Just Food Newsletter - April May 2017

t s o P m o C The

April/May 2 017

Fertilizer Fo r The M ind

Co-op Democracy Page 4

The Importance of Supporting Local Farmers Page 8

Eating Seasonally Page 14

Contents Co-op Democracy �������������������������������������������������������4 What is a Co-op? ��������������������������������������������������������6 Board of Directors 2017

The Importance of Supporting Local Farmers ��������8

Dirk Peterson - President Penny Hillemann - Vice President Clark Ohnesorge - Secretary Dan Forsythe - Treasurer Alyson Center Andrew Henley Doug Hiza Adam Hoffman

Classes and Events ���������������������������������������������������10

board@justfood.coop

Management Team

Jerry Huddleston, General Manager Adriana Aguirre, Prepared Foods Manager Stephanie Aman, Marketing and Member Services Manager Caitlyn Borek, Front End Manager Lindsay Byhre, Human Resources Manager Val Critser, Fresh Foods Manager Robert Erpenbach, Finance Manager David Frost, Facilities Manager Sherri Meyers, Packaged Grocery Manager

Membership Benefits

• Supporting a locally-owned, sustainable and socially responsible business.

• Email Subscription to The ComPost.

• Profits returned to members as patronage rebates, at the discretion of the Board.

• Member-only prices on Co-op classes.

• Check writing for up to $20 over the amount of purchase.

• Member-only specials on selected items throughout the store.

• 10% case discounts, some exclusions apply.

Membership application on page 19.

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Shopping for Green Cleaning Products.................12 Earth Day, 2017 ��������������������������������������������������������13 Eating Seasonally ....................................................14 Beneficial Insects ������������������������������������������������������16 Food Justice - Environmentalism............................18

About The ComPost Editor: Stephanie Aman The ComPost is a bimonthly publication of Just Food Co-op and is published for the benefit of our membership and the community. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Just Food Co-op or its members.

For information about submissions, contact Stephanie Aman at 507.650.0106 or outreach@justfood.coop. Letters to the editor are welcome and may be sent to the same email or 516 Water St. S., Northfield, MN 55057.

Just Food Co-op is a proud member of the Twin Cities chapter of the National Cooperative Grocers (NCG).

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Principle 7 Concern for Community “While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members.”

January Round Up $579.19 to Open Door Nursery School February Round Up $568.41 to Operation Backpack Donations to Local Non-Profits These numbers represent gift card donations and wholesale cost of donated food.

January: $1615.32 February: $2168.55 Those dollars spent rerpresent gift cards to organizations for fundraisers, 1000 Apples for Apple and a Book at Bridgewater Elementary, weekly donations of food to the Key and Greenvale Community School, snacks and education for Growing Up Healthy and many other organizations that nourish our community.

When you shop at Just Food you allow us to do THIS good work in the community!

Congratulations to our next quarter’s community partners!

April - Sibley PTO May - Prairie Creek Community School June - Arcadia July - Community Action Center

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Board Update

Co-op Democracy I hope that many of you have noticed positive changes in the Coop in the few months.

Dan Forsythe Board Treasurer Co-op Member

There are many new, smiling employees. The long awaited, long overdo remodel is coming closer to reality. Our new manager is learning to speak Minnesotan and relishing in this mild winter.

The Just Food Board of Directors has a role to play in continuing these successes. That is where you, the members, come into play.

We need members to consider serving on the board. This is your Coop and it needs board members. We will have five seats up for election this year, a significant number for a nine member board. Please consider running for

the board. Democracy needs participants and Just Food Co-op needs it members to help with it’s democratic process.

We welcome all members to attend our monthly meetings. Please consider attending a meeting to see what the board is about.

Talk to any board members about your interest in running for the board. We will be happy to answer any questions or concerns about the election process.

Cooperative Principle #2: Democratic Member Control Coffee with the Board 10:00am-12:00pm

Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members—those who buy the goods or use the services of the cooperative—who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions.

Consider a run for the Board and be a voice for the membership!

First Saturday of the month

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From the General Manager

Surviving a Minnesota Winter Hi everybody! Well, I have officially survived two more months of wintery weather, but enough already. With whom at the state level does a hillbilly like me need to speak about all this cold weather and snow? Is there a committee that hears the concerns of southern transplants to Minnesota? If not, there should be. What really terrifies me is that all of you Minnesotans keep telling me that this has been an unusually mild and pleasant winter. REALLY? I can truthfully state that I have seen more snow since November than I have in the last decade of my life as an Arkansan.

