Bulk`s Benefits - BriarPatch Co-op

Transcription

Bulk`s Benefits - BriarPatch Co-op
I
Bulk’s Benefits
f anything symbolizes the various benefits
of the cooperative/natural foods shopping
experience, it’s the bulk department. While most
chain stores now sell a few things in bulk, it was
the wave of co-ops formed in the late 1960s and
’70s that brought buying in bulk back to consumers.
BriarPatch carries over 500 bulk items, and saving
money and eating healthier are just two of the many
reasons to shop the bulk department.
Benefit I - Saving Money
It’s clear that with packaged products you are paying
for –just that—the packaging. In other cases you are paying for branding and marketing costs. Breakfast cereal
is a good example. Products that are similar to boxed
cereals—hot and cold—can be found in the Co-op bulk
bins. When you compare prices, ounce-for-ounce the Coop’s bulk products win hands down. And you can often
get more of the organic variety for the same price you
pay for the conventional brand name package. Look for
Continued on page 4
INSIDE
Earth Day/Week/Month. .......................................... 3
All About Bulk.............................................................. 4 - 7
Cooking Classes......................................................... 8 - 9
Raw Food Fest.................................................................. 10
Board Director Election Section........ 12 - 13
Why “BriarPatch”?........................................................ 16
GMO Frontline Alert. ................................................. 18
COMMITTED TO BULK – Bill Keogh has been running the bulk department at BriarPatch for over 20 years.
2
April/May 2011
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Community Corner
Editor’s Note
Earth Day, farmers, bikes, and other good things
By Stephanie Mandel
A
si ng le d ay is
just not enough
for focusing on our
e nv i r on m e nt . S o
at BriarPatch we’re
celebrat ing Ea r t h
Day, Earth Week, and
Earth Month. On Earth Day itself, April
22, we’ll have lots special activities in the
store. For the week of April 18 through 24
we have sales on some of our most earthfriendly products. For most of April we’ll
feature Earth-friendly products front and
center at the store entrance.
In keeping with Earth Day, we’re
focusing on bulk foods and body care
products in this issue. Buying in bulk and
bringing your own bags and containers
to reuse are habits worth developing.
I always buy dishwashing soap and
liquid hand soap in bulk, and the same
containers have lasted me for years.
Food Film Review
Speaking of Earth-saving ideas, in
February and March the Patch served the
educational part of our co-op’s mission
by screening, free of charge, films about
food issues. Nearly all the films suggest
actions we can take on behalf of our
environment. Thanks to my co-worker
Mellisa Hannum for finding the films
and coordinating, and to those who came
to watch together — I know I’m not the
only one who took away inspiration and
ideas. Let’s do it again next year!
Local farming, local farmers
Supporting local farming supports
the community as a whole. Earning
t he “Communit y Ma rket” pa r t of
ou r na me, i n Ja nua r y Br ia rPatch
sponsored Nevada County Grown’s
Local Sustainable Food and Farming
Conference, as well as two local farmers’
attendance at the EcoFarm Conference
at Asilomar.
BriarPatch’s donation of EcoFarm
scholarship funds stemmed from an
invitation to join other California coops in lending financial support to this
legendary annual gathering of farmers
and other food system stakeholders.
For many years this conference has
served as a training ground and reality
check for BriarPatch produce staff. The
Patch agreed to do our part, requesting
that our donation support a Nevada
County farmer. Learning that there
was very little conference enrollment
from Nevada County, I posted on the
Local Food Coalition listserve that
scholarship funds might be available.
Thus two scholarships, totaling $500,
were given: to Maisie Ganz of Soil
Sisters Farm and Living Lands Agrarian
Network, and to Andrew Meyers of Four
Frog Farm.
BriarPatch has also agreed to donate
to next year’s EcoFarm conference, to its
New and Beginning Farmer and Rancher
Scholarship Fund.
The Vine
BriarPatch Co-op’s
Community Newsletter
BriarPatch’s Bulk Department has come a long way since the trash can days of our first store,
back in 1976.
BriarPatch at the Center
In other news, look for BriarPatch and
organic treats at the concession stand at
the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley,
for selected shows.
Bike-to-Work Week
In May—known to some as Bike
Month—BriarPatch will host a celebration
of Bike-to-Work Week (May 16 through 20)
organized by the local Appliance for People
Powered Transportation. The culminating
event will be held Friday, May 20 on our front
patio. Look for more details on the APPT
website, nevcoappt.org, and facebook page.
With all the things BriarPatch gets
involved in these days, maybe we should
change our name to something like Food,
Farms, & Further.
Published bimonthly by
BriarPatch Co-op
290 Sierra College Drive, Suite A
Grass Valley, CA 95945
530-272-5333 fax 530-272-1204
www.briarpatch.coop
Celebrating 35 Years
2011 marks 35 years since a group of
ambitious locals opened a cooperative
store they named BriarPatch. To celebrate
this anniversary, the next four issues of
The Vine will feature articles looking back
to earlier days of our co-op.
Have you ever wondered where the
name BriarPatch came from? I did, and
back in 2001 I researched and wrote an
article about it, reprinted on page 16 of
this issue.
Keep up with the Patch
www.briarpatch.coop
www.facebook.com/briarpatchcoop
www.twitter.com/briarpatchcoop
Editor: Stephanie Mandel
530-272-5333 x127 / stephanie@briarpatch.coop
Copy Editor: Susan Lewis Leech
Staff Writer: Mellisa Hannum
Contributors:
Bill Drake, Tony Finnerty, Michael Funk,
Mellisa Hannum, Chris Maher, Cindy Rubin,
Alan Weisberg, La Montanita Co-op, New Mexico
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
April/May 2011
3
In the Patch
Shopping Time Tips
D
o you love shopping or just like
to get it over with? Either way,
there is a perfect shopping time for
you. BriarPatch is often bustling in
the afternoons, from around noon
through dinner time. For a quieter
shopping experience (and a closer
parking space!), generally speaking
the least busy times at the Patch are:
Monday – Friday 7 to 11am
Monday – Friday 7 to 9pm
(10pm starting May 1)
Saturday & Sunday all day
V
BriarPatch
celebrates Earth Day
Friday, April 22, 2011
E
Night Owl Shopping
starts May 1
Attention night owls! BriarPatch will
be open until 10:00 p.m. starting May 1,
likely through October 31.
Co+op Deals Coupon Book
brings spring savings
isit BriarPatch, your local co-op, in April and May for big savings on
your favorite foods, including Rudi’s Organic Bakery, Traditional
Medicinals teas, CLIF bars and Larabars, and
Frontier Organics. The Co+op Deals coupon
book features money-saving coupons on
organic and natural products your family will
enjoy—exclusively at your co-op. From a quick
and delicious breakfast to healthy after school
snacks, you’ll start and end your day the co-op
way! The coupon book is a special “thank you”
for shopping at your community-owned grocery
store. For more information about food co-ops
around the country, visit www.strongertogether.
coop. And look for the coupon books at the coop beginning in April. Coupons are valid through
May 31, 2011.
The International
Cooperative Principles:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Voluntary and Open Membership
Democratic Member Control
Member Economic Participation
Autonomy and Independence
Education, Training, and Information
Cooperation Among Cooperatives
Concern for the Community
Make a pledge for the Earth.
very day is Earth Day at
BriarPatch, where you can
participate at breakfast, lunch,
and dinner by eating organic food.
Organic farming never uses toxic
and persistent pesticides. This helps
keep air, water, and soil clean. And,
with so many organic foods available
today, it’s also easy!
Another way to honor the Earth
when you grocery shop is to buy in
bulk. From April 18 through 24 all
bulk foods and body care products
are 10% off.
Earth Day Events
Earth Pledge Flags: make an Earth pledge and a flag for our flag string!
• Bring-Your-Own-Bag Raffle
For children:
Seed planting • Educational handouts • Prizes
BriarPatch voted Best of Nevada County
T
hanks to your votes, BriarPatch was voted “Best Health Food Store” and “Best
Organic Eatery” in The Union newspaper’s “Best of Nevada County” annual
contest. Thanks for voting!
BriarPatch Co-op Vision
BriarPatch Co-op is the leading natural food store in Nevada County.
We are a vibrant, important community hub for gathering and for dialogue and learning about healthful food.
~
We seek to be a leader in social, environmental, as well as fiscal business responsibility,
among both local businesses and food co-ops nationally.
~
We model community-mindedness and cooperative principles, and hope to inspire others to do the same,
and in so doing contribute to peace and prosperity for all within our reach.
4
April/May 2011
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Bulk’s Benefits
Continued from the front cover
your favorites in the bulk department,
including a variety of oats: steel cut,
quick cooking (which will be way less
expensive per breakfast and cook just as
easily as those one-serving packages),
rolled, whole, and oat “o”s; other crunchy
cereals, 22 different granolas, mueslis
and multigrain hot cereals, and more.
Benefit II - Good for your waistline,
good for your health
Another great bulk department saving
is those inches around your waistline.
Many bulk foods are whole, high in fiber,
and low in empty calories. Probably the
quickest way to lose extra winter weight is
to cut out processed foods with their high
sugar, salt, and fat content. Whether your
concern is heart health, surviving cancer,
following the USDA food pyramid, or endocrine disrupting chemicals, a healthful
diet depends on the grains, beans, nuts,
and seeds that are the foundation of this
department. Just add fresh produce and
exercise!
Benefit III - Saving the environment
Here again, the benefits of buying
bulk are obvious. Less packaging means
less waste going to the landfill. It means
fewer trees cut down for that cardboard/
paper box, less dioxin produced when
wood pulp is bleached with chlorine, and
The many benefits of buying bulk
less waste from the process released into
the environment. It also means less plastic
manufactured and used, leading to yet
another reduction in dioxin (produced
during the manufacture of all plastics)
released into the environment.
Tip: You can bring in your own bags,
jars, empty dishwashing soap bottles,
shampoo bottles, hand crème bottles,
tamari bottles, etc., to refill in the bulk
liquids section — again reducing waste
and saving money.
Don’t have your own containers to
refill? Never fear! You will find a wide variety of re-useable, affordable containers
to meet all your bulk department needs.
Benefit IV - Feeding a family
organic for the price of conventional
Using bulk foods rather than processed foods allows you to really stretch
your family’s food dollar. Penny-forpenny and dollar-for-dollar, you get more
value and nutrition in t he
bu l k d e p a r tment. Not only
are you getting
more for your
m o n e y, w h a t
you are getting
is higher quality, with fewer
chemical residues, additives,
and preser vatives. Another
plus is that in
the bulk department you can try a new
food without investing in a whole package. You can purchase just what you need
to give it a try. Like it? Next time buy
whatever quantity fits your needs. And
because BriarPatch’s bulk department is
so popular, the bins are refilled regularly,
so you can count on all the items being
wonderfully fresh.
