Once again, we are looking for nominees to run in the next board election. Being a part of the board is the chance to learn new skills from fellow directors, learn a whole new side of the co-op and have a unique voice in the direction that the co-op takes. As a board director, you can help shape how the co-op interacts with our local communities and help shape the organization.
I used to work in the grocery department at the La Crosse store, and being on the board was a great way to understand the organization from a new perspective. I invite any owners to apply for the board- you don’t need to be a former employee- to join in this effort and help us shape the co-op for the better.
The board also needs people with a variety of skills and backgrounds – it helps us better understand needs within our communities. So, are you interested in learning more about cooperatives, developing teamwork skills, and practicing strategic thinking? Please consider joining us! If you have any questions, please reach out to any current board director though Tom Halada is spearheading our nomination process (Thanks, Tom). You are also always welcome at a board meeting to learn more. We also have more information available here: http://www.pfc.coop/ board-candidate-application
Happy Summer!
Elizabeth Leighton PFC Board PresidentThe Garlic Press is published by the People’s Food Co-op of La Crosse and Rochester, 315 Fifth Avenue S, La Crosse, WI 54601 and 519 1st Avenue SW, Rochester, MN 55902.
The Garlic Press serves to educate shoppers about food issues, community activities and events, co-ops in general, and ownership in PFC.
All articles and pictures submitted for publication become property of People’s Food Co-op. PFC reserves the right to refuse publication of any article for any reason.
contributors Kevin Ducey, Lizzy Haywood, Perrin Iacopino, Ann Mull, Kathy Smith
editor Ann Mull
design Ann Mull
photography Ann Mull, Kevin Ducey
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without prior permission of the editor. Opinions expressed herein are strictly those of the writers and are not an endorsement by, or official position of, the co-op, its board, managers, or owners, unless identified as such. Nutrition and health information is for educational purposes and not a substitute for consultations with licensed health or dietary professionals. ©2023 People’s Food Co-op.
Elizabeth Leighton president
Sarah Miller vice president
Andrea Niesen secretary
Robin Roberts treasurer
Lana Christian
Elizabeth Gamble
Thomas Halada
Michael Sersch
Verna Simon
Contact the board at board@pfc.coop
Location: Waukon, Iowa
50 miles from PFC-La Crosse
90 miles from PFC-Rochester
We recently visited with Tom Weighner, one of the partners of PFC’s local dairy supplier, WW Homestead in Waukon, Iowa. The Weighner family works with another Iowa farm family, the Wallesers, to bring fresh dairy products to People’s Food Co-op. The two families’ farms have about 300 cows that produce all the milk for the dairy. It’s very much a family operation with siblings, sons, and daughters all working either on the farms or at the dairy plant.
added rather than go bigger.” In 2011 they bought an empty factory building in Waukon and converted it for milk processing. They began producing cheese curds, cheese, butter, and other dairy products as the business grew.
Since the 1970s, official U.S. farm policy has been “get big or get out.” Small farms have been marginalized in the marketplace as big conglomerate firms control farm production from seed to table. To be successful in this environment, smaller operations have had to get creative in bringing their product to market while remaining profitable. People’s Food Co-op works with several of these sorts of maverick operations – farms that don’t quite fit into the modern American industrial farm landscape. Farms that didn’t get big, but remain viable in the marketplace.
Small or medium-sized farms may not get picked up by the large dairy creameries in the region, which are continuously looking to mechanize and scale up production. A small operation, such as the Weighners, may not produce enough milk for the corporate dairy truck to come by.
In the financial downturn in 2009, Tom reports that their farm lost $100,000 in equity. “We decided we needed to try something different to survive. We decided to go value-
“It’s been going well,” Tom says. “We have small margins, but we have more than 25 employees now. A lot of high school kids – it’s good for the community. This factory building had been empty for six years before we bought it. And we put Waukon on the map as the cheese curd capital of Iowa.”
WW Homestead does their own distribution around the Upper Midwest region. Although Tom is happy to report that they recently had a big shipment of breaded cheese curds go out to Lake Tahoe, they are not looking to expand distribution outside of the Midwest. “We ship a lot [of dairy] to Wisconsin, and you know you have a good product if you’re shipping cheese to Wisconsin.”
“Covid was a huge challenge,” Tom says. “Our sales still grew. We did a little more online business and more shipping. People have continued to order online.” WW Homestead can ship an order next-day delivery to Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and parts of Nebraska and Missouri.
Both PFC stores take Homestead’s milk and Rochester also sells their cottage cheese. “Our milk is not homogenized,” Tom notes. “Even our skim tastes like milk. It’s not overprocessed.” When you bring your milk home, it will have a layer of cream on top. You can homogenize it yourself by giving it a good shake or skim the cream off for your coffee like your grandparents used to do.
