garbanzo gazette
DESCRIPTION
Whole Foods Coop Garbonzo Gazette, Mar/Apr 2009TRANSCRIPT
PRSR
T ST
D
U.S
. PO
STA
GE
PAID
DU
LUTH
, MN
PER
MIT
NO
. 492
610
Eas
t 4t
h St
reet
Dul
uth
MN
558
05
Add
ress
Ser
vice
Req
uest
ed
DU
LU
TH
, M
INN
ES
OT
AM
AR
/AP
R 2
00
9
GA
RB
AN
ZO
GA
ZE
TT
E
Boa
rd R
epor
t4
New
Mem
bers
4
Che
ap ’n
Tas
ty5
Gon
zoG
ourm
and
6
New
Pro
duct
s7
The
Buz
z8
Staf
f P
rofi
le9
Boo
k R
evie
w10
In B
alan
ce w
ithA
yurv
eda
10
Man
agem
ent
Rep
ort
2
Dea
n’s
Rep
ort
3
Cla
ss S
ched
ule
3
In th
is is
sue
AG
ourm
et to
Go
11
Savo
r th
e Se
ason
12
Mem
bers
hip
Mat
ters
12 CMYKpg1
Res
iden
tial
and c
om
munit
y bas
ed
arch
itec
ture
that
is
uniq
ue,
ener
gy
effi
cien
t an
d c
onse
rvat
ion
min
ded
Wag
ner
Zau
n
Arc
hitecture
ww
w.w
ag
ne
rza
un
.co
m218 7
33-0
690
P syc
hoth
erap
yth
at h
onor
s the
who
le pe
rson
Fran
k S.
Dav
is, P
h.D.
, LIC
SW
prov
iding
Indi
vidua
l Psy
chot
hera
pyCo
uples
/Mar
ital T
hera
py~
Fami
ly Th
erap
y
218 4
28-4
432
Fran
k St
affo
rd D
avis,
LLC
2 G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E A M A R C H A P R I L
Garbanzo GazettePublished by Whole Foods Co-op610 E. 4th St. • Duluth, MN 55805 (218) 728-0884 • fax (218) 728-0490
www.wholefoods.coop STORE HOURS:
7 am – 9 pm Everyday
Membership Investment:$100 per voting membership
Further membership information isavailable at the Whole Foods Co-op.
The Garbanzo Gazette is published sixtimes a year (January, March, May, July,September, November) for theMember-Owners and patrons of WholeFoods Co-op. The Garbanzo Gazette ispublished by Whole Foods CommunityCo-op, Inc. to provide information onWhole Foods Co-op, the cooperativemovement, food, nutrition, andcommunity issues. Views and opinionsexpressed in this newsletter do notnecessarily reflect those of the Co-opmanagement, Board or Member-Owners. Submissions must bereceived one month prior topublication. The next deadline is Wednesday, April 1. Refer submissions and questions [email protected].
Editor: Shannon Szymkowiak Contributions: Members & Staff Design: Kollath Graphic Design Printer: InstyPrints Mailing: Barcodes Plus Reprints by prior permission
The Garbanzo Gazette is printed on100% post-consumer recycled paperwith soy ink. This paper is recyclable.
The information in the GarbanzoGazette is also available on ourwebsite at www.wholefoods.coop
A
MOVING? Pursuant to WFC Bylaws,Article I, Section 6. Current Address.Each Member agrees to provide to thecooperative his or her current address andto keep the cooperative informed of anychanges in address. This obligation shallcontinue even after a membership hasbeen terminated as long as the Memberhas any interest in the cooperative. In aneffort to remind our Member Ownersto keep WFC advised of addresschanges, the Board, on 8/26/96,approved a policy making a Membertemporarily inactive when there is nocurrent address on file. InactiveMember Owners are not eligible formembership benefits and will notreceive the newsletter.
A
BEFORE RECYCLING THIS COPY ofthe Garbanzo Gazette, please pass italong or share it with a friend orneighbor. This can help save a bit onpaper costs and reduce waste. Also,it’s a good way to introduce folks toWFC who aren’t current customers orMember-Owners.
Feel BetterConnect with Life
• Talk Therapy
• Expressive Therapy
• Sandplay Therapy
• Sl iding Fee Scale
Catharine J. Larsen, M.A.L icensed Psychologis t
“They told me he wasthe one to see…
They were right.”
Dr. Robb AndersonDuluth Natural Medicine & ChiropracticA practice focused on clinical nutrition and chiropractic1731 London Rd • Duluth • www.duluthnaturalmedicine.com 724-4525
“He knew how I got to feeling this way, and he knew how to fix it. I feel great again!”
people who already had busy liveswent to all the trouble to source,acquire and sell food in a communitythat, even way back in the 1970’s, didhave a number of grocery stores
already in place.WFC’s founderswanted to be ableto purchasewhole wheatflour, not justwhite flour. Theywanted peanutbutter withoutadditives. Theywanted raisinsand oatmeal bythe pound.Separately, theycouldn’t meettheir commonneeds. So theypooled their
resources, worked together to meettheir common needs, and a food co-opwas born.
In 2009 and with a deepeningrecession, we are implementing cre-ative solutions to continue to meet ourowners’ needs as the convenient, highquality and affordable choice for gro-ceries. We will offer even more localchoices as products from local vendorsand local growers stimulate the realeconomy. We’ll continue to find costsavings in other areas in order tobring the best pricing we can. And wewill continue to support the develop-ment of a sustainable local and region-al food system for our communityeven if that is just by continuing to behere! GG
Sharon MurphyGeneral Manager since 1988 Attended first CCMA in 1988 Gazette contributor since 1978 Still never gets the last word
management report“M
eanwhile, if you’reinterested in find-ing shelter duringthe storm, get thee
to the productive side of the economy.Grow something, or learn to makeor repair something useful.”www.richardheinberg.com
2008 was a good year forWhole Foods Co-op. We averaged11% sales growth over the previ-ous year, our cash is strong, wehave more owners than any yearin our history, and we achieved aprofit in the last calendar quarterwhen sales growth dwindled asthe recession hit home. Welearned some hard lessons in2007 including that, while changeis a constant, the commitment toour community can only deepen.
In the Co-op 101 class for ouremployees, I talk about why some
P A P E R C H A S E !Do you prefer to get your news on-line? Would you like to helpreduce the cost of producingyour beloved Gazette?Would you like to be part ofthe Green Revolution? Logon to www.wholefoods.coopand sign up to have theGarbanzo Gazette emailed toyou in lieu of getting the paperversion in the mail.
General Manager SharonMurphy, the local apple ofour eye.
W H O L E F O O D S A C O M M U N I T Y C O O P 3
Pantonepg3Dean’s Report
This class “semester”, I’mreally excited to be able toteam up with Lake SuperiorBrewing Co. to offer the first
ever co-op brewing classes. This isnear and dear to my heart because Iget almost as excited about beer as Ido about food and Lake SuperiorBrewing Co. happens to be one of myfavorite local beer companies. ThoughI don’t know a lot about the process ofbrewing, I do remember a few (prettymiserable) attempts by my dad tobrew his own beer when I was a littlekid. I don’t remember if he was eversuccessful in his endeavors, but I doremember a beer breaking in thefreezer and thinking to myself that hemust be going about it in the wrongway. This will be a great opportunity tolearn a little more about the process.
We are also having anotherCaribbean cooking class taught by oneof our favorite instructors, LyndonRamrattan. Lyndon brings to hisclasses great stories and a warmpersonality that makes winter seem alittle shorter. This time he will bepreparing items from all around theCaribbean. March also brings thereturn of our raw foods instructorEmily White. It’s always fascinating tosee how this impressive chef canrecreate some of our favorite warmfoods using only raw ingredients.Though it might not sound appetizingto some, I’m still craving the rawlasagna that she made for the lastclass. Don’t let the “raw” throw you…this stuff is amazing!
