Natural Enquirer January 2020

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C O M M U N I T Y

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NATURAL

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ENQUIRER

A Pu B l i cat i o n o F t h e S kag i t Va l l e y Fo o d Co - o p

January - March 2020

Photo: Todd Wood (center) in his element, with Board President Tom Theisen (right) and former Co-op employees.

GENERAL MANAGER TODD WOOD RETIRES IN EARLY 2020

by Beverly Faxon

Todd has shepherded the Co-op through 45 years of growth and change. Many co-ops that were thriving in the 70s never made it out of the 80s. There is no guarantee that there would even be a Skagit Valley Food Co-op today, and certainly not a co-op of our size, success, or sheer pleasurable form, without Todd’s vision, drive, and insistence on financial responsibility coupled with innovative growth.

Todd and I worked together for decades.

Sometimes we argued about policy or procedure, but I never doubted Todd’s commitment to the

Co-op’s success and his desire for the Co-op to have a sustainable, thriving future and a lasting place in our community.

When it came time for a remodel, he was in the thick of it, tool belt on, sometimes even spending the night in a sleeping bag on the Co-op floor. He fielded countless late night calls and drove the miles in to handle midnight emergencies like shattered glass

IN THIS ISSUE

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From the Board ∙ pg 2

from a late night storm. At every Co-op function, Todd stayed through the last dregs of the clean-up.

Despite a reputation for being business-minded, he is actually a pretty fun guy with a love of doughnuts, good black tea, red wine, and badminton. He and his wife Judy always closed down the dance floor at Co-op community gatherings. (continued on page 2)

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Winter Workshops ∙ pg 4 Probiotics: The Root of Gut Health, Mood, & Immunity ∙ pg 7 New in the Co-op ∙ pg 11 Sea Witch Botanicals ∙ pg 11

Let It Shine!

Board Announces 2020 4% Friday Groups

The Best & Brightest Citrus!

FroM the Board

Our New General Manager, Tony White

It has been a whirlwind of a year as 2019 comes to a close for the Board of Directors. If you aren’t aware by now, Todd Wood our General Manager of 41 years announced his retirement in July. Todd’s vision and leadership has been the driving force in keeping our community-owned business thriving. We are very grateful for everything Todd has given as we look forward to our next chapter.

With that, we are very excited to announce that the Board of Directors has hired our new General Manager! Following an extensive nationwide search we have selected Tony White. Tony comes to us with over 20 years of management experience at Hanover Co-op in New Hampshire where he served as the Director of Operations, overseeing four stores, a commissary kitchen, and two co-op owned auto service stations. For the last three years, Tony worked as a consultant for National Cooperative Grocers to help strengthen other co-ops across the country.

Tony has a stellar reputation both as a grocery store operator and as a champion for the cooperative model. When applying for the position, Tony wrote, “When I walked into your store over a year ago, I thought, ‘wow, I want to shop here every day.’ With the opening of your GM position, I said ‘wow, I want to work here every day!’”

Please join the Board in welcoming Tony to our Co-op. We are excited to have found someone who will build from our strong foundation to an even greater success in service to our member-owners and our community.

Tony will be joining us in January and working side by side with Todd until Todd’s retirement in February to provide a smooth transition.

In other Board happenings, you may recall we hosted a member engagement event in April to explore meaningful ways to connect with the Co-op membership. We asked attendees for their ideas for how to strengthen the Co-op’s member engagement, and one of the takeaways was that the Co-op should engage Skagit’s Latino community to better understand barriers to joining and shopping, to improve equity and diversity among members – to make the Co-op feel more welcoming.

We hosted a “Get to Know Your Co-op” Latino Community Event on November 6th as a step to connect with our Latino community. With a dozen people in attendance, Board Member Rob Smith led an interactive discussion in Spanish on basic co-op information and principles: what a co-op is, who can shop here (everyone is welcome!), and why we believe healthy food is the building block of a strong, healthy community.

Skagit Valley Food Co-op Mission Statement The Skagit Valley Food Co-op is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide good food at a fair price. As stated in the Co-op By-Laws: “The Co-op shall promote member welfare by utilizing their united funds and their united efforts for the purchase and distribution of commodities in accordance with the following criteria: A. Maintaining the non-for-profit status of the Co-op; B. Offering high quality products which contribute to good nutrition;

C. Supporting a low impact, non-harmful approach to the environment; D. Supporting local suppliers and producers; E. A commitment to building a cooperative economy and supporting others who share that commitment; F. A commitment to educational programs relevant to members and non-members in the community.”

The Skagit Valley Food Co-op Natural Enquirer is a quarterly publication of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and may not reflect Co-op policy. No articles are meant to be used for diagnosis or treatment of illness. The Co-op does not endorse the products or services of advertisers.

Editor: Nicole Vander Meulen | Layout & Design: Emily Zimmerman Staff Contributors: nancylee bouscher, Ben Goe, Jenny Sandbo, Jay Williams, & Todd Wood | Board of Trustees: Brad Claypool, Kristen Ekstran, Mike Hackett, Casey Schoenberger, Rob Smith, Wayne Rushing & Tom Theisen Copyright 2020: Reprints with permission

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Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

(continued from page 1)

Todd Wood Retires in Early 2020

He can be reluctant to dress up for Halloween, and then surprise everybody with a spurt of creativity. Ruhama, who works in Wellness, recalls his most memorable Halloween—the year he shaved his beard, put on a suit and tie (as foreign to him as a clown costume), slicked down his hair and lurked for hours on the store floor, undetected: “We didn’t know who he was. He blew our minds, so official looking. We thought the Feds were in the house.”

And despite a reputation for being gruff, he can be a pretty nice guy. Ann, who also works in Wellness, remembers way back when she first got a VCR: “I didn’t know what to get to play on it. He met me at the video store—such a kindness, so sweet of him.”

Todd started as a volunteer at the Pine Street Store in 1975 when he was 21—a job that had him packaging cheese, day managing, unloading delivery trucks, and traveling to Seattle with others to bake bread at Little Bread Company and bring it back. He joined the paid staff in 1978—one of three part-timers. Sherry Broome, who is still in our financial office, served as a bookkeeper, and the other two did the rest: keeping volunteers focused, placing and receiving orders, communicating at regular meetings with any interested Co-op members, and much more. Todd worked 2040 hours a week depending on what was needed, at a flat $60 a week.

Todd and I sat down together recently so that I could ask him questions, thus conning him into doing the majority of the work for this article. It was just like old times.

B: Why did you take the Co-op job?

TW: I was also doing carpentry with some friends at that time. But I liked retail, with its diversity of tasks. I liked feeling integrated into the community— the Co-op was my Third Place before “Third Place” was a term. I liked being strategic about a business, applying math and social skills at work.

B: What is your earliest memory involving the Co-op?

TW: Driving into the Valley from Michigan with two friends, heading north on 2nd Street—and my first major Skagit memory was seeing a monkey puzzle tree with rhododendrons around it. I felt like we were in a prehistoric era. There was nothing like that in Michigan. Six blocks further, we parked outside the Skagit Valley Food Co-op, went in, and felt really comfortable.

B: What do you miss most about those early days?

TW: Time had a different meaning. The pace was slower—our first year annual sales we now do in two days. What I really miss is time to talk to customers, to play with their babies. Of course, we still interact with the community and customers in our current store, but back then it could be a leisurely one-on-one for me.

Jenny Sandbo, Category Manager remembers, “Todd has always loved kids and done a lot to support families at the Co-op. After my son was born, I was hired by Sherry and Todd to work part-time in the office. It was a huge benefit to be allowed to have my newborn baby with me.

“When my daughter was born four years later, I brought her to work as well. One sweet memory of that time is the image of Todd sitting at his desk with the lights off, happy as punch, with a round, warm, sleeping baby tucked in his arm. It reminds me of what an earth-bound, good guy he is.

An important thing to remember when I’m feeling peeved with him!”

