Chequamegon Food Co-op
Potluck PARTY
x 2016
Fall Classes Details inside!
Seasonally Sourced Foods Hand-Harvested & Wild-Grown
The Grapevine A quarterly publication of Chequamegon Food Co-op
NEXT deadline: OCTOBER 31, 2016 Editing & Layout: Meagan Van Beest Ad Design: Jill O'Neill at The Garlic Pig Interim General Management Team Kiersten Galazen Vicki Richeson Meagan Van Beest Board of Directors. . . board@cheqfood.coop Sarah Ahlquist. . . . . . biglowsarah@yahoo.com Carole Carlson. . . . . . carolecarlson@gmail.com Justus Grunow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jg@justus.ws Mike Hines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mike@hineslo.com Sara Lehr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tharrtell@gmail.com Jarrod Stone-Dahl. jarrodstonedahl@gmail.com Steve Sandstrom. . sandstrom.steve@gmail.com Everyone is welcome to attend Chequamegon Food Co-op Board of Directors meetings, held the third Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m. in the Community Room at the Co-op in Ashland. The Cooperative Principles 1. Voluntary and open ownership. 2. Democratic owner control. 3. Owners’ economic participation. 4. Autonomy and independence. 5. Education, training, and information. 6. Cooperation among co-ops. 7. Concern for community. Our Mission The Chequamegon Food Co-op is dedicated to providing ecologically sound foods and products, the production and quality of which promote the health of our members and our community. Ends Statement The Chequamegon Food Co-op exists so our community has an enhanced quality of life; our community has access to healthy, organic, and locally produced goods; our community has a thriving local economy; and our community is knowledgeable about choices that impact the economy, personal wellness, and the environment. Where We Are 700 Main Street West, Ashland, WI 54806 HOURS: Every Day 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (715) 682-8251 chequamegonfoodcoop.com Letters to the Editor or articles Submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis. We do not guarantee that a letter or article will be printed. Please keep submissions to 250 words and include your name, phone number, and email address with your letter. Letters may be sent to outreach@cheqfood. coop. Letters and newsletter articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Board of Directors, staff members, or management of the Chequamegon Food Co-op. Advertising Please contact Meagan at (715) 682-8251 or e-mail meaganv@cheqfood.coop.
2 | Chequamegon Food Co-op
FROM THE MANAGERS Kiersten Galazen, Vicki Richeson, & Meagan Van Beest interim general co-managers Greetings from your new general co-managers! We hope that while you know that we have changed from Harold Vanselow’s leadership as general manager to this management team, the transition itself has been fairly seamless. We thought this would be a great time for us to introduce ourselves and explain how we will operate as a team. Kiersten Galazen is the store operations manager. Her job requires managing staff and maintaining the building. Kiersten has worked at the Co-op for the past 12 years. She has done a little of most things here, starting as a part-time cashier/ stocker and working her way up to grocery manager in the Chapple Avenue store. Kiersten added the hat of store operations manager, passing off grocery when we moved to the new store. She still wears a few different hats, including meat buyer. Her past experience includes a background in organic agriculture. She lives with her husband on a small farm south of Ashland and enjoys riding horses, growing veggies, and generally being outside. Vicki Richeson is the finance manager. Her position involves managing the finances of the Co-op and administering staff benefits. She has worked for the Co-op for about a year and a half. Prior to making the move here, Vicki was the bookkeeper for another local business in Ashland for almost 11 years. The position taught her that not everything in business is black and white, but that sometimes they are shades of gray. This means a business must be able to adapt to best serve its customers and community. She graduated with honors from WITC – Ashland with a degree in business administration and finance. Vicki has lived in the Ashland area for 18 years with her husband and three sons. Most of her time outside of the Co-op is spent with family and attending her sons’ sporting events. Meagan Van Beest is the marketing and member services manager. Her marketing responsibilities include internal and external communication (such as The Grapevine, social media, advertising, and other promotional media). The member services component involves monitoring membership satisfaction and creating educational programs (including classes and events). Meagan has worked at the Co-op for four years and has over 16 years of