My family back home thinks my misery is hysterical. My father called me over the weekend just to point out that is was 80 degrees back home. I told him to stop calling me just to gloat about the weather… he just laughed and hung up. Yet aside from being cold all the time, I am actually enjoying my time in Minnesota, and as the new General Manager of Just Food Co-op.

Since beginning my tenure as General Manager in September, I have been listening to members and staff, while familiarizing myself with the results of the Member Satisfaction Survey conducted in March 2016.

I have come to understand that many co-op members and staff have become concerned about the direction their co-op was headed and how it was changing. Some were afraid that Just Food Co-op was moving away from its stated values and standards, while others were alarmed by the amount of staff turnover.

For many, Just Food Co-op simply did not feel the way it used to when it was founded, and that made them sad. So, since September, my primary focus has been to become better acquainted with the community and our members by listening to everyone. Please, if you see me in the store, tell me what you think… I honestly want and need to know.

As I stated at the Annual Meeting on October

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18, 2016, I do believe that Just Food Co-op can continue to grow and expand as a member-owned grocery store while holding true to our cooperative principles and ideals.

Accomplishing both must be the goal.

Behind the scenes, I have also been working hard to rebuild strong, friendly, and truthful relationships with the staff members of Just Food Co-op. Creating a workplace of joy is the first step in becoming an employer of choice. I once had a professor sum it up nicely. He stated, “If you want your employees to like you, respect you, and work hard for you, all you have to do is like them, respect them, and work hard for them.” This simple mantra has come to form the foundation of my leadership style. I believe that by working together, store leadership (Board and Management), co-op members, and co-op staff, we can foster an atmosphere where everyone is welcome, everyone is heard, and everyone is grateful to be a part of it all.

Jerry Huddleston General Manager Co-op Member

So, if you have been concerned about your co-op, I hope you have noticed positive changes lately when you are in the store. If you were worried about staff morale, I hope that you have noticed employees who are relaxed, happy, and who are committed to the co-op and to one another. It is my fervent wish that more and more people will come to Just Food Co-op in the days and weeks to come, not only for the high-quality products we offer, but also to get a big dose of “happy” in their daily lives. I invite you to join us in our “happy crusade”! Let’s have fun! Cooperate, and no one gets hurt!

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April is Member Drive Month!

What is a Co-op?

We all have childhood memories of parents, teachers and others encouraging us to work together. A co-op is what “working together” looks like all grown up. From the outside, many co-ops look like any other business, since a co-op provides products and services like conventional businesses do.

But it’s what goes on behind the scenes that makes it different.

A cooperative exists to serve its members, but what makes co-ops unique is that the members are also the owners. So, in addition to getting the products and services you need, you also have a say in the business decisions your cooperative makes.

Rather than rewarding outside investors with its profits, a co-op returns surplus revenue to its members in proportion to how much they use the co-op. This democratic approach to business results in a powerful economic force that benefits the co-op, its members and the communities it serves.

Why co-ops matter Cooperation is defined as working together towards the same end, and joining forces to accomplish a task that one can’t achieve alone. Simply put, co-ops provide the framework that allows people to get what they want in a way that better meets their economic, social and cultural needs.

standard for the surrounding business community with a commitment to environmental and social responsibility.

Did you know? Co-ops are all around you Co-ops of all kinds are all around you. More than 800 million people around the world belong to cooperatives, and at least 100 million of them are employed by co-ops. And more often than you probably realize, co-ops play a vital part of your everyday life.

Consider the cup of coffee and cranberry muffin you recently enjoyed.

That premium Sumatra Siborong-Borog coffee was likely purchased from a grower co-op in Indonesia. The flour in the muffin started as wheat from a farmer-owned, grain elevator co-op in the Midwest, and those cranberries might be from Ocean Spray, a producer-owned co-op.

Knowing the source of the foods you eat, the services you employ and the products you purchase are just a few of the benefits of joining a cooperative. As a member, co-ops invite you to take part in the way your favorite grocery store or financial institution is run, and share in any profits. This community By: Co+op, stronger together approach to business is at the heart of the cooperative philosophy.

And because cooperation builds strong bonds between the people who use products and the people who supply them, co-ops offer a way to transform the way business is done. Co-ops give you the opportunity to get the products and services you need on a daily basis while strengthening the community around you.

In addition to a co-op’s commitment to serving its members, most adhere to a set of seven principles that help guide the business. And as a result, many co-ops set a

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The ComPost

Book Signing: Just Food Welcomes Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin!

When: Saturday, March 22 (Earth Day!) from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Where: Just Food - Front of the Store You can purchase your very own copy of Regi’s new book at Just Food and have him sign it for you - he’d love to chat with you about the new book, the Main Street Project and the Main Street Chickens that Just Food is selling!

