January - Willy Street Co-op

Reader
A Publication of willy street co-op, madison, WI • Volume 37 • Issue 1 • JANUARY 2010
IN THIS ISSUE
nI
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
POSTMASTER: DATED MATERIAL
1221 Williamson Street • Madison, WI • 53703
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MADISON, WI
PERMIT NO. 1723
COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT FUND;
CITRUS GUIDE; NEW PRODUCTS;
NEWSBITES; AND MORE!
n
e
h
c
t
i
K
ht e
Special holiday hours
New Year’s Eve, December 31st, 7:30pm–9:30pm (regular hours)
New Year’s Day, January 1st, CLOSED
IN
THIS
ISSUE
3
CUSTOMER COMMENTS
4
GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT
5
BOARD REPORT
News from Anya Firszt.
Doug Johnson explains the Community Reinvestment Fund.
6-8 COMMUNITY CALENDAR
9
GROCERY NEWS
New products described by Geoff Mamerow.
10-11 PRODUCE NEWS
Andy Johnson gives us a taste of sunshine.
12-13WELLNESS NEWS
Haley Hunsicker talks up A.D.A.M. and Lisa Stag-Tout offers
cleansing ideas.
13
COOPERATIVE SERVICES NEWS
14
DELI NEWS
Lynn Olson asks,“10% Non-Owner surcharge—Keep it or remove it?”
Megan Blodgett discusses soup; plus Cheese news from Stuart
Mammel.
15-18SPECIALS
20-23D.I.Y. IN THE KITCHEN
24 PRODUCER PROFILE: ANN DOODY CARDS
26-27RECIPES AND DRINK RECOMMENDATIONS
28-30NEWSBITES
31 COMMUNITY CALENDAR
NOTICE!
We want to hear your ideas
and thoughts on the Willy
Street Co-op Reader. Consider
being part of our focus group.
Help us brainstorm! We’d like to hear what you do and don’t like
about the Reader and generate fresh ideas and article topics from
Owners. We will be holding a focus group, and are looking for 15
Owners to join us.
The focus group will meet on Tuesday,
January 5th from 6:00pm–8:00pm at
the Co-op. A meal will be provided, and
attendees will receive $10 on a gift card.
But the best benefit will be that you will
help in guiding us to make the Reader even
more interesting and enjoyable. If you are
interested, please call Liz Wermcrantz,
Editor, at (608)237-1230, or e-mail her at
l.wermcrantz@willystreet.coop.
2
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
Reader
Published monthly by Willy Street Co-op
1221 Williamson Street, Madison, WI 53703, 608-251-6776
www.willystreet.coop
EDITOR & LAYOUT: Liz Wermcrantz
ADVERTISING: Liz Wermcrantz
Sale Flyer Design: Amber McGee
Sale Flyer Layout: Liz Wermcrantz
Cover ART: Amber McGee
illustrations: Amber McGee
Printing: Wingra Printing Group
The Willy Street Co-op Reader is the monthly communications link among the Coop Board, staff and Owners. It provides information about the Co-op’s services and
business as well as about cooking, nutrition, health, sustainable agriculture and more.
Views and opinions expressed in the Reader do not necessarily represent those of the
Co-op’s Directors, staff or Ownership. Acceptance of advertising does not indicate
endorsement of the product or service offered. Articles are presented for information
purposes only. Before taking action, you should always consult a professional for
advice. Articles may be reprinted with permission from the editor.
SUBMISSIONS
All advertising submissions must be reserved and arranged with the editor by the 10th
of the month previous to publication. All advertisement copy must be submitted by the
15th of the month. Submissions should be emailed to l.wermcrantz@willystreet.coop
or mailed to Willy Street Co-op according to submission requirements.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: 608-251-6776
BUSINESS OFFICE: 608-251-0884
FAX: 608-251-3121
SEAFOOD CENTER: 608-294-0116
GENERAL E-MAIL: info@willystreet.coop
GENERAL MANAGER: a.firszt@willystreet.coop
EDITOR: l.wermcrantz@willystreet.coop
PREORDERS: orders@willystreet.coop
WEBSITE: www.willystreet.coop
BOARD E-MAIL: board@willystreet.coop
STORE HOURS: 7:30am to 9:30pm, every day
Juice Bar: Monday–Friday: 7:30am to 7:00pm; Saturday–Sunday: 7:30am to 6:00pm
Deli: 7:30am to 9:00pm
Seafood Center: Monday–Saturday: 9:00am to 7:00pm; Sunday: 9:00am to 6:00pm.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Williamson Street Grocery Co-op is an economically and environmentally sustainable, cooperatively owned grocery business that serves the needs of its Owners and
employees. We are a cornerstone of a vibrant community in south-central Wisconsin
that provides fairly priced goods and services while supporting local and organic suppliers.
WILLY STREET CO-OP BOARD OF DIRECTORS
George Hofheimer, President 257-3295 Deb Shapiro, Vice President 238-4368
Rick Bernstein 251-4615
Doug Johnson 241-5667
Jeff Bessmer 301-580-9545
Emily McWilliams 469-3320
Raechel Pundsack 240-9074
Kathleen Doherty 244-2532
Mike Engel 219-3620
BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE
Tuesday, January 19th, 6:30pm
Sunday, February 7th, Board Retreat
Tuesday, March 16th, 6:30pm
Tuesday, April 20th, 6:30pm
Tuesday, May 18th, 6:30pm
Tuesday, June 15th, 6:30pm
July 8th, Annual Meeting & Party
Tuesday, August 18th, 6:30pm
Tuesday, September 28th, 6:30pm
(All regular meetings are held in the Community Room unless otherwise noted.)
CUSTOMER COMMENTS
you are the willy
Write Us!
We welcome your
comments and give each
one attention and serious
consideration. Send them
to l.olson@willystreet.
coop or fill out a Customer
Comment form at the
Customer Service desk.
Each month a small
selection is printed in the
Reader. The rest can be
found in the commons or in
the binder near Customer
Service. Thank you!
Nothin’ but love
Q: I love it here! Thank you Willy
St. Coop! November, being the end of
harvest and celebration of Thanksgiving is a good reminder for one to say
THANKS. We truly enjoy abundance
here everyday. So it is a wonderment
there are any complaints and new
wants here. I’ve been overwhelmed
shopping here since the 1st store! So,
thanks for being in our neighborhood
and Yes! I’d like to CHIP and I am
happy to ask every time!
A: Thank you so much for the kind
words! We’re very thankful for our
local suppliers who are able to keep
our shelves stocked with local products
throughout the year. And of course
we’re thankful for all of our Owners
who support the store and the local
farms. We appreciate the positive feedback and the reminder to be thankful
and vocalize our thanks! -Liz Hawley,
Cooperative Services Assistant
Kelly is awesome
Q: Kelly at the register is awesome! He was super friendly and
interested in my day. Then when I
forgot one of my grocery bags, he ran
after me and called me by name. He
should get a trillion high fives!
A: Thanks for writing! We also
think Kelly is awesome and I will make
sure to pass your kind words along to
him. Thanks again! -Jesse Thurber, Assistant Front End Manager
On the surface
Q: Would it be possible to keep
surfaces that customers need to put
food on more free of flour and other
spills? Tonight there was a lot of flour
or other white powder in the bulk
area where tags/wraps and pencils
are kept and on a checkout belt. I and
many others cannot eat wheat, oats,
rye and barley, i.e., foods with gluten.
I do not want to contaminate my food
with spilled flour. I know it’s impossible to have completely clean surfaces, but please try to keep surfaces
cleaner. Checkout people could clean
up after spills more. It would be appreciated.
A: Thanks for writing and sharing your concerns. We strive to keep
our checkout counters clean and free
of debris or residue that products may
leave behind and equip each register
with a clean towel and bottle of diluted
CitraSolv cleaner. While cashiers are
expected to clean their stations after
every few transactions, it can be a
challenge, at times, to quickly do this
between one transaction and the next,
especially when it is busy and time is of
the essence. We understand that many
of our Owners have food allergies and
try to be as mindful as possible of this
fact. Going forward, we will readdress
this issue with our staff at our next team
meeting to ensure we are keeping our
registers as clean as possible. If you
should notice any spills or debris that
we may have overlooked, please don’t
hesitate to bring it to the attention of
staff so that we can take care of it in a
timely manner. Thanks again! -Jesse
Thurber, Assistant Front End Manager
Clean-up time
Q: Thanks so much for providing a play area for our little ones. My
son loves it and we often extend our
shopping trips with a snack and play
time in the co-op. As both a parent
and teacher of young children I’m
surprised to see many kids leave with
their parents neglecting to clean up
the toys and books they were playing
with. Can we all try to do a better
job at helping leave this area clean
for everyone? Also, how about some
sanitizing wipes to clean off toys that
have been slobbered/sneezed on?
A: Thank you for this opportunity
to remind those using this common area
to cooperate and pick up after themselves. Please leave the area in excellent
condition for others to enjoy. We’re
very happy to provide a play area for
the little ones! We’ll keep some sanitizing wipes for your convenience as well.
Thanks again for your comment! -Liz
Hawley, Cooperative Services Assistant
Oatscreme
Q: I love oatscreme! You need to
get it back! I absolutely love it! It’s
the best! Please, please get oatscreme
back! I would love it so much if oatscreme came back!!
A: Oatscreme has been discontinued
by our distributor, UNFI. Unfortunately,
the makers of Oatscreme, American Oats, do not do direct wholesale
distribution. Therefore, we are unable
to order it. Our hearts go out to you.
Oatscreme is a very popular thing
around here. We are currently searching for both a vegan and a non-vegan
soft serve, but to no avail. We will keep
customers posted with any updates.
Thank you. -Lori Wilken, Juice Bar
Coordinator
Vegetarian Thanksgiving
Q: They didn’t have a vegetarian
main course on Thanksgiving Day, so
I didn’t eat here. They had TWO turkey main courses instead (11:30am).
A: We featured a traditional
Thanksgiving meal in our hot case this
year—turkey (dark and white meat),
mashed potatoes, vegetarian stuffing,
vegetarian gravy and roasted green
beans. I’m sorry that none of the vegetarian dishes whetted your appetite.
I hope you had a wonderful holiday!
-Megan Blodgett, Deli Manager
More local
Q: More local produce PLEASE
for the love of god!
A: Our current local selection
of root vegetables, onions, potatoes,
sprouts, microgreens, winter squash,
pears and apples is all that we are able
to source locally at this time of year!
-Andy Johnston, Produce Manager
Parking lot painting
Q: Hi! Time to repaint your/our
pedestrian crossing stripes in the
parking lot. Too late yet this year, or
not?
A: We will not be able to get a
service lined up to do this work this
year before the temperature is too low
for painting. But, we are planning on
redoing our lot entirely in the spring and
will be re-marking the pedestrian crossing after the new surface is installed.
Thanks for your suggestion. -Wynston
Estis, Assistant Store Manager—Operations
New labels
Q: Please consider relabeling the
parking stalls reserved for the “differently abled” as handicapped or
disabled. It is offensive/patronizing
to some of those who have fought to
work around and overcome disabili-
street co-op
=fulfilled Owner request
ties to refer to them as “differently
abled,” because it minimized the
handicaps they have had to overcome.
A: The differently abled stalls
cannot legally become official handicapped stalls because they’re too
small—differently abled (in this case)
means and is intended for anyone
needing it who may be pregnant, have
a broken leg, etc. -Lynn Olson, Cooperative Services Manager
you are the willy
street co-op
Baked fattening goods
Q: What is going on with your
overabundance of baked fattening goods? This is supposed to be
a healthy store. Willy St. Coop has
WAY too many cookies, cakes, pies,
etc. What gives?
A: Thanks for your comment! All
of our house-made bakery contains
organic flour, other organic ingredients
and is made without artificial flavorings, coloring or preservatives. We
believe that it provides a better alternative to many other baked goods in
the market, and many of our Owners
agree. For those not looking for sweet
baked goods, we offer a plethora of
other “healthy” products throughout
the store. If there’s something you’re
looking for that we don’t make or
carry, let us know. Thanks! -Megan
Blodgett, Deli Manager
Just one crumb
Q: Gluten Free: How much
wheat is too much for a GF person?
1 crumb.
When baking: separate utensils?
Separate area? Separate kitchen?
If you are baking GF when you
also do nut-free, i.e., after all wheat
baking is done; the air is full of
wheat particles and items cannot be
called GF. Baking should be 1st of
day with separate utensils.
A: Thank you for your ideas!
We are aware of the dangers posed
by cross contamination in our facility. That is why we chose to label our
products as “made without gluten”
rather than “gluten-free.” Though
they are made with non-gluten ingredients, they are made on equipment
which also processes gluten-containing
products. While it would be nice to
have separate equipment and utensils,
it would not be practical. We produce
a number of different restricted-diet
products and it would be prohibitively
expensive and difficult to have separate equipment for them all. Thanks.
-Andrew Giamber, Bakery Coordinator
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
3
GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT
Business Matters
by Anya Firszt, General Manager
For years we’ve used purple LOCAL tags in the grocery
aisles to identify products that were made within 150
miles of the Capitol or anywhere in Wisconsin. These
tags didn’t differentiate between products that were
grown locally (like Tipi Produce carrots) and products
that were prepared locally (like Nature’s Bakery granola).
Now, to fulfill a request from Owners, we will be using these three tags in most of the store. (Produce will
still keep its purple sleeve inserts that list the specific
farm and location of its local products.)
Products above this shelf tag are entirely local. If the product has
multiple ingredients, all of them are local and the product is baked,
cooked, mixed, etc. locally.
Products above this tag have an insignificant amount of non-local
ingredients added to a locally grown product required to meet
product standards or quality (i.e., palmitate, carageenan, citric acid).
Collaboration
In early fall, John Coleman from
Madison Gas & Electric contacted
us about installing one of their five
vehicle charging stations for hybrid
electric cars in our parking lot. At no
cost to the Co-op, the first two parking stalls across from the front doors
have been equipped with one of the
stations as part of several technology
demonstration projects. No worries
though, if you don’t have an electric
vehicle, the stalls are not restricted
to only electric vehicles, however
the two-hour time limit will still be
enforced for any vehicles parked
(or charging) there. A big thank you
goes to our neighbors at MG&E for
exploring ways to reduce our local
carbon emissions. For more information about this project, please see:
http://www.mge.com/about/news/
Compnews/20090625.htm.
Let the sunshine in
Meanwhile, in our efforts to
reach a deeper shade of green, we
are pleased to announce the installation of a solar thermal system on our
roof at 1221 Williamson Street (see
next month’s full article) to pre-heat
city water for the building’s uses
and reduce our need for fossil fuels.
Unlike the solar collector panels
installed in 2005, which cannot be
seen from the street, the new solar
thermal collectors will be a bit more
visible from the parking lot, so look
for them to pop up once the snow
has cleared. Some other environmentally conscious activities already
practiced in the Co-op include the
recycling of paper, cardboard, glass,
compost, plastic shopping bags, light
bulbs and printer cartridges.
Back on the bus
If you are one of those who have
requested that the Co-op offer bus
passes for sale, your wishes will soon
be coming true. We are working with
Madison Metro to finalize the details
and provide this convenient service
to our community.
Sowing seeds
Early in the fiscal year, the Board
of Directors adopted a strategy for
better educating themselves on Board
governance matters. Now, a portion of each Board meeting will be
dedicated to presenting informational
sessions on topics such as, finance,
strategic planning, owner linkage,
etc. At the December meeting, David
Waisman, Director of Finance, presented a segment on finance that was
especially well-received by Board
members attending the session.
10% Surcharge, to be or
not to be
In case you hadn’t read the December GM report... I would like to
remind everyone of their opportunity
to provide insight to the committee
that is reviewing the 10% non-owner
surcharge (please see the article on
page 13).
From this driver’s seat, I would
report that we are making significant
in-roads to improve several facets of
our Cooperative, and we’re looking
forward to navigating more opportunities in the coming months...
Happy New Year!
THIS MONTH’S
WELLNESS
WEDNESDAY IS
DECEMBER 2ND
1st w e d n e
Products above this tag are made locally—and may be made with
local ingredients—but they do not meet the stringent criteria we use
for our ‘“locally grown” designation.
4
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
s
y ea
da
month
off
Next month’s Wellness Wednesday
is January 6th.
All Specials Subject to Availability.Sales Quantities Limited.
November meeting
highlights
• The Board enjoyed a fascinating
education session at the beginning
of their November Board meeting,
planned by Board member Kathleen Doherty and lead by ZingTrain’s Stas Kazierski.
• The Board reviewed the plan for
an Owner Bond Drive should a
second store location be chosen.
• Assignments for the annual GM
evaluation were made.
January meeting
• The Board will conduct the annual
General Manager evaluation.
Ongoing projects
• The Board’s one standing committee—the Finance Committee—reviews monthly financial reports at
each of its meetings. The Finance
Committee will be reviewing its
annual calendar and setting longrange visioning plans.
• The Board’s Retreat Planning
Committee has selected a facilitator for the annual Board retreat
(February) and is working to set an
agenda.
• The Patronage Refund and NonOwner Surcharge Committee continues to look into the advantages
and disadvantages of the nonOwner surcharge. This committee
wants to know what you think.
Please refer to the article on page
13.