We also have two Gourmet Mealsin Minutes this semester. The first istitled “Rustic Chic.” I’m pretty proudof the name (my idea), but everyonewas a little puzzled as to exactly whatit meant. So what does it mean?Basically class instructor DebbieManhart is going to take some verydown-home basics (or “rustic” dishes)and give them a little gourmet (or“chic”) twist. This isn’t just meat andpotatoes like mom used to make;think succulent hazelnut-encrustedpork medallions instead of dried-upleathery pork chops. April’s GourmetMeals in Minutes will be in
by Anni Friesen, Member Services Coordinator
March & April ClassesSundo Taoist BreathingWednesday, March 11th 6:00 – 8:00 pmSundo is a Korean breathingmeditation that has practice centersaround the country andinternationally. This class will startwith a brief introduction of Sun Do.Then, the group will experiment withbreathing with partners for 10minutes, and go through a shortenedversion of the practice which normallylasts about 1 1/2 hour. There will alsobe time for questions and comments.
Instructor: Kim Hedegaard
Beer Making Part 1: Learning Brewing BasicsSaturday, March 14th 11:00 – 2:30 pmIn this class you will learn how tobrew and bottle beer from one of ourlocal brewers. This class will gothrough step-by-step instructions onhow to create a delicious beer athome. The beer made during thisclass will be brewed using some fineorganic co-op ingredients and will besampled in the upcoming April class.There will be no beer sampling in thisclass but snacks will be served.
Instructor: Levi Hansen
Cost for both classes (sign up for bothat once): $35 for Members, $45 forNon-Members
All American Raw FoodPicnic: An UnCook OutThursday, March 19th 6:00 – 8:00 pmJoin raw food enthusiast and chefEmily White in this exploration ofcooking without actually cooking.Emily will lead you through making atraditional American picnic dinnerwith a slight twist – it’s all raw! In thisclass we will make Raw VeganBurgers, “Living” Potato Salad, ApplePie, and a Raw Vanilla Milkshake.
Instructor: Emily White
Gourmet Meals in Minutes:Rustic ChicThursday, March 26th 6:00 – 8:00 pmLearn how to make some “down-home” basics with a gourmet twist!Start off with an appetizer of BreadedArtichoke Hearts and move on toHazelnut-encrusted Pork Medallions,with a few delicious and unique sides!
Instructor: Debbie Manhart
Caribbean Cooking: A Culinary Tour of theIslandsTuesday, March 31st 6:00 – 8:00 pmInstead of focusing on one specificisland, Trinidad & Tobago nativeLyndon Ramrattan is going to give youa tour of them all! This class will be ahodge-podge of culinary delights fromaround the Caribbean Ocean.
Instructor: Lyndon Ramrattan
Gluten Free Desserts Tuesday, April 7th 6:00 – 8:00 pmHave you ever tried any of thefabulous Gluten-Free desserts made inour very own Fog City Deli? If not,you’re missing out! Our bakers,without a doubt, know what they’redoing, and now they’re going to letyou in on a few of their secrets andrecipes. Learn how to make somedelicious wheat and gluten freedesserts!
Instructors: Kala Edwards & Katie Toumi
Black Beans Five WaysTuesday, April 14th 6:00 – 8:00 pmDid you know that black beans havethe same amount of antioxidants asgrapes and cranberries? Not only that,but they are always available and veryinexpensive to work with. In this classwe will make Creamy Black Bean Pate,Black Bean, Corn & Tomato Chili,Amazing Black Bean Brownies, andmore!
Instructor: Anni Friesen
Beer Making Part 2: A Tour of Lake SuperiorBrewing Co.Saturday, April 25th 12:00 – 1:30 pmThe second part of our beer makingclass takes place exclusively at LakeSuperior Brewing Company. In thisclass we will take a short tour of thebrewery and end by sampling the beerthat we brewed together in the Marchclass as well as snacks provided byWFC.
Instructor: Levi Hansen
Gourmet Meals in Minutes:Cinco de Mayo Tuesday, April 28th 6:00 – 8:00 pmIn this class, we celebrate the foodculture of our neighbors to the south.Learn how to make Andoulli ChiliLime Rice, Maize Picante, SouthwestStyle Coleslaw & more!
Instructor: Debbie Manhart
THE FINE PRINT…READ ME PLEASE!Classes are $25.00 each for non-Membersand $20.00 each for Members unless oth-erwise noted. You must pre-register, asspace is limited. Prepayment of your classis required to reserve your spot. Classesand lectures must have a minimum of6 students signed up 48 hours in advancefor the class to take place. If there are lessthan 6 students registered, each studentwill be called by WFC and informed of thecancellation. They may then either puttheir pre-paid money toward another classtaking place within the next three monthsor they may receive a full refund. If a stu-dent cancels prior to 48 hours before theclass, the refund will be applied to a futureclass or a full monetary refund will begiven. No refunds will be given for cancel-lations received after the 48-hour deadlineor for no-shows. Please be on time! Latearrivals are disruptive to the instructor andother students. The classroom is open atleast 15 minutes before each class. Anyonearriving more than 10 minutes late will,unfortunately, not be allowed into the classand will be counted as a no-show. If youhave any questions, please contact AnniFriesen at 218-728-0884 ext. 182 [email protected]
anticipation of Cinco de Mayo. Add alittle spice to your life and learn howto cook with Mexican style!
I am also excited to announce thatour very our co-op bakers are going todo a class on gluten-free desserts. Asamazingly tasty and beautiful as all oftheir desserts are, I’m sure we’ll beturning people away.
To round out our cooking classes isBlack Beans Five Ways, taught byyours truly. I choose to work withblack beans because I’ve been on arecent bean kick, and because in thesedifficult economic times everyone istrying to find ways to eat a little morefrugally. Beans are such a great way todo that and there are so manydifferent things that you can do withthem.
Last but certainly not least, wewelcome new instructor KimHedegaard who will be teachingSundo Taoist Yoga, which is a Koreanbreathing meditation. Kim is anexperience instructor and I’m excitedto she see what she can teach us! I’mreally looking forward to this semesterand to seeing some of your smilingfaces. Remember, education issomething that continues even afterthe class is over. GG
Anni loves good food and thinks thateveryone needs to learn how to cook fromscratch.
4 G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E A M A R C H A P R I L
Upon hearing I am a newBoard Member at the co-op, my friends say “Great!”followed by, “What exactly
do you do on the board?” Is it myimagination, or are they implying Idon’t do much?
Well, they are not far off the mark.Let me explain: I chose to get involvedwith the co-op precisely because it isso well run and I was impressed as ashopper from the start. Governance asa board member is like a governor onan engine — as long as things arerunning well, there is not a lot ofvisible action. Yet that does not meanthe governor can stop being vigilantand aware. On the board, we stayaware through manager reports and
financial dataverified by outsidesources.
One differencebetween being onthe board of a co-op and the typicalcorporate board isthe interactionwith Member-Owners. If you area member, you arean equal owner with every othermember and welcome to share indecisions and ideas. Anotherdifference is the inherent values of aco-op. “Concern for community” isjust one value written into thecooperative identity. It allows the co-op
board reportboard ofdirectorsAlison ChampeauxTerm expires [email protected]
Lynn FenaPresidentChair of General Manager EvaluationCommitteeTerm expires [email protected]
Mark FriederichsTreasurerChair of Finance CommitteeTerm expires [email protected]
David HelfVice PresidentChair of Member-Owner CommitteeTerm expires [email protected]
Theresa KoenigSecretary Chair of Board Recruitment & OrientationCommitteeTerm expires [email protected]
Linda MagniTerm expires [email protected]
Heather MurphyChair of Food Policy CommitteeTerm expires [email protected]
ASharon Murphy, General ManagerWhole Foods Co-op610 E 4th StreetDuluth, MN 55805728-0884/w728-0490/[email protected]
WFC web site: www.wholefoods.coop
e-group address to communicate withentire Board and General Manager:[email protected]
Call 218 728-0884 to leave a call-backrequest for a Board member.