About Regi (from www.mainstreetproject.org) Regi is the principal architect of the innovative poultry-centered regenerative agriculture model that is at the heart of Main Street Project’s work. As CSO, his focus is on the development of multi-level strategies for building regenerative food and agriculture systems that deliver social, economic and ecological benefits. He leads Main Street’s engineering and design work and currently oversees the implementation of restorative blueprints for communities in the US, Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.

A native Guatemalan, Regi received his agronomy degree from the Central National School of Agriculture, studied at the Universidad de San Carlos in Guatemala and graduated from Augsburg College in Minneapolis with a major in international business administration and a minor in communications.

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Regi began working on economic development projects with indigenous Guatemalan communities in 1988. He served as a consultant for the United Nations Development Program’s Bureau for Latin America and as an advisor to the World Council of Indigenous Peoples. He was a founding member of the Fair Trade Federation in 1994.

Regi served as Director of the Fair Trade Program for the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy from 1995 to 1998, and led the creation, strategic positioning, start-up and launch of Peace Coffee, a Minnesota-based fair-trade coffee company.

Regi currently lives in Northfield Minnesota with his wife Amy and their kids William (21), Ana Nicktae (17) and Lars Decarlo (12).

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Community Support

The Importance of Supporting Local Farmers Alyson Center Board Member Co-op Member

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As Earth Day approaches on April 22nd, let’s think about where food comes from, and how we as members and patrons of Just Food Co-op, support systems that promote environmental health. Food ultimately comes from the soil. Healthy soil contains multiple components including mineral particles like sand, gravel, silt and clay, and dead organic matter that stores nutrients and gives soil its dark color. Healthy soil also contains an abundance of organisms including bacteria, worms, fungi and insects that recycle and release nutrients that plants can use. The upper Midwest has some of the best soil for farming because of rich glacial silt deposits and amenable climate.

However, conventional agriculture both causes and suffers soil and environmental degradation.

Specifically, the industrialization of agriculture and the shift to intensive monoculture farming for increased efficiency and productivity has slowly degraded the soil needed to produce food and negatively impacts the surrounding environment. The causes of soil degradation are complex and often location specific, but frequently include soil loss from water and wind erosion, and soil degradation from excessive fertilization, reliance of synthetic pesticides, and routine plowing. Over the past 50 years, it is estimated that over 1,900 million hectares or 7.3 million square miles of agricultural land has been degraded to some extent and about 15% of that and has been severely degraded1. While the causes of soil and environmental degradation are exceedingly complex and have numerous interdependent causes, let’s examine one major factor: the reliance on monocultures.

The shift from diversified farming methods to growing a single crop or type of animal in a large area (monoculture) was the solution to feeding the world that began in the 1960s with the Green Revolution. This shift in farming practices marked the beginning of the industrialization of food systems. While the use of monocultures and the intensification of agriculture have greatly increased crop productivity, the environmental consequences are becoming increasingly apparent. For example, a study by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (2016) found that the water quality

of the Mississippi River rapidly declines south of St. Cloud because of increased run-off and nutrient pollution from farms2. The decline in water quality is directly related to how farmers fertilize their fields. In addition to relying on fertilizers, farmers that grow crops in monocultures have to rely on pesticides because of the inherent vulnerability of pest outbreaks when a single species in planted over a large area. The overuse and reliance on pesticides has lead to the evolution of resistance in many pest species populations, which in turn requires farmers to either switch chemicals and/or apply more concentrated doses. Monocultures require seasonal applications of fertilizer to increase crop yields. If farmers do not know the amount of nutrients their soil can hold (called the cation exchange capacity), they will undoubtedly over-fertilize which results in nutrient leaching into ground water, and/ or surface run-off into local waterways. Over-fertilization not only affects our local aquatic ecosystems but also contributes to the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Excessive nutrient pollution from farms (mainly nitrogen and phosphorous) destabilizes aquatic systems through a process called eutrophication, which results in extremely low oxygen levels in water.

Once oxygen levels in an area of water drop below a critical point, the aquatic system can no longer support life and is called a ‘dead zone’. The largest dead zone in the world occurs at the mouth of the Mississippi River and spans an area of over 8,500 sq. miles, or roughly the size of New Jersey1.