Benefit V - Shopping
the bulk department
Shopping the bulk department is fun
and easy. If you bring your own container,
please remember to weigh it before you
fill it so you don’t have to pay for the
weight of the container. Write the bulk
bin code on the labels and twist ties
found all around the bulk department.
Check out the enormous selection of
grains, beans, pasta, nuts, seeds, baking
supplies, snacks, cereals, trail mixes,
and more.
Bulk Basics
Tare – noun
1. the weight of the wrapping,
receptacle, or conveyance
containing goods.
2. a deduction from the gross
weight to allow for this.
From dictionary.com
PLU – Price Look Up
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
April/May 2011
Bulk’s Benefits
Save by buying in bulk
Product
Organic Unrefined Cane Sugar
Organic Lasagne Noodles
Organic Cocoa Powder
Sea Salt
Organic Nature’s Path Hemp Plus Granola
Breadshop Super Natural Granola (bulk)
Organic White Basmati Rice
Organic Long or Short Grain Brown Rice
Active Dry Yeast
Price per pound
Prices are as of the last week of February.
BULK PRE-PACKAGED
$1.35 $3.08 (Wholesome® Organic Evaporated Cane Juice)
$3.45 $4.79 (Garden Time)
$7.69 $17.70 (Equal Exchange)
49¢ $1.20 (Hain)
$4.79 $6.39
$4.35 $6.14
$2.75 $2.85
$1.85 $2.10
$6.95 $48 (Red Star®)
D
Cooking
bulk foods
o you need basic cooking and storage
instructions for grains and beans?
Pick up the useful brochures conveniently
located in the bulk department. Each includes a table of cooking times and yields,
storage tips, nutritional information, and
more.
Bulk recipe: Teff Polenta
2 cups water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, sliced or coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 cup coarsely chopped green pepper
⅔ cup teff (the BriarPatch bulk dept.
carries regionally grown white teff)
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups coarsely chopped plum tomatoes
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
Boil water in a teakettle.
Warm the oil in a 10-inch skillet, over
medium heat. Add garlic and onions, and
sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes
or until fragrant. Add peppers, and sauté
5
for 2 minutes or until bright green. Stir
in the teff.
Turn off the heat to prevent splattering, and add boiling water and salt.
Resume heat and let it simmer for 2
minutes. Add tomatoes and basil. Cover
and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring
occasionally, until the water’s absorbed.
There may be some extra liquid from the
tomatoes, but as long as the teff is not
crunchy, the polenta is done. Taste and
adjust the seasonings. Transfer the polenta to a 9-inch pie plate. Let it cool for
about 30 minutes. Slice and serve. Serves
4. Recipe adapted from The Teff Company.
Nevada County Free Range Beef
Order locally raised beef from the ranch by the eighth, quarter, half or whole.
2011 Season - April through November.
Grass Fed, Grass Finished, Pasture Raised, Local Beef. Always available fresh at
BriarPatch Co-op Natural Foods Market and locally owned grocery stores.
NevadaCountyFreeRangeBeef.com 530-273-1025
6
April/May 2011
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Bulk’s Benefits
L
Grass Valley Grains - Reed Hamilton farms and mills
grains on a fifth-generation farm on the flat land in
nearby Wheatland, California.
Bulk and regional
ook in the BriarPatch bulk department for these foods from farms
in our region, within 120 miles.
Wheat Flour - Grass Valley Grains, Wheatland
Wheat Berries - Grass Valley Grains, Wheatland
Rye Berries - Grass Valley Grains, Wheatland
Rolled Oats - Grass Valley Grains, Wheatland
Teff - Grass Valley Grains, Wheatland
Popcorn, Organic - Pleasant Grove Farms, Pleasant Grove
Walnuts, Organic - Ferrari Farm, Linden
Honey - Elmore Beehive Products, Oroville
Olive Oil - Berkeley Olive Grove, Oroville
Olive Oil - Calolea, Loma Rica
Olive Oil - Johansen Ranch, Orland
Rices - Lundberg Family Farms, Richvale
Calolea Olive Oil - Monica, Michael, and Ethan
Keller grow olives and make olive oil in Loma
Rica, near Collins Lake north of Brownsville.
Lundberg Family Farms - Waterfowl and other
birds, such as this great blue heron, thrive in the
Lundberg rice fields as a vital part of building
the soil.
Berkeley Olive Grove - Darro Grieco, left, current owner of the historic grove
and labor contractor Frank Rivera, who arranges for harvesting of the olives.
Berkeley Olive Grove was so named by a U.C. Berkeley professor, who lived
at the grove in the stone house (c. 1930) pictured.
Johansen Ranch - Though known best for their
citrus, Rich and Mila Johansen also grow olives
and make olive oil on their orchard in Oroville.
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
April/May 2011
7
Local Food, Local Business
“Sushi lady” boasts regional rice, organic ingredients
By Mellisa Hannum
Laura Thorne is proud to buy rice for her sushi business from Lundberg Family Farms in Richvale.
M
y favorite part of my work day is
delivering our fresh sushi,” said
Laura Thorne, owner of Way Yum Sushi
in Grass Valley. “I love walking around
the store and seeing the excitement of the
children pushing their little red shopping
carts and picking out fresh produce and
groceries. I hear, ‘Mom look – it’s the sushi
lady.’ That’s always fun for me.”
Way Yum Sushi was launched in
1997 in a small workspace from which
Thorne served bicyclists from the Bay
Area. Eventually SPD and then BriarPatch
requested her sushi, and from there her
business boomed.
Her commercial kitchen—no longer
the cramped quarters of the early years—
is fully certified for organic processed
food. In fact, Way Yum has been using all
organic produce and rice for five years.
“I meshed with (BriarPatch’s) business
statement,” explained Thorne. She
chooses her fish carefully, and purchases
from local suppliers. The organic sushi
rice is from Lundberg Family Farms, and
Way Yum goes through 600 pounds of it
every five weeks.
“We love our relationship
with BriarPatch because we
both work to achieve high
quality, nutritious, minimally
processed, organically grown
products that support good
health for people and the
environment,” said Thorne.
Thorne is very proud of her
involvement with the Co-op.
Not only is she a vendor, she’s Laura picks up 600 pounds of Lundberg rice every 5 weeks.
also an owner, volunteer, and
on the Customer Service Committee.
Thorne also serves sushi to two local
changing to the best products that Green
charter schools. Not only do the students
technology brings us,” she said.
enjoy the sushi, they reuse the containers,
Way Yum Sushi is delivered to the
creating art from the recyclable packaging.
Patch every day but Sunday, and can
“As new containers become available that
be found in the cooler across from
are more sustainable, we are dedicated to
register six.
Lundberg rices sold in bulk at the Patch
Brown Jasmine Rice, Organic
Sweet Brown Rice, Organic
White Sushi Rice, Organic
Brown Basmati Rice, Organic
California Brown Basmati Rice
Long Grain Brown Rice, Organic
Short Grain Brown Rice, Organic
Golden Rose Brown Rice, Organic
Wild Blend Rice, Organic
White Basmati Rice, Organic
White Arborio Rice, Organic
Countrywild® Brown Rice Blend
Long Grain Brown Rice
Short Grain Brown Rice
8
April/May 2011
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Cooking Classes
Spring cooking inspiration at In The Kitchen
Italian Classics Made Easy
Pizza Party!
Fri., April 1 and Fri., April 15,
6-8:30pm $45
Pizza from start to finish. Learn how
to make pizza dough and sauce from
scratch. Then assemble, bake and eat your
own version of the perfect pizza.
It’s fun, it’s messy, it’s pizza! Sign up
with Kate at 268-0343 or kateweathers@
mac.com.
The Wild Spring Gourmet:
Seasonal Cooking and
Medicine Making
with Alicia Funk
Wed., April 6, 6-8:30pm $45
Proceeds to benefit
SYRCL Salmon NOW campaign!
Prepare a refreshing Douglas-fir iced
tea, learn how to make redbud vegan
cornbread and discover how to use local
manzanita berries for gourmet crackers
and as an antioxidant-filled sugar substitute. Make a handcrafted kitchen cleaner
from bay leaves and use local remedies to
naturally combat mosquitoes.
Class size is limited. Sign up with Alicia
Funk at 478-0669 or alicia@livingwild.org.
B
riarPatch Co-op is proud to partner with Wendy Van Wagner and the other cooks
at In The Kitchen cooking school. In The Kitchen classes are hands-on and use
high-quality ingredients found at BriarPatch. BriarPatch owners receive a 10% discount
off the class fees. Class size is limited, so reserve early.
All classes are held at In The Kitchen, 648 Zion Street, Nevada City (by the former
Miner’s Clinic, now California College of Ayurveda).
Kids in the Kitchen
Apple Popovers
Sat., April 9, 10-11:30am
$40/child, ages 6 and up
Bring your kids to make yummy popovers with cinnamon apple filling. The kids
will measure and mix the batter. While the
popovers bake and puff in the oven, we
will make a yummy cinnamon apple filling. We will enjoy the popovers soon after
they come out of the oven. Children will
bring home leftovers (if there are any!) as
well as a recipe to make the popovers later
with Mom or Dad. Sign up with Addie at
addie.harris@gmail.com.
Thai One On
Sat., April 9 and Sat., April 30,
6-8:30pm $45
Join us In the Kitchen to explore the
tantalizing tastes of Thailand. Omelette
Soup (very simple, but tasty and versatile),
Spicy Cucumber Salad, Pad Thai, Spicy
Red Beef Curry. The recipes all incorporate elements of classic Thai cuisine but
can be made with ingredients that are
easily sourced.
Sign up with Kate at 268-0343 or
kateweathers@mac.com.
Thurs., April 14, 6-8:30pm $45
Everyone loves Mama’s Italian cooking, but who has time? Learn cooking
shortcuts for your favorite sauces and
pasta dishes. In this class we will quickly
make Marinara Sauce, Alfredo Sauce,
and Spicy Spinach with Bacon (arribatta
style). Also, learn a cool trick to really
garlicky garlic bread. Short on work, tall
on flavor! Sign up now... let’s mangia.
Sign up with Laura at 478-0669 or
vandenberglaura@yahoo.com.