Letters addressed to Board members c/oWhole Foods Co-op, 610 E. 4th St., Duluth,MN 55805 will be forwarded unopened tothe Board/Board member.
Interested In How the Board Works?
Meetings of the Board of Directors, exceptfor closed sessions, are open to WFCMember-Owners. If you have an item fordiscussion at the Board meeting, pleasesubmit your item in writing by the firstFriday of the month in which you requestthe Board’s consideration. Such agendaitems will be subject to time constraints atthe Board meeting. Board meetings are onthe 4th Monday of every month beginningat 5:30 PM subject to change due toholidays.
to be more than a marketplace to buygoods. It allows for our activity of“visioning” the future — where welook ahead to that time when debtfrom the new building is paid down,and the co-op can partner with othersto make even more of a difference inthe community.
While I liked WFC before, as aboard member I have a newperspective and appreciation for theco-op as an alternative businessmodel. Already, it has been arewarding and educational experience.I encourage you to run for the WFCboard of directors during theseexciting and challenging times. Then,your friends can ask “what exactly doyou do?”
Notes from a rookie Board Member
by Linda Magni, Board Member
Linda Magni, Board of Directors
A Interested in Serving Our Locally-Owned Cooperative? AElections are not until fall, but now is a great time to explore the opportunity of serving on the Whole Foods Co-op Boardof Directors. Contact Theresa Koenig ([email protected]), or any current board member to get your questionsanswered and attend a WFC Board meeting. Check out the “Board News” section of our website for a Board application,meeting dates and more! • Board Applications are due to WFC by August 1, 2009!
CurranTax Service
218-720-6000Tax Preparation for Regular People
From W-2s to Small BusinessesEarned Income CreditItemized DeductionsInvestment Income
Rental IncomeSmall Businesses:
Contractors, Therapists etc.Corporations
Thomas J. CurranEnrolled Agent
18 years experience
Vivki WindsorAlice Gail BierAlissa GlicksteinMark HowdenShelley HoustonArden JensenJohn WoodworthSharon GustafsonAaron TownerJacob PetersonJames CarpenterDana B. CookPamela SidmanBrynn WeikleengetTim NelsonJacob BaggenstossAnne LangeScot BolMaggie KadingMark PavolaPastor Jim JosephBernadette Nelson
Doris SampsonJane MartinElizabeth JaakolaKimberly HerschlerNaomi Ann
MeisingerPat RootSusan MartinsonTara BryantJonathan BarryAnnayea
KovacevichDeborah ShubatBetty L MonsonLinnea Swenson
TelleksonDominic OkashDara LeeDaryl SylvesterJim StaelensKaren FehlKristine Carlson
Marie PeytonMarjorie A. GasperDenise E. FarwellNicole AndersonJeff TrentmanAnn Marie
MelanderRochelle ZuckRobert BeckerAmy DemmerRobert SandAnne
VollmerhausenMichael Leon
JohnsonTammy Tapa-OlsenJason HochSandra GrindyLuke BustaJohn KurshoffSusan
Kuchenbaker
Grainger HanlynScherer
Dawn StutelbergOddi HjellbakkNancy E. WalkerSusan EhlenDon HomstadLori PopeLaura HoffarthCarli OliverAmanda ChildsLoretta CartnerRobert BaxtonNathan Williams
From December 1 – January 31, WFC gained
72 new members for a totalof 341 since July 1, 2008.
With 4,873 active members,we are just a stone’s throw
from 5,000. Who do youknow that should become a
Co-op Member?
Welcome, New Member Owners!
W H O L E F O O D S A C O M M U N I T Y C O O P 5
CMYKpg 5
Editor’s note: in response to the call for“more recipes!” and “inexpensive mealsolutions!” a new feature will be added tothe Garbanzo Gazette. Each issue willinclude one or two recipe ideas from thecheapos here at the Co-op. Many of usare diehard fans of crock-pot cooking,leftover magic and stretching our penniesand we’re more than happy to share ourmoney-saving, delicious, organic mealswith you. If you have an inexpensivefavorite that you are willing to share,please send your recipe to me along withyour name so I can give you credit. I onlyask that all ingredients (except alcohol)be available at WFC and that you givecredit to the original recipe author if itisn’t you. Money saving food tips will alsobe accepted and included in this feature.
Thank you. Now get cooking!
CHOLENT (A traditional Sabbath main course, and thrifty to boot!)1/2 C dry Kidney Beans1/2 C dry Green Lentils1/4 C dry Navy Beans2 T Vegetable Oil One large Onion, coarsely chopped 3 cloves Garlic, minced 1 1/2 T Hungarian Paprika 1 1/2 t Salt or to taste1 1/2 t Pepper1 T Nutritional Yeast 3/4 C Buckwheat Groats1 1/2 lb Potatoes, peeled, cut into large
chunks 1-lb Roast, preferably bone-inWater
1. Quick soak (boil for 1 minute, let sitfor 1 hour) or slow soak (at least 6hours at room temperature) beans.Drain and rinse.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet overmedium heat and sauté onion untiltransparent. Add garlic, stir for severalminutes over heat then add paprika,nutritional yeast and pepper, and con-tinue to cook for a minute. Removefrom heat and release from skillet bypouring in 1 C water and stirring allingredients until they combine into asingle thin sauce.
3. Combine beans, onion mixture,buckwheat, potatoes and roast (on thebottom) in a large crockpot, or an alarge covered baking dish if usingoven. Add water to cover well, remem-ber the beans and buckwheat willneed this!
4. Cook on crockpot LOW for 8 hoursor more or bake in the oven at 325degrees for 3–4 hours, adding water ifneeded. Add salt to taste in the finalhour of slow cooking or last 1/2 hourof baking to ensure complete cookingof the beans.
5. Remove roast and slice against thegrain into thick slices. And serve witha little broth drizzled over.
GLUTEN FREE KNISHES (Great way to use up leftovers!)— inspired by a recipe onwww.heythattastesgood.com
Dough: (Any pastry dough will do, but this is Gluten Free)1 1/2 C Rice Flour Mixture
(see below)2 t Guar Gum2/3 C VERY cold Margarine1/2 t Salt1/3 C cold Water1 T Cider Vinegar
Combine flour mixture, salt and guargum with a fork. Cut in margarinewith a pastry cutter until the texture ofcoarse cornmeal. Add water and vine-gar, and stir then knead into a ball.Cut the ball in half and flatten eachslightly. Place in freezer on a cutting
board or plastic lid for only up to 20minutes. Alternately, place in a cov-ered bowl in your refrigerator for upto 2 days.
(Rice mix: 1 C white rice flour, 1 Cbrown rice flour, 2/3 C potato starch,1/3 C tapioca starch; makes 3 cups)
Filling:
3–4 cups of any cooked grain, pureedvegetable, greens, cheese or any otheringredient that can be reduced, withother ingredients, to a texture of thickmashed potatoes. The whole should beseasoned to taste. This can be cold orat room temperature, but must not behot.
Making them:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F andgrease a 12-unit muffin tin.
Remove chilled dough once it hasbecome firm. Tear off two pieces ofwax paper about the size of a legalsheet of paper. Dust the bottom onewith flour, and place one of the twopieces of dough in the middle. Placeother sheet of wax paper on top, and
Cheap ’n Tasty
8 N 2nd Ave E #310Duluth, MN 55802
Dustin Holden, LMFT218.722.1920
MarriageTroubles?Let me teach you how to build the relationshipyou want and deserve!