While large conventional farmers rely on monocultures to increase efficiency but contribute to environmental degradation, sustainable farmers use principles found in nature to build healthy soil and increase crop productivity. Many of the local farmers around Northfield that sell products through Just Food are part of Sustainable Farmers Association (SFA), and explicitly produce food in ways that promote environmental health. For example, a sustainable farmer may plant crops in polycultures (multiple species interplanted) or use stripe farming, where different crops are plants in alternating rows. These sorts of planting methods help protect soil and reduce the reliance on pesticides (synthetic or organic approved) by increasing environmental complexity and reducing the chance of outbreaks by pests. Additionally,

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continued from page 8 unlike most conventional farm systems where soil is left bare post-harvest, sustainable farmers frequently plant cover crops after the main crop is harvested. Bare soil is highly vulnerable to water and wind erosion and cover crops reduces this risk by physically covering the soil and from plant roots that hold onto and stabilize the upper soil layers. Additionally, cover crops can reduce the need for fertilizers because specific plants like legumes (nitrogen fixers) can be planted as part of the cover crop.

These plants can be tilled into the soil and increase fertility by feeding soil organisms and adding to the soil organic material.

While the practices of sustainable farming are more costly and time consuming, they are essential to building and maintaining a healthy environment.

Just like the industrialization of crop production, the increased productivity of animal operations has come from monocultures. Intensive monocultures in animal systems are commonly known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), where thousands of animals are housed in confined settings and largely fed corn and soy. Because of the intensive nature of CAFOs they produce large amounts of waste.

It is estimated that CAFOs produce more than 500 million tons of manure annually, which is more than three times the amount of sewage produced by humans in the US per year3.

Unlike human waste, manure is not treated but collected and contained in sewage lagoons and often applied directly to agriculture fields as fertilizer. Additionally, healthy animals in CAFOs are continuously fed antibiotics in their feed to both promote growth and reduce the risk of disease. There have been numerous studies linking CAFOs to the evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria, like Staphylococcus aureus, the bacteria responsible for staph infections. Research by Dr. Nadimpalli and colleagues (2016) found that 44% of CAFO hog workers that participated in their study had S. aureus bacteria in their noses after they left work and half of those bacteria were resistant to multiple antibiotics. It should be noted that not all of the antibiotics used in animal systems are also used to treat humans, but some of them are. Additionally, many CAFO farms are contract farmers for large corporations and have clauses in their agreements that limit access and research on these farms5.

animals across a landscape to mimic grazing patterns of herd animals. These types of open practices increase soil fertility since roaming animals disperse their waste across the landscape where it can be decomposed and naturally integrated into soil just like in natural ecosystems.

Alternatively, animal waste from chicken coops or barns can be collected and composted and then applied as an organic fertilizer that helps to build soil by increasing organic matter (one of the components of soil).

Additionally, the sustainable and/or organic farmer does not feed antibiotics to their animals (and cannot to be certified organic), which reduces the potential public health risk inherent in the over-reliance of antibiotics in conventional systems. When we shop at cooperatives like Just Food, we are supporting the alternative to big conventional agricultural systems because co-ops, unlike other ‘natural’ food stores, are major supporters of local and small farmers that produce food using the principles of nature and not the conventional industrial model.

References: 1Cunningham, W. P., & Cunningham, M. A. (2013). Principles of environmental science: Inquiry and applications. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

2Our Upper Mississippi River. (2017). Retrieved from: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/ default/files/wq-iw8-08ab.pdf 3Rogers, S., & Haines, J. (2005). Detecting and mitigating the environmental impact of fecal pathogens originating from confined animal feeding operations: review.

4Nadimpalli, M., Stewart, J. R., Pierce, E., Pisanic, N., Love, D. C., Hall, D., ... & Heaney, C. D. (2016).

Livestock-Associated, Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Carriage and Recent Skin and Soft Tissue Infection among Industrial Hog Operation Workers. PloS one, 11(11), e0165713.

5Moyer, M. W. (2016). How Drug-Resistance Bacteria Travel from the Farm to Your Table.

Scientific American.

Unlike large CAFOs, sustainable organic animal farmers may use pasture systems and rotate

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REGISTERING FOR CLASSES

Classes/Events

Pre-registration is required for classes. You may register online or at our store at our customer service desk. Class fee(s) are due at time of registration. Registration closes 48 hours prior to the class.

Visit justfood.coop for more information and to register.

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Coffee With the Board

Come and meet with a couple of your current board members and enjoy a cup of coffee and a treat! All are welcome!

Saturday, April 1 ������������10:00a-12:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 6 ������������10:00a-12:00 p.m.

Go Green Sample Day!

We will focus our sample day on go green companies and a smaller footprint, farm to store. Sample day is a fun way to get to try some differnt products that you maybe were curious about and learn more about the company or family that is invested in getting that food to your table.

Saturday, April 10 ������������10:00a-1:00 p.m.