WW Homestead is not an organic dairy. However, they do not use antibiotics, other than for sick animals, nor do they use growth hormones with their herds. The milk is from Holsteins with some Jerseys in the mix. “We don’t push for milk pounds. The herd runs at 4.5 percent butterfat,” Tom says. Whole milk is their biggest seller in the milk line. “People seem to have figured out that fat content is not necessarily a bad thing.” Tom argues that the economics of getting bigger yields from their cows didn’t really make sense. “It’s harder on the animal, and to get more milk, she needs to eat more feed,” and the farmer has no control over feed costs.
WW Homestead is excited to be supplying local students with milk. A couple of area elementary schools and three colleges are using Homestead milk. The creamery hopes to add more schools soon.
Although Homestead has managed to solve the farm-tomarket equation, they aren’t exactly ready to quit their day jobs. All the family members employed by the business have off-farm careers. In addition to running a dairy farm, Tom works in dairy processing. He’s also in charge of sales and marketing. One daughter is a veterinarian with a degree in microbiology and manages the dairy’s food safety – in addition to holding a full-time position with the State. Another daughter and her husband manage the Weighners’ dairy herd and work at the creamery. Tom was in La Crosse the same morning I’d left to visit Homestead. He’d had to drive up to the city to fix one of their delivery trucks. In a small business you do it all yourself.
People’s Food Co-op, in partnership with small family farms such as this one, is helping to re-build our rural economies. The co-op offers access to a market that these small producers would otherwise struggle to reach.
“We decided we needed to try something different to survive. We decided to go valueadded rather than go bigger.”
America’s breadbasket. America’s dairyland. The corn belt. Heartland.
These familiar phrases gloss over the difficulty of bringing a harvest to market in the Midwest. To put nutritious, delicious foods in your hands, sustainable farmers like Jack Hedin dig deeper than simple passion. The work includes building and sustaining the land for generations to come.
Recently I took a visit to Jack’s farm – Featherstone Fruits & Vegetables near Rushford, MN – with one of PFC’s produce managers, Kathy Smith. Along with 70 produce buyers from the region, we were invited to look inside the operation, to learn how one small farm is managing its production and to learn why local organic agriculture in the Midwest takes much more than determination. Jack identifies a “triple premium” which reflects pillars of local, organic, and ethical transparency in this approach to farming.
Featherstone Farm seeds first went into the ground in 1995. With vision, ingenuity, and a bit of good luck it now has 250 acres under management and sells to CSA customers and wholesale customers in Rochester, La Crosse, Twin Cities and Chicago. That may seem like a large-scale farm, but the challenges facing Featherstone are more like any grower around here than like massive operations elsewhere.
Most of the produce you see in a typical grocery store is grown in the dry climates of California and Mexico, where water conditions are carefully titrated, and plants can be protected from dampness issues like disease and discoloration. Growers in the Midwest take important, expensive measures to buffer against the issues that come with rainfall.
For Jack’s farm, that means high tunnels, raised beds, miles of mulch, and far fewer planting days than its global competitors. These add a base layer of extra costs.
Next layer of cost: the annual operations expenses that come with land rental. For many farmers in the US, access to land ownership is a serious barrier to cost-effective market pricing. Land access issues are complicated, highlighting deep inequity in a system favoring consolidation and commercial zoning. Land access is key to increasing economic justice in our rural communities.
Next layer: the general public’s expectations of picture-perfect fruits and vegetables. Unlike the bred-for-shipping-not-flavor varieties brought in from elsewhere, a superb local vegetable might go to waste when it doesn’t look as beautiful as its neighbor in the produce display. The waste adds to the farm’s cost of production.
Next layer: paying workers a fair wage, and maintaining a knowledgeable, long-term, seasonal workforce. Featherstone Farm is committed to fair wages and benefits for its workers.
Next layer: a commitment to organic practices. Though infrastructure for organic agriculture is stable, crop insurance reform would reduce costs for farmers using soil health and conservation practices.
What does this add up to? That maintaining organic agriculture in our region takes investment, and it’s worth it.
The kale and melons Kathy brings us from Featherstone Farms will never be the same price as California produce, and they shouldn’t be. The cost is what it takes to invest in quality soil, in good jobs and in food security for you and for your family. Whether or not we choose to be active in it, we are each part of the food system. Our actions can make that system stronger. We should invest in it by buying locally grown food at prices which ensure independent, transparent, and sustainable agriculture.
Our deep gratitude to Featherstone Farm for 25 years of leadership in sustainable farming. It is just one among many one-to-one relationships we are honored to have with producers in the region. When we buy from these farms, you get nutritious delicious food grown right here, while ensuring future generations have an opportunity for clean water, nutritious soil and healthy communities.
Serves 4 to 6. Prep time: 30 minutes.
