Coop Scoop Spring 14

Issue #402

spring 2014

Printed with soy ink on recycled paper

In This Issue

Seeing the World on Your Plate —

the Albany Vegan Action Network Page 6

Earth Day is Every Day community & green living

14

Spring Tasks in the Garden gardener’s diary

18

open every day 8am - 10pm

Honest

FOOD CO-OP

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.

behind the Co-op Board of Directors President

Lynne Lekakis

Vice President

Bill Frye

Treasurer

Hilary Yeager

Secretary

Erin Shaw

Weight

Committee Liaisons

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

contact us 100 Watervliet Avenue Albany, NY 12206 (518) 482-2667 [482-COOP] coop@honestweight.coop www.honestweight.coop

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)

Outreach Coordinator

Amy Ellis

(x128)

Marketing manager

Jennifer Grainer

(x106)

Bylaws Panel

Bill Frye

Education Coordinator

Colie Collen

(x219)

Communications

Roman Kuchera

Front End Manager

Katie Centanni

(x109)

Finance

Hilary Yeager

Bulk Manager

Tom Gillespie

(x130)

Governance Review Council

Bill Frye

Cheese Manager

Tom Macgregor

(x118)

Membership

Marwin Margolies

Food Service Manager

Donna Quinn

(x108)

Nutrition & Education

Rebekah Rice, Erin Shaw

Grocery Manager

David AubĂŠ

(x119)

Meat Manager

Nick Bauer

(x113)

Personnel

Ron Royne

operations Manager

Jenn Felitte

(x103)

Strategic Planning

Lynne Lekakis, Sam Messina

Wellness Manager

Kevin Johnston

(x111)

Interested in joining a committee?

Contact: board@honestweight.coop

honest weight community initiative

Bill Frye Governance Review Council

Leif Hartmark, chair

want to advertise?

The cover photo of Slack Hollow Farm was taken by Randall Collura, Co-op member since 2013.

Contact Kim Morton at (518) 330-3262 or kim.a.morton@gmail.com 2

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

message from the leadership team

table of

contents Feature seeing the world on your plate The Albany Vegan Action Network

6-7

Columns

Lily Bartels, Duke Bouchard, and Lexa Juhre make up Honest Weight’s Leadership Team

Planning for the new store and for organizational expansion was always predicated on a vision of greater opportunity for achieving success, and guided by the shared belief that Honest Weight could do more, offer more, BE more, for a larger segment of our community.

But even our wildest hopes could not have encompassed the reality of our explosive growth and greatly enhanced empowerment to sustain HWFC and its mission, and to be a larger, more effective, impactful presence and engine for positive change.

Literally from day one at Watervliet Avenue, sales have dramatically exceeded all of our projections. Week after week, the Co-op continues to break its own records – quite breathtakingly!

We are attracting new member-owners at an amazing clip and recently crossed the 10,000 mark! And we are now a more diverse population than ever, as a stroll through the store at a busy hour reveals. Our customer count, which includes both members and potential members, has skyrocketed along with sales. In short, Honest Weight is thriving, and our members spring 2014

and exceptional staff are right at the heart of this achievement.

But at the Co-op, there are additional metrics by which we measure success. Here’s a not-unusual scenario that warms our hearts: passing by the conference room, we see a member tutoring a group on English-as-a-second-language; continuing on past the Community Room, we note a filled-tocapacity new-member orientation in process, or hear the sounds of a group playing musical instruments together; peeking into the Teaching Kitchen, we find a full class of rapt participants learning a new recipe, discovering a new DIY skill, or doing some handson cooking or baking together. The vibrancy and diversity of our programming, which less than a year ago we simply did not have the resources to provide, and the eagerness with which this educational component of our mission has been embraced by the community, represents to us one of the new store’s most resounding successes. It’s nothing less than thrilling.

out and about Update from the Outreach Department

4

Food in the community Mindful Eating

8

Producer profiles Gammelgarden Creamery 100 Mile Pies Slack Hollow Farm

13

Gardener’s Diary Spring Tasks in the Garden

18

it’s spring! Get outside!

16

strawberries The Taste of Early Summer

17

Member profile Gina Disarro

19

may is national bike month Tips for Getting Started

20

classes in review

5

Upcoming Events coop scoop survey

5 10 11

From the Suggestion Box

21

Closing Words

22 24

Staff pick

kids page

3

FARM to TABLE

Dining, CSAs, Markets

out and about

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

Visit us online!

Outreach Coordinator Amy Ellis talks to Girl Scout Troop 1004 at New Scotland Elementary School.

GOT TOO MUCH STUFF ?

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Attics Moving Out

Garages

Moving In

Storage

Down-sizing

Filing

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Free Estimate References Reasonable Rates

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Our Ready, Set, Grow! program is as popular as ever as spring approaches!

In March, our Outreach team made organic smoothies with Girl Scout Troop #1532. We set up citrus sampling stations at health and wellness events at both Roessleville School in Colonie and AW Becker School in Ravena, and had the pleasure of donating healthy snacks for the Albany Barn’s Annual Youth Art Contest Opening Reception at City Hall. The Outreach team was happy to partner with The Pride Center for LGBT Health Month – we talked to both adult and youth groups about the importance of healthy nutrition, buying in bulk, choosing seasonal and local produce, and other ways to save money while adding more nutritious foods to their diets. We spent the day at Albany High School for their “lunch with a neighbor” program, offering a hands-on interactive experience about the meaning of a co-op and what sets us apart from other conventional grocery stores in the area. And we had the pleasure of being a spon-

sor for this year’s New York Craft Beer Festival at The Desmond. Our Cheese and Specialty Foods team put together a terrific sampling of cheeses that paired very well with the craft beers represented. It was a great evening!