Musical Wellness: A Concert Event at the Co-op

Five St. Olaf violinists will be performing a concert, free and open to the public, in the Just Food Co-op community room. Come and leave as you please to enjoy a variety of folkstyle and meditative music. Nourish yourself, both in body and soul - free snacks will be provided!

Sunday, April 9 ��������������������1:30-2:30 p.m.

Beyond Sustainable: Regenerative Nutrition

Need a Spring revamp? Recommit to sustainable eating and lifestyle habits that will energize your body and support a tranquil mind! For this class, we will explore herbal allies to support the transition into the warmer seasons and sample recipes using local and sustainable ingredients.

Spring Cleaning with Veriditas

Take a journey of aromas!

Come and discover how to make your spring cleanse more effective with organic essential oils. Come and find out how to get those toxic cleaners out of your home by using essential oils instead. And finally, learn how to build your immune system for a healthy springtime!

Tuesday, April 25 .......6:00-7:00 p.m.

The Benefits Of Eating Local and Seasonal Food

Make no mistake, cooking is a big part of food and eating…because you are what you eat and you eat where you are! From this we start to realise the seasons help us to eat and cook just as sourcing our food locally adds to our health in many ways.

Tuesday, May 9 .......6:00-7:30 p.m.

Allergen Awareness/ Gluten Free Sample Day

Come and enjoy some delicious samples of some of the allergen friendly foods, including a plethora of gluten free items and some local companies. Everyone is welcome!

Saturday, May 13 ����������� 10:00a-1:00 p.m.

The Benefits Of Eating Local and Seasonal Food (same class as May 9)

Make no mistake, cooking is a big part of food and eating…because you are what you eat and you eat where you are! From this we start to realise the seasons help us to eat and cook just as sourcing our food locally adds to our health in many ways.

Saturday, May 20 ..........10:00 am-12 p.m.

About the Instructor: Lauren Henley is a health coach, yoga instructor, and student of Ayurveda. Founder of Victory Health Coaching and the Learning to Live Waste Free support group, Lauren currently lives a waste-free lifestyle in Minneapolis.

Thursday, April 20 .......7:00-8:00 p.m.

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Important Dates - Save the Date!

Upcoming Wellness Third Thursdays: Thursday, April 20 Thursday, May 18

Co-op Farm Tour - Saturday, July 15; 10am-4pm For more information and to plan your farm-filled day: search @coopfarmtour.coop on facebook!

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Go Green Month!

Shopping for Cleaning Products Looking for cleaning products that are ecofriendly and up to the task? Many kinderto the-environment products are widely available and equally effective. And that’s a good thing because, according to conservative estimates by the Clean Water Fund in Washington D.C., the average American uses about 40 pounds of toxic household cleaning products—like chlorine bleach, formaldehyde, phosphates, phthalates, petroleum products, and sulfuric acid—each year. These are chemicals that make their way into our waterways and may also linger in our home environment in our air, on our counters and in our clothes.

It’s easy to make the switch to natural cleaning products—look for options in the co-op’s household supplies/cleaning aisle and consider making some simple green cleaning products from ingredients you probably have stocked in your pantry.

At the co-op, some things you might want to pick up are a natural, all-purpose cleaner and a glass cleaner. There are also excellent eco-friendly shower cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, floor cleaners, carpet cleaners, and spot and stain removers.

You can even find natural, botanically-based disinfecting cleaners and wipes (commercial disinfectants are typically highly toxic). Don’t forget dish liquid and dishwasher detergent, as well as a natural rinse aid (yep, those are available now, too). Opt for concentrates when possible, as well as post-consumer

recycled plastic or cardboard containers.

For real savings, you might want to concoct some of your own natural cleaning supplies, using common household ingredients.

• White vinegar can be used as softener in your washer’s rinse cycle or combined with equal parts water for an all-purpose/glass cleaner.

• Cornstarch can be sprinkled on carpet to freshen before vacuuming or made into a paste with water for cleaning silver.

• Washing soda makes a great spray cleanser when combined with hot water (1 teaspoon soda per 2 cups of water) or a solution for soaking grimy items like barbecue grills (1 cup soda per sink-full).

• Baking soda works wonders as a sink/tub scrubber or as a diaper pail freshener.

• Plain liquid soap and a few essential oils combine for a scented cleaner with disinfecting properties.

For ease on cleaning day, stock all your cleaning supplies in a large galvanized bucket, along with some colorful washable cloths (instead of paper towels) for cleaning (add a bow—and maybe a book of natural cleaning tips—and you’ve got a great gift for a college freshman or newlywed, too!)