• Expansion opportunities in the
greater Madison area continue to
be explored.
Educational Sessions
• The Board will be engaging in
educational sessions from 6:006:45pm, immediately prior to
the Board meeting. The topic for
January is: Board Relationship
with Community Stakeholders. All
Owners are welcome to attend!
Communicate with the
Board!
• Want to communicate your ideas,
concerns, praises or complaints
to the Board? The next Owner
Forum will take place on Tuesday, January 19th from 5:30pm–
6:00pm in front of the housewares
display across from the bulk
coffee. Snacks will be provided.
Come meet your Board reps and
make your voice heard! You can
write them anytime at: all-board@
willystreet.coop.
Remember, you can always
catch play-by-play board minutes at:
https://board.willystreet.coop:444/
board_minutes/board_minutes_home
BOARD REPORT
Community
Reinvestment Fund
by Doug Johnson, Board Member
Y
ou may know that this is the
time of year when we begin
soliciting applications from
local non-profit groups for
grant funding from our Community
Reinvestment Fund. Every year since
1992 we have been contributing to
the quality and well-being of our
community by supporting a diverse
array of projects in the areas of food,
nutrition, sustainable agriculture,
cooperative education and social
change.
What you may not be sure about,
though, is where that funding comes
from. The money for the grants actually comes from the equity—the Fair
Share payments—of former Owners who have left town or otherwise
dropped out of contact with us. Periodically (every year or few years) we
place advertisements and send notices
to the last known address of Owners who haven’t shopped in the store
for over three years and who haven’t
kept current in making any Fair Share
payments.
If they respond, these Owners
have the option to renew their ownership status by making any necessary equity payments, or to ask for a
refund. If there is no response by a
certain date, any payments that they
have made are legally considered
abandoned property. Now there are
rules established by the state regarding abandoned property like this (as
well as things like old bank accounts
or safe deposit boxes, for example).
Normally this abandoned property
has to be turned over to the state, but
there are specific exemptions for cooperatives that allow us to keep these
funds, provided they are used exclusively for educational or charitable
purposes. And so it is this abandoned
equity that is the money that we then
use to fund these Community Reinvestment grants.
How to apply
Information about applying for
one of these grants is available on
our website or by calling the store
and asking for Lynn Olson, Cooperative Services Manager. The deadline
for applications this year is February
28th. After that time a committee
made up of staff and Owners will
review the applications and make
a recommendation to the Board for
its approval. A total of $14,000 in
grants will be made available this
coming year and the awards will be
announced at the beginning of May.
Typically this will be split among
more than a dozen different projects,
depending on what is being requested.
!"#$"%&'()*+#
*&,--,./0.#12334#56#1.73---
Better Scores.
Better Choices.
Huntington
PRIVATE
TUTORING FOR
ACT/SAT/PSAT
PREP
89'#$:;;<)&$=#$')'>(&9?=#@98%&$
A#>:$'"%#@98%)*+
!"#$%"&'()*"+"&'(,*"-.$"&'(/
/012"34.5."63.4*"!.47-35
,'281)98&991
:::8;<55-3+!.47-358=3!
The Huntington Advantage:
1-1 instruction
Critical reading, writing,
English, math and science
Test-taking strategies
Flexible scheduling
Experienced teachers
Proven success since 1977
50 %
OFF
Diagnostic Tes
t
CALL TODAY!
1-800-CAN LEARN
ACT prep for students seeking
dramatic score improvements.
400 Interlake Drive • Monona WI 53716
(Located in the big yellow building @ Interlake Boatyard between
WPS Insurance and Red Robin Restaurant)
608-223-1953 • huntingtonlearning.com
HLC-1288
© 2005 Huntington Learning Centers, Inc. Independently owned and operated.
ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this program.
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
5
CLASSES AND EVENTS
Irish Music Jam
Sunday, January 3rd, 1:00pm–
3:00pm AND Sunday, January 24th,
2:00pm–3:30pm (continuing each
1st and 4th Sunday). All those interested are invited to come and play—or
relax and listen. For more information
click on http://www.celticmadison.
org.
Wellness Wednesday Free
Lecture: Cleansing and
Renewing Your Health in
the New Year with Katy
Wallace, ND
Wednesday, January 6th,
6:00pm–7:00pm. Start the New Year
with health and learn about the role of
food- and herb-based cleansing and
detoxification. This class will focus
on better ways to cleanse and renew
given the colder temps outside. Join
Katy Wallace, ND RYT, of Human
Nature, LLC, in a discussion of how
to break unhealthy patterns through
rejuvenating foods. Topics include
digestive, parasite, kidney and liver
cleansing. This class is free, however,
registration is requested by stopping in
or calling Customer Service at 2516776.
Wheels of Time and Place:
Embracing Winter, Part 2
Thursday, January 7th, 6:00pm–
8:30pm. (This is the second of a two-
6
part series; you must have attended
Part 1 to attend Part 2. If you’d like
us to repeat the series, please let us
know). In today’s busy world, you
may not receive many invitations to
slow down, reflect, and connect to the
rhythms of the place you inhabit—
to be local, consciously and without
reservation. Please consider yourself
invited! Prepare to engage mindfully
and playfully with the season of winter as it comes to your home, garden,
neighborhood, or schoolyard.
The Wheels of Time and Place,
created by Anne Forbes, is a set of
circular templates that individuals,
groups, or classrooms use to journal
in non-linear time and become more
intimate with their home place and the
cycles and seasons of their lives. Like
a wheel on a cart, time turns around
the hub of your home place; the
metaphor is a journey taken through a
day, a month, a year, or a lifetime of
curiosity and appreciation. See http://
partnersinplace.com for more information and a gallery of examples.
The class cost for Owners is $15
for Part 2 and $25 for all others. Payment is required at registration, please
pre-register by stopping in or calling
Customer Service at 251-6776.
Nourishing Foods Store
Tour
Tuesday, January 12th, 6:00pm–
7:30pm. Join us for a tour and tasting
of the healing foods available at the
Co-op with Katy Wallace, ND. Tour
includes sugar-, gluten-, and dairy-free
options, healthy fats, nourishing dried
goods, fermented food, and unpasteurized food. We will also cover the value of label-reading, avoiding synthetic
and highly-processed ingredients.
Cost for Owners is $10; and $20
for all others. Please pre-register by
stopping in or calling Customer Service at 251-6776.
Home Brew Kombucha
Wednesday, January 13th,
6:00pm–7:00pm. Making your own
kombucha (fermented tea) is simple
and inexpensive. Learn about the techniques and materials needed to make
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
this healthful drink in your home with
instructors Vanessa Tortolano and
Alla Shapiro, certified herbalists and
health enthusiasts. The cost of this
workshop will also include the kit (jar,
scoby, sugar, tea, cover) needed to
begin brewing your own kombucha!
Participants will be given stepby-step instructions on how to make
an old-fashioned lacto-fermented soft
drink (kombucha). Nutrients found
in kombucha include vitamins C, B1,
B2, B3, B6, B12 as well as heparin,
glucosamine and folic acid at a fraction of the cost of commercial products.
Cost for Owners is $30 and $40
for all others. Payment is required at
registration, please pre-register by
stopping in or calling Customer Service at 251-6776.
Kombucha II—Beyond
the Scoby
Wednesday, January 13th,
7:15pm–8:15pm. Instructors Vanessa
Tortolano and Alla Shapiro will lead
this class for those who already have
a familiarity with brewing kombucha
but want to go beyond the basic brew
into exploring infusions, continuous
brew, vinegars and other practical
uses and experiments for the by-product of kombucha-making, the scoby.
Cost for Owners is $10 and $20 for all
others. Payment is required at registration, please pre-register by stopping in
or calling Customer Service at 2516776.
Bones for Life®
Thursday, January 14th,
6:00pm–8:00pm. Strengthen your
bones, align your spine, and put the
spring back in your step! Bones for
Life®, an effective program designed
to do just that, will be introduced in
this workshop by Sandra Rae River,
Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner and certified Bones for Life®
teacher.
The role model for efficient
weight-bearing posture is people who
carry heavy loads on their heads. In
the Bones for Life® version of this
way of walking, you learn to direct
vibrational forces through your accurately aligned skeleton so that you
can feel movement traveling from
one end to the other, vertebra by
vertebra, like dominoes in a line. This
workshop will include introductory
movement experiences and discussion of related alignment and bone
building practices.
Intelligent fitness, graceful aging,
osteoporosis prevention or reversal, and a fun way to improve your
weight-bearing posture and personal
ergonomics are some of the benefits
of this program. If any of these are
important to you, you won’t want
to miss this opportunity to find out
about the Bones for Life® program.
Cost for Owners is $15 and $25 for
all others. Payment is required at registration, please pre-register by stopping in or calling customer service at
251-6776.
Community Room Information
The Community Room is available to you! Do you need a space to hold your next
meeting or gathering? Are you an artist who would like to exhibit in our gallery
space? Do you need a room with a kitchen to hold your kid’s next birthday party?
Would you like to teach a class and have it be available to our 16,000 Owners? The
Community Room is available for gallery space, private rentals, as well as public
functions and classes. If you would like to submit a class proposal, please contact
Lynn Olson, Cooperative Services Manager, at 251-0884 ext. 320 or l.olson@
willystreet.coop; for information about fees and availability, contact Liz Hawley, Cooperative Services Assistant, at 251-0884 or e.hawley@willystreet.coop. Most of the
Willy Street Co-op cooking classes are intended for cooks of all ages (it is requested
that children from 6 to 12 be accompanied by an adult).
Refund Policy
If we must cancel a class for any reason, we will contact you by phone and refund
your tuition. If YOU must cancel a class, notify us at least 3 days in advance for a
full refund. There will be no refunds less than 3 days prior to class.
Life in a Sustainable
Community Presentation
Saturday, January 16th, 3:00pm–
4:00pm. Within Reach Movie (www.
withinreachmovie.com) presents this
comprehensive video slideshow to answer the questions “What is a Sustainable Community?” and “What Does it
Take to Create or Live in One?” Mandy
and Ryan have bike-packed 6,000 miles
around the U.S. visiting and documenting 100 Sustainable Communities of
all types. Join them for this evening
presentation and discussion! Cost for
Owners is $5 and $15 for all others.
Payment is required at registration,
please pre-register by stopping in or
calling Customer Service at 251-6776.
Feldenkrais Method
Monday, January 18th, 6:00pm–
8:00pm. Move better and feel better by
simply noticing what you are doing as
you are doing it. Learn how to release
tension, stiffness, or pain; improve
posture, flexibility, efficiency, coordination, and comfort; feel more relaxed
and at home in your body. Sandy River,
Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner, has, for over 20 years, effectively
been guiding students to learn ways to
change habitual posture and movement
patterns to those which are more comfortable, efficient, and effective. What
is so surprising is how the exploration
of seemingly simple slow and gentle
non-habitual movements actually
works to radically reeducate your nervous and muscular systems by waking
up your brain to new possibilities.
This workshop is appropriate for all
ages and involves lying on the floor.
Bring padding to lie on and a large
towel, folded, for your head. Wear
loose, comfortable clothing that allows
freedom of movement (skirts and tight
jeans not advised). We will begin at
6:00pm with a free 12-minute informative video that is open to everyone.
Registration is required for the movement lesson and is limited to 12 participants. Cost for Owners is $15 and
$25 for all others. Payment is required
at registration, please pre-register by
stopping in or calling Customer Service
at 251-6776.
Urban/Suburban
Permaculture 101
Wednesday, January 20th,
6:30pm–8:00pm. Permaculture is the
use of ecology as the basis for designing integrated systems of food production, housing, appropriate technology, and community development.
Permaculture is built upon an ethic of
caring for the earth and interacting with
the environment in mutually beneficial
ways.
Kate Heiber-Cobb, Permaculture
Designer, founded the Madison Area
Permaculture Guild in the Spring
of 2008. Through her business,
Sustainability on Stilts, LLC, she educates and consults on Permaculture.
Kate will be covering the principles, ethics and practices of permaculture, covering topics such as composting, sheet mulching, plant guilds,
edible landscapes, water preservation,
biomimicry and much more.
A leader in the growing movement
to establish Permaculture principles
as a foundation for urban landscapes,
Kate is also a board member of The
Natural Step Monona, and has training in Transition Towns and Radical
Urban Sustainability.
Cost for Owners is $10 and $20 for
all others. Payment is required at registration, please pre-register by stopping in or calling Customer Service at
251-6776.
Phabulous Phyllo with
Chef Sabi
Thursday, January 21st,
6:00pm–8:00pm.What is the Mediterranean secret to fine, flavorful pastries
and savory pies? Phabulous Phyllo, the
lightly textured dough that is the perfect wrap for savory recipes or sweet
and succulent deserts. A five-course
feast from what is feared by many as
a frighteningly finicky, frustrating fel-
low, phyllo. Phyllo can be easily tamed
with tricks from the tantalizing and
talented Chef Sabi who shares his tasty
treats utilizing the multi-faceted and
flexible phyllo dough.
The making and handling of phyllo
is the focus of this Cooking the Casbah class. Learn how to make phyllo
dough, cup it, fold it and layer it. A
couple of the recipes will be chosen
based on the fresh ingredients available
at the Co-op the week of the event.
Chef Sabi, formerly of The Casbah
and Lulu’s, will prepare and demonstrate a feast of phyllo. The menu will
be highlighted by: B’stilla (Morocco’s
traditional dish of saffron chicken
layered with almonds and cinnamon,
wrapped and baked in phyllo dough);
Spanakopita (spinach, feta cheese,
onion and walnuts, layered and baked
in thin phyllo dough); and Warbat
Katifa (phyllo pastry filled with creamy
pudding, baked and served with a raspberry or fruit topping).
Cost for Owners is $15 and $25
for all others. Payment is required at
registration, please pre-register by stopping in or calling Customer Service at
251-6776.
What’s Cooking? with Chef
David Martineau
Tuesday, January 26th, 6:00pm–
8:00pm. Join seasoned instructor, Chef
































      
  


   
    


         


























 





Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
7
David Martineau as he brings his
experience to our classroom to share
easy, classic and savory menus using
many local ingredients.
For the new cook or purely for the
pleasure of learning traditional and
inspiring recipes, here is the line-up
for this instructional and interactive
class: Wild Rice and Ham Salad, Coq
au Vin Rouge, and Banana Cream
Pie. Recipes will be provided to class
participants to take home. Cost for
Owners is $15 and $25 for all others.
Payment is required at registration;
please pre-register by stopping in or
calling Customer Service at 251-6776.
confidential health history forms prior
to the session, so email or a home
number is needed. A limited number
of sessions are offered each month,
however by indicating your interest,
you will be offered the next available
open session. Fees are just $15 for Coop Owners in order for them to make
informed decisions about the foods
they consume and $45 for all others.
Please pre-register for the next available opening by emailing l.olson@
willystreet.coop or call 251-6776 to
leave a message for the Co-op Services department and someone will be
in contact with you soon.
Individual Nutrition
Sessions
Body Basics: Better
Beverages
Wednesday, January 27th,
3:00pm–6:30pm. An individual
nutrition consultation is your opportunity to learn how food choices can
enhance your well-being. A one-onone session with Katy Wallace, ND
of Human Nature, LLC, includes: a
consultation regarding your health
goals and lifestyle, a health assessment survey, and food choice suggestions geared toward addressing health
goals and developing sustainable
change (may include tour of most
appropriate co-op foods/products).
Participants must complete and return
Thursday, January 28th,
12:00pm–1:30pm. If you want to
avoid soft drinks, coffee, and limit
your alcohol intake, what else is there
to drink? Join Terri Klas, RN ND, and
Naomi Boldon, Herbalist, of Human
Nature, LLC in a discussion and demonstration class about lacto-fermented
beverages, winter warming herbal
teas, smoothies, and more. Recipes
and taste-testing included.
Cost is $6 for Owners and $16 for
all others. Please pre-register by stopping in at the Customer Service desk
or by calling 251-6776.
Hancock Center
for Dance/Movement Therapy
INDIVIDUAL CHILD
encourage
creativity
& playfulness
dance/movement therapy
sessions available
by appointment
starting in January
CIRCLE
OF
CHILDREN
creative dance for
children ages 5-8
HC DANCE CLUB
creative dance for
teens with
developmental issues
promote
positive
body awareness
& self esteem
develop
problem-solving
& social skills
www.hancockcenter.net • 608.251.0908
The Power of
Movement
Thursday, January 28th,
6:30pm–8:30pm. Move toward
well-being through dance/movement therapy. This introductory
class will feature an explanation of
how body awareness reveals information about our selves and how
movement expression can make
positive changes in our attitudes
and actions. The direct connection
to our self through our body makes
this process an especially powerful tool for growth and wholeness.
Explorations in relaxation, bodyawareness and simple movement
will be facilitated. Information will
be provided on places in Madison
that offer individual and group
sessions to adults, families, and
children. No prior dance or movement experience necessary. Presenters: Robyn Lending Halsten
and Grace Valentine of Hancock
Center. This event is free, however
registration is required by stopping
in or calling Customer Service at
251-6776.
