Shopper Shopper - People`s Food Co-op

Co-op
Shopper
People’s Food Co-op
m arch /a pri l 20 14
fres h produce • grocer y • del i • bi s tro
La Cros se • Rochester • www. pfc .coop
N EW B EGINNINGS :
S TART- UP FARMERS IN THE D RIFTLESS
B ECOME
A
CO - OP
member
Our Mission—(What we strive to accomplish in our work every day)
The mission of the People’s Food Co-op is to build community, grow a loyal and thriving membership
and be the best fresh food market in the country.
membership benefits
• become a part owner of
the People’s Food Co-op!
it’s easy to join
•
ask any cashier for an application and fill it out.
•
pay for your membership. It’s $100 for the first (primary)
member plus $25 each for up to two additional members. You
may sign up for the installment plan and pay $25 per quarter
until you’re paid in full ($7 administrative fee applies).
•
enjoy the benefits of membership!
• 5% discount on your choice of one
shopping trip each month
• member-only specials
• reduced rates for cooking
and gardening classes
student membership
• a vote on Co-op issues
(one vote per membership)
The Co-op offers one-year memberships for only $10
to college and university students who show a valid student
ID! Join now and reap the benefits:
• eligibility to run for the Co-op board
• ability to request refund of your equity
investment if you discontinue membership
•
one-year membership, September through August
•
5% discount on one shopping trip per month
• patronage rebates (in years the board
declares them) on the basis of Co-op
profitability and the amount of money
you’ve spent at the Co-op during the year
•
member-only specials
•
reduced rates for cooking and gardening classes
•
Student members are not eligible to vote on Co-op issues,
run for Co-op board, receive patronage rebates, or have
membership fees refunded.
K NOW
YOUR
board
Heidi Blanke vice president
Tessa Leung
Dan Litwiller president
Katherine Logan
Beth Moore secretary
Jocy Poehler treasurer
Ray Schmitz
Robin Schultz
Contact the board at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]
People’s Food Co-op
315 Fifth Avenue South
La Crosse, WI 54601
608.784.5798
La Crosse Hours:
7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Daily
2
519 1st Avenue SW
Rochester, MN 55902
507-289-9061
Rochester Hours:
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Daily
Cover photo: New tomato seedlings at Deep Rooted Farm.
The Co-op Shopper is published bimonthly
by the People’s Food Co-op of La Crosse and
Rochester, 315 Fifth Avenue South, La Crosse,
WI 54601 and 519 1st Avenue SW, Rochester,
MN 55902. The Co-op Shopper serves to
educate shoppers about food issues, community
activities and events, co-ops in general, and
membership in the PFC. The views expressed
are those of the writers and do not necessarily
represent those of the People’s Food Co-op
or its membership.
The Co-op Shopper is a nonprofit publication
printed on recycled paper. All articles and
pictures submitted for publication become
property of People’s Food Co-op. PFC reserves
the right to refuse publication of any article for
any reason.
contributors Lauri Hoff
Dan Litwiller
Liz Haywood
Jen McCoy
Brad Smith
Karen Acker
Michelle Schry
Kevin Ducey
proofing
Sue Knopf, Graffolio
advertising Lauri Hoff, Kevin Ducey
photography Lauri Hoff, Kevin Ducey
B OARD
OF
D IRECTORS
report
ood is a product borne of many
forces. Food is a social product, a
cultural product, a technological
product, a political product, and so on.
But first and foremost, food is an
environmental product, and therefore,
eating food is fundamentally an
environmental act. The simple and
repetitive act of eating shapes our local
and global environment in ways that
are expansive and unrelenting.
F
Dan Litwiller,
Board President
We recognize that the effects of our
food choices ripple up the supply chain, through
intermediaries and distributors, where they affect the actual
producers of our food and the lands they care for. We also
recognize that our food choices have downstream effects on
the environment (in a more general sense), moving
mountains of money capital and driving alarming public
health trends—for better or worse.
Eating thoughtfully (or indifferently) is therefore both a
reflection and an expression of our values.
In the food co-op world, we embrace the connection
between food and values, and we work hard to provide a
venue that meets a wide variety of needs (occasionally at
odds), where you as eaters are free to pursue and to live your
food values on a daily basis.
Personally, I also like to think of the food co-op movement
as a sort of bulwark against the tide of an increasingly
mobile and decentralized economy that tends to favor, as
Wendell Berry puts it, “the estrangement of consumer and
producer.” Modern food co-ops work persistently to restore
community and preserve a sense of place, fostering
connections between members and local farmers and the
land they care for.
At food co-ops, we believe that eating can (and should) be
more than a zero-sum game. The cooperative model defies
outdated economic principles of extract, exploit, and
deplete. We take great pride in the fact that many of our
local producers are devout stewards of the land, pushing the
boundaries of sustainable agriculture by eschewing toxic
inputs, protecting watersheds, and restoring topsoil through
careful rotational grazing methods.
We believe that eating can be restorative in a natural and
environmental sense, and in a broader social and economic
sense, cultivating community and furthering the other roles
that food plays in our lives.
When you visit our food co-op, we hope you recognize the
full extent of your impact and what your support means for
our food system, our community, and our environment.