By: Co+op, stronger together

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The ComPost

Earth Day 2017

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Local Appeal

Eating Seasonally

Vicki Scott Social Media and Creative Coordinator Co-op Member

Eating seasonally has a different definition and a separate set of rules depending upon who you ask. If you ask Ayurvedic practitioners (Ayurveda being the sister science to yoga, originating in India), there are three seasons and there are strict rules about the foods and preparation methods that are associated with each season. Seasonality may also mean something different someone in a mountain village in Korea or a family living in Seoul. Likewise, disparity exists when determining what seasonality means in southern Minnesota, when we find ourselves in a global foodshed.

In Minnesota, there are two ways to look at the seasonality of food. The first is strict adherence to the things that are available to us from our surroundings. This includes not only farms for things like meat, dairy, and vegetables, but also things foraged from nature such as berries, honey, mushrooms, maple syrup, and nuts. However, the things produced by growers and found in nature only accounts for a portion of our foodshed.

Things like bananas, citrus fruit, avocados, and ocean fish are not naturally available from primary sources in our immediate area.

However, I think we can all agree that these items are part of a healthy diet and offer components of a balanced diet like potassium, vitamin c, and essential fatty acids. So, the second perspective is to consider would be a seasonal diet that is more concerned with environmentalism rather than the actual seasons of the year.

where the ingredients were sourced to find out if there were things were grown.

Find a trusted vendor. Just Food Co-op vets our local vendors and helps our customers identify good local and seasonal items by labeling them. We will be the first to point out what is and isn’t in season and help you find out where the food is coming from.

Forgive yourself. Know that the road to becoming a more conscious consumer is long. Making small changes have a huge impact on your local foodshed. Demanding locally sourced products and voting with your dollar by buying those products goes a long way by increasing demand. But, don’t worry if you can’t find a chocolate that you like from Minnesota (first of all, cocoa isn’t native to the area). You can be a conscious consumer in other ways. Choose a Fairtrade or Rainforest Certified chocolate.

Shopping seasonally is just one way to support your health and be a conscientious consumer. All of the small things add up. So the best advice about eating seasonally that you can receive is that there is no perfect way to eat seasonally, just like there is no perfect way to recycle or reduce our carbon footprint. The first step is determining why you would like to eat seasonally (or become zero-waste, or bicycle to work). If your reasons for doing any of those things inspire you to continue to improve, you are on the right track.

By identifying your motivations for eating seasonally, you can begin to make choices regarding food, that are more in line with your values. Are you eating seasonally for health reasons? This would mean that you are interested in synchronizing your diet with the seasons of the year, this is difficult to do in Minnesota, unless you are interested in canning and preserving your own foods.

Are you interested in eating foods that are in season because they taste better? This is a valid reason for eating seasonally and it also means that you’ll enjoy going to farmer’s markets during the summer months avoid most produce during the winter months.

However, if you are eating seasonally for environmental reasons, there are a few simple things that you can do to reduce your personal environmental impact.

Check the label. If you are thinking of purchasing a manufactured product, figure out

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The ComPost

Seasonal Recipes

Chicken Rice Soup Ingredients: 1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) Kadajen whole chicken, cut up 2 small local yellow onions, diced 2 stalks celery, cut into chunks 3 local carrots, cut into chunks 1 tablespoon dill 1 bay leaf, from bulk 3 quarts chicken stock 1 C Rice Directions: To make the soup on the stovetop, combine chicken, onions, celery, carrots, dill, bay leaf, and 3 quarts stock in a large pot. Bring the stock to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for

at least two hours. Skim the surface of the soup occasionally to remove any foam that develops.

Remove the chicken.

Add the rice. Boil until cooked through.

Allow to chicken cool, and chop or shred the meat. Add back to the pot.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Shepherd’s Pie 1 large local onion, diced 2 T. Organic Valley butter 1 lb. 1000 Hills ground beef or Ferndale ground turkey 2 Cups of local diced root veggies 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 C. cabbage or other greens (opt.)

1 C. dry red wine or Guinness Stout 1 cup chicken or beef stock 1 T. mustard powder 1 T. paprika 1 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground black pepper 1 C. frozen Sno-Pac peas, thawed 2 lbs local potatoes 1 C. Organic Valley Cream 1 tsp. salt Directions: Saute onions in butter until soft. Add ground meat and brown lightly. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.

Sautee diced veggies gently in butter, stirring frequently until they just begin to wilt and color.

Add garlic and greens (if you are using them) and continue stirring for about 2 minutes or until greens are wilted.

Add wine, stock and seasonings, stir well, cover and reduce heat. Cook until veggies are barely tender. If the sauce is too thin, you can thicken it with either a

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tablespoon or two of tomato paste, or a tablespoon or two of flour lightly browned in a tablespoon of butter.

