1st Street Beet- The Harvest Issue

Autumn 2021 VOLUME No. 2

The Harvest Issue

JUMP IN

Autumn 2021 VOLUME No. 2

WHAT’S INSIDE THE ISSUE

The Harvest Issue

03

STAY A WHILE From the GM

08

iN OUR CIRCLE

Almeda Fire Anniversary

24

A BRIGHT IDEA

Mature Munchables

04

THE REAL DEAL: Co-op Ownership

YUM!

10

An Apple A Day

26

GOOD CLEAN FUN Spooky Season

05

HERE & NOW

2020 Sustainability Report

19

HARVEST REPORT Magnolia Farms

COMING UP

06

HIGHLY RECOMMEND Local, Organic, Co-op

20

FROM THE BOARD Meet Kamilah Long

29

Autumn Calendar

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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STAY A WHILE

At the time I am writing this, just seven of the over 200 Co-op workers over the last 17+ months have tested positive for Covid.

No contacts were traced to the Co-op.

Additionally, not one customer has been traced to the Co-op during this period.

We have been very lucky!

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity,” said Seneca, the Roman philosopher. “Preparing our cooperative has been our principal focus.

We have applied an abundance of caution, consistently following, if not exceeding state guidelines.” Here are some highlights of our preparations: • Maintaining a presence at the door to remind shoppers to wear appropriate face coverings • Launching eGrocery curbside pickup and delivery services to accommodate those who cannot come inside • Implementing routine and rigorous sanitation protocols

• Limiting close contact wherever possible, including: • Closing alternating cash registers • Separating back of house workstations • Scheduling workers on alternate days and shifts • Scheduling remote workshifts • Conducting administrative, Board and committee meetings virtually Additionally, during the last three years, we installed commercial HEPA air scrubbers. Initially these were strictly intended to maintain air quality during wildfire smoke events. However HEPA filters also trap virus vectors such as respiratory droplets and aerosol. These systems are filtering air inside the store over four times per hour on top of ventilation already in place with basic Heating/Air Conditioning systems!

We’ll continue welcoming good luck and requiring face coverings, social distancing and filtering air for as long as necessary.

You'll see in this issue of the 1st Street Beet that the health of our community remains a top priority. We're proud to be considered (and continue to strive to be!) one of the safest grocery stores in the region. Thank you for choosing to shop at the Ashland Food Co-op.

Gratefully, Emile Amarotico, General Manager

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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THE REAL DEAL: CO-OP OWNERSHIP

Owner Coupons September

November

September–October

December

$5 OFF $25 or more

10% OFF one entire purchase

$5 OFF $25 or more

$5 OFF $25 or more

Would you like a $250 Gift Card from your Co-op?

Do you have a Friend interested in Joining our Co-op Team?

! w o w

It’s easy to refer a friend!

Not an Owner?

We have a lot of Owner Perks!

Join our Co-op for only $100! www.ashlandfood.coop/join-now

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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Here & now 2020

SUSTAIN ABILITY REPORT

Click Here to Read More

highly recommend September is National Organic Month and October is both Fair-Trade and Co-op Month. To celebrate, we are highlighting some of the fantastic brands we carry year-round that have led the way for organic, fair-trade and cooperative-made products to come into the mainstream. These triple-threat organizations are just a sliver of our vendor partners doing things differently.

Check out some of their stand-out attributes

Pachamama

The folks at Pachamama Coffee are real trail blazers in the organic, fair-trade, coffee cooperative world.

Founded in Sacramento in 2006, they were the first specialty roaster in North America entirely owned and governed by smallholder farmers in Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico, and Ethiopia, with the goal of ensuring profits flow back to the region of origin. Find Pachamama beans in our bulk section.

Frontier Co-op

Frontier Co-op’s story begins in a riverside cabin in Eastern Iowa. With just a team of two, they began to sell herbs and spices to other local co-ops. Over the course of the next decade, Frontier Co-op introduced organic products, essential oils, and began to return a patronage dividend to their owners. Fair trade certification, their first sustainability report, on-site childcare, the Simply Organic Giving Fund, and more people & planet-centric initiatives followed. Find a wide range of spices and extracts at the Co-op.

