2012 1lextalk jan feb

News from the Lexington Cooperative Market

LexTalk

January - February 2012

New Year! New Leaf!

Owners will now receive a complimentary copy of Edible Buffalo mailed with their Lextalk Newsletter! Enjoy!

2012 Is The International Year Of The Co-op!

The United Nations has declared 2012 the International Year of Cooperatives. “Co-operatives are a reminder to the international community that it is possible to pursue both economic viability and social responsibility” says Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General. Or, as the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) puts it, "it’s about human need, not human greed."

Take this Film Home Today!

We got together with documentary filmmaker John Paget to commemorate our 40th Anniversary year.

We talked to farmers, founders and owners, and captured the story of our Co-op.

Walking the “Green Carpet” at our “Locally Grown” Film Premiere.

Over 150 people joined us to watch the showing of our 40th Anniversary film.

If you missed it, you can pick one up at the Co-op for just $6!

The whole family came to watch.

Peter and Willie Ruch, Samantha White and Dave Ruch

3 Things You Can Do: 1. Sign the IYC Proclamation inside the Lexington Co-op!

2. Read about the food, local and producer co-ops in our region featured throughout 2012 in this newsletter!

3. Support any co-op you can!

A look at Lexington’s Plans for Celebrating the IYC

• Support International Year of the Co-op Initiatives.  On January 21st, the National Co-op Grocers Association is holding a virtual video premiere of movies about Co-ops at www.

StrongerTogether.coop/premiere.  NCGA is also organizing two My Co-op Rocks! video contests, one in March and one in September.

We’d love to have someone do a Lexington Rocks submission this year, is it you?

 Partner with other WNY Co-ops.

From Urban Roots Community Garden Center to Upstate Farms Milk Co-op to the multitude of Credit Unions, Co-ops have a big impact on the WNY economy.

This year we will work to forge new and stronger relationships with these great institutions.

• Support startups.

From the do-it-ourselves mentality of the Buffalo Barnraisers to the EA Co-op Market, our region is experiencing a resurgence of those co-op values self-help and self-determination.

This year we will work to increase our support for co-op startups throughout the region and the nation.

We think improving Lexington is one of the best things we can do to raise awareness and visibility of Co-ops in general. Here are three improvements we’re planning in 2012.

• Move forward with expansion planning.

See page three for next steps.

• Improve our Elections Process.

For a full explanation of our elections procedures and the changes we’re considering, check out the Elections article at www.lexington.coop.

• Update the Bylaws. Our small bylaw change during last year’s election cycle brought it home for us that our bylaws need updating.

The Board is currently working to create a draft set of bylaw revisions to present to the owners for feedback on this summer. Stay tuned!

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Fresh Produce & Organic Groceries Community Owned Since 1971

OUR MISSION We are a membership-based organization, open to the entire community.

We commit ourselves to serving both members and non-members by: • Providing a natural foods grocery store in a friendly environment • Providing education about nutrition, consumer issues and cooperative principles • Nurturing the local economy and the environment Board of Directors Jen Nalbone, President Marty Knauss, Vice President Caitlin Merna, Treasurer Hope Hoetzer-Cook, Secretary Derek Bateman Roy Cunningham Patrick Finan Amy Holt Chris Putrino

Board Meeting dates January 30th March 5th April 2nd Please e-mail board@lexington.coop if you’d like to attend a meeting PLEASE UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS! We won’t be able to send you mail if we don’t have your proper address, e-mail: gina@lexington.coop with any changes.

LexTalk is published 5 times per year by Lexington Cooperative Market 807 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222 Phone: 886-COOP Fax 332-0693 www.lexington.coop 2

Expansion News

How Co-ops Build a Better World

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Working to strengthen our Co-op's impact and connection to its owners I received an email from a staff member today that read: “I have never been so excited to be a part of something,” It made me feel really good, but it was tempered by a comment from an owner last week, who said: “there is no difference between the Co-op and Trader Joes.” This made me think that the staff may feel the co-op difference more than owners do.

together that we have been most successful.