What’s Cooking? with
Chef David Martineau
Tuesday, February 2nd,
6:00pm–8:00pm. Join seasoned
instructor Chef David Martineau
as he brings his experience to our
classroom to share easy, classic
and savory menus using many
local ingredients. For the new
cook or purely for the pleasure
of learning traditional and inspiring recipes, here is the line-up for
this instructional and interactive
class: Baked Crab Cakes with
Creole Sauce, Eggplant Stuffed
with Lamb, and Fluffy Peach Pie.
Recipes will be provided to class
participants to take home. Cost
for Owners is $15 and $25 for
all others. Payment is required at
registration; please pre-register by
stopping in or calling Customer
Service at 251-6776.
IN THE GALLERY
Gary Scott
Through January. Artist’s
Statement: “My name is Gary Scott.
I enjoy painting very much. I’m
fascinated by clouds and the beauty
of the natural world. Nature is spectacular and an inspiration for much
of my art.
“I find creating art to be an easy
and natural process. I’ve always
been a doodler and experimented
with crayon on cloth in the early
’90s, then in the late ’90s started doing small ink drawings.
“My interest in art broadened
and over the years I have accumulated a very nice collection of art
books. I especially enjoy reading
about the lives of artists; some of
the things they say make very nice
quotes, such as Picasso, ‘Art washes
from the soul the dust of everyday
life.’
“I find the evolution of art
through time interesting, how it
evolved from trying to copy things
exactly as they appeared into a way
to express one’s feelings for what
they see. My main influences are the
Impressionists, Picasso, and Jackson
Pollock.
“In 2004 I started painting on
canvas. Every painting felt like an
experiment and I soon came up with
my own unique style. A friend of
mine has dubbed it flowism. I now
combine this technique with several
others and have come up with some
very interesting canvases.
“I have numerous paintings in
private collections and also hanging
in public places around Madison as
well as a 4 foot by 12 foot one hanging in the People’s Food Co-op in
La Crosse. One of my paintings was
recently included in the art book
Masters of Today: 117 Contemporary Artists. This is the second time
I’ve had the privilege of displaying
my art at the Willy Street Co-op. I
hope you enjoy what you see.”
89:%9&%DE<%F<-=%<-&D%%
&94<%=<-8DB=(%
!"#$%&'%()*&"#+(
!"#$%&'(%)*+,%-./(%
012%3%45'6%712$%
Cozy Atwood home
offers great character &
location! Maple floors,
screened porch, newer
mechanicals. $189,900%
Top floor condo with
maple floors, fireplace,
10 ft. ceilings, huge
master suite and heated
parking. $259,900
Buying or Selling?
Call the agent who
lives, breathes and
plays in the
neighborhood!
With over a decade of
service, my
commitment remains
to deliver excellent
service, a wealth of
knowledge and results
you deserve!
89:%8-;<=%%!%%"2>?$$$?0@!0%%!%%333(89:8-;<=(ABC%
8
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
.$%'((
!"#$%(
(
/'01$"#(
2%$$3(
(
,'-(*#(
!
!!!!!"#$%"#&'(&)*&#!
2345'6,--,"708)'9*1'':;<=2>3?!
"+&%,--./*$01)&*'
GROCERY NEWS
New and Local Products
by Geoff Mamerow, Grocery Staff
W
hile it may be hard to
believe, it is an unfortunate
truth that we occasionally receive customer
complaints here at the Co-op. In fact,
one I hear quite frequently relates to
some of the products that we carry. The
complaint, however, may not be what
immediately comes to mind. More often
than not, the customer is not upset that
we don’t carry a particular product, but
that he or she wasn’t aware that we have
carried it for a long time…sometimes
even for years! With this in mind, we’d
like to take this opportunity to make
sure that you know about some really
fantastic new products that have just become available recently. That way, one
of two possible outcomes will occur:
either you’ll immediately begin to enjoy
these great new products, or, in a year,
when you “discover” the product we’ll
be able to say, “We told you so!” As an
added bonus, all the products featured in
this article are regional picks, so you can
enjoy their fine quality and feel good
about supporting your local economy.
Quince and Apple Gourmet
Preserves
The first new item that you’ll love to
try is actually any one of the new series
of products (collect all four!) from Madison-based Quince and Apple (www.
quinceandapple.com). They’ve created
a fine line of gourmet preserves that
depart dramatically from the rote and
predictable safety of traditional jams and
jellies. I recommend, for instance, their
Shallot Confit with Red Wine, a fine
preserve that features caramelized shallots that are slow-cooked with a robust
red wine, so that the natural sugars of
the shallot balance the audacious acidic
vintage. Not created for the pedestrian
PB&J sandwich, this is a truly adult
endeavor. Pair it with a favorite cheese
that tends to contort the face…like a
pungent bleu or an aged sharp cheddar.
Serve it with artisan crackers or with
roasted poultry. But that’s not all. We
also carry three other flavors from their
line: Orange Marmalade with Lemons, Figs and Black Tea, and Apricot
Almond (a seasonal flavor). Buy one
to bring to your next Beaujolais party,
enjoy the local quality, and revel in the
instant gourmet credibility. If you’re
short on ideas about how to use these
unique spreads, visit their website.
They’ve put together some really great
pairings and recipes to help you out. In
the meantime, you’ll find Quince and
Apple in aisle four supervising the kiddie jams.
Sunflower Oil from Star
Valley
The next really unique new local
product you’ll be glad to know about
is the certified organic Sunflower Oil
from Star Valley, Wisconsin’s own
Driftless Organics (www.driftlessorganics.com). This nutty oil is pressed
from sunflower seeds grown nearby,
and really lives up to their motto, “The
Olive Oil of Wisconsin.” It can be used
in any application in which one would
typically use olive oil, but its earthy
overtones make it a superior choice for
dipping with fresh, warm bread. You’ll
feel good supporting a local farm while
you enjoy a Wisconsin original, and
before you know it, you’ll be buying a
second bottle. When you finally do stop
in to pick up a bottle or two, you’ll find
it with the rest of our specialty oils in
aisle four.
Bear Clan Manomin Wild
Rice
The next great local product is one
that you’ll have to take advantage of
quickly, or you’ll miss out. Our Bear
Clan Manomin Wild Rice is a serious
favorite here at the Co-op, and there is
no doubt that you’ll agree. Manomin is
the Ojibwa word for “tall grass seed,”
and the fact that the Ojibwa Bear Clan
harvests this incredible grain makes it
the very definition of specialty. Okay,
it’s true that this one-of-a-kind wild rice
isn’t exactly new. We’ve had it for a
number of years, but it is only in stock
for a portion of the year due to the limited harvest. It has a dark green, long
grain that folds in on itself, sheds its
husk, and takes on a delightful spongy
texture when prepared. The texture is
so unique that I might even describe it
as pasta-like. Slowly simmer this rice
with some water, or stock, and a touch
of butter. Maybe add a pinch of salt.
Whatever you do, don’t overpower the
natural taste of this rare grain. It’s the
taste of your state after all. Bear Clan
Manomin Wild Rice is available, while
it lasts, in aisle two with the rest of the
bulk rice.
former exhibits a smooth, consistent
texture and mild flavor. For something
a bit bolder, however, try the latter.
It boasts a much more robust texture
that is known colloquially as “farmer
bologna.” You may need to try both to
decide which of the two you prefer, or
maybe you’ll be like me and claim that
they are both your favorite. Pecatonica
Valley Farms Ring Bologna (fine and
coarse) are keeping their cool in the
meat case. Grab a ring or two next time
you’re in.
Well there it is. You’ve got eight
new, local products from four businesses and farms that are right in our
area. Now you know all about them, so
go try them. We’ll continue working
hard to bring in local foods that you can
appreciate for the quality, taste, and for
the local Wisconsin values we share
as a regional community. You’ll get as
hooked as we have, and if you spread
the word, I’m sure that this time around
there won’t be any complaints.
Pecatonica Valley Farms
Ring Bologna
Finally, since I hail from the Meat
Department, I would be remiss to pass
over one of the new local products
in our meat case. Straight from Hollandale, Wisconsin, and previously
available only at the Dane County
Farmer’s Market, we are proud to offer
two new ring bologna sausages from
The Pecatonica Valley Farms (pecvalley.com). The two varieties we carry
are designated as fine and coarse. The
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
9
PRODUCE NEWS
A Taste of Sunshine:
Winter Citrus Guide
by Andy Johnston, Produce Manager
J
anuary is peak citrus season. And
with the cold temperatures and
short days of winter, including
citrus in your diet is great way
to get a healthy start on the new year.
Here is a guide and some facts to help
you choose the piece of citrus that’s
right for you!
Navel Oranges
For fresh eating, navel oranges are
the standard. They’re sweet, juicy,
easy to peel and segment, and they’re
seedless. The organic navels you’ll
see at the Co-op are the Washington
variety, and will be coming from
the southern and central California
citrus regions, where the dry sunny
days and cool nights create the ideal
climate for navels and other citrus.
Typically, the navel season runs November through May. January is peak
season for navels, and is the time to
look for deals on the best product.
Look for weekly specials on both
bulk and bagged navels in January.
Blood (Moro) Oranges
We should start to see some blood
oranges coming in this month.
Our favorites have been
coming from Beck’s
Grove, a small
biodynamic farm
located just north
of San Diego.
Their biodynamic
methods have
consistently been
producing staff’s favorite blood orange.
The deep red flesh of
the blood orange is a result
10
of high concentrations of anthrocyanins, a powerful antioxidant.
Blood oranges have an intense
orange/tropical/berry flavor. I love
them; they’re great for eating fresh,
but even more fun in the kitchen! Use
a slice as a striking garnish to a salad
or a drink. Their juice is incredible,
and makes for excellent salad dressings and marinades.
Rio Star Grapefruit
Texas Rio Stars are our favorite
grapefruit. No other variety on the
market compares; they’re in a class of
their own.
The Rio Star was developed at the
Texas A&M Citrus Center. It is the
result of selectively breeding the Rio
Red and Star Ruby varieties for the
sweetest, deepest red-fleshed fruit.
Rio Stars have only been available since the mid-’80s. If you’re not
fond of grapefruit, and haven’t tried
a Rio Star, you should. For several
produce staff, including myself, this
is our favorite piece of citrus, and we
look forward to receiving our first
shipments every year.
Rio Stars usually start
shipping in November,
and in a good year,
remain available
through March and
into April. They’re
excellent fresh
on their own, but
again, if you like
to cook, there are
endless possibilities
with the Rio Star; marinades, desserts, salads,
salsa, and even on the grill!
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
Kumquats
Kumwhats? The best of these
little gems come from Beck’s Grove,
the same biodynamic farm that produces our best blood oranges and
Meyer lemons. They’re generally
available from January through
May, and are perhaps one of the
more mysterious citrus specimens we
offer.
Kumquats are native to China and
Japan, and look like little tiny oblong
oranges, anywhere from an inch to
two inches long. You eat the skin and
all. Don’t let the size fool you: the
flavor is intense! The skin is sweet,
and the flesh is sour. The trick is to
chew as fast as you can to balance
the sour with the sweet.
Kumquats are a great addition to
both fruit salads and green salads.
You can eat them as a fresh snack, or
use them in jellies and marmalade.
Satsuma and Clementine
Mandarins
The best Satsuma and Clementines at the Co-op are coming to us
from Johansen Ranch, located in
the Sacramento Valley of northern
California. The Johansen Family
has been in the citrus business since
1910, and their efforts consistently
yield the finest quality product I’ve
ever tasted.
Visually, there’s not much of a
difference between the two; they
look like miniature oranges. Both
are considered mandarins, a cross
between a tangerine and an orange.
They are sweet, juicy, and easy to
peel. We find the Satsuma often has a
sharp, more defined tangerine flavor,
and
a hint of
tartness. The
Clementine is a bit
more subtle and mellow,
with more pronounced sugars.
Both are excellent. However, for diehard fans, there’s a peculiar rivalry
between the two. I don’t know—
maybe it’s an East Coast/West Coast
thing?
It’s believed both originated in
China. The Satsuma made its way
to the Satsuma province of Japan,
where it was originally cultivated exclusively for royalty. The Clementine
was first discovered by westerners in
Algeria, and became widely cultivated in both Spain and Morocco.
California is the leading producer of
both in the U.S., however, we still
hear, “Got any of those Spanish Clementines?” all the time.
Here’s where the East Coast/
West Coast rivalry comes into play.
Historically Clementine imports arrived from Spain at ports along the
eastern seaboard, where local consumers eagerly awaited the arrival
of these exotic little oranges around
the holidays. Much of what arrived
there stayed there. Satsumas, on the
other hand, need very specific growing conditions, and were not as well
suited to the citrus growing regions
of the southern U.S. Satsuma production became exclusive to the San
Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys of
CA. Satsuma on the West, Clementine on the East.
Unfortunately, the domestic Clementine and Satsuma season is fairly
short. Satsuma usually hit the market
in November, and may last through
mid to late January depending on
harvest volume and demand. Clementine usually arrive mid-December,
and last through January and into
early February. Both are versatile in
the kitchen, and make a great snack.
Kids love them. I’ve watched my
two-year-old eat a half dozen Satsuma at one sitting.
Minneola Tangelo
The Minneola Tangelo is a cross
between a mandarin orange and a
pomelo (an ancestor of the grapefruit). Minneola are identifiable by
the knob-like formation on their stem
end, and their deep orange color.
Minneola have an intense tartsweet flavor, and can be extremely
juicy. They peel easily, and although
they may have a few seeds, most are
seedless. The first Minneola to hit
the market are often a bit on the tart
side of the spectrum. As their season progresses, so does their sugar
content, creating a better balance for
the palette. Although not as intense
as the Kumquat, Minneola pack a
citrus punch. They have a great sweet
orange flavor along with the acidic
zip of a grapefruit.
Minneola usually hit the market
by mid-month, just when the Satsuma and Clementine seasons are finishing up, and are available through
February and into March. We’ll
be keeping an eye out for the peak
season premium product, and when it
arrives, look for a sale!
The perfect pick
Regardless of what type of citrus
you’re shopping for, there are some
simple strategies you can use to
ensure you are getting a high-quality product. The fruit should have
vibrant color, be fairly firm, and
feel heavy for its size. If the skin
is dehydrated and has small brown
spots, the fruit is usually old. It may
still taste good, however, as with all
fresh fruits and vegetables, nutritional value becomes compromised
with age.
In general, larger fruit is sweeter.
This rule is not always true, but in
general, larger fruit has been on the
tree longer, is more mature, and has
had more time to develop its brix
(sugars).
Storing your citrus in the refrigerator will help maintain its
integrity. If you plan on eating your
purchase within a couple of days, it
will be fine on your counter.
And, as always, we encourage you to check in with Produce
staff to find out what’s really good
right now. We are constantly tasting product and comparing brands.
When we find something incredible, we’re eating as much as we
can while it lasts. Products like the
Rio Star Grapefruit, and Johansen
Ranch’s Satsuma and Clementine
are consistent through their season;
they’re great every time you get one.
Everything else tends to vary; one
week navels are great, the next week
they’re fair. Minneola are sour from
one orchard, and sweet from another. To meet demand, our distributors
work with dozens of orchards, and
some are able to produce better tasting fruit than the others. It’s not that
they’re better growers, it’s often that
conditions happened to be just right
to produce a superior crop. If you’re
wondering what’s good, just ask.
A taste if sunshine
So, stop in and treat yourself,
your loved ones, and your friends to
a little taste of sunshine, and have a
happy, healthy, new year!
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
11
WELLNESS NEWS
A.D.A.M. plus Ideas for Cleansing
A Personal Empowerment Resource in the New Year
by Haley Hunsicker, Wellness Staff
T
he Wellness Department has a
wonderful resource that many
of our shoppers have not yet
discovered. For many years
the Willy Street Co-op has offered
this research tool to the community,
but not nearly enough people have
been taking advantage of it. This
article will review how this resource
can benefit you.
If you ever had a question about
a health-related topic, such as the
signs of fatigue, alternative options
for treating dandruff, or herbs to use
for treating stress, then A.D.A.M.
(which stands for “Animated Dissection of Anatomy for Medicine”) has
information to offer. I invite everyone to learn more about the helpful
and healthful computer program,
A.D.A.M. Tucked away next to
the books just outside the Health &
Wellness Department is a computer
kiosk that hosts this program. Check
it out the next time you’re in the
store. For Internet users, this resource
can also be found on the Willy Street
Co-op’s website (www.willystreet.
coop). Scroll down to “Health Education” and then click on the A.D.A.M.
link to get to the program.
Conditions
The main page has many links to
explore. This page houses a table of
contents which offers an abundance
of information. The link “Conditions” lists many physical issues in
alphabetical order. The list starts with
“abdominal wall inflammation” and
ends with “yeast infections.” I clicked
on “carpal tunnel syndrome” and was
led to detailed information about the
signs and symptoms, what causes the
disorder, who is most at risk, what to
expect when going to see a provider,
treatment options such as prevention,
drug therapies, surgical and other
procedures, complementary and alternative therapies, herbs, homeopathy,
physical medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic and massage. This page also
touched on prognosis and possible
complications as well as how much
follow-up treatment to expect.
Herbs
The next link on the main page
is “Herbs.” This page is designed in
a similar fashion as “Conditions;” it
lists herbs from A to Z. Click on any
12
herb of interest and the program will
go to a page dedicated to that herb.