—Dan Litwiller,
People’s Food Co-op Board President
N EW R OCHESTER P EOPLE ' S F OOD CO - OP
GARNERS RECOGNITION
n January 23rd People’s Food Co-op was one of
two business honored by Olmstead County, MN,
and Rochester Public Utilities with a 2013
Environmental Achievement Award. (You may have heard
of the other commercial winner —a little place called IBM.)
O
We’re grateful for the support shown by our members and
shoppers in Rochester!
Our award was based upon the intense and successful
application of energy-saving technologies as well as “green”
aspects of our build-out of the new Rochester People’s Food
Co-op. The centerpiece of our energy-saving technology is
the use of a single water system that extracts heat from our
refrigeration systems and uses that rejected heat to preheat
the domestic hot water supply used throughout the store as
well as being used by heat pumps to heat the building
during winter months. Any residual heat is expelled through
a water chilling tower rather than condenser fans— resulting
in a quieter urban environment. Interestingly, this is the
same water loop technology that IBM deployed which
garnered them their recognition this year.
Best Specialty Market
PFC–Rochester also received another recognition in
February that is incredibly meaningful. We were selected in
the Rochester Magazine Reader’s Poll as Best Specialty
Market in Rochester for 2014. Readers nominated their
favorites in dozens of categories.
Environmental achievement award for construction
of the People’s Food Co-op in Rochester.
3
SnoPac
O RGANIC BEFORE YOU WERE BORN
noPac Foods, of Caledonia, Minnesota,
supplies People’s Food Co-op with frozen
organic vegetables, fruits, and juices. The
list of all the varieties of good things that SnoPac
has supplied the Co-op over the years would fill
this page. SnoPac has been around for over 70
years — longer than People’s Food Co-op.
SnoPac has been one of People’s suppliers since
the earliest days of the Co-op. Pete Gengler, the
current CEO (and grandson of SnoPac’s founder
J.P. Gengler), remembers driving SnoPac
deliveries to People’s when the La Crosse store
was located in the old Bruha’s Grocery building
on Adams Street.
S
About 100 years ago, J.P. Gengler had a lumber
business in the Caledonia area. In the winter,
they’d cut ice from a spring-fed lake and ship it
south in the summer. J.P.’s son Leonard took
SnoPac founder, J.P. Gengler (left), harvesting ice on Spring Brook
advantage of the invention of refrigeration and
Lake
near Caledonia, MN — back when Minnesota had mild winters.
built a locker plant where local farmers,
including Leonard, could store their food.
The company now has 3,000 acres in organic production
Leonard Gengler grew strawberries, gooseberries, and
and works with another 50 local organic farmers supplying
vegetables, which he processed and froze. Leonard’s son Pete
frozen organic produce to retailers from Maine to
Gengler remembers that the family had 20 acres of
California. In spite of the national growth in sales, SnoPac
strawberries when he was a child. “I was picking strawberries
remains a locally owned Southeast Minnesota outfit,
when I was five. I made $11 one summer day—really good
supplied by local farms. “The majority of the farms we work
money when you’re five years old.”
with are within 20 miles [of Caledonia],” Gengler notes.
Like many farms in the region, SnoPac was hit hard by the
The SnoPac facilities are state of the art, using a series of
heavy rains of last spring. The increase in precipitation in the
conveyor-linked machinery to receive, sort, slice, blanch,
Driftless region represents a substantial ecological challenge
spray, chill, de-water, and freeze as quickly as possible. The
for the future of local agriculture. “Whenever you have 16
setup can process 8,000–9,000 pounds of peas an hour when
inches of rain in a 24-hour period, you’re going to have
the summer harvest is at its peak, or 6,000 carrrots an hour.
erosion,” Gengler says, but he also notes there are steps that
The company has always been organic. “In the 1940s,”
farmers can take to mitigate the damage. SnoPac’s farm uses
Gengler says, “when all the chemicals started showing up in
contour strips and cover crops so that the topsoil loss is
farming, my father decided not to use them. He didn’t think
minimized. Gengler expects SnoPac to still be farming 100
it was a good idea and didn’t go along with it. As soon as the
years from now—even if there isn’t any more ice to pull out
chemicals started being used people started having trouble
of the lakes.
with them—sensitivities and allergies—so my father had
customers right away. He was shipping all over the
country—special orders to people with allergies. In those
days we used dry ice packaging for shipping.”
4
Edamame processing.
The company started out delivering frozen foods to retailers
and selling off of truckstands in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and
Iowa. Candace Herbert, food service co-ordinator at People’s
Food Co-op in La Crosse, remembers buying SnoPac
products from a stand set up in the old Cub Foods parking
lot in La Crosse off Hwy. 16. SnoPac used to do a lot more
direct sales, Gengler says. “We used to have hundreds of
people lining up at the office to pick up their peas. They’d be
clear out to the street.” Those days are now gone and
customers can find their SnoPac organic frozen items at their
local co-op. “People don’t tend to buy 100 pounds of peas in
one lot like they used to,” Gengler says as we walk past the
warehouse cooler, dodging the forklifts. I have to have him
repeat himself; the reggae music at SnoPac is very loud.
L A C ROSSE
Manager’s report
erased my January calendar and put
up March in its place. It is the
middle of February and that small
act of turning a page in the calendar
has thankfully set my focus forward
to warmer days.