People working together built our schools and our religious institutions. People working together built our industries, defended us in two world wars, and sent men to the moon. People working together also created and have sustained the Lexington Co-op through 40 years of change.

Co-ops are one of the last vestiges of populism in America, and this I like Trader Joes as much as the Co-op is just one example of it. next guy. They do a great job and What we experience in the store their stores are way more fun every day can and should be a than most chains I have been to.

Wishing you a And because of that, I’ll take it as Happy New Year! wonderful store full of delicious a compliment that there is seem- Tim Bartlett food and friendly people. But it is ingly no difference between the General Manager our structure, the nuts and bolts of who owns it and what they do Co-op and them. But beneath the surface with it, that truly sets the Co-op apart. of the customer experience, the Co-op is Our founders and farm partners tell nothing like TJs. this story eloquently in our new film The Co-op is owned and democratically “Locally Grown. A Lexington Co-op Story.” controlled by the people who use it. More than 700 consumer owners voted last fall Last summer, the United Nations declared in our democratic election of our Board 2012 the International Year of the Co-op. of Directors. The Co-op returns profits to This is a momentous decision, an the community based on how much you acknowledgement by the international used the services. Co-op staff work hard to community that co-operatives drive the create transparency into our producers economy, respond to social change, are and their practices. 52 cents of every dollar resilient to the global economic crisis and spent at the Co-op is reinvested into the are serious, successful businesses creating local economy, and $800,000 last year jobs in all sectors. Throughout the year we went to local farmers and food producers. will be doing things to highlight how “Co-ops build a better world” while working to At TJs, decisions come from and profits strengthen our Co-op’s impact and flow to the German family trust that connection to its owners. We’ll also be owns it (started by one of the founders of reaching out to strengthen our ties to other Aldi’s). TJs works hard to keep their food Co-ops in the region. WNY is fertile sources a secret and keep prices low ground for co-ops as the home of lots of through centralized distribution that buys credit unions, several consumer co-ops, almost nothing from local producers. and two of the largest co-ops in the country To quote Paul Hazen, CEO of our National in Welch’s and Upstate Farms. See page 3 Co-op Business Association: “One of the for more specific plans. persistent myths about America is that rugged Thank you to all the owners and staff who individualism built this country.” Don’t you create this co-op through your words, believe it. If you look at the critical deeds, and participation. We are an moments in our history, starting with the ever-growing expression of the community, Revolutionary War and the writing of and through our work together, we are our Constitution, it’s when we came each and all building a better world.

– Tim Bartlett, General Manager

“But it is our structure, the nuts and bolts of who owns it and what they do with it, that truly sets the Co-op apart.”

Co-op seeks owner comment on draft Shared Vision statement by February 26th!

We presented this draft Shared Vision at the Annual Meeting in October and in our last newsletter. From now through February 26th, we’ll continue listening and getting your feedback on this draft. We hope to finalize the Shared Vision statement at our March Board meeting. After that, the Board will begin developing more concrete options for expansion. We need to hear from you now so that we can make sure that the end result represents the entire Co-op’s best thinking!

3 easy ways to make your voice heard...

1. Email us any time at expansion@lexington.coop 2. Come to an Owner Forum February 8th, 11th, or 13th. RSVP to gina@lexington.coop or call 886-1036 and leave a message at extension 126 for details.

3. Fill out our expansion survey at www.lexington.coop

Co-ops that inspire!

Check out our neighboring co-op in Ithaca.

Draft Shared Vision: Double our retail space by 2015.

More accessible. More Choices.

More Impact. More Community.* Draft Criteria: Owners Support it.

Strengthens the Co-op.

Is Feasible (market, financial, design, internal readiness). (for the complete text of the draft Shared Vision Statement & Criteria and an explanation for how we got there, visit www.lexington.coop)

What we have heard so far: In a survey taken last September, 68% of owners expressed support for the Board’s goal of doubling the Co-op’s retail space by 2015, while 23% were neutral and only 9% were unsupportive.