APRIL 17, 2014

TINY TINY is a documentary about home, and how we find it. The film follows one couple’s attempt to build a “tiny house” from scratch, and profiles other families who have downsized their lives into homes smaller than the average parking space. Through homes stripped down to their essentials, the film raises questions about good design, the nature of home, and the changing American Dream

Presented on the third Thursday of each month with food samples generously provided by the Honest Weight Food Co-op Food for Thought events feature food at 6:00 and film at 7:00, plus a panel discussion following the film and live music with Jack Empie and guests

The Linda

Food For Thought co-presented by:

WAMC’S PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO

339 Central Avenue, Albany, NY thelinda.org | 518-465-5233 x4

MAY 15, 2014

BLOOD BROTHER: Rocky Braat, a young man from a fractured family and a troubled past, went traveling through India without a plan. Then he met a group of HIV positive children living in an orphanage -- a meeting that changed everything for him. Rocky left his life, friends, and career in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to live with the kids. Steve Hoover, his best friend and filmmaker, was unsettled and intrigued by this drastic action. In an effort to find out what compelled Rocky to give up every source of stability in his life, Hoover decided to trace Rocky’s story, following him to India.

Coop Scoop

Presented on the third Thursday of each month with food samples generously provided by the Honest Weight Food Co-op Food for Thought events feature food at 6:00 and film at 7:00, plus a panel discussion following the film and live music with Jack Empie and guests

The Linda WAMC’S PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO

339 Central Avenue, Albany, NY thelinda.org | 518-465-5233 x4

Food For Thought co-presented by:

s e s s a cl in review

Each month, we try to create a balanced offering, with some fun classes for folks who already know a lot about cooking, some for those who are just beginning to make attempts, and some that are not about food at all!

Our “Intro to Tai Chi” class was very popular, and Singing Bowls Meditation, Folk Guitar and Ukulele, and Nia, all of which occur regularly, have taught our community more about living well and having fun.

Some of our most popular classes have been those that really get at the issue of living healthfully, such as “Green Smoothies, ““Juicing 101,” “Eating for Optimal Health,” and “DIY Kefir.”

But we’ve also seen a lot of interest in learning simple kitchen skills, and so our “Secrets of the Co-op Cafe,” “Knife Skills” and “Cooking on a Budget” classes have had great attendance as well. Nearly all of our classes are at max capacity; if you haven’t checked one out yet, you should!

Here’s what some frequent class participants have to say about the workshops they’ve attended: “The greatly expanded class schedule, as well as a dedicated teaching kitchen, is one of the best things about the new store. The fact that the classes are free (or occasionally have a modest materials fee) allows people of all income levels to enjoy topics ranging from new cooking techniques to gardening to wellness to DIY taught by local professionals or knowledgeable amateur enthusiasts.” –Christine Kleinegger “The classes have proved to be a fantastic way for me to gain familiarity with the Co-op (I recently joined) and learn new skills in a fun, nurturing environment. I recently relocated to the area for work, and having this resource available to me was so important. These classes really gave me a sense of community and made the Co-op feel like home.

Thanks so much for offering such a good selection. All the classes were great, really. They were all presented with such joy.” –Robin Henzel A big thanks to everyone who has supported our educational programming so far! If you’d like to participate, our monthly calendar is always posted near the Co-op Cafe. Email Colie@ honestweight.coop for more info.

Apply now for Fall 2014 Ages 18 months to 14 years old

Join us for

Woodland Hill SUMMER MontESSoRi SCHool

CAMP

upcoming events earth day celebration April 26, 2014 | Outside & In!

We’ll be hosting a lot of fun at the Co-op in celebration of Earth Day, including kids’ activities, a DIY Cleaning Supplies workshop, a massive on-site planting project and a Household Goods Swap! Check the signs near our class calendar, and watch for

Choosing a natural path for your animals’ health May 8, 2014 | Teaching Kitchen

With veterinary doctor Tanya Holonko.

A general and basic introduction to holistic care for large and small animals, with a focus on preventative care, diet, and nutritio.nSign up at www.hwfc.eventbrite.com, or at our Service Desk.

food swap from scratch club

with the

June 8, 2014 | Community Room

An FSC Food Swap is a gathering where home cooks, gardeners, foragers, food preservationists, DIY enthusiasts and bakers come to swap their homemade food and drink products, home and body care, and garden bounty. No money, just great food, is exchanged. To sign up, visit FSC’s Eventbrite profile page at: www.fromscratchclub.eventbrite.com

June 23- Aug 22 For Ages 3 to 12 A summer filled with Culinary Fun, Things That Go, Eco-Art, Nature Explorers, and more!

Space is limited, register today.

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

spring 2014

5

Seeing The World on Your Plate: the Albany Vegan Network

by Sarah Sexton Co-op member since 2014

if you’re a vegan or vegetarian in the Capital Region, you’ve most likely already heard of the Albany Vegan Network, an all-volunteer grassroots organization founded in 2004. You may not know, however, that HWFC and AVN have formed a strong community partnership that can benefit everyone, from herbivores to omnivores.

AVN’s regular meetings are held at HWFC on the first Sunday of each month in the Community Room, where you can learn more, find support and get involved. AVN also sponsors cooking classes and educational events at the Co-op, as well as potlucks, movie screenings, book chats and other activities at locations throughout the region.

