The Co-operator - March and April 2018

Co operator THE

Volume 29 : Issue 2 • March & April 2018

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FREE!

compost: A Gardener’s Indispensable Friend Page 4 - 5

MASON JAR SALADS Page 8

PASA CONFERENCE RECAP Page 14

STORE NEWS Board of Directors

Eddy Jones, President Patrick McHale, Vice President William Warnock, Treasurer Emily Deferrari Malcolm Ferguson Sarah Trist Sarah Trafican Katy Nevinsky The board meets the third Monday of each month.

Management Team

Human Resources: Jen Girty Finance: Shawn McCullough Marketing & Member Services: Kate Safin IT: Erin Myers Grocery: Maura Holliday Café: Amber Pertz Front End: eric cressley Produce: Evan Diamond

• On January 31, 2018, The Factory building, located at 7501 Penn Avenue officially sold to ICON Development. The East End Food Co-op is happy to have secured our location here for the foreseeable future and looks forward to cooperating with ICON Development in any future developments. We would like to thank former property owner Elliot Sanft for working with us for so many years.

• A designated general management team (DGMT) comprised of Finance Manager Shawn McCullough, Human Resources Manager Jen Girty and Front End Manager eric cressley has been in place since the resignation of former General Manager Justin Pizzella in October. This team jointly shares the responsibilities and duties of the General Manager until the board hires a new GM. • For the first time in six years, our Co-op is experiencing positive net income in the first half of the year. And it gets better! Historically, our best two quarters are our last two quarters: January through March and April through June. This means we have positive net income at our mid-point with the best part of the year to come.

The Co-operator

Editor: Kate Safin Copy Editor: Mike Eaton Contributors: Erica Peiffer Design: Molly Palmer Masood Printer: Banksville Express Printed with vegetable-based inks on recycled paper.

The Co-operator is a bi-monthly publication of East End Food Co-op. Copies are available in the lobby of the store and online at www.eastendfood.coop.

Interested in Advertising?

Please contact: editor@eastendfood.coop or call 412.242.3598 ext. 142.

Opinions expressed are the writers’ own and do not necessarily reflect Co-op policy. The East End Food Co-op does not endorse the views or products of the advertisers in this newsletter.

2 - The Co-operator

Board Corner Interested in taking your involvement with the EEFC to the next level? Then now’s your chance! We are currently seeking candidates for board service whose contributions can help us create and achieve a shared vision for the short- and long-term future of the Co-op.

While participation in a cooperative can take many forms, the most direct responsibility falls upon members of the board of directors, a nine-person body of member-owners tasked with representing the membership.

What does the board do? The board follows a Policy Governance philosophy, which prescribes a clear boundary between governing and managing an organization. Specifically, for the East End Food Co-op, this means that board members do not make decisions about dayto-day store operations. Instead, they focus on broader concerns, specifically: • Overseeing the general manager • Financial oversight of the Co-op • Engagement with and accountability to our member-owners • Creating a long-term vision for the Co-op Who is a good candidate for board service?

Dedication to the Co-op and its principles is first and foremost. To be eligible, a candidate must be a fully-paid member-owner of the East End Food Co-op. A strong candidate will possess the following qualities:

• Excellent communication skills • Ability and desire to work closely with other board members as part of a cohesive team • Vision for the future, and an ability to see present-day decisions in the context of the long-term health of the Co-op • Ability to speak openly and independently in group discussions, while also being able to abide by decisions arrived at collectively by the board • Good judgment, honesty, and courage How do I Apply? To apply, complete the application which can be found on the Board page of the East End Food Co-op website.

Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled. Help us keep our Co-op going strong!

Our guidelines for selecting the new director are: • A passion for and a belief in the EEFC Ends, cooperative values, and the Co-op movement • Willingness to learn about how the EEFC Board works, such as: willingness to go to workshops, interest in learning about Policy Governance procedures, interest in the Coop’s history • Specialized skills, such as law, HR and personnel, accounting, grocery operations, medical/health, finance, or conflict management Members are always welcome to drop the board a line at boardofdirectors@eastendfood.coop

Staff Celebrations

Stay Connected

Congratulations to the following staff members, who were elected by their peers as Employees of the Month.