On that page there is an overview of
the herb, a plant description, information about the plant, what part of
the plant the herbal supplements are
made from, available forms such as
pill, tincture, tea, etc., how to take
the herb, precautions, possible drug
and herb interactions and supporting
research is reviewed in this section of
the program.
This section offers information about
health conditions and groups them
by organ and body system. This
guide also gives information about
drug, vitamin and herb interactions
as well as a very informative section
on symptoms such as acne or cough
and what herbs or supplements will
best help treat those ailments.
Other links of interest
Going down the list, the next
link is “Supplements.” This section
is organized in a similar way as the
“Herbs” link. One section that may
be helpful is the section on dietary
sources. This lists different foods,
herbs, and spices that have sources
of the supplement in their chemical
makeup.
At the top of the Main page there
are six different links that may be
of interest. The first link is News
& Features. It offers links to recent
articles about health studies regarding vitamins, herbs, mental health,
nutrition, food regulations and food
standards. There are also links to
recent feature articles, such as antiaging foods and antioxidants. These
articles offer a starting point for
more advanced inquiry and research.
Drugs
Delicious Living
Supplements
“Drugs” is the next link on the
Table of Contents page. This page
seems to be the most detailed of all
the pages. It has an abundance of
information such as uses, restrictions,
warnings, reactions, interactions,
mechanism of action, etc. There 32
sub-categories, too many to list here.
Depletions
The next link is “Depletions”
which gives a list of many drugs,
both over the counter and prescription. Click on a specific drug from
the A to Z list provided and a new
page reveals in detail what nutrients,
vitamins and minerals may be depleted in the body as a result of taking the
medication. Details about the symptoms of specific nutritional depletion
are also listed in this section.
Treatment Options
The final link on the Table of
Contents page is “Treatment Options.” This page offers an overview
of alternative modalities. Acupuncture, aromatherapy, ayurveda, biofeedback, hypnotherapy, homeopathy, naturopathy, Tai chi, and yoga
are just a few of the treatment options
that can be explored on this link.
Cross-Reference Guide
Scrolling lower on the main page
reveals a Cross-Reference Guide.
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
“Delicious Living” is a link to
a health magazine with recipes and
articles about caring for our bodies.
Health Tools offers health calculators such as body mass index, ideal
body weight, target heart rate, and a
calorie burner counter. Healthy Recipes lists a variety of recipes for a few
different diet types. There are quick
meals, macrobiotic meals, low-fat
and low-calorie meals and vegetarian
meals.
Ingredient Glossary
The last link to review is the
“Ingredient Glossary.” From A to Z,
it lists many different types of food
like vegetables, grains, herbs, beans
and legumes. It gives information
about where the food originates,
what it is used for and lists nutritional highlights.
Deciding on a product or remedy
can at times be a bit overwhelming.
When collecting information about
a topic it can be helpful to seek
information from our staff, but also
please consider using A.D.A.M. as a
research tool. If you need assistance,
the friendly Wellness staff can help
you navigate through the program.
Please remember that this article
touched on just the basics of this program. There is much more to learn.
Please take the time to explore this
wonderful resource further.
CLEANSING
by Lisa Stag-Tout, Wellness
Manager
New Year, New Goals
Resolutions abound on New
Year’s Eve as people envision starting fresh. If you have intentions to
quit smoking, lose weight, change
your diet or start exercising, you
may think that a cleanse is good
way to begin the process.
Tips
Here are a few tips that may
help you to be successful in this
challenging endeavor.
Before you start any cleanse:
• Plan it out on a calendar.
• Gradually reduce the amount of
food you eat over 2-3 days.
• Eliminate animal protein—meat/
dairy/fish.
• Increase fresh fruit, smoothies
and/or lightly cooked veggies.
• Increase water intake.
• Do the cleanse with a friend or
garner support from friends in
other ways.
• Be prepared and reduce temptation by buying your supplies in
advance to avoid going to the
store.
During any cleanse:
• Rest! Take a few days off if possible, nap often if you feel the
need.
• Increase water intake.
• Change routines that revolve
around food to avoid temptation.
• Understand that you might have
intense cravings and become irritable.
• Understand headaches are common for those with a caffeine
addiction.
• Sweating can be beneficial to
excrete toxins, try a sauna or
hydrotherapy.
• Read books, blogs, magazines
about cleansing or dietary changes to stay inspired.
After any cleanse:
• Ease your way back into solid
food gradually starting with light
juices, then smoothies, over a
period of 2-3 days or more if your
continued next page…
COOPERATIVE SERVICES NEWS
cleanse is longer than 7-10 days.
• Take probiotics to re-establish
beneficial flora in your gut.
• Listen to your body! If you eat
something that doesn’t agree
with you, avoid it in the future;
you may have an allergy or sensitivity to it.
• Give your self a pat on the
back—whether your cleanse
lasted for 2 weeks or 2 hours—
you’ve started on a path of
healthy changes. Take pride in
your effort!
Not only do we have a few
boxed cleanse products that have
specific instructions to follow; we
also have many books on this topic—most of them are on sale this
month. Additionally our juice bar
has many wonderful combinations
that are sure to instill a passion for
a fresh and healthy new lifestyle.
Good luck and good health to you!
A word about the
Master…(Cleanse that
is)
Too much controversy surrounds the Master Cleanse to go
into it here. My advice is to do
the research for yourself (since
you know your “self” better than
anyone else), and check with your
health care provider if you have
any concerns or health issues.
Start your research with the original book The Master Cleanser by
Stanley Burroughs. We keep it in
stock—it is an inexpensive and fast
selling item. For further research
the website that I trust is The
Master Cleanse / Raw Food Site—
hosted by Peter Glickman http://
therawfoodsite.com/mastercleanse.
htm. There is a very active and
supportive forum and you might
be inspired to join the “7th Annual
January Group Master Cleanse.”
10% Non-Owner
Surcharge: Keep It
or Remove It?
by Lynn Olson, Cooperative Services Manager
F
or decades Willy Street Co-op
Owners paid listed prices and
other shoppers paid an additional 10% surcharge. Changes in
the natural food industry and a national
trend among retail cooperatives to
eliminate surcharges has prompted the
Co-op to review this practice.
In researching other cooperatives within the National Cooperative
Grocery Association (NCGA), Willy
Street Co-op was found to be one of
only three co-ops in the organization
still surcharging non-Owners. Central
to the reasons cited by other co-ops for
removing their surcharge was the need
to remain competitive in the burgeoning organic and natural foods retail
sector.
As part of this review process,
we’ve held two small-group Owner
forums, where Owners were invited
to give us their input around removing the surcharge. Now, to gather even
more feedback from Owners, we’ve
compiled a list of reasons for keeping and for removing the surcharge
and we’re requesting as much feedback from Owners as possible. Your
feedback will be used by the Board’s
ad hoc committee, which is assigned
to review the matter in order to better
inform their recommendation to either
eliminate the surcharge or maintain it.
Once you’ve had a chance to consider this issue, we invite you to email
us at coop.services@willystreet.coop,
or call (608) 251-0884 and ask for the
Co-op Services department to give us
your feedback.
Reasons for keeping the surcharge:
• Some current Owners may equate re-
ASSOC%A&ED
)O*SE+R%G)&S
t%FTJHOCVJMESFNPEFMJOH
BEEJUJPOTOFXIPNFT
t8FEFMJWFS)PNF1FSGPSNBODF
XJUI&/&3(:45"3¥
moval of the surcharge as a decrease
in their benefits.
• Removal of the surcharge will likely
result in fewer people opting to become Owners of the Co-op, decreasing the amount of equity, which is
helpful in managing the Co-op’s
financial position.
• Loss of income generated through
the 10% surcharge (FY09: $42K).
• WSGC’s current, large Owner base
and Owner purchases aid in keeping the Co-op’s taxes lower when
patronage is distributed. Any profits
from purchases by non-Owners are
taxed at a higher rate.
Reasons for removing the surcharge:
• Create greater access to the Cooperative to those who may not be able
to afford to join or shop with the
additional 10% surcharge.
• Eliminate the perception that the Coop is exclusive or not welcoming to
non-Owners.
• New shoppers would be encouraged to join for all of the benefits of
becoming an Owner instead of just
doing so to avoid the 10% surcharge.
• Eliminate uncomfortable or inconvenient delays at the registers while
cashiers explain the surcharge.
• There is the potential for an increase
in sales when shoppers discover
there is no longer a 10% surcharge.
• Enable us to put non-Owner prices in
line with competitors. The surcharge
negatively reflects on our price image to those who are not Owners.
• The surcharge in a new store, in a
new community, may not translate
well and jeopardize the success of
that store.
F^d[Sh^d
[XZTc^278?.
CWP]Zh^dFX[[hBcaTTc2^^_
Rdbc^\TabU^abPhX]VH4B
;PbchTPah^da278?S^]PcX^]b
aPXb T S ^ e T a '" U^ a [^ R P[
VaPbba^^cb^aVP]XiPcX^]b
F74A4278?3>;;0AB<0:4270=64)
5aXT]Sb^UFXbR^]bX]
012U^a7TP[cW
02;D5^d]SPcX^]^UFXbR^]bX]
0acbFXbR^]bX]
1PheXTf5^d]SPcX^]
1XRhR[T5TSTaPcX^]^UFXbR^]bX]
2T]cTaU^a5P\X[h?^[XRh?aPRcXRT
2WahbP[Xb
2XcXiT]0RcX^]^UFXbR^]bX]4SdRPcX^]5d]S
2XcXiT]bU^aBPUTFPcTa0a^d]S1PSVTa
2XcXiT]bDcX[Xch1^PaS
2[TP]FXbR^]bX]
2^P[XcX^]^UFXbR^]bX]0VX]V6a^d_b
2^\\^]FTP[cW3TeT[^_\T]c
2^\\d]Xch0RcX^]^];PcX]0\TaXRP
3XbPQX[XchAXVWcbFXbR^]bX]
5PXa7^dbX]V2T]cTa^U6aTPcTa<PSXb^]
5PXaFXbR^]bX]4SdRPcX^]5d]S
5aXT]Sb^UFXbR^]bX]BcPcT?PaZb
6PcWTaX]VFPcTab2^]bTaeP]Rh
6aPbba^^cb4\_^fTa\T]c?a^YTRc
6PhBcaPXVWc0[[XP]RT6B0U^aBPUTBRW^^[b
7^dbX]V8]XcXPcXeTb
;TPVdT^UF^\T]E^cTab^UFXbR^]bX]
4SdRPcX^]5d]S
;TVP[0RcX^]^UFXbR^]bX]
<PSXb^]0aTP2^\\d]Xch;P]SCadbc
<PSXb^]0dSdQ^]B^RXTch
<PSXb^]7>DAB
<XSfTbc4]eXa^]\T]cP[0Se^RPcTb
=Tf7PaeTbc5^d]SPcX^]
>dcATPRW
?WhbXRXP]bU^aB^RXP[ATb_^]bXQX[Xch
FXbR^]bX]
?a^YTRc7^\T
AP_T2aXbXb2T]cTa
AXeTa0[[XP]RT^UFXbR^]bX]
BXTaaP2[dQ5^d]SPcX^]9^W]<dXa2WP_cTa
CT]P]cATb^daRT2T]cTa
CWT?a^VaTbbXeT
D=83>B0VPX]bc3^\TbcXREX^[T]RT
FWTT[bU^aFX]]Tab
FXbR^]bX]0__aT]cXRT>aVP]XiTab?a^YTRc
FXbR^]bX]2^P[XcX^]0VPX]bc3^\TbcXREX^[T]RT
FXbR^]bX]2^P[XcX^]0VPX]bcBTgdP[0bbPd[c
FXbR^]bX]2^\\d]Xch5d]S
FXbR^]bX]2^d]RX[^]2WX[SaT]P]S5P\X[XTb
FXbR^]bX]3T\^RaPRh2P\_PXV]
FXbR^]bX]4Pa[h2WX[SW^^S0bb^RXPcX^]
FXbR^]bX]5P\X[hCXTb
FXbR^]bX];XcTaPRh8]R
FXbR^]bX]FTc[P]Sb0bb^RXPcX^]
FXbR^]bX]F^\T]b=Tcf^aZ
F^\T]X]CaP]bXcX^]
F>AC'((5<2^\\d]XchAPSX^
t0WFSQSPKFDUTWJFXBCMFPO
PVSXFCTJUF
2><<D=8CH278?
./012345
6789:;<=>6?91@7A
2^\\d]Xch278?XbPbXbcTa^aVP]XiPcX^]
^U2^\\d]XchBWPaTb^UFXbR^]bX]
fffR^\\d]XchbWPaTbR^\
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
13
DELI NEWS
There’s Just Something About Soup.....
by Megan Blodgett, Deli Manager
I
t’s early December as I write
this. It’s cold and gray; the first
snowflakes of the year are falling, and I’m stuck at home with
a bad cold. Sounds pretty bleak, huh?
It could be, but I’m also sipping on
some hot turkey broth that I made
from the bird my family roasted on
Thanksgiving. As I feel the hot liquid
trickle down my throat into my belly
I suddenly feel warm, and my stuffedup sinuses and sore throat are soothed.
It’s so satisfying that for a moment I
completely forget my sickness and the
cold dreary weather outside.
It’s not just me who draws such
satisfaction from good soup. Soup (especially chicken soup) is legendary for
its restorative and soothing qualities.
Why? I think it’s a combination of the
hot liquid that hydrates and warms on
a cold day, the rich savory flavors, and
our bodies’ intuition that this is something that not only tastes great, but is
also really good for us.
The broth
All good soup starts with broth,
and it doesn’t have to be meat broth.
Vegetable broth is easier to make
than meat broth and it can be just as
satisfying. To make vegetable broth,
simply put vegetable scraps (peels and
all) into a large pot, cover with water,
simmer for an hour or more, strain,
and voila, you have broth! As it simmers, the nutrients and flavors from
the vegetables are extracted into the
water, creating a wonderfully rich and
healthful liquid. The particular nature
of the broth depends on what veggies
you make it from. In my opinion, all
good broths should start with a base
of onions and a little garlic. Celery
Madison Herbal Institute
Herbs for Skin Health
Dr. Robin DiPasquale
Feb. 20 & 21
Sat. & Sun. 9 am–5 pm
in Middleton, Wisc.
A weekend of classes,
medicine making and a sauna
Early bird registration: $140
Registration after 1/9/10: $165
Registration: (608) 512-9633
Info: www.herbtvonline.com/MHI.html
14
or fresh parsley imparts a nice fresh
flavor. Mushrooms give it a beautiful
deep color and richness that’s great
for soups like French onion or Russian borscht. Tomatoes add a tang
that’s just perfect for Minestrone. The
best way to learn your favorite veggie
broth is to experiment.
Meat broths are made using basically the same method. I love whole
roast chicken, and it’s a meal I often
prepare for Sunday dinner. Instead of
wasting the bones after the carcass is
picked clean, I simply put them in a
big pot, cover them with water, and
simmer on low for a few hours, or
overnight in a crockpot. As it cooks,
the bones soften and release healthful
minerals, gelatin, and lots of flavor.
When it’s done I skim the foam off
the top and strain the liquid. Again,
it couldn’t be easier. Beef bones, fish
bones, or even pork bones can be
made into broth in exactly the same
way. Adding a few vegetables or
herbs to your meat broths can give
another dimension of flavor and can
make a simple chicken or beef broth
into something divine.
And if you want to make soup but
don’t have the time or inclination to
make your own broth? The Co-op has
a great selection of organic and freerange broths and broth powders that
don’t have any of the excess sodium,
MSG or other additives most commercial broths contain. Just because you
don’t have any chicken bones on hand
certainly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t
make chicken soup.
Now that you’ve got your broth
it’s time to make soup. Here’s where
your creativity can really shine. There
are so many delicious soups in the
world, it’s hard to pick just a few to
talk about here, so I’ll divide them up
into two main groups.
Vegetable, grain or pasta
soups
First, the simple vegetable, grain,
or pasta-based soups. Usually these
are made by simply sautéing some
vegetables and/or meats in a large
pot, adding broth and pasta, potatoes,
beans, and/or a grain (rice, barley,
lentils, split peas, quinoa, etc.) and
simmering for a few hours until
everything is cooked. Before serving,
taste the soup and season it to your
liking with salt, pepper, fresh herbs,
spices, lemon or lime juice, or maybe
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
a touch of vinegar. You can make a
multitude of soups this way: French
onion, chicken noodle (add precooked
chicken at the end of cooking), potato
leek, split pea, vegetable barley, Russian beet borscht…or why not make
something up?
Cream soups
The second category is a little
more complicated. These are the
creamy soups. They are made just like
the soups above, except some cream
(or cream alternative like soy milk
or coconut milk) is added at the end
of cooking to give an extra dimension of flavor and texture. These
soups are sometimes pureed and put
through a sieve to make them completely smooth. While techniques
like this can be rewarding if you have
the time, personally, I’ve enjoyed a
chunky cream of tomato soup just as
much as an extremely smooth one and
sometimes all the extra work involved
in getting it totally smooth just isn’t
worth the time. It’s easy to be intimidated by a recipe that has lots of steps
(peeling everything, pureeing, pushing
through a sieve, etc.) and decide not
to make the soup at all. Don’t give in
to that, just simplify the recipe! One
thing’s for sure, I’d take a homemade
chunky creamed soup over an extremely creamy one out of a can any
day, and I bet you would to.