AVN board member and vice president Eric C. Sharer (MPH, RD, CSO, 6

CDN) describes the group’s central mission as a four-pronged approach to achieving a healthy and humane lifestyle. “Our activities and dedication focus on the health benefits of vegan and vegetarian nutrition, environmental awareness, sustainable living and compassion for animals and all beings.”

a 2012 study by the Vegetarian Resource Group indicated that 2.5% of Americans self-identified as vegan, up from just 1% in 2009, and Google Trends reports that vegan-related web searches, particularly pertaining to diet, have risen sharply in the past few years.

Eric explains that there are many easy ways to experiment with veganism, if you’re considering a change. “Simple dietary swaps – like almond milk for cow’s milk – can have a huge nutri-

tional benefit, and there are literally thousands of these items available in the Co-op. Plus, if you’re not sure what to cook, many of the prepared foods in HWFC’s hot bar are a convenient way to experiment with alternative ingredients and plant-based foods that may be new to you. And, certainly, just decreasing the animal-based and processed foods and increasing the fruits, vegetables and whole foods you consume can have immediate and lasting benefits to your health and well-being.”

If you’re not ready to eliminate meat completely from your diet, trying Meatless Monday, either with the Co-op or on your own at home, is another simple way to reduce animal consumption. Of course Eric and AVN, who promote total avoidance, would encourage you to do more. “Don’t be afraid to try new or unfamiliar plantCoop Scoop

Sitting: founding AVN members Dave Lajeunesse, Jan Lajeunesse, Dawn D’Arcangelo, Jim LaCelle, and Olga Dovgel. Standing: current board members/officers Ingrid Arlt, Kristi Miller, Amrit Michelle Singh, and Claire Henderson. Up front: Eric C. Sharer. Not Pictured: Punit Jain. Photo credit Randall Collura, Co-op member since 2013.

based foods. There are many affordable, nutritious and delicious alternatives available. Before you know it, Monday can become every day and then you’ve made a profoundly healthy change for your body and our planet.”

avn’s mission reminds us, however, that the impact of adopting a vegan lifestyle extends far beyond our diet. Scan their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ albanyvegetariannetwork, and you’ll find information about how water consumption declines sharply as a result of growing crops instead of raising livestock; news on efforts to ban puppy and kitten mills; and budgetbusting stats about the rising cost of processed foods and animal products.

“The issues that vegans and AVN tackle affect more than just our individual bodies,” Eric says. “Animalbased consumption and industry can have a harmful effect on our society, economy and environment, not just in this region but around the world. And we all can help create change, in easy ways every day, with actions both large and small.”

check out hwfc’s online calendar at www.honestweight. coop or visit www.meetup.com/albanyveg to find more AVN-sponsored events and outings near you. And mark your calendars: AVN’s premier annual event, Albany VegFest, will be held this year on November 15th at the Polish Community Center.

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on may 17th, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the HWFC Community Room, AVN will host a panel discussion that will focus on the global health benefits of veganism and aim to dispel various myths and misinformation. Registered/certified dieticians will be on hand to answer your nutrition questions, including possible one-on-one consultations (time permitting). Details are coming soon, so stay tuned.

spring 2014

The Sweater Venture 700 Columbia Tpk East Greenbush,NY 518-477-9317 www.sweaterventure.com

7

food in the community

Mindful Eating

by Sarah Fish of Cafe Congress in Troy, NY

we all need food to survive.

And for most of us, there’s a requirement for real food, grown from the ground or from animals whose byproducts make meals even more delicious and complete (if you like that sort of thing). I’ve always believed that since humans are the only animals who cook their food before they eat it, we are meant to enjoy food a lot more than other animals. The pleasure of eating and the process by which we feed ourselves is just as important as the nutrients that keep us alive.

That being said, if sustaining life is by nature meant to be fun and enjoyable, then all things food-related are integral parts of and examples of how to be happy. Let me explain: Food is sustenance, and so, life is like food — the care and time given to making it good and healthy is part of its value. We take our time growing up, learning who we are, and becoming something great.

Likewise, our food choices should reflect how we want to live; we should respect our food they way we respect ourselves.

There is no greater joy than being full—full of excitement or of hope, full of energy or of thought, or full from a meal and the comfort of being fed—and metaphorically, full of life. If we are what we eat, why not be the best? What fuels us should be an equivalent of what we expect from ourselves and what we need to expect from our food producers. Our quality of life is reflected in our choices at the grocery store and farmers markets, so shop morally and responsibly. Choose local organic produce and humanely pasture-raised animals to insure that what we eat helps us become what we want to be, as individuals and as a society. We need to respect a food system that sustains our overall happiness and health.

If we’re making the best food choices we can, the one thing that ties us all together, sustenance, will be the joy that sustains a community.

Food starts as a seed, like we do, and with love transforms into something amazing. Imagine the struggle of a sprouting seed, buried in dirt and darkness, breaking through the soil and pushing up towards the sunlight.

We do the same thing: we are born and grow through the aches and pains of life to become someone productive and giving, as does the seed when it becomes a plant, bearing fruit, feeding the people who grew it.

Sarah Fish at The Hungry Fish Cafe, her former restaurant location 8

Coop Scoop

Local Blogs we Love kale & kumquats

From: A Little Bit Called Tremble

2.

by Aidan Thompson, Co-op member since 2006

The difficulty lies less in fighting a gale than securing an echo of the world Thisasis we a caption the photo aboveknot. We sail into a shallow anchorage with crisp chafeforagainst finite’s

little white caps trembling in the storm and find solace in ragged shores. Tying myself to a buoy, as if years of hot air could inflate me with know-how, I remember I’m not my memory anymore. The result is stupefaction and a weighted awareness that I too have been fooled by Mother Nature. What are the rules associated with things being washed up on shore? Eventually the changing elements, vying for power, give way to a season’s persistent pulse.

