer’s apartment on Elm Street in the Mansion Area, and, after a short recess, convened with several others at the Albany Free School a little after 2 p.m. to cook the food. (Honest Weight also donates provisions to the cause.)

The alternative school’s commercial kitchen makes improvisational cooking, at scale, feasible. “I think all of us have things that we’re familiar with that we feel comfortable making...It’s a great [place] to just practice,” said Mei-Yee Yau, 26, of Rensselaer, while chopping vegetables for a to-be-determined soup.

I asked if the process was stressful. “Once everybody is cooking a dish and the oven and the stove are, like, completely hot— that’s when the chaos starts happening,” she said.

The chaos started just after 4 p.m., heralded by the arrival of Keith Chan, a professor in the School of Social Welfare at SUNY Albany and the operation’s designated food transporter. “What’s on the menu?” Chan asked.

“Panic time,” Yau said quietly.

The grassroots, volunteer-supported, unincorporated association—an everchanging coterie of about twenty people—is known as Food Not Bombs of Albany. It is one of an estimated 500 independent chapters worldwide, united and governed by a commitment to three principles, according to Cook: 1) free vegan or vegetarian meals for all, 2) nonviolent, direct action—the group’s distribution of food is not charity, according to its website, but rather “a way of protesting war and poverty”—and 3) consensus-based decisionmaking.

Chan, who was once homeless as a college student in the early ‘90s, brought the dishes to the Albany Social Justice Center on Central Avenue, which holds some of the group’s supplies and hosts indoor Food Not Bombs events in winter and inclement weather. Cook and I carried metal chairs across the four-lane state highway from the SJC to the park, which has lacked benches since 2009, when they were removed due to complaints about “unruly crowds,” according to the Times Union.

“The judge is here!” Cook announced in Diners gave positive reviews. Rose Sebastino, 56, of Albany, enjoyed the a mock-seigneurial tone.

COOP SCOOP

potato-leek soup—one of the only items she could eat, she told me, because she did not have any upper teeth. Her husband Anthony, 61, liked the soup, too, though he thought it needed more “spices and seasonings.” (He planned to bring his own special dish—eggplant parmigiana—next Monday.) The couple shared an origin story too uncanny to omit: They dated as children in Albany, lost touch, then reconnected by chance in 2014 on Lovelinks, a phone chatline service, while Anthony was imprisoned. They married one month before his release last year. On the day of her husband’s release, Rose fell and fractured her spine. She is now disabled. Hungry Albany residents line up to enjoy a free vegetarian “He does everything for me,” she said meal at Townsend Park on Monday, September 19th, 2016. with reverence. “When we were kids he upward. His and his wife’s combined she drives, she pulls over to rest every used to buy me candy.” monthly income is $1,800; their rent in fifteen minutes, which means she is often Even after I explained that I was only a Albany, at $850, is nearly $400 less than late to pick up her 11-year-old daughter journalist, not a volunteer, Carlo Patino, what they paid downstate. (According to from various functions.

67, an Argentinian immigrant, would the federal Department of Housing and not stop shaking my hand. “I’m not Urban Development, families “who pay That Food Not Bombs needs to exist at homeless,” he whispered, smiling as he more than 30 percent of their income for all, in a country of extraordinary private held up two loaves of ShopRite bread. housing are considered cost burdened.”) wealth, is disheartening. The Albany Patino moved to Albany six months “New York City—it’s impossible,” he chapter is in its fourth iteration in about a decade, and though Cook is ideating ago from Queens, where he worked as a said. an expansion to the South End, history housekeeper at Jamaica Hospital Medical suggests that the present effort will Center, “because the rent”—here he eventually peter out, too. That’s not a dig stopped talking and let his hands spiral at the dogged efforts of the cooks and gofers and coordinators involved, but a recognition of the limits of volunteerism in a capitalist economy. Food Not Bombs of Albany, an elaborate orchestration, feeds about fifty people once a week in a downtown pocket park. What else Around 7 p.m., as the event wrapped up, could be done? “If we had ten percent I met Karen LaDuke, 44, of Clifton Park, of people in Albany donating their time who held two tupperware containers towards [Food Not Bombs],” Cook told half-filled with the last of the soup. me, “we could feed so many people.

LaDuke lost her job in a medical office There’s no shortage of food to take from in June. The next month she sustained grocery stores.” There’s also, evidently, a concussion in a car crash that left no shortage of hungry people. Whether her cognitively impaired. She cannot those plain facts will move policymakers afford her monthly mortgage payment and citizens alike to do something, or do of $1,150, and her home will soon be more, to further food justice remains to foreclosed. “It’s getting impossible for me be seen. to get groceries,” she said, despite visiting “pretty much every [food] pantry” in the Food Not Bombs is 100% volunteer run Capital District throughout the week. and can always use help with cooking, She is prescribed anti-anxiety, -seizure, -nausea, and -headache medications— cleaning, outreach and transportation. all related to the concussion—though If you’re interested in volunteering, she’s wary of taking any of them. When email albanyfoodnotbombs@riseup.net.

That Food Not Bombs needs to exist at all, in a country of extraordinary private wealth, is disheartening.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

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Producer Profiles

words by Pat Sahr

We truly value the small businesses and dedicated individuals who work hard to create the exceptional goods and products we carry here at Honest Weight Food Co-op. We think these inspirational stories demonstrate the importance of supporting local, and why we’re so committed to it!