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ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

Organic Valley

The founding farmers at Organic Valley are another group of trend setters. Laughed off in the late 80s by some of their more corporate colleagues as idealistic and ridiculous, their big dreams of doing things differently quickly paid off. After growing out of their original moniker “Coulee Region Organic Cheese” and dubbing themselves Organic Valley, this farm and employee-owned cooperative became a leading producer of organic dairy products and one of our top selling vendors here at the Ashland Food Co-op!

Find Organic Valley products such as milk, cheese, and ghee, throughout the store.

Alaffia

Alaffia goes above and beyond typical standards for organic, fair-trade and cooperative models with their Social Enterprise Model: putting empowerment projects, indigenous ingredients, gender equality, ethical & safe products, sustainable & transparent packaging (ECOCert and Good Manufacturing Practices certified!), and community reinvestment first. Find their body care products in our Wellness department.

Divine

Decadent, Delectable, Delicious… Divine Chocolate.

With roots in Ghana, their equitable business model has raised the (chocolate) bar for almost 30 years.

Over 100,000 cocoa farmers make up the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Union, a cooperative that made them the first and only group of farmers to hold an ownership stake in the world of Fair Trade chocolate. Sweet!

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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In Our Circle

BY JULIE O’DWYER As a member of the board of directors for over seven years, it has been an honor to help shape and shepherd vigorous community funding through the establishment of AFC Gives followed by the launch of our round up at the register program, Change For Good and our Community Grants program. This work is the manifestation of the co-op principle to care for our community.

Looking back over the last 12 months I never could have imagined that our community would have gone through so much tragedy and trauma. On top of a pandemic and economic strife, our community was hit with a devastating fire that affected not only many of our shoppers, but several of our Co-op staff. With the efforts of our community and the dedication of our employees and board members, we have been able to provide unique and substantial support for so many.

Our employees that were affected by the fire were supported with time and funds to address their own personal loss and the added burdens of caring for others. The Ashland Food Co-op was an initial support for Rogue Food Unites.

For more information about AFC Gives and how your Co-op supports our community please visit our website at http://ashlandfood.coop/afcgives PAGE 8

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

By donating $10,000 worth of at-cost goods we have been able to help Rogue Food Unites provide daily meals to displaced fire affected families throughout Jackson and Josephine Counties. Our Almeda Fire Relief Fund raised almost $200,000 with generous donations by our shoppers and our board. These funds have gone directly to the local organizations that are on the ground caring for fire victims on a daily basis including Unete, La Clinica, Southern Oregon Education Service District, Phoenix-Talent School District, Remake Talent, Mi Valle Mi Hogar (My Valley My Home), and many more.

This fall we will be accepting grant applications for the AFC Gives community grants which support projects within our community that expand upon the cooperative principles of healthy food, environmental responsibility, and care for our Community.

Through our AFC Gives committee’s Change For Good program we have been able to continue to provide substantial support to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations serving a variety of basic needs: healthy food, environmental education and outreach, and most importantly community building.

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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MEET MICHELLE GUERRIE

Michelle Guerrie Kitchen words of wisdom Mise en Place, Golden Brown, be Curious, Fearless and Adventurous.

Best friend in the kitchen Patience and parchment paper.

Favorite tool A sharp knife. The best knife sharpener in the world?

Work Sharp Culinary, based right here in Ashland.

My culinary approach is to riff and improvise with lots of experimentation, all the while keeping it Simply Simple by developing rich flavors with local, fresh ingredients whenever possible.

Le Cordon Bleu and The Culinary Institute of America have given me a priceless classical foundation and my experience as demo coordinator and culinary classroom teacher at the Co-op inspires me with a contemporary approach. I love sharing my passion and skills, empowering home cooks in making healthy, yummy meals and treats. My latest creative endeavor is food photography for my upcoming cookbook Michelle's Simply Simple Cooking.

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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“This dramatic, beautiful, and tasty cake easily feeds 12 people. This recipe was inspired by a shopper at the Co-op buying a cartful of apples. I asked her what she was going to do with them, and she told me about the tradition of enjoying apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year. Inspired by this conversation and having always felt a sense of renewal in September, I created this simple, gluten-free cake for my family and friends.

We now mark the autumnal season annually with this sweet dessert.”