Subscribe to our e-news and stay up-to-date on all the Co-op news and specials taking place in between the publication of our bi-monthly newsletter.

January

You can subscribe by clicking the link on the homepage of our website or by emailing a request to join to editor@eastendfood.coop.

MaCall Scott (Front End)

February

Frank Salati The Co-operator -3

(Front End)

Show how much you “LIKE” us and follow EEFC online!

COMPOST: A Gardener’s Indispensable Friend

By Nancy Martin, PA Resources Council Gardeners know that soil is the basic building block for a healthy, productive garden that yields nutritious food without worries of chemical contamination from pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and GMOs. Good garden soil is teeming with life - a living, breathing community of micro and macro organisms that are essential to healthy soil and vegetation. According to Oregon State University researchers Rick Stehouwer and Toni Bilik, “one teaspoon of good garden soil to which compost has been added contains 100 million bacteria and 800 feet of fungal threads!”

Soil is comprised of roughly 25% air, 20% water, 45% minerals and 4-8% organic matter.

That 4-8% of organic matter is what supports life on this planet by providing the nutrients that make plants grow. The organic matter found in compost introduces vital nutrients to the garden, including macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, as well as micronutrients like manganese, copper, iron and zinc.

Composting is the natural process of decomposition actively managed in order to speed up the process. Decomposition returns nutrients to the soil, improves soil texture and supports new plant growth. We can speed up this natural process by composting food and yard waste in a managed backyard composting bin. The organic material is broken down by microorganisms and the finished compost (or humus,) acts as a valuable soil amendment.

Compost piles are habitats for both chemical and physical decomposers. These include bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, mites, centipedes, springtails, nematodes, worms and many others. We provide them with shelter, warmth, food, air and water. They do the rest. The finished product is dark and crumbly, bearing no resemblance to the original components, and it yields a fresh, earthy smell.

Finished compost adds nutrients to the soil, improves soil’s friability (crumbly structure), aids in water retention and drainage, helps to control weeds and reduces erosion. It can be worked into the soil at planting time or added as surface mulch at any time. In addition, compost use results in healthier plants that have fewer pest problems and are better able to ward off disease.

Even if you don’t garden, you can do the earth a service by composting because it lowers the amount of material ending up in landfills.

According to the US EPA organic materials such as paper, yard trimmings and food scraps make up the largest component of US municipal solid waste. “Waste” from food and yard trimmings alone (without the paper) accounts for an estimated 25% of the annual municipal waste stream.

If we all were to compost we could reduce the amount of material we’re sending to our landfills by 25%. Recycling reduces it by an additional 50%. That’s significant, considering that a typical landfill is larger than 200 football fields, and its construction destroys habitat and unleashes the potential for environmental 4 - The Co-operator

consequences such as the release of methane (a greenhouse gas) and leachate (a toxic liquid).

The uses and benefits of compost are many and varied. We can amend our garden soil to improve its structure and nutrient levels, use it as mulch or make a compost tea for our plants. It is also used to remediate contaminated soils, decrease our dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, reduce the amount of water used in cultivation and lower the amount of material being sent to landfills. Over time, using compost as a soil conditioner will even improve the

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structure and texture of the clay soil found in southwestern PA by allowing it to resist compaction and retain nutrients, water, and air while improving drainage.

From the first day of preparing the garden beds in the spring through garden cleanup in the fall, gardeners can lean on compost as an indispensable friend.

The PA Resources Council (prc.org) is offering Backyard Composting workshops in the Greater Pgh area March 7th – June 21st. Visit prc.org/programs/conservationworkshops/backyard/ to register. An 82-gallon composter is included with attendance.

Spring Salads

When spring has sprung, the very first green leaf tips fill us with happiness.

Like hungry rabbits who have subsisted on slim pickings over winter, we are ready to graze. While we should resist the urge to start with grass in the front yard, the impulse to eat spring salads is as old as the hills.