MAPLE LANDMARK WOODCRAFT FOUND IN OUR MERCANTILE DEPARTMENT Maple Landmark Woodcraft has been making eco-friendly, educational wooden toys, games and gifts since 1979.

It is a small, Vermont-based company that supports other local businesses that operate in a responsible and sustainable manner. Its signature NameTrains™, as well as a wide array of children’s products, are guaranteed safe, non-toxic and American made.

Owner, Mike Rainville, first came to woodworking as a hobby in the 1970s while he was in school. Working out of his parents’ basement with scraps from his grandfather’s carpentry projects, he duplicated household items, things like spool holders and cribbage boards. He began selling his creations to friends and neighbors, and and by 1979 he was operating a wholesale business. Local craft fairs also provided income and experience.

IT’S A PUZZLE!

After graduating from Clarkson University in 1984, Mike went to work constructing a new woodshop for his now full-time business which became known as Maple Landmark Woodcraft.

In 1987, he acquired the Troll’s Toy Workshop, formerly of Barnet, VT.

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Family Business: Michael Rainville employs his sister, his wife, his mother and his grandmother, as well as his sons when they’re not in school.

This addition brought in many products printing to the production processes. The based on the alphabet, including letter ability to add graphic designs to Maple Landmark products has been central to cars, blocks, and signage letters.

The product line grew and evolved product development ever since. All over the coming years, adding items of these new products and processes like trivets, ornaments, and the first required a building enlargement project “name trains,” linked wooden train cars in 1999, bringing the site to 15,000 made up of an engine, caboose, and square feet. In 2001, Montgomery customizable letters. The NameTrain™ Schoolhouse, another long established concept spun off into a new line that Vermont wooden toy company, became was compatible with the many wooden a part of Maple Landmark. Operations track systems available. In 1994, were consolidated in Middlebury.

NameTrains™ were introduced in Currently Maple Landmark Woodcraft employs about 40 people and sells colors, and sales soared.

Eventually, growth from new products product to over 2200 gift shops and had Mike’s building bursting at the toy stores throughout the country and seams, so by late 1994 it was decided abroad. A selection of toys and puzzles to move the business to Middlebury, can be found at the Co-op. For more VT. A new manufacturing building information about this producer, go to that included a storefront was ready www.maplelandmark.com. for occupation in 1996, at which time they introduced laser engraving and pad COOP SCOOP

2ND STREET COSMETICS FOUND IN OUR WELLNESS DEPARTMENT to start making her own creams and in the Wellness Department at the Co-op. For more information, go to lotions.

After two years of intense research www.2ndstreetcosmetics.com.

Toner and Blemish Bomb are some of the 2nd Street Cosmetics products carried at HWFC.

Over the years, Jennifer Angley, owner of 2nd Street Cosmetics in Troy, NY, struggled with skin irritations caused by the harsh chemicals found in most over-the-counter facial products. She switched to all natural skin care brands and experienced improvement, but she found the cost of these items to be prohibitive. As a result, she decided

about how oils and infusions work together and working with the recipes of other cosmeticians, Jennifer began creating her own products. These are the result of many months of dedication in learning the medicinal properties of each essential oil and how those oils can be combined to create skincare products for one’s individual skin type.

All of Jennifer’s products are made using pure essential oils, pure butters and ancient clays from around the world which penetrate deep into the skin’s derma-layers, leaving one with nourished, healthy, glowing skin. 2nd Street Cosmetics also offers quality products for men: face moisturizers, aftershave lotion, beard oil and body dusting powders.

Photo by Donna Angley You will find 2nd Street Cosmetics Jennifer representing HWFC in a Bee Local

shirt at Cornell University’s Botanical Garden.

NOVEMBER 17,DECEMBER 2016 15, 201 cynthia spellman md

Holistic & Conventional Psychiatry

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Co-op and the Community

Homegrown and Oh So Happening words by Georgia Julius, photos by Barry Koblenz

Every fall for the past seven years, Honest Weight Food Co-op has hosted a harvest festival at Albany’s Washington Park to celebrate the work and products of local famers and artisans. On October 8th of this year, we brought our annual fall festival home with outstanding results.

This year, we thought, why not turn to our store as part of the celebration? It is, afterall, itself an impressive exhibition of local goods and wares. And with that agreeable notion, the event was given a new name to represent bringing it home and wonderful rebranding at the hands of Honest Weight’s in-house graphic designer, Matt Bradley.

Homegrown Happening featured an outdoor marketplace with 20 local artisans and farmers. Inside, five of our local vendors gave out samples and discussed the process and ingredients behind their products with interested shoppers. The store’s Teaching Kitchen was full of adults and children attending drop-in classes on crafting tea blends, cheesemaking, methods of brewing coffee, and more.

Some of our musically-inclined member-owners preformed outside, including drumming troupe Creative Process, Thee Vivacious Vegan (Irene Ferrell), Ragliacci (Kristoph DiMaria), and bluegrass band, Tamarack, with community roots dancing featuring caller Paul Rosenberg.

Kids enjoyed pumpkin painting, a bounce house, and fabulous face painting by Nina Stanley. Our famous smoothie bike delighted adults and children alike. Other exciting offerings included doorbuster deals, raffle prizes, and free Honest Weight Food Co-op tote bags.

I’m already looking forward tonext year’s! Until then, here’s to the harvest, smiles all around, homegrown fun, and all things local.