Add peas and veggie mix to the meat and onions, combine well. Adjust seasoning to taste. Peel potatoes (if necessary) and other roots. Cut in uniform chunks and cook in salted water until tender.

Mash the roots with the cream, butter and salt.

Butter a large, deep casserole (about 3 quarts, or two smaller ones,) pour in the meat and veggie mix then spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the top. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 40-60 minutes (depending on depth of your casserole) at 350 degrees until gravy bubbles up around the edges and potatoes brown slightly.

Serve with homemade biscuits made with Whole Grain Milling Co. flour.

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Creatures of the Gardens

Beneficial Insects: The Good Guys in the Garden Our gardens are teeming with insects, mites, spiders, and other creatures. To a new gardener every “bug” is a likely suspect. As we learn more about gardening and that elusive thing called “the balance of nature,” we discover that very few insects are pests worth our concern. Most are either beneficial, of no direct significance, or have a role yet to be understood fully.

The fraction that is pests get a lot of attention.

A few stink bugs on a tomato plant or some hungry flea beetles on an eggplant seedling are indeed cause for concern. However, our efforts to control these pests can have a direct effect on the “good guys of the garden.”

Most sprays, whether organic or synthetic, tend to not discriminate between pests and beneficials. When you spray the garden, pests will be killed but so will beneficial insects.

When you kill a beneficial insect you inherit its job. That lady beetle larvae may be about to eat several dozen aphids. When it dies, controlling those aphids and their thousands of potential offspring is now your job.

In the old westerns it was easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Good guys wore white hats; bad guys wore black hats and were the ones shooting at the hero from behind those rocks in the box canyon.

Unfortunately bugs don’t wear hats, so we have to work a little at learning who’s who in the garden. We gardeners would do well to learn who these good guys are so we can monitor their presence and avoid spraying unless absolutely necessary. Adult lady beetles (pictured), bees, and praying mantids are familiar beneficial insects, but there are many more, such as green lacewings, hover flies, ground beetles, and soldier bugs. And often the immature stage of the “good guys” looks completely different from the adult insect.

(What appears to be a picture of a tiny alligator on a leaf is actually a hungry lady beetle larva busy hunting down aphids.) Check out on-line resources and garden books for pictures of all the life stages of the helpful

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insects you’d like to welcome in your garden.

Attracting beneficials Beneficial insects are part of the natural ecosystem. They can be “managed” in ways to encourage them to stay around and increase in population. Here are four simple ways to attract beneficial insects to our gardens and to make sure they stay around.

Provide an accessible source of water. A birdbath with some stones that stick up out of the water to provide easy access for tiny beneficials or a periodic sprinkling will work great.

Plant flowers to provide nectar and pollen for beneficial adults to feed upon. Species such as syrphid flies and parasitic wasps need this for an energy source. Among the better pollen food sources are plants that have umbrella-shaped bloom heads, such as dill, yarrow, tansy, and fennel. Other plants to include are those with small daisy-like flowers (such as chamomile and feverfew), and other blooming herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary).

If you plant root vegetables, leave a few to go to seed (carrots, radishes, turnips) as their blooms are also favorites of some beneficial insects.

Allow some pests to remain as a food source for beneficial insects. Zero pest populations are not sustainable and will leave beneficials with no reason to stay in your garden area.

Lady beetles are our friends but they are not philanthropic! They lay eggs on plants with pests present so their babies can have food.

No pests ... they move on. Just remember that it’s good to have a few pests around.

Avoid pesticides that may damage beneficial insects. This includes both organic and synthetic products. And don’t spray indiscriminately. Before you use any pesticide, make sure you have identified that a pest is indeed causing a problem and what type of pest it is. When a situation warrants a spray, select a product with a narrow spectrum of control (such as Bt that only targets caterpillars) to avoid killing other insects. Choose one that

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breaks down fast when possible, such as insecticidal soap or neem. Direct the spray only at the plants with the pest problem.

Try these tips this season and then take a few strolls out in the garden and give things a closer look. You’ll see many species of beneficial insects helping you out by munching on those pests that love to munch on the fruits of your labor.

Information courtesy of the National Gardening Association, www.garden.org.

Reprinted from www.strongertogether.coop

Save the date for SAVE THE DATE the 8th Annual Northfield Earth Northfield’s 8th Perennial Day celebration on Saturday, April 22!