Correction: In the last issue, I (nancylee) used the wrong Latin name in my article “title.” Pineapple Weed’s scientific name is Matricaria discoidea. Malva neglecta is the Latin name of another local wild plant known as Common Mallow. It was a wild, weedy party in my yard this year – and I apologize deeply for mixing up the scientific names of those two wild guests. Both are considered edible, and opinions vary on how to use Pineapple Weed. While most resources encourage its use as a tea, some people may find it to be too intense. Go easy, be curious, and consult lots of references before beginning to use any wild plant.

B: How would you compare our Co-op with other co-ops nation-wide?

TW: We were part of the Co-op movement in the beginning of the 70s. Most current co-ops, especially those that are stable or have the same size we do, are from the 60s and 70s, although there has been a new wave in the last five years. If you think of co-ops as coming in small, medium, large and extra large sizes based on sales, then we are in the large category, and we are in the 75-80% percentile for sales volume. We are one of the bigger co-ops in a town of our size that doesn’t have a University, which tend to be drivers for co-ops.

In terms of financial stability and the health of the organization, we are one of the top co-ops. We own our own building free and clear. In terms of positive growth, we are ahead of the average. Feedback we get from co-op people all over the country is that they really like our store. We have good customer appreciation and support. Our Board and board structure are more stable than the average co-op.

I think we are more interesting—we have as much going on as most any other co-op in connection to our offerings and our food production. Our Mercantile is the biggest in the country. We have the nicest café. I’m pretty sure we were the first to roast our own coffee. And we are the only ones to make our own ice cream.

The Co-op’s financial stability has always been a priority for Todd, with the theory that no choice made sense if it could drive us out of business. Jenny says, “One of the first interactions I can remember having with Todd is also an example of how cost-sensitive he is (some might use the term cheapskate). I was unloading refrigerated products off a pallet and into the walk-in cooler. I had the door propped open. Todd came along, and with just a hint of anxiety in his voice, told me it cost 11 cents a minute to have the cooler door open and I needed to shut it in between loads. The phrase, ‘What-ever!’ hadn’t been invented yet, but if it had, I probably would have used it.”

B: What has been the most surprising trend?

TW: I clearly remember when a few people started asking for gluten-free products. We’d had no shortage of flash in the pan food fads and preferences. And I thought, here we go again, this isn’t going to last at all. Clearly I was wrong.

B: What has been the biggest controversy during your tenure?

TW: Well not in terms of intensity, but in terms of bandwidth, it is probably growth. People question that. Up until five years ago, I still heard people say they wished we were still at the Pine Street store.

Controversies are wrapped around people’s selfidentification with co-ops and their expectations. It’s great when people see the Co-op as a reflection of some of their values, but some people have high expectations for that reflection.

We’re not just a club—our mission is way bigger than that.

February 5

A moving depiction on the importance of healthy soil, the potential of local food systems, and opportunities for individuals to help regenerate our planet’s soils a n d pa rt ic i p ate i n th e restoration of the Earth.

What’s amazing is the positive impact co-ops have had. Co-ops were drivers in changing the food system.

Sure, many of those changes have been adopted by forprofit enterprises. If we’d all wanted to stay at Pine Street, we wouldn’t see the concepts of sustainability we have today.

B: What has the Co-op brought to our community?

TW: First, co-ops in general have brought light.

B, surprised: Light? Can you define that?

TW: Sure, since that’s not the way I usually talk. When we started, the Cold War was a given. There was a fear of nuclear annihilation. There was a fear of pesticides, a fear of cancer. It just keeps going— there is still a fear of some of those things, and now there is a fear of Donald Trump. The Co-op shows that there are some people who continue to put forward movement for positive change. Co-ops show there is some collective wisdom about some of the values we have—and co-ops provide seed and fertilizer for those ideas.

And then, on a very concrete level, we’ve also brought opportunities for small manufacturers, farmers, and suppliers.

B: I can remember that, for a long time, you had an image of yourself retiring from being general manager, but moving into a job where you would sweep the floor and visit with customers for the rest of your life. You’ve abandoned that plan?

TW: I’ve recognized that the Co-op as an organization needs to continue to adapt and move forward in time. I know I need to sort of pull back and let go from what I found to be most important and let the Co-op move forward. And having an old guy around who might want to hang onto the past and not be active in the present—the Co-op doesn’t need that. I feel good with what I’ve been able to implement of my vision in many ways. It’s other people’s time. Not that I’m not going to come in frequently for a pot of tea and a Danish.

The grocery industry is perhaps deceptively complicated. It’s competitive. It moves fast.

Change is rapid. Big business is overlapping with our small business. I can’t honestly envision what the grocery industry is going to be like in five years. My personal ability to keep up with the pace of change has passed me by, and I’m okay with that. That’s the way it works.

B: Not in a business sense, but in the sense of community and of values, what should we most closely protect at the Co-op?

TW: In terms of this transition for me, I hope we can protect the integrity of having a comfortable, inviting, physical space. In part, having this value was self-serving for me— creating inviting physical space kept me fueled over the years, doing multiple expansions.

But the space also reflected positively with people. They are comfortable here. The Co-op continues to work as a Third Place. (continued on page 13)

February 12

The quest of one couple that trades city living for barren farmland and a dream to harvest in harmony with nature. They uncover a biodiverse design for living that exists beyond their farm, its seasons, and our wildest imagination.

February 19

A three-part series that empowers children to step up and change the world in the face of climate change: the films cover plastic pollution, climate’s tipping point, and zero-waste living. These films are great for children!

February 26

A Patagonia film about people, rivers, and the fight for wild fish and their habitats. It explores wild salmon’s slide toward extinction, threats posed by fish hatcheries and fish farms, and our continued loss of faith in nature.

A FREE FILM SERIES • FEB. 5, 12, 19, 26 AT 7PM • ROOM 309 Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

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Co-op Workshops

Co-op Workshops are held on the Co-op’s third floor (Suite 309) and are free—unless otherwise noted. Please pre-register for these classes online at skagitfoodcoop.com/event. You can also pre-register for classes with Nicole at 360-336-5087x136 or community@skagitfoodcoop.com. You may enter the building through the double glass doors on the southeast end of the building to access the elevator or stairs. Or, come in through the Deli mezzanine and take the stairs to the third floor.

Essential Remedies: Winter Skincare

Monday, January 6, 6:30pm • Michelle Mahler Free, optional supply fee

Learn to make luxurious and healing skin and haircare products with essential oils! Demonstrations and recipes include: facial and eye treatment blends, sea salt scrubs, and soothing oils. Make a skin balancing, age defying oil for your skin type or a hair treatment with Michelle's help.

Basic Building Science: Improving Home Energy Efficiency Tuesday, January 7, 6:30pm • Skagit Housing Authority

Are you having trouble heating your whole home, keeping your energy bills down, or finding out why those frigid drafts are blowing through your home? Learn the basics of building science and energy efficiency for smarter energy usage, more effective home improvement projects, and DIY tips to slash energy bills.

6 Weeks to Abundant Energy

Wednesday, January 8, 6:00pm • Regina Zwilling

Health is a habit. Learn habits to live a life of abundant energy and health in as little as 6 weeks. The habits include nutrition, movement, lifestyle, and mindset.

Start 2020 off with a solid plan to feel great and live the life you want and deserve!

Gum Disease

Thursday, January 9, 6:30pm • Dr. Janette Carroll, DDS

What’s lurking in your mouth? Bacteria in the mouth play a huge role in whole body wellness. There is a constant fight between good and bad bacteria in your mouth. Who is winning? And, how bad is bad? Learn all about gum disease, bacteria in the mouth, and how the mouth is connected to the whole body.

Intuitive Eating

Monday, January 13, 6:30pm • Isabel Castro

New diets, research, and food sensitivities can create fear and confusion around what to eat. Explore digestion from a holistic, Ayurvedic perspective.

How you eat, and your emotional state when eating, have a lot to do with digestion. Get common, everyday tools to optimize digestion, make choices in tune with your body, and feel more vibrant.