Learn to:· communicate easier· build a strong connection· resolve conflict· manage personal differences
Call 218-722-1920 or email [email protected] for more information or to schedule your FREE 15 minute phone consultation
for more information or to register for a FREE newsletter
Visit: www.movingwaterscounseling.com
roll out into a rectangle slightly longerthan a regular sheet of paper, andalmost the full width of the wax paper.Peel off the top layer.
Take half of the filling and make a lineof it, running parallel to the long sideof the wax paper sheet, and 2-inchesin from the edge nearest you. Usingthe bottom sheet of wax paper, roll thedough forward, slowly releasing itfrom the paper as you roll it up towardthe far edge. Cut what extra dough ison either end. Mark the remaining rollinto 6 equal portions. Cut on theselines, and use the extra dough cut offto help seal the knishes top and bot-tom. Carefully work in your handsuntil you have a nice flattened sphere.
Place each knish into a greased muf-fin tin. Repeat, then make the otherhalf of the dough the same way! Thiswhole recipe makes a dozen plumpones. Bake in the oven for 30–35 min-utes, until LIGHTLY golden. Eatwarm, or chill and reheat. In a pinchthis makes a decent cold snack as well.Be creative!
a new adventure in co-op recipes
6 G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E A M A R C H A P R I L
by Jim Richardson, Bulk Buyer
I’ve been reading a lot about howto flush heavy metals from one’sbody like mercury, lead, andaluminum. Although I have
never been diagnosed with heavymetal toxicity, I have a general senseof paranoia about the issue, mostlyfrom having read too much about it.Suffice it to say there are many routesto get exposed to these metals; eventhough their poisonous nature hasbeen well-documented over themillennia, it seems impossible to keepindustry from widely using orproducing them. My reading indicatesthat these metals are excreted by thebody far slower than they build up,leading to what may be described aschronic low-level heavy-metal toxicityin many people. There is basically noharmless level of lead or mercury inthe body and no biological functionfor them, so in theory, any is enoughto interfere with optimum health.Again I’ve never been diagnosed andyou may consider this the amateurspeculations of an untrained sciencegeek. Although many holistic andnaturopathic writers reinforce myconcerns whenever I survey the webabout these matters, it goes withoutsaying that if you have seriousconcerns you should consult yourphysician.
So anyway, out of an abundance ofcaution I had my mercury fillingsremoved, and my house has beenscrubbed of lead a couple differenttimes with the help of loans from theHousing and RedevelopmentAuthority of Duluth. The first timethey found lead I thought they got itall, but they came back to do an extra
The Gonzo Gourmandround of work and found more. So Ifeel like one’s guard can never be letdown. In the course of all this I haveresearched various natural ways ofremoving heavy metals from the body,and for preventing their uptake uponsubsequent exposures. Here is whatI’ve found.
There’s a lot on the web thatrecommends cilantro and open-cellchlorella as heavy metal remediators,although the science is somewhat slimfor the claim that they remove built-upheavy metaldeposits. What canbe said with moreauthority is thatcilantro and open-cell chlorellaappear to, at least,prophylacticallyblock heavy metaluptake if they arealready in yoursystem at the timeof exposure. Heavymetals mimic themolecular shapesof things the bodyneeds, and slot right into themolecular keyholes reserved fornutrients like iron and Vitamin C. Forthis reason, people with high levels ofiron and Vitamin C have been shownto carry lighter loads of heavy metalsin their system, and the same is likelytrue for those regularly consumingcilantro and/or chlorella. I tookcilantro extract and open-cell chlorellatablets for a month after getting mymercury fillings removed, to blockuptake of any loose mercury floatingaround in my blood, and to hopefully
help flush accumulations out of mycells to boot.
Various sea vegetables also have areputation of either flushing heavymetals from the body or at leastblocking their uptake. As in the caseof cilantro and chlorella, their blockingaction may simply be a function ofbeing nutrient-dense, thereby out-competing heavy metals for space inthe molecular keyholes of the body. Iam not directly familiar with thescience that definitively shows an
outright ability toflush built-updeposits, but theclaims are madefar and wide in thenatural healingcommunity, andthese claimsappear to have atleast tangentialsupport fromvarious studies.But again at thevery least thevarious seavegetables (dulse,
kelp, wakame, etc.) are good choices toblock heavy metal uptake. I just readthat dulse is baked with cheese insome areas of the world, so there arealways innovative ways to increaseyour consumption of these foods.Dulse is a popular raw food in myhousehold (you can eat it right out ofthe bag), but any sea vegetable can beused in stirfries, soups, or othersavory dishes, and kelp powder goesdown great in smoothies.
Salt baths are popular among thenatural healing community for heavy
metal remediation. A cup of naturalsalt in your bath is the usualrecommendation. I haven’t drilleddown deep enough to cite specificstudies, but it appears that saltchanges the ionic properties of water,facilitating transport of heavy metalsfrom the cells of the body. There areanecdotes out there of peopleimproving greatly from regulartreatments, even to the point ofleaving visible accretions of heavymetals in the bathwater. I would notexpect such dramatic results, but saltbaths are now an occasionalindulgence of mine.
Special Bulk note: We have a new,cheaper, raw non-organic pumpkin seedin bulk. The country of origin is Hungary.They look exactly the same as ourexpensive raw organic pumpkin seedsfrom Austria.
These European pumpkin seeds arelarge and very dark, and have a greatflavor. What a lot of people are asking forhowever is the smaller, light green varietyof pumpkin seed, sometimes called“pepitas”. We can only find those sourcedfrom China, so I am opting not to bringthem in due to the amount of food milesand questionable organic practices.
I am looking for pepitas from Mexico,but we are stuck with what we’ve got fornow.
If you are wondering if we can getAmerican pumpkin seeds, the answer is:no. If they ever become available, andthe quality is good, I will bring them in.Anecdotally, I have heard that it is toolabor-intensive for the American marketto sell pumpkin seeds at a profit, so that’swhy the American supply is so limited.
Another anecdote: I have been eatingthe organic raw pumpkin seeds for aweek and my skin has improved and mymood has brightened. May be acoincidence but pumpkin seeds are highin both omega-3s (good for skin) and L-Tryptophan (good for moods). Just sayin’.
Mercury concentrates higher on thefood chain than sea vegetables —mainly it’s big fish that have highmercury because they’ve eaten a lotof little fish. Sea vegetables are evenlower on the food chain than littlefish and so should be perfectly safe,i.e., infinitesimal mercury levels ifany — in the case of our organicdulse, not only is it certified organic,but they test for heavy metals andother contamination, too.
W H O L E F O O D S A C O M M U N I T Y C O O P 7
CMYKpg 7
notes fromthe front by Briana Lowrie,Front End Manager
Local Farmers Re-use yourNon-Organic Egg CartonsWFC has been collecting eggcartons for local farmers since1993. The practice of re-using thecartons keeps costs down forboth the farmer and theconsumer. For a short time whilein transition from our previouslocation to our current, we werenot able to supply the farmerswith the cartons, which forcedsome farmers to purchase newones. We found that one farmerwas paying 33¢ per carton.
It’s true that WFC carries bothorganic and non-organic eggshowever, only cartons from non-organic eggs make their way backto our local farmers. Our localegg producers are not certifiedorganic, so their eggs cannot belabeled as such. Businesses whofalsely label non-organic items asorganic can be liable for steepfines.
The occasional organic cartonsthat do get returned to us end upin the recycling, but thanks to ourdiligent carton saving shoppersthere are always plenty of non-organic cartons left for thefarmers.
If you decide to start participatingin this practice, please note thefollowing.