advertising, graphic design, public relations, and writing experience. She has a bachelor’s degree in English with a small business management minor from Northland College. Meagan has lived in the Ashland area for 22 years and spends her spare time enjoying the great outdoors with her two sons. The Interim General Management Team (or IGMT) works as co-managers to complete the duties of the general manager. We have split up the general manager responsibilities according to our areas of expertise and meet regularly to discuss operations. The Co-op Board operates using an organizational structure called Policy Governance. Under this plan, the Board monitors the general manager’s performance through a series of policies related to the three major branches of the store: operations, finance, and marketing. Each month, the Board requires and reviews reports to ensure that the general manager is in compliance with our policies. The Board considers the IGMT a single entity for evaluating the general manager duties while each manager is held responsible for the individual duties by the other two managers. This past summer was one of change, continuing the trend of the last two years. We saw Harold retired, the Interim General Management Team assume administration of the Co-op, and new faces come while old faces left. It was also one of success, where we had two straight months of profit (in June and July) with August still to come as of this writing. Through it all we have focused on continuing to provide you with the best food we can, along with giving you the information you need to make the best choices you can for your health and wellness. d
AUTUMN 2016
x 2016
CONTENTS 2
From the Managers
4
Things You'll Love
6 Potluck Dinner
6
8 Events & Classes Pullout section! 10
Seasonally Sourced Foods
12
Words of Wellness
13 Autumn Recipes 14
Board Update
16
Staff & Store News
WINTER STORE Hours Every day
10
Open 7:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. STARTING SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2016
Special STORE Hours Labor Day
Monday September 5, 2016 Open 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. AUTUMN 2016
THANKSGIVING
Thursday November 24, 2016 Closed
13
Chequamegon Food Co-op | 3
Love New!
Things You'll
Patak's Major Grey Chutney
This mild mango-ginger chutney tastes great over pork chops, on roasted tofu, with cheese and crackers, as a sandwich spread, and on top of a curry.
Beyond Meat Beast Burger Is it possible to find a vegan burger that tastes like real beef? The Beast Burger is as close as it gets! Plus, it's loaded with 23 grams of protein and other nutrients.
U•Konserve Stainless Steel Containers Did you know that 50 percent of the plastic consumed in the U.S. is only used once? You can change that by using these stainless steel containers, which come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
4 | Chequamegon Food Co-op
AUTUMN EDITION
Here are just a few of the new items we have in store for you. Look for the “New Item” tags to find other new things we think you’ll love.
Equal Exchange Full Leaf Tea Sachets These large leaf teas allow you to experience the same full flavor of loose leaf teas with the convenience of a traditional tea bag.
Field Day Cinnamon Flax Granola Say it with me, “Affordable granola!” Yummy whole grain clusters add the perfect crunch to breakfast. Mix it into your oatmeal or pancakes, too.
One with Nature Bar Soaps Made with Dead Sea salt, argan oil, shea butter, and essential oils, these soaps moisturize and cleanse. Available in goat's milk & lavender, orange blossom, lemon verbena, and wild berry.
Nordic Naturals Probiotic Gummies Kids With 1.5 billion live cultures, these yummy berry flavored gummies will help keep your kids’ digestive systems balanced.
AUTUMN 2016
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AUTUMN 2016
Chequamegon Food Co-op | 5
P Potluck Q •Party• F
Meagan Van Beest marketing & member services manager
all is the perfect time to start a regular potluck circle. Gather up a group of friends and family, set a schedule and start enjoying regular meals together. Whether you choose to host one for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or just because, a bit of planning will make your potlucks easy peasy. Even if you’re old hat at holding communal get-togethers, here are some tips to help you host a fabulous potluck.
Start with a Theme (or Not) Choosing a theme helps limit the types of dishes guests will bring, which in turn can make all the flavors on the table work well together. Try Mediterranean or Korean or French for a little fun. Mixing it up with a more general theme can be enjoyable, too. Holidays such as Halloween and Thanksgiving naturally lend themselves to a mixture of foods. You can even ask your guests to work from a particular cookbook. But for larger gatherings, skip the theme to make it easier on guests.