In fact, almost all of our lettuces are descended from a single plant, Latuca Sativa, a slightly less bitter weed that people have been working on for at least 5,000 years. All those centuries of breeding and selection have given us mild, sweet lettuces that range from crisp to tender, as well as greens with just enough bitterness to appeal to the palate. So it is good to get creative with salads when spring’s bounty comes to us.

Salads are the perfect place to let inspiration strike and to respond to the seasonal flow going on around you. Long before any highend chefs ever put microgreens on a plate, gardeners were thinning their plantings, and enjoying the tiny baby plants in salad. A row of kale, carrots or beets shouldn’t be too crowded or it stunts the plants, so we pull the extras to give the chosen few room to grow. You may not have a garden to pluck from, but sprouts of all kinds have the same vibrant sprout energy. Soak and sprout your own seeds, like radish or my favorite, fenugreek, for a spicy note in salads.

Tender salad greens

If you are building a green salad, you need to think about the weight of it—not the grams per serving, but the sturdiness of the greens and what complements them. Tender baby greens or cress are light and soft, and are best combined with subtler flavors and lighter dressings, like vinaigrettes. Hefty Romaine or baby kale are more assertive, so they can hold creamy, rich or spicy dressings with great aplomb. A perfect little baby leaf lettuce will be crushed under a thick creamy or nut based dressing. A ratio of one part sour to two parts oil is the norm for a vinaigrette, but you can go one to one for a lower-fat option, and add some fresh or dried herbs, sweeteners and Dijon for body.

Herbs

And while you are considering greens, put fresh herbs on your mental checklist. Parsley, chervil, and other fresh herbs can be tossed with some abandon into salads. Watercress is in its own category as a salad green; both tender and peppery, its good combined with other greens or alone, and is very nutritious.

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Beyond greens

Other great spring salad players are sliced radishes, usually one of the first things to mature in the garden. Their peppery snap is at its most mild now. White, red, or one of the many exotic varieties, all are good. Spring berries are busting out in many regions, and they are perfect in salads and dressings. A favorite of mine is to puree a few strawberries or raspberries in the vinaigrette, then toss berries in the salad. Spring asparagus, barely blanched, or raw and sliced thinly, makes a salad substantial. Spring is also a season for fresh mushrooms—consider slicing them raw, or steeping them in a tasty vinaigrette for a couple of hours before piling them on a salad.

Don’t relegate the first tender rhubarb to only pies, a few slivered stalks can have a bracing acidity and crunch, and with a sweet dressing they will add spring zing to a salad.

Spring cleaning

Spring is a great time to “spring clean” your diet after a winter of heavy foods. While a full-on cleanse or fast may not factor into your plans, you can get cleansing benefits from just eating more salad. Add a good sized salad at lunch and dinner and you are very likely doubling your veggie consumption and filling up with high fiber, nutrition-rich foods. Salads and veggies The Co-operator - 7

are also alkalizing, and reduce the acidity in your body, so it’s all good.

Whole meal salads

Whole meal salads are perfect when you are busy working in the yard or starting your bike riding season. Just keep your spring salad veggies handy, and embellish with your fave proteins and whole grains. Cooled cooked grains like brown rice, quinoa or wheat berries add a nutty chew to your salad toss.

An accompaniment of whole grain toast or croutons with a schmear of creamy cheese or nut butter can give your salad meals a little more heft. Open a can of tender white beans or add nuts and cheese for vegetarian mains.

A shredded chicken breast or a few cooked shrimp will make a salad substantial for the omnivores.

Springtime is salad time, and if you let the seasons guide you, you’ll be nibbling on an ever changing buffet of fresh, satisfying salads all summer long.

Authored by Robin Asbell for Stronger Together. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.

Mason Jar Salads

By Kate Safin, Marketing & Member Services Manager

Mason Jar salads are an easy make-ahead meal that are perfect for lunch or a light dinner. You can prepare several salads at once and store them in the fridge in a tightly sealed mason jar for 5-7 days! The key to keeping salads fresh and not soggy is layering ingredients in the proper order.

First add 1-2 tablespoons of dressing to a clean, dry Mason Jar (pint or quart size both work).