Neurological Integration System Therapy

Tuesday, January 14, 6:30pm • Jean Christensen, LMT

Homeopathic Medicine for Children

Tuesday, January 28, 6:30pm • Maria Eckert, ND

Homeopathy is a gentle, safe, and effective medicine for children that builds a stronger immune system, so kids will be more resistant to everyday illnesses.

It can also heal chronic physical diseases, as well as mental and emotional problems. Learn about the conditions that homeopathy can help alleviate.

Intermittent Fasting

Wednesday, January 29, 6:30pm • Aletha Fleming

Join Dr. Alethea Fleming, ND for an informative and fun talk about what is intermittent fasting versus time restricted eating and why/when/how it is appropriate to consider trying for you.

Discover Your Life Gifts

Thursday, January 30, 6:30pm • Elizabeth Borges

Self-love plays a great part in finding your gifts; lack of self-love can create roadblocks. Learn to recognize imbalances and unhealthy patterns that lead you away from your true calling–a sample exercise will be given.

Melt for Hands & Feet

Monday, February 3, 6:30pm • Caryn Boyd Diel

Discover how the connective tissue in your body gets dehydrated, the common aches and pains it can cause, and how to rehydrate this essential system for vibrant health and to help erase pain and tension in your hands, feet, neck, and low back brought on by everyday stress, overuse, exercise routines, and age. Caryn is a Certified MELT instructor, a LMT with a MS.

Essential Remedies: Simple Blending & Safety Tuesday, February 4, 6:30pm • Michelle Mahler Free, optional supply fee

Learn how to choose, purchase, and blend essential oils step-by-step. Discuss common safety precautions, blends for children, shelf life, and proper storage.

Learn how to create a simple blend of essential oils in a carrier oil for a topical healing massage oil. Free class. Optional supply fee $10 to make a ¹⁄³ oz remedy.

Create Clear Intentions for the New Year with Reiki Thursday, February 6, 6:30pm • Valerie Rose

Learn about the Neurological Integration System Therapy technique: NIS is a system of non-invasive healthcare that uses the brain-nervous system connection to optimize function and repair of the body.

What would you like to experience this year? Now is the time to set positive intentions for 2020! Learn a simple, powerful Reiki meditation to clarify intentions and a breath meditation to interrupt and refocus compulsive thinking. Valerie Rose is a Holy Fire Reiki Master.

Collage Your Vision: a Vision Board Workshop

Examining Eros: Reconnecting Women with Desire & Romance

Creatively focus your intentions in the New Year with a vision board using mixed materials (provided)! You’ll leave with a guiding word for 2020, a clear idea of how you want to feel, and a visual creation to help stay the course. No art skills necessary.

Morghan Milagrosa, ARNP, WHNP-BC, CNM, IBCLC presents a 60-minute interactive workshop that addresses the challenges of connecting with a romantic partner that face the modern woman. Examine the concept of eroticism and how it impacts relationships, connection, and holistic health.

Wednesday, January 15, 6:30pm • Elise Stachila, MA

Monday, February 10, 6:30pm • Morghan Milagrosa

Own Your Power...Go Solar!

Happiness Principle: Simple Keys to a Happy & Healthy Life

Learn how solar power can cut down your energy bill; and how to lower the cost of your solar project through State and Federal incentives for home, business, or farm.

Join Regina to learn why more money, more stuff, and more technology are not making us happier. Get simple hacks you can use now to feel happier (and healthier) every day!

Thursday, January 16, 6:30pm • Banner Power Solutions

Tuesday, February 11, 6:00pm • Regina Zwilling

Keep Resolutions with Hypnotherapy

Neurological Integration System Therapy

Keep resolutions by breaking bad habits and replacing them with good ones. Learn how you can feel more motivated and direct your thoughts in a positive way to focus on your goals through hypnosis.

See January 14 Description.

Saturday, January 18, 1:00 pm • Kathleen Boehm, CMS-Cht, RN

Stress Relief with Hypnotherapy

Wednesday, January 22, 6:30pm • Jacqueline Mantikoski

Change how you think about stress, and use the body’s own stress response to empower your inherent greatness within using hypnosis techniques that shift your mindset and help you recharge in minutes, not hours or days.

Cohousing - Fostering Sustainability & Resiliency Thursday, January 23, 6:30pm • Skagit Cohousing

People are talking about cohousing, because it’s an antidote to our culture’s loss of connection and community. Learn how Skagit Cohousing is developing a cohousing community to foster sustainability and resiliency.

Probiotics: The Root of Gut-Mood-Immune Health Monday, January 27, 6:30pm • Karl Mincin

Anxiety isn’t a head-brain condition, it’s a gut-brain condition. 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut, home to 500 strains of healthy bacteria. The Gut-Brain is the root of our mood and immunity. Learn a functional nutrition approach for a brighter mood and stronger immunity. Happy gut, happy life!

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Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

Thursday, February 13, 6:30pm • Jean Christensen, LMT

Sweet Dreams! Sleep Better with Hypnosis

Saturday, February 15, 1:00pm • Kathleen Boehm, CMS-Cht, RN

A natural way to get better sleep and fight fatigue. Learn how you can put daily stress aside and reset your sleep gauge with hypnosis. Get beneficial tools to help you in your quest to get better sleep.

Solar Power for Home & Business: Investing in Your Energy Future Thursday, February 20, 6:30pm • Fire Mountain Solar

Solar is safe, renewable, affordable, and effective! Understand the benefits and financial feasibility of solar, along with emergency backup power options.

Fire Mountain Solar is one of the oldest solar companies in Washington, leading the state in solar and battery-based power system expertise.

Recycling Right & Going Zero(ish) Waste

Tuesday, February 25, 6:30pm • Skagit Master Recyclers

What's currently recyclable? Confused? Bring items you have questions about to the class. Explore simple and more advanced swaps, and learn ways to achieve a zero(ish) waste life. Take part in hands-on projects to jump-start your zero waste journey!

Free Thermography Workshop

Thursday, February 27, 6:30pm • Skagit Thermography

Thermography is an imaging tool for health screening that’s noninvasive with no radiology. Come learn about thermal imaging of the breasts, thyroid, and whole body for men, women and children.

March Madness: The Garden Edition

Monday, March 2, 6:30pm • The Co-op's Jay Williams

Wake up—your garden is already sipping coffee and reading the paper! March is the busiest month to prepare for growing season. Find out what you can plant now from starts or seeds, how to do it including soil prep, crop rotation, succession planting, what needs feeding now, natural pest control and more.

Tokens For Tomorrow

Meet the 1st Quarter Tokens for Tomorrow groups! With Tokens for Tomorrow, every time you bring in a reusable shopping bag, we honor your commitment to reducing waste with a token worth 5¢ that you can give back to one of these local organizations.

Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group

Cohousing - Fostering Sustainability & Resiliency

The Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group exists to build partnerships that educate and engage our community in habitat restoration and watershed stewardship activities in order to increase salmon populations. Your token will help fund Junior Stream Stewards, an educational program offered to over 300 middle school students in Skagit County each year. This program teaches watershed and salmon ecology concepts and then takes students out of the classroom to apply these lessons to real world examples. Ultimately, the goal is to provide our future leaders with a better understanding of how to be good stewards of our environment.

See January 23 Description.

Skagit County Meals on Wheels

Worm Your Way into Composting!

Tuesday, March 3, 6:30pm • Callie Martin

Learn how to compost your food scraps by harnessing the work of worms.

Class participants will learn the basics of worm bin design, care, and feeding.

Holistic Dental Practices

Thursday, March 5, 6:30pm • Dr. Janette Carroll

Come hear about holistic dentistry straight from the dentist’s mouth! Learn how the mouth relates to overall health and get detailed information about holistic dental practices and alternatives.

Monday, March 9, 6:30pm • Skagit Cohousing

Community Building Through Foster Care Tuesday, March 10, 6:30pm • Youthnet

Interested in becoming a foster parent? Meet Youthnet staff for a presentation and Q&A. You will learn about Skagit's current foster care issues, and what it looks like to be a foster parent.