2 slices of rustic bread, cut 3/4-inch thick
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1 large, firm avocado, pitted and quartered
1⁄2 medium red onion, cut into 3/4-inch rounds
3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
3 tbsps balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 large tomatoes, chunked
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced
1 cup fresh basil, shredded
1. Preheat the grill to medium high. Put two tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl or cup and dip a wadded paper towel into the oil. When ready to grill, use tongs to swab the grate with the oiled towel.
2. Use your pastry brush to brush the bread, zucchini, avocado and onion with oil, then place each piece on the hot grill. Grill the bread for about one minute per side, until browned and toasted. Grill the zucchini, onion and avocado until tender, about four to five minutes. Transfer the food back to the cutting board and let cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
3. Transfer the grilled ingredients to a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the remaining oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic, and pour over the ingredients in the large bowl.
4. Add the tomatoes, mozzarella and basil to the bowl, and toss to mix. Serve immediately.
Serves: 6. Prep time: 20 minutes
2 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed
1 large carrot, shredded
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 large scallions, chopped
1 large jalapeño, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1⁄2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Dressing
3 tbsps sesame seeds
2 tbsps red wine vinegar
2 tbsps honey
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1. Combine the black-eyed peas, carrot, cucumber, scallions, jalapeño, tomatoes and parsley in a large bowl.
2. In a small saute pan, place the sesame seeds and swirl over high heat. When the seeds are lightly toasted, transfer to a small bowl. Add the vinegar, honey, olive oil and salt and whisk to combine.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the pea mixture and toss to mix. Serve or refrigerate, tightly covered, for up to three days.
Serves 6. Prep time: 1 hour 15 minutes; 15 minutes active.
2 pounds (about 3 large) cucumbers, split lengthwise, seeded, and sliced into 1/4-inch crescents
3 scallions, sliced
1⁄4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsps fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1⁄2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Dressing
1⁄3 cup rice wine vinegar
1⁄4 cup canola oil
2 tsps sugar
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1. In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Set aside.
2. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine all vegetables. Add dressing and toss. Let sit at least 1 hour, mixing occasionally.
3. Add peanuts just before serving and stir to combine. Garnish salad with sesame seeds.
Serves 6. Prep time: 50 minutes; 20 minutes active.
2 tbsps red or white wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 12-ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
2 large oranges, peeled, segmented cut in pieces
4 ounces sliced mini-pepperoni
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, chopped
2 romaine hearts, chopped
4 leaves radicchio, torn
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, oregano, mustard and salt. Then whisk in the olive oil.
2. Add the artichokes, chickpeas, kidney beans, olives, oranges, pepperoni and mozzarella to the bowl and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. This can be tightly covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
3. To serve, spread the romaine and radicchio on a large platter and sprinkle the marinated vegetable mixture over the top, drizzling any left over dressing over the salad. If desired, toss to mix, or serve as is.
Serves: 4. Prep time: 15 minutes
2 large bunches lacinato kale, thinly sliced
1⁄2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1⁄2 cup dried cranberries
1⁄2 cup walnuts
Dressing
1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsps cider vinegar
2 tbsps orange juice
1 1⁄2 tsps Dijon mustard
1 1⁄2 tsps honey
1 tsp orange zest
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1. Place the kale, onions, cranberries and walnuts in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the mixed kale and toss well.
Let these recipes inspire your own salad
improvisations! Reach for flavorful and nutritious toppings — try fresh herbs, beans and lentils, cooked whole grains like quinoa and farro, fruit slices, nuts and seeds.
Serves: 6. Prep time: 15 minutes.
1⁄2 small red cabbage (8 cups shredded)
1 large carrot
1 small red onion, slivered
1 large jalapeño or other chili pepper, chopped
1⁄2 cup parsley, chopped
1⁄2 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 tsp salt
Orange segments
Toasted slivered almonds
1. Use the slicing blade of a food processor to shred the cabbage, then switch to the coarse blade to shred the carrot. (You can do it by hand, as well.)
2. Place the cabbage and carrot in a large bowl and add onions, jalapeño, parsley and mint.
3. In a cup, combine the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss to mix.
4. Transfer to a serving platter, then top with orange segments and almonds.
Back to school can be fun but school lunch can quickly get boring with the same things day after day. Especially if you have kids that take cold lunches to school most days.
Getting ready in the mornings can be a mad rush, and packing lunch can sometimes be an afterthought of simply throwing things together from the fridge and the cupboard.
With a bit of prep work, the recipes below can be made ahead and added to kids’ lunches. Bonus! These are out of the ordinary and can be FUN to eat…who doesn’t love breakfast for lunch! All three of these recipes freeze so well. Make a few batches before school starts in the fall and you’ll be high-fiving your past self on those busy mornings.