Next, add vegetables like carrots, cherry tomatoes, celery, and onion. These veggies will absorb some of the dressing and create a barrier, keeping everything crisp and tasty! Cooked beans, pasta, quinoa, or grains such as barley create the third layer, followed by protein and cheese.

Finally, fill your jar to the top with your favorite chopped greens. Ta-da! You’ve got a delicious, totally customized salad all prepped! When you’re ready to eat your salad, simply empty it from the Mason Jar into a bowl.

Here are a few inspirations to get you started:

Taco Salad:

Lime Vinaigrette + tomatoes, avocado, red onion, olives + cooked black beans + ground turkey or tofu + cheddar cheese + chopped lettuce

Cobb Salad:

Blue Cheese Dressing + tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, chopped hard-boiled egg, avocado + bacon, turkey, ham + chopped romaine

Greek Zucchini Pasta Salad:

Greek Dressing + cherry tomatoes, onion, olives + feta cheese + chopped grilled chicken breast + spiralized zucchini noodles

Thai Salad:

Peanut Dressing + shredded carrots, yellow and red bell peppers, green onions, bean sprouts + chicken or tofu + shredded green and purple cabbage + sesame sticks

ITALIAN SALAD:

Italian Dressing + cherry tomatoes + roasted red peppers + artichoke hearts + pepperoncini + arugula + cubes or slices of salami, pepperoni, turkey, or ham + mozzerella There are endless options when it comes to Mason Jar salads. Experiment with adapting your own favorite salads and enjoy a fresh, healthy meal on-the-go!

8 - The Co-operator 8 - The Co-operator

Salmon Nicoise Salad

Beet Salad with Lemon Chia Dressing

Fattoush

Spring Salad with Asparagus and Peas

Ingredients

Preparation

1. Whisk together Dressing all of the • 5 Tbsp. lemon juice dressing • 2 Tbsp. olive oil ingredients in a • 1 Tbsp. minced small bowl and garlic set aside.

• 1Tbsp. minced 2. In a large bowl, shallots gently toss the • 1 Tbsp. Dijon baby greens, mustard beets and • 2 tsp. chia seeds strawberries with a few • 1 to 2 tsp. honey tablespoons • Pinch each of salt of dressing. and black pepper Taste and add more dressing if Salad desired.

• 1 5-ounce package 3. Top with the baby greens goat cheese • 1 small beet, peeled crumbles before and shredded serving.

• 1 1/2 cups Reprinted by permission from strawberries, sliced StrongerTogether.coop. Find more and information about • 1 cup goat cheese, recipes your food and where it comes from at strongertogether.coop. crumbled

Ingredients

Preparation

• 3.5 oz mache greens • 1 cup romaine, chopped • 1 bunch asparagus, blanched • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed • 4 whole radishes, julienned • 1/2 avocado, cubed • 1 cup feta, cubed • 1/3 cup avocado oil (or olive oil) • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice • 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar • 1 tsp. dijon mustard • 1/4 tsp. dried dill • Salt and pepper to taste

Foodista.com - The Cooking Encyclopedia Everyone Can Edit.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1Tbsp. of coarse salt to the water.

Boil asparagus for about 4 minutes and then drain in a colander. Then place it in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

2. Mix all salad ingredients into a large bowl starting with mache greens and romaine.

3. Place all dressing ingredients into a jar with a tightfitting top. Shake well.

4. Dress right before serving.

Ingredients Salmon

• 1 pound fresh salmon fillets • Pinch of salt, pepper, and garlic powder for seasoning fish • 1 Tbsp. olive oil Salad • 3/4 pound red-skinned potatoes • 3/4 pound green beans, trimmed • 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered or sliced • 1/2 red onion, julienned into thin strips • 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, drained • 1/2 pound tomatoes, cut into wedges Dressing • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar • Zest of 1 lemon • 4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice • Dash of Worcestershire sauce • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

3.

4.

5.

6.

desired doneness. Set aside to cool. Remove the skin and chop the fish into large pieces.