Returned egg cartons should be:
• Clean (no dust bunnies, pethair, bugs, or leftoveregg/shells)
• Without any organic labeling(inside or out)
• Of the paper dozen variety (noStyrofoam, plastic, or 6/18count cartons)
• Returned at the CustomerService Counter or any register
The farmers really do appreciatethis cooperation and we enjoybeing able to foster a connectionbetween them and theconsumers with this service.Thank you!
• Function– Electrolyte Water– Night Life Drink
• Newman’s Own– 25# Advance (Senior) Dog
Food
• Natural Life– 35# Lamaderm Dog Food– 35# Adult Dog Food
• Halo– Spots Stew Salmon Dog Food
18#
• Swheat Scoop– 40# Cat Litter
• Pet Promise Dog Food– 25# Healthy Weight and
Aging– 25# Daily Health
• Envirokidz*– Panda Puffs Eco-Pak
• Napa Valley*– 750 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Seeds of Change*– French Tomato Salad Dressing
• Montebaldo– 33 oz Grapeseed Oil
• Good Earth– Lemongrass Green Tea– Decaf Lemongrass Green Tea
• Cascadian Farms*– Dark Chocolate Almond
Granola
• Imagine*– Chicken Noodle Soup– Chicken Wild Rice Soup
• Crown Prince– Brisling Sardines in Mustard
Sauce– Brisling Sardines in Olive Oil– Skinless Boneless Sardines in
Water
HBC • Giovanni
– Xtreme Protein HairInfusion*
• Aaron Brands– Epsom Salts 4#
• Deep Steep– Body Butters and Bubble
Baths, assorted varieties*
• Tom’s of Maine– Lemon Lime Fluoride
Mouthwash– Cinnamint Non-Fluoride
Mouthwash
• Weleda Sensitive Skin Care– Almond Cleansing Lotion– Almond Face Oil– Almond Moisturizing Cream– Baby Shampoo & Body Wash
• Lumina– Cell Food Oxygen Gel
• Burt’s Bees– Naturally Ageless Skin Care
Line– Men’s Deodorant– Men’s Natural Grooming Kit
• Suki– Lip Repair Butter– To-Go Lemongrass Cleanser– To-Go Sensitive Cleansing Bar– To-Go Velvet Moisturizing
Cream
• New Chapter– Berry Green 90 ct*– All Flora– Smooth Food
• Nature’s Answer– UT Answer (d-mannose &
cranberry) 4 oz
• Michelle’s Miracle– Tart Cherry Concentrate &
Tablets
• Enzymedica– MucoStop 48 ct
• Pure Essence– Immune 60 ct
• Living Harvest – Hemp Protein Powders,
Original & Vanilla Spice*
• Tahiti Traders– 100% Acai Juice 32 oz*
Please know that you can place aspecial order for general merchandiseitems and books that we do not carry.Our buyer will try to source that itemfor you.
* Organic GG
new productsBOOKSTake a good look at our new, expandedbook selection. There are too manygreat books to list here!
BULK• Grandy Oats
– Classic Wheat-Free Salt-FreeGranola*
COOL• Holy Land
– Lebanese Pocket Bread
FROZEN• Natural Choice
– Pomegranate Berry SorbetBars
GENERAL MERCHANDISE• Happy Company
– Soothing Eye Masks– Soothing Neck Wraps– Gel packs for pain relief
• Norpro– Can openers– Stainless Steel Vegetable
steamers– Vegetable peelers– Zesters– Pizza cutters– Stainless Steel measuring
cups– Stainless Steel measuring
spoons– Thermometers for your oven,
refrigerator, freezer and meat– Stainless Steel Cheese graters– Nutcrackers
• Debbie Meyer– Cheese bags to extend the life
of your delicious cheeses
• Air Scense– Essential oil air fresheners
Keep your eyes out for seeds and seedstarters too!
GROCERY• Cell-Nique Super Green Drinks
– Pomegranate, Citrus Vanilla,Tropical Fruit
8 G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E A M A R C H A P R I L
Deli Counter Manager Eric Bongsays, “My band, The Rez, will host aweekly Wednesday night shindig atThe Twins Bar, from 10 pm —? Forsome far-out, funky, danceable, jammygood times, you know where to go.”You heard him… get on over there andshake a tail feather!
Front End Assistant Alisha Stalkerhad a scare in early January when shewent snowshoeing along Split RockRiver. Alisha says, “Dusty, my beloveddog, ran away and after 6 nights ofsearching by snowshoe throughuncharted territory, a group of snow-mobilers found her on the state trailnear Gooseberry. I got the call fromGrand Superior Hotel that she wasfound! We spent all day the next daysleeping and cuddling.” Alisha is surethat because Dusty was adopted froman Iditarod racer in Fairbanks, AK,that she survived. “She’s a tough girl,”says mom. We’re glad you’re home,Dusty.
Front End Assistant Brian Bluhmhas been accepted to graduate schoolat Prescott College in Prescott, AZ,and will be focusing on a mastersdegree in Environmental Studies, witha concentration in SustainabilityScience and Practice. We’re happy hecan do the majority of his studyingfrom Duluth! Also, Brian advises us tolook forward to another greatSustainability Fair at UMD this spring,which he organizes. A couple of greatwebsites to scope out until the fair:Adding Up to Zero: www.addingup-tozero.com and the EcoBlog atblog.lib.umn.edu/tuff0008/environment.
Alex Mohrbacher, ProduceAssistant, Jahn Hibbs, Produce Asst.Manager, Jeff Greensmith, ProduceAssistant, and Brian Bluhm, FrontEnd Assistant, will all be taking theSustainable Farming Association’s“Farm Beginnings” class this year.This is an intensive program designedfor up-and-coming area farmers. Alex,Jahn, Jeff, and Brian are at the core ofa group working Grassroots Farm, abeautiful piece of land in Twig, run bylong-time co-op favorite farmer LindaWard. Grassroots is looking forward toan exciting season featuring heirloomand open-pollinated seed varieties.Let’s raise a pitchfork to a new genera-tion of organic farmers!
When not farming, ProduceAssistant Jeff Greensmith spends timeperfecting his homebrews. Jeff reportsthat he is loving the hops he gets inbulk from the co-op to make his IPAstyle beer!
Nikki Hissa, Front End Assistant,reports that she will be coaching aJunior Olympic volleyball team againthis spring over in Wisconsin. Weknow she’ll do an awesome job, asalways.
Another Grandma’s Marathon par-ticipant from the co-op this year!Produce Assistant Amanda Belcherhas started training for her firstMarathon in June. Fueled by FarmerJohn’s carrots, perhaps? Best of luck,Amanda!
Some exciting news from long-timeStore Keeper Matt Wenger, thoughbittersweet news to us: Matt is movingwest to Portland, OR. He is psyched tobegin a new adventure exploring theforests, mountains, and waters of thegreat Northwest. Happy exploring,Matt. You’ll be missed.
MARCH ANNIVERSARIES:Kristen Augustyn, Deli 2 yearsMicah Walsh, Deli 2 years
APRIL ANNIVERSARIES:Duane Timo, Deli 1 yearsKate Toumi, Deli 2 yearsJeremy Beckman,
Merchandising 3 yearsJill Holmen,
Human Resources 9 years
the buzz— Jill Holmen, HR Coordinator
wfc staff news
AWARD WINNERS
February 2009 Customer ServiceAward Winners: CodyMacomber, Amber Haselman, & Kate Toumi, Deli
BRITT ROHRBAUGH
STREET 809 East Tenth StreetDuluth MN 55805
EMAIL [email protected]
MOBILE 218.340.3469
CUSTOM INTERIOR PAINTING
Member Extreme CouponBuy a head of Red Leaf Lettuce and
get a 1-pound bag of baby carrots FREE with coupon!
Limit one per coupon. One coupon per member.