How to Evolve Spiritually

Wednesday, March 11, 6:00pm • Regina Zwilling

We live in a time of greater prosperity, peace, and comfort than ever, but more of us are depressed, anxious, and stressed than ever. Discuss what spirituality is and how evolving spiritually may be the answer to our epidemic of depression. Leave with simple tools to start living in more life-affirming ways.

The Meals on Wheels Program provides nutritious, noontime meals to senior citizens, age 60 and older, who have difficulty leaving their home unassisted and who are unable to prepare their own meals.

Skagit County is one of the few programs in Washington State that still delivers hot, nutritious meals to seniors in the community. By using only the freshest ingredients, meals are prepared each delivery day at our central kitchen and are distributed at lunchtime by volunteers.

These deliveries provide daily one-on-one contact that many seniors look forward to every day.

Donations will go toward maintaining the current program level. With the increased client base, the goal is to continue to provide clients with the freshest, homemade meals possible, instead of frozen or pre-packaged meals.

Optimal Health & Being

Monday, March 16, 6:30pm • Human Development Center

Learn about the Human Development Center and ways to become better human beings. Get an overview of its trainings in cranialsacral therapy, pre and perinatal somatic psychology, meditation, family constellations, and beekeeping.

Own Your Power...Go Solar!

Thursday, January 16, 6:30pm • Banner Power Solutions See January 16 Description.

Stress Reduction & Refocusing with Hypnotherapy

Saturday, February 15, 1:00pm • Kathleen Boehm, CMS-Cht,RN

Decrease stress and increase the quality of your life by learning how to bring your life and body back into balance using hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy helps you refocus to obtain beneficial thoughts and quickly calms the nervous system. You will get tools to feel calmer and relaxed in stressful moments.

Post Spine Surgery Care Options

Monday, March 23, 6:30pm • Cameron Bigge, DC

Have you had spine surgery? Learn about MyoKinesthetic Technique (MYK), a low force and highly effective neuromuscular re-education technique and experience this powerful advanced body work with certified MYK practitioner, Dr. Cameron Bigge DC.

Essential Remedies: Pain & Anxiety Relief Tuesday, March 25, 6:30pm • Michelle Mahler Free, optional supply fee

Learn how essential oil remedies can help relieve stress, arthritis, muscle, joint, nerve pain, insomnia, PTSD, ADHD, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, nightmares, sleep disorders, headaches & migraines. Learn about commonly used oils. Free Class. Optional $10 supply fee to make ¹⁄³ oz roll-on.

Cannabis & You

Jefferson School Garden

The Jefferson School Garden aims to provide children with hands-on experiences and exposure to the process of organic gardening. With that, comes observing the life cycle of plants, problem-solving, STEM-related projects, nutrition, caring for a variety of plants, and enrichment activities with art and technology (farm bots!). Donations will help buy garden supplies, plant starts, bulbs, organic compost and soil amendments, and seeds!

Anacortes Family Center

The mission of the Anacortes Family Center is to serve homeless women, children, and families in crisis by providing shelter in addition to comprehensive transformational services to achieve long lasting personal success and self-sufficiency.

Donations will support Anacortes Family Center’s life-saving and life-changing programs by providing weekly life skills classes for adults and children as well as intensive counseling for traumatized children with its contracted children’s therapist.

Wednesday, March 25, 6:30pm • Michael Scott

Learn about the endocannabinoid system, its relationship with cannabis, and how adding this plant medicine to your life can impact your health and quality of life. Michael is the founder of Project Positive Change and years of experience researching cannabis: projectpc.org.

Neurological Integration System Therapy

Thursday, March 26, 6:30pm • Jean Christensen, LMT See January 14 Description.

The Co-op welcomes community use of its classroom space.

While we do choose which workshops to host with discretion, the Co-op enjoys hosting a diverse selection of wellness, nutrition, and holistic living classes. Classes hosted at the Co-op do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of Co-op Board members, staff, and/or all owner-members.

Tokens for Tomorrow Recap July – September 2019

26,817

Tokens collected at the registers and paper bags saved.

$1,490

Dollar amount given to local organizations.

Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

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FroM WellneSS

Let It Shine! by nancylee bouscher To be honest, I have never struggled to write an article this much.

Usually, I craft my words in my head for days and when I finally snuggle into the couch in the early hours of a quiet house, it just pours out of me. It feels like I’m talking on the phone to a friend. I think of you as I write—the person I may know and call out your name as you walk past me while I shuffle bottles and wrestle boxes, or the person who I have not yet met—but hope to. And really, this is what is causing me such great pause: you. I am not sure how to tell you this: everything is going to change.

The coffee will get cold in your mug before you drink it. That kale in your crisper will wilt away slowly before you get a chance to eat it all. Your cat will start to sleep more and pounce less, and your favorite tree will get attacked by an unseen insect, and you’ll have to watch as they take off her crown and chip away her bark into bits. Worst of all—people go away. No matter how much you love them. No matter how much you need them. They move away.

They move on. They die. And then here we are with broken hearts.

Recently, a middle-aged woman with a kind but worried face came into the Wellness Department asking about Reishi mushroom supplements. I showed her my favorite company, Fungi Perfecti. I explained the process— how they use organic brown rice as a substrate for the spores to grow on.

How they wait, in their lab outside of Olympia, for the primordia (also known as mushroom sprouts) to pop up before using a two or three step extraction process, depending on the mushroom type, to maximize benefit. Or maybe I didn’t get that far. Maybe I just held out the box of capsules before she told me why she wanted to buy it. Folks take Reishi for all sorts of reasons, from energy to heart health—but this gal was buying it for her neighbor because she found out he had stage four cancer. She wanted to do Something.

Her blue eyes swam as she talked about how she didn’t know what to do for him, but she had heard this might help. In that moment, it struck me how many, maybe even most of the people who come into my department are here because they want to help someone live their best life. Or sometimes they want to help them just live. It might be 60 soft gels of 2000 ius of vitamin D to boost their mom’s immunity so she doesn’t get the flu before her trip to see her sister one last time. Maybe it’s some Ashwagandha for their husband who started a new stressful job that keeps him up at night because he can’t get his brain to stop long enough for his body to rest. Perhaps it’s some Arnica cream for their coworker’s hands that cramp up as she sits at her desk typing up notes into a medical chart of a person that she’s never met but she knows he has stage four cancer that Reishi might not help at all.

We can’t know what might help someone as they struggle with the challenges we witness or the ones they hide from us. But here is this gal who is asking me if this will help, holding up a bottle of thirty capsules packed full polysaccharides, enzymes, and antioxidants found in those lil’ shroom sprouts and mycelium, those tiny hairs of mushroom roots.

I tell her what I know about how mushrooms seem to work in the soil, in the water, and in our bodies based on science. I point out the pamphlet from the company that explains this is in a very vague way to try to not make any health claims that the FDA will jump on. I tell her there are easy ways anyone can research trials that have been done on supplements (check out pubmed.gov), and that I have talked with people who feel that taking

mushrooms have helped them heal from all kinds of aliments, including cancer. But do I know if this will help her neighbor? No, I don’t know that.

What I do know, what I think we all know, is that her wanting to help him will help him. The fact that she thought of him during her day, imagined his face or his laugh and wanted to keep that around a little bit longer.

That she drove over here, maybe looking down the Skagit River as she crossed the bridge and wondered if he ever fished in that water. How she maybe circled our parking lot when all she wanted was to cuddle in her couch—and then found me and listened to me ramble about some nerdy guy named Paul Stamets, the mycologist who founded Fungi Perfecti and his TED talk where he does some level ten rambling. She did all of that because something might help, and that belief in the potential of healing is beautiful. Simply wishing to ease a person’s pain, even when all you can do is be there with them in it, is real big medicine.