This event includes workshops and activities throughA Healthy Earth for the out the day and Health of All throughout NorthSaturday, April 22 field to encourage Registration starts March 24 at our community to be www.northfieldearthday.com active, connected, Questions: northfieldearthday@gmail.com and live sustainably. Some of these include trash clean up, cheese making, an evening community potluck, rain garden workshops, raised garden bed building, and many others. For years, this day has brought together folks of many different ages and backgrounds to unify around stewardship and appreciation for the place that we live. For more information, go to northfieldearthday.com. For questions, contact northfieldearthday@gmail.com.

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION

April/May 2017

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Living Out Our Ends

Food Justice - Environmentalism

Vicki Scott Social Media and Creative Coordinator Co-op Member

The concept of food justice isn’t one that is easily understood, as it has many arms and multiple definitions. Put simply, the idea of food justice constitutes a community’s right to grow, sell and eat healthy food. Within a given community each member has the right to eat nutritious food from a reliable source.

This means that they are able to access that food at a reasonable price. Additionally, the producers of that food have the right to sell their food within their community, making a reasonable wage.

Farmers, being the heart of the food justice equation, also have the right and responsibility to grow food in their community safely, sustainably and reliably.

In Minnesota, we all know at least a little about farming. However, sometimes we overlook some of the basics of farming practices if we’ve never lived or worked in the farming community. Farmers that are a part of the community work hard to employ sustainable farming practices that protect the environment (including watershed, soil quality/ erosion, animal welfare, and public health).

This means vetting fertilizers, creating crop rotation schedules, and monitoring the soil for possible problems. But this is just the production side of farming. The farmer then has to distribute their products to vendors.

customer.

From there, our customers are able to choose foods that suit the needs of their individual households. Whether people choose to prioritize local, organic, free range, or any other type of product, it is our job to offer a variety of options. This, I am proud to say, is an area where Just Food Co-op excls. Not only are we able to purchase our products from the vendors at a price that benefits both the vendor and us, we are also able to sell things at a fair price to our customers. It is through our strong relationships with vendors that we are able to provide healthy food, at a good price to our customers. By working with local farmers, producers and vendors, we are able to have a positive influence on the Northfield community -- it’s farmers, vendors, & community members.

As a storefront, Just Food Co-op tries to work with as many farmers as possible. Whenever possible, we get our produce, meat, cheese, eggs and dairy from local sources. This allows us to source many of the food staples in our store from less than 100 miles from Northfield. This works to keep costs low and environmental impact to a minimum since there are fewer costs for delivery and less fuel emissions during food transportation. By creating a direct pipeline between farmers and consumers, your Co-op creates a tighter loop from the farms to your table allowing us to provide foods at a reasonable price to the

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The Gift of Membership - A Totally Green Idea!

Member Name 1: �������������������������������������������������������������� Member Name 2: �������������������������������������������������������������� (Other members of the household are welcome to use the member number)

City: ������������������������������������������������������������������������ State: ____ Zip:__________ Phone: ������������������������������������������������ Email 1: ��������������������������������������������������������������������� Email 2: Would you like to receive the weekly email updates? __Yes __No Would you like to receive the newsletter electronically? __Yes __No I agree to buy 1 Class A (voting) share for $25.00 and 20 Class B (non-voting) shares at $5.00 each in the Just Food: Northfield Community Co-op (the Co-op) for a total of $125.00.

I understand that this application is subject to acceptance by the Board of Directors of the Co-op and that my membership is subject to the Co-op Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and membership provisions. I have received a copy of the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws and acknowledge the statement of membership provisions.

I am paying for these shares as follows: ____ $125 payment in full with this application. ____ $ 25 down payment + $10 processing fee ($35 total initial payment), with a $25 payment quarterly for a total of $135 (1 year payment option). ____Other terms arranged on request. ���������������������������������������������� Please tell us how you learned about the Co-op: ��������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� Referred by: ������������������������������������������������������������������ Member #1 Signature: ���������������������������������������������������������� Member #2 Signature: ����������������������������������������������������������� Date: ����������������������������������������������������������������������� Please give this application to a cashier or send it along with your payment to:

516 Water Street S Northfield, MN 55057 507-650-0106

Membership

Street address: ����������������������������������������������������������������

justfood.coop

April/May 2017

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516 Water Street S Northfield, MN 55057 507-650-0106 justfood.coop

The Seven Cooperative Principles • Principle 1: Voluntary and open membership • Principle 2: Democratic member control • Principle 3: Member economic participation • Principle 4: Autonomy and independence • Principle 5: Education, training, and information • Principle 6: Cooperation among cooperatives • Principle 7: Concern for community Just Food Co-op ENDS Statement: Just Food Co-op nourishes a Just, Healthy and Sustainable Community. We do this in context of being a financially viable, member-owned cooperative business.

Everyone Can Shop, Anyone Can Join!