Make the Invites Postcards are still a great way to invite folks to a potluck. A simple phone call will often do, too. If you want to put technology to work, you can use email to send an invitation. There are also free online tools to send invites and coordinate your whole potluck party. Perfectpotluck.
com is an easy-to-use website that allows you to send out invitations, set up a menu, share contact information, and post directions.
Plan the Menu You can go the traditional route and let it be a free-for-all, but that often leads to too much mac & cheese with multiple bags of chips as appetizers and several pans of brownies for dessert. A different route that can help add variety without stifling your guests’ creativity is to ask certain people to bring a particular category of food. You’ll want to assign drinks, appetizers, sides, main dishes, and desserts to cover all the usual courses of a meal. Finally, you can always ask folks to bring specific dishes. Just make sure the recipes are not overly complicated or too expensive (that means no asking for lobster, even if you want it).
Prepare Your Space Have a serving table ready to accept the potluck dishes as soon as your guests arrive. Everyone should have a place to set their plates and glasses, so if you’re having a casual gathering and not a sit-down affair, make sure there are ample small tables set around. If you won’t be eating right away, have your oven on its lowest setting to keep hot foods warm and make space in your refrigerate to keep cold foods
cold. People love to congregate in the kitchen. If yours is small, make a small gathering area outside of it that has chairs for folks to sit.
Be the Best Guest Follow your host’s requests to make it easier on both of you. If you have a change of plans and can’t attend, let the host know as soon possible. Bring everything you need to serve your dish, including a trivet and serving utensils. If you’re not much of a cook, go ahead and order some of your favorite take-out or a salad from the Co-op Deli to share. Think beyond heavy, meat- and sauce-laden dishes and go for something lighter like a chopped salad.
Be the Best Host Keep your menu requests simple. Start by asking what dish people would like to bring, to see if they prefer to make something specific. Ask if your guests will need to use your kitchen for warming up their dish or final prep. And most importantly, get your home (and your attitude) ready for fun! There will probably be some hiccups here and there, but potlucks are all about welcoming friends and family into your home to share a feast that has been prepared by everyone. d
Roasted Beet Salad
! e t a D e h t e v Sa
HALLOWEEN PARTY
Saturday, October 29 • 9-11 a.m. Bretting Center • Ashland, WI
Next time you need to bring a dish to pass, take along this roasted beet salad.
Ingredients • • • • • • • •
DOWNTOWN ASHLAND
4 medium red beets, washed and tails removed 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced 4 tablespoons pistachios 4 tablespoons crumbled feta or goat cheese 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 12 cups mixed greens Salt and ground pepper, to taste
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Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Loosely wrap beets in aluminum foil. Place on a sheet tray and roast in oven for about an hour or until easily pierced with a knife. Let cool and peel. Chop and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with salad greens and sliced red onion. Top salad with beets, cheese, and pistachios.
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Chequamegon Food Co-op | 7
Classes & Events Autumn 2016
Register at Customer Service or by calling (715) 682-8251 today!
September
Artist Reception: Amy Wilson Friday, September 2 • 6-7 p.m. FREE! At the Co-op Deli MEET & GREET - Amy Wilson works in a number of mediums, including watercolor and colored pencil. Join us for light refreshments and come check out our latest art exhibit. Wellness Wednesday: Lori Anderson Wednesday, September 14 • 4-6 p.m. FREE! At Chequamegon Food Co-op MEET & GREET – Lori Anderson is a Dr. Sears Certified Health Coach. Stop in to learn more about her services, which include individual coaching sessions, cooking lessons, online courses, workplace wellness, smart shopping tours, and more. Remove Waste from Your Waist Tuesday, September 20 • 5:30-7:30
Instructor: Lori Anderson, Certified Health Coach Cost: $15/$10 owners REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, September 16 Registration required in advance. Space is limited. At the Co-op Community Room DISCUSSION CLASS - Learn the steps you can take to impact your short and long term health. Lori will provide specific solutions and tools to make healthy living and lifestyle changes realistic and practical. Find out what makes your waist size grow and then how to reduce it, receive evidencebased nutrition guidance, learn how to develop your own fitness plan, and learn recipes to maintain your health.