GLUTEN FREE

Apple Honey Cake

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

5 large tart apples, peeled, cored, cut in half and sliced thin (⅛” width) 5 Tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 cup safflower oil (any mild-tasting oil will do) 4 eggs 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla Zest from 1 lemon 3 cups sweet rice flour 1 ¼ cups sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder ½ cup honey

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust the oven rack to its middle position. Generously grease a bundt or angel food cake pan. If you don’t have a special cake pan, don’t fret; use what you have.

2) Coat the apple slices in 5 TB sugar and the cinnamon. Make sure the apples are completely covered. Reserve until needed.

3) Mix the oil, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon zest until well blended.

4) Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix well. The resulting batter will be thick and sticky.

5) Place a layer of apples on the bottom of the bundt pan in a uniform overlapping layering pattern. (This may be the top of the cake after you flip it, so make it pretty. You may decide to leave it in the pan for serving, so make the last layer of apples pretty, too.)

Spread on a layer of the batter, just enough to completely cover the apple layer underneath. Continue with alternate layers, finishing with a layer of apples. Apples, batter, apples, batter, apples, batter, apples...

6) Put the cake into your preheated oven. Test the cake after 1 ½ hours and continue to bake if necessary, until a testing skewer comes out clean and the cake is golden brown.

7) Cool the cake on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert on another rack and let cool until just warm to the touch.

8) Decide which side of the cake you wish to be the “top” then drizzle honey over the top of the cake, while the cake is still warm.

Cool completely on the counter then refrigerate for a couple of hours before cutting. Will hold nicely for one week.

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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chicken curry waldorf salad

Refreshing and satiating, this simple salad holds great for up to 3 days. Serve as a side dish at dinner or the main course at lunch!

INGREDIENTS 2 apples, diced ¼ cup Veganaise or mayonnaise 2 teaspoons curry powder 1 cup grapes 2 cups celery, diced thin ½ cup walnuts, toasted 1 cup of chicken, diced 1/8 cup raisins (optional)

INstructions 1) Mix the apples, Veganaise and curry together, stirring to evenly coat the apples.

2) Add in everything else, give it a good stir and there you go!

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INGREDIENTS Apples Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon per apple

INstructions 1) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Line your sheet pans with parchment paper. You will likely need one pan per apple.

crispy cinnamon apple snacks

2) Rinse and dry your apples. No need to core or peel the apples. You can knock out and remove seeds after they are cooked.

3) Slice the apples in half. Lay the apples on their flat side and slice each half into uniform strips at about ¼ of an inch thick. A serrated knife is helpful to slice through the skin.

Sprinkle cinnamon on the slices and toss them gently with your hands to evenly coat.

4) Lay the apples in a single layer and bake for 1 hour then flip them and bake another hour. Bake until they are dry and the edges are curled. The total time will vary based on the type of apple and the relative thickness of your cuts. They are done when you say they are done. They will be a combination of chewy-crunchy.

5) For extra crispiness, turn off the oven and leave them in until the oven is cool. Let them cool completely, then wrap them up in the parchment paper you baked them on. Make a tidy little envelope that kids can carry in their pocket or backpack. Store in an airtight container for up to one week or the freezer for 6 months.

Apples are quintessential autumn goodness and very little effort is required to make this yummy snack that kids love. Opal apples do not oxidize much, so they are a really good option for this recipe. Prepare yourself for hours of aromatic nirvana wafting from the kitchen.

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Sage onion & Apple COMPOTE

Deeply satisfying, this savory-sweet compote pairs well with just about everything, pork chops in particular. It is a favorite Thanksgiving dish at my family’s gatherings.

INGREDIENTS 2 Tablespoons butter 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1/2 red onion, diced 2 apples, diced or sliced 10 fresh large sage leaves, cut into 1/4 inch pieces 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried ¾ cup chicken stock OR water (more may be needed, it depends on the apples) 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper

1/8 cup raisins (optional)

INstructions 1) Heat butter, oil and onions in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.

2) Add in the remaining ingredients, cover and continue to cook for 15 minutes or so, on low-medium heat, stirring often.

3) You may need to add an additional ¼ cup of stock or water, depending on the variety of the apple. Serve leftovers cold or warmed with French toast and maple syrup in the morning.