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COOP SCOOP

Past Recipients Albany Vegan Network Peppertree Dog Rescue Albany Bicycle Coalition Albany Discovery Center The Food Pantries Social Justice Center Coalition for the Homeless Friend of Five Rivers Special Olympics Alliance for Positive Health Unity House MH Humane Society Pine Hills Arboretum Albany Barn NE Association for the Blind

One Year and $9,298 Later words by Amy Ellis, photos by Andrew Franciosa

Honest Weight’s Enviro Tokens program launched in September of 2015 as an ammendment to our existing reusable bag incentive: get a nickel off of your grocery bill for every reusable bag you bring to use. The proposed program would give shoppers the option of

care to encompass a variety of causes.

As our Enviro Tokens program continues to grow, we hope to offer you a glimpse into some of the amazing local organizations in our community and the great work they continue to do each and every day. We’ve recently

Through the generosity of our shoppers, we were able to donate $9,298.35 to 20 local non-profits over the past year.

We have collectively saved more than 182,929 paper bags. choosing to instead donate that five cents to a rotating cast of local organizations.

No one could anticipate the success this program would find!

Through the generosity of our shoppers, we were able to donate $9,298.35 to 20 local non-profits over the past year.

We have collectively saved more than 182,929 paper bags from being used.

Organizations are recommended by our shoppers, member-owners and the community to be added to our evergrowing list of recipients. Each quarter, we select five new organizations, taking NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

added an information sheet with a brief description of each organization to the Enviro Tokens board, located near the registers. We update the tallies weekly, so that all can watch this program and it’s impact grow! Next time you shop, we invite you to bring your reusable shopping bags— it’s a small and simple gesture that, combined with that of others, will make a big difference!

Would you like to nominate a local nonprofit organization as a recipient of our Enviro Tokens program? Contact Amy Ellis at amy@honestweight.coop or by calling 518-482-COOP.

Capital Roots Pride Center Habitat for Humanity Sierra Club Literacy New York Greater Capital Region

Current Recipients Youth FX South End Children’s Café The Vegetable Project Hudson River Watershed Alliance

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Gifts of Good Will words by Colie Collen photo by Andrew Franciosa

Emily Collins is the Co-op’s Mercantile Buyer, a title that no person at Honest Weight has ever really held before. The Mercantile, or Housewares, Department is comprised of all the gift items, cleaning tools, candles and incense, cards, calendars, and other exciting things that distract you from grocery shopping.

Emily focuses on purchasing items that are useful, beautiful, environmentally-friendly, fair-trade, local, and seasonal.

During the holidays, Emily is busy stocking the shelves with items you can feel happy about gifting to your loved ones (or maybe treating yourself).

Arris Wood Works cutting boards, made from scrap wood by Seth Reed, who works in the Grocery Department. It’s these relationships that make the economy of the department really unique.

The Co-op is a destination spot for giftgiving that’s socially responsible, takes into account our local economy, and is really focused on fair-trade, local, and handmade.

Emily is a maker herself—she attended welding school a few years back and makes seriously gorgeous metal jewelry. She knows what to look for in quality items and values handmade objects. Having worked at Honest Weight for a total In contrast to other buyers, Emily doesn’t page through of seven and a half years, she’s also well-versed in its inner catalogues or talk to large distributors. She looks for small- workings: buying policies, the community, local businesses, scale artisans that create quality products with sustainability and what shoppers are seeking. in mind. “It’s awesome but time consuming,” she says. “And When this intensive gifting season is done, she’ll begin to I love it.” She looks through Etsy’s wholesale categories, stock springtime objects and is eager to partner with Carol meets with individual makers in our Co-op community, Surash, the new Plants Department Manager, to focus on and is generally on the lookout for new items year round. plants, gardening, bird-watching, and other goods. “Anything It’s notable that the Co-op carries products crafted by long- to fight those winter blues with color and excitement about time shoppers and member-owners, including the beautiful what’s to come.”

“People can do all of their shopping here,” says Emily. “The Co-op is a destination spot for gift-giving that’s socially responsible, takes into account our local economy, and is really focused on fair-trade local, and handmade.”

WE ASKED EMILY WHICH GIFT SHE’S MOST EXCITED ABOUT THIS YEAR. HERE’S WHAT SHE TOLD US 12

▶

COOP SCOOP

WOODEN TOYS “We stock these incredibly beautiful Amish toys, and I get really excited when they come in. The craftsmanship is so good! I have to communicate with the maker though handwritten letters and it’s so worth it. They are toys you can hand down through generations. I found aother company in Vermont that makes chess sets, puzzles, checkers, and shape-sorters for babies. We expanded the toy section this year. You can find it across from the baby food.”

SCENTED CANDLES Emily is excited about candles, a category that she just took over recently. “We’ve always carried Sunbeam Candles out of Ithaca. We were one of their first customers! They run an incredibly environmentallyconscious business, and are perfect for the values of our community.”

“I’ve learned more about what makes a quality candle: soy- or beeswaxbased, high-quality essential oils, phthalate-free. One of our new varieties is from Brooklyn in a sweet little tin. Another recent addition is in a mason jar and has a wooden wick so it crackles when you burn it, which is so pleasing.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

GREETING CARDS “The number one best selling product in Mercantile is greeting cards. Many of our greeting cards are printed on recycled paper, some are handscreenprinted, and all are made in the USA. A few are even crafted by Co-op member-owners!”

FAIR TRADE WOOLENS Emily says, “Our big upcoming products are woolens: hats, mittens, scarves, and more. They sell so well, are fair-trade from Peru, and are so cute and cozy.”