I
I’m not going to lie — it has been a
long and cold winter. Spring can’t
come soon enough in my book. I
am tired of shoveling snow and am
Jen McCoy,
looking forward to shoveling dirt. As
La Crosse
the seed catalogs show up I find myself
store manager
dreaming up and drawing up plans
for my garden and my next landscaping project. I
appreciate winter for this quiet time and sense of
sure focus. I can’t think of any other season in
which we spend so much time dreaming of
another one with such anticipation.
Congratulations to Jennifer Jordan
Jennifer was honored for 20 years of service at People’s Food
Co-op in La Crosse in November of last year.
Jennifer comes to us through a partnership with Riverfront
and has been a great addition to our staff. We thank her for
her hard work and loyalty to PFC.
You can find Jennifer at our store early in the morning
bagging for the grocery department.
We are proud of Jennifer for reaching such a great milestone
and are lucky to have her on board.
Three cheers to you, Jennifer!
Much like my garden plan that has been evolving on
my dining room table, we have also begun drawing
up plans for our co-op in La Crosse. It takes a lot of
thought and careful planning to do what we do well.
We are looking at our product selection and store
layout to ensure that our store continues to serve the
needs of our members and community.
We are paying attention to the trends developing
in our industry and listening to our members and
customers through visits at the store or by way of
comments left at the customer service desk and on
our website. And much like my garden, ideas are
evolving and we are starting to lay down the
framework for the seasons to come.
Happy Spring! See you in the store.
—Jen McCoy
Jennifer Jordan recognized for twenty years of service at People’s
Food Co-op at a Riverfront, Inc banquet in November 2013.
N ATURAL VALLEY G OAT C HEESE
BULK ENDS AT A GREAT PRICE !
Coming in March, a very special Member Special at the Rochester
and the La Crosse stores: Goat cheese bulk ends from the goats at
Natural Valley. Natural Valley Goat cheese is hand-crafted in the rolling
hills of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Natural Valley’s milk comes from a
cooperative of Amish farms in and around the Kickapoo River valley. All
the animals are hand-milked and the fresh milk is picked up daily in
old-fashioned metal milk cans.
∂oat.
What are bulk ends? When cheese is cut for exact weight packaging
the odds and ends are called bulk ends. Those ends are just as fresh,
wholesome, and delicious as pre-packed cheese. Selling bulk ends helps
support the goats, farmers, and cheese makers—AND we can make it
available to you at a super price. Use it for sandwiches, cube it for
cocktail snacks, grate it over salad or pasta. Enjoy!
5
F
Annual Garden Expo! A
March 22, 2014
10th Annual Washburn Garden
Expo at Lincoln Middle
School, La Crosse
The 10th Annual Washburn Garden Expo and
Rain Barrel Contest will be held March 22 from
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Lincoln Middle School,
510 S. 9th Street in La Crosse.
The keynote speaker is Dr. Stanley Temple. Dr.
Temple’s most recent study used the detailed field
notes of H.D. Thoreau and Aldo Leopold to
determine the effect of climate change on blooming
plants and migratory birds. He has also worked with
acoustic ecologists to recreate the Wisconsin rural
soundscape of Leopold’s era.
The Expo will feature gardening exhibits, rain barrel
painting competition, food, and neighborhood
conviviality. More information is available here:
Rain barrels waiting for your votes!
COMMUNITY
BUILDING AT
MN food share
F
or the second year in a row, People’s Food Co-op–
Rochester will be joining other food co-ops around the
state to raise funds and food for Minnesota FoodShare.
Historically, March is a time when food shelves see a drop-off
in donations, so MN FoodShare decided to combat that
problem through collaboration.
Bringing together schools,
companies, congregations, and
more, MN FoodShare’s March
Campaign is the largest food
drive in the state. Collectively,
our team of Minnesota food co-ops wants to be the largest
contributor of the campaign. But we need your help.
Throughout March, PFC–Rochester will have a number of
ways to contribute. We will have receptacles at checkout
lanes to donate your extra change. Prepackaged grocery bags
containing shelf-stable goods will be for sale at the end of
the aisle indicated by the MN FoodShare logo. Lastly, food
can be dropped off in the food bin in the cart vestibule of
the store. While this is a statewide collaboration, we have
elected to have all proceeds go to Channel One Regional
Food Bank. For more questions, contact Brad Smith at
PFC–Rochester 507-289-9061, or research the links below.
Help us make this the most successful drive we have had yet!
Let’s show others that Co-ops really are stronger together!
6
http://washburnneighborhood.org/2.html
http://mnfoodshare.gmcc.org/ http://channel-one.org/
PFC:
beans for bags
Jennifer Lengel, manager of the Homeless Hounds
program in La Crosse, receiving the Beans for Bags
donation from Karen Acker, Member Services Manager
for PFC – La Crosse. Homeless Hounds gives pet owners
an alternative to surrendering their dogs by housing
their animal at no cost while they search for a new
home. People’s Food Co-op–La Crosse shoppers
donated $251.05 through the “Beans for Bags” program.
Thank you, La Crosse People’s Shoppers!
