Coop Scoop: Co-op Kids July/August 2023

Coop Scoop

By Cara Hanley

Rebecca Angel

By Rebecca Angel

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By Ruth Ann Smalley

By Pat Sahr

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Pores

By Melanie Pores

Deanna

Glass Recycling Pilot Zero Waste Capital ambitious Glass Recycling the Co-op, to ensure that recycled rather than heading make it successful, we throwing clear glass in home, bring it to the

Natalie Criscione

Today, I rode my bike to the library. Yesterday, I found a Praying Mantis AND a walking stick bug. Tomorrow we visit cousins! I like to read to Sammy (dog) and Brad (brother).

Ruth Ann Smalley

I love dogs, horses, and all kinds of other animals. If I'm not playing with them, I'm reading about them! One Hundred and One Dalmatians is my favorite book of all time.

Colie Collen

I'm a daydreamer, and I want to spend all of my time in the forest. My favorite book is The Giver, and my favorite creature is my dog, Casey.

Letter from the Editors

ty and doctor visits and various new health regimens I’ve had to adopt due to these sudden revelations has greatly intensified my personal yearlong ordeal.

outside; and there are some kid-friendly recipes. Look for Lucia Hulsether’s fun facts about the co-op, information about summer activities, and Natalie Criscione’s “Be the Change” columns which include insights for all ages into organizations within the broader community.

Anastasia Rodgers

My favorite color is pink. When I grow up, I want to see the Northern Lights! I have two little sisters. My best friend is Agnes, and I love hanging out at Grandma’s house.

By Editorial Team

Letter from an Editor

ABy Carol Reid

s adult shoppers arrive at the co-op, grab a cart, walk through the aisles, check off grocery list items, and consider the day’s schedule, the children among them have a different experience. For them, the world of the co-op is a magical place of colors, sounds, scents, and conversations. It is a sensory experience that becomes a part of the unique tapestry called childhood.

But obviously, I’m not the only one who’s been struggling with such issues—whether for oneself or one’s family members, friends, or colleagues; whether Covid-related or not; whether serious or routine. It’s enough to make you downright sick, and often quite desperate and depressed to boot. People have been afraid to make or keep their medical appointments, to go in for testing, or to even be around other afflicted people. Mental and emotional illnesses have been exacerbated and are sadly on the rise. But there are also a lot of resources available online right now, and there’s hope that we can finally beat the Virus and deal with whatever else might be currently ailing us.

In an interview with Moses’s* son Niko before the cupcake decorating class, Anastasia tapped into that childhood perspective through a conversation that led to cheese and other insights.

When Moses and Niko are shopping, bakers and staff throughout the store are delighted to see and greet Niko! Eight-year-old Niko says his first memory of being at the co-op was riding around in the cart nibbling cheese samples; he assured Anastasia that he was probably visiting the co-op before he could remember, though. Niko has some strong cheese preferences as a result! Anastasia and Niko both agree that mozzarella is the best. Niko says stinky cheeses like Bleu Cheese are alright sometimes and that he likes trying new cheeses even if he doesn’t eat them again afterwards. He definitely doesn’t like bland melted cheese like in grilled cheese. He enjoys cheddar sometimes, but prefers Monterey Jack. He’s hoping to join the Mini-Mongers on July 29th, an experience led by Shelby, our head Cheese Monger, to both explore the different sensory elements of cheese and sample some new cheeses.

My favorite toy is a stuffed French Poodle named Frenchie. I liked to take care of my baby brother and play outside. My favorite food is macaroni and butter.

This has been a rather fraught year for me and not just for the obvious Covid-related reasons. I’ve also learned that I have two different physical disorders, one fairly common for people my age and the other one far less common. I made the first discovery right at the beginning of the pandemic and the other one just after getting my second vaccine dose. On top of the anxiety and isolation and fears of leaving the house in general (just like everybody else), attempting to simultaneously deal with all the uncertain-

The July/August Coop Scoop is an invitation for children (and anyone who has once been a child!) to experience Honest Weight in their own way. Even the editors have changed their bios to reflect their younger selves. Anastasia writes about Nipper, the stuffed dog who is hiding on a shelf waiting to be found and encouraging a young shopper's attention and engagement. There are articles by Pat Ellis and Pat Sahr about toys and children’s gardening; another by Richard Daley about the importance of playing

Fresh News!