Over the last months, I have been mourning the loss of a friend, Jill, along with many other folks around here who loved her. I got the news that she had died as I drove east on Hwy 20 over the Swinomish Channel into the rising sun of a Monday morning that was suddenly too harsh, and since then everything has changed. I don’t actually know how to write about death because I don’t understand it at all. So I’m going to just skip to the part I do understand. Jill was the first friend I lost, so at 45, I finally learned that when we are hurting the most we just need someone to sit there with us. I didn’t need them to talk or to know or even to understand. I just needed them to be and to want me to hurt a little less. And because they were with me—even for a minute as they gave me a hug near the timeclock or put their warm hand on my shoulder as I sat on my lunch break watching my soup go cold—I did hurt less.

I wish I could have seen that neighbor’s face when she showed up with the random things she picked up for him, because it didn’t stop with the Reishi. I hope she sat down with him on his couch and listened to him talk about his fears or his lawnmower—that she just spent some time with him so that he could feel the warmth of her. I hope he leaned in to that moment of just being, alongside someone else and found comfort.

It’s like how a candle comforts me, watching that flame burn and dance.

I sing to myself “this little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.” And then it does shine. Brighter and bigger.

You have this light, you can let it shine. Bring each our lights into the dark where Jill Quanstom Photo by: Lisa Zacherl fear and hopelessness live, and we will chase it away together. Until it comes back, and then we’ll do it again and again. Will it help against all the big changes and hurts, like friends leaving long before you are ready to or even know how to say goodbye? I don’t know. It might. Let’s try.

New Year, Better Habits

New Year’s resolutions are great, but New Year’s habits are better! Here are a few essentials to help you feel refreshed and set meaningful intentions for 2020!

Evan Healy

ROSE BALANCING FACE CARE KIT Give your skin a fresh start with this 2-week kit that includes a daily cleansing milk, hydrosol, rosehip facial serum, and more.

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Wild Rose

HERBAL D-TOX KIT

This 12-day kit is a great way to break old habits and start anew by supporting your body’s detoxification systems with organic and wild-crafted herbs.

Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

Paperblanks and Denik

JOURNALS & NOTEBOOKS

Whether you want to set goals, recall the day, list gratitudes, or try your hand at poetry, writing is a healthy way to self-reflect and express your feelings.

Hydroflask

WATER BOTTLES

Trying to drink more water?

Stay hydrated and bring your Hydroflask with you everywhere to nourish your body and say goodbye to single-use plastic water bottles!

Probiotics: The Root of Gut Health, Mood, & Immunity

by Karl Mincin, Functional Medicine Nutritionist The colon is home to 500 different strains of healthy bacteria. This microbiome mix is the root of our mood, immunity, hormone balance, brain and cardiac function, and more. Mood disorders and immune deficiencies are epidemic. Anxiety is not a headbrain condition, it is a gut-brain condition. We used to think of these things as mental disorders. That’s why anti-depressants target the release of serotonin in our brains. But, interestingly, only 10% of our body’s serotonin is produced there, with 90% coming from the gut. Basically, probiotics are beneficial bacteria that include several species of acidophilus, bifidus, salivarius, and "this-n-thatus", plus 496 more!

Here is one shortcoming of probiotic supplements and why they might be compounding the problem. Most manufacturers of probiotic supplements tout their mega-billion potency of active cultures (measured in CFUs or Colony Forming Units).

However, while they may contain large quantities of relatively few strains, they are sorely lacking the broad spectrum of naturally occurring and diverse strains in our microbiome.

This can lead to trouble. Think about it, as you pump up relatively few strains, you push down others. Potency of strains is not nearly as important as diversity or variety of strains.

How many of these 500 are listed on the label of your probiotic supplement? Because our delicate gut balance is easily thrown off, I'm cautious of high-potency probiotics.

More is not always better.

This also is why prebiotics shine! Prebiotics are specialized starch, a type of indigestible fiber that serve as food for the entire spectrum of healthy bacteria. Even the best food sources contain less than 20% prebiotics, which are also available supplementally. Although prebiotics can somewhat offset the potential disruption from limited or mismatched probiotics, it is still possible to do more harm than good.

In general, food sources of both pro and pre biotics may be sufficient to maintain an already normal microbiome. However, they are not adequate to restore a disrupted gut microbiome, such as from antibiotic use, poor diet, high stress, or any number of digestive disorders such as IBS, leaky gut, SIBO, etc. This is where targeted, individualized supplementation helps. Amazingly, mircrobiome diversity from person to person is so broad that only 5% of the population has a similar microbiota profile.

Hence, the targeted use of most all probiotic supplements is best accomplished on a highly personalized basis for very specific reasons with experienced, skillful direction.

Discover a more meaningful model of the inseparable single unit known as the Gut-Brain. In classic Functional Medicine Nutrition fashion, which seeks to address underlying issues and connect even your most puzzling disease dots, by optimizing the communication between the two (through the gutbrain axis) we can actually address the root cause! My upcoming workshop will help you navigate your biological terrain toward a brighter mood and a stronger immune defense. Happy gut, happy life!

Karl Mincin is a functional medicine nutritionist and natural health educator in practice locally for 30 years. 360.336.2616 Nutrition-Testing.com Instagram @MincinNutritionist Facebook @NutritionTesting1

Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

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Board Announces 2020

Recipients

One of our most exciting ways to support community is through 4% Friday! You shop and together we give 4% of Co-op sales on one Friday a month to a non-profit, charitable community organization. And just think—each of these organizations is, itself, supporting the community! What a great circle of giving.

Photos: Courtesy of 4% Friday recipients

Immigrant Resources & Immediate Support (IRIS)

North Cascades Institute Mountain School

IRIS supports the unmet basic needs of immigrant families living in Skagit and Whatcom counties.

It seeks to connect its recipients to resources in the community and to provide immediate assistance for needs that cannot otherwise be met by community partners. IRIS supports 2-5 families at a time and addresses needs such as rental subsidies/deposits, bedding, food, clothing, and access to medical care.

4% Friday funds will be used to provide families with urgently needed rental subsidies, food money, and essential items as part of IRIS’ winter housing program: warm jackets, sweaters, and weatherproof footwear.

The contribution will help prevent homelessness as these families continue to work to stabilize during difficult times.

The North Cascades Institute’s mission is to inspire and empower environmental stewardship for all through transformative educational experiences in nature. The Mountain School is its 29-year-old residential education program in the heart of North Cascades National Park that brings fifth graders, many for the first time, on a 70-mile drive along the Skagit River, to spend three days and two nights on the shores of Diablo Lake. 4% Friday donations will contribute to the equity imperative of Mountain School by subsidizing tuition for Skagit County elementary schools with high percentages of low-income students.

January 24

Page Ahead February 28

April 24

Family Promise May 22

The mission of Family Promise is to come together as a community to support homeless families as they work to provide their children with a loving home. 4% Friday funds will be used to support the general operations of the shelter and continue to improve the quality of the sustainable loving programs that Family Promise teaches its guests. Funds will also help Family Promise meet the unique needs of each family and increase engagement.

Page Ahead provides new books and develops reading activities that empower at-risk youth. It’s the leading provider of children's books and literacy services in Washington State; it partners with elementary schools, early learning centers, and other agencies across Washington to create home libraries for children and families and to provide professional development to early learning educators on current literacy research and strategies. Since its founding in 1990, it has given away over three million books. 4% Friday funds support Page Ahead's Book Up Summer in Skagit County, a program in which K-2 students at majority low-income schools receive 12 free brand new books of their choice at the end of the school year for three years in a row for summer reading to minimize "summer learning slide."

Skagit Farmers Market Coalition March 27

Skagit Farmers Market Coalition continues to celebrate and grow the unique Skagit culture around food and community by strengthening our area’s resilient farmers markets.

Sedro-Woolley Farm to School

4% Friday funds will be used for the Double-Up Bucks program, providing vouchers at the farmers markets for SNAP/EBT families to get fresh fruits and vegetables at all the farmers markets in Skagit County.

The mission of Sedro Woolley F2S is to grow healthier, informed, and empowered eaters by integrating hands-on, food-based learning at all grade levels.

June 26

Funds will be used to support gardens throughout the school district.

During school garden work group meetings in the winter and spring of 2019, Sedro-Woolley Farm to School garden team members shared needs for collaboration, support and technical assistance, and resources.