R OCHESTER
Manager’s report
hank you for voting us Best
Specialty Grocery Store in
Rochester! We are very excited to
be on the top of the list just a few
months after opening our new store. The
competition in this category continues to
grow, but we will keep bringing you the
best the market has to offer, earning the
recognition year after year.
T
If you haven’t seen the article, find it at
Lizzy Haywood,
www.rochestermagazine.com. In the
Rochester
store manager
February issue you’ll also see many other
fabulous places to visit, whether you’re
living and working in this city or just visiting for the afternoon.
What really makes People’s Food Co-op stand out in the
region? It is the passion that drives us. Not something slightly
above disinterest, but passion. We know good food. We spend
a lot of time seeking it out for you, working with bakers and
farmers and coffee roasters. We show you how to cook truffles
and how to enjoy washed-rind cheeses. We prepare our breads
by hand with the best ingredients we can find, and craft the
best sandwiches for you when you’re on the go. Everything we
bring into our store is because we have the passion to bring
you a fabulous experience—no matter what brings you here.
And if you don’t get it, we want to hear about it.
COMMUNITY
In Rochester we are happy to introduce you to a new
member of our management team: Brigitte HeubleinWagner. She joined us in the wellness department last
August and has just recently taken over the management
duties of the department. Brigitte brings a special focus
on locally-produced items as well as identifying products
sought by our international clientele. We are proud of the
diversity that can be found in PFC’s products.
Please join us March 12, 4-7 p.m. for a reception to recognize
Judy Onofrio’s sculpture work. “Jungle Dance” is the new
display in our dining room and is one way we make a
connection with the arts culture in the region. The exhibition
adds to an already busy year for Onofrio, who has been
exhibiting sculpture for four decades. She had three pieces on
display during the “Made in Minnesota” exhibit, which ran
from Jan. 21 to Feb. 15 at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery on
the campus of the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. This
summer, she will be part of the Sherry Leedy Contemporary
Art show in Kansas City. Last month, she was featured on the
Twin Cities public television show, MN Original.
We believe that connecting people to the arts is one way in
which the co-op serves its mission to be a vibrant center for
healthy and sustainable living.
Cheers, Lizzy
PARTNERSHIPS
Healthy Eating Connection
lmsted Medical Center (OMC) and People’s Food Coop–Rochester have partnered to give Co-op customers
valuable nutrition information on some of the Co-op’s
food offerings. The “Healthy Eating Connection” collaboration
increases shoppers’ understanding and consumption of
healthier foods. Leadership on the project comes from OMC’s
Bridget Ideker, RD. Each month we focus on a different food
group. In March, our focus will be on budget-friendly healthy
foods and beans as an important part of a heart-healthy diet. In
April, recipes and food specials will center on National Garlic
Month, and May will focus on low sodium foods.
O
The Healthy Eating Connection display is located on the
east side of the Rochester store near the wellness department.
For more info, contact OMC’s nutrition services at
507.288.3443 x2593 or the Co-op at 507.289.9061 x3006.
Litter Bit Better
Saturday, April 26
Help Make Rochester a Litter Bit Better!
he Litter Bit Better campaign gathers volunteers to
pick up litter in Rochester. You can help! Meet at the
Rochester store for coffee and muffins, then head
out in groups to help pick up trash in the surrounding area.
T
Go to the service desk to get details on the exact time at the
Co-op, and sign up with your friends or family to make
Rochester a Litter Bit Better!
Low-Sodium Eating
ow-sodium eating has become a key theme in the
FDA’s recommendations for heart health. We want to
help you increase your health through knowledge of
what sodium means to the body and why reducing sodium
levels is seen as important for both adults and children.
L
Have you been wondering how to incorporate low-sodium
foods into your diet? Do you have questions about sodium
levels in the foods you eat every day? Consult with a
registered dietitian in Rochester on March 19, noon–3:00
p.m., in the wellness department.
PFC and OMC staff at the store display.
7
T HE
FARM FUTURE
So you want to be a farmer?
he average age of the American farmer is notoriously
high. As the number of people still farming continues
to shrink, the age of those who still farm continues to
go up. According to the USDA’s 2007 census, the average
age of the principal operator of a farm was 57 years. Despite
an increase in recent years of younger people getting into
farming, the next 20 years will need to see a huge transfer of
farm land from one generation to the next. The Agrarian
Trust estimates that up to 70% of U.S. farmland will have
to change ownership in the next two decades.
T
What sorts of avenues are available for young people
interested in farming to gain access to land? In recent years,
there has been an influx of younger folks taking up farming,
but there are a number of obstacles. In addition to the
daunting amount of hard labor and
the steep learning curve that young
farmers must grapple with, land
costs are at historic highs, driven by
real estate values, speculative
investments, and a scramble by
existing farmers for better quality
land as increased flooding makes
some areas less attractive.
Organic farming also requires the
sort of long-term investment in soil
that deters short-term leasing. All of
these factors are reflected in USDA
numbers that show principal
operators of farms 65 and older
outnumber farmers 35 and younger
by a factor of 6:1.
After college and a few years in the work world, Ross and
Devon decided to take stock and do some traveling. They
ended up working on WWOOF (World Wide
Opportunities on Organic Farms) farms in New Zealand
and Turkey. The WWOOF program gives people who are
interested in farming an immersive farm experience on
various organic farms around the world.
