Lextalk may june web

News from the Lexington Cooperative Market

May-June 2014

LettuceTalk

Summer fun at the Co-op - page 7

Spring lettuces have arrived! How fitting that something so tender and fresh heralds the new growing season each year. They’re appropriately delicate (like most valuables), delicious, and versatile.

Romaine

Radicchio Not to be confused with red cabbage, radicchio is a brilliant red leaf with white veins. Radicchio has a bittersweet bite and juicy crunch eaten raw, and its kick mellows nicely when halved and grilled or roasted.

Romaine lettuce has an elongated central rib that brings the ultimate crunch.

Its dark, leafy green shade also makes it the most nutritious of all lettuce varieties - bonus! You may recall Romaine from…. every Caesar salad ever made.

Bibb This sweet little head lettuce has soft, round, floppy leaves that look just like a baby’s bib. Tender, buttery and delicate, Bibb lettuce makes a wonderful bed for soft meats like tuna or crab, or use it as a wrap!

Like all good things in life, Bibb doesn’t last long, so eat it up while it’s fresh!

Arugula A richly flavored, peppery green that’s versatile for cooking, arugula makes a perfect pizza topping and is great on a burger or steak.

Pair it with mozzarella and garden fresh tomatoes at your next picnic or party.

And, it’s fun to say. Arugula!

Red Leaf We all know redheads know how to have fun. Bringing more than a splash of beautiful bronzy color to your salad, this frilly red leaf lettuce is full of antioxidants and boasts a sweet, tender flavor.

Build a Salad When building a green salad, think about the sturdiness of the greens and what complements them.

• Tender baby greens, bibb lettuces, and cress are light and soft, best combined with subtle flavors and light dressings like vinaigrettes. Baby leaf lettuce can be crushed under a thick creamy or nut based dressing.

• Hefty romaine, leaf lettuces or baby kale are more assertive, so they can hold creamy, rich or spicy dressings.

Toss an array of greens together with a light vinaigrette!

Find our favorite dressing recipes on page 4.

Who’s growing your greens? Meet our local grower! Check out one of our Featured Farmers on pg 4.

We Are Excited To Take On That Challenge

our

BIG

DIREC TION

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

(Lexington or otherwise)

Co-op Values:

2013 2014

With one store and $10.4 million in Annual Sales, Lexington creates a lot of good in 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 June 2 July 7 Please e-mail board@lexington.coop if you’d like to attend a meeting.

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But that’s what has always been so fun about the co-op.

I was 21 years old when I found the North Buffalo Food Co-op. I walked past it several times at first, wanting to go in but not sure if I was allowed. One sunny day in August day I worked up my courage and went in.

As the screen door banged shut and my nose filled with the rich smell from the spice jars to the left of the door, I felt like I’d found my place. It was small, accessible and full of color and laughter.

our community. To finance our move to Elmwood, we raised $560,000 in loans from over 200 members of our co-op.

When the co-op is profitable, that money is reinvested in our business or returned to the community through patronage dividends.

Six months ago Trader Joe's entered our market. Within a year, Whole Foods Market will be open in our area. I really like both of these retailers.

I quickly started on as a working Whole Foods makes beautiful stores, member, filling bulk bins and with towering displays of tomatoes, bagging fruits. A few weeks after bread, oils. Their staff members that, I was hired. I did every job are nice and seem pretty well taken Tim Bartlett there was over the next six years: General Manager care of. They decorate with reclaimed cashier, dishwasher, bookkeeper, wood to make it feel homey. Trader produce buyer. They even let me bake Joe’s – like retailers Costco and others – has muffins at the café. I loved that it was up to brought back the thrill of the hunt to us. We had limited skill and training, and shopping for food. When I go to their our store was never as nice as it could have stores, I find good ideas and bring them been, so the co-op always struggled. I left back to our co-op.