While the salmon is cooking, boil the potatoes whole in a large pot of salted water for 13-15 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes into quarters.

In a medium stockpot, bring 3 inches of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3 minutes, remove from heat, drain and immerse in cold water to cool. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, vinegar, lemon zest and juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, & pepper.

Arrange the pieces of salmon, potatoes, green beans, eggs, red onion slices, Kalamata olives, and tomato wedges on a large platter. Pour the dressing over the arranged platter and serve family style.

1. Preheat oven to 500° F. 2. Place salmon on an oiled baking sheet pan, skin side down. Sprinkle the fish with salt, pepper and garlic powder, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake 7-10 minutes until the salmon reaches

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find more recipes and information about your food and where it comes from at strongertogether.coop.

Ingredients

Preparation

• 1/2 pound romaine 1. In a large salad bowl, gently toss lettuce, chopped the romaine, into bite-sized cucumber, tomato, pieces scallions, parsley • 1 cucumber, diced and mint. into 1/2-inch pieces • 1 tomato, chopped 2. In a small bowl, mix together the • 3 scallions, diced lemon juice, olive • 1 cup chopped oil, garlic and a fresh parsley pinch each of salt • 1/2 cup chopped and black pepper. fresh mint Toss the salad • 4 Tbsp. lemon juice with some of the • 3 Tbsp. olive oil dressing, add the • 1 Tbsp. minced pita pieces and mix garlic gently. Taste and • Salt and black add more dressing pepper to taste as needed.

• 1 pita bread, by permission from toasted and broken Reprinted StrongerTogether.coop. Find more recipes and information about into bite-sized your food and where it comes from at strongertogether.coop. pieces

THE

MEET Owner

By Erica Peiffer, Member Services Coordinator Where do you live, and how often do you visit our store? Regent Square, and I’m here weekly, almost.

What was your motivation for coming to and/or joining the Co-op? I can’t remember when I joined, but I’ve been shopping here forever. I remember back when members would volunteer to go down to the Strip District and pick up crates of food. I had a friend who was really involved in getting it off the ground, and so I participated to support them. Pittsburgh was different back then, there were lots of family-owned stores and little coffee shops. Coming out of the ‘60s, people were experimenting with new ideas, nutrition started to become important. The people at the Co-op definitely influenced my decision to join - they were diverse and shared alternative values. Not that I was a rebel, but I wanted to be part of something different than the “same old” establishment.

What is your favorite thing you get from the Co-op? I really like the prepared foods. I can try new things and see if I like them before I find a recipe and try to make them myself. I love the lemon pepper tofu sandwich!

I get a lot of my supplements here and I stock up on staples from the bulk section.

If you could change one thing about the Co-op, what would it be? I would like if people with health problems and other disenfranchised members of the community could have full access to and afford all the

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Linda S., Member since 1997 things they need to be healthy. I’m glad to know the store accepts food stamps, and I wonder if members would support a sponsorship program to assist those in need even more. [Editor’s Note - We even offer a 10% discount on all SNAP purchases!]

What do you LOVE and hope will never change about the Co-op? There’s always been a consciousness here about what people and the environment need, and there is giving back to the community. I think the Co-op has had a big impact in Pittsburgh. It has laid the foundation of consumer demand for fresh and organic foods. It’s not just marketing; the Co-op has really contributed to the community by giving people an awareness of the supply chain and an appreciation for local farms.

What makes shopping at the Co-op different from other stores? The people who are a part of it are quite loyal. I really appreciate the diversity of the staff and the personal attention I get here. I feel like board members are truly looking out for the customers. It’s a very different feel than Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s.

How would you describe your lifestyle, and how does the Co-op fit in? I’m a musician and a music therapist.

Many of my students have special needs. I see families struggle to give their children proper nutrition. I’m happy to know that the Co-op works to educate young people about our local food system and offers healthy choices for all.

Natural

Egg Dyes

Plant-based dyes are great for eggs. You can also use them as inspiration for colorful icing, decorating, or dying other items year-round.

Beets

Blueberries

White eggs, egg carton, stock pan(s), water, white vinegar, slotted spoon and natural materials for dyeing.