When the Ballingers returned to the States, they ended up
in the Twin Cities working on urban farms. A friend in
Minneapolis had a relative, an Organic Valley producer, in
the Rochester area with some farmland he was willing to
lease. “We just kept following the clues,” Devon says.
“Pieces keep coming into place for this decision [to farm].”
In addition to the WWOOF program, they also took the
“Farm Beginnings” course offered
through Minnesota’s Land
Stewardship Project
(http://landstewardshipproject.org).
They’ve found that established
farmers have been very generous with
their knowledge and advice. If
possible, they recommend that
aspiring farmers work on someone
else’s farm for experience before
attempting to set up an operation.
The Ballingers are committed to
organic farming almost as a matter
of course: “We came into farming as
a way of treating the world,” Ross
begins; Devon finishes the thought:
“We farm organically because we
want to be stewards of the land.”
Who are the farmers who will be
producing your food in the next
Two-Year Start
decade? What are the challenges they
People’s Food Co-op in La Crosse had
face and what are the opportunities
a treat last summer when a new, local
they have? We spoke to several new
tomato producer started supplying
farmers, who have put in one year,
Devon and Ross Ballinger, farmers
the store with delicious fruit. Deep
two years, and ten years on the farm.
in Rochester, Minnesota.
Rooted Farm of Westby, Wisconsin
We asked them about their
specializes in tomatoes and flowers. The owner, Tiffany
experiences and challenges in farming in the 21st century.
Cade, grew up on a dairy farm in the Westby area.
One-Year Start
Ross and Devon Ballinger are embarking on their second
year of farming on a half-acre 10 miles north of Rochester.
When we spoke in mid-January they were still planning
what this year’s planting would be. “We’re still in the process
of converting dreams to plans,” Ross reports.
8
Neither of their parents were farmers. They met in college in
Ohio, where they were both liberal arts majors. Devon, who
also happens to work at People’s Food Co-op, is from
Northfield, Minnesota; Ross from Southern Ohio. “My
family was suburban,” Ross says. “I remember playing the
game of “Life” with my family when I was little and in the
first section you spin to get your career—mine came up
farmer; I started crying.”
She studied environmental conservation in school, then
worked in Chicago—managing distribution for a
Wisconsin CSA farm. Along the way she too spent time in
a WWOOF program in New Zealand, and did a stint in
Cuba studying permaculture. Cade says she always knew
farming was something she wanted to do. Her family knew
it as well. “My father used to tell me: ‘You just wait, you’ll
end up farming.’” Now that she’s back in the area, Cade is
happy to have her family close by. “My grandmother came
over to help me plant tomato flats last year.”
For resources and advice in getting started, Cade has found
publications and conference seminars from the NRCS, Acres,
and MOSES to be helpful. She’s a fan of Mark Shepard,
author of Restoration Agriculture, published by Acres USA
Press. She’s also found that other farmers, especially other
women in farming, have been generous with their advice.
Looking back over her experience thus far, she laughs and
says that she wishes she hadn’t tried to do so much all at
once. “We didn’t really need to put up the woodshed right
away. Some stuff can wait.”
Tiffany Cade or the Ballingers could be living in New York,
chasing world domination at Goldman Sachs, or making
paradigm-shifting films in San Francisco, but instead they’ve
chosen the farmers’ life. “Farming is what makes me
happy,” Cade says. “I don’t mind getting up early, and the
city will always be there.”
Neither the Ballingers nor Cade seem that interested in
starting up a CSA program. “It’s a great model,” says Cade,
“but I’d want to keep it a small program, keep it personal.”
For the coming year the tomatoes are again the focus. Deep
Rooted will have cherry and slicing tomatoes and five
varieties of heirlooms in the hoop house. The farm may
diversify next year by adding peas, peppers, and cucumbers,
but for now Cade says she’s taking it one day at a time.
Ten-year vintage
Two Onion Farm has been operating outside of Belmont,
Wisconsin, for a little over ten years. The owners, Chris and
Juli McGuire, started with less than an acre in vegetables.
They now have four acres of veggies and an acre in fruit
trees. Over the decade, Two Onion Farm has slowly built
up a steady CSA customer base.
Chris McGuire looks back at the first years of Two Onion
and says: “We started out thinking we’d do a small farm and
not get too large, but discovered that with the cost of
equipment and other expenses it wasn’t really viable to make
a living. Outside labor and a little machinery can make it a
viable, profitable farm. You need to think clearly about what
you need to earn.”
In spite of the rise in land costs, McGuire believes that the
outlook for new farmers is very promising. “Compared to
Tiffany Cade, owner/operator of Deep Rooted
Farm in Westby, Wisconsin.
20 years ago,” he says, “the opportunities for training
have really improved. There are also more markets for
your produce. Not just farmers’ markets either, but
institutional markets (schools, hospitals, etc.) for produce
have really blossomed.”
The hurdles for start-up farming seem steep, but as McGuire
points out, the support system—the number of people who
are willing to help, to lend advice and capital—make the
journey less lonesome. “There’s such a culture of sharing in
this business. We’re basically competitors, but I’ve never had
a negative experience with other growers,” McGuire says.