Team members from each school shared the current stage of their school gardens; the focus, plan, and vision for the garden; and the most pressing needs they faced. One frequently mentioned need is for basic materials like soil for garden beds, and the idea was raised of establishing an area at the school district maintenance office where bulk materials could be stored. When individual school garden projects are ready, they could then access an agreed-upon share of the materials. The garden team members like the idea of working together as a collective while tailoring each school garden to the unique aspects of individual schools and communities. The school district has agreed to provide a dedicated space for bulk materials, and the garden team is excited to purchase soil, mulch, and other needed supplies to get and stay growing!

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Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

MV Police Homeless Outreach Program October 23

The Mount Vernon Police Department has employed an Outreach Coordinator to work with homeless people in our community to provide services (health, treatment, housing, etc.). She will help allocate 4% Friday funds for housing deposits, temporary housing, travel (typically bus) to treatment programs, and emergency expenses. These funds will also provide some blankets, backpacks, room rentals, copays for medications, clothing, travel tickets to reunite with family, clothes for jobs, birth certificates, and some food to people without homes in the area.

Skagit Animals in Need July 24

Skagit Animals in Need (SAIN) is an all-volunteer non-profit working with animal control and law enforcement to prevent and resolve animal cruelty in Skagit County. It provides emergency resources (to include but not limited to financial resources) to persons needing assistance in caring for their animals at the request of animal control. 4% Friday funds will benefit the Domestic Abuse Case Assistance program. A link exists between human violence and animal abuse, and in many cases of domestic violence, abusers often seek to manipulate or intimidate their victims by harming or threatening the family animals. SAIN aims to alleviate cases of domestic violence that are often perpetuated because the victims have no options for moving WITH their beloved animals, because shelters or other family cannot house them. It is hoped that some victims who will not leave a bad situation because the animals are left will be willing to make a break if the SAIN team responds to take the animals.

Underground Writing November 20

Underground Writing is a literature-based creative writing program serving migrant, incarcerated, recovery, and other at-risk communities in northern Washington, through literacy and personal transformation.

Underground Writing believes writing has the power to assist in the restoration of communities, the imagination, and individual lives.

4% Friday funds will help establish the Co-op Chapbook Fund to publish one to two chapbooks every year. Chapbooks are small booklets of stories about the power of creative writing to assist in the restoration of human hope and imagination.

Friendship House December 18

Mount Vernon Library Foundation

The mission of Friendship House is to feed, shelter, clothe, heal, and empower those in need. The Friendship House provides two emergency shelters, one transitional house, one permanent low income shared living house, a daily hot meal service, and an innovative employment training program. The Friendship House believes that by treating all people with respect and kindness, it can help them transform their lives into ones of selfsufficiency and abundance. Funds from 4% Friday will be used to support the general operating expenses of Friendship House as it continues to provide emergency and transitional housing, food for the hungry, as well as hot showers and laundry facilities for those in need.

August 28

The Mount Vernon Library Foundation fosters community support for the Library, its Board, and its Staff. The Foundation serves to solicit, receive, manage, and disburse corporate and individual gifts and grants for the enhancement of library facilities, materials, services, and programs. 4% Friday will help the Library to update and fill out the Spanish language and bilingual book collections in the children’s section, so parents and children can enjoy the Library’s bilingual storytimes. These sessions encourage parents and children to read together by modeling reading in both languages. Funds will also build a generous supply of bilingual and Spanish language books for every member of the family to check out and take home.

Brigid Collins September 25

Brigid Collins Family Support Center is a community-based organization dedicated to ending child abuse by building strong families and protecting children. 4% Friday funds will be used to offer nourishment in its Children’s Advocacy Center. Specifically, funds will buy healthy drinks and snacks for families during forensic interviews, medical exams, and therapy support. This would allow us to provide added safety and convenience during traumatic times.

Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

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Photos: Courtesy of 4% Friday recipients

4% Friday Community Shopping Day

Every time you shop at the Co-op, you help support our local economy and community. 4% Friday is another easy way to do your weekly shopping and contribute to organizations you care about. You shop, and together we give 4% of the Co-op's sales on the 4th Friday of each month to a non-profit community organization.

Together we gave: September

$2,315

Children's Council of Skagit County

October

$2,535 Helping Hands Food Bank

November

$2,616

La Leche League

Immigrant Resources & Immediate Support (IRIS) January 24

The IRIS mission is to support the unmet basic needs of immigrant families living primarily in Skagit and Whatcom counties. It seeks to connect its recipients to resources in the community and also to provide immediate assistance for basic needs that cannot otherwise be met by community partners. IRIS supports 2-5 families at a time and addresses needs such as rental subsidies/deposits, bedding, food, clothing, and access to medical care.

4% Friday Funds will be used to provide families with urgently needed rental subsidies, food money, warm clothing, and essential household items as part of IRIS’ winter housing program. IRIS needs funding to pay a rental deposit for an asylum seeking mother and her two young children who are currently living in a shelter. It also needs funds to provide rental subsidies to several recipients to prevent homelessness as they continue to work to stabilize during difficult times.

Page Ahead February 28

Page Ahead provides new books and develops reading activities that empower at-risk youth. Page Ahead is the leading provider of children's books and literacy services in Washington State; it partners with elementary schools, early learning centers, and other agencies across Washington to create home libraries for children and families and to provide professional development to early learning educators on current literacy research and strategies. Since its founding in 1990, it has given away 3 million+ books.

Donations from Skagit Valley Food Co-op will support Page Ahead's Book Up Summer, a program in which K-2 students at majority low-income schools receive 12 free brand-new books of their choice at the end of the school year for three years in a row for summer reading, minimizing or eliminating "summer learning slide." Book Up Summer costs $44 per child, so $2,000 would pay for about 45 children's participation.

Skagit Farmers Market Coalition March 27

Skagit Farmers Market Coalition continues to celebrate and grow the unique Skagit culture around food and community by strengthening our area’s resilient farmers markets.

4% Friday funds will be used for the Double-Up Bucks program, providing vouchers at the farmers markets for SNAP/EBT families to get fresh fruits and vegetables at all the farmers markets in Skagit County.

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Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

Keto Krazy!

Every day we have customers visiting our store looking for convenience products that fit Keto diet guidelines.

While the Keto diet can be simple (moderate protein, lots of healthy fats, selected veggies, no carbs) finding snacks and alternatives to keep it from being boring is a challenge. The following is not a complete list of keto-approved products, but a few new items we think you’ll love. If you would like to see more, please ask for a copy of our “Keto Convenience” list at the cash register or in the Wellness Dept.

Killer Creamery Keto Frozer Dessert. Made with a base of cream, egg, MCT oil, protein powder and sweetened with Stevia. A half cup serving of Killer Creamery boasts 5 grams of protein, 15 grams of fat, and only 2 net carbs. We’ve got two flavors in-store: Vanilla and Chocolate Peanut Butter. Perfect for satisfying that sweet craving. In the ice cream section.

Photo: Killer Creamery Keto Frozen Dessert

Bonafide Provisions Keto Broth Cups. Organic Chicken Broth enhanced with fat-rich ingredients like grassfed butter, coconut oil, and MCT Oil then frozen in a microwavable, single-serve cup with a sip lid. Each cup contains 15 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein, and absolutely no sweeteners. Very convenient and immensely satisfying!

Choose from Turmeric & Butter, Lemon & Turmeric, or Classic Butter Chicken. In the frozen food aisle.

Larry & Lenny's Keto Cookie. 3 grams net carbs, 8 grams plantbased protein, grain & gluten free and totally vegan, dude.

They only make 3 flavors, and we’ve got them all: Coconut, Chocolate Chip, and Peanut Butter. In the cookie aisle.

Garden of Life Keto-Certified Collagen Products.

High-fat, carb-free additions to your morning smoothie or coffee that support your k\Keto diet and supply the building blocks for healthy hair, skin, and nails! Collagen Protein Powder, Collagen Coconut MCT Powder, and Collagen Creamer. In the Wellness Department.