Soup’s on…sale!
What if you really don’t have the
time to make soup, even an easy one?
Well, you’re in luck! We have soup
on sale in the Deli all through January with two selections (a vegan and
a non-vegan option) every day. Our
soups are made from scratch in our
Production Kitchen, and like all of our
Deli food, they are free of MSG and
the other nasty things you find in most
commercial soups.
CHEESE NEWS
BY STUART MAMMEL, CHEESE
COORDINATOR
W
e in the cheese department would like to
extend our appreciation
to everyone—customers
and cheesemakers alike—who made
our December 12th cheese sampling
such a great success. Thanks so much
for coming. We hope next year’s holiday sampling will be just as much fun.
Dreamfarm
We’re sad to say that Diana Murphy’s Dreamfarm goat milk cheese is
finally finished for the season. She has
to give those poor goats a rest once
in awhile. But as soon as it becomes
available again, which should be a
few short months from now, we guarantee we’ll have it back in the cheese
case again. It’s always nice to have
something to look forward to, isn’t it?
Mt. Sterling and Crave
Brothers
Mt. Sterling Smoked Raw Goat’s
Milk Cheddar has, after a long absence, finally made a return to the
case. Make sure you grab a piece of
this deliciously smoky, nutty masterpiece. We’ve also added Crave Brothers Petit Freres—a lovely miniature
round of their amazing abbey-style,
washed rind cheese, Les Freres. These
rounds make excellent centerpieces
for cheese platters, and are delicious
served with tart apples, or lusciously
sweet pears.
Low-fat cheeses
We know this is the time of year
when you try to commit to those New
Year’s resolutions. It can be hard,
but we’d like to help ease the pain
somewhat. We offer a wide variety
of cheeses that are low-fat alternatives with very little loss in flavor
or texture. And there are two basic
guidelines to remember to help you
avoid too much fat: 1.) The higher
the moisture content of a cheese, the
lower its fat content will be. Fresh
cheeses like fresh mozzarella or feta
will be naturally lower in fat because
they still contain a great deal of moisture. This is why Neufchatel cream
cheese is softer than regular full fat
cream cheese. 2.) Full flavored drier
cheeses like Parmesan, Romano, or
nicely aged Goudas and Cheddars
generally can satisfy in smaller quantities because of their intense robustness. Whatever direction you want to
pursue, we are here to help meet your
needs.
We hope everyone had a very
happy holiday season, and here’s to a
new year of great cheeses!
$16 Squares are menus that feed four people for $16 or less. These
menus incorporate products that are on sale this month at the Co-op. The
cost of basic pantry ingredients like flour, spices, oil, and condiments are
not included in the cost of each menu. Serving sizes are based on manufacturers’ recommendations where appropriate.
Warming Winter Soup Meal—$10.34 for Four
Servings
Golden Curried Pea Soup** @ $3.78; price includes:
1 large onion from a 3 lb. bag @ 30¢
2 Tipi Produce carrots from a 5 lb. bag @ 47¢
3 cloves garlic @ 30¢
1 lb. yellow split peas @ $1.55
1/4 lb. long grain brown rice @ 37¢, ESP item
*Stonyfield Farm plain yogurt, 6 oz. @ 79¢
Nature’s Bakery Pita Bread, 1/2 lb. @ $1.58
Steam-Sauteed Kale @ $1.99; price includes:
1 bunch curly kale @ $1.69, ESP item
3 cloves garlic @ 30¢
Ela Orchard apple slices, 1 lb. @ $1.49
*Organic Valley milk, 32 ounces from 1-gallon jug, @ $1.50
Note: Substituting *32-oz. Rice Dream beverage @ $2.29 for the milk
in this menu changes the total cost to $11.13, but is still within the price
guidelines for the $16 Squares menus.
Hot Sandwich Night—$15.78 for Four Servings
Classic Tuna Melts** @ $7.91; price includes:
*Natural Sea Chunk Light Tuna, Two 6 oz. cans @ $2.98
2 scallions @ 36¢
1/2 c. Mrs. Clark’s Classic Flavor mayonnaise @ 59¢
1/2 lb. Roma tomatoes @ $1.15
*Rudi’s Organic Bakery English Muffins, choice of flavor, 4 @ $1.73
Carr Valley medium Cheddar cheese, 3 oz. @ $1.10
*Pacific Natural Foods Creamy Tomato Soup, or other flavor, 32 oz. @
$2.69
*bionaturae Nectar, choice of flavor, 25.4 oz. @ $2.49
Organic Navel Oranges, 1 1/2 lb. @ $2.69
* Denotes a sale-priced item. Prices for non-sale items were accurate as
of November 23, 2009, but may have changed since that date. Produce sale
items were not available at press deadline. Prices may be rounded to the
nearest penny.
Share your favorite economical recipes with other Co-op members.
Drop your recipes off at Customer Service or email them to: l.wermcrantz@
willystreet.coop. Please include your name, member number and the source
of the recipe.
**See the Recipe page for these dishes
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
19
D.I.Y. in the Kitchen
by Kathy Humiston, Newsletter Writer
J
anuary is a good time to hang out
in your kitchen. Winter is settling
in and cooking up some delicious
food is a great way to combat the chill in the air. After the holidays
many of us are trying to incorporate
a bit of thrift into our lives and cooking for yourself instead of going out
or eating frozen convenience meals
is a proven money saver. Cooking at
home usually saves calories too, while
delivering more nutrients than the typical restaurant or fast food meal. Finally,
cooking at home gives you a level of
control over your food that just isn’t
possible in any restaurant setting—you
choose the seasonings, you choose the
cooking method, you choose whether
the ingredients are organic, locally
grown whole foods or processed foods.
There are some foods that many
home cooks, even those that cook
from scratch daily, often tend to buy
ready-made. They might be things
we consider too time-consuming, like
home-baked bread, or things that seem
tricky, like salad dressing, yogurt or
mayonnaise.
Sometimes
20
they are
foods that
seem like
an overwhelming
production, like
homemade
soup or roasting meat; it might
be baby food or food for the dog, or
maybe not even food at all, but cleaning products or body care. This month,
why not try making something you
usually buy? It will shake up your routine a little and warm up your kitchen
at the same time and it is fun—and
rewarding—to know you can depend
on yourself when the weather is too
nasty for a trip to the store or your wallet is feeling too slim.
Stocking up
Like any other cooking project,
homemade versions of convenience
products start
from a
well-
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
stocked
pantry.
Take a few
minutes to make
sure you have the basics
on hand and that your
supplies are not stale or
rancid. Some things you’ll
need are storage vegetables,
including onions, garlic, potatoes
and carrots; mushrooms and fresh
herbs are nice if your budget allows,
but dried versions work just fine for
most things. You’ll need cooking
fats—olive oil is a favorite, but you
will probably also want something with
a milder flavor, along with butter or a
vegan substitute. Flour and leavening
agents including yeast, baking soda
and baking powder are useful. Has it
been a while since you refreshed your
herbs and spices? You might want to
start over with a new, fragrant supply.
Depending on the ready-made food
that you want to master on your own,
you might also need a stash of beans,
grains, pasta or canned tomatoes.
Start simple
Start your do-it-yourself project
with something that is simple, but delivers a good return on your investment
of time and money. Canned pinto
beans can be used in a variety of
ways right out of the can; they
are low in fat, a good source of
protein and fiber and not too
expensive—Westbrae Natural
organic pintos cost $1.89 for a
15-ounce can. Head over to the Bulk
aisle and check out the dried pinto
beans, though. At $1.85 per pound,
they are also not too expensive, especially when you realize that a pound of
dried pintos will deliver about five cups
of cooked beans! That’s about three
times as many cooked beans for a few
cents less than canned, and you get to
decide how much sodium you want in
your beans. In addition, the bulk beans
from Mountain High Organics are
grown in the United States; Westbrae
does not list country of origin on its
bean labeling.
Beans
Okay, you’ve got a pound of dried
pinto beans and you are thinking about
a pot of chili or maybe some refried
beans, but you aren’t quite sure what
comes next? The first thing you want
to do is sort through the beans to remove anything you don’t want to eat,
like small stones or plant debris. The
sorting is easily done if you spread the
beans out on a cookie sheet or platter
and work through them with your fingers. Beans are almost always dusty,
so once you’ve culled any foreign
material transfer the beans to a large
colander or bowl and take them to the
sink for a good rinse.
The next step is to soak the beans
before you cook them. Soaking
reduces the amount of cooking time
needed and helps make beans easier
to digest while making their nutrients
more available to the body. There are
a couple of ways you can approach
soaking; if you are in a rush use the
quick soak method: Put the sorted,
rinsed beans into a pot and cover them
generously with water. The beans are
going to absorb water, so you want
them covered by a couple of inches.
Bring the pot of beans to a boil for
three minutes; remove from heat,
cover and let stand for an hour.
Many cooks think the long-soak
method produces beans that cook
more uniformly. This process is one
that you can begin first thing in the
morning or in the evening, depending on when you plan to cook the
beans. Sort and rinse the beans and
then place them in a large bowl; cover
generously with water and then forget
about them for at least six hours. It
is best to soak beans until they are
fully hydrated—slice one open and
check to see that there is no opaque
hard spot in the center. This process
is the same for virtually all types of
beans, but the soaking time will vary;
larger beans require a longer soak than
smaller ones. Lentils and split peas do
not have to be soaked at all, but it will
reduce their cooking time, especially
for split peas. Beans should be soaked
at
room
temperature,
but if it is very
warm, or the soaking time will be
more than eight hours, put them in the
refrigerator. Do not add any salt or
seasonings to the soaking beans.
When you are ready to cook the
beans, drain the soak water and rinse
them thoroughly; this will send a
small amount of nutrients down the
drain, but it also eliminates any remaining dirt and many of the sugars—
oligosaccharides—that cause flatulence in some bean eaters. Cover with
about three cups fresh water per cup
of beans and bring to a boil. Reduce
the heat, partially cover and simmer
until the beans are tender—pinto
beans will take about two hours and
the cooking time for other types will
vary, depending on their size. Garbanzo beans may require a bit longer
and soybeans often need at least three
hours. Beans cook nicely in a slow
cooker—start them in the morning
and they will be ready when you get
home from work or let them cook
while you sleep, then cool and store
until you are ready to use them. If you
use a pressure cooker, beans can soak
all day and then be cooked and ready
for dinner in just 15-20 minutes; most
pressure cookers should not be filled
more than halfway with beans and water and adding a tablespoon or two of
oil will help prevent foaming or loose
bean skins from clogging the vent.
Adding aromatic vegetables and herbs
to the beans when cooking will result
in more depth of flavor regardless of
the cooking method, but do not add
salt until the beans are tender. Adding
salt, or acidic ingredients like tomatoes, can greatly increase the
amount of time needed to cook
the beans. In the case of
pinto beans, your final
use will determine the
seasonings you add. If
I am planning to turn a
pot of pintos into refried
beans I add a chopped onion,
a few cloves of minced garlic, some
ground cumin and a dried ancho chile
pod to the beans while they are cooking, salt to taste once they are tender,
and then let them simmer another ten
minutes or so to balance the flavors.
You can also toss in a small amount
of raw, chopped bacon or ham or
some smoked Spanish paprika when
you start cooking, if you like a smoky
flavor in your beans. These beans
are great, whether mashed for refried
beans, scooped into a soup bowl and
sprinkled with a bit of cheese, served
over cornbread or rice or added to
soup or chili. If you’ve cooked a full
pound of beans, you will have enough
to try them a couple of different ways
and if you have cooked two pounds
the extra beans can be frozen for a few
months, preferably in some of the pot
liquor.
A whole chicken
A golden, roasted chicken can
feed one or two people for a few days;
it makes a festive offering to serve
to friends and gives you a delicious
replacement for packaged sandwich
meat. Start with a whole chicken that
you’ve thawed in the refrigerator;
thawing will take a day or two, so be
sure to allow enough time. Remove
the chicken from the package, remove
the package of giblets and the neck
from the cavity and rinse the bird well,
inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. You don’t need a special roasting
pan, but choose one that is sturdy and
has sides to catch the juices; a rack is
nice to keep the chicken elevated—
the air circulation helps the chicken
to cook evenly and prevents it from
stewing in its juices. You can improvise a rack by placing the chicken on
a bed of sliced vegetables; onions, celery, celeriac and carrots all add flavor.
Place a small, quartered onion, a few
whole cloves of garlic and a bundle
of fresh herbs—parsley, rosemary and
thyme are nice—in the cavity. Rub
the outside of the chicken with a bit of
oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast the chicken breast side down at
375°F for 25 minutes. Take the chicken out of the oven and carefully turn
it breast side up; return to oven and
continue to
roast,
about
an hour longer or
until a meat thermometer inserted
in the thickest part of the thigh reads
170°F and the juices are clear. The exact timing will depend on the weight
of the chicken and the accuracy of
your oven. Let the chicken rest for
15 minutes before slicing and serving. Roasting two chickens at once is
no more difficult and assures you’ll
have plenty of leftovers for casseroles,
sandwiches or soup later in the week.
The juices in the bottom of the
chicken roasting pan and the chicken
carcass can be refrigerated and cooked
up for a quick homemade soup the
next day if you like. Start by chopping an onion or two leeks, two ribs of
celery and a few carrots and a couple
cloves of minced garlic; sauté these
in a bit of oil or butter in a large soup
pot; add some sliced mushrooms too,
if you like. Break the chicken carcass
into a few pieces and add it to the
vegetables in the pot along with any
reserved juices from the roasting pan.
Add water or chicken stock to cover,
salt and pepper to taste and a handful
of chopped parsley. Bring to a boil,
then reduce the heat to a low simmer,
partially cover the pot and let it cook
for about hour before removing the
bones. You can add any other vegetables to the soup that you like, as well
as some bits of the leftover roast
chicken, or stir in a
half-cup
of uncooked grain
like rice or barley. Leftover grain or
cooked noodles should be added toward the end of cooking time. Adjust
the seasonings before serving.
French fries
Do you grill up a perfect hamburger or homemade veggie burger,
only to serve it next to frozen fries?
Your oven can turn out delicious,
crisp homemade fries in about the
same time as frozen, with minimal
cost and effort on your part. Russet
potatoes work best; you will want one
medium-sized potato for each adult
diner. Scrub the spuds well, or peel if
you prefer, and slice lengthwise into
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
21
eighths or cut them into the traditional
fry shape. Toss the slices with two
teaspoons of oil until evenly coated and
then spread them in a single layer on a
rimmed baking sheet. Use two pans if
you are cooking several potatoes—if the
slices are too close together they will
steam rather than crisp in the oven. Bake
your fries, turning once or twice, for
about 20 minutes at 425°F, or until they
are tender in the middle and goldenbrown and crisp on the outside. Season
with salt or chili powder and serve with
your burger and a squeeze of ketchup.
Croutons
While your oven is hot why not
bake a supply of crunchy croutons to
add to salads or float on a bowl of soup?
Bread with an airy, open texture makes
the best croutons; slightly stale Pane
Turano Italian bread works well or you
can use yesterday’s baguette as long as
it is not too hard. The bread you choose
will determine whether your croutons
contain preservatives or other additives.
Trim the crusts off the bread, especially
if you are using a crusty baguette, then
slice the bread and cut into cubes of
whatever size you like. Do you want
your croutons seasoned or plain? For
seasoned croutons, mix a few tablespoons of olive oil with the dried herbs
of your choice; add a clove of minced
or pressed garlic or a bit of finely grated
Parmesan or Cheddar cheese if you like;
salt is optional. Toss the bread cubes
with seasoned or plain olive oil until
they are evenly coated, but not saturated; the quantity of oil depends on the
quantity of bread. Spread the cubes in a
single layer on a cookie sheet and toast
at 350°F until golden and crisp, turning
every few minutes. Once the toasting
process starts, croutons can scorch easily, so pay attention! Croutons will get
crisper as they cool; once they are completely cooled, store tin an airtight jar.
If you are tossing those croutons into
a salad, consider dressing it with your
own vinaigrette. Yes, there are dozens
of ready-made salad dressings and many
of them taste quite good, but they can
22
punch a big hole in your grocery budget.
The standard formula for vinaigrette
is one part acid to three parts oil, plus
flavorings if you like. The trick can be
to find an acid ingredient that pleases
your palate—many people find red
wine vinegar or lemon juice to be a bit
harsh, so you may want to experiment
with white wine vinegar, balsamic or
even rice vinegar. Pour the vinegar
into a small jar with a tight seal; add a
teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a clove of
pressed garlic, a bit of salt and pepper.
Let stand for about five minutes. Add
the oil—olive oil is classic—seal the jar
tightly and shake until the ingredients
are completely blended. You can add a
minced shallot or herbs to the vinegarmustard mix if you like; some people
like a pinch of sweetener, some skip the
salt, the flavor choices are yours.