CALENDARS “Calendars are also a big product at this time of year and we have a ton of nice ones that just arrived.” At the top of Emily’s personal gift purchasing list for this holiday season is a lunar phase calendar with copper, silver, and gold metallic ink. “They’re frame-worthy,” she says.

mERCANTILE isn’t just gifts or seasonal items: it’s also things you already buy and need. Emily makes a quick list: “Food storage solutions, water bottles, coffee makers-You can source them all more responsibly at the Co-op than you can at a big-box store.” She certainly does her research to bring well-made, sustainable, beautiful items to the Co-op.

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Healthy Living Today:

Lyme in My Backyard, Part III

A Co-op member-owner finishes telling her three-part saga of living with Lyme Disease, started in our July/August issue.

words by Julie Harrell

According to Stephen Buhner, who I believe is the foremost expert on Lyme bacteria, “There is no one size fixes all treatment for Lyme or any of its coinfections...Lyme group parasites, like may stealth pathogens, utilize the immune responses of whatever mammal they infect as part of their infectious strategy1.”

A friend asked me yesterday how I feel about life after death, and I said, “There is no death. I know because I’ve visited the Heaven World at least five times.”

Once you become brain-fogged from Lyme, your soul may want to leave your body. Resist the impulse to lie down and die. Lyme, unlike many horrifying illnesses, is not a quick death bacteria tribe. I have met people in varying stages of Lyme and, sadly, some of these people are so crippled up they must live in a nursing home.

Hilfiger lived 11 years with undiagnosed Lyme and went through 13 doctors after finally getting properly diagnosed. Her story appears to be an extreme example of the perils a person can face with a complex, often confusing disease, Lyme.

She was so brain-fogged at 17 that her father committed her to a psych ward.

At one time, Hilfiger wore an antibiotic IV so that she could receive antibiotics directly into her bloodstream. She estimates that they further ruined her health. What finally helped Hilfiger was, in my assessment, her spiritual growth and her ability to withstand the allure of those unhealthy favorite foods: cake, cookies, pizza, etc.

It is my opinion that we should all begin to live as though we have Lyme.

According to Buhner, Lyme can be transmitted even through saliva and can live in soils for up to two months.

He suspects that the undiagnosed far outnumber the diagnosed, and that the only way to avoid the infestation of over 40 different types of bacteria is to enhance our immune systems. Living as though we all have Lyme may be the way to survive and thrive in the next few years while the world rages around us. What does this mean? Be grateful.

I am grateful that the Lyme damage to my body seems to be healing. I am grateful that I have my family, community, animals, farm life, fresh air, and lots of clean water. I am grateful that I only had Lyme for a couple of months before heading to my herbalist who read my pulses and diagnosed me, rather strongly, with an insect disease. Diet is critical. For an alkaline environment in which parasites will not thrive, one must avoid sugar, meat, dairy, gluten, My cousin (who I really love) texts me alcohol. Yoga is a requirement. a little too frequently for health advice. Our world is just a speck of sand in an She recently texted me and said, “What immeasurable beach, with a sun beyond did you do for Lyme?” Well, that’s a comprehension and an ocean that lasts lot to text about so I said, “Why do forever. We are tiny microbes on this you ask?” After a little hemming and speck of sand, and yet we have access hawing, she said, “I’ve been diagnosed to the entire universe and beyond. with Lyme.” I proceeded to tell her to study Stephen Buhner and get right on her own recovery. My cousin decided 1 Buhner, Stephen Harrod. (2015). not to purchase Stephen Buhner’s books Natural Treatments for Lyme Coinfecbecause she got a second diagnosis tions: Anaplasma, Babesia, and Ehrlichia. showing that she didn’t have Lyme. I Healing Arts Press, Rochester VT suggested that she proceed as though 2 she has Lyme, but her attitude was, Hilfiger, Alexandria. (2016). Bite Me: “Maybe I don’t.” End of texting. I’ll How Lyme Disease Stole My Childhood, probably hear from her again when she’s Made Me Crazy and Almost Killed Me. flat out and suffering…

Hachette Book Group, New York, NY

I am grateful that I have my family, community, I have read many stories from both animals, farm life, fresh doctors and patients who have suffered through Lyme, and I am the only person air, and lots of clean water.

I know of who never took antibiotics.

Why? Because I felt that antibiotics would muck up my insides, increase Candida fungal overgrowth in my bloodstream, kill everything good and not kill all the bad. I choose to avoid the what is known hopefully as “a quick fix,” strictly allopathic route.

Antibiotics work for some people, they just don’t really work for me.

What about the poor Lyme sufferer who was misdiagnosed with arthritis, multiple sclerosis, depression, fibromyalgia, flu…how do they finally figure out that they have Lyme? Ally Hilfiger wrote a wonderful book entitled Bite Me2. It’s a personal account of one woman’s experiences and the many ups and downs in the face of Lyme disease.

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COOP SCOOP

Self-Care in a Season of Giving words by Tara Herrick Brown

Don’t overlook the number one most important person in your life this holiday seasonyou! Here are eight simple ways to deal with holiday (and everyday) stressors. boost mood and motivation—inhale, exhale, repeat.

When the holiday season rolls around, busy people think of giving to everyone but themselves. Making lists of friends and relatives and putting countless thought into giving perfect gifts defines this time of year. Here’s a suggestion: put Me first on the list.