Ketone Test Strips. Especially useful for those first embarking on the Keto diet, Ketone test strips are an inexpensive and simple way to test ketone levels to determine if you are in the fat-burning mode of ketosis. Available in the Wellness Department.

Locally Made

Apple State Cider Vinegar. Made with 100% Organic Washington Grown Apples, this locally made raw vinegar contains the mother (a rich cloud of pre and probiotics) which supports digestive health. This product also supports environmental health by donating 6% of their profits to marine life conservation efforts, including SR3, SeaDoc Society, and Puget Soundkeeper. From the makers of Cascade Shrub Farm. Look for it in Aisle 6 with the vinegars.

Mad Hippie Created in Portland, Mad Hippie Mascara and Cheek & Lip Tints are made from nourishing ingredients like earth minerals, shea butter and jojoba oil.

They are free from bad stuff like silicone, petrochemicals, parabens, perfume, SLS, phthalates, animal ingredients, and synthetic colors. Cheek & Lip Tints are packaged in glass tubs with a bamboo lid and the mascara is packaged in plant-based plastic. Mad Hippie keeps it simple with classic colors that work for all skin tones! In the Wellness Department.

Sea Witch Botanicals is a small family business in Bellingham, Washington, started to make a positive impact on the health of people and the environment through education, outreach, and offering high-quality all-natural alternatives to home and body products that are typically lousy with synthetic fragrances, methylparabens, and other nasties. Sea ni ta Witch believes in hoisting the boulder of social and o B Ph o to b tch environmental good against the endless mountain of y: S e a W i strife faced against our world.

Sea Witch seeks to offer natural and ethical alternatives to the home and body products on the market today. It sources fair trade ingredients and opts for non-GMO and organic ingredients as needed. Its products are crafted using purchased green energy; wind, solar, and other sustainable energy alternatives. The Sea Witches even installed solar panels on their home! Sea Witch continues to give to charities, clean up parks, and fight the good fight.

The Sea Witch Botanicals mission is to make a difference in how people view their relationships to their body and the environment. Its mantra of "What goes on your skin gets into your body, and ends up in the environment" is what drives Sea Witch to use quality all-natural ingredients in its home and body products. Environment advocacy is at the core of Sea Witch Botanicals, which is why Sea Witch Botanicals is a certified 1% for the Planet and a B Corporation, which means that it makes a concerted effort to give back to the planet and use business practices which help social, environmental, and economical betterment of our planet. Sea Witch is also Certified Vegan and Toward Zero Waste – showing a dedication to reduce the use of landfill-destined consumables by recycling, composting, and reusing ingredients, packaging, and waste.

Your purchase of Sea Witch Botanicals goes to support charities like The Environmental Working Group and Earthjustice. ls

by Jenny Sandbo

Sea Witch Botanicals

ca

New & Notable

Vendor Spotlight

Sea Witch Botanicals Incense. Family-run and based in Bellingham, Sea Witch Botanicals is a Certified B Corp, a member of 1% for the Planet and is committed to the “Toward Zero Waste” program sponsored by Sustainable Connections. While they make a variety of lovely body care products and products for the home, we find their all-natural incense to be particularly unique. Enjoy scents like Green Fairy (smells like black licorice), Hermitage (patchouli & pink grapefruit), and White Lodge (cedar & fir). 2nd Floor Mercantile.

Reduce Plastic Waste Proud Source Water. Many of us have gotten used to carrying a reusable water bottle or coffee cup around with us, but sometimes, you just need the convenience of grab ‘n’ go. Proud Source Water offers up an alternative to the plastic bottle conundrum with an aluminum bottle that can be reused many times over and recycles just like aluminum cans. In the cooler and beverage aisle.

Island Thyme Skin Care. Island Thyme has been making botanical skin care products at their San Juan Island farm since 1996. Handcrafted using herbs, essential oils, and natural emollients like shea butter and jojoba oil, they are now packaging their healing products in glass jars instead of plastic. Their bar soaps have always been plastic-free and attractively wrapped in a paper band. In Wellness.

Moon Valley Shampoo Bars. When it comes to shampoo, it’s tough to find a product that isn’t packaged in a plastic bottle. In response, some companies are releasing a gentle, lathering bar that is perfect for washing hair without drying it out like regular bar soap.

Made with organic ingredients, many of which are grown on their farm in Deming, WA. Moon Valley also makes a lotion bar that comes wrapped in paper. In Wellness!

Seventh Generation Concentrated Laundry Liquid. You may have noticed the brown paper bottle on the shelf with the plastic bottles of laundry liquid. Seventh Generation offers up their popular concentrated laundry liquid in a unique compostable and recyclable paper bottle (the liquid itself is contained in a plastic bag which can be recycled in some municipalities).

Each 50 oz bottle does 66 HE front-loading washer loads and is safe for septic systems. Seventh Generation is a certified B-Corp offering up non-toxic, bio-based household solutions.

Photo: Sea Witch Botanicals incense

Photo: Proud Source Water

Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020 11

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Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

StaFF proFile

(continued from page 3)

Todd Wood Retires in Early 2020 B: Your entire adult working life has been here at the Co-op. How does that feel to you?

TW, laughing: Pathetic.

My answer, and I’ve said this before, is that I grew up with two male role models: Ozzie Nelson and Ward Cleaver, so what was I supposed to do? Not that we knew where they worked or even if Ozzie had a job. My cardigan is even named Ozzie.

I had junctures where I questioned that [staying at the Co-op]. I began to feel like an aberration, and was even self critical for not being ambitious or motivated. Then I’d go through what I wanted in a job, and I’d come up with things like creative freedom, a sense of purpose, values that reflected me, being surrounded by like-minded people. At the end of the day at work, I need to feel like I made a positive contribution. I like being the boss, even with its drawbacks. I like not wearing a tie to work, and not getting up to an alarm. I always came back to realizing: I have the ideal job for me. I’ve got a really great job, and I’m incredibly lucky.

But, another reason I have to leave now is that people don’t get my references. I have to explain who Ozzie is. I love to crack a joke, but not when it falls flat.

It came to me last night after watching Sam Elliott in The Hero—here’s a guy looking at the beach, that pace. I want to see more poetry in life.

[B: And yes, at this point I almost fell off my chair and Todd acknowledged my astonishment, “Yeah, that’s what I said to myself.”]

TW: I need to see the good stuff. Have the next chapter be about things that are really beautiful out there.

Cashier Manager Co-op Employee Since May 2010

B: What can you tell us about the future with new General Manager Tony White?

TW: I haven’t met too many people that I’d really feel comfortable handing the keys over to, and I’m happy handing the keys to Tony. He has skills to contribute to the Co-op in the future. In some ways, I’d like to work for him. What can I say, he laughs at my jokes. I guess the downside is that, since he’s from Boston, he’s a Patriots fan.

We all hope Todd has the best of retirement. We’ll keep an eye out for him, to share some tea and have a bite of his Danish. And if he picks up a broom, we will wrestle it from his hands.

Favorite Customer Moment:

B: What’s something small you’re going to miss?

I was trying to think of one specific moment that stands out to me, but the truth is, there isn’t just one moment.

It’s all of the little things that I've experienced over the years: catching the eye of someone who is lost in their own world, smiling at them and watching their face light up when they know they have been positively acknowledged; being a part of the ups and downs; the joys and the losses of each person in our little community; and having a positive impact in people’s lives.

TW: Good laughs with co-workers.

Todd has a great sense of humor, although he doesn’t always bring it out when making his Co-op rounds. Seeing his often-serious work face break into laughter is satisfying. When I asked Lisa Gilden, Director of Prepared Foods, for a Todd memory, she wrote back that she had a lot of memories that revolved around humor, but not all of them were appropriate for The Natural Enquirer: “Being able to get a laugh out of him and with him is special. I think truly it is the cornerstone of our relationship.”

Favorite Item in the Co-op: One of my favorite items is the Acure Brightening Face Wash & Scrub—makes my skin feel so fresh! I also love the Creamy Spicy Red Bean Soup from the Deli hot bar. Yummmmy!