Lucia Hulsether I am the oldest kid in my family, which means I am the boss of my brothers. I love basketball, soccer, and reading.

Mathew Bradley

I really enjoy finding bugs. Yesterday, I found an Eyed Click Beetle and it freaked out my mom! Have you ever played a Game Boy? My family dog Ottis and I play it all the time. He’s not very good at it though.

In this issue of the Coop Scoop, entitled “Heal,” Rebecca Angel writes about her own experience with healing heartburn; Melanie Pores makes what’s good for you also taste good with her delicious Date-Sweetened Smoothie recipe; Ruth Ann Smalley gets to the root of things with an article on Regenerative Agriculture; and [etc.]. We’re hoping that all of the articles and information contained herein will contribute to helping all of us on our personal journeys toward renewed health and healing.

Niko used to help with the shopping carts when his older sister Tessa worked in plants; he had a name badge and everything! Niko considers himself retired, but still enjoys visiting HWFC; he is working on his media career more these days. In fact, his perspective of this interview was aired in a radio segment on WOOC 105.3 (media sanctuary.org) in late June. Check it out!

*Moses is a member owner and has been investing time in the bakery for years.

Can you guess the answers?

“What exactly IS an “edible garden?” Whenever I try to explainI’m explain this to someone, I inevitably hear Gene Wilder in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory saying, “Everything inside is eatable, I mean edible, I mean you can eat everything.”

By Lucia Hulsether

Fun Facts for Kids

Honest Weight is proud of our diverse community–and that includes kids! This month, we’ve made a quiz especially for kids and kids-at-heart. See how much you know about the Coop, and maybe learn something new along the way!

1. 2. 3.

If the Coop were a person, how many years old would they be?

We’ve started with a modest plan that includes some of the “easier” plants to grow (including: lettuces, tomatoes, zucchini squash, pole beans, peppers, and various herbs) and hope to expand our planting based on what works (or doesn’t) this

Where did the very first Coop shoppers get their groceries?

4.

Where in the store would you find a PLU?

Hint: it’s different from where we go now. How many owners does the Coop have today?

5. 6.

How many gallons of oat milk does the Coop sell in one year?

True or false: the Coop has events and classes especially for kids.

Think you got them right?! Find the answers on Page 14!

Deanna Beyer

Ruth Ann Smalley

Carol Reid

Rebecca Angel

Coop Scoop

Pat Ellis

By Deanna Beyer

What is a Co-op?

If you’re new to Honest Weight, you might be wondering what makes us different from any other grocery store. There are lots of things, but probably the biggest is that we’re a community-owned co-op!

Included in this edition are some coloring pages created by Cara Hanley—keep an eye out for their full HWFC coloring book coming soon!

Salad, Hot Bar, and Cafe are Back, with

Just follow these simple steps:

• Locate the collection bins near our bike lockers

• Only place clear, clean glass in the bins

• Make sure to remove both the lids and little plastic rings (labels are ok)

Seasonal Local Produce

What could be fresher than all of your favorite produce arriving daily from local farms? (could we include a couple of relevant farm names here?It’s growing season and we’ve got farm-fresh fruits and veggies from all over the area. So, whether you’re looking for nNon-GMO sweet corn, crisp cucumbers, or super juicy, tiny strawberries, we’ve got you covered! Be sure to check out all the beautiful new arrivals next time you’re here.

2 cups fresh greens (e.g, kale, spinach, or a mixture of greens)

1 1/2 cups coconut water or coconut milk

1 cup almond milk

Melanie’s Favorite Date-Sweetened Fruit Smoothie

By Natalie Criscione

Spirit in Action

As the temperature and humidity rise in the surrounding environment, the body is also experiencesing a surge in temperature and beginsning to accumulate moisture internally. People of all constitutions in this season need to be mindful of fluid intake and electrolyte balance.