Pasta sauce
Pasta is a classic winter comfort
food, but if you depend on jarred sauces
it can be an expensive favorite. Many
people put up their own canned tomatoes during the summer just so they can
make delicious marinara sauce in the
winter. You can make a great homemade
sauce using commercially canned tomatoes too. Check the recipe page of this
newsletter for a delicious sauce; you can
increase the size of the batch and freeze
the extra for another meal or personalize
it by adding cooked Italian sausage or
ground beef, mushrooms, crushed fennel
seeds or other favorite flavorings.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a staple in my kitchen; I
eat it with berries for breakfast, use it in
baking, and dollop it on vegetable curry,
so it can play a big part in my food budget. Homemade yogurt costs about half
as much as ready-made and once you get
your incubation system figured out it is
an easy process that only needs about 45
minutes of hands-on time.
If you want to try making yogurt
at home it is best to get the incubation
system worked out first. Yogurt needs
to ferment, undisturbed, for five to eight
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
hours at about 100°F. Some people
incubate yogurt in a thermos, some use
a heating pad or a warm oven and I have
seen (but not tried) instructions on the
web for using a slow cooker, but I like
using a picnic cooler. I fill four halfgallon milk jugs with very hot tap water
(about 125°F) and place them in the
cooler to preheat it while the milk heats,
and then leave them in there throughout
the incubation time; this keeps the interior of my cooler right around 100°F for
more than eight hours. Regardless of the
incubation method you choose, give it a
test run first to make sure the temperature will be right.
To make a quart of yogurt you will
need a quart of milk; whole milk makes
thicker, creamier yogurt without adding
powdered milk or gelatin, than low-fat
or skim milk, so it is often recommended for beginners. Do not use ultra-pasteurized milk for yogurt. You can also
use non-dairy milk to make yogurt if
you prefer. An accurate thermometer is
a necessity for yogurt making—the cultures thrive in a relatively narrow range
of temperatures and it is very frustrating
to have a batch fail because the milk was
too warm or cool. You will also want a
clean quart jar (smaller jars or covered
bowls can be used), a heavy-bottomed
saucepan and yogurt starter. We carry
Yogourmet freeze-dried yogurt starter in
Aisle 4 with the baking supplies or you
can use a good, plain commercial yogurt
with live cultures; you will need two
tablespoons of yogurt per quart of milk.
I have good results using Seven Stars
Farm original plain yogurt as a starter;
I freeze it in a clean ice-cube tray, and
then store the frozen cubes in a freezer
bag—they thaw in about an hour. Many
home yogurt-makers save a bit from
each batch to use as starter the next time,
this works best if you are making yogurt
every few days. The other required
equipment is your incubator. Be sure
all the yogurt-making tools—and your
hands—are very clean so that you are
not introducing any unwanted bacteria.
Heat the milk to 185°F, stirring
occasionally to prevent scorching. If
you are using fresh or frozen yogurt as
a starter, let it come to room temperature while the milk is heating; if you
are using a freeze-dried culture follow
the package directions. Once the milk
reaches 185°F, hold it at that temperature for a few minutes, then remove the
pan from the heat and let the milk cool
to 100-112°F. At this point, stir some of
the warm milk into the yogurt to temper
it a bit and then, gently, but thoroughly,
stir the starter into the pan of milk.
Transfer the mixture to the clean quart
jar, cover and place in the incubator.
I usually find six hours to be a good
incubation time, but check after about
five hours to see if it has set up to your
liking, keeping in mind that the yogurt
will thicken a bit more as it cools. When
the incubation time is done move the
yogurt to the refrigerator for several
hours before serving to stop the fermentation process.
There are a couple more tips to keep
in mind when making yogurt: you can
increase or decrease the size of the batch
as needed; it doesn’t matter if the milk
cools slowly or quickly—I often set the
pan in a sink of cold water, but watch
it very closely because the temperature
drops in a flash this way; milk or incubation temperatures above 120°F will
kill the culturing bacteria. Any sweeteners or other flavorings are best added
when you serve the yogurt. If you want
to branch out beyond yogurt making,
The Home Creamery by Kathy FarrellKingsley is a simple, basic manual for
making and using all sorts of dairy products at home including yogurt, kefir,
sour cream and soft, fresh cheeses.
Baby and toddler food
Many parents feed yogurt and other
simple homemade foods to their babies
and toddlers instead of buying commercial baby food. Homemade baby
food is much less expensive than those
tiny jars and you know exactly what you
are feeding your child. Pureed, steamed
vegetables and fruits are a good place
to start, followed by cereal and protein
foods. Check with your baby’s health
practitioner for recommendations on
specific foods to introduce first and
potential allergens to postpone. Many
parents find it efficient to prepare food
in larger quantities and freeze portions
until needed. After a food is cooked
it is pureed using a blender, food
processor or food mill. Purees can be
frozen in dollops on waxed or parchment paper or in clean ice cube trays;
transfer the frozen portions to a labeled
freezer container or zip-top bag until
you need them. If you want to prepare
fresh food for baby at each meal or
when away from home, check out the
Kidco Baby Food Mill sold in the baby
food and supplies area in Aisle 4—the
mill is easy to use, easy to clean, easy
to carry with you and a perennial
favorite with Co-op Owners. If you are
interested in making your baby’s food
you might want to add another resource
we carry—Super Baby Food by Ruth
Yaron—to your cookbook collection.
Yaron guides readers through the entire
process from preparation and equipment to timing the introduction of
various foods. She also shares a wealth
of money and time saving tips for child
and home care. Find her thrifty recipe
for baby wipes to the right..
Cleaners
Do you feel like you spend too
much money on all-purpose clean-
ers? The next time your spray bottle
runs dry, refill it, rather than throwing
it away. Mix two tablespoons white
vinegar with one-teaspoon borax in your
washed 16-ounce spray bottle; fill the
bottle halfway with very hot water and
shake until the borax is dissolved. Add
one-quarter cup liquid soap or detergent
and 15 drops lavender essential oil and
you’re ready to do more cleaning. You
can find borax in Aisle 5 with the laundry products; lavender essential oil is
available in the Wellness department.
Dog treats
Many dog lovers take time each
week to make a batch of homemade dog
food for their furry friends. Just like
people, dogs can develop allergic reactions to a variety of foods and specialdiet dog foods are not budget-friendly.
If you make your dog’s food you know
exactly what Fido is eating—most
recipes are a simple mix of meat, rice
and vegetables—but it is important to
consult your veterinarian first to ensure
that your dog’s nutritional needs are being met. Doggie treats can be tough on
both your budget and your dog’s health
and are easy to make at home. Try this
recipe if your dog is not allergic to
wheat: Combine two cups whole-wheat
flour (half spelt is good), one cup rolled
oats, and two tablespoons ground flax
seed in a bowl. Stir in one cup of water
and one-third cup natural peanut butter
and mix well. You may need a bit more
water to get workable dough. Turn the
dough out onto a lightly floured surface
and knead, adding more flour if necessary, until the dough is no longer sticky.
Roll out the dough to approximately
one-quarter inch thick and cut it into
small rectangles, using a pizza wheel or
tiny cookie cutters. Bake at 350°F for
20 minutes, then turn off the oven and
let the biscuits stand in the cooling oven
to make them crunchy. These treats
are not calorie-free, so offer them as a
special reward.
Delicious rewards
These homemade “convenience”
products are just a small sample of
things you can make easily—and inexpensively—at home, so don’t quit here;
check out the recipes in this issue of the
Reader for more ideas. Chicken or vegetable stock requires a bit of time, but is
easy (see Megan’s article on page 14).
Homemade granola is simple enough
for kids to make with a bit of supervision at the stove; English muffins or
bagels are a bit more involved, but anyone can master them too. Whatever you
choose to make, remember that your
Co-op has the freshest, highest quality
ingredients that will help assure your
success in the kitchen. Give homemade
a try—the rewards are delicious.
Homemade Baby Wipes
Excerpted and adapted with permission from Super Baby Food by Ruth
Yaron
2 c. water
2 Tbs. baby oil
2 Tbs. either baby shampoo or baby
wash
1 to 2 Tbs. aloe vera gel, optional
7-8 drops lavender essential oil, optional
1 roll soft paper towels
Directions: Cut the roll of paper
towels in half using an electric or nonserrated knife; remove the cardboard
core using pliers. Place a halved roll
of towels in a clean empty baby wipes
dispenser or a cylindrical, re-sealable
plastic container. Save the other half-roll
of towels for next time or double the
liquid ingredients to make two batches
right away. Mix the liquid ingredients
together and pour into the container
of towels. Seal the container and turn
upside down for 15 minutes while the
liquid is absorbed. Open the container,
pull out the first towel from the inside
of the roll and pull it through the hole in
the lid of the container. If you are using
a Rubbermaid-type container with no
hole in the lid, take a sharp knife and cut
an X in the center of the lid, trimming
the inside corners a bit to make a small
hole. Note: See Super Baby Food for
variations on this basic recipe.
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
23
PRODUCER PROFILE
Ann Doody: Greeting New Opportunities
by Lynn Olson, Cooperative Services Manager
A
nn Doody was Willy Street
Co-op’s General Manager
from 1984 to 1985. Coming full circle, she is now a
vendor providing us with her new
greeting card line. She splits her time
between Colorado and Wisconsin and,
with no shortage of botanical fodder
for her art, she has transformed her
portfolio of watercolor paintings into
a beautiful collection of cards.
After leaving the Co-op in 1985,
Ann became a successful graphic
designer and then went on to become
president and owner of Techline, an
office design and planning provider.
Ann says of her return to art and
illustrating, “My 20-year stint in business ended suddenly with a diagnosis
of ovarian and uterine cancer. After a
year of surgery and chemo, I started
over. And doing my art was something that seemed healing.”
Before starting her latest, onewoman business a year and a half ago,
Ann found her two children grown
and on their own and she only had
herself to please. She says, “As a very
young person…I had always wanted
to be an artist and a ski bum. So, I
drove out to Colorado and got a job
as a ski instructor. Not expecting it to
necessarily last…and maybe even as
a way to get away from the cancer,
that was almost five years ago. [Now]
I am an artist and a ski bum…at least
for now,” she says.
A brief historic interlude
After earning a BS in Medical
Illustration from Ohio State in the
early 1980s, Ann worked briefly
in the field, then eventually found
herself in Champaign, Illinois where
she had her first taste of cooperative
governance as a Board member of a
local food co-op. By the mid 1980s,
married with two small children, Ann
and her family moved to Madison
and began seeking a new grocery
cooperative. “I was just signing up
to be a member,” Ann recalls, “and
they asked me if I would be general
manager, and I did need a job…so, in
a short time I took the job. The co-op
was desperate and so was I. At the
time the wages were all even and the
store had become complex, so it was
probably not easy to find someone
who had the skills to be GM and be
paid minimum wage.” Later, Ann
adds, “When I took the job as GM, I
learned everything on the job. I [got]
much of my business training from
my year at the co-op and still I say
thank you. It [is] an important part of
the Co-op that people can get practical training without a perfect educational background.”
Another incentive for urgency
during that time in our Co-op’s
history, in addition to a lingering
vacancy in the GM position, was
the eagerly awaited expansion of
the 1202 Williamson Street building (Clyde’s side), which was ready
to go architecturally, but still lacked
financial means. “The money had to
be raised and the store needed a GM,”
Ann recalls, “The expansion was going to cost around $100,000, which
was a fortune then and our sales went
from $2 million to $4 during my
time. The expansion added a wall of
walk-in coolers and a deli prep area. I
remember going to Common Wealth
Development and proposing the project and getting a great big loan from
them, so they must have believed it
would work. It was a very successful
expansion—on time and on budget
but it was extremely stressful.”
“Making money is art
and working is art and
good business is the best
art.” -Andy Warhol
Kathleen Kemnitz, the Co-op’s
General Merchandise Buyer says,
“When I first started, Ann was the
first vendor I was introduced to in
training. I was nervous; she was great.
We soon discovered we are both a bit
24
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
quirky and were quickly able to be
ourselves with each other. She helped
me ease into card sales and taught me
some of what she has learned in her
journey from artist to card producer.”
Committed to featuring only
locally made cards like Ann’s,
Kathleen says, “[Ann’s] combo of
professionalism and being part of the
Madison (and Co-op) community
keeps me determined to keep all card
vendors local. So few products are
made in the [U.S.] these days, much
less in Wisconsin (or Madison), that
it is an easy choice to continue this
tradition. My only trouble is, with all
the local card artists, I have too many
to choose from.”
Sold in packs and individually,
Ann says “Each card has a little
story on the back. I’ve found the
whole process for original art-to-card
concept, and design and sales and
marketing are a real challenge. I am
learning a lot and see there’s so much
more to learn.”
Ann credits Beth Erlanson at
Silverline Digital on Madison’s west
side for assisting her on website design (www.anndoody.com) and print
production. Of their initial collaboration, Ann says, “I decided to make
cards out of some of my paintings
for a neighborhood 4th of July art
show and Beth helped me do it. The
response was positive, so I took the
cards to local stores and the business
took off. UPC codes were added and
packaging has been redesigned a few
times to accommodate displays.
“The cards are printed on demand, as per order, so there is no
waste or warehousing,” Ann explains. “Stores keep only minimal—
if any—inventory, so it’s quite
efficient. The Co-op orders from my
web site and the cards are printed
within a week and delivered, usually
by me when I am getting my groceries.”
Summarizing her experiences
with Willy Street Co-op and her
newest role as a vendor, Ann remarks, “Relationships are important
in co-ops and making good things
happen for ourselves and our communities. I get a lot of energy from
people around me, especially when
we are working toward a common
goal. Yahoo, co-ops. May they grow
and prosper!”
:
ATTORNEYS
PAUL & LAURA
O’FLANAGAN
SPOTLIGHT ON…
PROGRESSIVE & LOCAL
FAMILY LAW FIRM
OFFERING:
UMEBOSHI PLUMS
What are they?
Umeboshi plums are known in
Japan as ume fruit and are really
more closely related to apricots than
plums. Umeboshi are very sour and
salty, but have been part of the traditional Japanese diet for centuries,
being mentioned in a medical text
from 1,000 years ago. Umeboshi
are an important part of a traditional
macrobiotic diet as well, where they
are used as a pickle. They are alkalinizing to the digestive system and
many people use umeboshi to treat
symptoms of indigestion, travel
sickness, food poisoning, colds and
flu as well as many other illnesses;
they are also touted as an excellent
hangover remedy. In Japan, the
“apple a day” saying is applied to
umeboshi plums: “An umeboshi a
day keeps the doctors away.”
How are they made?
Most umeboshi come from Wakayama Prefecture on the Japanese
island of Honshu, where climate
conditions are excellent for growing
this plum. The ume fruit is picked
in late June; after being soaked in
water overnight the fruit is layered
with sea salt in huge vats, covered
with a weighted lid and left to ferment naturally for about a month.
At the end of the fermentation time
the plums are air-dried for several
days. Most of the dried fruit is then
soaked in a mixture of the fermenting brine, known as plum vinegar,
and shiso leaves. This infuses the
plums with intense flavor and color
and is also thought to enhance their
antibacterial properties.
How to use Umeboshi
Plums?
Umeboshi are often used as
garnish for rice or sushi; they are a
common stuffing for the Japanese
rice balls known as onigiri. Minced
umeboshi or umeboshi paste can
be added to salad dressings or
stir-fried vegetable dishes. Use
umeboshi in any recipe that needs a
little “spark.”
Where to find
Umeboshi?
Umeboshi paste and whole
pickled umeboshi plums from Eden
Foods are available in Aisle 3 with
the other Asian foods.
Deli
Willy Street Co-op Sandwiches: Sweet
and Spiced, Fill in the Blank-wich,
Turkey Willy Wrap, Reuben, Muffaleta,
Pastrami on Rye, Peanut Butter and
Jelly, Rhythm of the Beet, Sesame
Shiitake Wrap
Willy Street Co-op Salads: Chef, Spinach,
Caesar
Willy Street Co-op House Blend Cheese
For Pizza
Willy Street Co-op House Made Pizza
Sauce
Willy Street Co-op Pizza Dough
Bakery
Earth Cafe Whole Raw Food Cheese
Cake: Cali Style Lemon, Cherry
Dream, Peach Passion, Pumpkin Spice
Juice Bar
Quantum Elderberry Liquid Extract
Willy Street Co-op Superfood Green
Smoothie Immunity Plus with Elderberry Extract
Bulk
Equal Exchange Organic Sierra Madre
Reserve Full City Roast Coffee
Just Coffee Organic Uganda Coffee
M&M Organic Farms, LLC Organic
Homemade Noodles
Dairy
Instant Light Sweetened Whipped
Cream
M & M Organic Farms Organic Omega-3 Eggs: Jumbo, Large
Pasture Patterns Organic Large Pasture
Raised Ungraded Eggs
Earth Balance Soy Free Natural Buttery
Spread
Sassy Cow 32 oz Milk: 2%, Skim, Whole
Sassy Cow Farmstead Creamery Egg
Nog
Fage Plain Greek Yogurt
Refrigerated
Nessalla Lemongrass Ginger Kombucha
Meat
Pecatonica Valley Farms Coarse Ground
Farmer Ring Bologna
Pecatonica Valley Farms Fine Ring
Bologna
Pecatonica Valley Farms Beef Bacon
Pecatonica Valley Farms Lard
Grocery
Sharwoods Chutney: Bengal Spice
Mango, Major Grey
Sharwoods Cooking Sauce: Tandoori
Makhani, Tikka Masala, Kung Po,
Black Bean and Red Pepper
Bob’s Red Mill Cornstarch
Let’s Do Organics Organic Cornstarch
Steaz Organic Energy Shot
Steaz Organic Iced Teaz White Tea with
Lime and Pomegranate
Steaz Organic Energy
Christine’s Coffee Toffee
Nature’s Path Organic Instant Hot Oatmeal Variety Pack
Snyder’s Pretzels: Mini, Sticks, Thins,
Hard Pretzels Sourdough
French’s French Fried Onions
Tillen Farms Maraschino Cherries
R.W. Knudsen Sparkling Pomegranate
Juice
Roland Whole Chestnuts
Good Earth Teas Original Tea
Juniper Ridge Douglas Fir Tip Herbal Tea
Juniper Ridge White Sage & Wild Mint
Herbal Tea
Unbleached Tea Bags
Zola Açai Superfood Smoothie
Wellness
Green Sprouts Bath Puppet
Simplers Organic 100% Argan Oil
Burt’s Bees Essential Body Kit
Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Balm
Essence Soap: Nutmeg, Cardamom
Ojas Ayurveda Anti-Itchy: EczemAway,
Poison Oak/Ivy, Psoria Bye-Bye
W. S. Badger Balm: Cheerful Mind, Cuticle Care, Headache Soother, Stress
Soother
WILLS, TRUSTS, TAX,
ESTATE PLANS, PROBATE,
GUARDIANSHIP & FAMILY
ASSISTANCE TO
EASTSIDE FOLKS
AT LOW COST.
