Lextalk march april web

News from the Lexington Cooperative Market

March - April 2014

LexTalk

Soon - we’re open Good longer hours! morning Starting Sunday, 30... good & March the Co-op will be open 7am-11pm everyday! night!

Co-op Connections

Great ways to keep up on what’s up at your co-op.

www.lexington.coop

Lexington Email Updates

Soon we're open longer hours!

Starting Sunday, March 30...

Chevre 7am-11pm Season! the co-op will be open

It's finally here! We're very excited to announce that our new website is live this spring! Find great info like Lexi’s monthly calendar, store events, find your local farmer, buy gift cards and catch up on co-op news on our blogs.

everyday!

Get inside Tim’s office every other week As we grow, we’re giving you we’ll send the Lexington Update straight more time to shop the co-op! to your inbox, keeping you up to date on During late winter goat co-op happenings, action alerts and new products. All fun, no spam - get in on it!farmers are busy at work

Find us on social media!

We want to friend, instagram and tweet you.

Eat your heart out with all the produce news and Lexi’s cookie photos we get our hands on.

Local Goat Cheeses Lively Run Farm

Interlaken, NY Lots of variety - one of our favorites is Lemon Thyme & Rose Peppercorn!

Painted Goat Farm Garrattsville, NY Try the Rosemary and Fig variety!

Castle Farm

Irving, NY Goat farmer’s cheeses, basket cheese & ricotta cheese!

First Light Farm & Creamery East Bethany, NY A unique mild, smooth flavor.

Try the Garlic & Dill!

- they’re kidding! ‘Kids’ are baby goats, and with the baby goats come spring goat’s milk, ready to be made into Schmear on baguette and top it with jam & pepper for an appetizer! fresh chevre cheeses.

Chevre is distinctive without being overbearing, mild to tangy depending on the variety - it has a wide appeal!

It gets along perfectly on a cheeseboard alongside any other cheese and fruit, and it’s also great sliced on salads. It melts beautifully, making it a natural on pizza or stuffed in chicken breasts or ravioli. You can find chevre plain or flavored with everything from black pepper and herbs to fruit.

Flavor Profile • Wide range, from mild and delicate to tart and earthy • Young chevre is mild and creamy, older chevre is slightly sharp, tangy, and a bit acidic.

• Similar texture to cream cheese, but sharper flavor

Nutritional Highlights • Good source of protein, riboflavin, and phosphorus • Lower in fat and calories than cream cheese

General Use • • • •

Cheeseboard Soufflé Stuffed chicken breasts Quiche

• • • •

Turnovers Calzones Cheese balls Dips

Toss it in • Pasta • Polenta • Pizza

• Salads • Omelets

It’s peak chevre season - enjoy!

our

BIG

DIREC TION

Enjoy the Spring! is our intention to foster or create a phenomenal co-op in every community that wants one.

(Lexington or otherwise)

Co-op Values: one store and $10.4 million in Annual 2013 With Sales, Lexington creates a lot of good in 2014 the world!

Local & Sustainable Food

Your purchases support 4 local egg producers

Knowledgeable People

Our canning classes had 225 attendees in 2013

Happy People

Each week, 10,000 people come through our doors and leave happy!

Co-op Economy

Last year, Lexington returned $5.5 million to the economy and provided 88 good jobs to the Buffalo region

Sustainability

We currently recycle 58% of waste annually

more co-op stores, online ordering and 2050 With $100 million in annual sales, we could create a lot MORE good in the world!

MORE Local & Sustainable Food With more stores and sales, Lexington could support 10 local egg producers

MORE Knowledgeable People

With more capacity, 5,000 people could learn about canning, cooking and co-ops each year

MORE Happy People

Imagine the ripple effect of 200,000 people experiencing a kind and caring co-op shopping trip each week!

MORE Co-op Economy

With more sales, co-ops could return $50 million to the local economy and employ 500+ people with quality jobs.