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applegate

Cider Mule Makes 4 cocktails

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

16 oz Apple Outlaw Hard Cider (pick whichever tickles your fancy) 12 oz ginger beer or ginger ale 6 oz of vodka 3 limes (juice 2, garnish with one) .5” of ginger root, grated Ice

1) In a pitcher, combine the vodka, lime juice, and hard cider. Stir.

Optional: cinnamon stick

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2) In 4 mugs, distribute grated ginger, ice cubes, and lime garnish.

3) Pour the pitcher mixture about ¾ of the way up the mug and top off the beverage with ginger beer.

4) Give each drink a quick stir (with a cinnamon stick if you have it!) Serve & enjoy.

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

HARVEST REPORT Click to watch this 2 min video!

Visit Magnolia Farms and learn more about owner Elissa Thau, who the Ashland Food Co-op is so honored to partner with for more than twenty years.

Thank you to Elissa, and thank you to Katie Falkenberg who filmed this beautiful visit.

What fresh, organic produce is in season?

Onions

Summer Squash

Grapes Greens Carrots

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

Pears

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From the

Board MEET KAMILAH LONG The Board of Directors is so excited to have appointed Kamilah who brings strengths in many areas including leadership, extensive experience in equity, diversity and inclusion work, and community stewardship through storytelling.

Read more about her previous work below.

Kamilah Long is an innovative leader and dynamic theatrical professional. Her multifaceted theatre career includes roles as an actor, director, producer, educator, fundraiser, activist, and speaker. She started her career in theatre as a storyteller, which led her to joining Actors Equity and becoming a professional actor before completing her undergraduate theatre degree from Alabama State University. Kamilah went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Fine Arts in performance along with a Certificate in African American Theatre from the University of Louisville. Kamilah is a world-class orator, having traveled as far as South Africa to speak and perform.

Her experiences ultimately led her to become the current managing director of Play On Shakespeare. Before that she worked for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where she was awarded a producing fellowship and rose from an entry-level artistic assistant to Senior Director of Development. Kamilah is also a proud member of the Board of Directors for Southern Oregon Public Television (SOPTV).

Recently she was the founder and CEO of The Black Whole, a multimedia company focused on centering the Black global community through art and storytelling.

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ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

2021 August KS Wild

SEptember

Center for NonProfit Legal Services

Schedule Announcement

october

AFC Gives Community Fund

Change for Good sprung from a need to come together in small and big ways to support our local community in the fall of 2020. Since then, this branch of AFC Gives has grown to support a wide array of organizations doing incredible work right here in Southern Oregon. These nonprofit groups, democratically selected by Co-op owners, receive funding from the cumulative donations of shoppers choosing to round up their shopping total to the nearest dollar, allowing them to continue doing vital work in the areas of climate action; equity, diversity, and inclusion; healthy food; basic needs; and culture.

november

SO Climate Action Now

December

Community Works

2022

January

Rogue Climate

february

Rogue Farm Corps

AR

IN

G

BA

YE

GIV

S

March

CK

F O R OV E R

25

Southern Oregon Land Conservancy

APRIL

Options for Homeless Residents of Ashland

MAY

Rogue Valley Farm to School

JUNE

Maslow Project

P! I H E S R U A T C O D R N O U R U O aSK Y

JULY

Ashland Food Angels

100% of the donations collected from shoppers at the register during the partner organization’s month is given to the organization.

EDI COMMITTEE Dear AFC Staff Community, In late 2019, the AFC Board of Directors identified Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as a priority area of work in our strategic goals. Since then, we have initiated training and skill building for board members, staff and management in this area. As the tragic events of racially motivated violence escalated over the summer, we recognized the need to move this effort even more to the forefront of our priorities. We have worked hard to establish an ED&I Committee to move this work forward and would like to take this opportunity to introduce the committee members and our committee charter to the AFC staff. It will take a willingness on all our parts to successfully participate in this important and difficult work.

The Ashland Food Co-op is committed to integrating equity and justice principles and practices into all areas of work and spheres of influence. This means welcoming and engaging in difficult conversations, embracing the discomfort of facing our own complicity in systemic oppression, and continuously integrating our learning into our policies and practices. The Equity Diversity & Inclusion Committee is focused on applying an ED&I lens to the organization’s decision-making, policies and practices now and in the future. We recognize that this work will take internal capacity building and a commitment to doing things differently. We know we will learn along the way.