It is Wednesday, May 3rd, at 9:15am, and the St. John’s/St. Ann’s Outreach Center (SJ/SA) in Albany’s South End is coming to life. “In about 45 minutes, you’ll see people lining up for produce,” Franciscan Friar Father Sean O’Brien, the Director of the center tells me, adding, “that’s every Monday and Wednesday. The pantry is open today, too—it is open on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday—there will be people at both doors.” And then he adds, “Wednesdays are also the days we deliver to the homebound” and “the soup kitchen [or “side-door” as it was renamed for the pandemic “to-go” serving style] is Monday and Saturday.” Then he waves his arms to direct my attention to the people in the room, “we have amazing volunteers.”

To this end, I thought you might enjoy here is a healthy blended fruit recipe, that you can either enjoy as a yummy drink or easily pour it into an ice pop tray and place in your freezer to help keep you hydrated. It’s a healthy, and delicious way to attend to your body's thirst, as soon as it arises, and to restore your body’s electrolyte balance.

I hope you will enjoy my simple recipe for a date sweetened fruit smoothie.

With regular deliveries and pick-ups from the Food Bank and a daily need for unpacking, repackaging, and distributing food, volunteers truly fuel the system. “We got 1,700 pounds of produce today,” says Father Sean, “by this afternoon, it will all be gone.” I join the volunteers packing bags of produce and I understand why some of them, as Father Sean says, have “been here for a thousand years.” It’s that kind of energy!

Kid’s Art Co-op Gallery

Spirits are high and, as the doors open, the atmosphere is something he compares to the sitcom “Cheers,” where everyone’s known by name. There is often an air of humor and “funny camaraderie,” he tells me, and it is not uncommon to hear a client say “This is the best part of my day!”

Having served at SJ/SA throughout the pandemic, Father Sean and his team are now “in the process of strategic planning to prepare for inviting the guests to come back inside.” Such a task “entails more volunteers and assigned jobs (waiting, bussing, dishwashing, cleaning up, scheduling, etc); it gets a little complicated.” Plus, there are added security measures to consider. “We are being cautious,” he says. There is also a need to update the website and think about how to handle changed SNAP benefits. The answers are elusive and the problems of poverty are systemic, perplexing, and complex, yet “No one ever gets turned away from our place,” says Father Sean.

Yes, there is a lot to keep him awake at night, but there is even more to bring Father Sean daily from his home at Siena College, a distance of just over 8 miles, to SJ/SA in the heart of Albany’s South End. “I’m hoping that as we continue to move along, we will be able to create some more

1 cup pitted, chopped dates, soaked overnight

1 cup fresh or frozen cooling summer fruit (e.g, blueberries, blackberries, chunks of mango)

1 Tbsp ground flaxseed

1-2 scoops protein powder (pea protein powder for vegans)

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 -2 Tbsp healthy fat (e.g, coconut butter, coconut oil, avocado or almond butter or other nut or seed butter)

programs that will be able to lift some of the people up and break the cycle of poverty and dependence.”

4. Add ground flaxseed, protein powder, and cardamom, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.

5. Add 1 to 2 Tbsp healthy fat. Blend until smooth.

During the month of August as you say “Yes” to the question “Would you like to round up to the nearest dollar?”, you too are part of the change that Father Sean is seeking. If you are interested in how you may become more involved in SJ/SA, email https://www.sjsacenter.org/pantrymenu.shtml or call (518) 472-9091.

6. Serve immediately or pour in an ice pop tray and freeze. Enjoy!

By Nyonna Parker

Nyonna writes, "I think this animal was covered in scales. It probably lived in the ocean. It could have eaten plants and meat."

St. John's/St. Ann's Outreach Center

Tiny Hands in the Soil

By Richard Daley

The stack of research has gotten quite large, and the verdict is in! Getting kids outdoors, engaging in physical activity, and demonstrating good nutrition all yield beneficial results for youth. Pair that with the fact that gardening is a perfect way to tie all three of these focus areas together: we set our youngsters up for success when we get their hands in the soil.