Intro to Cooking
Sat., April 16 & 23, 1-3:30pm
$120 for adults, $95 for students
Come explore the ins and outs of
a professional and home kitchen with
Chef Jen Smitt. The class is great for
newbies as well as seasoned pros. This
class will cover culinary history and the
cultivation of French Cuisine, kitchen
tools and equipment, knife skills and
various cuts, protein cooking methods, flavor profiles, food handling and
kitchen sanitation, nutrition, and other
neato tricks of the trade.
Sign up with Jen at 478-0669 or blueculinarychemist@gmail.com.
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
April/May 2011
9
Cooking Classes
Intro to Indian Cuisine
with Joe Meade
Preparing Traditional Nourishment
with Shan Kendall
Tue., April 26, May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 6-9pm;
$220 for entire series, 6 classes
$45 per single session (only if space is available)
Exploration of the work of Weston A. Price
and Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Traditions.
Week 1. Bacteria We Can’t Live Without, Week 2.
The Magic of Minerals, Week 3. The Mystery of the Seed,
Week 4. What Color is Your Egg Yolk?, Week 5. The
Scourge of the Modern Soft Drink, Week 6. Breakfast,
Lunch and Dinner
Registration required. Sign up with Shan Kendall at
478-5628 or daveshanken@juno.com.
Fabulous French Cooking
Mon., May 9, 6-8:30pm $45
Mussels with garlic, parsley and butter, Tuna Salad
Nicoise, Vicsissoise, dessert crepes, and you bring the
chardonnay! Sign up with Wendy at 478-0669 or info@
wendyvanwagner.com.
Wendy Van Wagner and Robin Mallery
HeartMatters and In the Kitchen present:
Eat to Your Heart’s Content!
Fri., April 22, 6-8:30pm $40
Robin Mallery of HeartMatters and Wendy Van
Wagner team up to share their love of healthy cooking
and eating. We will explore the pleasures of eating well
and eating mindfully, and how to incorporate these
practices into your daily meals. Class includes yummy
seasonal dishes that you can make on any busy night of
the week. Space is limited. Sign up with Wendy at 4780669 or info@wendyvanwagner.com.
Japanese If You Please
Mon., May 16, 6-8:30pm $45
We are gonna break out the chopsticks and roll out the
sushi. Prepare sushi rice, learn new knife techniques for
veggies, and all the tricks to make gorgeous sushi rolls.
We will create hand-rolled sushi, inside out rolls, and
more. We will also create a traditional miso soup with
tofu, kale and hijiki salad (a crunchy take on a traditional
seaweed salad), and sweets with red bean paste.
Sign up with Wendy at 478-0669 or info@wendyvanwagner.com.
Mon., May 30, 6-9pm $45
Join Joe on a journey to India. Learn to make kitchari,
seasonal fruit chutney, raita, chapattis, and curries.
Sign up with Wendy at 478-0669 or info@wendyvanwagner.com.
Kids in the Kitchen
Summer Culinary Camp
Mon.-Fri., June 20-24, 10am-1pm
Ages 7-11; $250 / $220 when you sign up with
a friend or sibling
Sign up now to ensure that your little chef gets a spot
in our summer camp. We will visit 5 cultures through
foods, music, and art. On the final day, parents are invited
to join us for a picnic prepared by the kids.
Smart Shopping, Savvy Cooking
May dates to be announced
Wendyvanwagner.com, Heartmatters.pro
Wendy Van Wagner of In the Kitchen and Robin
Mallery of HeartMatters present a two-part class that will
explore how to shop for your health with your budget in
mind. The first part of the class will be held at BriarPatch,
with a food shopping guided tour. You will learn how to
interpret package labels, the health benefits of various
types of fats and proteins, as well as how to make the
most of the grains and legumes in the bulk area and the
plethora of colorful fruits and veggies in the produce
section. The BriarPatch Basics will form the foundation
of your shopping list so that you will have nourishing
staples in your pantry. The follow-up cooking class will
incorporate the foods we discovered and discussed during the shopping tour, as we prepare and enjoy several
yummy dishes using these foods.
Sign up with Wendy at 478-0669 or info@wendyvanwagner.com.
10
April/May 2011
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Food Focus: Raw
Rah! Rah!
Raw foods revelation
THE FIX, 205 York Street, Nevada City
478-1333 • www.superfoodsfix.com
Tues. – Sat. 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.,
Sun. 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
T
HE FIX for foodies serves up raw food
vegetarian cuisine — entrées, drinks, and
desserts — using superfoods and organic fruits
and vegetables. The atmosphere is cozy: there
is comfortable lounge seating, an outside courtyard, or diners can sit at the bar, right where the
raw food entrées, drinks, and desserts are prepared. The chefs are happy to answer questions.
Evan Strong, 24, along with his wife Mariah,
19, and sister Arianna, 19, opened THE FIX in
the summer of 2009 with a vision of creating an
“exciting and outrageous” raw food vegetarian
dining experience. Evan learned to prepare
living raw food cuisine from teachers such as
Gabriel Cousins, David Wolfe, and Daniel
Vitalis. Growing up on organic farms in Hawaii allowed him to experience the difference
and healing properties of live organic food.
Evan’s personal experience of the healing
qualities of live organic food occurred during the past six years in his recovery from a
devastating accident resulting in the loss of
his left leg. He attributes his recovery to the
combination of a live food diet and his athletic
drive. Evan, Mariah, and Arianna created THE
FIX to share their story and passion.
Their signature item is The Fix Smoothie,
which uses raw maca, cacao, coconut, goji berries, and a host of medicinal herbs.
D
a
w
y
a
s
R
April 15, 16, 17
12 noon to 6pm
Gopal’s Raw Power Wraps
Rising Star Raw Chia Squares
Living Tree Raw Pestos
Sierra Nevada Raw Cheeses
Livin Spoonful Vegan
Wilderness Poets Raw Macadamia,
Sprouted Crackers
Pistachio, Pecan Butters
Lydia’s Organics
Zukay Salad Dressings and Beverages
Grainless Cereals
Righteously Raw Exotic Superfood Truffle Bars
Raw Raffle
Win a $25 gift certificate from The
Fix raw food vegetarian restaurant
in Nevada City. Receipts from any
and all raw foods purchases are your
raffle tickets; just write your name and
number on the back.
Raw Sales & Samples
Meet the Makers
Friday, April 15
12 – 3pm Next Level Foods
Local business! Raw Pies
Raw Almond Milk made with
homemade almond milk bags!
12 – 3pm Earth Circle Family Foods
Local business! Raw Chocolate Sauce
12 – 4:30pm Bagaan LLC NEW!
Chia Omega Energy Snack,
Rejuvenating Omega Snack,
Matcha Vibrancy Snack
3 – 6pm Bright Earth Super Foods
3 – 6pm In The Kitchen Local business!
Raw Local Fermented Foods
Saturday, April 16
12 – 3 Earth Circle Family Foods
12 – 3 In The Kitchen
Sunday, April 17
12 – 3 Earth Circle Family Foods
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
April/May 2011
11
Earth Focus: Native Plants
How to go really local with native plants
Photo by
Cindy Rubin,
Harmony Works
©2009
Native garden
spring flowers
S
By Cindy Rubin
pring wildflowers are of special
importance to native, nectar-eating
pollinators such as Anna’s Hummingbird (which is the only hummingbird
species that lives year-round in our
area). Whiteleaf Manzanita is the first
species to bloom in the BriarPatch
Native Plant Demonstration Garden.
Manzanita is Spanish for “little apple,”
referring to the shape of the berries.
Next to bloom are three species of
bulbs, Blue Dicks and Sierra Fawn Lily,
and California Buttercup. Western
Blue Flax and Poppies bloom next.
Many new plant species were
added to the garden last fall and winter, as seed, bulbs, and plants. Some of
them—Ground Iris, Yellow Cat’s Ear,
and Sticky Cinquefoil—may bloom
this year. Watch for them as you stroll
around the garden.
Wish List
for BriarPatch Native Plant
Demonstration Garden
• Rocks, especially larger rocks
and slate
• Geologist to help ID rocks
For more information, to volunteer,
or to donate: Cindy, crubin@nccn.
net, 273-1816.
F
licker Press, a new independent
publishing company based in
Nevada City, redefines regional
conservation with the release of
Living Wild: Gardening, Cooking
and Healing with Native Plants of
the Sierra Nevada, co-authored
by Nevad a C ou nt y resident
Alicia Funk and Karin Kaufman.
This guidebook to living local is
designed to deepen our relationship
with the Sierra and fundamentally
shift the way we eat, garden, and
heal.
Beautifully illustrated with over
100 color photographs, Living Wild
provides gardening tips for 90 native plant species, 70
gourmet food recipes using native leaves, nuts and berries,
and local plant remedies for common health conditions. It
invites readers to rediscover the abundance of “green” gold
readily found in their backyards.
“For those of us dedicated to a reciprocal relationship
with our place on earth, open this book and learn how to
give back through activities that are good, fun and tasty,”
said Jason Rainey, Executive Director of SYRCL.
The guidebook brings local sustainability to a new level,
emphasizing how we can make a tangible difference simply
through reconnecting with the natural world around us. By
cultivating beneficial native plants, we can help our own
health, as well as that of the landscape around us.
Native food crops lessen our dependence on food
shipped across the country and offer
access to a completely local source
of nutrition. The book points out
that local manzanita, elderberry and
madrone are three times higher in
antioxidants than blueberries and
pomegranates and the book offers
recipes to incorporate these native
foods into our daily diet.
“This book asks that we do nothing
more to help protect the earth than to
enjoy where we live by exploring it
and discovering its many treasures,”
according to Elizabeth Martin, CEO
of the Sierra Fund.
Living Wild may be purchased for
$29.95 through local retailers and online at www.flickerpress.
com and 100% of Living Wild book proceeds will be donated to
environmental and cultural preservation in the Sierra Nevada.
12
April/May 2011
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Co-op Board Director Election – Vote May 1 - 15, 2011
Meet the Board candidates!
Co-op Election Basics
Candidate Mixer, Tuesday, April 26, 5 to 6pm
BriarPatch Community Room
Voting Rules
• One ballot per owner household.
• Ownership must be current: fully paid or renewed within
six months. Owners renewing during the voting period are
eligible to vote in the 2011 election; new owners joining
after April 30 are not eligible to vote in the 2011 election.
Voting Procedure
Ask for a ballot at the Customer Service window. Staff will verify your current
ownership status using the name on the original owner application.
Mark your ballot as indicated and return it promptly. Staff will deposit it directly
into the ballot box within your view (upon request staff will bring the box to the
window so that you can deposit the ballot yourself).
Ballots will be counted within two days of the election closing, and results will
be posted on the inside front bulletin board.