5. Color.

Self-care means something different to everyone. The bottom line is, what makes you breathe easier and feel grounded and calm? For some, it’s hitting the gym. For others, it’s feeding the chickens alone in the solace of a quite morning. For me, I need time to stretch and meditate, if even for 15 minutes. I go to bed early and wake up before I hear the sometimes-sweet call from my beloved girls: “Mah-ma!”

Using only your held breath, gently If you went to bed a little earlier and had push down on the muscle that sits some extra time each morning, what just below your lungs and expand your would you give that person named, Me? belly. Then, slowly release your breath What would you do with that time? out your nose. Your belly/diaphragm I suggest finding your answer from might feel tight. That’s expected. I within. But if centering yourself and usually continue this technique until I waiting for an idea to appear doesn’t can easily breathe without tension. If jive, here are eight suggestions for giving you feel a little light-headed, be sure to return to normal breathing, then try to to yourself yourself this this holiday holiday season: season: the diaphragm release again. I promise, getting to intimately know and use this breath work will have a lasting impact Sit somewhere green (or white!) and on how you manage stress. simply be for a few minutes. Listen to the birds. Absorb the sun. Feel the cool You don’t have to have a committed breeze. Watch the clouds. yoga practice to feel open and limber.

Simply stretch those parts of your body The holidays can be stressful. We that are calling for your attention. hold a lot of that stress/tension in our Gently roll your neck, lift your shoulders, diaphragms. The diaphragm release or touch your toes. Movement is energy exercise is a helpful tool for liberating in motion. Without motion, we can feel old stresses held in the body. If your stuck. mind is fixated on a stressor, this is a great way to let go and refocus on you.

Here’s how it works: Close your eyes Essential oils are great but in a pinch, and rest your hands in your lap. Take a open a packet of peppermint tea and slow, deep breath into your chest, filling empty it into a dish or peel an orange— up your lungs. Gently hold your breath. both are invigorating and known to

1. Be still.

3. Stretch out the kinks.

2. Let. It. Go.

4. Inhale a joyful smell

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

Perhaps you’ve seen the influx of mandala coloring books in the marketplace. Many parents, whether they admit it or not, love coloring with their kids. Give yourself permission to color. Just for you. It’s peaceful, creative, and very meditative. If you don’t have a coloring book that speaks to you, just search mandala coloring books on Google images. Print and color.

6. Shake your booty.

Put on your favorite jam, get down and boogie.

7. Check out.

In all the hustle of the holidays, give yourself permission to checkout, especially if you don’t allow yourself to do it much. I’m not advocating couchpotato-ness, I’m simply asking you to be easy on yourself and watch a little Louie C.K. on Netflix if you need a good laugh. Or delve into some good fiction.

I hear reading can be fun too!

8. Cook.

When it’s cold outside, there’s nothing like a warm, quiet kitchen with French cooking music playing in the background. (Search “French cooking music” on Pandora or Spotify. You won’t regret it.) When we fill our bodies with nourishing food, we feel often feel energized and more centered and grounded. Unearth one of your favorite go-to recipes or try one from page 20!

Although it’s a good time to start your self-care routine, remember it’s not a one-time deal. It’s important to make yourself your top priority each and every day.

15

Honest Weight’s Socially Conscious Gift Guide words by Karla Guerreri, photos by Kate Farrar

WITH MORE THAN A LITTLE EMBARRASSMENT,

I admit it. I felt a childish twinge of disappointment on Mothers’ Day when my sole daughter presented me with a card: a solar oven was purchased in your name. The proud recipient was a woman in rural Uganda so that she could cook dinner for her family. Sure, I was, and still am proud, and even a little self-satisfied that I raised a daughter who would do something like this. But where was my flower?

What about my box of chocolates?

According to the Wall Street Journal, socially responsible giving is mostly good for the giver. The Telegraph suggested we should prepare to lose friends when we offer them socially-responsible presents. Co-op shoppers, the good news is it doesn’t have to be this way! I would not discourage donating to a worthy cause, but with a smidgen of creativity and divergent thinking, you can be a conscious consumer and cover everyone on your list in a way that respects the makers and honors the planet and her creatures, while delighting the recipient at the same time.

Shopping at the Co-op is a good place to start. The mission states: “to promote more equitable, participatory and ecologically sustainable ways of living … share resources and create economic fairness in an atmosphere of cooperation and respect for humanity and the earth.” With this as a guide, you can rest-assured that everything at the Co-op is a socially responsible choice.

Shoppers that prioritize building and strengthening the local economy and minimizing their carbon footprint can look for the big green LOCAL label. Others may consider the human condition-through the lens of how workers and producers are treated and compensated-so they look for the FAIR TRADE signage. Those that see social responsibility in terms of waste reduction, animal rights, or a multiplicity of other issues will find great gifts with respect to all of these considerations at the Co-op. I talked to Honest Weight’s department managers of Wellness, Bulk, Mercantile, Grocery, Plants and Produce to hear their take on the matter. This is what I learned:

BULK: FROM SOUP TO NUTS Part of being responsible to our fellow humans means reducing our trash footprint- a task made easier by the Bulk Department. Gifting bulk goods is as easy as filling beautiful containers with goodies. Bulk Manager Tom Gillespie recommends the classic Ball jar, available in several shapes and sizes in Housewares. They have uniformity, easy shelf storage, and old-fashioned good looks. Bulk also offers glass containers, chosen specifically for different ingredients: honey, maple syrup, oils, and spices. Many of these glass jars and metal tins come from a local company called Birch Bottle Company. Once filled and marked with your own custom holiday label, they become lovely gifts and might even introduce the recipient to the pleasures and virtues of the bulk department, a gift that will keep on giving.