Buffalo several times during that period, to work on organic farms. But I kept returning But the community didn’t build those to work at North Buffalo whenever I came stores and the community doesn’t benefit home. It was like an itch I couldn’t scratch: from their success. Wall Street built Whole a place and community that I loved and Foods, and investors from around the globe wanted to fix but could never figure out how. benefit when it succeeds. Right now, thanks in part to the success of companies like TJ’s Eventually, I left North Buffalo to manage and WFM, Wall Street is pouring investLexington. Even from the outside, I could ment capital into natural foods chains like see that Lexington was different. Customers, Lucky’s, Natural Grocers, and Sprouts. owners, staff – everyone seemed to be Co-ops, with our grassroots capitalization invested in this co-op and committed to its and ownership and homegrown talent, will success. The modern DIY movement, with be challenged to compete. its foragers and old-fashioned drinks and reclaimed wood furniture, is about many We are excited to take on that challenge. things: simplicity, quality, relearning old The co-op you have built through 43 years, the skills. But to me what resonates most is co-op that won the Co-operative Excellence that it’s about doing things for ourselves Award last year and has built a community and using the ingenuity and resources that of almost 11,000 owners is a strong and true exist in our community to make our lives expression of this wonderful community. better. I found that same spirit in this Our combined economic strength returns co-op, and I think it is a huge reason for its over $6 million to the WNY economy. We are motivated in this work not to prevent success. failure, but to grow our co-operative Today, we have 85 staff members who push strength: to return more money to the local every day to improve our systems, to bring economy, to support more local farmers, to in products you want, and to make delicious offer more good local spinach, and to open food that keeps our community strong. the empowering doors of this community More than 1,000 owners and customers establishment to more and more people. come to the co-op every day to grab lunch, fill their pantry, and stock up on local It will take all of us to make that happen. maple syrup or fresh spinach. Our commu- But that’s what has always been so fun nity finds nourishment here. And when the about the co-op. It’s up to us. co-op needs capital to buy a new stove or

– Tim Bartlett, General Manager expand services, that capital comes from

Sweet Spring

Strawberries Weiss Farm Eden, NY Tony Weiss has been working his land on the family farm in the Eden Valley since childhood.

He produces just about every fruit and vegetable that grows in our area on 150 acres. Strawberries are his most famous crop by a mile - a berry illustration adorns the sign hanging at the farm in Eden, and it’s on the Weiss Farm shirts and hats he often wears at farmer’s markets. Our partnership with Tony is one of our longest grower relationships at the Co-op, every spring we look forward to the day when his truck arrives at the store with flats of juicy red berries!

Weiss Farm is at the Elmwood Bidwell Farmer’s Market weekly, and also offers u-pick on the farm in Eden.

Be sure to call ahead!

Thorpe’s Organic Family Farm East Aurora, NY The Thorpe family - Mike and Gayle, with their children and grandchildren - farms over 2,000 acres in East Aurora. It’s all certified organic, and like Tony Weiss, their fields yield a huge variety of crops, but strawberries take the (short)cake! Each June they offer already picked and pick your own berries at the farm, and they also deliver baskets of fresh red berries straight from the fields to our Co-op.

Visit their website for information about visiting the farm, farm stand and u-pick pricing and hours.

Shortcake Biscuits:

Pick Your Own Strawberries Local strawberry season generally begins during the first two weeks of June and lasts up to a month, depending on weather. Usually, the second and third weeks of the month are peak berry harvest time! Baskets of shiny red berries will be at every turn, and Lexi’s bakers will be baking slightly sweet crispy-edged shortcake biscuits.

The moment they’re available, we’ll have them in the Co-op produce department. If you’d like to try picking your own, here’s how: •

Call for hours, availability and pricing.

Strawberry field safety, season duration and berry quality depend heavily on the weather - it’s a delicate balance. Call or check online before you leave home.

• Sun protection! Strawberries don’t grow in the shade, so slather on the sunscreen and break out your floppy hat.

• Get low. Strawberries grow low to the ground, so be prepared to stoop down or bend over to pick.

• Stop at the ATM – Most U-pick farms only accept cash. Plan ahead.

•

At home: Get your berries into refrigeration as soon as possible, warm air can cause them to go bad quickly. Don’t wash until you’re ready to eat. (very important!) Fresh berries will last several days if stored properly. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 3 Tbsp white sugar 1½ tsp baking powder ¾ tsp salt 12 Tbsp cold butter, chopped into small pieces (vegan sub: 12T of margarine or 9 T of frozen coconut oil. Hint: cut oil before you freeze it.)

1 ½ cups heavy cream (vegan sub: your favorite non-dairy beveragethe higher the fat content, the richer the biscuit) 1 ½ tsp vanilla

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt. Us a pastry cutter to cut butter into the flour mixture until butter is in oat or pea sized pieces.

2. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine cream and vanilla, pour into the well and blend until dough

Pick Your Own at: Weiss Farm

7829 E Eden Rd, Eden, NY (716) 992-9619 is evenly moist. Knead dough gently into a loose ball.

3. On a floured surface, pat dough into 8” square. Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and cut into squares or rounds. Place onto baking sheet, 2” apart.

5. Bake biscuits for 18- 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool before assembling with your berries and whipped cream!

Thorpe's Organic Family Farm

12866 Strykersville Rd, East Aurora, NY (716) 655-4486 thorpesorganicfamilyfarm.com

Greg’s U-Pick Farm

9270 Lapp Rd, Clarence Center, NY (716) 741-4239 gregsupick.com

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Get Dressed

Featured Farmer

Two classics for fancying up your lettuce!