Cathy Antoniewicz has been a fixture in the Co-op kitchen since 2010, and has written her amazing recipe and nutrition blog, Kale & Kumquats, since 2011. She shares nutritious and delicious recipes; check out her Almond Amazeballs, or learn to make your own Veggie Pho!

www.kaleandkumquats.blogspot.com

A warm breeze fills consciousness and we waft with porosity over cliffs, the verticality in contrast to a horizon bulging dawn. The spring day plants brackets around winter. Daffodils burp color from the earth, preparing for

The farmer’s husbaND

the observer who emerges as conspirator from ambient murk. “What’s new?” asks the artist sitting under her portrait of her sitting under her portrait. Art is to change what you expect from it. No longer convinced by likeness, the epiphany decomposes and something wily and irritating inserts itself like crabgrass growing through snow. “Change is necessary,” mumbled the ballerina in combat boots, twirling without an audience. The end can motivate one to grasp for immediate solutions while craning the neck to avoid dark holes in the world. History made it clear that transcendence can be horizontal but might unsettle sense. We venture away from vanishing points, our shadows sniffing the wind.

H EA LTHY CAR H

A

P

P

I

E

R

Cruz Automotive spring 2014

518 465 9067

8 70 3 R D ST R E ET

ALB A N Y

Both Thomas and Bailey have been hardworking Co-op employees, but their hearts were always on the farm.

And who could blame them? Take a look at the beautiful photos on their blog, The Farmer’s Husband, and just try not to swoon when you check out last year’s “Baby Parade” post. Soon they’ll be rebranding their enterprise as Bearded Lady Farm, but until then you can find them at:

www.thefarmershusband.com 9

Staff Pick Totally awesome products picked out by our totally awesome staff!

Ryan Rose

Hot Italian Sausage

“The “I Hot Italian Sausage from our love Aquavitea Kombucha in Meat Department was not a hard choice for my staff bulk. You can bring your own pick. This homemadejarcreation balanced or get a has newaone, and it’s kick of heat and spices.

I add it to any pasta dish, or enjoy it with peppers cheaper by the pound than preand onions on a fresh baguette. Also, you can buy it bottled.

It’sup also made in Ver-Knowing where the ground to zest your sauces! a small company that meatmont camebyfrom is important to me. I can’t wait to imkombucha-on-tap. presspioneered my friends at summer barbeques and potlucks!

We have different flavors all the You can findit’s our Hot Italian Sautime; definitely the cooperasage in Meat Department, tivethe beverage of choice.” where it’s made fresh every 2-3 days by our staff and is just $7.99 per pound! Also check out our andouille, chorizo, kielbasa, and chicken sausage varieties.

10

Coop Scoop

your opinion means a lot to us

Recipe clip and save!

Our previous Coop Scoop masthead, which started in 1989.

A QUICK SURVEY:

Simple Strawberry Cucumber Basil Water

(please return to our Service Desk, or go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/CoopScoop to fill it out online)

1. What’s your favorite part of the Coop Scoop?

Ingredients Strawberries Sliced cucumber Basil Leaves Sparkling Water

2. What sort of features would you like to see/read about here?

directions 1. To an empty pitcher, add whole strawberries, sliced cucumbers, and bruised basil leaves.

Additional comments:

2. Top with sparkling water, stir well, and cover.

3. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and remove basil before serving.

Breathe in the intoxicating scents of summer, and drink to your health!

Recipe by Roberta Duncan Co-op member since 2012

spring 2014

11

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Coop Scoop

producer profiles

by Pat Sahr Co-op member since 2005

Gammelgarden creamery In 2010, Stina Kutzer and her sister Marta Willett decided to start a business that would allow them to share with their community the kind of fresh dairy products that their families enjoyed. The result of their planning was the establishment of Gammelgarden, a unique creamery located in Pownal, VT. The stars of this enterprise are 13 Jersey cows, six of which are now producing the milk that becomes cultured butter, buttermilk, skyr (an

100 mile pies If you stop in at the Co-op on a Friday afternoon, you might be lucky enough to catch Susan Quillio offering samples of her 100 Mile Pies.

These are savory pot pies and hand pies prepared in her kitchen in Easton, New York. Susan has been baking her pies and catering special events since 1998 Her ingredients are sourced from local farms and regional producers.

According to Susan, “Supporting a regional farm economy encourages the production of nutrient-rich food, slack hollow farm Located in the town of Argyle in Washington County, Slack Hollow Farm is one of several organic farms that supplies diversified produce to the Honest Weight Food Co-op. It has been in business since 1985 and has been Certified Organic for the past 19 years.

Operated by Seth Jacobs and Martha Johnson with help from a crew of dedicated workers, Slack Hollow’s stated goals are to grow the tastiest,

spring 2014

Icelandic yogurt traditionally made with skim milk) and fresh cheese. At Gammelgarden - a Swedish word meaning “old small farm” - the cows are pastured spring, summer and fall on the family’s land. The milk they produce goes through a slow pasteurization process that preserves both taste and nutritional value. In the dairy case at Honest Weight, you will find maple and plain skyr, as well as a few other tasty flavors.

positively affects our economy and reduces our carbon footprint.” The name of her product was inspired by her determination to work, as much as possible, with farmers and other food suppliers who are within a 100-mile radius of her business.

At Honest Weight, 100 Mile Pies are sold frozen in the specialty foods section of the store. Take one home and heat it up. Susan promises it will be as good as fresh baked!

healthiest produce possible and to be a link in the area food chain by growing and selling their vegetables locally year-round.