MORE Sustainability

Our goal is to be a net zero business by 2050

Board of Directors Jennifer Nalbone, President Marty Knauss, Vice President Allison Wilcox - Lanfear, Treasurer Hope Hoetzer - Cook, Secretary Derek Bateman Matthew Caldiero Roy Cunningham Patrick Finan Bruce Haydon For questions please email board@lexington.coop

Board Meeting Dates April 7th • May 5th June 2nd Please e-mail board@lexington.coop if you’d like to attend a meeting.

2

This year, we are focused on solving some of the challenges of our present location while building on all the success we’ve built here.

Goodbye, winter! With any luck, by the time this lands in your mailbox we’ll be past our last big storm of the season and looking forward to warm temperatures, spring flowers, and the beginning of early season crops from the south starting to appear in our produce department. A long winter helps to build appreciation for the fresh local foods we enjoy in harvest months.

Lastly and most significantly, this summer we are planning our long anticipated remodel. Check out the current plans on the next page. So, what's different?

I know, it looks a lot like our current store, but we’ve made key changes.

The remodel will help us focus more of our space and energy on what we do really well: fresh local, seasonal and organic foods. Here are a few highlights.

There are so many exciting plans Wider, brighter aisles. When we here at the co-op, it is hard to opened, our aisles were just the know what to tell you about first. right width. But since then we’ve Our Board and staff are really more than doubled our sales and Tim Bartlett energized by our BIG Direction General Manager they are starting to feel a little tight goal of having a phenomenal – especially on the weekends. co-op in every community that wants one In the remodeled store, all the aisles will by 2051. This year, we are focused on solving be about a foot wider than current. We’re some of the challenges of our present also adding energy efficient lighting and location while building on all the success polishing the floors to brighten up the we’ve built here. Our store remodel plans aisles and make finding your favorite are at right, and I’ll talk more about them products a little easier. below. But first, we have other big news…

Beer! We’ll have 12 feet of ice cold beer for We’re extending our hours! If you drive by your summertime enjoyment. We’ll start the co-op around 7:50 am on any given by focusing on craft and local beers, and morning, you’re bound to see a few people over time our selection will adjust based on peering into the store to see if we are open. what you like. Let us know if you have a For all of you early morning folks eager for suggestion for a favorite brew! fair trade coffee and a warm Lexi’s muffin, we have some exciting news: starting More fresh foods. By popular demand, Sunday March 30th, we’ll be open from we’re doubling the amount of Lexi’s Kitchen’s 7am to 11pm every day of the week. hot bar and soup selections. We’ll have Our food will be hot, our shelves full and more room for customer favorites like our friendly co-op staff will help you produce, grab & go, dairy and fresh meat. wake up with a smile. We’re excited about Bulk is getting all new fixtures including this change because it will mean more nicer bulk liquids containers. shopping hours for you AND for our parking lot. We’re looking forward to More sustainable. All of the lighting we add will be LED and most of the new coolers have seeing you even more! doors – making them 70% more efficient Then in early May, we will make a behind t han open f aced coolers. We’re also the scenes change that we expect to have expanding our external storage areas to a positive impact on your shopping create more room for our composting and experience: we’re going to move most of recycling initiatives. our stocking to overnight shifts. Co-ops who stock their shelves overnight have We’re excited to do this work because it found that their staff are much more will make the store easier to shop. That's efficient and customers are a lot happier great in itself, but it also means that more because they have room to roam the aisles grocery dollars flow through the co-op and without dancing around our staff. We’re contribute to our BIG direction goals: we’ll working right now to hire staff to work return more money to the local economy, these shifts. If you know anyone who reduce our environmental footprint, and would be good at night stocking, send send more customers out the door feeling happy (and maybe toting a locally brewed them our way!

6 pack). Enjoy the spring!

– Tim Bartlett, General Manager

Lexington Co-op Remodel Plans as of 3/14/2014

more fresh meat

frozen meat freezer

new produce fixtures

freezer

dairy/tofu/eggs

cheese grab & go

New equipment, better layout

beverages

Lexi’s Kitchen

more milk/yogurt new bulk fixtures new bulk spice station

beer

restrooms

more hot bar more soup

wider aisles

floral Same friendly cashiers!

Dividend Redemption Report Together We Donated $6978 to Mass Ave Project!