BriarPatch Co-op’s Directors are elected by fellow owners. Any BriarPatch owner
may run for Director after one year of membership. Elections are held annually from
May 1 through May 15, with applications due in February.
Board Responsibilities
1. The Board of Directors holds the cooperative corporation in trust for the
owner-members, and is legally responsible for the corporation.
2. The Board of Directors creates and evaluates our self-governing policy manual.
3. The Board of Directors leads the strategic planning process. The Board of Directors creates objectives and policies based on its vision; and give those policies
and objectives to the General Manager for implementation.
4. The Board of Directors updates its legal governing documents (i.e, the Articles
of Incorporation and the By-Laws).
5. The Board of Directors hires and evaluates the General Manager.
6. The Board of Directors schedules and facilitates an annual owner/member
meeting.
7. Any other activity of The Board of Directors shall concur with our governing
documents.
Jeff Gold
E
ducation: BA, Antioch
College; Master’s, Yale
University. Business Experience: 40 years of experience as sole proprietor of
architecture and construction company. Board and/
or Community Leadership
Experience: Co-op Board
Director, 3 years. Year
joined BriarPatch: 1978.
Endorsements: L ou ise
Jones, Malaika Bishop, Alan Weisberg,
Rick Sheller, Lew Sitzer
Why are you running for the
BriarPatch Board?
I am running for a third term on the
BriarPatch Board because I have enjoyed
the experience of contributing to our
co-op in this way, and I would like to
continue with some of the Board’s work
that has taken place in recent years.
I have been Board President this year
and was secretary during the prior year,
and both of these positions have provided
experiences in working with the whole
Board. I enjoy the collaboration and team
effort, and I am committed to collective decisionmaking that reflects the
values of our co-op.
Some of the Board
work that I have been
engaged in includes:
• Development of the
strategic plan in 2008-09;
this plan established a
series of short and longterm planning goals for
the new market operations as well as for
the Board and membership.
• Reformation of an active board
committee structure to address: board
development, the election process, finance oversight and audit functions, and
strengthening co-op membership.
• Development of a new policy governance structure: this structure provides
a strong process for board-management
communication, effective monitoring and
accountability to the co-op owner-members.
I welcome your support and I look
forward to continued service with a wonderful group of board members.
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
April/May 2011
13
Co-op Board Director Election – Vote May 1 - 15, 2011
Rick Sheller
Louise H. Jones
E
ducation: Aerobics and Fitness
Association of America Certified in Group/Personal Fitness,
California Professional Elections
Administration Certification,
Modern Gourmet Chef ’s Institute, State University of New York
Degree Education/Behavioral
Sciences. Business Experience: Information
Technology Analyst, Project Manager, Author of Project Management Methodology
Cookbook. Board/Community Leadership
Experience: Served Boards of KVMR 89.5FM
Community Radio and Twin Cities Concert
Association; Community Center Steering
Committee. Presently active on the KVMR
Community Advisory Board, Famous Marching Presidents Steering Committee, and the
Board of the Local Chapter of the Retired
Public Employee’s Association. Year joined
BriarPatch: I have shopped at BriarPatch since
1981 and watched the Co-op’s development
from its Washington Street home to today.
Endorsements: Malaika Bishop, Jeff Gold, Joey
Jordan, Rick Sheller, Lou Sitzer.
Why are you running for the
BriarPatch Board?
Since the early 70’s I have subscribed to
businesses that deal in food and groceries
of the natural and organic nature. Once
considered alternative, it is no surprise
that this lifestyle is now mainstream and
fast growing.
Having been active on the BriarPatch
Board of Directors in 2010, we now have
finalized policies and procedures
that establish BriarPatch as a
policy governance organization.
This concept needs to be put into
place and established as our governance model. The new structure
gives the Board more freedom to
concentrate on BriarPatch Owners and
their needs and wants. I would like to share
skills from experiences that I have to facilitate in the new Board governance endeavor
and other endeavors to come in 2011.
Why will you make
a good Board member?
Since I am retired from the information technology world, I have the time
to work in my community. Through the
Board and committees at BriarPatch that
I served on, I became acquainted with
the Board members and the flow of the
BriarPatch governance organization. I
would like to continue my tenure and
share my knowledge and experience to
carry this effort even further.
What do you love about BriarPatch?
I shop at BriarPatch because it assures
food quality, and local products, and the
operation projects a community feeling.
Keeping this standard and improving
upon it is most important.
What percent of your groceries do
you buy at BriarPatch?
95
O
ccupation: Sales/Purchasing (28 years in the natural
food industry). Current employer is National Cooperative
Grocers Association, current
position is Supplier Programs
Manager. Prior employment was
with UNFI/Mountain People’s
Warehouse, 13 years, Director
of Sales.Education: BA from Cal. State U.,
Hayward, degree in Environmental Studies and Biology. Business Experience: Most
of my experience (28+ years) is in sales
management in the wholesale/distribution
side of the natural foods industry. For the
past 10 years I have worked for the NCGA
managing the Co-op Advantage Program and regional and national supplier
contracts for NCGA members (including
BriarPatch). Board / Community Leadership Experience: I am seeking my 2nd term
as a Director for BriarPatch. Year joined
BriarPatch: 2002
Why are you running for the
BriarPatch Board?
his will be my second term as a Director. In the past year the Board has
changed how it interacts with the General
Manager and increased its engagement with
the owners of BriarPatch by adopting the
model of Policy Governance. Subsequently
we started the monthly Breakfast with the
Board meetings and are forming an Owners
T
Committee to help create future
events of owner, Board, and community interactions. A higher
degree of Board/owner/community engagement and a positive
working relationship with our
General Manager were priorities
for me when I initially decided
to run for the Board. Both are
significant to the continued success of our
co-op. I would like the opportunity to help
continue the process.
Why will you make
a good Board member?
I am employed by a co-op. I understand how co-ops work. I know the
value of and need for transparency. I
understand natural foods and the need
to support locally grown products. I have
worked and lived in our community for
20+ years. I am a team player and I appreciate the Board’s willingness to speak
with one voice. I am committed to the
continued success of our co-op.
What do you love about BriarPatch?
The good food, commitment to support local growers and vendors, sense
of community, commitment to a triple
bottom line (store-community-world),
friendly and knowledgeable staff.
What percent of your groceries do
you buy at BriarPatch?
85+
14
April/May 2011
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Co-op Board View
DIRECTORS
Jeff Gold, President; Alan Weisberg, Vice President; Peter Lockyer, Treasurer; Malaika Bishop, Secretary
Peter Van Zant, Mark Fenton, Rick Sheller, Louise Jones, Kerry O’Regan
National co-op network offers support for success
by Alan Weisberg, Board Vice President
T
he Consumer Cooperative Management
Association—CCMA—is
not actually an association but the name of the
annual three-day conference that brings
together 400 people from co-op food
stores across the country. Attending
CCMA was one of the first things I did
after I was elected to the BriarPatch
Board of Directors in 2004.
At the conference I heard talk of a
prior CCMA that had featured John
Mackey, the CEO of Whole Foods, as
the keynote speaker. The story is that
Mackey said he believed his job as head
of the relatively new (at the time) Whole
Foods chain was to essentially kill the
co-op natural food store movement that
had been growing since the 1950’s—to
prove it irrelevant to what consumers
really wanted today.
In effect, Mackey’s speech was a wakeup call, and today the co-op movement
is flourishing. What happened? My own
bird’s eye view is pretty simple: the co-op
world got organized.
Prior to 2004, there was no single national organization representing co-ops,
though there were regional coalitions.
After a good deal of discussion with co-ops
throughout the nation, a number of leaders
(including past BriarPatch general manager
Paul Harton) convinced co-op food stores
across the country to band together and
jointly fund a national organization to
represent their interests. Thus the National
Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA)
was born, itself a cooperative guided by the
same seven principles that guide BriarPatch
and other co-ops.
NCGA serves
many important
functions. Its biggest financial impact is the ability
to bargain with the
major distributors
D
of natural and healthy food, especially
UNFI (formerly known as Mountain
People’s Warehouse), the huge national
health foods distributor that began locally
in Nevada County. Through NCGA, its
118 natural food co-op members, representing 150 different co-op stores and $1.3
billion in annual sales, have tremendous
buying power, rivaling even Whole Foods.
BriarPatch shoppers benefit from lower
prices than those an individual store, or
even a regional group of stores, can offer.
NCGA sets standards for financial
accounting and management, holds a
variety of trainings for its members, and
can even be called upon to help struggling
co-ops — as it did when the highly successful Sacramento Co-op opened a new
store in Elk Grove that almost drove it to
bankruptcy. Thanks in part to loans from
NCGA members, including BriarPatch,
Sacramento recovered, closed the beleagured Elk Grove store, paid off its creditors,
and once again became one of the leading
co-ops in the nation.
Today it is hard to imagine how our
little BriarPatch could have tripled in
size and sales in just three years without
How to contact the Board
irectors have BriarPatch email addresses consisting of their
full first names and the first letter of last names followed by
“@board.briarpatch.coop” — i.e. peterv@board.briarpatch.coop,
peterl@board.briarpatch.coop, etc. Or send an email message to
info@briarpatch.coop with “Board” in the subject, and staff will
forward it to the Board Secretary or another Director as indicated.
Or leave letters for Directors at the customer service window.
Where to find Board meeting agendas & minutes
A
gendas are posted on the front inside bulletin board several
days before meetings. Minutes are posted there about 2
weeks after meetings and online at www.briarpatch.coop/pages/
board.html. Staff will make you copies upon request.
the support of NCGA. The results of this
expertise can be viewed daily in our store,
from the original design of our scrumptious deli to the recent re-setting of produce
department. In addition, our Board is now
profiting from the experience and advice of
Cooperative Development Services (CDS),
a co-op consulting group that is shepherding us through Policy Governance, a major
shift in defining the role of our Board and
its relationship with management, co-op
owners, and the community.
Success is not an accident. We at
BriarPatch greatly appreciate support from
our ever-growing network of friends all
around the country who make us proud
not just of our lovely Patch, but of the whole
co-op healthy foods movement.
Owner Events
BOARD MEETINGS
Tue., April 26, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Candidate mixer at 5:00 p.m.
Tue., May 31, 6:00-7:30 p.m
Held in the BriarPatch Co-op Community Room on the last Tuesday of
the month.
BREAKFAST WITH THE BOARD
Tue., April 12, 9-10 a.m.
Tue., May 10, 9-10 a.m.
Held in the Good Food Gallery and
dining area on the second Saturday
of each month. BriarPatch owners are
cordially invited. Muffins, coffee and
tea will be served, along with informal
conversation about your visions for
BriarPatch Co-op.