In order to realize the latter goal, they built an unheated greenhouse 10 years ago and have been successfully growing winter spinach and other crops. Recently they added two ground-heated hoop-houses in which they are able to produce a greater diversity of greens for the winter market.

13

Earth Day is Every Day (But it’s also April 22)

by Colie Collen, Education Coordinator Co-op member since 2008

looking for ways to celebrate Earth Day? Make some lasting changes. Here’s a list to help: 1. Stop using disposable water bottles. Even recycling uses energy! Get a bottle you love, made out of glass, stainless steel, or BPA-free plastic, and keep using it!

2. Sell or donate things you don’t use Illustration by Meg Sodano, Co-op Member since 2013.

(electronics, clothing,etc) instead of throwing them away. Or better yet, give them to a friend!

at the co-op, we’re fond of say-

3. Reduce your paper towel use wher-

ing that “Earth Day is Every Day.” And that sentiment is an important part of our decisionmaking; in recognition of our dependence and interdependence with this beautiful planet on which we live and thrive, one of HWFC’s Statments of Conscience reads, “We are committed to learning and teaching about alternative ways of living that are healthy for ourselves, our community, and our planet.” Our triple bottom line is People, Planet, Profit, and we strive to provide sustainable options that other groceries cannot.

but we’re just a small part of a large, exciting movement.

Earth Day’s historical roots start in 1970, as a nationwide teach-in at colleges, universities, primary and secondary schools in which over 20 million people peacefully demonstrated their support for the then-burgeoning environmental movement. Since that time, Earth Day has become what its organizers call “the largest secular holiday in the world,” and is celebrated by more than a billion people worldwide.

It’s a day of inspiration and action, when communities come together to share strategies and ideas for living more lightly on the land.

14

Here at Honest Weight, we’ve thrown some epic Earth Day parties. Jessica Allen Hayek, our former Outreach Coordinator and a past Board member, told me about the big tent that used to go up in the Clearview parking lot on Central Avenue, in which local craftspersons and organizations would sell their wares, table, and talk, and where kids could decorate reusable cloth shopping bags while bands played. There would be workshops in our tiny old Community Room, and farmers would present on the theory behind CSAs, a concept we now take for granted. The DEC would donate native perennial seedlings for giveaways. Jess and Carissa Centani, our former Education Coordinator, even hosted clothing swaps in the old 484 warehouse!

this year, we’ll be celebrating Earth Day on Saturday, April 26th, with more workshops in our nowexpansive Community Room, more live music, more kids’ fun, and a big landscaping party on our “South Lawn.” We’ll also host a Housewares Swap and a reading with local author Ruth Ann Smalley. Keep your eye on our website, for more information and to register for workshops.

ever possible. Keep cloth towels and rags handy for clean-up.

4. Give your laundry that fresh-air scent by hanging it outside to dry.

And wash with cold water, not hot!

You’ll save a ton of energy and still be squeaky clean.

5. DIY! Make your own household cleaners so that you know what’s in them. (And continue this notion: Consider making your own meals and body care products for the same reason.)

6. Compost. Keep organic matter out of landfills, and put it back in the soil!

7. Drive less, and maintain your car more. Your miles-per-gallon will increase, and your fuel consumption will decrease.

8. Carry a shopping bag with you to avoid using plastic.

9. Unplug your electronics. They use energy even when you don’t!

10. Reuse! Buy gently-used items and find inventive ways to use the things you might throw away.

Coop Scoop

Jean’s Greens 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.

member 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:

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

Visit us on line at www.jeansgreens.com

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15

It’s Spring! Get Outside!

by Cara Benson Co-op member since 2013

Thacher Park: another beautiful regional destination.

Photo by Randall Collura, Co-op Member since 2013

I spend an awful lot of time “in my head” and, increasingly, on the computer. While I consider critical reflection on life, love, and politics to be a non-negotiable practice, it is far too easy to get stuck in a mental rut, revving that monster truck deep into mind mud. Or worse, not actively thinking at all. Point. Click. Point. Click.

Like. Not like.

That’s when it’s time to get out of Dodge. As in, go outside. Fortunately, the Capital District is rich with public parks. While spring means melt and we should be conscious of causing erosion (please stay on the trails), there are lots of spots to be a happy human animal. Here is a partial list.

in town: city parks These are great destinations to walk in and to. One loop around and you’re right as rain. The bigger ones include: Albany’s Washington Park; Troy’s Prospect Park and Frear Park; and 16

Schenectady’s Central Park. There are also many, many smaller ones that could call you to drift through your community with a new perspective.

They might be just a few blocks wide, but even this amount of pushback on development is worth visiting. Riverside Park, for example, off Schenectady’s Stockade District, is a tiny gem on the Mohawk for a short stroll along the water.

Then there’s Corning Preserve, an Albany city walking, biking, jogging path along the Hudson River. It connects with the Riverfront Preserve/ Mohawk Hudson Hike and Bike Trail to create a super stretch of a park. Access points include the Hudson River Way Pedestrian Bridge and the Quay Street underpass at Broadway in Albany and the Dunn Memorial Bridge pedestrian walkway from Rensselaer. The Broadway & Peter D Kiernan Plaza CDTA bus terminal is nearby on the Albany side.

preserves and state parks: These are more nature trail-ish, but still CDTA accessible: Normans Kill East and West, two sites maintained by the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy that, combined, feature a little over a mile and a half of woods walking on the Kill right off Delaware Ave in Delmar. MHLC has done great work protecting other larger sites in Albany, Montgomery, and Schenectady Counties. For further info go to www.mohawkhudson.org.