* But what does it mean?

More Accessible.

We see two options: a larger store in the Elmwood Village or a 2nd store in another walkable community. (We’re not leaving Elmwood.)

More Choices. We’ll keep focusing on what we do well – running a neighborhood-based natural foods grocery – while adding more of your favorites, including produce, deli, bakery, meat & cheese.

More Impact. Expanding the Co-op will result in more purchases from local farmers and food producers; more co-op jobs; more classes, films & education; and a reduced environmental footprint.

More Community.

The expanded Co-op will be a community hub that demonstrates the power of co-operative ownership and allows for more opportunities for owner participation.

Greenstar Co-op Ithaca, NY www.greenstar.coop

You Voted!

This is the Bylaw change you voted for in our October elections.

Section 5.1 Number & Composition The Board of Directors will consist of nine (9) member-owners elected by the member-owners.

A board member must meet the requirements necessary to obtain and maintain all licenses and permits for providing the services of the cooperative; and cooperate fully in any application process for obtaining and maintaining such licenses and permits.

Paid employees and spouses or partners of paid employees may not serve as Directors. A person with an overriding conflict of interest with theCo-op shall not be qualified to serve as a Director.

This change means that owners who are elected to the board will go through a background check and fingerprinting in order for the Co-op to maintain a license to sell beer.

You can find the complete bylaws on the website.

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Foods to try this winter!

1. Mushrooms From the King Trumpet down to the teeny Bunapi mushroom, we have maitake, shiitake and old standbys like portabellos and criminis. Perfect for hearty winter cooking!

2. Peanut Butter Vegan Cookies from Lexi’s Kitchen Available in the bakery case.

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Lake Effect Ice Cream Lockport’s artisan ice cream purveyors are in our freezer case.

With flavors like Salty Caramel, Cinnamon Toast and Loganberry, you can’t go wrong. A local guilty pleasure.

4. Nut Butters from Justin's or Tierra Farms A touch of honey here, a splash of maple there, these pecans, cashews, and brazil nuts don’t make your average PB & J! 5. First Light Creamery Feta Cheese It's local, it's here, it's fantastic!

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6. Citrus Fruits Grapefruits and tangerines and blood oranges, oh my! Citrus season is in full swing, so load up on vitamin C with bright, tangy fruits.

7. Raw Honey from Country Honey of Little Valley In the fall, the bees produce a thick, creamy honey, easier to eat by the spoonful!

8. Dried Balaton Cherries from Singer Farm Naturals Grown in July in Niagara County and dried so we can enjoy them year round.

Available plain and dipped in dark chocolate, a great Valentine's Day treat!

9. Pre-baked Pizza Crusts from Lexi's Kitchen Top them with anything you can think of. Can you say easy dinner?

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10. Challah from Lexi’s Kitchen Yes, Tony our head baker has mastered handmade challah, in Lexi's Kitchen every Friday. Pick yours up in time for Shabbat dinner.

Comfort Foods • Winter Recipes • Comfort Foods Mushroom Risotto Ingredients:

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Ingredients:

6 cups broth of your choice, divided 3 tbsp olive oil, divided ½ lb portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced ½ lb white mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 shallots, diced 1 ½ cups Arborio rice ½ cup dry white wine sea salt to taste freshly ground black pepper to taste 3 tbsp finely chopped chives 4 tbsp butter 1 /3 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup dry white wine ½ lb shredded Swiss cheese ½ lb shredded Gruyere cheese 2 tbsp all-purpose flour ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp ground nutmeg 1 (1 lb) loaf French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions

Smoked Gouda & Cheddar Cheese Sauce from Chef Joe George

1. In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.

2. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.

Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots.

Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes.