Once you start, filling the containers can become an overpowering compulsion-gazing at the innumerable consumables, ready for scooping up racing down the chute.

As in Mercantile, both FAIR TRADE and LOCAL are themes here. Equal Exchange is a long-standing fair trade-certified supplier of coffee, cocoa, and chocolate- all good choices in bulk. Kenya AA Coffee is another noteworthy company.

All of its profits benefit an orphanage in Kenya where the coffee is grown.

The offerings are so diverse, you can buy ingredients to make almost anything. Baking ingredients and mixes can be tailored to suit anyone’s needs (gluten-free, vegan, and 16

“As people are becoming increasingly aware that they have too much stuff, a gift that embodies the giver’s feelings of care and appreciation, without bringing the burden of yet another material object, can be thoughtful on multiple levels. “

- Tom Gillespie, Bulk Manager

unrefined). Tom recommends choosing a theme. Does your aunt love soup? Give her a selection of soup mixes in glass jars. Does your brother-in-law have a passion for pancakes?

A custom pancake mix and syrup selection in refillable jars might be just the thing. Other themes: candy, nuts, tea and coffee, or dried fruit.

GROCERY: GIFTS YOU CAN EAT. (OR DRINK.)

Two of the Grocery Departments biggest sellers around the holidays are specialty teas and chocolates. These items make great gifts when you’re buying something small for a COOP SCOOP

“You’ll always be welcome at a party if you bring a seasonal 12pack of craft beer or cider, or a large bottle of a Belgian wheat or French lambic!”

- David Aubé, Grocery Manager

lot of people, like colleagues or extended family members.

The Co-op’s Grocery Department has a solid selection of single origin, locally roasted coffee beans in pretty packaging. Then there’s the huge selection of craft beers and ciders. Specialty beverages can be good for a hard-toshop-for individual. The Co-op has plenty of local varieties, and special gift bags to wrap them in.

PRODUCE: NO WASTE Honest Weight’s produce department goes above and beyond in building relationships with local farmers. The Co-op deals with 30 farms directly and more through the Menands Market. The partnership with local farms is important—it is efficient and supports and advances a thriving local economy. Eliminating added costs and reducing the environmental impact of transporting the produce is an added bonus. That doesn’t mean that you have to go elsewhere for exotic fruit, though. Honest Weight offers bananas and avocadoes from Equal Exchange, which manager Brendan Kelly regards as a company who epitomizes “fair trade done right.” They pay a fair wage and support community development projects like schools and roads. For holiday giving, Brendan recommends packaged Medjool dates and baskets of citrus fruit.

“We emphasize socially conscious buying in the produce department by building local economic ties that strengthen the community.”

-Brendan Kelly, Produce Manager

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

“Just as we consider our own families, we should think of the families of the people who produce the things we buy.

Whether in the next city, the next state, or a faraway continent, it matters how the companies are run and how the workers are treated.”

- David Downer, Wellness Manager

WELLNESS: THE GIFT OF SELF-CARE When you are celebrating the holidays with family and friends, rest assured that the gifts you purchase from the Wellness Department were made in the spirit of community.

Ask David Downer, Wellness Manager, about the high quality, personal care products he features.

Badger Company is one of the Co-op’s oldest company relationships. They make a full line of skin care products for adults and children in their New Hampshire facility.

A family-owned and -operated company, they incorporate childcare into work shifts with a baby program and day care center on site. They structure their work day, cultivating community and facilitating family duties.

Even closer to home is 2nd Street Cosmetics in Troy. This woman-owned company produces a full line of all-natural skin care products for women and men. Prices are modest, ranging from $13-23. Read more on page 9!

Not too far to our west, Syracuse Soapworks is busy making attractive bar soap in 10 different scents-a perfect addition to any personal care gift basket.

New at the Co-op, and a little farther afield is a fair trade company called Shea Yeleen. Offering organic, paraben-free soap, shea butter balm, hand cream, and body butter. At the $4-19 price range, Shea Yeleen has more than doubled the income of thousands of women in Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Mali by training them on production and business skills in accordance with the microenterprise model.

Curate your own gift box or basket with a variety of selfcare products in pleasing scents. Tie a bow around it and you’re good to go! There is something for everyone in the Wellness Department.

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resulting in community sustainability. Also available in the FAIR TRADE section of the household department are tablecloths and napkins, tea towels, vases, baskets, and many other items suitable for gift giving.

“The way that we spend our money is one way we can cast our vote for how we want the world to be. I want to live in a world where we take care of each other and the planet, so buying local or Fair Trade makes a lot of sense to me.”

At the Co-op, LOCAL may mean that we personally know the maker. For more local gift ideas from Mercantile, refer to “Gifts of Good Will” on page 12.

One more category to consider for gift-giving are ageappropriate Do It Yourself (DIY) kit. Kids can make their own puppets, bongos and comic books, while adults can make hard cider and bagels. These fun activity kits range from $20-40. Possibilities abound!

“Giving a plant as a gift is about as green as it gets!

We work with local growers and farms to bring in organically grown potted plants, wreathes, cut flowers, and, in the spring, herb and veggie starts.”