Peebles Island State Park: At the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers just north of Cohoes, this island is a green, deer-studded gift. The perimeter trail is just under 2 miles, and I recommend also walking the interior trails to add to your sense of remove.

For the view to the river falls, take a walk on the west side. There’s a vehicle fee to park in the lot at the mouth of the trails in season. CDTA bus 746 stops at the corner of Delaware and Ontario Streets. It’s a nice walk to the park from there with additional trails to the right along the way.

Albany Pine Bush Preserve: 3200 acres with almost 18 miles of multi-use trails, this is a major score in local conservation. The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission does an amazing job advocating for its continuation and balancing recreation opportunities with habitat protection. Plus, the Discovery Center is fun! A great family spot. Plenty of parking or CDTA stops at Central Ave and Route 155 (155, 355, and 905).

Walk south on 155 (New Karner Road). www.albanypinebush.org This is a small, local list to get in an outdoors frame of mind. There are many options to go farther afield in the area, so see you out there!

Coop Scoop

layer to freeze, then transfer to a glass container for best retention of vitamin C. Adding lemon juice to the washing water helps to preserve the color.

add strawberries to salads! for example: 2 cups baby spinach 2 cups arugula 2 cups strawberries 2 oz. crumbled goat cheese 2 small scallions, chopped Illustration by Meg Sodano, Co-op Member since 2013.

Strawberries: the Taste of Early Summer

by Roberta Lawson Duncan

Because the germinating seed of a strawberry responds to light rather than moisture, the seeds need no covering of earth to grow as they are spread freely by birds.

Observing the “doctrine of signatures,” the belief that herbs and other growing things resemble various parts of the body, the strawberry does indeed resemble the human heart. Its high levels of flavonoids may help expand blood vessels, thereby helping to counter plaque buildup. These findings have been published in the Jourspring 2014

Toss with a simple balsamic dressing: 2 tbs balsamic vinegar 1 tbs honey mustard

Co-op member since 2012

Once enjoyed only as a luxury by the wealthy, strawberries are the most popular berry in the world. The delicate heart-shaped berry has always connoted purity, passion, and healing, and its heart shape and rich red color made it a perfect symbol for Venus, the goddess of love. The ancient Romans believed strawberries alleviated symptoms of melancholy, and they have also been thought to be an aphrodisiac! Legend has it that “If you break a double strawberry in half and share with another person, you will fall in love with each other.”

3 tbs roasted pecans, chopped

nal of Nutritional Bio-Chemistry after a month-long study showed that levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly reduced.

1 tbs olive oil

In addition to its heart health benefits, eating one cup of strawberries three times a week lowers CRP (C-reactive protein); note that no improvement in inflammation occurs unless consumed three times weekly. And just eight strawberries supply more vitamin C than an orange!

Whisk vinegar and mustard; slowly add olive oil while continuing to whisk. Add basil, salt, pepper

These delicious and popular berries are among the fruits highest in antioxidants, and, because of their high fiber content, have a low glycemic index so no spike in blood sugar occurs. With approximately fifty calories to a cup, this is a food to delightfully indulge in.

Once picked, strawberries do not continue to ripen. Keeping berries in the cold storage bin of the refrigerator is best to reduce exposure to humidity, and lowering the temperature from the usual 40 degrees to between 36 and 38 is optimal. Strawberries will keep for one year if frozen. To freeze those in-season berries when they are at their peak, leave the stems on, gently wash and pat berries dry, spread in a single

1 tbs fresh basil, chopped salt and ground black pepper to taste

pick your own: You can enjoy the taste of fresh local strawberries right off the vine at these regional U-pick farms: Thompson-Finch Farm (organic), Ancram; www.thompsonfinch.com Altamont Orchards, Altamont; www.altamontorchards.com Kristy’s Barn, Schodack; www.kristysbarn.com Samascott Orchards, Kinderhook; www.samascott.com

17

gardener’s diary

Spring Tasks in the Garden

by Katie Doyle, Garden Educator at Capital District Community Gardens

Dreaming about this year’s garden has helped many gardeners survive the early spring months. These five keys to a successful garden will help you to turn these dreams into a concrete plan for an exceptional gardening season and harvest yield.

location When selecting the location of your garden, look for an area that receives the maximum amount of sunlight possible and is on flat or gently sloping land. Most vegetables require at least 6-8 hours of direct light a day for good growth. A slight incline will promote good drainage, and hills sloping toward the south will receive extra light. Avoid plots near large trees and wooded areas. Trees will shade your plants and compete for nutrients, and the resident wildlife will enjoy your vegetables as much as you do! Be sure to select a space that is convenient to a water source and has easy access.

gardeners test in the fall. Only turn your garden soil when it is dry enough to crumble instead of clump. Soil that is tilled or turned when it is too wet can form large clumps that will harden and remain for the entire season. Try hand turning soil; regular rototilling can disrupt the natural soil structure.

soil

layout

Start your new garden with a soil test to check your nutrients and pH. You can purchase a simple soil test kit at any garden center or get a more indepth mail-in soil test from services such as Cornell Cooperative Extension.

There are three important nutrients to look for in a soil test: nitrogen for plant growth, phosphorus for root health, and potassium for overall vitality. The pH refers to the acidity or alkalinity of your soil, and its value can greatly affect the health of your plants. Adjusting the pH of a garden plot can take several months, so many

Consider the dimensions of your garden and the most efficient use of space. If you are just getting started, look for plants with high yield and “tried and true” varieties, and add more unusual selections as you gain experience. Pay attention to the length of the growing season and cold hardiness (we are in Zone 5) when reading seed catalogues or the back of seed packets. Draw a diagram of your garden plot prior to planting to ensure that you have considered proper spacing, and so you can keep track of everything you’ve planted!