2.375x6.375
CAL L : 6 08 -63 0 -5 06 8
Willy Street Coop Newsletter Ad
!"#$%!"
!"&!"#'
!"()("
!"*+,
!" #"$
!"## $%&"' $% ())*
+,' -./ 01"$,1. 2#3%4
+"3 51"$6.1& 74
89:;: <"=">741
Specializing in Crisis Care,
Pediatric, Obstetric &
Whole Body Wellness
Supplements
Similasan Relief Kid’s Cold & Mucus
Similasan Cough Syrup Kid’s Cough
Relief
Alacer Emer’gen-C: Alert! Berry, Immune + Citrus
Dynamic Health Organic Tart Cherry
Juice Concentrate
Nature’s Life Healthy Veg Vanilla
New Chapter Wholemega Fish Oil
Natural Factors Mixed Fruit Chewable
Vitamin C
Natural Factors Vitamin D3 1000mg,
5000mg, 2000mg
Now Vitamin K K-2
CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTER
Live Your Best Life, Naturally.
?@A 07## B$.11$C B67$1 @AA
<"&73%4C DE FG?AF
HIAJK @GGL??FA
www.RenewedLifeChiropractic.com
Housewares
Fox Run Terra Cotta: Bread Warmer,
Garlic Keeper, Roaster
Preserve Dry Measuring Cups: Green,
Red
Glass Dharma Cleaning Brush: 12mm,
7mm, 9.5mm
Glass Dharma Glass Straw: Amber Sipper, Black Sipper, Blue Sipper, Clear
Sipper, Green Sipper, Red Sipper
Preserve Recycled Cutting Board: Berry
Blue, Milk White
thinksport Stainless Steel Sports Bottle:
12 oz, 25 oz
thinkbaby BPA Free Feeding Set
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
25
RECIPES AND DRINK RECOMMENDATIONS
DRINK RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAR LIQUOR, 1209 WILLIAMSON STREET, 255-8041
Take 10% off recommended beverages… Just show your member card at Star Liquor!
Pita Bread
Crunchy Granola
Recipe reprinted with permission from The More With Less
Cookbook, Herald Press
1/2 to 1 c. unsweetened coconut
4 c. rolled oats
1 c. sunflower seeds
1 c. wheat germ
1/4 to 1/2 c. sesame seeds
1 c. chopped peanuts or walnuts
3/4 to 1 c. honey or brown sugar
1/2 c. oil
1 Tbs. cinnamon
Directions: Preheat oven to
325°F; grease two rimmed cookie
sheets. Mix first six ingredients
together in a large bowl. Warm
honey and then stir in oil and
cinnamon. If using brown sugar
dissolve it in 1/4 cup water before
adding to the oil, or use 3/4 cup oil
and omit water. Pour the sweetener
mixture over the dry ingredients and
mix thoroughly. Spread on baking
sheets and bake about 30 minutes,
stirring often. Watch closely at the
end of baking time so granola does
not become too dark. Cool, then
break into chunks and store in airtight container.
Star Recommends: Norton Cosechia Tardia Late Harvest Chardonnay—Made with Chardonnay
grapes harvested over ripe so
as to achieve its natural sweetness. Its soft flavor together with
honey touches perceived in its
aroma make Cosecha Tardía an
ideal wine to be drunk alone, or
else, to accompany a snack like
this granola.
Chicken Stock
Recipe adapted from epicurious.
com
6 lbs. chicken bones (backs, necks,
carcasses, and/or wing tips) or 1 or
2 whole chickens
3 quarts water or more if needed
2 large onions, unpeeled, coarsely
chopped (peels add flavor and
color)
4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 dried bay leaves
8 fresh parsley stems (Italian or
curly)
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tsp. black peppercorns
Salt to taste (optional)
Directions: Put all the chicken
parts into a large stockpot; if using
whole chickens, cut them in half.
Add cold water to cover, at least 3
quarts; and bring to a gentle boil. Stir
occasionally and skim off and discard any foam that accumulates on
the surface of the water. Once foaming has subsided, reduce the heat to a
simmer and skim off the foam once
more. Do not worry about skimming
fat at this point; it is adding flavor
and can be easily removed later if
desired. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, partially cover and
let simmer at least three hours. It
may be necessary to add additional
water to keep the chicken bones
submerged. After a few hours
the stock may be lightly salted if
desired, but many cooks prefer to
salt the finished dish in which stock
is used. Strain the stock through a
fine-mesh sieve and/or cheesecloth
to remove all solids and cool as
quickly as possible. As the stock
chills the fat will rise to the surface
and harden; this disc of fat can then
be easily removed in one piece.
Once the broth is completely cooled
cover it and use within a few days
or pour into clean freezer containers and freeze up to three months.
This recipe makes about ten cups of
stock.
Note: The solids strained from
the stock may contain pieces of
cooked chicken that can be saved
and used in soups or casseroles if
desired.
Please drink responsibly.
Supplies and prices limited. Not valid with other offers or discounts.
26
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
Reprinted with permission from
Whole Foods for the Whole
Family by La Leche League
International, www.llli.org
1 Tbs. yeast
1 Tbs. honey or sugar
2 1/2 c. warm water, about 105°F
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. oil
6 to 7 c. whole-wheat flour
Directions: Dissolve yeast and
honey in the water. When bubbly
(5-10 minutes) add salt, oil and
6 cups flour, mixing well. Turn
out onto lightly floured surface
and knead 5 to 10 minutes, adding more flour if necessary (just
enough to keep from sticking).
Cover dough with a clean kitchen
towel and let rise until doubled,
about one hour. Punch down
dough and divide into 12 to 20
equal pieces, depending on how
large you want the pitas. Roll each
into a ball, let rest a few minutes
and then roll out on a floured
surface into circles about 1/4-
inch thick. Place circles on greased
cookie sheets, cover and let rest 30
to 45 minutes. Heat oven to 450°F.
Bake pitas, one sheet at a time on the
bottom rack of the oven for about
five minutes. They should be puffed
in the middle and barely browned.
To keep them soft wrap in a clean
towel to cool. Freeze any that won’t
be used right away, wrapped well
in foil and a zip-top bag. Thaw, still
wrapped in foil, at 350°F for 10 to 15
minutes.
Note: Baking the pitas directly on
a preheated baking stone if you have
one or on a cookie sheet preheated on
the bottom of the oven may result in
better pockets.
Star Recommends: Georges
DuBoeuf Cote-de-Brouilly—The
Gamay grape finds its home in
France’s Burgundy region where
it is responsible for the red wines
of Beaujolais, producing light to
medium bodied wines with modest tannins and good acidity.
Classic Tuna Melt
Recipe adapted from eatingwell.
com
One 12 oz. canned chunk light
tuna, drained
2 green onions, minced
2 Tbs. minced celery
2 to 4 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. minced flat-leaf parsley
1/8 tsp. salt
Dash of hot sauce
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 whole-wheat English muffins,
split and toasted
1/2 lb. tomatoes, sliced
3/4 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions: Preheat broiler.
Combine tuna, green onions,
celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice,
parsley, salt, hot sauce and pepper in a medium bowl. Divide
the tuna mixture evenly
between each muffin
half; top with tomato
slices and cheese. Place
muffins on a baking
sheet and broil until the cheese is
bubbling and golden brown, 3 to 5
minutes.
Star Recommends:York Mountain Edna Valley Pinot Noir—
This wine is driven with complex fruit flavors such as rich
blueberry. Enhanced with wild
berry and blueberry aromas
and a dark, intense polished
tannic structure. The idea of
pairing this rich Pinot Noir
with a tuna melt makes our
mouths water.
Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole
Recipe adapted from The PDQ
Vegetarian Cookbook by Donna
Klein
2 c. cooked white or brown rice
2 eggs
2 scallions, chopped
1 1/2 c. salsa of choice, divided use
1 c. shredded Cheddar or pepper
Jack cheese
One 16 oz. can refried beans
Directions: Preheat oven to
375°F; grease an 8-inch square baking dish. Lightly beat the eggs and
then stir in the rice, scallions and
1/2 cup of salsa, mixing well. Press
this mixture into the prepared baking
pan. Rinse the bowl and then empty
the beans into it, breaking them up a
bit. Stir the remaining salsa into the
beans and then spread the mixture
over the rice in the baking dish.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over
the top, cover the pan with a lid or
foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove
the cover and return the dish to the
oven for about 5 minutes, or until
the cheese is melted and lightly
browned.
Star Recommends: Bonterra
Organic Sauvignon Blanc—
Intense aromas of grapefruit,
kiwi and freshly cut grass mix
with concentrated tropical
aromas and a bright minerality. A blend of fruit grown in
the prime growing regions of
Mendocino and Lake counties,
this wine is the product of local organic viticulture in full
flower.
Golden Curried Pea Soup
Recipe reprinted with permission,
from Vegetarian Soups for All
Seasons: Bountiful Vegan Soups
and Stews for Every Time of Year
by Nava Atlas.
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed or
minced
8 cups water
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 lb. dry yellow split peas, rinsed
1/2 cup raw brown rice or barley,
rinsed
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. good quality curry powder,
more or less to taste
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper to
taste
Plain yogurt to garnish, optional
Directions: Heat the oil in a
soup pot. Add the onion and sauté
over medium-low heat until golden.
Add all the remaining ingredients
except the salt and pepper. Bring
to a rapid simmer, and then lower
Winter Tomato Sauce
Recipe by Carrie Floyd, for the
Culinate Kitchen collection, www.
culinate.com. Reprinted with
permission.
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely
chopped
1 celery stalk, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (28 ounces) whole plum
tomatoes, chopped (reserve the
juice)
1 can (28 ounces) tomato purée
1 tbs. dried basil, freshly crumbled
1/2 Tbs. dried oregano, freshly
crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions: In a large sauté pan,
heat the oil. Add onions, carrots,
and celery, and cook over mediumlow heat until the vegetables are
tender and beginning to brown.
Add the chopped garlic, stir,
and cook for 1 minute. Add the
chopped tomatoes, tomato juice,
tomato purée, basil, and oregano.
Cook for about 30 minutes over
medium heat, giving the pot a
stir occasionally. Before serving
season to taste with salt and black
pepper.
Star Recommends: Tre Donne
Barbera d’ Alba—The Tre Donne
produce a truly likeable Barbera—clean, fresh, direct and
honest. The acidity is crisp, the
fruit pointed, tannins characteristically light.
Apple Cranberry Salad
the heat. Cover and
simmer gently until
the peas are mushy,
about 1-1/2 hours,
stirring occasionally.
When the peas are done, adjust
the consistency with more water
as needed, and then season with
salt and pepper. Discard the bay
leaves and serve garnished with a
dollop of yogurt if desired.
Note: This soup thickens
considerably as it stands; thin with
additional water as needed and
adjust the seasonings.
Star Recommends: Alfred
Merkelbach Urzinger Wurtzinger Riesling Kabinett—We
will defer to the wine’s importer Terry Thiese who says,
“Vivid, toe-curling clarity of
fruit and terroir make this my
most beloved Mosel agency.
These are just some of the
keenest, spiciest, most helplessly beautiful wines you can
ever drink. The iciest blade
of electric, splashing acidity supports a fruit so clear,
so sharply rendered that the
entire experience is so vivid it
makes your toenails laugh!”
Recipe by Chef John Merucci
at Brook Lodge, Augusta, MI.
Submitted with permission by
Sabine Gross, Willy Street Coop Owner
1 package fresh cranberries (12
oz. to 1 lb.)
3-4 apples (or more if small)
1 orange
1/2 to 1 inch fresh ginger
1/4 c. to 1/2 c. agave syrup.
Directions: Coarsely grate or
chop apples and cranberries, using
a Mouli grater, food processor or
hand grater. Finely chop peeled
orange; finely grate or mince ginger. Add agave syrup and stir to
mix all ingredients. If possible let
stand a couple hours before eating so
that flavors will blend.
Note: Amounts are flexible—
adjust according to taste for desired
sweetness, tartness, gingeriness!
Star Recommends: Trapiche
Broquel Torrontes—This is a
spicy number from the first sniff
to the first hit on the palate.
Peppery and floral with a pronounced acidity. This mix quickly
gives way to hints of apple and
honey, even touches of cinnamon
and thyme. All of these notes
and its soft, lush finish make it
an ideal accompaniment to this
salad.
THIS MONTH’S
WELLNESS
WEDNESDAY IS
JANUARY 6TH
1st w e d n e
s
y ea
da
month
off
Next month’s Wellness
Wednesday is February 3rd.
All Specials Subject to Availability.Sales Quantities Limited.
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
27
NEWSBITES
GMO giant Monsanto loses another day in court
France’s highest court has ruled
that Monsanto lied about the safety of
its weed killing herbicide Roundup.
The decision came in late October
2009 and confirms an earlier court
judgment in France finding that Monsanto had falsely advertised Roundup
as being “biodegradable” and that it
“left the soil clean.”
The original case was brought to
court in 2001 by several French environmental groups alleging that Roundup’s main ingredient, glyphosate, has
a classification as “dangerous to the
environment” by the European Union.
That case dragged on for years and
finally ended in a ruling against Monsanto in 2007.
The GMO giant quickly appealed
and that appeal was heard in 2008 in
the Lyon court. Monsanto lost that
case as well. They appealed again.
This time it went to France’s Supreme
Court; it lost that hearing and now
faces fines and nowhere else to go for
further appeals.
The court levied a 13,800 Euro
fine against the company (about
$22,400 USD). Monsanto is also looking at continued losses with fourth
quarter losses of $233 million (US),
mostly due to plummeting sales of
the Roundup brand. So far, Monsanto
has made no public statement about
the court’s ruling, but it is also possible that the ruling could mean civil
cases from farmers and communities
harmed by the false advertising. That
could mean millions of dollars more
in losses.
Roundup is the world’s bestselling herbicide and is marketed as
a weed-killer to both commercial
farmers and homeowners. Monsanto
is also the world’s largest purveyor
28
of genetically modified seeds (GMO
seeds). Often, the seeds are sold in
conjunction with Roundup, the seeds
being modified to be “herbicide tolerant” (HT-ready).
Some have argued that these
GM crops and seeds are worse for
the environment and could be a real
problem. Crop failures of GMO seeds
in Africa have highlighted the lack of
a crop diversity issue while other studies have found that GM versus nonGM seeds have little or no bearing on
higher yields, as seed companies like
Monsanto have claimed. Read the full
article here: http://www.naturalnews.
com/027352_Monsanto_GMO_
Roundup.html -Organic Consumers
Association, NaturalNews.com
U.S. hunger numbers
surge in 2008
Almost 50 million Americans,
including nearly one in four children
nationwide, struggled to get sufficient
food last year, according to figures
released by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) on November
16, 2009. The levels were the highest
since the government began tracking
the problem in 1995.
The Department’s annual report
on Food Security in the United States
for 2008 found that an additional 12.9
million people were added to the ranks
of the “food insecure” since 2007.
As of the end of last year, USDA’s
Economic Research Service found
that a total of 49.1 million people in
the country had insufficient resources
for food, with some 14.6 percent of all
households in the U.S. affected.
Overall, about one-third of all
struggling families—some 6.7 million
households encompassing 17.3 million
people—experienced “very low food
security,” or what the government
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
used to call “hunger.” USDA states
that for persons in very low food
security households “normal eating
patterns…were disrupted and food
intake was reduced.”
Children bore the brunt of the
increases in 2008. The number of
children in food-insecure households
jumped to 17 million last year from
just over 12 million in 2007. A total
of 22.6 percent of all children in
the nation faced uncertainty in getting enough to eat. People of color
were also disproportionately affected
by food insecurity. Among Blacks,
more than a quarter (25.7 percent) of
households were food insecure. In
the Hispanic community, the rate was
26.9 percent. Both groups were more
than twice as likely as white families
to be food-insecure.