CO-OP DIRECTOR ELECTION
May 1 – 15 – Vote at the
Customer Service window.
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
April/May 2011
15
Co-op Store Report
Rising food prices and buying local
By Chris Maher, General Manager
R
ising food prices
have gotten increasing media attention since the new
year. In February
food prices reached a
global high, with an
increase of 2.2% as
measured by the Food and Organizational
Price Index. What’s worse is the analysis
that suggests the increase is due to the
lack of supply, especially in cereal grains,
and that rising oil prices have not even
factored in. As oil prices rise, it becomes
increasingly attractive for grain farmers
to focus their plantings on ethanol corn,
resulting in an even tighter supply of
food grade crops. It will be interesting to
see how this affects the domestic organic
market as well as our own developing local food system.
I had the great pleasure last month
of discussing these issues at the local
League of Women Voters meeting. The
topic was local economy and sustainability, and in addition to me, the panel
included Wesley Nicks from the Nevada
County Department of Environmental
Health, Andrew Meyers from Four Frog
Farm and CSA, as well as BriarPatch’s
Produce Manager David Benson. The
group discussion outlined the benefits of
local economy, the challenges of developing small-scale agriculture, establishing
and supporting the local retail market for
local products, and raising awareness of
government involvement and oversight
in this sector.
My part of the presentation focused on
the economic impact of local spending. I
shared the results of a few different studies
I have seen. The first was one commissioned in the city of Austin, Texas to study
the amount of a dollar retained through
spending in local shops. In this case, they
focused on bookstores and found that a
minimum of $.45 of each retail dollar
spent at a locally owned bookstore is
retained in the community, compared to
just $.15 of the dollar spent in a nationally
owned chain.
Perhaps the most shocking study and
the one that relates most closely to the
current food crisis was one showing the
change in distribution of a food dollar
over the last century. In 1900, a farmer
would earn about $.40 for every dollar
spent on his crop. Another $.20 would
cover the cost of inputs, such as feed, fertilizer, and equipment, and the remaining
$.40 would go to distribution of product.
Flash forward to 2000: we see the cost of
inputs has remained surprisingly stable,
yet the farmer’s earnings have shrunk to
about $.19 or less than half of what they
were. The difference is now going entirely
to distribution.
Fascinated by this, I did a little more
research and was surprised to discover
that the USDA has just reworked the
way these concepts are calculated. Under current conditions, the amount of
money retained by the farmer has now
shrunk even further to just $.12 on the
dollar. What is most interesting is how
the rest of the dollar is spent. The report
gives specific data for grocery spending,
as well as restaurant spending, regarding
how the remaining money breaks down.
What is clear to those of us who
already know the benefits of great local
food is that the only way to positively
impact these numbers and support
our farmers is to shift our own grocery
spending in favor of local products from
locally owned businesses. For more information on this phenomenon, you can
see the complete report at the USDA’s
website www.ers.usda.gov/publications/
ERR114/.
Sustainable
Local Food & Farm
Conference DVDs
available
V
ideos of Nevada County
Grown’s Sustainable Local
Food & Farm Conference, held
January 22, are available for sale.
The 3-DVD set includes talks
titled: “How To Get Your Kids to
Eat Healthy Foods and Why You
Should Care,” “Reclaiming Local
Food Freedom,” and “Farm Fresh
Farms.” The DVD set costs $30
at the UPS Store on Bank Street
in downtown Grass Valley, at
Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, and
through Touchdown Productions,
274-2206.
16
April/May 2011
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Celebrating 35 Years, 1976 - 2011
Why “BriarPatch”?
By Stephanie Mandel
This article originally ran in the
April/May 2001 BriarPatch newsletter.
Guess the origin of
our distinctive name:
1. Brer Rabbit was among our co-op’s
founders, and he tricked the others
into adopting the name.
2. The name was apt considering the
blackberry-infested yard at the original store.
3. It came from food co-ops in Menlo
Park, California and Nanaimo, Canada,
on which our co-op was modeled.
T
he answer is number 3. Founders Harry Bailey, Lois Bailey, and
Aaron Braude, who visited these other
co-ops in the early 1970’s, recall that the
first Board of Directors simply decided
to carry on the tradition.
Fine, but why did those other coops choose this odd name? It’s a good
bet that the BriarPatch in Menlo Park,
begun in 1974 and now out of business,
got its name from the BriarPatch Network, a “right livelihood”/ simple living
movement that was growing in the Bay
Area and beyond at the time.
The Briarpatch Network was a counterculture idea based on the tenets of 1)
small business ownership, 2) helping
other small businesses, and 3) working
with joy.
The story of the Briarpatch Network is documented in The Briarpatch
Book, a collection of eight issues of the
“BriarPatch Review,” the movement’s
unofficial newsletter.
“The idea,” explains the book ’s
introduction, “has something to do
with the growing refusal of increasing
numbers of people to let all power over
their lives and livelihoods, pass into the
hands of the government and other large
corporations.”
Michael Phillips, author of the introduction, credits the Briarpatch vision to Dick Raymond, publisher of the
revolutionary “Whole Earth Catalog.”
Raymond likened the network to a briar
patch in that its members were, like their
hardy plant namesakes, “learning to live
with joy in the cracks.”
Cracks? In the early 1970’s, with the
Vietnam War dragging on and inflation rising, many were predicting an
apocalyptic fall of the economy and
big business As a Briarpatch Network
newsletter further explains:
The Briarpatch was to be the social
system for survival, with Briars using
the tools of living on less, sharing with
each other, and learning through new
small businesses. …In his [Raymond’s]
vision, Briars were to be doing what
they loved most, secure from the ravages of the crumbling culture around
them. Their lack of material possessions
and small-scale living would appear to
others like real briar patches—thorny
places so unappealing to the greedy
people around them that, like rabbits,
Briars would be safe.
We still have predictions of apocalypse—in 1999 it was the much-hyped
Y2K computer glitch, and today fears
center on rising prices, inflation, and
climate change. Our modern coopContinued on next page
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
April/May 2011
17
Celebrating 35 Years, 1976 - 2011
Continued from previous page
eratives are not primarily focused on
surviving a collapse of the economy,
yet in significant ways the philosophy
of the old Briarpatch Network remains.
The values of independent ownership and cooperation among other
businesses in the “network” are still
important to the cooperative model, as
attested to by the fourth International
Cooperative Principle of “Autonomy
and Independence.” Part of our own coop’s Mission Statement is “supporting
our community by building our local
economy.” Like the old Briarpatch network’s tenet of helping other network
businesses, today’s cooperative grocery
stores share management tips and other
information through associations and
websites.
These days our BriarPatch Co-op is
bright and orderly, far from an inhospitable hiding place. Yet it is certainly
a haven of sorts—a place where the
people, not profits, predominate. Is our
BriarPatch not, fundamentally, a place
where the clever rabbit of cooperation
escapes the fox of corporate greed?
Perhaps BriarPatch isn’t such an odd
name, after all.
BriarPatch Co-op History Outline
Early 1970’s A “grub club” (food buying club) forms in Nevada
County.
1976 Grub clubbers organize as a cooperative retail store, opening in an unheated warehouse near the airport. It’s membersonly, and volunteer shifts are required.
The Washington Street store.
1977-1980 Dedicated co-op volunteers
struggle to keep the old refrigerators
working while keeping the store afloat
with personal loans, bake sales, and
hard work.
1981 The Co-op relocates to a more
central location on Nevada City Highway in Grass Valley and opens to the A volunteer helps with
public. But the parking is a problem the Joerschke Street
store.
and the utility costs are sky high, so
the search soon begins for a better location.
1982 An old residential neighborhood in Grass Valley becomes
the next home for BriarPatch as the co-op moves to Washington
Street. The store thrives, growing to 20 employees.
1992 The Co-op outgrows the Washington Street store,
moving to a 2,160 square foot building on Joerschke Drive.
1997 A remodel adds 1000 square feet and helps to fuel
double-digit sales increases. It becomes apparent that even
more space is needed to adequately serve the growing demand for organic, healthful food.
1998 The Finance and Strategic Planning Committee begins
investigating options for another expansion.
1999 The BriarPatch Cooperative Community Fund is
established to support local charities. The search for a new
location continues.
2001 Growth continues in the form of excellent sales, new
bulk bins, new freezers, new cash registers, solar panels,
and improved parking. However, these are just bandaids –
BriarPatch really needs more space!
2002 Litton Hill is identified as a possible site for a new store.
2003 A Letter of Intent is signed for a new store on Sierra
College Drive.
2004 Design starts on the new store.
2006 Groundbreaking for the new store.
May, 2007 New store opens!
The first BriarPatch Co-op store.
18
April/May 2011
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Commentary – Organic Alert
On the frontlines: The battle to protect organics
By Michael Funk
T
he organic food
industry is under attack by the biotech conglomerates.
At stake is our farmers’ right to grow
organic crops and
consumers’ right to
choose not to eat GE (genetically engineered) foods.
Recently the USDA approved GE
alfalfa and sugar beets in back-to-back
blows to organic farmers and consumers. Prior to these decisions there was
anticipation of a major breakthrough in
the government’s handling of GE crops.
When the Obama administration
came into power, there was a great hope
that the era of the biotechnology industry
always getting whatever it wanted was
going to end. Tom Vilsack was appointed
the Secretary of Agriculture, with oversight of GE crops, and when he started to
make his appointments for his staff they
included longtime organic advocates like
Kathleen Merrigan and Mark Lipson. We
were estatic! People who cared deeply
about organics were now on the staff of
the USDA.
Anthony W. Halby
Personal & Business Insurance
202 Providence Mine Rd., Ste 107
Nevada City, CA 95959
Email: ahalby@aol.com
www.halbyinsurance.com
(530)265-2400
FAX (530) 265-2433
(818) 957-6555
CA Ins. Lic. # 432049
When the application for GE alfalfa
was put in, a coalition of organic advocates asked for an opportunity to present
our case to the Secretary. A few of us
traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with
the very top of the USDA hierarchy and
make our pitch. The approval of GE alfalfa
would be devastating to the organic dairy
industry. A primary feed for cattle, it is an
open pollinated crop, meaning bees can
travel five to twenty miles to contaminate
any other alfalfa field. It would only take
a few years to potentially end organic
alfalfa. The Secretary seemed sympathetic to our plea to protect the organic
industry—the fastest growing part of the
food business for the last twenty years.
While he was clearly in favor of biotech,
he seemed to realize that hurting a group
of farmers for the benefit of one corporation was inherently unfair.