Thank you, owners!

94.6% of dividends redeemed

You redeemed 94.6% of dividends from 2013!

That means only 6% of distributed dividends were taxable to the co-op.

Of that 94.6%, you donated $6,978 to Massachusetts Avenue Project

Massachusetts Ave Project began as a small youth program in 1992, aimed at creating opportunities for West Side teens. MAP now employs local youth at their Growing Green Urban Farm.

The program trains youth about sustainable food production. They work with composting, aquaponics, and grow fresh vegetables on their farm, making fresh, healthy food more accessible for the community.

The farm is open to customers twice a week during the growing season.

MAP’s teen employees also run their own business year round. Products they develop, produce, market and distribute include jarred salsa and chili starter. Look for them on Co-op shelves! Through MAP programs, youth are reclaiming the integrity of food and creating social change…right on!

We’re thrilled that our owners chose MAP as the recipient of 2013 patronage dividend donations, and proud to support urban farming in Buffalo!

3

Springtime Specialties Perfect Spring Quiche Quiche is delicious for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, making it a versatile and easy dish. To feed a crowd, double the recipe and use a 9" x 13” pan.

Ingredients

Hot Cross Buns

Lexi’s sweet, yeasted little buns are studded with plump Thompson raisins and topped with the traditional ‘cross’ of frosting on top. Available in early April right through Easter Sunday.

All Natural Garrett Valley Spiral Hams

Our spiral hams are free of hormones, antibiotics, nitrites and nitrates - they’re also gluten free.

Matzo Bark

No leavening, no problem! Kosher matzos are covered with dark chocolate, dried cranberries and orange peel. Get your carbs in without stress - Lexi loves you and wants you to enjoy a sweet treat!

Local Lamb! Splurge for your holiday and roast a traditional rack of lamb. Serve with mint jelly.

1 10-inch pie shell 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 ½ cups vegetables of your choice: broccoli, zucchini or summer squash, kale, asparagus or mushrooms would all work nicely here ½ cup red bell pepper, sliced or diced 2 loosely-packed cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped 3 large eggs 2 large egg whites ¾ cup milk or half and half

Pinch of salt and pepper ¼ cup crumbled chevre cheese ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F, then prebake your pie shell: prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork, then arrange a layer of pie weights or dried beans on the bottom of the crust (to prevent it from puffing), and bake for 15-20 minutes, until edges just begin to brown.

Heat oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Add your vegetables, peppers, and spinach and sauté a few minutes, just until tender.

Remove from heat.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, milk, salt and pepper.

Sprinkle goat cheese on the bottom of the prebaked shell, then evenly cover with the vegetables. Add the Parmesan cheese, then pour in the egg mixture on top. Bake about 45 minutes or until firm in the middle. Let the quiche sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

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

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

4

We’re coco-NUTS!

Fun Fact: Coconut oil can

be used as a mouthwash!

Yes, mouthwash. Rinse with 1 tbsp of coconut oil & water for 10-15 minutes. The oil ‘pulls’ out bacteria and debris.

Coconut water, coconut oil, macaroons, coconut chips - coconuts aren’t relegated to island fare!

The ultra creamy, super healthy tropical fruits are everywhere, and makes great non-dairy alternatives.

Coconut water Packed with potassium, coconut water is the latest craze in sports drinks. Although its health benefits may be overhyped, coconut water alone, with other flavors, or blended into a drink makes for a tasty treat!

Try: Real Coconut Water

Try:

Coconut Bliss Frozen Desserts

Coconut milk A longtime mainstay in curries, pina coladas (!) and coconut cream pie, coconut milk is breaking out of the can. Coconut milk based ice creams make some of the creamiest non-dairy frozen desserts, and whipped coconut cream is sweeping the nation. (Hello, vegan hot fudge sundaes!)

Try:

Coconut oil

Nutiva Coconut Oil

Coconut=fat? Yup, coconut and coconut oil are high in saturated fat.

But don’t be scared! Coconut is one of the best sources of good fats called medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). They provide energy and are made up of 50 percent lauric acid; plus has anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties!