- Emily Collins, Mercantile Buyer

MERCANTILE: THOUGHTFUL GIVING For mindful gift items, the Mercantile Department tops the list. Emily Collins, Honest Weight’s Mercantile Buyer, works year-round, providing scores of items, ranging from meat thermometers to reusable produce bags to coffee presses. At times, she teams up with other departments to create cohesive displays. The high quality items that grace the mercantile shelves give way to an even more extraordinary variety as the air turns chilly. Emily is especially enthusiastic about the Andes Gifts line of FAIR TRADE-certified woolens. Andes Gifts makes hats, mittens, and scarves in adult and child sizes. The producers are over two thousand indigenous Peruvian and Bolivian women whose skills and labor are more fairly compensated,

- Carol Surash, Plants Manager

PLANTS: GIVE GREEN

Featured items this winter in the Plants Department are poinsettias and pine boughs from local farms. For hostess gifts, look for real pine wreathes. Small succulents near the registers are low maintenence and make a charming little gift for kids and adults alike.

Seeds and bulbs are also thoughtful and affordable gifts.

Hudson Valley Seed Library seed packets make especially beautiful gifts—each packet features original mixed media artwork that will remind your loved one that spring is, indeed, on the way!

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Ten Gifts To Reduce Waste words by Rebecca Angel Maxwell

1. Edible Gifts

The most traditional gift there is. Make it yourself or purchase locally.

2.

Gifts of Service

Think creatively: a friend teaching my son to drive was one of the best presents I ever received. To make this one work, you have to follow up with scheduling.

3.

Park or Museum Passes

This is great for both travelers or staycation types.

4.

Bouquet of the Month

A monthly flower bouquet subscription can be a beautiful reminder of someone you love. Find a local flower grower or a small florist if you can!

5.

House Cleaning

What a great way to help a busy family or elderly person have a fresh start to the new year. Hire a service or do it yourself.

6.

Family Gifts

Money towards a vacation, an amusement park, or a gift certificate to a local ice-cream store— whatever will make your nieces and nephews happy without buying little plastic toys.

7.

Tickets to a Show

Show tickets to their local music hall or theater: Support a small venue and get your loved one out on the town. Think beyond the movies.

8.

Kids Cooking Corner

Plants

Or a gift certificate to a seed catalog: Know your recipient. If they aren’t into gardening, give them wildflower seeds they can simply toss without fuss.

Photo by Kate Farrar

Online 9. Subscription

Find out what they are into and see what the vast interwebs can provide from online magazines, virtual yoga classes, video or music services, etc.

words & recipe by Rebecca Angel Maxwell

Holiday baking is a time-honored tradition across cultures, so try something easy and inexpensive this year: POPCORN! Having your kids make gifts is a wonderful way to teach consideration and creativity. Edible presents in particular are well-recieved and they reduce waste! Recepients will appreciate the thoughtfulness and your kids will enjoy the time you spend together.

As simple as popping the corn and adding flavor, every child can have a good time making this treat. Here is a recipe to get you started. (Almost all ingredients can be found in our Bulk Department!) Get creative and let your children experiment and come up with their own flavors!

Maple Cinnamon Popcorn

2 tbsp unsalted butter Gluten-free ¼ cup maple syrup Pinch salt 2 tbsp ground cinnamon 1 tbsp vanilla extract Pinch nutmeg 8 cups popcorn, popped In a pan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the maple syrup to the melted butter and stir. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.

Place the popcorn in a large zip-top bag and drizzle with the butter mixture. Toss well to combine. Pour onto a baking sheet and let cool completely.

Pack into cookie tins lined with wax paper-it makes a great gift. The popcorn will go stale quickly, so make this treat only a day or two ahead of giving.

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Get a free Home Performance Energy Assessment which can qualify you for incentives and low interest financing to make home improvements. Have an expert show you where you may be wasting energy- and how to fix it.

10. Donate

Donate, in their name, to a cause they are committed to.

Wrapping Tip: Most store-bought wrapping paper cannot be recycled. Instead, reuse gift bags or wrap in newspaper. Or, better yet, present it wrapped in a bandana, cloth napkin, tea towel, or shirt, or in a nice basket or bowl. The Co-op has a great selection of these items. Tie on a ribbon and you’ll have a lovely green gift!

We’ll help you take the first step to a greener and more comfortable building with lower utility bills.

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Visit www.GreenCapitalRegion.org or call 434-1730x414.

words by Erin Coufal No need to break the bank on baked goods this holiday season. Don your apron and make these goods yourself. Honest Weight’s Bulk Department allows you to buy as much or as little of the ingredients you need! Shop for chocolate chips, sugars, various flours (including a large gluten-free selection!), baking soda, salt, nuts, popcorn, and more. Stock up so you can easily make these recipes again and again or buy only what you need.

Shortbread Cookies recipe by Amy Halloran 2 cups whole grain flour * spelt & ½ cup cornmeal ¼ cup sugar

½ tsp salt 1 cup butter, softened

Combine dry ingredients. Mix butter into flour mixture until thoroughly blended. The dough should be firm. Depending on the flour, you may need to add a ¼ to a ½ cup additional flour.

Once you can form a ball, roll dough out on flour-dusted cloth or counter until ¼ inch thick. Cut into squares or use the top of a round glass or cookie cutters. I like to make them about one inch by one inch.