We left that meeting with hope. Another meeting in DC was organized to
amplify our voice. Members of the organic
business community (including National
Cooperative Grocers Association, Whole
Foods, UNFI, Organic Valley, Stonyfield)
and a host of NGO’s, including Center for
Food Safety (our main legal weapon in
Recently the USDA approved GE
alfalfa and sugar beets in backto-back blows to organic farmers
and consumers.
this fight), were invited by the USDA to
face off against their biotech adversaries.
Never before had the organic folks had “a
seat at the table.” Could change really be
about to happen?
As soon as word leaked out about
these meetings and the possibility that
the USDA might try to protect organic
interests by limiting the planting of GE
alfalfa, the biotech machine went into
action. Vilsack was called into Congress
and made into a whipping boy. Biotech
spin masters used their media machine to
make the USDA look bad. And at the end
of the day the White House stepped in and
made the decision: no real concessions to
the organic industry. What?
The biotech industry has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to lobby
Congress and fill campaign coffers over
the last decade. In 2009, Monsanto alone
reportedly spent $24 million. Most of
Congress, as well as the President, relies
on the support of biotech to get elected.
With their access to the power brokers in
DC, they have convinced people that they
are the saviors of the US economy and the
answer to feeding the world. In reality,
it’s about profits, control of agriculture,
spraying more herbicides, and eliminating the age-old pattern of farmers saving
their own seed.
When these decisions were announced, and after the shock and extreme frustration settled in, we knew it
was time to go to war. There are dozens of
new GE crops (and animals) going before
the USDA approval process as we speak.
This will be a war that we have to fight on
many fronts: legal battles in the courts
(support Center for Food Safety), the political front, and the all-important media
arena for the dissemination of unbiased
information about this technology. These
are multi-year battles, and we need the
voices of millions of consumers to win.
There is one thing we can do right
now—to protect our organic products
from being contaminated. With the
Continued on next page
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
April/May 2011
19
Commentary – Organic Alert
Continued from previous page
prevalence of GE corn and soy in particular, contamination of our organic
crops continues to be one of my main
concerns. Several years ago, a coalition
of retailers, suppliers, growers, and distributors started the Non-GMO Project.
The Project manages the only third-party
verification program that identifies products compliant with a uniform definition
of non-GMO. There are many products
today making claims of non-GMO on
their labels, but only products that have
been verified by the Non-GMO Project
can legitimately make this claim. (See
nongmoproject.org and review the shopping guide.)
We have signed up many of the
premier companies in the industry, like
Lundberg, Nature’s Path, Eden, and Organic Valley, to name a few. But we need
all organic companies to participate.
We are asking retailers and consumers
to encourage companies to enroll their
products in the Non-GMO Project. It
sends a message to Washington, DC
that we are serious about not consuming
GMO’s, and it protects our families from
ingesting GMO’s through unintentional
contamination. It’s not perfect, but it’s
something we can do now. If Monsanto,
et al contaminate our industry, it’s “game
over.” We can’t let that happen.
I hope BriarPatch will join other retailers around the country who are taking
a leadership position and mandating progressive non-GMO policies. This October
will be Non-GMO Month, a chance for a
lot of education and exposure to the issue.
A protest march is being planned for this
summer in Washington. We’re going to
have to mobilize like this is the 1960’s all
over again to win.
Michael Funk, 56, founded Mountain People’s Warehouse in Nevada City
in 1976. As one of the key pioneers of
the natural food industry, he built his
company into the leading natural food
wholesaler in the Western region. In 1996,
he co-founded and took public United
Natural Foods (Nasdaq: UNFI) to form
the largest natural food distributor in the
country. As President and CEO of UNFI,
he led the company to sales of over $3.5
billion. Michael Funk is a board member
of numerous non-profit groups, including
the Non-GMO Project and the Organic
Center. He currently serves as Chairman of
the Board for UNFI and remains active in
the strategic management of the company.
Non-GMO at
BriarPatch
B
riarPatch believes in an organic non-GMO future.
Without mandatory labeling and testing, however, there’s not a single
retailer in the nation that can claim to be 100 percent GMO-free. Consumers
have been learning for years that high percentages of non-organic corn, soy,
and canola are genetically modified. These products gained a foothold in the
market in the 1990s, before there was testing and mechanisms to plug the
sources of contamination.
BriarPatch’s management team is discussing how our co-op can respond to
the approval of GE alfalfa and sugar beets. Currently, BriarPatch’s Merchandising Policy lists under “Products to be avoided” those containing genetically
modified or engineered material as a main ingredient. We will certainly continue to support the Non-GMO Project, and to pass along to shoppers opportunities to speak out. To receive the most timely notices, get on BriarPatch’s
email list at www.briarpatch.coop and/or see our Facebook page.
We can win
Consumers overturned rBGH in dairy. We stopped GE tomatoes, GE potatoes, GE wheat, and GE rice. We can do it again.
• Buy organic, especially Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified.
• Buy local.
• Support the Center for Food Safety’s legal fund at http://bit.ly/fHgBj3.
• Ask the President to respect sound science at comments@whitehouse.gov
or 202-456-1111.
20
April/May 2011
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Co-op Owner Benefits
Know and enjoy your BriarPatch benefits!
The opportunity to be involved
Vote for the Board of Directors and in
other decision-making elections, run for
the Board, and attend our annual General
Meeting in October.
Local Business Discounts
Discounts on goods and services at 30
local businesses. The list is on the next
page, page 21.
Patronage Dividend
For years with sufficient earnings, profits
will be returned to owners in proportion
to purchases.
Food Safety Alerts
Notices of important food safety issues
affecting BriarPatch shoppers are sent
promptly via email. (To get on the list or
update your email address, send it to info@
briarpatch.coop or leave it at the Customer
Service window.)
Special Order Discount
Pay only the wholesale catalog price
plus a handling charge when you order
products in wholesale quantities (by the
case or 6 each for Wellness Department
items).
Discount Vouchers
Good for single shopping trips, discount
vouchers are mailed periodically, inserted
in this newsletter.
Cooking Class Discount
At In the Kitchen cooking school in
Nevada City. See www.wendyvanwagner.
com for class schedu le a nd more
information.
Community Mindedness
Join your friends and neighbors in
showing your pride in co-owning a local
business that supports our community.
Volunteer Program
Discount
Earn a 10% discount by volunteering
in the store with bagging, product sampling, or other jobs as available. Pick up
a volunteer application at the Customer
Service window.
Newsletter Ad
Discounts
Run a free classified ad and/or take a
one-time $20 discount on a display ad in
our bimonthly newsletter.
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
April/May 2011
21
Co-op Owner Discounts
These local businesses offer discounts to BriarPatch owners. Discounts vary. Please present your owner card prior to the transaction to receive
the discount. Inquire about this cooperative promotional program with Mellisa at 272-5333 ext. 129 or MellisaH@briarpatch.coop.
HEALTH & HEALING
SERVICES
SERVICES
GOODS
Antouri Chiropractic
10% off cash - Accepting HMO’s, PPO’s,
Medicare, Anthem, Aetna, BlueCross,
BlueShield and more
563 Brunswick Rd. Ste.5, Grass Valley
273-6192 • www.antouri.com
Body Balance • Kung Fu & Tai Chi
Free introductory package
151 Mill St., Grass Valley
530-477-0677
www.bodybalanceNC.com
Debra Buddie, L.Ac.
Acupuncture & Herbs
10% off all acupuncture treatments
913-6347 • Grass Valley
California College of Ayurveda
10% off Bliss Therapies,
Intern Consultations
700 Zion St., Nevada City • 274-9100
www.ayurvedacollege.com
Dr. Don Williams, DC
10% discount existing patients,
no insurance
$50 discount new patient services
530-271-5921
www.livingvibrantly.com
Form is Function
10% off all fitness classes,
group or private
530-346-7631 office
510-393-2568 mobile
www.formsfunction.org
Iris Holistic Counseling Services
Donna Fisher-Jackson, M.A.
50% off initial counseling session
530-477-7863, Grass Valley
www.donnafisherjackson.com
Jacobson Chiropractic
$40 follow-up visits Thursdays,
cash only, please call for appointment
265-2220 • 194 Gold Flat Rd., NC
Living Waters
Colon Hydrotherapy
5% off packages & service
530-274-9738 • 1097 E. Main St., Suite F
livingwaterscolonics@gmail.com
Synden’s Home Care
15% off house cleaning and elder care
530-798-9081 • 530-205-9764
synden.t@gmail.com
South Yuba Club
Corporate rates (lowest available)
555 Searls Ave., NC • 530-470-9100
Wilma Terrill, M.S., M.F.T.
Marriage Family Therapy,
Hypnotherapy & Children’s Issues
10% off sliding scale
265-3068 • 103 Providence Mine Rd.,
Ste. 104, Nevada City
NEW! Dawn Lorraine Conscious Skincare
Organic Facials & Skin Products
50% off your first facial
www.dawnlorraine.com
265-9004 • dawnlorraine@live.com
Bardsley Safe and Lock
10% discount on labor
530-575-2100
www.bardsleysafeandlock.com
Brian’s Electrical Service
& Plumbing Repair
Brian Puckett, 30+ years experience
lic. #324214
10% off labor • 272-6241
Carbright Auto Detailing
Steam Cleaning
& Paintless Dent Repair
10% off any service
273-5482 • 11671 East Main St.,
next to Humpty Dumpty
Changing Spaces
10% off feng shui/residential design
drafting services • 272-9128
changingspaces4u@aol.com
Covert’s Pump Service
10% off labor
530-292-WELL (9355)
High Quality Handiworks
General Contractor for
home improvement
10% discount on labor
Liz, 265-5151
Higher Ground Herb Gardens
10% off design & consulting services
292-3348 • CA lic. #800049
Kimmel Electric • csl#914225
$25 off all repairs & remodels,
new construction
530-432-1872 office
www.kimmelelectric.com
Loma Rica Ranch Self Storage
6th month free.
5x10 $55, 10x10 $75
530-273-0889
lomaricastorage.com
Paul Sabin, Excavating Contractor
SCL#487296, since 1986
10% off hourly rate for backhoe and cat work,
heavy dirt work, septics, site prep, earth shaping
272-2909 • sabinpaul@hotmail. com
Sierra Consulting &
Integrated Pest Management
Tree Specialist & Agricultural Advisor
10% off • 432-7845
sierraconsultingipm.com
Veronica Monet, ACS, CAM
Couples Consultant specializing in
Anger Management & Sacred Sexuality
7% off in-person and telephone appts.
208 Providence Mine Road, NC
888.903.0050
veronica@sexwithoutshame.com
Geronimo Pole Co.