Use coconut oil as a non-dairy replacement for butter in baking (use 3/4 cup per 1 cup butter), or toss it in when sauteeing or roasting veggies.

Coconut milk in a can or small carton is made from strained coconut ‘meat.’ Because it is comprised largely of coconut oil, it contains many of the same benefits, including lauric acid. Also high in saturated fat, canned coconut milk is delicious for cooking, baking and recipes Coconut beverage is sold refigerated in half gallons or on shelves in large tetra packs. It’s a non-dairy milk, great for drinking as well as cooking and baking.

A few of our favorite (coconut) things dang! Toasted Coconut Chips They’re new! Tasty little treats that melt in your mouth. Aisle 4

Coconut Butter All blended up into a creamy, slightly sweet spread.

Aisle 4

Chocolate Covered Coconut Chunks

Tierra Farm’s pure coconut pieces coated in dark chocolate!

Bulk section

5

Grocery Two-fers - A Bang For Your Buck!

We all know vinegar is great for salad dressings and perking up sauces, and avocados make the best dips. But did you know there are applications for these foods and others beyond your plate? From home remedies to cleaning to body care, here are some of our favorite alternative uses for everyday foods!

Apple Cider Vinegar:

Baking Soda:

Decongestant - Mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon of honey, and ¾ cup of hot water to make a ‘tea’ - drink up. In a few minutes, breathe easy!

Next time you run out of powdered sink cleaner, reach for your baking soda box.

It’s abrasive and whitening - it’ll make your kitchen or bathroom shine. You can also brush your teeth with it.

Avocado: For a hair moisturizing treatment, mash an avocado or two and work into your hair.

Leave it in for 20 minutes, then rinse out.

Apple cider vinegar has long been touted for as a great health booster with loads of extra benefits – here’s why.

Hair Rinse - Rinse ACV through your hair as you would shampoo or conditioner. It will help eliminate buildup of residues from other products.

Mouthwash - Swish with apple cider vinegar next time you’re looking to freshen up.

Buy Less and Use It More!

Walnuts: Rub a walnut or pecan on a scratch or ding in wooden furniture or woodwork – watch it disappear!

Lemon: Sanitize your cutting boards or whiten your fingernails by rubbing a wedge on the surface.

Lemon, Honey & Olive Oil Face Mask A moisturizing mask for your skin! Combine equal parts of the three. Apply to your face, allow to dry. Rinse with warm water after 10 minutes.

812-7641

GOL783-Coop Newsletter Ad:Layout 1

295 Main Street, Suite 914 Buffalo, New York 14203 p (716) 842-0145 f (716) 842-0189 www.jmgoldfarbcfp.com

6

11/15/10

4:43 PM

Values-based financial planning and socially responsible investing for individuals, families and businesses.

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC

Pag

Get Earthy: Earth Day is April 22nd Compost 101

Compost improves soil health by: • Providing food for the organisms in soil that help release nutrients to plants.

• Organic matter also makes sandy soil hold water better.

• Helps clay soil drain water faster, and buffers soil pH levels.

Finished compost is organic matter that has decomposed into a dark, rich, earthysmelling material. Here’s how it’s done:

Building a Compost Pile The simplest compost technique is to buy or build a 3-4 foot wide container. Bins are more visually attractive than open piles, and they often compost faster. If you have room, you can build a free-form pile or series of piles to make lots of fresh compost.

Whichever method you choose, the process is the same. You’ll be mixing carbon and nitrogen-rich organic materials with some water to make it heat up and break down.

1. Build a layer of brown materials Start with a layer of dried leaves, hay, and straw. Put 4-6" layer (dry, carbon-rich) on the bottom of the container.

2. Add a green layer. Add a 2-4" thick layer of moist, nitrogen-rich materials, including grass clippings, vegetable kitchen scraps, and manure.

3. Moisten. Wet each layer as you build the pile to accelerate the composting process. Add enough for the layers to be moist but not soggy.