National Coffee Day Tasting With Big Water Coffee Thursday, September 29 • 11 a.m.-1 p.m. FREE! At Chequamegon Food Co-op TASTING – Take a sip of joe and celebrate National Coffee Day. The fine folks from Big Water Coffee Roasters will be here with tasty coffee samples.
October
Wellness Wednesday: Michelle Carlile Wednesday, October 12 • 4-6 p.m. FREE! At Chequamegon Food Co-op MEET & GREET - Michelle is a registered yoga teacher and certified Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist. She is trained in creating yoga practices and using food choices to balance specific doshas, as well as creating basic lifestyle plans based on individual needs and goals. Come learn more about ayurvedic practices. Plus, you can sign up for the handson Ayurvedic Tips for Autumn Wellness class. Get to Know Gnocchi Saturday, October 15 • 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Instructor: Gina Kirsten, Co-op Owner Cost: $20/$15 owner REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, October 12 Registration required in advance. Space is limited. At the Co-op Community Room HANDS-ON - Homemade gnocchi (pronounced nyoh-kee) can be yours
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after you take this fun, hands-on class. From kneading the dough to making those cute little indents, you’ll get a chance to make this tasty potato pasta balls (and eat them, too)! Ayurvedic Tips for Autumn Wellness Thursday, October 20 • 6:15-8 p.m. Instructors: Michelle Carlile and Sarah Tarkington, Aryuvedic Yoga Specialists REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, October 12 Registration required in advance. Space is limited. Cost: $20/$15 owner At the Co-op Community Room HANDS-ON - Come join us and learn a few simple wellness techniques for creating an easeful transition into the autumn season. You will gain an understanding of how to harmonize your diet and routine with nature’s rhythm in order to support your health. We will present a few recipes for you to enjoy at home and make a couple delicious snacks together! *Please pre-register and alert us to any food allergies or sensitivities. Wild Foods Cookery: Autumn’s Bounty Saturday, October 22 • 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Instructor: Gil Schwartz, owner of Seasonally Sourced Foods Cost: $20/$15 owner REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thursday, October 20 Registration required at least 48 hours in advance. Space is limited.
At the Co-op Community Room HANDS-ON - In this two hour class, we will discover, taste, and prepare several of the best wild fruits and berries that our area has to offer. We will venture out and identify the wild fruits growing right around the Coop and learning about responsible harvesting. Dress according to the weather, as we will do the plant walk rain or shine. Once back at the Co-op, we will taste-test various wild fruits. Cheeky Monkey Halloween Party Saturday, October 29 • 9-11 a.m. Co-sponsored by Ashland Parks & Rec At the Bretting Center, Ashland, WI FREE! PARTY - Make Halloween snacks and paint pumpkins, then join us for the costume contest to win fun prizes! Check Facebook and our website for more details as the event gets closer.
NOVEMBER Boom! Boom! Bath Bombs Thursday, November 3 • 5:30-7 p.m. Instructor: Meagan Van Beest, Marketing & Member Services Manager Cost: $20/$15 owner REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Friday, October 28 Registration required to insure enough materials. Space is limited. At the Co-op Community Room HANDS-ON - Learn how to make these fizzy balls to make your bath smell amazing and your skin feel
soft. Bath bombs make great gifts, too. Join us for this make-and-take class and you’ll leave with six bath bombs to try at home. Wellness Wednesday: NorthLakes Community Clinic Wednesday, November 9 • 3-6 p.m. FREE! At Chequamegon Food Co-op MEET & GREET – NorthLakes provides integrated health care services to treat the whole person, working to provide coordination of care across multiple settings. On the Rise: Bake Your Own Buns & Rolls Saturday, November 12 • 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Instructor: Chef Jonathan Berthel, Penokee Mountain Foods At the Co-op Community Room Cost: $20/$15 owner REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thursday, November 10 Registration required. Space is limited. HANDS-ON - If you’ve always wanted light and fluffy buns on your Thanksgiving table, but been intimidated by the process, this class is for you. You’ll learn tips and techniques for getting perfect buns and rolls in this hands-on class. For the Love of Cheese Tasting Tuesday, November 15 • 5-7 p.m. FREE! At Chequamegon Food Co-op TASTING - Sample some of the great variety of cheeses we stock and get ideas for holiday entertaining.