5-20% off hand-peeled poles,
custom log furniture, timbers,
tipi poles, slabs, etc.
288-1000
www.geronimopole.com
Mowen Solinsky Gallery
5% off cash sales • 530-265-4682
225 Broad St., Nevada City
www.mowensolinskygallery.com
Parts for Imports10%-15% off
(except oil & selected special orders)
120 Joerschke Dr., GV • 272-3477
Sweet Diane’s
Custom Wedding Cakes
& Fine Catering with Diane Astarita
10% off • 692-1614
sweetdianes@hotmail.com
Tomes
10% off used books, cassettes & CDs
Booktown, 107 Bank St., GV, 272-4655
671 Maltman Dr., #3, GV, 273-4002
tomes@nccn.net
Weiss Brothers Nursery
10% off (except sale items)
615 Maltman Dr., GV • 273-5814
Goods
Ambient Beauty
Facials by Franceska Alexander
10% off products & treatments
530-265-8448
By appointment only
Colfax Farm & Country Store
10% off purchase (excluding hay)
140 Main St., Colfax • 530-346-2600
Country Wood Furniture
10% off merchandise
except sale items & finishing;
claim discount before orders are placed
116 W. Main St., Downtown GV
273-5375
SOLAR POWER
Mountain Solar
Consulting, sales, and installations
of solar electric systems
$250 credit toward system performance
monitoring on your computer
274-7355 • 175 Joerschke Dr., GV
M-F 11-5 mountainsolar.net
thomas@mountainsolar.net
Plan It Solar
Renewable energy education, design,
sales, service
Receive the tax credit upfront at no extra
charge - receive 5¢/watt off solar panels
432-3776 • planitsolar.com
OWNER BENEFITS
Sierra Solar Systems
Free site evaluation, economic analysis,
and engineering consultation • M-F 9-5
5¢/watt off all solar electric modules
273-6754 • sierrasolar.com
info@sierrasolar.com
563C Idaho Maryland Rd., GV
22
April/May 2011
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
Classified Ads
Co-op Connections
Co-op Connections listings cost $20 per
issue, $15 for BriarPatch owners. Email up
to 5 lines — business/person’s name, 4 to
5 word description, contact information
(phone number, email address, website),
and owner discount (if any — not required)
to mellisah@briarpatch.coop. For more
information, call 272-5333 ext.129.
CHILDBIRTH
Chamberlin Childbirth
Laurie Chamberlin, CD, ICCE, CLE
Serving Hospital & Homebirth Clients
Prenatal counseling for birth preparation, birthing classes, doula services
www.lauriechamberlin.com
chamberlinchildbirth@gmail.com
530.477.5442
CLASSES
Five Elements
Community of Tai Chi Players
Classes in Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan
Meet Tues and Thurs at 5 PM
Nevada City Veterans Building
www.taichi-nevadacity.com
(530) 274 –3513
LOCAL FARMS
Starbright Acres Family Farm
Farm Store Open 7am to 7pm,
7 days/week. Organic eggs, produce,
pine needle baskets and more.
12575 Polaris Drive, Grass Valley, CA
starbrightacres@yahoo.com
(530) 273-2513
YOGA
Young at Heart Yoga
with Jackie Gerster
New! Tuesdays, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Wednesdays, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Wild Mountain Yoga Center
(916) 747-1415
YOGA & MASSAGE
Dragonfly Yoga, Massage &
Wellness
Yoga classes for all levels in peaceful
studio. First visit FREE!
17328 Penn Valley Dr. Suite D, Penn Valley.
See website for schedule:
www.pennvalleyyoga.com
or contact Bonnie 530.432.6929
Bonnie@pennvalleyyoga.com
Classified ads are FREE to BriarPatch current owners. The deadline for the June/July issue is May 1. Submit your wording, 30 words
maximum, via email to Mellisa Hannum, MellisaH@briarpatch.coop or in writing at the customer service window. Please include
your owner number. Ads may be run repeatedly; renew by the first of the month preceding publication by email or phone, 272-5333
ext. 129. BriarPatch staff reserve the right to edit ads or to reject ads deemed unsuitable. A classified ad does not represent BriarPatch
endorsement of the products or services offered.
MARTIAL ARTS
FREE
Free. “Acorns And Eat ‘em,” a How-To Vegetarian
Cookbook and Field Guide for Eating Acorns, by Suellen
Ocean. Go to www.oceanhose.com for information on
obtaining a free download of the book.
CLASSES & EVENTS
Double Oak Vineyards & Winery. Mountain grown
fine wine produced by nature-friendly farming. Wine
tasting, picnicking & tours: Saturdays & by appointment.
Visit Double Oak on the Wine Trail, May 28 & 29. www.
DoubleOakWinery.com. (530) 292-3235.
Astronomy for you/for your child! We talk about
ecilpses, galaxies, nebula -- come to our monthly meetings at the Madelyn Helling Library 7 pm, first Wednesdays. Look on our website for Star Parties -- we can help
you set up your telescope! ncastronomers.org.
Jazz Camp registration now open. Fun for all ages,
all instruments and voice. July 20-24, 9 person faculty.
Learn to improvise or improve your skills. sierrajazzsociety.com or 273-0568.
Piano Lessons in your home or my studio. (NC/GV
area) Beginning to intermediate levels. Adult beginners
especially welcome. Emphasis on music reading. Cathy
Collings, B.A. in music - Oberlin College. (530)272-6588.
Piano lessons – experienced teacher loves to work
with beginners (children and adults) and continuing or
returning students. Certificate of Merit, National Guild
Auditions. Jean O. Poff, Nevada City. 273-6875, rogerpoff@comcast.net.
Holistic Strength. Natural movement instruction that
cultivates strength, speed, mobility, stability, endurance, resilience & balance. Eurasian folk wisdom meets
cutting edge science. Contact Eric or Alison at (530) 3467631, EricKenyonRKC@yahoo.com, FormisFunction.org.
Free public DVD Showing of Adyashanti 2nd &
4th Mondays of each month. Begins at 6:45 with silent
meditation. Location: Sierra Center for Spiritual Living.
Contact: prajnang@yahoo.com or Jan (530) 273-5595.
Aida Baker, MFT Intern holding an 8 week course
on Parenting from the Inside Out, by Dan Siegel. A
method helping parents develop a deeper understanding of their own childhood experiences in order to create
secure bonds with their children. Call for more information, 263-6882.
QiGong for Health & Tai Chi “Lite.” Free Introductory
Classes. For information call Homer Nottingham, (530)
263-1627 or homer@hjmanor.com.
“Natural, earth-centered, green...” A lot of people
use these terms but know little about nature. Do the
earth a favor-- educate yourself about her. Ecological Outreach Services is offering Nature Appreciation
classes for individuals and groups. Over 20 years as a
professional ecologist. ecooutreachmoran@yahoo.com
or 272-7132.
Green Medicine Classes with Kathi Keville: Wild
Herb Walks April & June. Herbal Apprenticeship May-August. Dry Stack Rock Wall Classes with Ron Bertolucci. Oak
Valley Herb Farm. (530) 274-3140. www.ahaherb.com.
Join Dr. Don Williams, DC for a community health talk
on “The Secret of Health and The Law of Attraction.”
BriarPatch Community Room, May 17, 7-8pm. www.
livingvibrantly.com, 271-5921.
Blues Busters™: From Depressing to Expressing™.
The Matrix Method™ shows you exercises to consistently
improve your mood at your core. Privately or classes
by May 1st. www.adonata.webstarts.com. (775) 6579524. Call now!
DANCE & MOVEMENT CLASSES
African Dance Class. Thursdays 5 pm to 6:30 pm at
St. Joseph’s Cultural Center, 410 South Church St., Grass
Valley. Dances, rhythms, & songs of the Congo. Taught
by Cai Sorlien. Live drumming by Kit Bailey. All levels of
experience included. 288-3603.
Dance Fitness. A jazz dance style of aerobics to various music styles (African, Latin, etc.), strength training,
core, & stretch. MWF 8:45-10:15am @ GV Center of Arts,
upstairs in Sierra Dance Inst. Female oriented only. $10
per class, call 913-6877 for more information. Bring this
ad for a free 1st time visit.
Friday Night Coffee Roasters Dance & Swing Classes,
April 29th through June 3rd (except May 13) At Sierra
Mtn. Coffee Roasters, 671 Maltman Dr., GV. 6-7pm Int.
East Coast Swing. 7-8 pm Beg. East Coast Swing. 8-10pm
Dance. No Partners Required. Call Russ & Jeanette of Jitterbugs Inc. 274-3565, jitterbugsinc@sbcglobal.net.
YOGA CLASSES
Young at Heart Yoga taught by Jackie Gerster at Wild
Mountain Yoga Center. Lengthening and strengthening
for all student levels. Wed. 12:30-1:30 p.m. New and
beginning students always welcome. (916) 747-1415.
Dragonfly Yoga, Massage & Wellness Studio. Serving
Western Nevada County for over 5 years! Please join us in
our peaceful studio for yoga classes, craniosacral bodywork and wellness events. Gentle yoga, flow & stretch,
prenatal and more! 17328 Penn Valley Dr. Suite D & E,
Penn Valley, CA, 432-6929, www.pennvalleyyoga.com.
Happy Hour Yoga. A strengthening mixture of Yoga
and Pilates served with a shot of laughter by Angelika
Post, Tues. and Thurs. 5:30pm-6:30pm $10. 477-6435,
www.fulllifeyogastudio.com. 204 Providence Mine
Road, Ste 112, Nevada City.
Stretch and Restore Yoga with Jo Wisor, Mon. and
Wed. 3:30pm-5:00pm. 274-9094. Relax, Refresh and
Rejuvenate active stretching and supported passive
poses. Full Life Yoga Studio, 204 Providence Mine Road,
Ste 112, Nevada City.
Gentle Iyengar based yoga with Jill Hersh at Full Life
Yoga Studio. Learn basic yoga skills. Beginners welcome.
Mon. 10:30-12:00 p.m. New class starting in April: Wed.
8:00- 9:00 a.m. 265-2963.
Aikido’Ka. Aikido classes for students of all ages. Our
classes emphasize fun, respect, fitness, self-defense,
personal growth and non-violent dispute resolution.
142 E. McKnight Way, Grass Valley. 273-2727. www.
joinaikido.com.
SERVICES - BUSINESS, COMPUTER
Handy Annie Organizing. Buried in paper? 10% off
hourly rate on home and office assistance. No job too
big. 273-6898.
Project Simplify. Calling all Natural Professionals!
You know it can be easier. Sign up for free newsletter to
find out about upcoming events at ProjectSimplify.com.