This recipe is your base to add in whatever you’d like! We love to add in dried fruit, chocolate chips, or a smashed-up banana (just leave out the yogurt if you do!) The Greek yogurt in this recipe adds protein and the base recipe means you can experiment to your heart’s delight. Invite the kids into the kitchen with you and see what you can come up with! (recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction)
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
Jul 19–Aug 1
(if using salted, reduce salt by 1/4 tsp)
1/2 cup light brown sugar or granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup of any kind of milk
1. Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a standard 12-count muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper or silicone baking liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
3. Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter on high speed until smooth, approx 90 seconds. Add the brown sugar and beat on high until fully incorporated, about 2 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides a few times. Add the eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, then turn up to high speed until the mixture is combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the milk and continue to mix on low until combined. At this point, fold in any add-ins (fruits, chocolate chips, etc.)
5. Spoon the batter into each cup or liner. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425° F then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for an additional 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Total time in the oven is about 22-23 minutes. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.
These pancakes are smaller and perfect for lunch boxes. Make it fun by pouring the batter into a squeeze bottle to squirt onto a hot griddle! Cut the tip of the bottle off to allow more batter to flow through. Label this your dedicated pancake bottle. These pancakes are freeze so well and can be added directly to a lunch box from the freezer as they will defrost by lunchtime.
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsps granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tbsps melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Heat griddle to medium/medium high heat.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. If needed, add milk until the batter reaches your desired consistency. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients. Whisk together until the batter is mostly smooth.
3. Pour uniform sized 2 1/2 inch diameter pancakes onto the griddle. Alternately, use a plastic condiment bottle to squeeze batter onto the griddle. Be prepared to flip the pancakes soon, as they cook quickly!
It’s really important to be mindful of allergies in a school setting. This nut-free granola is packed with long-energy ingredients to help keep kids full, fun to eat (not to mention extra tasty!), while also being kind to their friends who have allergies. We love this recipe because the ingredients can be picked up in the bulk section meaning you can make as much or as little as you’d like - no waste!
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup toasted wheat germ
2/3 cup of ground flax
1/2 cup flaked coconut (optional)
1 1/2 tsps cinnamon
1 1/2 tsps ginger (optional)
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/3 cup maple syrup, molasses or honey (or a combination)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup water
1 cup dried fruit (apricots, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, banana chips, etc)
1. Preheat oven to 275°. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, wheat germ, flax, coconut, cinnamon (and ginger if using), and seeds. In a smaller bowl, whisk together your choice of sweetener, oil, and water.
2. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Spread on baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Watch to ensure edges don’t get too brown. When it’s nearly done, turn off the oven and leave the tray inside until completely cooled.
3. Add the dried fruit and store in an airtight container.
explorersmembercard
Kids ages 12 and under are invited to join the Co+op Explorers and be eligible to receive one free banana per visit! Kids simply need to sign up with parent or guardian at the co-op. Each child will be issued their very own super official Co+op Explorers card!
Signheretobecomeasuperofficial Co+opExplorersmember. Madefrom100%RecycledPVC.
Color the Co-op Explorer picture on the next page and bring to the co-op for a free Co-op’s Own™ cookie. Drop of your work of art and redeem your cookie in the front end. Valid August 1-31.
• Further the co-op’s mission to build a sustainable community, while treating all people with kindness and fairness.
• Collaborate with community members and represent over 11,000 owner households working toward a common goal.
• Receive $1,200 in compensation - $300 pre-loaded quarterly to your owner account.
The People’s Food Co-op Community Fund (PFCCF) was established by the People’s Food Cooperative in 2003 with the specific purpose of providing supplemental or project-specific funding to local, non-profit organizations having missions that are consistent with the mission of the People’s Food Cooperative. Priority consideration will be given to grant requests for educational projects, developmental projects, and events that have a focus on, but are not necessarily limited to:
• Food and Food Systems
• Health and Well Being
• Cooperative Education
• Nutrition
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Social Change & Inclusion
Black, LatinX, Asian, Indigenous, LGBTQ, and women-run organizations are strongly encouraged to apply.
For 2023, the PFCCF is proud to announce that it will award two or more grants for a combined total of $4,400, allowing applicants the opportunity to receive up to $2,200. Applications must be received by July 31, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.
The online application is available here: http://www.pfc.coop/community-involvement. Please submit via email at pfccf@pfc.coop.
YOU MAY ALSO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION AND MAIL TO: PFCCF Grant Committee
c/o People’s Food Co-op
315 5th Avenue South La Crosse, WI 54601
Grants will be announced on Friday, September 1, 2023. All applicants will receive notification of the decision at that time. If you have questions about the grant process, please email pfccf@pfc.coop or call 608-784-5798 x2021.
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