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AUTUMN 2016
Chequamegon Food Co-op | 9
Seasonally Sourced Foods
Hand-Harvested & Wild-Grown
Meagan Van Beest marketing & member services manager
O
ne misty fall morning finds Gilbert Schwartz, owner of Seasonally Sourced Foods, ready to harvest nannyberries. Where forest meets field he finds a small thicket of the bushes, a native viburnum, and he begins to load up his harvest bags with the dark blue berries. “I have so many favorite wild foods,” Gil says. “If I had to pick some standouts from across the seasons they would have to be fresh stinging nettles in the spring, juneberries and wild rice in the summer, and then of course nannyberries in the fall.” Most people are familiar with the farm-to-table movement, but Gil hopes to make more of them aware of what has been called “field-to-table.” This new spin on eating local focuses on wild, foraged foods. The seeds of Gil’s foraging business started in childhood when he became interested in the delicious realm of wild foods. As an adult, he become more passionate and involved in the field of foraging. After months of research and planning, he registered Seasonally Sourced Foods as a limited liability company in April of 2015 and things have grown steadily from there. The early phases of the business included making connections with a handful of area restaurants and a couple of food co-ops, as well as vending wild foods at Ashland’s weekly farmers market. Although he came into the business with a few reliable harvesting
10 | Chequamegon Food Co-op
locations, he also spent many hours and days scouting for likely foraging grounds in swamps, fields, and woods throughout northern Wisconsin. Gil gathers a wide variety of wild fruits, flowers, ferns, hazelnuts, and more from his own land on the outskirts of Washburn. He is developing a rapidly expanding market garden to supplement the wild foods with some cultivated ones. Most of the foraging for Seasonally Sourced, however, takes place away from his farm on various parcels of privately owned land and some public forests with commercial harvesting permits. “We are lucky to have a great profusion of amazing edible plants and fungi across the beautiful outdoors of northern Wisconsin,” Gil says. “But one misconception about foraging that I see some people have is that anyone can just walk out in any woods and easily find harvestable foods everywhere.” To the contrary, it has taken years of self-education, learning from mentors, and experiential learning in order to accurately identify various species, the types of environments the foods grow in, the correct seasons, and the best parts of the plants to use. Foraging can be hard work and requires versatility, time management, flexibility, and stamina. Gil contends with the same things you do when you are out for a hike or harvesting yourself—bugs, variable weather conditions, carrying food and water, sun protection, GPS tracking, bushwhacking, and the list goes on.
AUTUMN 2016
Gil currently owns and operates Seasonally Sourced Foods all by himself, which means that when he’s not out foraging or making sales, he is working hard behind the scenes on the various facets of running a small business. He does everything from accounting and office work to marketing, scouting for new harvesting locations, processing, packaging, and making deliveries. A typical day sees Gil hitting the road early after reviewing his harvesting notes to decide on what can be gathered and where. When he is not gathering from his own land, he commutes to different locations for harvesting, monitoring, or scouting. If he can plan things right, Gil likes to do most of the gathering during the cooler morning or evening hours. However, he will often just go from sunrise until sunset, just to get enough product. When possible he mixes up the type of harvesting he is doing, so he might spend a block of time hunched over gathering greens from the ground before moving onto picking berries from a tall shrub in an upright position. After returning home, he does any sorting, quality control, processing, and packaging before chilling perishable products in a refrigerator.