Optional: Tape, string, rubber bands, cheese cloth squares, natural beeswax crayons to create designs on eggs, and vegetable oil for an extra sheen.

Directions

1. Hot Bath Method Place uncooked eggs in a stainless steel stock pan. Add water 2-3 inches above eggs.

(When using bottled juice, fill 2-3 inches above eggs. Do not add water.) Add natural dye ingredients and 1-2 tablespoons vinegar per quart of water. Cover and bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Carefully remove eggs with a slotted spoon and air dry.

2. Cold Bath Method Simmer the dye ingredients (water, vinegar and dye matter) for 20-30 minutes or longer, until the dye reaches your desired shade. Allow the liquid to cool and submerge hard-boiled eggs in the dye for at least 30 minutes.

Carefully remove eggs with a slotted spoon and air dry.

Spinach Tumeric

Items Needed:

Colors may vary depending on steeping time and foods used to dye eggs. The longer the eggs stay in the dye, the deeper the color will be.

Purple Cabbage Onion

Adapted from Co+op, Stronger Together. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find more recipes and information about your food and where it comes from at strongertogether.coop.

Download a free natural dye chart at: www.eastendfood.coop/naturalegg-dyes/

Natural food dyes are marked throughout the store. Just look for this symbol!

I dye eggs!

12 - The Co-operator

march Register Round Up Building New Hope is a volunteer-driven non-profit organization based in Pittsburgh and Nicaragua that partners with a worker-owned organic coffee cooperative, operates two supplemental schools for at-risk youth and provides high school scholarships for students in need.

Communities Served: Squirrel Hill, Lawrenceville, Regent Square, Oakland, Downtown, Murrysville, Monroeville, Plum, Sewickley, Morningside, Clairton, Lower Burrell, Cheswick.

Register Round Up funds will support education about how fair-trade relationships help reduce poverty and preserve the environment.

www.buildingnewhope.org

April Register Round Up

The mission of 412 Food Rescue is to prevent perfectly good food from entering the waste stream. The organization was founded as a direct response to the disconnect between food waste, hunger and environmental sustainability. Their food recovery initiatives range from building technology and logistics infrastructure to creating new markets for products that redirect food from feeding landfills to feeding people.

Communities served: Allegheny County Register Round Up funds will support general operating expenses.

www.412foodrescue.org

If you’d like to support these organizations and their missions, be sure to tell your Co-op cashier to round up your total to the nearest dollar. Want to give more? Just let your cashier know.

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TURNING TRANSITION INTO TRANSFORMATION

By Erica Peiffer, Marketing & Member Services In the spirit of Cooperative Principle 5, Education, Training, and Information and Cooperative Principle 7, Concern for Community, I attended Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture’s 27th Annual Farming for the Future Conference. The four-day conference took place February 7-9 at Penn State University. The theme this year was “Farming in a Time of Transition.”

What does “Farming in a Time of Transition” mean? Plenary sponsor Tom Beddard of Lady Moon Farms posed this question and his conclusion touched on the themes explored throughout the conference including: • climate change • urban agriculture • farmer demographics shifting around age, gender, and race • national policy changes, particularly around immigration, organic standards and the Farm Bill • soil health as an environmental benchmark • growing economic disparities • the steep rise in consumer demand for organics I sojourned through the conference with a few questions of my own: “What do our farmers need us as consumers to understand, and how can we do our fair share in the local food system?”

Sustainable agriculture is

foundational to our Co-op: farmers sustain us with healthful foods and land stewardship, and in turn, we sustain them as consumers who are willing to pay the true cost for our food.

We do this because we understand the value of a triple-bottom-line. Local and small-scale farmers are boots on the ground, working day-in and day-out to build the “ethical and resilient food infrastructure” we as Co-op members strive to create. Our membership’s commitment to sustainable agriculture is clearly and consistently demonstrated in biannual member survey results, and more concretely in sales figures (about 25% of annual Co-op sales are of local products).