President Barack Obama found
the news unsettling and noted that job
losses and economic instability “make
it difficult for parents to put a square
meal on the table each day.” Tom
Vilsack, Obama’s Agriculture Secretary, added, “It’s no secret. Poverty,
unemployment, these are all factors.”
The sobering statistics may also stir
up some action. “These numbers are a
wake-up call…for us to get very serious about food security and hunger,
about nutrition and food safety in this
country,” stated Vilsack.
Meanwhile, the government, food
banks, and emergency food providers
try, with the resources at hand, to get
food to the tsunami of hungry families
showing up at their door. “The [food
security] survey suggested that things
could be much worse but for the fact
that we have extensive food assistance
programs,” USDA Secretary Vilsack told the media. “This is a great
opportunity to put a spotlight on this
problem.”
Anti-hunger activists were saddened more than surprised by the
government’s statistics. “What should
really shock us is that one in four children in this country lives on the brink
of hunger,” noted David Beckmann,
president of Bread for the World in
Washington, D.C. For his part, Secretary Vilsack concluded that hunger
is “a problem that the American sense
of fairness should not tolerate and
American ingenuity can overcome.”
To learn more, see the USDA
report on Food Security in the United
States at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/
Briefing/FoodSecurity/. -Foodlinks
America
Cleaning supplies can
contaminate classroom
air
Ordinary school cleaning supplies can expose children to multiple
chemicals linked to asthma, cancer,
and other documented health problems
and to hundreds of other air contaminants that have never been tested for
safety, a study by the Environmental
Working Group shows. Laboratory
tests done for EWG found that a typical assortment of cleaning products
released 457 distinct chemicals into
the air.
EWG’s findings come at a time
when childhood asthma and many
childhood cancers are on the rise.
Lax labeling requirements mean
that schools often don’t know what
they’re purchasing. Many would be
alarmed to learn that when used as
directed, Comet Disinfectant Powder
Cleanser, a product commonly used
in both schools and private homes,
released more than 100 air contaminants, including chloroform, benzene,
and formaldehyde.
In response to these concerns,
many schools have turned to safer
cleaning supplies that have been
independently certified to meet protective health and safety standards. Eight
states have passed legislation requiring or encouraging use of these green
cleaning products in schools. Many
other forward-thinking school districts
have adopted green cleaning policies,
replacing toxic products with safer,
effective alternatives with no increase
in costs.
Check out the EWG report on
health risks tied to school cleaning
supplies, and learn about safer cleaning at school and at home: http://
www.ewg.org/schoolcleaningsupplies/
overview -Environmental Working
Group
USDA announces $17
million in grants to train
beginning farmers and
ranchers
The USDA recently announced
the award of more than $17 million in
grants to 29 institutions to address the
needs of beginning farmers and ranchers and enhance the sustainability and
competitiveness of U.S. agriculture.
“Beginning farmers and ranchers
face unique challenges and need educational and training programs to enhance their profitability and long term
sustainability,” Agriculture Deputy
Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said.
“The training and education provided
through these grants will help ensure
the success of the next generation of
farmers and ranchers as they work to
feed people in their local communities
and throughout the world.”
Merrigan announced the funding
in Elgin, MN, at the Hidden Stream
Farm and was joined by representatives from the Land Stewardship
Project, the local grant recipient that
provides local and regional training,
education, outreach and technical
assistance initiatives that address the
needs of beginning farmers and ranchers. Eric and Lisa Klein, the proprietors of Hidden Stream Farm, were
some of the first graduates of the Land
Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings course. Since graduating from
Farm Beginnings, the Kleins have
developed a thriving pasture-based
livestock operation that markets pork,
chickens and beef in southeast Minnesota and the Twin Cities.
This funding announcement is part
of USDA’s new “Know Your Farmer,
Know Your Food” initiative which
was launched in September 2009 to
emphasize the need for a fundamental
and critical reconnection between producers and consumers. “Know Your
Farmer, Know Your Food” includes
such major agricultural topics as
supporting local farmers and community food groups; strengthening rural
communities; enhancing direct marketing and farmers’ promotion programs;
promoting healthy eating; protecting
natural resources; and helping schools
connect with locally grown foods.
The grants were awarded through
USDA’s National Institute of Food
and Agriculture’s (NIFA, formerly the
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service) Beginning
Farmer and Rancher Development
Program (BFRDP). BFRDP is an education, training, technical assistance
and outreach program designed to help
U.S. farmers and ranchers, specifically those who have been farming or
ranching for 10 years or fewer. Congress authorized the FY 2009 funding
for this program in the 2008 Farm Bill,
with another $19 million in mandatory funding for FY 2010. Under the
program, USDA will make grants to
organizations that will implement programs to help beginning farmers and
ranchers.
Beginning farmers and ranchers
interested in participating in any of the
education, outreach, mentoring and/
or internship activities are asked to
contact the grantee institutions listed
below.
Fiscal year 2009 recipients include:
• Developing Innovations in Na-
vajo Education, Inc., Flagstaff, AZ,
$674,507
• Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation, Brinkley, AR,
$313,278
• Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association, Salinas, CA,
$515,862
• California FarmLink, Sebastopol,
CA, $525,000
• Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL, $225,079
• University of Florida, Gainesville,
FL, $596,219
• University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI,
$508,618
• Angelic Organics Learning Center,
Inc., Caledonia, IL, $750,000
• University of Kentucky, Lexington,
KY, $749,883
• Cultivating Community, Portland,
ME, $600,000
• USDA National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD, $1,498,137
• Land Stewardship Project, Minneapolis, MN, $413,820
• Farmers’ Legal Action Group, Inc.,
St. Paul, MN, $506,170
• Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute, Columbia, MO, $730,722
• University of Missouri, Columbia,
MO, $692,198
• University of Missouri, Columbia,
MO, $541,239
• University of Nebraska, Lincoln,
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
29
NE, $644,408
• Holistic Management International,
Albuquerque, NM, $639,301
• Cornell University, Ithaca, NY,
$750,000
• Fort Berthold Community College,
New Town, ND, $614,356
• Langston University, Langston, OK,
$525,000
• Pennsylvania State University, State
College, PA, $572,178
• Pennsylvania State University, State
College, PA, $733,821
• South Dakota State University,
Brookings, SD, $701,608
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville,
TN, $74,000
• University of Texas-Pan American,
Edinburg, TX, $665,038
• Washington State University, Pullman, WA, $748,651
• Washington State University, Pullman, WA, $524,896
• Midwest Organic and Sustainable
Education Service, Spring Valley,
WI, $151,515
Through federal funding and
leadership for research, education and
extension programs, NIFA focuses
on investing in science and solving
critical issues impacting people’s daily
lives and the nation’s future. For more
information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.
-National Institute of Food and Agriculture/USDA
30
Pesticide levels decline in
corn belt rivers
Concentrations of several major
pesticides mostly declined or stayed
the same in “Corn Belt” rivers and
streams from 1996 to 2006, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey
study.
The declines in pesticide concentrations closely followed declines in
their annual applications, indicating
that reducing pesticide use is an effective and reliable strategy for reducing
pesticide contamination in streams.
Declines in concentrations of the
agricultural herbicides cyanazine,
alachlor and metolachlor show the
effectiveness of U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory
actions as well as the influence of
new pesticide products. In addition,
declines from 2000 to 2006 in concentrations of the insecticide diazinon
correspond to the EPA’s national
phase-out of nonagricultural uses. The
USGS works closely with the EPA,
which uses USGS findings on pesticide trends to track the effectiveness
of changes in pesticide regulations and
use.
Scientists studied 11 herbicides
and insecticides frequently detected
in the Corn Belt region, which generally includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Nebraska and Ohio, as well as parts of
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
adjoining states. This area has among
the highest pesticide use in the
nation—mostly herbicides used for
weed control in corn and soybeans.
As a result, these pesticides are widespread in the region’s streams and
rivers, largely resulting from runoff
from cropland and urban areas.
Elevated concentrations can affect
aquatic organisms in streams as well
as the quality of drinking water in
some high-use areas where surface
water is used for municipal supply.
Four of the 11 pesticides evaluated
for trends were among those most
often found in previous USGS studies
to occur at levels of potential concern
for healthy aquatic life. Atrazine,
the most frequently detected, is also
regulated in drinking water.
“Pesticide use is constantly
changing in response to such factors as regulations, market forces,
and advances in science,” said
Dan Sullivan, lead scientist for the
study. “For example, acetochlor was
registered by the EPA in 1994 with
a goal of reducing use of alachlor
and other major corn herbicides—
acetochlor use rapidly increased to
a constant level by about 1996, and
alachlor use declined. Cyanazine use
also decreased rapidly from 1992 to
2000, as it was phased out because of
environmental concerns. Metolachlor
use did not markedly decrease until
about 1998, when S-metolachlor, a
more effective version that requires
lower application rates, was introduced. Each of these declines in use
was accompanied by similar declines
in concentrations.”
Although trends in concentration
and use almost always closely corresponded, concentrations of atrazine
and metolachlor each declined in
one stream more rapidly than their
estimated use. According to Skip
Vecchia, senior author of the report
on this analysis, “The steeper decline
in these instances may be caused by
agricultural management practices
that have reduced pesticide transport,
but data on management practices are
not adequate to definitively answer
the question. Overall, use is the most
dominant factor driving changes in
concentrations.”
Only one pesticide—simazine,
which is used for both agricultural
and urban weed control—increased
from 1996 to 2006. Concentrations of
simazine in some streams increased
more sharply than its trend in agricultural use, suggesting that non-agricultural uses of this herbicide, such
as for controlling weeds in residential
areas and along roadsides, increased
during the study period.
The USGS study is based on
analysis of 11 pesticides for 31
stream sites in the Corn Belt for two
partially overlapping time periods:
1996 to 2002 and 2000 to 2006.
Pesticides included in the trend
analyses were the herbicides atrazine,
acetochlor, metolachlor, alachlor, cyanazine, EPTC, simazine, metribuzin
and prometon, and the insecticides
chlorpyrifos and diazinon. Additional
detailed analyses of relations between
concentrations and use focused on
four herbicides mainly used for weed
control in corn (atrazine, acetochlor,
metolachlor and alachlor) at a subset
of 11 sites on the main rivers and
selected large tributaries in the Ohio,
Upper Mississippi and Missouri
River basins.
Concentrations of many other
pesticides that were less prevalent
than the 11 included in the study
were below analytical detection limits
in most samples and thus could not
be analyzed for trends. Glyphosate,
an herbicide that has had rapidly
increasing use on new genetically
modified varieties of soybeans and
corn, and which now is the most
heavily used herbicide in the nation,
was not measured until late in the
study and thus had insufficient data
for analysis of trends. -U.S. Geological Survey, Cornucopia Institute
LISTING INFORMATION
We welcome your submissions
to the Community Calendar.
Please send via mail or via email
to l.wermcrantz@willystreet.
coop. Submissions must be received by the 5th of each month
for inclusion in the following
month’s issue. If space is constrained, priority will be given
to those pertaining to food and
farming, health and wellness,
environmental, and neighborhood events.
Self-Knowledge—Discover the Spiritual Within
Monday, January 4th, 8:00–
9:00pm. Self-knowledge is an
objective understanding of who you
really are inside—an understanding
of thoughts, emotions, and consciousness. It’s the way to awaken your
spiritual essence, overcome personal
obstacles, and experience profound
inner peace. This introductory talk
leads into our free 9-week program,
The Power of Gnostic Meditation,
running on Mondays at 8pm starting
1/11. Contact madison@gnosticmovement.com or 608-467-1032. The
Madison Gnostic Centre is located at
206 S. Dickinson St. Free.
Buddhist Chanting
Mondays (1st, 2nd, 3rd of each
month), 6:30–7:30pm. Experience
the power of chanting…Wish the
best for others, for the earth, connect to a higher power, feel lighter,
peaceful, and purified. No experience necessary. Everyone welcome!
Donations accepted. Please contact
the Tao Sangha Center at 257-4663 or
usa@taosangha.com and visit www.
taosangha-na.com.
What is Gnosis?—
Experience it, Find it
Wednesday, January 6th,
8:00–9:00pm. Throughout history,
the keys to enlightenment have been
hidden amongst symbols, parables,
myths, and legends. Much has been
said and written about the spiritual
path in the modern world; learn about
the steps you need to take to actually get onto it. This introductory talk
leads into our free 9-week course,
An Introduction to Gnosis, running
on Wednesdays at 8pm starting 1/13.
Contact madison@gnosticmovement.
com or 608-467-1032. The Madison
Gnostic Centre is located at 206 S.
Dickinson St. Free.
Tao Sangha Open House
Friday January 8th (2nd Friday
of the month), 7:00–9:00pm. 2330
Willard Ave. Stop in anytime to learn
more about the health classes, practices and aid projects of Madison’s
Tao Sangha Center. Come to visit,
ask questions, experience Ki health
exercises, Tao Shiatsu hands-on healing and Nembutsu Chanting. Come to
enjoy a slideshow and refreshments
in good company. Please contact the
Tao Sangha Center at 257-4663 or
usa@taosangha.com and visit www.
taosangha-na.com.
class will provide a creative process
exploring the elements of dance and
the inner experience of each child.
We will delight in our dancing spirits!
Hancock Center for Dance/Movement
Therapy, www.hancockcenter.net.
608-251-0908 Therapist Ann Wingate, MA, BC-DMT, DTRL, $12/week
for 17 weeks.
Weston A. Price
Foundation—Madison
Chapter Meeting
Monday, January 25th, 7:00pm.
Wil-Mar Center, 953 Jenifer St. The
public is invited. Nutrient-dense
foods—education and activism. For
more info, call Carolyn at 221-8696
or see http://my.madison.com/Groups/
Madison_WAPF.
HC Dance Club: Creative
Dance for Teens with
Developmental Issues
Wednesdays, January 27th–
May 26th (no class 3/31 & 2 tba),
4:15–5:15pm. A therapeutic class
filled with fun, dance and music. This
class will encourage self-esteem,
positive body image and successful
peer relationships. To promote a sense
of inclusion, the class is supported by
teen and college student volunteers.
Therapist Ann Wingate, MA, BCDMT, DTRL. Hancock Center for
Dance/Movement Therapy, www.
hancockcenter.net. 608-251-0908,
$15/week, for 15 weeks.
Madison Herbal Institute
Herbs for Skin Health
Dr. Robin DiPasquale
Feb. 20 & 21
Sat. & Sun. 9 am–5 pm
in Middleton, Wisc.
A weekend of classes,
medicine making and a sauna
Early bird registration: $140
Registration after 1/9/10: $165
Registration: (608) 512-9633
Info: www.herbtvonline.com/MHI.html
Circle of Children
Creative Dance for Kids
Thursdays, January 14th–May
20th (no class 2/25 & 4/01), 4:00–
4:15pm. A Circle of Children is designed for children 5-8 years of age to
join together in the joy of dance. The
Patt y ’s Plants
Natural & Organic Garden Supply
FEATURING ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS
Beneficial Insects, Red Wigglers (vermiculture)
Native Prairie & Rain Garden Plants
Organic Lawn & Garden Products
OMRI Approved Products, Corn Gluten
Heirloom & Organic Seeds
Certified Organic Herbs & Veggie Plants
Heirloom Tomato Plants, Organic Seed Potatoes
Rain Barrels
Annuals, Perennials, Container Gardens
Unique Garden Art and Gifts
Safer for your children and pets
220 S Janesville St. (Hwy 26)
Milton, WI 53563
patty@pattysplants.com
www.pattysplants.com
P:(608)580-0066
F:(866)336-6720
Willy Street Co-op Reader, January 2010
31











� Take prenatal vitamins
We’ll Let The Dogs Out!
(
/'01$"#(
2%$$3(
(
,'-(*#(
� Yoga
� More protein!
Drugs in labor ???
You’ve taken good care of
yourself and your growing
baby all along . . .
Why stop in labor?
We specialize in
natural childbirth.
UR
O
Y



.$%'((
!"#$%(
!
!!!!!"#$%"#&'(&)*&#!
ABY
. YOUR WAY.

!"#$%&'%()*&"#+(
OD
Y.
YO
UR
B

P regnancy
To Do List
2345'6,--,"708)'9*1'':;<=2>3?!
"+&%,--./*$01)&*'
!"#$"%&'()*+#
*&,--,./0.#12334#56#1.73---
B
89'#$:;;<)&$=#$')'>(&9?=#@98%&$
A#>:$'"%#@98%)*+
!"#$%"&'()*"+"&'(,*"-.$"&'(/
/012"34.5."63.4*"!.47-35
,'281)98&991
:::8;<55-3+!.47-358=3!
(608) 821-0123
madisonbirthcenter.com
THIS MONTH’S WELLNESS
WEDNESDAY IS JANUARY 6TH
DAYCARE
BARK-N-RIDETM
GROOMING
BOARDING
7//&sWWWSPAWOOFNET
s
e
n
1st w e d
y
a
d
ea
month
off
Next month’s Wellness Wednesday is February 3rd.
All Specials Subject to Availability.Sales Quantities Limited.