The garden is an opportunity to learn about Nature, develop personal responsibility, and realize that in the era of instant gratification, some processes still take time, care, and dedication to bear fruit! It’s also grounding. I heard an old saying once: the wild calms the child. I have learned firsthand that sometimes a kid just has to get outside. In Nature, they are free to be themselves, explore, and reach deep into their inner self in their own way.

Nature connection helps children understand the important place they will one day occupy as stewards of our lovely planet Earth. They learn to care, to be connected, and to understand how their actions and choices push the direction of our planet’s health in one way or another. To demonstrate to our children where food comes from, for them to observe the moment a tiny plant breaks free from its seed, and to watch over time as it develops into something edible or beautiful, is a learning opportunity of utmost importance. Plus, kids love this stuff!

Although plants are all around, it is easy to miss the beauty of the natural world. Thankfully, the garden is a place we can intentionally pay attention and where kids and caregivers come together to grow something of their own, cultivate compassion, and develop a joyous love and devotion to Mother Earth.

Peace Camp at the Quaker Meeting House

https://youngpeacemakersweek.weebly.com/

Trail maintenance and ADK camps for teens

https://adk.org/ways-teens-can-get-involved-with-adk-this-summer/ Local summer sleepaway camps dedicated to radical empathy, restorative justice, and creativity https://campstompingground.org/ https://www.campfowler.org/

Farm/Barn Camps

https://frostvalley.org/camp/overnight-camps/farm-camp/ https://hawthornevalleysummercamp.org/ https://www.shopindianladderfarms.com/barn-school

Music Options

https://esyo.org/explore/summer-sessions https://themusicstudio.com/ https://www.troymusichall.org/events/ (Barker Park Series) https://www.musichavenstage.org/

Writing Program

https://www.albany.edu/cdwp/young-writers-programs.php

Art Camp

https://www.albanyinstitute.org/event/artful-mornings-summer-art-program-2023?session=artful-mornings-2023-summer-art-pr ogram

Science Classes

https://www.misci.org/smallpage/summer-classes/

A Small (and incomplete) Sampling of Children and Youth Activities in the Capital District/Hudson Valley Area (for this year or future reference)

What’s the Scoop at the Coop?!

By Anastasia

One can’t help but notice the beautiful art throughout this edition of The Coop Scoop; the cover art and colorful illustrations throughout this very special edition were submitted by three young artists at Henry Johnson Charter School! Our friends there so graciously invited Anastasia to join them for their May assembly. They got a tour of all the awesome stuff the students & teachers are working on at HJCS! Did you know they even performed Seussical the Musical at The Egg?! Students and classrooms are honored with trophies at their monthly assemblies to recognize their personal and collective growth. HWFC presented each artist with a thank-you gift for

Did you know HWFC offers free and low-cost classes for everyone to enjoy? Whether it’s your first time in the store or you visit us weekly, anyone and everyone is welcome to join us for these events! We are adding new classes every month; the latest addition to our calendar, Hamad, offers a Queer Family Support Group on the first Monday of each month at 4pm and an Arabic Culture & Language Class every other Thursday at 4pm.

Throughout the summer, Dr. Zhou will offer free Financial Literacy and Edible Geometry classes for teens, a free chance to enjoy some tasty snacks and gain practical life skills! In addition, we provide at least one Free Yoga class a week with one of our excellent instructors, each offering a unique way to connect with your body through yoga.

Once a month, our friend Selena brings students on a new adventure with Around the World Cuisine for Kids! To name a few stamps on our culinary passports, Selena has taken our taste buds to Spain, India, France, Israel, and Tahiti! Around the World Cuisine for Kids is a free monthly class on a Saturday around lunchtime. Caregivers can join their students or drop them off while they shop or relax in the cafe.

Selena doesn’t just have fun classes for kids! Once a month, she offers a free Adult Art Class. Selena and her artists have made pressed flower collages, chalk pastel drawings, watercolor still life paintings, and even lithograph stamps and prints. Join Selena for one of these fun, free & relaxing Sunday afternoon classes. Materials and snacks are always provided!