Basic Dijon Vinaigrette Dijon vinaigrette was born in France, it's delicious drizzled over potatoes, delicate fish or chicken, warm cooked veggies and, of course, green salad.

Ingredients:

The Peak of Picnic Season!

• 1 clove garlic

Lyman Hill holding his fresh spring red leaf lettuces.

Bowman-Hill Farm Kent, NY Lyman Hill is our friendly neighborhood grower of all organic greens and lettuces. From early spring through late fall, he delivers almost all of our organic greens romaine, green and red leaf lettuces, kale, collards, swiss chard - all grown on his ‘micro-farm’ in Kent, NY. Lyman and his business partner, Ken Bowman, use huge high tunnels (a greenhouse-type structure) to extend their growing season and produce an impressive yield.

We’re thrilled that local season is beginning already with Lyman’s lettuces!

• 2 small shallot, peeled • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon sugar • 1 pinch pepper • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard • 2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar Variation: substitute lemon juice for your vinegar for a bright kick!

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil Food processor or blender: With the processor running, drop garlic and shallots one at a time to mince. Add salt, sugar, and pepper, process and scrape down. Add mustard and vinegar, then with the machine running, drizzle in the oil.

Whisking by hand: Finely mince garlic and shallots, then whisk with salt, sugar and pepper. Drizzle in oil while whisking.

Note: Using a processor or blender creates a sturdier emulsion that will not separate for several hours, but whisking and giving the vinaigrette a quick stir before pouring works, too.

Lexi's Green Goddess Dressing Herb-y and bright, goddess dressing is great on young spring lettuces!

Ingredients:

/3 cup chopped parsley ¼ c chopped chives 1T dried tarragon 1 small shallot, chopped 2 tsp whole grain mustard 1 tsp agave syrup 3T rice wine vinegar 3T lemon juice 1 /3 cup olive oil 2

GOL783-Coop Newsletter Ad:Layout 1

11/15/10

4:43 PM

¼ cup water 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon pepper

1. Place all ingredients except water into a food processor or blender.

Page 2. Process until smooth. Add water a tablespoon at a time until dressing is111562-bc_Layout desired consistency.

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Jamie Lawrence Director of Marketing

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

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

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

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

Our Favorite Picnic Fare When you're headed out for an evening of music or potlucking with friends, these are our suggestions for making the most of summer eats!

5 Spoke Creamery Redmond Cheddar Add this local, kosher cheddar to your gingham spread.

It’s handcrafted in Goshen, NY from the raw milk of grass-fed cows and aged to a mild, creamy treasure.

Drunken Goat So, you’ve tried every great local goat cheese we have... what’s next? How about a classic Spanish goat cheese bathed in red wine. Make sure to savor the rind – it’s where the wine meets the cheese!

Dalmatia Fig Spread Pair it with any cheese in your picnic basket- or add it to a sandwich with prosciutto and brie.

Lexi’s Vegan “Cheezy” Pasta A perfect side of bowtie pasta, spinach, tomatoes, and red onion tossed in a “cheezy” balsamic and garlic sauce – no cheese or heating necessary.

Harbison Cheese

by Jasper Hill Farm This soft, creamy bloomy rind cheese reminds us of brie.

It offers whimsical notes of raspberry and pine, and is wrapped in spruce bark – it belongs outside.

Tear off a piece of crusty, crackly BreadHive sourdough and dip in!

The BreadHive BUZZ Smear it with fresh local chevre, or marry it to your favorite dip or pesto... this bread is perfect for picnics.

Harbison soft cheese, wrapped in spruce bark.

Lexi’s Pesto Pesto will play nicely with almost any picnic basket fare – grab classic basil or sundried tomato and go!

Grab a quart of local strawberries for dessert!

BreadHive is Buffalo’s newest co-op and we love the way they do sourdough! A worked owned bakery that opened on the west side this spring, they’ve developed a sourdough starter stewing with local personality that includes at least 50% organic flour. A long, cool 12 hour ferment helps every hand-shaped loaf to achieve a deep, complex flavor that’s free of any added vinegar or acid, and their steam injected oven delays crust formation long enough for the dough to billow and the crust to remain thin and crispy.

The result? BreadHive’s Westside Sourdough - it has a tender and flavorful crumb with a rustic, crackly crust.

It’s fantastic! Their sourdough, rye, and multigrain breads are now delivered to our store several times weekly.

Find them in aisle 6, across from the cheese!

Victoria, Emily, and Allison of BreadHive Worker Cooperative Bakery on Buffalo’s West Side like to picnic!

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Extra-Extra! $10,684 to Check out Hunger We’re so proud of our generous Co-op community.