When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add ½ cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth ½ cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tart & Tangy Baked Beans “A Moosewood Cookbook Classic” Ingredients:

Lexington Co-operative Market members are eligible to join the Buffalo Co-operative Federal Credit Union. Borrow from us for purchasing a car, making home repairs, or paying off high interestbearing credit cards.

3 cups dry pinto beans, soaked 4+ hours 4 cups chopped onions 3 medium sized tart apples, cut into medium sized chunks 4 medium sized ripe tomatoes, chopped 6 - 8 medium garlic cloves, minced 6 - 8 T cider vinegar (to taste) 3 - 4 T molasses (to taste) 2 T olive oil 1½ -2 tsp salt 1 T chili powder 2 tsp cumin 1½ tsp dry mustard Lots of black pepper Crushed red pepper, to taste Optional: 2 cups grated cheese

...You'll be directly supporting Buffalo's economy!

Directions

Visit our website at www.coopcreditunion.com for more information and to download a loan application.

Cheese Fondue

1. Place presoaked beans in a pot and cover well with water.

Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, partially cover and cook slowly until tender (75-90 mins), checking the water level during cooking.

Drain off any excess when the beans are done.

2. Begin cooking the onions in olive oil in a medium sized skillet.

Add salt, chili powder, cumin and mustard, sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, sauté approximately another 5 minutes. Add to cooked beans, along with all other ingredients.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the beans well and transfer to a deep casserole dish or 9x13-inch pan. Cover tightly with foil, bake 1 hour.

Directions Simmer wine in fondue pot. Add Swiss cheese, Gruyere cheese, ¼ pound at a time. Stir after each addition of cheese until melted.

Stir in flour. When all the cheese has melted, stir in salt and nutmeg. Serve with cut-up French bread.

Here’s a simple recipe that makes any dish look and taste as though you’ve hired a chef....well in a sense you have, Joe George has offered us this great cheese sauce that was perfect for the holidays and will continue through the cold winter months. Blend it with cooked macaroni and bake for 25 minutes to make a quick mac and cheese. Or add to any vegetable dish.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp unsalted butter 3 tbsp flour 2 cups milk ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper ½ cup shredded cheddar ½ cup shredded smoked Gouda

Directions 1. Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat; add the flour and stir.

2. Cook the butter/flour mixture for a few minutes, and then add the milk, salt, and pepper; whisk to remove any lumps. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cook the sauce for a few minutes, stirring often.

3. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cheddar and Gouda; stir until melted. Serve hot, or refrigerate until future use.

Makes about 2½ cups

Food, Nutrition & Fun: More Classes are Coming!

We are finalizing our schedule for an exciting new group of class offerings.

Watch Facebook, your email updates and in the store for information Interested? Email Heather at heather@lexington.coop 5

Getting Local, High Quality Meats in the Co-op...

Just Got Easier!

Co-op’s Within Your Co-op: Equal Exchange

Heritage Pork

We’re happy to fill our freezer case with freshly processed Heritage pork from T Meadow Farms in Lockport, NY. Rich Tilyou, owner of the farm, pasture raises happy and healthy Tamworth, Irish grazing hogs. Pasture-raising without confinement, use of pesticides, antibiotics and hormones provides a low intensive, low stress environment where disease is not an issue. Cuts available include ham, bacon (we hear the best tasting bacon comes from these Tamworths) ham hocks, roasts and chops. The taste and quality is superb and it’s Local!

Local Lamb

Also pasture raised, this lamb is locally distributed through E.A.T. Markets, a local foods processing venture by Tucker and Erin Curtin in the Clinton Bailey Market area. The lambs are raised on one of two farms, Pine Hill Farms in Batavia and Davies Hillside Farms in West Valley. E.A.T Markets chooses the highest quality animals for a mild flavor and meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.

Both Rich Tilyou and Tucker Curtin oversee the cutting and processing of the meats featured. Due to the distance of processing facilities, all local meats are delivered to us in a flash frozen kry-vack packaging.