AUTUMN 2016
When he is not out and about foraging, Gil does office work, makes deliveries, or sells his products from a stand at a local farmers market. As he moves into his second year, Gil has fine-tuned some aspects of running the business based on what worked best last year. In addition to vending at the Ashland Area Farmer’s Market this year, Washburn and Madeline Island have proven to be great venues for showcasing his seasonal selection of wild foods to locals and visitors alike. Another new development this year has been working with the Delta Diner to provide them with a weekly rotating selection of wild veggies, mushrooms, and garnishes that they transform into their “Forager’s Breakfast Bowl” blue plate special. “I love that I am able to make a livelihood engaging in the multifaceted and ancient human activity of wild food gathering,” Gil says. “Calling the great outdoors with its rich sights, sounds, and smells my main office is something I am very grateful for. Being able to provide fresh gourmet wild foods on a regular basis and making so many great connections in our local foods movement also make my line of work very satisfying.” d
Chequamegon Food Co-op | 11
Words of
I
Wellness
was once a bookseller and still love to read. A couple of books inspired me for this article and I highly recommend them. I have talked before about the book “Year of No Sugar” by Eve Schaub. My daughter recently read the book and proposed a sugarless month. She was hoping that grandma’s house would go along with the idea to help keep her on track. I was all for it. A friend of mine has done it several times and I always admired her for it, so I was up for the challenge. Now I am not talking about only giving up ice cream and chocolate bars. We wanted to check all labels and try to avoid any added sweeteners including honey, maple syrup, stevia, etc. Eating real food was the answer. That meant even going without condiments. Yes… most salad dressings, ketchup, sauces, and even sriracha have sugar in them! The first week was definitely a challenge because reading labels is very time consuming. Sugar is added to almost all processed foods.
715.779.5807
Julie Sorensen wellness manager
This is where eating a real food diet comes in handy. The biggest hurdle for me was ditching the sweetener in my coffee and tea. I regularly used coconut creamer and stevia in my tea and that was definitely a no-no. I used half and half and found a sprinkle of cinnamon with a dash of vanilla extract was better than straight black for tea. I did the same with my coffee – sometimes adding a bit of cocoa to flavor it. After weeks of drinking my tea this way, I gave up the half and half and went back to the coconut creamer, but not the added stevia. I like to limit my dairy, so I didn’t want to keep using the half and half. I still like cream in my coffee, but have been keeping the sugar out. I enjoy iced coffee in the summer and find adding the coconut creamer is more than enough sweetener for my cold brew. I know the creamer has sugar in it, but I am not adding the stevia or sugar on top of the sweetened creamer. I found I didn’t crave the sugary sweets, but I found myself eating more fruit than usual. Having diabetes in my genes, I don’t eat a
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lot of fruit, but when I do I usually stick with the healthy berries. I used a chart from J.J. Virgin’s “Sugar Impact Diet” book which divides fruits into low, medium, and high sugar impact categories. Berries, citrus, avocado, and olives are on the low end, while dried fruit, fruit juices, and jams are on the high impact list. Some of my favorites (including mango, grapes, fresh figs, and dates) fall on the medium list, so I tried to stick with the low choices for the most part. I would like to share a few of my favorite no added sugar (or low sugar) foods available at the Coop. I love the Salad Girl dressings that use honey, rice vinegar, and fruit concentrates to sweeten them. You will find these in our produce section and if you have never tried them they are delicious. I like that they use sunflower oil and are refrigerated rather than shelf stable. I found a sugarless mayo from Woodstock and although it is soy-based, it is also organic. My favorite snack are Larabars. Many of them contain fewer than four ingredients and get their sweetness from dates. For you chocolate lovers, once chocolate chips are added the ingredient list gets longer and sugar worms its way on to the label. So watch out for chocolate chips! Now that the month is over, I find that I am eating fewer sweets. I really think twice before I have a treat and am feeling good about my choices. It was a very educational experience reading labels and avoiding most processed food. Sometimes food and drink choices become a habit for us and not always a good one. I urge you to try the sugarless experiment yourself and I’d love to hear about your adventure. d
AUTUMN 2016
Give thanks with
Autumn Recipes
Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients
2 pounds sweet potatoes 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup maple syrup 2 tablespoons melted butter 1/3 cup coconut milk 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg salt and pepper to taste
Topping
1/2 cup chopped pecans 2 tablespoons melted butter 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or
oil a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into medium-sized chunks. In a large pot of water, boil the sweet potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain sweet potatoes and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Mash the sweet potatoes along with the beaten eggs, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoons melted butter, coconut milk, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spoon the mashed sweet potato mixture into the baking dish. In a small bowl, mix the chopped pecans, 2 additional tablespoons melted butter, and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes. Bake for about 40 minutes
Recipe courtesy of Chequamegon Food Co-op. Reprinted with permission from StrongerTogether.coop.