You donated $10,684 to the Food Bank of WNY at the registers! That’s more than double our previous years’ records, which means 32,052 meals will go to hungry families in our city. Thank you for being so kind, caring and big-hearted.

Spring Co-op News

Welcome, new owners!

We welcomed 91 new owners during our owner drive in March. Each year we donate $5 in new owners’ name to a community organization that closely aligns with our mission. This year we donated $420 to Field and Fork Network.

They are currently coordinating a local ‘Double Up Bucks’ program for SNAP benefit recipients.

The Double Up program gives SNAP users doubled dollars when spending on fruits and vegetables at local farmer’s markets like the Elmwood-Bidwell Market. That means more access to healthy local foods and more dollars going to local farmers! Thanks new owners!

Info at doubleupfoodbucks.org or fieldandforknetwork.com.

Your Co-op is Energy Star certified!

We’re one of few buildings in Buffalo to receive this distinction from the EPA, and we’re proud to be leading the way!

Our store uses less energy and releases less carbon dioxide than the standard commercial building. When we complete our remodel, our building will be even more energy efficient. Look for the Energy Star logo on our building this summer!

Food tours in the Elmwood Village We’ve been welcoming Buffalo Bites Food Tours to the store daily Thursday-Saturday since April and we love their focus - food and Buffalo’s history! The walking tours feature Elmwood Village eats and architecture, and we’re excited to be a new part of the experience! When you see a group checking out your Co-op, say hello! More information about the tours at www.buffalobitesfoodtours.com.

Farm Bill 2014 It’s official - we have a Farm Bill! We’ve been discussing the Farm Bill since 2011, when Congress first started seriously talking about the new legislation. The last version of the Farm Bill expired in 2012, then emergency measures were extended several times to bring us into 2014, when Congress finally passed a new bill into law.

What is it?

The Farm Bill dictates all federal policies as they relate to farming.

There is always a Farm Bill in effect, and is rewritten only once every five years. It’s a huge bill in breadth and importance.

How does it affect you?

canned treats, and ask Kathy

The policies laid out in the Farm Bill are incredibly wide reaching, and cover an expanse of topics from GMO crop approval to grants for ranchers and government food assistance programs.

Here are a few of the most direct ways you’ll see the Farm Bill in your day-to-day. The bill effects…

• the business of small farmers like Tony Weiss, the Thorpe family, and Lyman Hill • subsidy programs for commodity crops (corn, soy, etc) • SNAP benefits

So, what’s the deal with the new bill?

After years of back and forth between lawmakers of both parties, consumers and industry, the bill that passed early this year was met with mixed reactions, and contained compromises from all sides. Cuts to SNAP and conservation programs are discouraging; there’s lots of room for improvement in 2018 when the bill will be rewritten again. Overall, we’re grateful that the final bill was free of certain proposed amendments, and maintained important standards.

A few highlights: • Laws preventing the exposure of farm industry information (known as the ‘Ag Gag’ laws) were shut out of the bill • The proposed King Amendment, which threatened farm animal welfare laws, was not in the final bill • USDA organic standards and country of origin regulations for meat were maintained We’ll be keeping an eye on how the Farm Bill laws are effecting our Co-op and local farmers. Next time it’s up for a rewrite, we’ll let you know how you can affect the new bill.

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.

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812-7641

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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 7 am - 11 pm daily

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Prepare to Preserve Canning Class Series If you’re thinking of canning this year, we’re thinking of you!

We’ll be at the gorgeous Artisan Kitchens and Baths jamming with fresh local berries and fruits, and tucking away the summer vegetable harvest. Come learn from longtime Co-op owner and teacher Kathy Manley.

Visit Lexington.coop for details and to sign up online!

Fifth Seaso n

Canning is simple with a little know-how and a few good tools for the job. What will you need?

1. Canner or large stockpot 2. Canning rack 3. Jar lifter & lid magnet 4. Canning jars, lids and screwband rings 5. A local harvest & recipe!

A few of our favorite canning books!

2014 Class Schedule

Getting ready

June Strawberry Rhubarb Jam: Monday, 6/16 Strawberry Jam: Tuesday, 6/24 July Dill Pickles: Tuesday, 7/8 Bread & Butter Pickles: Wednesday, 7/16 Apricot Jam: Tuesday, 7/29 August Peaches: Monday, 8/11 Tomatoes: Tuesday, 8/26 September Tomatoes: Tuesday, 9/9 Corn Salsa: Monday, 9/15 Pear Ginger Marmalade: Thursday, 9/25 October Hot Pepper Jelly: Wednesday, 10/8 Concord Grape Jam: Thursday, 10/16

!