Coupon expires April 30, 2009
499999000120
A t t e n t i o n E x t r e m e M e m b e r s :We are pleased as punch that our Member Extreme coupons havebeen so popular. However, each coupon was designed to be usedduring the current Gazette publication only. Until now, we have hon-ored old Extreme coupons, however, beginning March 1, we will onlybe honoring the coupon printed in the current Gazette issue. Weapologize for any confusion this may cause. Keep using those currentcoupons!
January 2009 Customer Service Award Winners:Barbara Akre, Deli Counter & Kevin Taylor,Merchandising Stocker
Feburary 2009 Gumby Award Winners: Kristen Augustyn, Deli & Rae Lynn Monahan,Merchandising Asst. Manager
January 2009 GumbyAward Winner: Kate Toumi, Deli
W H O L E F O O D S A C O M M U N I T Y C O O P 9
Pantonepg9
Everyone welcome.No, really.We mean everyone.
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth835 West College Street uuduluth.org
Malcolm B. DavyAttorney at Law
**********************************
������ ���������� ������ ��� ������������ �������������
��� ������
���� ����������� ��� ���� � �� �� ��� � ���� ��������
���� ������� ��� ����� ��� � ���� �� � ��� ��� � �� �
����� ��� ���� ��� � ��� � ��� ����� ���� �� �
� �� �� ������ ������� �� ���� ������� ��� ������
**********************************722 U.S. Bank Place, Duluth, MN 55802
218-625-3418E-mail: [email protected]
Dolores Does Salt-Free
About a year and a half ago,Deli Cook Dolores Meidlwas getting ready to take herfirst vacation in years. She
and her husband were hurryingaround the house taking care of lastminute details when her husbandcame into the room looking a littlepeaked. Dolores told him to sit for afew minutes while she finished hang-ing the laundry. When she came backto check up on him, he informed herthat he needed to go to Urgent Care.At this point, Dolores knew somethingwas wrong. Tom wasn’t the type tosuggest that he see a doctor; if he saidhe needed to go, she knew it must beserious.
They promptly got into the car andheaded down to St. Mary’s. When theyarrived at the hospital doors, Tom gotout of the car saying, “Don’t park. I’llbe out in a minute.” Knowing better,Dolores quickly parked the car andwent to join her husband in the wait-ing room. As she walked into the hos-pital and looked around the room, herhusband was nowhere to be seen. Heranxiety began to rise as she went tothe registration desk. After talking tothe nurse, she found out that he wasbeing treated for a heart attack.
It turns out that Tom had not, infact, had a heart attack, but there wassomething wrong with his aortic valve.A normal valve is about an inch and ahalf in diameter, but Tom’s had closedto the point where it was about thesize of a pencil. An echocardiogramshowed that his valve was shuttingdown on him, and if he hadn’t comein when he did, Tom’s condition couldhave been fatal.
After a few days in intensive care,Tom was released and he and Doloresmet with a dietician. She told themthat if Tom wanted to live, he wouldneed to make some drastic dietarychanges. The list was long, but thething that topped it was reducing sodi-um intake, “What I didn’t realize atthe time, “ Dolores says, “was thatpeople consume way, way too muchsodium. We found out that [in a nor-mal American diet] people are con-
amount of salt used in the deli casesalads. “I’m very slowly overhaulingthe case to promote more hearthealthy salads, “ says Dolores. Andaccording to her, people are noticing,“I’ve had many people come up andthank me for having these options. It’sreally different from what you’ll see inother deli cases.”
Among some of Dolores’ favoriteheart healthy case items are theSalmon (which is high in omega 3’s),the Broccoli & Cranberry Salad, theRosemary Tempeh Salad, all of thetofu salads, the Crazy-n-Wild (consist-ing of dried cranberries, mandarinoranges, wild rice and other hearthealthy ingredients), and the TomatoArtichoke Toss (attached). Though thistransition has been a difficult one forDolores to make, she’s thankful forwhat she has; “I really enjoy doingwhat I do because I get to implementwhat I do at home in my job. I don’tknow too many places where theywould let you do that.” Luckily for us,we now have more heart healthyoptions in our Fog City Deli case.
Tomato Artichoke Tossfrom the American Heart AssociationCookbook
7 oz Grape Tomatoes, halved1 oz fresh Spinach leaves, coarsely
chopped7 oz Artichoke Hearts, rinsed, drained
and coarsely chopped1/4 C Red Onion, finely chopped1/4 C fresh Basil leaves, chopped2 T Balsamic Vinegar1/2 t Sugar1/4 t Pepper1/4 t Salt1/8 t Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
(optional)1 oz fat-free or reduced-fat
Feta Cheese, rinsed, drained and crumbled.
In a large bowl, toss together all theingredients except feta. When every-thing is combined, sprinkle the topwith feta.
Anni has been the Marketing Coorinator forthe past 2 1/2 years and loves promotingWFC’s awesome local and organic foods!
suming 10 times the amount of sodi-um that’s recommended.” Change wasgoing to be difficult, but if she wantedher husband to be around for the nextfifty years, Dolores knew that it wouldbe necessary.
With that realization, the Meidl’srevamped their food supply. Theythrew out all the chips, ice cream, andjunk food in the house and Doloreschanged her way of cooking. Insteadof frying, she now bakes, broils, orgrills all of their food. She started touse herbs and spices instead of salt. Infact, salt pretty much went the way ofjunk food for the Meidl’s, “Salt is pret-ty much non-existent in my house. Ihad a choice, either we changed ourdiets, or I lost my husband; it was aneasy choice.”
After Dolores began to change herlifestyle and her cooking style, it wasonly natural that this carried over toher job as the salad case cook at theco-op. Her intensive research on low-sodium diets showed her that shecould make a difference in how peopleate, even if they didn’t realize it. Sheautomatically started cutting back on
— Anni Friesen, MMS Coordinator
10 G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E A M A R C H A P R I L
In Balancewith Ayurveda
— Bonnie Ambrosi, MemberAs winter wanes, gradually givingway to spring, the elements ofearth and water dominate the natu-ral scene. Cool, wet, heavy, slow—we feel these qualities around usand within us. In moderation, wecan accept this temporary muddi-ness—it is the season of rebirth,and birth is a wet, messy business.In excess, however, these qualitieswill manifest as colds and runnynoses, congestion, nausea, inertia,lethargy, or depression—heavy,moist, “stuck” sorts of conditions.The Ayurvedic approach is to bal-ance excess qualities with theiropposites. March and April are notthe time to indulge in sweets, dairy,and heavy, oily foods like nuts orfried things. These will only amplifythe qualities that are already exces-sive. Instead, observe a diet that islight, warm, and drying. Barley,corn, rye, millet and quinoa are thebest grains in this regard. Applesand grapefruit are particularly good,as are most vegetables, especiallyleafy greens—but not sweet pota-toes. A liberal use of pungentspices kicks in some heat and dry-ing action.
A food can be drying without beingdry. Barley, for instance, is diuretic,even in a soup. In fact, spicy soupsand stews are ideal when we’re“stuck in the mud.” At the ashramwhere I studied yoga, students withlate-winter colds were servedRasam—an eye-watering potenttomato-garlic-red lentil soup withlots of black and red pepper!
Finally, we extend the practice ofbalance beyond our diets and findother ways to lighten up. We needto keep moving—physically andmentally, shake up our routines,activate our funny bones, embracethis time in all its sogginess, andlaugh kindly at ourselves as we slogalong through the slush!