Our friend Colbie taught a class for kids on how to make scratch brownies. Each student made their own pan of delicious and fudgy homemade brownies! Check out her recipe here:

Colbie’s Fudgy Brownies

One Stick of Melted Butter

½ cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

Four large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups sugar

1 cup dark cocoa powder

1 cup flour

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Anastasia recently led a cake decorating class for homeschooled students. Participants donated to The Albany Free Food Fridges and raised over $180 towards food justice across the capital region. Jamel Mosley from Collective Effort joined us too! Together we each stacked and frosted a 6-inch 3-layered cake. From there, we all had the chance to play with different buttercream techniques and exper iment with some marshmallow fondant!

eligible for lots of additional discounts on products, and have voting rights on decisions that affect the store. Honest Weight member-owners can choose to invest their time at the store, serve on one of our committees, or work with a program, in order to receive a bigger

1. With the help of an adult, preheat the oven to 350* Fahrenheit and wash your hands, gathering all necessary ingredients and tools.

2. In one bowl, combine eggs, sugar, butter, oil, and vanilla

3. In another bowl, combine all remaining ingredients.

4. Put away ingredients and tidy your workspace as you go

5. Add wet ingredients to your dry ingredients gently. Don’t stir too much, or your brownies will get tough. Stir just enough to get an even color and texture to your batter!

6. Spray or grease a pan that’s around 10” x12” or as close as you have to that. Smaller pans will result in thicker brownies that take a bit longer to cook, while larger pans will cook faster, and brownies will not be as thick. Pour batter into greased pan. Have an adult help by putting

check out: Niskayuna Consumers Co-op, Chatham Real Food Market Co-op, Mohawk Harvest Cooperative Market, and Cambridge Food Co-op.

While every co-op has its own distinctive vibe, we are all founded on the same basic principles:

These are just a few opportunities you can find at HWFC. Check out our website for sign-up details and more at honest weight.coop/page/classes--events. We look forward to learning together soon! Email education@honestweight.coop for more info about classes & events!

What is on o er? We believe everyone in our community should have access to affordable, high-quality, natural foods and products for healthy living. So we offer things like Co+op Basics (a line of over 450 high-quality foods and household items) at Everyday Low Prices. We

BY

· voluntary and open membership democratic member control

· member economic participation

· autonomy and independence

· education, training, and information ·

Beehive Mancala

Play and learn about bees and biodiversity as you play this game of family strategy. Designed for ages 6+, the game includes fun facts about the bees and flowers featured. It also gives an overview of the honey making process, as well as the importance of bees to our ecosystem, from the beekeeper at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Kid’s Art Co-op Gallery

By Kaitlyn

By Pat Ellis

Hide & Seek with Nipper!

By Anastasia Rodgers

Garden Kits

Each of these kits includes non-invasive wildflower seeds, paper pulp critter, wooden marker and colored pencils. You can color in the paper pulp critter and it serves as a plant marker for your wildflower garden. The critter is backyard compostable.

Albany’s beloved mascot, a loveable pup named Nipper, sits atop 991 Broadway in downtown Albany, weighing a sturdy 4 tons (or 8,000 pounds or about 32,000 medium apples!). Here at Honest Weight, our Nipper is about two apples tall in size and probably weighs about the same. Our lil pup is hiding in the aisles, challenging you to find him! When you find him, please don’t move or touch him (he’s a bit shy); instead let a cashier know where he’s hiding to get a special treat! You can play every time you’re at Honest Weight. Ready or not, here we come!

Kaitlyn writes, "All of these marks represent things I learned in Math, like angles, lines, and rays. I used warm colors in my painting because they make me feel happy. They also remind me of my mom and all that she does for me."