Bake on a greased tray in a preheated oven, 400° for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on size. *Alternate flour options: 2 cups spelt flour or 1½ cups spelt & ⅓ cup buckwheat or 1½ cups spelt and ½ cup cornmeal Betsy Mercogliano, CPM, LM (518) 449-5759

Tisha Graham, CPM, CLC

Bake this recipe with Amy Halloran at her free upcoming Honest Weight baking class!

Holiday Baking with Local Flours Put a little taste of New York State into your holiday baking! Amy Halloran, author of The New Breadbasket, will teach us how to create shortbreads, crackers and pancakes that highlight the flavors of regionally grown grains. You’ll learn to navigate our extensive bulk flours and show your loved ones how easy it is to love local grains.

Monday, December 5th from 6-7:30PM in Honest Weight’s Teaching Kitchen Register online for this and other classes at www.hwfc.eventbrite.com.

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Apple Pie with Almond Flour Crust

Vegan, gluten free, and ready in under an hour!

recipe by Melanie Pores Crust: 2 cups almond flour 1 tbsp agar-agar 1 tbsp coconut flour ½ cup coconut oil (cold) 2 tbsp coconut palm sugar ½ tbsp egg replacer powder Liquid Stevia or other sweetener, to taste

Filling: 5-6 baking apples 1 tbsp cinnamon 1 tsp each of ginger, allspice, and nutmeg Stevia to taste Nuts, seeds, and maple syrup, optional

Gluten-free Vegan

Core and cut apples. Mix apples in a bowl with cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Add stevia or another sweetener to taste, if you’d like.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Fill pie crust with coated apple slices.

In a food processor, pulse the almond flour, agar-agar, and Crumble nuts or seeds on top of filling and drizzle coconut flour until evenly mixed. maple syrup on top of nuts.)

Add the coconut oil (must be solidified), coconut sugar Bake for 30 minutes or until the center is mostly set. and egg replacer powder. Pulse until it forms a ball. Press in to the bottom of a pie pan (or 8x8 dish) and set aside. Do not over-bake!

Cook’s notes: Although one might be tempted to re-warm the pie for a few

minutes before eating it, this pie crust needs to be kept cool. As soon as the pie has cooled off, be sure to refrigerate so that the coconut oil solidifies and firms up the crust.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars Vegan

recipe by Erin Coufal 1 ½ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips 1 cup Earth Balance margarine, softened ¾ cup sugar ¾ cup brown sugar, packed ½ cup of pumpkin puree

A warm, gooey, delicious treat, perfect with a cup of coffee or to share with friends at a holiday gathering.

2 tsp. vanilla 2 ¼ cups flour 1 tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt ½ cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 375º and grease a 9 x 12 casserole pan.

Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat margarine with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy and lightened in color.

Add pumpkin and vanilla, a little at a time. Mix on low speed until incorporated.

Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts (optional) and chocolate chips.

Add cookie dough to the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before cutting into squares.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

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1003 Ninth Ave Watervliet, NY 12189 518-272-8601

3miles from route 9&155 intersection

-Synthetic engine oil and filter, top off fluids, set tire pressures-Check belts, hoses and coolant condition-

*Upto 5qts of oil. European cars & trucks extra.

BE KIND TO YOUR CAR AND THE ENVIROMENT TOO! A well maintained vehicle pollutes less and saves on gasoline cost.

MHLC

TRAILS HIKING

The MOHAWK HUDSON LAND CONSERVANCY is your neighborhood land trust, working every day since 1992 to improve the quality of life for Capital Region residents. We preserve forests and farms, protect wildlife habitat, and preserve the character of the Capital Region.

FARMS

What is a Land Trust?

MOUNTAIN BIKING

A land trust is a nonprofit organization that works to preserve our natural lands and to steward those lands for generations to come. MHLC is community based and deeply connected to local needs, so work that we do has a direct and lasting impact on the health of our community while protecting local natural habitat. Join us today! www.mohawkhudson.org

BIRD WATCHING CYCLING

(RAIL TRAIL)

SNOWSHOEING SCENIC VIEWS

LOCAL FOODS CLEAN WATER GEOCACHING CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AUDIO TOURS

MOHAWK HUDSON LAND CONSERVANCY WATERFALLS 425 Kenwood Avenue AND MORE! Delmar, NY 12054 518-436-6346 www.mohawkhudson.org

Co-op Kids! illustrations by Amelianne McDonnell word search by Rebecca Angel

Oh no! a suitcase fell off of a pickup truck as it drove down the farm’s bumpy dirt road and winter clothes spilled everywhere! but THe barnyard animals were very excited to try on people clothes.

WordSeason Search: Season of Giving of Giving Word Search CARE

FRIENDS

CREATE

GIFT

FAMILY

JOY

E M E H S D X J R T P P J C G

Z G C U S P I R I T B B U O F

J P I G G L I N V P F W O Z Y

S T N E S E R P T H R D O G L

F N T G X E K H Q A I B T F F

S A E F T A A E P P E X F R S

SPIRIT

LOVE

PRESENTS THANKFUL WRAP

SHARE

I H M A I N H R M C N X R E H

Z T E I K G P A L A D Q S K F

F R Y F L W O H J R S R K U K

C Q U Q U Y B S Z E E K F Y Z

U L Y D P U Q N Y Q L L R Q H

O I Q Q A W D K R X Y R O J X

C K K G O Z Q R A O Z D J A O

T F K L F Q X U D K Z L X J G

W I R L L W V L K E V O L K Q

Help!

Help ruby the red hen look for the socks and mittens scattered throughout the pages of this Coop Scoop. there are ten total- Can you find them all?