During the session “Advocacy Counts,” I heard from farmers who had entered the sphere of local politics to protect their rights to farm and promote sustainable development in their townships. I also attended a workshop that highlighted considerations for the next Farm Bill, a broad-reaching piece of legislation to be delivered to Congress 14 - The Co-operator

later this year, and I recognized our Co-op’s seat on the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council as the best resource for staying informed and for mobilizing on the local level.

Sporting my “Stronger Together” t-shirt, I felt a unique moment of pride mixed with a sense of responsibility as I represented our Co-op’s 13,000+ member-owners in the Western Region Breakout Session; no other retailer was there to hear from our local farmers.

Later that day, I heard farmers testifiy to the effects of climate change, like increased extreme-weather events such as rain and high temps, and how rotational grazing for pastured livestock and cover-cropping to build organic matter in the soil work to mitigate the risks for all of us.

Then, during the keynote address, farmer and activist Karen Washington encouraged us each to connect the dots along the food chain and to sow the seeds of food justice wherever we are.

PASA’s Executive Director Hanna Smith-Brubaker concluded with a reflexive call to action, “As you leave the conference, what is your to-do?” I realized mine was to share what I learned at the conference with my fellow Co-op members, empowering and challenging all of you to do your fair share.

The remarks from both Ag Leadership Award recipients drove this home for me. Edwin Shank of The Family Cow made a point to thank the customer, saying “we can’t do our work without the customers who support us.” Farmer and former PASA board member Lyn Garling said she was only enabled to do exceptional work thanks to the community that had supported her. As we stood to recognize her for leadership and service, she held up a mirror.

While the banner theme of the conference was transition, I sensed the strong undertones of cooperation and empowerment. I came to understand that “the” answer to building our food system does not exist; everyone holds a piece of the answer, including you as a consumer member-owner of our Co-op.

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7516 Meade Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208 Phone: 412.242.3598 www.eastendfood.coop

Event Calendar

March & APRIL

INTRO TO ELIMINATION DIETS

KICK THE SUGAR HABIT

If you’ve ever suffered mystery symptoms and wondered whether they’re due to a food allergy, then it’s time for some answers. Take a deeper look at elimination diets and how they can impact your overall health, then determine if it’s time to consider an elimination diet for yourself.

Learn about the three biggest challenges people have when giving up sugar, including why we start eating it and can’t stop. Then learn how to kick the sugar habit for good naturally, with seven simple solutions that you can put into practice right away.

Wednesday, March 7, 7PM – 8 PM Iris Baron, Live Well Eat Well POWER/EEFC Conference Room FREE – Please RSVP at: eliminationdiets.eventbrite.com

FAIR TRADE BEADS & BEANS

Wednesday, April 4, 7 PM – 8 PM Amy Pischke, Health Coach & Energy Expert POWER/EEFC Conference Room FREE – Please RSVP at: kickthesugar.eventbrite.com

10%* off wellness AND body care The first Wednesday of every month

CO-OP ORIENTATION

Saturday, March 10, 10:30 AM – Noon Building New Hope & Flatboat Fair Traders POWER/EEFC Conference Room $10 Co-op Members / $15 Non-Members /$20 Family (Up to 4 people)

Sunday, April 8, 11 AM – 12 PM Erica Peiffer, Member Services POWER/EEFC Conference Room FREE – Please RSVP at: co-oporientation.eventbrite.com

Escape the winter blues by connecting with the sights, tastes, and culture of Nicaragua! Sip on sustainably sourced coffee while crafting your own eco-jewelry piece, and take a deeper look at the fairtrade supply chain that brought these unique goods to our tables.

Orientations ensure our members feel completely comfortable using our store and participating in our Co-op. They provide an opportunity to ask questions, meet other members and staff, review member benefits and learn more about the cooperative business model.

Non-members welcome!

Bulk Sale! Sunday, APril 22nd.

25% off Bulk Food and Herbs!

WELLNESS Wednesday

*No additional discounts or sales may be stacked with this offer

Senior Discount Days

(5% courtesy discount for 62+) Every Tuesday & Thursday

quarterly discount

Members, be sure to use your 10% quarterly discount by March 31st!