B: What is something small you are not going to miss?

TW: Well, it’s not small—the pressure. I’m not going to miss the ever-present challenge, whatever it is—how to move the Co-op forward, fixing a bad toilet, personnel issues—there is always something. I’m looking forward to being out from under that yoke.

Amber Arneson

Todd in his ubiquitous Hawaiian shirt.

Photo by: Bev Faxon

Todd Wood's Retirement Open House Join us for an evening in celebration of Todd Wood!

Wednesday, January 29th 6pm-9pm Maplehurst Farm 18495 Dike Road Mount Vernon, WA 98273 Snacks and light refreshments will be served.

Essential Points ACUPUNCTURE

Elsa Del Toro, L.Ac. Doctoral Candidate, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine

ACUPUNCTURE • HERBS • NUTRITION • TUINA Personalized Healthcare Patient and Community Education Holistic and Preventive Approach Home Visits

(360) 399-7467 613 W Division Street, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 www.essentialpointsacupuncture.com

Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020 13

3

Customer Comments Please make all bathrooms binary! The men’s room was empty upstairs and on the way out someone was waiting. That’s unnecessary. Make the bathrooms for all.

Co-op Response: We point out two of our 10 bathrooms as “Men’s” because they have a urinal. However, all of our restrooms may be used by any person regardless of gender identity or expression. Please just wash your hands!

On October 14th at 7:30pm, your store music was so bad it drove me out!!!

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360.708.8169 www.KaraStamback.com 14 Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

HOURS

Co-op Response: The music at that time was a mix of five different genres: piano & guitar, rock show, songbook, uptown, and Latin jazz. It shuffles through them at random, striving to hit someone’s preferences and reduce anyone’s displeasure.

Music is art – and you know what they say about art.

Co-op:

M-Sat 8am-9pm Sun 9am-9pm

Third Street Cafe:

M-F 11am-Close Sat 9am-Close Sun 9am-9pm

C·SQUARE:

7am-7pm Daily

Classifieds Dependable House & Dogsitter

Available any time.

Call Marlee Mountain: 360-317-3353

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For Rent Quiet cozy treatment space available in popular established MV wellness center. Perfect for massage or bodywork. Available 2-4 days a week.

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For more info: Barb 360-336-6809 or Jayne 360-708-0804

Ad Rates & Sizes Contact

The Natural Enquirer at nicole@skagitfoodcoop.com or (360) 336 5087 ext. 136.

Or visit our website at www.skagitfoodcoop.com /learn/stay-connected

Register now at BellinghamArt com or phone us at 360.738.8379

We offer discounts for prepayment.

All first-time ads MUST be paid in advance.

The ad deadline for the next issue (April 2020) is Friday, February 21.

Gift Cards…

Always the Right Choice Use at the Co-op, C·SQUARE, or at

Third Street Cafe

Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

15

The Best & Brightest Citrus!

by Ben Goe

Citrus Index A few fun facts you may not know about citrus fruit to leave you feeling extra bright!

The amazing citrus fruits available to us from California this time of year are a welcome distraction from the winter doldrums. Bright colors and flavors evoke a sense of warmth and light in these cold, dark months. A couple years ago I wrote an article about some of my favorites and I thought I’d revisit it this year with few changes.

Johansen Farm, in Orland, California, sends the satsumas that we most look forward to every year.

They are sweet, easy to peel, aromatic, and nearly seedless. Wonderful fresh, delicious on salads with crunchy candied nuts and a light vinaigrette! We see a few other favorites from Johansen: blood oranges (look for Tarocco variety: lighter color and more acidic, but with a more complex and nuanced flavor, and Moro variety: darker color inside and out, sweeter, with more pronounced berry flavors), Clementines, and Meyer lemons, in particular, but it’s the distinctive blue box that we watch for: five pounds of the incredible Owari satsumas that they’ve been growing since 1960.

Deer Creek Heights, in Terra Bella, California, packs the Buck Brand label. Their fruit is handpicked, ripened to perfection, and they focus on hard-to-find varieties. Some of our favorites: Cara Cara navel oranges are believed to be a cross between the Brazilian Bahia navel and the more common Washington navel. It was a natural mutation, discovered in Venezuela in the 70s. They have pink flesh, very low acidity, and no seeds whatsoever. Their flavor can be reminiscent at times of raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and grapefruit.

Pomelos, or pumelos, are one of the parents of the modern grapefruit. Our favorite is the African Shaddock: a large yellow fruit with a thick white rind containing a small ball of incredible, greenish fruit. Huge, firm juice cells with a distinct, sweet-tart pine flavor.

Limequats, as the name suggests, are a cross between a lime and a kumquat. They are incredibly, intensely sour and complex in flavor. They can be

eaten whole like a kumquat, but I recommend juicing and zesting them, and using them as a powerful substitute for key limes.

Our other favorite kumquats are the sour Nagami and the sweet Meiwa. They are both excellent eaten fresh, but any of the ‘quats can be made into easy and delicious marmalades, because you need only chop the fruit and pull out the seeds, then cook with water and sugar.

∙ Gallon, half gallon, and pint cider (not organic) — from Cedardale Orchard ∙ Pea shoots, spicy mix microgreens, mild mix microgreens (not certified organic) — from Dahlia Depot

∙ Dragon mix microgreens, broccoli microgreens, fava shoots — from Tops & Bottoms Farm ∙ Baby rainbow beets, bulk beets, purple and savoy cabbage, radicchio, kohlrabi, winter squash — from Boldly Grown Farm ∙ Cubed Sugar Hubbard squash — from Sherman's Pioneer Farm

16

gallons of orange juice the average American consumes in a year

600+

varieties of oranges in the world

25-30

height a grapefruit tree can grow to (in feet)

74,000,000

Number of citrus trees in Florida

South Tex Organics started as a small family farm with 60 acres in central Texas in 1984. They now farm over 500 acres, and are the largest grower and shipper of organic citrus fruit in the state. No small part of their success is the unparalleled Rio Star grapefruit, a cross between Rio Red and Star Ruby. It has striking, deep red flesh, and an incredible sweet-tart balance. Every winter we begin to cut them open for people who think they dislike grapefruits, and find that they’ve just never had a really good one. For those few that still find it too tart, it has an even more approachable sibling: Honeygold. Another natural mutation, the Honeygold grapefruit has pale pink flesh and a very low acid content. A glass of Honeygold grapefruit juice is one of the great pleasures in life.

There are many fruits I didn’t mention that we love: the TDE hybrid tangelo, Honey tangerines, and finger limes (tiny fruits filled with what could be called “lime caviar”). Don’t hesitate to explore, ask questions, and of course ask for samples!

Join us on Sunday, January 19th from 11am to 3pm for a guided citrus tasting: Lucas Crawford from Organically Grown Company, will be joining us, and all citrus fruit will be on sale for 25% off Friday, January 17 through Sunday, January 19!

ORGANIC PRODUCE

∙ Shiitakes, oyster and shiitake kits, dried reishi, petite shiitakes — from Cascadia Mushrooms

2.7

∙ Pink and red shallots, green cabbage, Savoy cabbage, January King Savoy cabbage, winter squash — from Hedlin Family Farm

∙ Leeks, parsnips, cabbage, carrots, and daffodils — from Ralph's Greenhouse ∙ Gala apples, Fuji apples, Pink Lady apples, Braeburn apples, Granny Smith apples, Honeycrisp apples — from Brownfield Orchard ∙ Winter squash — from Well Fed Farm

600

pounds of fruit that can be produced by a lemon tree in one year

Join us for a

Free Organic Citrus Tasting on Jan 19th 11am - 3pm

to learn even more about citrus – and taste them too!

Get

25% OFF ALL CITRUS Jan 17-19

∙ Sunflower sprouts — from Moondance Farms ∙ Winter squash — from Edible Acres

∙ Sunchokes — from Southern Exposure

∙ Dried mixed wild mushrooms in a jar (wild, so not certified organic) — from Organic Antics

Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • January - March 2020

Stats from USDA and Wikipedia