Apple Computer Specialist. Tutor, Install, Upgrade,
Consult... and more. Tony, (530) 273-3106.
Designs by Dwight. Custom website and graphic
design. www.designsbydwight.com. (530) 559-0977.
SERVICES - GARDEN
Sunnydaygarden. Time to update your beautiful
living space? Food & Flowers. Good ideas and garden
planning, consultation, design, planting, pruning,
maintenance & mentoring. Sensible, creative, livable
gardens. Kathy Laible, (530) 263-3709.
A Women’s Touch Yard & Garden Design. As your
garden awakes, help is near! Seed starting advice,
vegetable, flower & landscape bed installation. Maintenance, pruning, mentoring, composting, consultations. Randi Pratini, (530) 478-0800.
Permaculture your homestead! Reduce food costs,
improve water availability & quality, boost fertility
& biodiversity, lower energy expenses, increase selfreliance, create abundance! 3-hour site evaluation
$175. See details at SierraPermaculture.com.
Need Tree Work? Hook-less tree climbing licensed
and insured. BriarPatch owner. Call Austin DeRock for
free estimates, (530) 277-6633.
Michael’s Tree Service: ISA Certified Arborist/State
Licensed Contractor # 723619. Fully Insured. Serving
Nevada County for over 18 years. Removals, trimming,
consultations. Discount for BriarPatch owners. Call today
for a free estimate. We care about your trees. 265-5724.
Take a peek at the short Slug Zapper Youtube video clip. You’ll get a kick out of it, and it really works!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7hq0oN1M9s&
feature=player_embedded
Garvin’s tree service. Call me for all your tree needs,
263-9190.
English Country Gardener. Skilled Landscaper,
wood, stone & metal-worker. Water features, gates,
decks, steps, flagstone patios, walls, grading, roads,
tree-pruning, brush-clearing. Professional work, competitive rates. Guy 273-5802.
SERVICES - HEALTH & HEALING
Iris Holistic Counseling Services. Donna FisherJackson, MA, CHT. Free 30 minute Discovery Session.
(530) 477-7863, Grass Valley. www.DonnaFisherJackson.com.
The Vine, BriarPatch’s Community Newsletter
April/May 2011
Classified Ads
Dr. Don Williams, DC. Gentle care for infants, children and adults.
Specializing in functional neurology and mind-body healing. (530)
271-5921, www.livingvibrantly.com.
Got Drama? Wish he/she understood you? Want to stop the madness? Get relief now! Veronica Monet, ACS: Couples Consultant specializing in Anger & Sexuality. Telephone appointments & Nevada City
office. 7% discount to members. (888)903-0050.
Quantum Bio-Feedback for Spiritual Healing. Try STU! Spiritual
Tune Up at discount rates. Deep Relaxation, Chakra & Aura Therapy,
Neurological Balance, Flower Essences, Gemstones, Aromatherapy,
Angelic Attunement, Past Life Therapy, and much more! Dr. Haripriya
Dillon, N.D. 432-2121, www.holisticgift.net.
Reiki Master. Certified in Usui Shiki Ryoho healing system. Encompassing the whole mind-body-spirit in caring for your health. Releasing cumulative stress or addressing more serious health concerns.
Serving the human, animal, and plant kingdoms. Doreen Domb, (530)
273-8394.
Help for your back, neck, shoulder stiffness. Learn to change habits of compression through Alexander Technique. Wonderful, practical
100-year old method. Downtown Grass Valley office. Nora Nausbaum,
273-5489, Nora@ATsierra.com.
Solid Ground Bodywork. Effective, focused orthopedic massage sessions with a holistic perspective. Deep, powerful and empowering yet
gentle, supportive and very relaxing. Short sessions available. Glenn
Smith, 478-0770.
Mindful Massage with Mieke Blees. Receive $30 off your first session. Thorough and specific work in a comfortable space. Relieve Headaches, Back/Shoulder/Neck pain, Sciatica, promote relaxation. Call
(530)205-7071.
Sleep Better. Think Better. Live Better. Relieve stress and pain,
deepen sleep, improve memory, ease depression and anxiety. Effective
for children’s learning and behavior problems. No Drugs! Reach your
peak potential with neurofeedback. Free brain health newsletter &
consultation. (530) 263-1413. SierraEEG.com
Jump, skip, hoot n’ holler Dance Playtime and Active Meditation.
The Studio at Vela Massage Retreat, 763 S.Auburn St., GV. For info call
Natana, 432-8378.
Elevation Massage Therapy. Enjoy blissful, beneficial massage with
Lillian Llacer, CMT. Soothing, deep tension release, effective pain relief,
pre-natal, and sports massage. 20% discount for new clients, 10% off
Tues/Thurs for owners. (530) 559-3115.
Dawn Lorraine Conscious Skincare. Advanced Organic Facials & Products. 50% off your first facial. www.dawnlorraine.com. (530) 265-9004.
Are you 18 Yrs old & need a Marijuana prescription? Indicated for
Intestinal disorders, Chronic pain, & stress. Call MFM @ 268-8778; $95
initial exam & Certificate/ $50 annual renewal. Board Certified Internist. Additional 10% BriarPatch member discount.
A Caring Heart. Home care provided, cleaning, cook meals, taking you
to appointments and errands, provide companionship. $12 an hour.
House sitting. $15 a visit. Completed 40 hour course in Personal Care
Assistance. I am very honest. Excellent references. (530) 615-4018.
Adonata Pyaga, MS. Matrix Method Coach. 22 years experience. Improve Your Life today! Call (775) 657-9524. www.adonata.webstarts.
com.
SERVICES - HOME
Personal People & Pet Assistant Services. Shopping, errands, appointments. Organic home and garden care. Pet-sitting, care, appt. pickups and drop-offs. Dog walking. After-party cleanup. $10-$20/hr, 10% off
for BriarPatch owners. 272-8646 or 263-9756.
Kent Loma Rica Ranch Self Storage. Kent & Mollie Gallagher invite
you to call our friendly resident manager, Barbara, 273-0889. 5x10 $55,
10x10 $75, 6th month free. Lomaricastorage.com.
Kimmel Electric CL #914225. Your licensed, insured electrician for repairs,
remodels, upgrades. Upfront pricing & discount for BriarPatch members.
www.kimmelelectric.com, kimmelelectric@gmail.com, (530) 432-1872.
Bardsley Safe and Lock. www.bardsleysafe.com. 30 years local experience. State Permit LCO4728. Service, re-key, or change combination on locks
& safes. 10% discount on labor for BriarPatch members. (530) 575-2100.
High quality handiworks. Plumbing, carpentry, electrical, general
repair, remodels. Call Liz, Licensed General Contractor, for all your home
improvement needs. (530) 265-5151.
Ken Hale Piano Tuning, Repair, Regulation & Evaluation for home,
schools, concerts. Call Ken, Registered Piano Technician, 272-8133. Mention ad for 10% discount.
Will’s Plumbing & Repair – the ½ price plumber (avg per hr). Master to you. Solar, drain cleaning, filters, pumps, trenching, irrigation. Lic
#652569. 35 yrs exp. 272-6421 or 268-1129.
Handy Houseman. Small repairs, Household Projects, Tile Setting, Plumbing, Window Washing, Painting, Kitchen Remodels, Patios,
Bathrooms, Showers, Kitchen Flooring, Electrical. Free Gutter Inspections. Isaac , $23/hour. www.myhandyhouseman.com, 272-7488.
For What It’s Worth. Alan Caisse, State Certified Real Estate Appraiser.
Experienced, Honest and Accurate. Estate, Legal or Sale purposes. Nevada County Specialist. Conventional to the most complex - I’d be glad to
help. Since 1988. (530) 470-8611.
SERVICES - MISC.
Live Rock n Roll dance band for weddings and parties. Music from
the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. Please visit our website, starpeopleband.com or call
432-1363.
Preparedness & Outdoor Recreation. PrepareDirect, a national company based locally since 1980, provides quality and essential products for
emergency preparedness and outdoor recreation at a discount. Use coupon
#925 at website checkout for an extra 10% off for locals. www.preparedirect.com, (530) 274-3344.
Travel: Costa Rica/eco adventures, Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Europe;
weddings/honeymoons, spiritual vacations. Personal travel experience, local resident for 34 years. Melanie (530)268-1756, dreamaker80@hotmail.
com, www.dreammakertravel.net.
Rooms for rent in Squaw Valley ski cabin. 2 rooms in my home, bed
and breakfast style. For more info: www.crosscreekcabinsv.com or call Cindy
at 386-1985.
I Mediate Solutions provides trained, experienced, low-cost and confidential mediation services for all types of disputes. If you’re ready to find
agreement in an unresolved situation, call Rio at 274-2931.
Need a ride to or from town, work, school, the train or bus station, or
the Airport? Call Gold Country Cab and Courier. Ask about our $5, $10, and
$15 rides. 274-8294(TAXI).
FOR SALE
Quiet, rustic, creek side property, nine acres, mostly forested, private
and secluded, yet just 15 minutes from town; off-grid solar power with
one main cabin and other usable buildings; $189,500. (530) 263-0411.
Colloidal Silver wholesale. Silver has been used for thousands of years
for its’ broad spectrum infection fighting qualities. Antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal. Highly effective yet highly safe. $15-16oz. River (530)
274-9960 or mtnfaerie@sierratalk.com.
Champion “2000 series” juicer. Brand new. Never out of box. $190.
Carolyn, 288-3424.
Local, agroecologically grown flowers and food fresh from Dinner
Bell Farm! Event and wedding flowers, pasture-raised chicken, specialty
fruits and vegetables available. Contact us for more info www.dinnerbellfarm.com, 272-2843.
23
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Cedar Ridge, CA
PERMIT No.
290 Sierra College Drive, Suite A
Grass Valley, CA 95945
27
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Shoppers’ Forum
What do you buy in bulk?
Nuts and herbs and
teas … especially the
de-stress chai tea, it’s
great.
– John
You guys have an
awesome selection of
herbs. It’s really fun.
This is dandelion root
for radiant skin tea.
– Jennifer
I buy tea, I buy spices, green
powder, hemp oil, all my
grains and legumes, pretty
much everything I can. It
definitely costs less.
– Behzad
I usually buy quinoa, grains,
beans, and stuff to make
homemade cookies … and
today we’re going skiing so we’re
getting trail mix. I love the bulk
department! – Robbie & Mom
Grains, beans, tea, soap,
peanut butter, vinegar,
pasta, cereal, nuts,
flaxseed …
– Sandy
Fruits and stuff, the
mixes or straight dried
fruits.
– Mike