Bonnie Williams Ambrosi is a certifiedAyurvedic Health Educator and teachesyoga, ayurveda, and stress reduction atseveral locations. Contact her at (218)728-9942 [email protected]
mission statementThe Whole Foods Co-op iscommitted to the CooperativePrinciples, to providing itsmembers, patrons and communitythe highest quality nutritious wholefoods, and to the products andpractices which make positivechanges in the life of itscommunity, employees andenvironment.
co-operative principles1. Voluntary and open
membership. 2. Democratic member control. 3. Member economic participation4. Autonomy and independence.5. Education, training and
information.6. Cooperation among co-ops.7. Concern for community
This is the 4th edition and in each edi-tion they have revised and updated theterms and, of course, added new ones.
At the beginning of the book theauthors have a detailed“How to Use” pageexplaining cross-refer-encing, organization,how they handle foodsthat have more thanone name, etc. At theend of the book theappendix includesingredient equivalents,substitute ingredients,
a pan substitution chart, high altitudeinformation, temperature and meas-urement equivalents and conversions,an extensive pasta glossary anddetailed nutritional information. And,sandwiched in between the A to Zcontent.
This is a great reference guide. Ifyou love to cook, eat or just have a loveof learning, Food Lover’s Companionjust might satisfy your appetite.
Judy Kreag has written two guidebook/cookbooks, taught cooking classes and hasworked for a local nutritionist. Shepresently teaches at The College ofSt. Scholastica.
Book Review
Have you ever been readinga menu in a restaurantand were not sure of someof the terms used? Or,
maybe while you werefixing a new recipe youran across an ingredi-ent that was unfamiliarto you. How do youfind out what the termsor ingredients are?Well, of course, at therestaurant you can askbut at home you some-times just have toguess. That is, unless you already ownthe book “Food Lover’s Companion”by Sharon and Ron Herbst. The Co-opcarries the most current edition andGarbanzo Gazette editor ShannonSzymkowiak says that it is one of herfavorite and most frequently usedbooks. In fact, they used it recently atthe Co-op in one of their cookingclasses that I attended.
The book contains over 6700entries that describe (and give the cor-rect pronunciation for) foods, cookingtechniques, spices and much more.The original book, which came out it,the mid 90’s took 3 years to compile.
Food Lover’sCompanion
By Sharon Tyler Herbst
and Ron Herbst(Fourth Edition)
Do we have your email address?
In the upcoming months, you willsee changes in your Gazette andimprovements to our website. Wedon’t want our customers to missout on one bit, so we’re askingMembers and non-Members aliketo log on to www.wholefoods.coopto enter your email address. Youraddresses will be used for occa-sional (we stress occasional)reminders about things like votingfor your Board of Directors orannouncements that affect ourshoppers. If you like, you can alsoopt to begin receiving yourGarbanzo Gazette electronically.Coincidentally, signing on electron-ically for the Gazette also reducespaper, printing and postage forWFC, so you will be positivelyaffecting our bottom line. And justlike your mailing address, we willkeep this information to ourselves.
Thank you for helping us to bemore ecological and economicaland for allowing us to communi-cate with you in a more timelyfashion.
W H O L E F O O D S A C O M M U N I T Y C O O P 11
CMYKpg 11
INTERESTED IN HOW THE BOARD WORKS?Meetings of the Board of Directors,except for closed sessions, are opento WFC Owners. If you have an itemfor discussion at the Board meeting,please submit your item in writing bythe first Friday of the month in whichyou request the Board’s considera-tion. Such agenda items will be sub-ject to time constraints at the Boardmeeting. Board meetings are on the4th Monday of every month begin-ning at 5:30 PM subject to changedue to holidays and co-op events.
NEWSLETTER COVER ARTIn April, we will feature a retrospec-tive of Member Kathy Bogen’s penand ink drawings for the cover of theGarbanzo Gazette. Kathy created anamazing array of newsletter cover artfrom February 1985 throughJuly 1997.
MEMBER-OWNER COMMITTEE MEETINGPlease join Committee Chair DavidHelf for a discussion on Thursday,April 30, 2009, from 5:30 to 6:30 PM,on matters of interest to Membersincluding re-defining eligibility guide-lines for the Matching Fund, limitingaccess to the IOU privilege, andachieving a sustainable food systemin the Northland.
LATEST STUDY TO PROVEORGANIC PRODUCTION IS THEBEST WAY TO FEED AND TO SAVETHE WORLD:http://www.beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/?p=1078
INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF URBANGARDENS? Visit the web site of the DuluthCommunity Garden Program(www.duluthcommunitygarden.org)or email Executive Director CarrieSlater Duffy at [email protected]. The GardenProgram’s Growing TogetherCampaign needs sponsors to fundmuch-needed improvements to thegarden sites including fencing, waterand compost.
WORLD CAFÉ SESSIONS AT THE2008 ANNUAL OWNERS MEETINGCheck out the link to “What are ourMembers thinking?” on the homepage at: www.wholefoods.coop.
GLASS TILE MOSAICS AT WFCFind out more about the artist whocreated the “The Seedling” and “The Sprout” glass tile mosaics for our co-op at www.laurastonemosaics.com
RECYCLED GLASS MURALS OUTSIDE WFCIf you missed the segment onVenture North (PBS) about how localartist Ron Benson created the fourglass murals on the outside of ourbuilding, visitwww.wdse.org/vn28.html for a link tothe video of Program #2805 (airedOctober 30, 2008).
Venture North has also posted themural project on youtube. The seg-ment is called: Ron Benson Wavesof Glass.
LENGTHY BUT DEFINITELYWORTH YOUR TIMEFor a positive and comprehensiveplan to resolve the problems of ourfood system, read Author/JournalistMichael Pollan’s article for theSunday, October 12, 2008, New YorkTimes Food Issue, “Farmer in Chief.”www.nytimes.com
Rosslyn Kendrick
•Structural IntegrationDr. Rolf method
•Swedish massage
218.723.0081
gourmet to go
The Cheese ManGoes Gluten-Free and It Still Tastes Good— Eric Bong,
Deli Counter Manager
Friends, I recently discoveredthat, like many of our shop-pers, I have sensitivity togluten. I’m fortunate in that
the affects in me are minimal.However, a lot of folks have some seri-ous problems digesting a little proteinnamed gliadin that is found in grainsthat contain gluten. “Not a big deal,”you may think. “Just don’t eat thosegrains.” Well, that excludes oats, rye,barley, and all wheats, including speltand kamut. The remaining optionsoften lack in flavor, texture, or both.Try to make a good loaf of bread usingrice, potato, tapioca… just no gluten.Many have tried with varying levels ofsuccess. Whole Foods Co-op wasrecently contacted by two local vendersthat are succeeding in this attempt.
Sustenance Artisan Bakery hasrecently returned to the Co-op, thistime bringing a regimen of completelygluten-free bread. Dale Karski ofSustenance mixes it up, bringing dif-ferent options on a regular basis. Beassured that any of Dale’s creationswill receive my endorsement.
Tom Hansen recently called toinform me of a top seller at his DuluthGrill in Lincoln Park. Tom has devel-oped a gluten-free banana bread basedon buckwheat, which is deceptivelynot a member of the wheat family.This is no typical banana bread! It hasa balanced graininess that is to beexpected from buckwheat, without
being too heavy. The real charm ofthis bread is the subtlety of thebanana. Used more as a sweetenerthan as the backbone of the loaf, thisis still undeniably banana bread.
I will happily try to tell you allabout just how much I appreciatethese breads, but you’d do best to try aloaf for yourselves. Whether you aresensitive to gluten or not, these areamong the tastiest breads I’ve had. Myhat is off to two innovative bakers andtheir truly wonderful products.
Your Cheese Man and Bread Buyer,Eric
12 G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E A M A R C H A P R I L
Savor the Season I
am usually inspired to writeabout something in particular foreach issue of the Gazette. I getexcited and passionate about
food and the possibilities of what wecan do each day simply by making aconscious choice about what we eat,how we can affect our bodies, ourcommunities and our environment bythe simple act of buying groceries. Butas I look out the windowat more snow than usual,the holidays windingdown and the economylooking worse, I do notfeel inspired.