People’s Food Co-op shoppers support these efforts. If you
are interested in seeing more local farm produce in your
co-op or at your local farmers’ market, support the growers
in your area, or check out the short list of resources below
if you are interested in sponsorship of local agriculture.
A short list of resources:
From small beginnings—Deep Rooted
tomato seedlings.
Land Stewardship Program Farm Transitions Toolkit:
http://landstewardshipproject.org/posts/530. The LSP offers
a Farm Beginnings Workshop several times a year.
Agrarian Trust: agrariantrust.org. Agrarian Trust helps
sustainable next-generation farmers access land.
The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) at
UW–Madison: http://www.cias.wisc.edu
Beginning Farmers: www.beginningfarmers.org
Beginningfarmers is a comprehensive compilation of
information resources on farm financing, finding land,
business planning, agricultural production and marketing,
and more. Take their farming quiz to discover if farming is
right for you.
9
welcomeNEW PFC OWNERS
A hearty welcome to our many new members!
La Crosse Members
Patricia A. Stilp
Laura Schmidt
Ethan O Connor
Cheryl Olson
Romaine A. Nelson & Robert W.
Nelson
Liz Wanschura
Sheida Teimouri
Justin McKnight & Kathryn Parke
Kay Wagner
Megan Olson & Andy Olson
Linn Duga & Joel Duga
Jodi Eide
Linda Nelson
Mark Mastej
Josh Schaefer & Amanda Spencer
Aaron Sands & Bary Sands
Doris Schwingle
Janice Roskos
Marti Boisen
Rochester Members
Gulshat Walters
Elizabeth Thornton & Brant
Thornton
Robert Birnbaum & Linda S.
Birnbaum
Susan M. Larson
Pat Mahoney
Diane Solem
Carol Agee
Jillaine Eastridge
Karen Jahns
Nicholas Chia
Rachael Hanson
Linda Thibodeau
Tammy Martin
Mary E. Jones & Paul L. Claus
Christine Hall
James Keeler
Tracy Van Voorst
Beverly Butler
Beth Larrabee
Chris Delisle
Alfonso Navarro & Karen
Navarro
Laura Hrubes & Joseph Hrubes
Sonja J. Meiers & William D.
Meiers
Rhonda Howell & Doug Howell
Rosemary Schliep
Andrew Daly & Carla Daly
Lyn Smith
Robin Arnold
Jane Foote
Lauren Donovan
Charlotte Krebs
Kris Litzow & Mark Litzow
Paula Bessingpas & Percy
Bessingpas
Patricia M. Anderson
Dennis Timmerman & Jane
Timmerman
Jamie Price
Joanne Yi
Carrie Frank
John F. Van Cor & Mary A. Van
Cor
Therese Hu & George Hu
Shawn Craig
Judith Horton-Keeler
Elizabeth A. Munroe
Mark Orvidas
Kathleen B. McMullin & James
McMullin
Arlys Ashton
Tracie Fogelson
Jennifer Maass
Scott Bacon & Becky Bacon
Miranda L. Schumann
Brenda Medina
Darlene M. Coffman
Stan Wheatman
Christopher Wittich
Martin Abel
Kate Wera
La Crosse Business
Members
Cody Cottrell, Ground Up
Coffee Shop
Rochester Business
Members
Anna Krahn, Daycare
Gregory B. Kettle, S.M.B. Homes
Students
Tim Greive
Sarah Weiler
Alyssa Fossen
Rochester Students
Rebecca Madline
Stephanie Safgren
Tiffany Winter
Obaid Khurram
Richard Fulton
Sandra K. Bruggeman
Caitlin Mayr
REMINDER TO MEMBERS
If you have changes to your membership please
remember to notify the Co-op by filling out a
Membership Change form at the service desk.
This includes name/address/phone/email changes;
adding or deleting names from your membership;
transferring primary member status; purchasing
additional B shares; or retiring your membership.
Thank you for keeping us up to date!
10
C HICKEN
AND POTATO SOUP
WITH CILANTRO AND LIME
ime juice is one of the defining flavors of many
Mexican soups. This one couldn’t be simpler. You may
add chopped jalapeño peppers for a spicier flavor.
L
6 cups chicken, turkey, or vegetable stock
2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 pound (4 medium) potatoes, scrubbed and diced
1 small zucchini, sliced in 1/8 inch rounds
1 cup shredded cooked chicken, from the carcass used for stock
or from 1/2 whole large or 1 small skinless chicken breast*
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 corn tortillas, cut into wedges and toasted**
Blanc and Semillon). Available at People’s Food
Co-op – La Crosse for $14.99.
*To cook skinned chicken breasts. Place 1 quartered onion, 2 garlic cloves,
and 5 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt
and the chicken breasts and bring back to a boil. Skim off any foam that
rises, reduce the heat, cover partially, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes,
until the meat is cooked through. Remove from the heat and allow the
chicken to cool in the broth if there is time.
**To toast the tortilla chips. To bake the chips, preheat the oven to 325
degrees. Place the tortilla pieces on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 30
minutes, until light brown and crisp, shaking the baking sheet every 10
minutes. Allow to cool on a rack.
Combine the stock, garlic, zucchini, and potatoes in a soup
pot and bring to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer for
15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the
chicken, heat through, and adjust the salt and pepper. Stir in
the lime juice and cilantro.