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CDGG gardeners at the Charles Shoudy Memorial Garden in Albany

timing …is everything. Frost will kill or damage some crops, so keep average first and last frost dates in mind when planning your plantings. You will need to decide not only when to plant, but whether the length of our growing season will allow for seeds to be sown into the soil or planted as seedlings.

maintenance Once you have planted your new garden, remember to maintain it properly. Water your garden early in the day, and never water plants from above, instead aiming the hose at their roots. Mulch your garden when the soil is moist and warm to reduce weeds and pests, add organic matter, moderate the soil temperature, and improve soil’s water retention. Consistently inspect your plants for pests and disease. Clean up well at the end of the season, and be sure to enjoy your garden!

Coop Scoop

member profile gina Disarro, Specialty Department Co-op member since 2007

q: What’s your job at the Co-op?

A: I work in the Cheese Department. q: Such a coveted position! How did you land that? A: I know! I had no idea when I first started in 2007. Someone approached me, they felt I would be reliable and when I told folks that I was working in Cheese, everyone wanted to know how I’d gotten the job. q: What’s your favorite thing about working in Cheese? A: It’s a lot of fun, and pretty laid back. The food is also a big plus, of course. q: Do you get tempted by the fancy foods that get sold in Cheese and Specialty Foods? A: Oh my gosh, yes! Doing member hours here, I find that I end up buying things that I really don’t need. For example, one time I had rose jelly and goat cheese at this fancy French restaurant and was very excited when I found out we stock rose jelly here. I ate some of it after buying it and then it sat in my refrigerator for a year. q: Are you from this area? A: Yes, I grew up in Schenectady, but I have also lived in Vermont and Boston. I really wanted to

spring 2014

live in Vermont, but I couldn’t find a job there. I have recently struggled to find a full time job here too, and I’m now working three part time jobs.

Q: Do you think there is an increase in awareness about what people are putting into their bodies? A: Definitely!

Especially as information becomes increasingly available. Although it’s also hard to find a balance in our culture when we are so busy—finding the time to take care of ourselves while staying within a budget. Plus, I think sometimes we’re sensitive to judgment from others—about what we eat or how we live. q: That’s a good point. How do you think the Co-op can help ease the judgment factor? A: Well, we offer lots of educational programs, as well as the opportunity to build community by being a member. It can help us remember our humanity and maybe take things a little less seriously. q: So, what are your three jobs? A: I’m a librarian, part time. And, I’ve started my own consulting business as an editor (ampersandediting.com). I’ve also been working at a wine store in Niskayuna for the last ten years. I do wine pairings and tastings. Sometimes I get to do that with the Cheese Department, which is fun.

q: Okay, time to fess up, what’s the secret to pairing wine with cheese?

A: Well, food usually goes well with the grape or wine from the same region.

Also, I like to make sure people know to never pair a big bold red with a soft and creamy cheese—for example a briestyle cheese will not pair well with a rich red zinfandel. The cheese will overpower your tastebuds and the wine will end up tasting acidic, ruining the flavor of both. q: Quick, give us your favorite pairings: A: Well some of them would be a triple cream, such as St Andre, with something sparkly like Prosecco or an American Brut. For another white wine pairing, some melted raclette with cornichons and grainy mustard paired with a nice cold French Chablis is really tasty.

Interview by Shanna Goldman Co-op member since 2002

19

This is a caption for the photo above Photo by Andrew Franciosa, Co-op Member since 2013, taken in Albany’s Washington Park.

May is National Bike Month

by Sheila Fitzgerald Co-op member since 2011

so you want to start bicycling? Great! As someone who spent 19 years knowing I would never learn to ride a bike, I think I can offer advice for the reluctant newbie.

Shortly after learning to ride with a friend who patiently ran alongside me, I adopted my first bike from Troy Bike Rescue. I practiced slowly, alone in a church parking lot, getting used to turning, braking, and descending slopes. After a couple weeks of practicing, I felt street-ready. After a couple of months, my bike and I were inseparable. After my first ride on the Hudson Mohawk Trail to Albany, I knew anything was possible. After biking from Troy to the coast of Maine in four days with the friends I now humbly call my “bike family,” I had proven it.

while it can be tough to turn down the comforts of a car when available, I’ve never said, “I sure regret that bike ride.” Those who know the joys and benefits of bicycling understand the freedom of not being 20

tethered to traffic jams, dull highways, or having to sit still. Nothing compares to the satisfaction of accomplishing something by bike, blood circulating, peeling off sweaty layers upon arrival. By bicycling, I can efficiently exercise during my commute, and I save money on one type of fuel (gas) for another type of fuel (food). Visibly I am one more woman on the road, and that makes a statement. To the planet, and to those around me, I am one less car. I feel safe. On a bike, there are no blind spots—nothing separates the cells of my body from nature and reality!

The biggest obstacle standing between me and bicycling is preparation and time management. Because I’m not a morning person, I make sure to check the weather and pack the night before.

my checklist includes: lights and reflective wear, appropriate layers, rear-rack panniers for storage if I am grocery shopping, and always bungee cords. Did I mention a helmet? For years I wouldn’t have been

caught dead wearing a helmet, but I might not be alive now if I hadn’t eventually grown to love mine, which I did by personalizing it with sequined fabric, fake flowers, and battery string lights. Make it yours!

A great way to get (back) into cycling is to adopt a recycled bike from one of your local community bike rescues: Troy Bike Rescue, Albany Bike Rescue or Schenectady’s new Electric City Bike Rescue. TBR has almost any bike and part imaginable, but it also builds communities while building bikes, and it’s how I met my “family.”