Cranberry Pecan Skillet Stuffing Ingredients
4 to 5 cups vegan multigrain bread, cut in 1/2- to 1-inch cubes and toasted 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 2 cups onion, diced 1/2 cup carrots, diced 3/4 cup celery, diced 1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced 1 teaspoon dried sage 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth 1⁄3 cup dried cranberries 1⁄3 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large iron skillet over mediumhigh heat and sauté the garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and green pepper for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and dried herbs and continue to cook for a few more minutes until mushrooms are tender. Stir in the vegetable broth, cranberries, pecans, salt, pepper, and toasted bread cubes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 5-10 minutes. Let the stuffing sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe courtesy of Chequamegon Food Co-op. Reprinted with permission from StrongerTogether.coop.
AUTUMN 2016
BROCCOLI, CARROT, CAULIFLOWER Gratin Ingredients
2 cups fresh cauliflower florets 2 cups fresh broccoli florets 1 small yellow onion, sliced in rings 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder 1/2 cup shredded light Gouda cheese 1/2 cup shredded light Havarti cheese 1 tablespoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Salt to taste 2 tablespoon whole wheat bread crumbs
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fill a medium saucepan with about 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil. Place cauliflower and broccoli in a steamer basket and set in saucepan. Reduce to medium heat and cover with lid for 5 minutes until cauliflower and broccoli are tender. Remove from burner and set aside to cool. In a large saucepan over mediumhigh heat, sauté onion in olive oil for 1 to 2 minutes, until translucent. Add carrot and milk and heat for 3 minutes, constantly stirring. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons cold water and arrowroot powder. Add mixture to saucepan with milk mixture and stir for 1 minute. Stir in cheeses and mix until melted. Season with mustard, garlic powder, pepper and salt. In small glass casserole dish, add cauliflower and broccoli in an evenly distributed layer. Pour cheese-carrot mixture over top, then sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Recipe courtesy of Chequamegon Food Co-op.
Chequamegon Food Co-op | 13
Chequamegon Food Co-op Board Of Directors
Board News Board Liaison Britton Doolittle
has resigned from her position. She will be missed! Liz Windett has been named as her replacement.
Ends Statement
Who We Are Chequamegon Food Co-op exists so our community has an enhanced quality of life. What We Strive For Our community has access to healthy, organic and locally produced goods. Our community has a thriving local economy. Our community is knowledgeable about choices that impact the economy, personal wellness, and the environment. What is an ends statement? An ends statement defines organizational purpose, telling a story of what results affect people for a specific benefit. Ends statements justify the existence of an organization.
Save the Date!
BOARD MEETINGS All meetings are the third Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m., unless otherwise noted, in the Community Room. Tuesday, September 20, 2016 Tuesday, October 18, 2016 Tuesday, November 15, 2016 Contact the Board board@cheqfood.coop Board information Minutes and agenda are posted in store and on our website.