Distribute the tortilla chips among four bowls. Ladle in the
soup and serve at once.
Yield: About four servings.
—Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman’s Mexican Light
WINE SELECTION: Greg Carlstrom, Hackberry’s frontend manager, recommends Chateau Bellevue Bordeaux,
Entre-Deux-Mers, France 2012 (a blend of Sauvignon
This soup is excellent with fresh-baked bolillos.
11
specials
µ EMBER
Another benefit of membership : You can take
advantage of these sales all month long, or
pre-order by the case to take an additional 10% off.
for your shopping pleasure…
March
April
Natural Valley
all
member
specials
are
available
at both
stores!
Fayette Creamery
Goat Cheese Bulk Ends ....................$5.49/pkg
Whole Milk Cheese Spreads ................$5.49/ea reg. price $5.99/ea
reg. price $6.99/pkg
local
SnoPac
15% Off Line Drive! Frozen Organic Juice,
Fruits, or Vegetables
local
local
Got 2 Have Pie
Puff Pastry Pie Crust..........................$2.00 Off Made in La Farge, WI
local
Kickapoo Gold
GoMacro
MacroBars ............................................2/$4.00 Maple Syrup Grade A Dark ................25 % Off 16 oz, reg $14.99
From Viola, WI, save over 40%!
local
Great Dog
Cow Bones ..........................................25% off local
JR Watkins
Extracts..............................25% Off Line Drive A Winona, MN Company
reg. $4.99– $5.99 each
Hawkwind
local
Ines Rosales
Tortas ................................................$1.00 Off
Mustard and Relishes ..........................Save 50¢ 6.34 oz, reg $4.99
From Baraboo, WI
The Jam Shoppe
Talenti
local
Jams ..................................................$1.00 Off 18– 19 oz, reg. $4.99, from Altura, MN
Gelato or Sorbet ......................................$7.99 Big 32 oz!!
Organic Prairie
Ground Turkey or Pork Sausage ........$2.00 Off Ceres
12 oz chub, reg. $8.59
Juice ..................................................$1.00 Off 33.8 oz, reg. $4.39
local
BT McElrath
Fantastic Foods
Chocolate Bars ....................................25% Off Bulk Instant Black or Refried Pinto Beans ..........$2.00 off per pound
Mandala Tea
3.5 oz, Made in Minneapolis, MN
local
Green or White Teas ..........20% Off Line Drive Henry & Lisa’s
Rochester MN company
Alaskan Salmon ......................................$3.99 4 oz, reg. $4.99
People’s Food Coop Brand Vitamins
Milk istle..................$11.05
People’s Food Coop
Brand Vitamins
30 veg. capsules, $12.99
Milk istle..................$21.09
60 veg. capsules, $24.79
Hair Skin & Nails ........$13.29
Hi Potency B Stress ........$5.75
60 tablets, reg. $15.65
30 veg. capsules $6.75
Chelated Magnesium......$6.59
Hi Potency B Stress ........$9.59
90 tablets, $7.75
Sale Item
Chelated Magnesium....$13.55 180 tablets $15.95
Ultimate Eye Formula ..$15.55
30 capsules, $18.25
12
Ultimate Eye Formula ..$30.09
60 capsules, $35.39
60 veg. capsules, $11.25
Sale Item
Hi Potency B Stress ......$24.79
180 veg. capsules $ 29.15
Cal Mag Citrate ............$12.19
100 veg. tablets $14.35
Cal Mag Citrate ............$24.29
250 veg. tablets $28.59
Co-op cooking classes &
demos
La Crosse location
Rochester location
Introduction to Organic Vegetable Gardening
Gluten Free Cooking
Wednesday, March 19 • 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. • with Jodie
Visker and Todd Huffman
Saturday, March 22 • 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. • with
Deborah Rentfrow
Are you someone who would like to have a garden, but you
don’t know how to start? Here is a chance to learn from the
pros! Master Gardeners Jodie Visker, coordinator of the Ona
Community Garden, and Todd Huffman, volunteer
coordinator at the Kane Street Community Garden, will be
our guides. They will also share tips for siting your garden,
what to plant, when to plant, and how to control weeds. Bring
your ideas and questions and get ready to plan your garden!
Get hands-on with this cooking class as Deborah walks
through some tasty gluten-free options. Leave happy
with some delicious gluten-free cookie dough!
Cost: Members: Free or donation; nonmembers: $5.00
(Proceeds donated to the Kane Street Community Garden).
Meatless Meals Your Family Will Enjoy
Thursday, March 20 • 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. • with Vicki
Lopez-Kaley
You may think of meatless dishes as part of a Lenten fast, or as
a healthy and affordable way to vary your diet and discover
new favorites. Instructor Vicki Lopez-Kaley will lead the class
in the making of simple meatless ethnic recipes that are familyfriendly and easy to adapt to your taste and pantry. This class
is for anyone looking to explore beans and legumes, as well as
experienced bean eaters. Class will include some hands-on
prep, practical tips, and of course, tasting!