We all go through thiskind of funk from time totime. Feeling like we can’tmake a difference in theworld, like we’re spittinginto the wind, likenobody is listening orworse, listening but unwilling toengage. It can be frustrating when youfeel like everyone should care as muchas you do. ”Why can’t they see?”becomes a mental mantra that candrag you into the abyss faster than youcan blink your eyes.
It seems right now that we are get-ting daily reports of how our govern-ment at every level needs to make cutsand raise taxes that we cannot afford.They are looking at the big ticketitems to cut — as they should. But arethey looking at the little things? Isevery government agency copying onboth sides of every sheet of paper ordo they not even think about who paysfor every sheet of paper? This mayseem trivial, but it represents the larg-er questions. Are they looking atwaste saving measures which in turnsave money? Are they looking at newways to do things that save pennies,then in turn, dollars every day? Are weusing a Band-Aid or trying to shiftsome paradigms that will move us for-ward in a more sustainable manner?
I think about my recent awakeningand commitment to the power of sup-
porting our local economy. I wonderhow powerful that could be if we alldid it. I would much rather spend acouple of extra dimes at a locallyowned business when I shop than getstuck with a cumulatively large taxincrease from every level of my gov-ernment every year. At least when I’mspending my money at a local busi-ness, I’m in charge of my choices.
Handing cash overblindly to a govern-ment bent on giv-ing it away to busi-nesses I do notsupport and refus-ing to change theway things aredone seems sopointless. So whynot pay up front tosupport what I feelis important?
Simple. As I write, we have a new president
waiting in the wings. By the time thisis published, he will have been inoffice for a little over a month. He istaking over a giant mess built onmany years of both parties wastingtime and resources when times wereflush. Now this same group of people,who have great health care, goodsalaries, perks of all kinds and canvote for more for themselves (and do)are trying to figure out how to tightenour belts. Doesn’t exactly inspire me asa citizen.
So do I roll over and cry “Uncle”?Give in to what is easy and cheapbecause there is nothing I can doabout it? Or do I continue on in mylittle ways, reusing bags, recyclingeverything I possibly can, compostingand shopping at local businessesrather than driving up to the big boxesat every turn?
Change is possible. The first time Itook my canvas bags into Target (yes,even I’m not totally immune to theoccasional trip “up the hill”), thecashier had difficulty figuring out how
she could fill it with my purchasessince their check stands are designedonly to hold the wire thingamajig thatholds the plastic bags they give out.Now I don’t even get a second glance.The last time I was in, the cashieractually thanked me for bringing myown bag. I can only imagine it’sbecause others are doing the samething (that, and the fact that Target isselling reusable bags says the cynic inme). Certainly the few times I actuallygo there in a year couldn’t solely makethat much difference, so cheers to therest of you and your radical reusedbags. You are making a difference.
And this is what gives me hope.That others who reuse their bagsinspire me. And maybe other people,seeing the reusable bags in my cartwill be reminded to reuse theirs. Andso on…
I am hoping that other people, astired of the tax situation as I am, willrealize that the more dollars theyspend on line, or in the Cities, oralways choosing the big box first low-ers our tax base and they’ll end uppaying anyway — and won’t have achoice about it.
We can all choose how to makechanges to save money in the shortterm. I’m not saying I don’t, but Imore often weigh it with the longterm now. I’ve made little changes thatare so natural to my life now that Ican’t imagine doing it any other way.Of course I reuse the back of an enve-lope for my grocery list. Of course Isave my dryer lint for “brown” in mycompost bin. Of course I recycle,
— Shannon Szymkowiak, MMS Manager
reuse and reduce so much that I havetwo recycling bins and only one smallgarbage can every two weeks to bepicked up. To some of you out there,this sounds like a lot of work. It isn’t.After all, I only have to haul mygarbage bin to the curb every twoweeks.
Some of you are saying “is that allyou do?” because you do even more.Sharing the little things with eachother help us to add up to big things.Engage. Gift your neighbor with arecycling or compost bin. Share yourwaste saving (hence, money saving)tips with your employer. Show themhow easy and economical it is. Sharethe tips with me at [email protected] and I’ll print them in thenext Gazette. We can make a differ-ence together. Right here in our ownneighborhood. Turn our radical canvasbags into the symbol of what can bethe norm, and not the exception
This article was a rare one that was-n’t about food. Savoring the Season ofEarth Day means taking a minute tothink about what little changes youcan do to make a difference. Pick onething. Think of it as your “GreenResolution for 2009” and begin. Ifeach of us picks one, then somethingelse next year, and the next, before weknow it, it’s no longer a GreenResolution or even a GreenRevolution, it’s what you do every day.
Shannon is deciding what to plant in herfront yard to eliminate some grass to mowthis year.
The nominees are… the envelope please…
the winner of the muralnaming contest is ‘The GreatLake’ submitted by Member-
Owner Bonnie Summers. “I went with a name that was
uncomplicated and obvious.The big lake was what
inspired the mural in the first place and
so it shall be named.”— Ron Benson, artist
Congratulations, Bonnie!
Got your attention? If you fol-low the news, you’ll knowmy headline is pure fantasy.Unfortunately, you have
noticed how many sectors of our econ-omy have asked for a bailout. You’vealso noticed how many others are dis-appointed at not receiving any of thebailout billions. I haven’t heard thatco-ops are among them.
Times are tough all over; WFC can-not completely buck international eco-nomic trends. Sure, we’d like our salesand profit to be higher, but we aren’tfeeling desperate or using desperatemeasures. Staffing hasn’t changedmuch, so our sterling customer serv-ice is intact. Most importantly, ourmanagement watches industry trendsand plans accordingly, and our staffsets and meets intelligent goals.
Our economyresembles a dog-eat-dog world; selfishnessreigns supreme.Businesses disappearovernight. Amongconsumer grocery co-ops in the U.S., thereare not so many sur-prises. Yes, co-ops dofail, but not beforeevery effort has been made, not just bytheir management and membership,but by a host of other Cooperatives.Recall the sixth Cooperative Principle:
Cooperation among cooperatives —Cooperatives serve their members mosteffectively and strengthen the cooperativemovement by working together throughlocal, regional, national and internation-al structures.
Membership Mattersby David Helf, WFC Board Vice President & Chair of the MembershipCommittee
Grocery Co-ops Ask Congress for Huge Bailout
Co-ops open their books to eachother — that’s right, we share ourspreadsheets — and we all try tomatch “best practices.” We don’thave to spy on each other, orguess. We know how others oper-ate. Cooperation doesn’t just makeus feel good, but works to make usall more successful. Our invest-ments are here in the community,and I think any Member is able to
understand how we operate.WFC has equity in both regional
and national co-ops. If someonenotices our expertise in a particulararea, they may call us for help (likewhen we built a “green” facility). Werelied upon such help when weexpanded. We contribute to develop-ment funds, from which other co-opscan draw for construction and expan-
sion. When WFC staff and Boardmembers receive training, it resem-bles what’s given all across Co-opUSA.
In this age of economic Darwinism,I think we can all be proud to beMember-Owners of a movementwhose stated values are:
Cooperatives are based on the valuesof self-help, self-responsibility, democracy,equality, equity, and solidarity.
I thought it would be nice toremember that all is not doom andgloom, and at some of us are still on asteady course. Thanks for reading!
Members are invited to attend theMembership Committee meeting, onApril 20, from 5:30 to 6:30, at theCoop. No RSVP necessary. Go to theCustomer Service Desk that evening,and ask for an escort to the classroom.
Shannon. Radical canvas bag user.
David Helf, yourBoard Vice President