BOARD UPDATE Steve Sandstrom board president I am sure that by now most of you know that an interim general management team composed of our three senior managers from store operations, finance, and marketing now manage Chequamegon Food Coop. The Co-op Board of Directors approved a succession plan proposed by Harold Vanselow prior to his retirement as part of our regular operations. The proposal included this team as successors in the event that the general manager was no longer able to do the job. Because of the unsuccessful search for a new general manager and Harold’s impending retirement, we implemented this plan. This step needed to be done because under the best case scenario it will be several months before we can complete a search and hire a new general manager. The current interim team has really risen to the occasion and has been handling the management responsibilities very well. There are a number of questions that have been asked by Co-op members over the last few weeks that I would like to address directly. 1. When will a new general manager search begin? An exact date has not yet been determined by the Board, but we have discussed this and will probably formally reopen search later this fall. 2. Is the Board looking at this Interim General Management Team as a cost savings measure? There may be some initial cost savings, since we are not paying out the general manager’s salary, but this has not been done as a longterm cost saving plan. 3. Is the Interim General Management Team a possible permanent solution? This idea has been discussed at previous Board meetings. Considering our lack of success with the initial general manager search, I think it is important for the Board to keep an open mind. However, there are few examples of this being implemented in food co-ops as anything other than a short-term solution. The Board’s top priority will continue to be searching for a new general manager while also monitoring the Interim General Management Team. We will keep you updated as the search continues. d
Wintergreen Wintergreen Remodeling Affordable Efficiency Remodeling Improvements We want to lower your energy bills!
• Energy Consultations • Alternative Construction • Kitchens and Baths • Lead Safe Certified
• Weatherization • Traditional Remodeling • Window Repair/Replacement • Fully Insured
Seth Vasser 715-209-0209 14 | Chequamegon Food Co-op
AUTUMN 2016
Meet the Staff Pat Brown assistant wellness manager
Where are you from originally and what brought you to Ashland? I grew up in St Paul, Minnesota. I met my husband Gary in River Falls, Wis. where we both attended university. Water and Highway 63 brought us here. What do you do at the Co-op? I work in the Wellness department as the assistant manager. I also recently became the bulk herb and tea buyer. Sometimes I teach sushi making classes at the Co-op, too. What’s your favorite thing about working here? The staff and members are tops! Also, I love how great this store smells, the fresh produce, the herbs and spices , and the great cooking from the deli! Anything else you want people to know about you? I love to read aloud to my family; short stories are my favorite. d RE/MAX By the Bay
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Jessica Stricker
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Broker/Owner 715-413-1354
Broker/Owner 715-209-1654
Broker/SFR/BPOR 715-292-4873
Martin Hoglund
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Sales Agent 715-292-2870
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Each RE/MAX office is individually owned and operated.
AUTUMN 2016
AUTUMN 2016
Staff Updates
We say goodbye & wish farewell to: Michael Martin, cashier Colleen Saksewski, cashier Eric Bruskotter, cashier/stocker Britton Doolittle, board liaison Kaja Bean, baker We say hello & welcome aboard to: Isaiah Hayes, cleaner/stocker Cate Coulson, cashier/stocker Liz Windett, cashier Tony Mannila, cashier Isabel Jacobson, cashier/stocker Noah Berthel, cashier/stocker Erica Roethig, produce assistant Callista Kimm, produce assistant Katie Miller, deli assistant Mary Seay, deli assistant Alexis Mika, deli assistant Alex Elliott, cleaner We note the following anniversaries: Kiersten Galazen, 12 years Sarah Jackson, 7 years Alan Spaude-Filipczak, 6 years David Garrington, 4 years Susan Jones, 3 years Tara Apprill, 2 years Brian Kowalczyk, 2 years Karly Schultz, 2 years Charlotte Leitzman, 2 years Cindy Schwenzfeier, 2 years Todd Clement, 2 years
Store News Call for Artists
Our cafĂŠ has a wall available for use as a community art gallery. Exhibits change the first week of every month. Our Art Wall schedule is planned by the calendar year, so that means we are ready to schedule 2017. Please pick up an application at the Customer Service desk. Return it along with a sample of your work to the attention of Gene Whipple, Art Wall Coordinator. APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, October 31, 2016.
Chequamegon Food Co-op | 15
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PRESRT STD. U.S. Postage PAID DULUTH, MN PERMIT NO. 1003
700 Main Street West Ashland, WI 54806
WeOur Owners Coupon
Save 10%
on any one visit Must present coupon for discount and have a current owner account. Valid through November 30, 2016. Excludes non-discountable items. No Additional DISCOUNTS APPLY.
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