Herbs and Health: Safe and
Supportive Spring Cleansing Programs
Wednesday, March 26 • Time 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. • with
Laurie Stiers, MSN, FNP-BC
Raw Foods 101
Saturday, April 12 • 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• with Matt Bennett
Join PFC’s own Matt Bennett as he shares
his knowledge on Raw Foods. Learn a few
recipes to take home in this health
conscious class. Matt’s expertise on Raw
Foods is sure to impress.
C
ASS
NG CL :
s
OOKI
ES
la s s e
Co-op c bers
$ 1 5/ m e m m b e r s
me
$ 2 5/ n o n e r e n o t e d
h
Ex c e p t w
Class policies: All classes require
preregistration. Classes with fewer than eight
registered 24 hours before class time will be
canceled or rescheduled. All cancelations made
by preregistered participants must be made 48
hours before class time to qualify for a refund.
(Dishes subject to change at instructor’s discretion.)
hotdish contest
In this class we will learn some basic principles of “detoxifying”
and sample some recipes for a supported Spring Cleanse. We
will learn about helpful herbs, see recipes prepared and learn
how to plan a healthy, gentle, rejuvenating cleanse.
Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes Cooking Class
Tuesday, April 1 • Time 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
We’ve asked Viterbo Nutrition/Dietetics students to conduct an
interactive cooking class using healthy recipes that follow the
recommendations for nutritional management in diabetes.
There will be opportunity to get your cooking and nutrition
questions answered. You may elect to have a blood glucose stick
performed for a
$1.00 fee. This is a
Be sure to check the
class for adults with
People’s Food Co-op diabetes or prewebsite for upcoming diabetes.
classes and events!
www.pfc.coop
Cost:
$10.00/members;
$15.00 non-members
• Register in person or over the phone.
• Payment is due at the time of registration.
• La Crosse: 608-784-5798
• Rochester: 507-289-9061
Congratulations to Rochester member Annette
Burt for winning the February recipe contest: Best
Hot Dish! We had nine entries judged by some
very willing volunteers from the staff and board.
Annette’s Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese Casserole
was the winning choice, but all were delicious!
Look for the box with entry forms for your
recipe in the Rochester store. March’s theme
is: Your Favorite Sandwich. We love tasting
the foods you make!
13
Sixta Insurance, LLC
Providing a Full Range of Quality Financial
Services and Products ~Since 1981
Robert Sixta, CLU
MN State License #1001480
WI State License # 1071463
425 15th Avenue SW
Rochester, MN 55902
[email protected]
Dr. Frederick George Kriemelmeyer
If you are
interested in
advertising in
the Co-op
Shopper,
please contact
Kevin Ducey,
marketing,
@ 608.784.5798
or e-mail Kevin at
kevin.ducey@
pfc.coop
Mercury-free Dentistry for over 20 years
• Chronic Pain
• Orthodontics
Life Insurance
Annuities
Estate Planning
Retirement
• TMJ
• Jaw Orthopedics
Business 507.288.2366
319 Main St. Suite 400 • downtown La Crosse
608.784.1730
Fax 507.288.2358
Cell 507.259.8357
Home 507.281.3358
Painting & Wallpapering
Hywel Taff Roberts
We use zero and low VOC paints
for your home and business.
cell: 507.458.8637 • email: [email protected]
14
Quality with an accent. Since 1975.
ABLAN
Michael ablan
law FirM, S.c.
cleanse
Colon Hydrotherapy
Digestive issues
to detoxing…
for FAQs visit
cleansellc.com
608.784.9806
[email protected]
1526 Rose St. • La Crosse, WI 54603
Laurie Stiers MSN, FNP-BC
Certified Herbalist
1033 Caledonia Street
La Crosse, WI 54603
608.780.2255
www.herbsallaround.com
Your resource for herbs and
homemade health care
Healing
from Brazil
Pamela will talk about her trips
to Brazil at a free program.
Thursday, March 20 • 6 pm
La Crosse Public Library
800 Main Street • La Crosse
Come learn about:
Pamela Radosen, M.S.
• The world-renowned healer affectionately
known as John of God
• The Casa de Dom Inácio de Loyola,
his famous healing center in Brazil
• Pamela’s guided trip to the Casa:
September 28–October 12, 2014
Everyone is welcome!
pamelaradosen.com
608.787.1865 | La Crosse • Wisconsin
15
People’s Food Co-op
Follow us on Twitter
postal return address:
315 Fifth Avenue South
La Crosse, WI 54601
@pfccoop
change service
requested
www.pfc.coop
La Crosse Hours:
7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Daily
Rochester Hours:
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Daily
F OOD
FOR
Thought
With just a couple feet of soil standing between
prosperity and desolation, civilizations that plow
through their soil vanish.
—David Montgomery,
Dirt, The Erosion of Civilizations
B EDDING
PLANTS
FOR SPRING
eople’s Food
Co-op–
La Crosse’s local
supplier Dave Miles
reports he has a good
crop of bedding plants
that will be ready in late
April—weather
permitting. “If this
Polar Bear of a winter
that’s been chasing us
around lets up, we’ll
have broccoli, cabbage,
Dave Miles
onions, tomatoes,
basically all the
vegetables—melons and squash, too.” Dave’s plants
will be available in the La Crosse store.
P
PFC–Rochester will have bedding plants from
Gardens of Eagan, Certified Organic starters, from
Eagan, Minnesota.
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
DPC