Loja Loja

Large glass jar such as the big Yorkshire jar from Honest Weight’s housewares

Pre-mordanted wool yarn

I use small portions of the skein, winding some into a circle and tying it loosely in 3 spots

Tickseed coreopsis flower heads

I bought plants from Honest Weight and planted them in my garden (you can add cosmos if you have them)

Dried hibiscus petals from the Co-op’s bulk herbs section

Tap water

White vinegar

2

2 3

Rebecca Burgess, Harvesting Color

Jenny Dean, Wild Color

Rebecca Desnos, Botanical Color at Your Fingertips

Sasha Duerr, The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes

Here are some great resources for getting started:

By Natalie Criscione JULY

What Bob Knew

ife-release, or the saving of animals destined for slaughter, is practiced throughout the Buddhist world. All schools of Buddhism encourage followers to not only refrain from harming beings, but also to actively save lives. (samyeinstisttute.org)

Joe Mikrut and Cheryl McCathran* stopped by Crosby Farms one day to visit their friend Tim, who told them about the “black dot” he had seen earlier in the day near the tree-line. When he walked across the field to investigate, he discovered that the dot was actually a newborn yak. A very sick yak, whose mother had rejected him.

They all knew that sick baby yaks usually do not live for long. That made them feel sad, but still they all hoped the baby yak would get stronger. They called him Bob, and Tim cared for him for many months. He then asked Joe and Cheryl if they would like to take him.

Without hesitation, they said “Yes!”

But Joe and Cheryl knew nothing about yaks, let alone a sick yak that would need special care and daily bottle feeding. In fact, except for a few chickens, a dog, and four rescue cats, they did not have a lot of experience with animals at all. But, Bob didn’t mind. He knew he could show them everything they needed to know.

They kept Bob in their backyard during the day and put him in their shed at night. When Cheryl said, “Good morning, Bob,” he nuzzled against her. When Joe installed new

fencing or a gate, Bob was close by, following him as he went about his work, even licking his face now and then.

“Yak kisses,” said Cheryl, smiling.

While Bob was teaching them about yaks, something else was happening. Something they hadn’t expected. They were learning about other animals, too. “He had a mission,” said Joe, “he was sick as could be…[yet] he got this thing going.”

“This thing” is what has become a haven for animals who have all been “rescued from something.” It is a place of sanctuary and peace that gets Joe and Cheryl up at 4:30 in the morning and demands their attention throughout the day and evening. There are always animals to feed, medicines to give, veterinarians to call, fields and fencing to maintain, and laundry to do. There are no days off, no vacations, and barely time for dinner. Yet, both Joe and Cheryl agree that their work with the animals is of utmost importance. “They want the same things I want and you want—they want safety, love, food, and protection. Like everyone else,” says Joe. “Our joy is the animals,” says Cheryl.

Although Bob was not with them for long (he passed away while he was still quite young), and is “on to doing something else,” says Joe, the animals (including more yaks, alpacas, sheep, cows, horses, goats, chickens, ducks, geese, and many more) that have come in his wake have found their home.

It’s as if it was meant to be. “There are no coincidences,” says Joe.

Profil Producer

By Pat Sahr

Eco Kids

The Co-op is known and valued for ou r local and organic pr oduce, an d for meat and dai ry products th at come fr om h uma nely-raised animals . Hon est Weight also carries a variety of Fair Trade items. What is not well known is that there is an ever-expanding inventory of toys, games and art supplies for children of all ages. Eco Kids is one of the vendors featured. It supplies the store with Milk Paint, colored pencils, pastel sticks, Eco Dough, and Make Your Own Eco Dough.

Eco Kids states that the company “creates safe and effective children’s art materials that support the freedom of exploration, the joy of discovery, and the development of non-verbal, visual language.” The items are plant-based and eco-friendly, and they reinforce imagination and creativity. They are an alternative to online games and are free of racial and gender biases. Made with ingredients that are plant-based and non toxic, all of the items are safe for children and the environment.

During the month of July, when you say “yes” to the question at the cash register, “Would you like to round up to the nearest dollar,” know that you too are part of Bob’s mission to Be the Change. If you would like more information about volunteer opportunities, how to donate, or to schedule a visit, contact Karma Bobs Backyard Animal Refuge at bobkarma@icloud.com, Facebook, or their new website www.karmabobsbackyard.org.

*Both Joe and Cheryl were active member owners and employees at the Central Avenue HW location.