Two upcoming events to get you in the saddle are the Albany Bike Expo on May 4 at Washington Park, and Troy Bike Rescue’s 4th Annual Bike Fest on May 31 at the Sanctuary for Independent Media.

for more info, check out Troy Bike Rescue

www.troybikerescue.org Albany Bicycle Coalition www.albanybicyclecoalition.com Collar City Ramble www.collarcityramble.com Coop Scoop

from the

suggestion box

Q: To Deli Soup Cooks! Your root

vegetable vegan soup was extremely awesome! Please have more!

A: Thank you for the positive feedback!

We have amazing cooks and will share your feedback with them. We will definitely continue to have that soup.

Q: Please put instructions by trash in cafe about what can be recycled.

A: We are working on appropriate signage with clear directions about what can be recycled. Thanks for your patience.

Q: I miss the scarves, handbags, notebooks, and housewares we used to have.

A: We are working on utilizing our space to accomodate more housewares.

Stay tuned.

Q: We should stop selling Cho-

bani yogurt as they are against GMO labeling and that is awful.

Q: Please have more than one

station of pencils in the produce section.

A: Writing PLUs for produce is not a necessity; just make sure you know whether the item you’re buying is organic or conventional, and your cashier will be able to look up the PLU. We do have pencils available on the counter at the Service Desk.

Q: Would you please start a com-

post service, so I can drop my compost here while I shop?

A: We have contracted with a waste hauler to remove our compost. Because we pay for this service, we cannot expand it to include home compost.

Check out the Troy Compost table at the Saturday Farmers Market in Troy; they accept home compost!

Q: Please bring a sink or water

we opened the new store. Customers are scant enough from 7-8 am that we cannot financially justify continuing to open at 7 am. We are mindful that this adjustment may be disappointing for some of our early-morning cutomers, but we need to consider the best choice for the majority of our members and customers.

Q: Please sell chicken broth.

A: We offer local chicken stock in the meat freezer.

Q: I’d love to buy organic pickled hard-boiled eggs in glass jars.

Thanks!

A: Our Bulk Department is currently investigating a means of producing these.

Q: Co-op Cafe: I miss quiche.

Hardly ever see it. It might sell at the Plaza, too?

fountain into the eating area.

A: Quiche is on the production schedule

A: We are considering a sink as part of

regularly in our kitchen. If you are looking for quiche on a particular day, please let us know. There is a process involved in adding items to our Plaza menu. It sounds like a great idea, though! We’ll see if we can make it happen.

A: For any product, unless it is labeled

our next capital budget expenditure.

organic, we cannot be certain that it’s GMO-free. HWFC has partnered with the “Just Label It” campaign, a grassroots movement working to convince the federal government to mandate GMO labeling. Please sign the petition in our entryway to join in this effort.

Q: I came in to shop at 7:45, and there were eight cars running in the lot. Why are we not open at 7 am?

A: The decision to change our hours was based on reviewing customer traffic and sales in the months since

      spring 2014

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Fresh arugula at Slack Hollow Farm Photo by Randall Collura, Co-op Member since 2013.

“ 22

Food, a French man told me once, is the first wealth. Grow it right, and you feel insanely rich, no matter what you own.�

Kristin Kimball author of The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love Coop Scoop

RED PINES

TRAINING CENTER

NEED

ce hours?

a branch of the Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy

Now offerring a full line of classes and workshops for

ALL Allied Health Professionals

TYPES OF CLASSES

?

Medical Massage, Shiatsu Massage, Reflexology, Myofascial Release, Energy Healing, Aromatherapy, Self-care, and many more…

HOW TO SIGN UP

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Easy and secure ONLINE registration makes signing up for classes fast! Visit: cnwsmt.com/redpines.php for info about classes and to register.

CONTACT/ MORE INFO

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Contact Grayce Ray, Director of Red Pines: 518-489-4026 or email: redpines@cnwsmt.com LOCATION: Unless otherwise noted all classes are held at The Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy located at: 3 Cerone Commercial Drive, Albany, NY

518.489.4026 • www.CNWSMT.com/redpines.php

co-op kids spring word search P N Y E L S R A P V J Q M U X M T I I M

E S D E E S V C V G A U Y K P I P J U H

A B W S L G B O J C S P G Y V N G S G U

G S R P D L I W I H F N R H S T I B P T

R K E A O A I N R A I F A I C H R F Y Z

E E L O B N E O D R J I Z Q C K R S V Q

E E M E X U O H P G P R P C N O X Z R M

APRICOTS ARUGULA ASPARAGUS BLOOM DAFFODIL FIDDLEHEADS GARDEN

N L I H M M H S E Z E B V G S P T U Z X

S S B X S E A R N L H I S O F L C S F C

M A P B P R A L X I D C D V H V L Q B Z

S L G M Y O I R D O T D P B J I M N E T

M U M Y A D E B U B U H I I M R G N I G

L G S V O R Y Y K J R Q L F M X O O D T

GROW LEEKS MINT MUSHROOMS PARSLEY PEAGREENS RAMPS

A U R F G W S V X S N Q B Q A M N L S S

K R F O K A J L T X I H Q Q P K Z C P Y

M A V C W N R W Q W P L R U Q N V I Z F

D X V K A W A D J O S D T Z T M N Z P A

T U L I P S V B E P Y I U M I A C S J H

RHUBARB SEEDS SPINACH SPRING SUNSHINE TULIPS TURNIPS

S U G A R A P S A N V U Q B C R L M H F

S U N S H I N E U F Y R J H O G W R W E