Thawing Frozen Meats

(and no, leaving it on the counter isn’t one of them!)

The absolute best way to thaw frozen meats is by leaving it in the fridge until it’s completely thawed. If you’re crunched for time, take the meat out of it’s package, put it on a plate, and place it under cool RUNNING water. This carries away any bacteria that is already present or that grows on the surface of the meat and gently thaws the meat in about 20 minutes (for small cuts) or an hour or two (for large cuts). You can also safely thaw meat in the microwave, though be careful since your microwave can actually start to cook the meat before it’s completely thawed.

Jennipher Wattaka, an EE coffee farmer, shows coffee cherries from her farm.

Equal Exchange coffee cherries ready for export.

Equal Exchange Cooperative began in 1986 as an organization selling fair trade coffees and teas. It was founded by three former New England food co-op distribution warehouse employees who envisioned a better way to buy and sell food around the world; they set lofty goals for their organization to be employee-owned, educate consumers, create social change, and build community. Today, Equal Exchange is one of the largest worker-owned cooperatives in the world providing consumers with a range of fair trade and organic products such as coffee, tea, sugar, bananas, olive oils, almonds, cocoa and chocolate.

Equal Exchange works directly with farmer co-ops, groups that are democratically organized and have “power in numbers” by pooling their crops to maintain a larger and more predictable

Equal Exchange coffee loaded up for transport.

supply than they could individually. This also enables them to set fair prices and take more ownership over their livelihoods.

Partnership with Equal Exchange gives farmers incentive to grow organically and ensures farmers a fair price and consistent demand for their harvest.

Equal Exchange empowers farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to farm in an environmentally sustainable and socially equitable manner. By buying Equal Exchange products, our dollars go to support social justice in farming on a global scale.

Equal Exchange products include coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate and bananas when we can get them!

“Partnership with Equal Exchange gives farmers incentive to grow organically and ensures farmers price and4:43 consistent demand for their harvest.”

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Offering LifeWays Programs For ages 1½ to 5 years old Full and Half days • Year round Enrolling Now! 816-0078 www.therosegarden.us 257 Lafayette Avenue • Buffalo

A Member-Owner Cooperative Garden Center

Jamie Lawrence Director of Marketing

Energy Cooperative of America, Inc.

1408 Sweet Home Road, Suite 8 Amherst, New York 14228 Tel: (716) 580-3506 • Fax (716) 932-7337 Toll Free: 1-800-422-1475 Web: www.ecamerica.org E-mail: jlawrence@ecamerica.org

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812-7641

SPRING SEEDS AND STARTING SUPPLIES ... at your year-round garden center Go to www.urbanroots.org for schedule 428 Rhode Island St. Buffalo, NY Tel: 716.362.8982

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CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

807 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222 716.886.COOP

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID BUFFALO NY PERMIT #801

Open to Everyone 8 am - 10 pm daily

Owner Updates - Last Call for Patronage Dividend Redemption!

Last date to redeem is January 31st! So stop in, or call us today!

So Far: 82.5% of dividends were redeemed. $6,500 was donated to Food Bank of WNY. Check the Store for final numbers in February!

International Year of the Co-op love by the pound

Co-ops within Your Co-op

MARCH 15th – 17th

10% off Bulk Foods, coffee, spices, tofu...

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Equal Exchange Cabot Creamery Organic Valley Organic Prairie Frontier Spices NY State Organic Milk Once Again Nut Butter

Allafia Skin Care & Baskets Ocean Spray Blue Diamond Sunkist Alvarado St Bakery

Co-ops within Your Community Lexington Cooperative Market Buffalo Cooperative Federal Credit Union coopcreditunion.com Nickel City Housing Co-op nickelcitycoop.org Urban Roots Community Garden Center urbanroots.org East Aurora Cooperative Market eacoop.com Energy Cooperative of America ecamerica.org Upstate Farms Welch’s Eden Valley Growers