The ED&I Committee welcomes your questions, ideas and concerns about the work of the committee -- please email us at edicommittee@ashlandfood.coop (this address is routed to all committee members).

Sincerely, ED&I Committee PAGE 22

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

meet the members!

Kamilah Long

Joe Reyes

Melina Barker

Rianna Koppel

Emile Amarotico

Sara Huque

Barry Haynes

Ethan Bernstein

John Strange

Julie O’Dwyer ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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A BRIGHT IDEA

lunch box charcuterie

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ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

If you feel a certain nostalgia for the pre-packaged cheese and cracker meals of the 90s but “cheese product” and highly processed ham no longer have a place in your life… meet “Munchables.” This DIY take on a grazing box is the perfect lunch for reintroduction into the office. The snackable aspect makes this a good choice for children and adults on-the-go.

Crunchy Bonus Ideas

1 2 3

roasted nuts, sliced cucumber, yogurt pretzels, baby carrots

Cheesy Bonus Ideas

havarti, cheddar, smoked gouda, blue cheese

Fruity Bonus Ideas

dried apricots, red grapes, fig jam, pear slices

4 5

Salty Bonus Ideas mini pickles, prosciutto, hummus, olives

Crispy Bonus Ideas crostini, tortilla chips, seaweed, veggie straws

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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S ’ T I !

P O ST

TIME

1 Halloween Charcuterie Tray!

Easy to Assemble Make halloween cheese cuts by using your favorite cookie cutter!

2

Black Widow Dip INGREDIENTS avocados fresh diced tomatoes onion lime juice salt cilantro sour cream for decoration INSTRUCTIONS 1) Prepare avocados. First, select ripe avocados that are easy to squeeze so you know they’ll be perfect for guacamole! Remove the pits and scoop the avocado into a bowl. Mash with a spoon.

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2) Add diced tomatoes, diced onions, lime juice, salt and fresh cilantro into bowl with avocados.

Gently mix all of the ingredients together.

3) Add remaining diced tomatoes on the edges of the guacamole dip. Now using a pastry bag, decorate the top with sour cream spiderwebs.

Serve with tortilla chips and veggies.

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

Vampire Bubbly Blood Cocktail

3

INGREDIENTS Organic Grapefruit Juice Prosecco (or soda water for nonalcoholic) Rosemary Sprig INSTRUCTIONS 1) Stir in a pitcher, pour over ice, and serve with a sprig of rosemary.

4

Creepy Rat Loaf

INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 lb. ground beef, lean 1/2 lb. ground pork 1 cup soft bread crumbs 1/2 cup milk 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup onion, chopped 1/4 cup green pepper, chopped 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 tbsp worcestire sauce 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated 1/4 lb. mild cheddar cheese, diced Topping: 1/4 cup ketchup 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp mustard 1/4 tsp nutmeg INSTRUCTIONS 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Combine all meat loaf ingredients and mix well. Shape into a loaf. Place into oven for 1 1/2 hours.

3) Combine topping ingredients. Remove loaf from oven and spread over top. Bake for another 10 min.

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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Click Here to Read More ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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COMING UP SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2021 September September September September September September September September

October

October October October October October October October

6 7 12 16 22 25 28

National Local Month & National Organic Month Labor Day Rosh Hashanah National Grandparents Day Yom Kippur Autumn Solstice National Public Lands Day: Free Entrance to All National Parks National Good Neighbor Day

National Co-op MOnth 1 4 5 10 11 16 31

World Vegetarian Day World Habitat Day World Teacher’s Day World Mental Health Day Indigenous People’s Day World Food Day Halloween

ASHLAND FOOD CO-OP • 1ST STREET BEET NEWSLETTER

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Limited time only

What you will

about our Co-op

Our Co-op team takes great pride in supporting local farmers and producers!

We love our community and enjoy providing them with exceptional customer service!

We provide good pay, affordable health insurance, and other cool perks! *after completing 6 months of employment & 1000 hours worked

Apply Today! Go to ashlandfood.coop/careers