4. Alternate layers. Alternate the layers of brown and green materials until you fill the container or bin.

6. Turn it. After a week or two the pile should heat up. Heat indicates that soil microorganisms are breaking down the organic matter in the pile. Once the center of the pile cools, move the outside materials into the center and the center materials to the outside of the pile with a shovel or garden fork. The pile should heat up again. Repeat every few weeks.

7. Its done! After a few months, you should have finished compost with a dark color, earthy smell, loose and crumbly texture, and little of the original organic materials visible.

5. Cover it up. Cover the container with a lid or tarp. The cover keeps animals and rain out. If the pile gets too wet, it won’t heat up and break down properly.

How Much to Use? Once you’ve created compost, you’ll need to spread it. How much depends on the type of garden. For a new vegetable garden on poor soil, add a 4-6" layer and turn it into the existing soil before planting. For established vegetable or annual flower gardens, add a 1-3" layer every spring. On lawns, top-dress with a 1/2" layer of compost in fall. Rake in with an iron rake. In container gardens, you can add one-quarter compost by volume to increase fertility in the pot.

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

111562-bc_Layout 1

our

BIG

DIREC TION

is our intention t foster or create a phenomenal co-o in every commun that wants one.

How it Happens:

(Lexington or otherwise)

Co-op Values: Sustainability

one store and $10.4 million in Annua We Lexington have lofty goals 2013 With Sales, creates a lot of good in the world!

for our Co-op’s BIG Local & Sustainable Direction.

One of Food Your purchases support 4 local egg produc them is to be a more Knowledgeable People sustainable business, Ourhoping canning classes 225zero attendees in 2 to behad net by 2050. One way we’re making it Happy People happen: food scraps.

Each week, 10,000 people come through doors and leaveeliminate happy!

In an effortour to eventually our landfillCo-op waste, Economy we work with Last year,organizations Lexington returned $5.5 million t local community the economy and provided 88 good jobs to to compost our food scraps. the Buffalo region Lexi’s Kitchen, the Co-op produce department, Sustainability and our staff break room We currently recycle all have designated bins for58% of waste annuall compostable materials. Our aim is for all fruits, vegetables, tea bags, eggshells, coffee grounds and paper With more co-op stores, online ordering towels 2050 to land in the compost bins. $100 million in annual sales, we could c a lot MORE good in the world!

Mass Ave Project (MAP) and the urban farmers from the & Farmer MORE Local Sustainable Foo Pirates pickWith up more binsstores fromandour sales, Lexington coul store. Theysupport compost our 10 local eggscraps producers into nutrient rich dirt to nourish MORE Knowledgeable summer vegetable plants on our People With more capacity, 5,000 people could lear urban farms. about canning, cooking and co-ops each yea Recently, we revamped the system MORE pickups.

Happy People to ensure regular Imagine the ripple effect of 200,000 people With moreexperiencing of our waste going to a kind and caring co-op become dirt, and trip lesseach to week! landfills. shopping Your Co-op, moreCo-op sustainable, MORE Economy step by step.

With more sales, co-ops could return $50 million to the local economy Our full BIG Direction is on page and 2 employ 50 people with quality jobs.

- check it out!

MORE 9/27/11 9:10 AM Page 8Sustainability

Our goal is to be a net zero business by 205

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

7

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

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

Open to Everyone 8 am - 10 pm daily 7 am - 11 pm daily starting 3/30

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

.

Co-op Connections

Great ways to keep up on what’s up at your co-op.

www.lexington.coop

Lexington Email Updates

Good morning & good night!

Soon we're open longer hours!

Starting Sunday, March 30...

the co-op will be open

7am-11pm It's finally here! We're very excited to announce that our new website is live this spring! Find great info like Lexi’s monthly calendar, store events, find your local farmer, buy gift cards and catch up on co-op news on our blogs.

Find us on social media!

We want to friend, instagram and tweet you.

Eat your heart out with all the produce news and Lexi’s cookie photos we get our hands on.

Get inside Tim’s office every other week we’ll send the Lexington Update straight to your inbox, keeping you up to date on co-op happenings, action alerts and new products. All fun, no spam - get in on it!

everyday!

As we grow, we’re giving you more time to shop the co-op!