Kip and Cammie Weeks started Eco Kids in Maine in 2008. They created Eco Dough as a non toxic alternative to Playdough. Over the next few years, they expanded their product line of natural, kid-safe merchandise. Then in 2019 Roxanne Quimby, co-founder of Bur t’s Bees, pu rch ase d the business. Quimby continues to honor the original motto of “creative play the natural way,” as she increases the Eco Kids offerings.

The business now operates out of Raleigh, NC. Most of its products are made at this location and can be ordered online at ecokidsusa.com. Meanwhile, check out some of the art and craft supplies firsthand in the toy area at the Co-op.

Wet:

Corner

Kid Friendly Energy Balls

By Melanie Pores

Makes 10-15 energy balls • Prep time: 10 minutes (depending on size of the balls)

If you’re looking for an easy, fun and healthy sn ack th at y ou ca n make with just a little help from an adult, then you will love th is r ecipe for my favor ite energy balls!

Th is r ec i pe all ow s y ou to select your favorite wet ingredients, dry in gredients and mix-ins to tailor to your person-

al taste. For example, I like to ma ke d ate-s w eete ned Almond Joy Energy Balls, using cacao powder, shredded unsweetened coconut, and sliced almonds or sometimes pistachios. The possib le fl avor combi n atio ns are endless!

Dry:

cup maple syrup, honey, date syrup, (or make your own date paste ahead of time with a half cup of dates, soaked overnight and pureed)

½ cup almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter, coconut butter, or tahini

1 tsp any one of the following extracts: vanilla, almond, caramel, lemon, or tsp peppermint extract

1½ cups cups oat or almond flour

1 Tbsp cacao powder

½ tsp any of the following spices: cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg (optional)

Mix-ins:

2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, dark or white chocolate chips, raisins, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, sliced almonds, raw shelled pistachios, or pecan pieces

Before you get started, clear your work surface and thoroughly wash your hands. Make sure to have an adult close by to help with any kitchen tools or equipment. Place all of the equipment and ingredients that you will need on or near your work surface

1. Combine wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix with a spatula until well combined and smooth.

2. Next, add in dry ingredients. Mix well until combined and a dough begins to form. If dough is too wet, add another tablespoon or two of flour.

3. Fold in mix-ins

4. Using your hands, roll into balls. This recipe makes 10 to 15 balls If you like, you can also roll each ball into an additional coating such as cacao powder or unsweetened shredded coconut.

5. Place energy balls in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you’re eating them straight from the freezer, I’d recommend letting them soften up for about 5-10 minutes in the refrigerator or at room temperature before doing so.

Melanie Pores is a retired bilingual educator, an HWFC member since 1978, and the facilitator of HWFC’s Spanish Conversation Group since ly Friday

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LISA LONGLEY

Double Up Food Bucks is a nationwide fruit and vegetable incentive program, servicing millions of SNAP users, active in 20+ states at over 800 farmers markets, CSAs, farm stands, mobile markets, and grocery stores. The program gives shoppers $1 for ery $1 spent with SNAP, so you can purchase even more produce.

A match of up to $20 a day could mean $40 for healthy foods. Why is this important? Because too many people don’t have access, even with government aid, to the amount of food needed to support families. Sign up is free and the dollars

In New York State, Double Up has contributed to 1.1 million pounds of food sales to over 24,000 customers, at more than 130 sites

Visit our Service Desk to sign up and go to honestweight.coop for more information on the program.

started because of a group of friends who liked to buy really, really, REALLY big bags of rice, beans, and pasta. They had way too much food for one person to eat by themself. So they decided to share! Everyone went over to their friend’s basement to get their groceries.

10,000 (and growing!). Whoa, that’s a lot! Anyone can be an owner of the Coop. Owners have meetings where they share ideas about how to make the Coop even better than it is now! Do you have any ideas about that?

The bulk section. The PLU is a special secret code for different things you can get at the store. P-L-U stands for “price look up.” The code for red lentils is 1155. The code for organic cinnamon is 2521. The code for yogurt raisins is 1276.

9 million gallons. That’s enough to fill ten swimming pools!

True. There are kids-only classes on gardening, international cooking, and speaking new languages. There is even a class for kids who love to eat cheese! You can learn about them by going to the Honest Weight calendar.

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