Q&A

Suggestion Box Q Q &

A A

Q: More keto options. A: We’ll have our kitchen managers do some research to bring some more delicious keto options to you. We will continue to expand our keto offerings in our Grocery Department as well.

Q: Please make a way for people not online to do Implicit Bias Training. There seems to be Implicit Bias against people not online! A: People who want or need to take the Implicit Bias Training may schedule a time to take it at the Co-op. Credit hours were offered during August only, but anyone who wants to take it who needs access to online services may schedule a time to come into the Co-op with Stephenq@honestweight. coop, stephaniepidgeon@honestweight. coop, or our Member Manager Yevette at memberservices@honestweight.coop.

Q: Can you get Nine Pin Cider sparkling apple juice—0% alcohol? It’s so good. Thanks! A: We’ll look into its availability through our distributors.

Q: Some of the produce prices are outrageous! Blueberries, $8.00 a pint? This is blueberry season. No-spray is nothing special. Blueberries don’t require any attention. I’m a member who can’t afford to shop here. A: We have a plethora of options for blueberries. We support our local farmers by paying the prices they set.

Q. Hands-free bathroom sink and soap, please. A. We’ll be working on adding more handsfree devices to our bathrooms in the future.

Q: Elkay water dispenser is running slow… A: Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We will change the filters.

Q. I love the hand dryers in the bathroom. Great way to reduce paper waste. A. We’re also very excited about the hand dryers! Thank you for sharing your feedback. Q: Not loving the hand dryers in the bathroom. Lots of fecal contaminants in air & last step of proper hand washing is drying using a towel. I get it’s ecologically friendly, but pandemically? Not so much. L A: Thank you for your concern. We selected the Dyson Air Blade for a number of reasons including its HEPA filter that removes 99.95% of microscopic particles [see article, page 4.]

Q: Why are so many plants still full price this late in the grow season & when they don’t often look healthy? [received 8-14] A: We have been keeping up with culling and regularly restock 3x a week. We’re surprised to hear this as we’ve received more compliments this year than any other of the past 5 years about how good the plants look.

Q: Why do we sell Dr. Mercola products when he is the leading spreader of misinformation on COVID and vaccines on social media? A: We carry Dr. Mercola products because they are well formulated, and people are asking for them. We encourage shoppers to make their own informed purchasing decisions.

Q: HWFC TV YOUTUBE Channel for ODD & UNUSUAL foods etc. A: We have a link to our YouTube channel on our Instagram Honest Weight Food Coop on Instagram (linktree/hwfc).

Q. Why are we still selling Plainville? I spend my $ here because I believe in the values of Co-op—where are the values? Animal abuse is a deal breaker. Please stop carrying their products immediately. A. We are closely monitoring the Plainville situation and communicating directly with Plainville and with its local distributor Fancy Foods.

[Editors’ note: Plainville Farms, which sells turkey products, has issued the following statement on its website: “You may have seen the horrific video of animal abuse that is being circulated in the news and online. What is shown is horrific, despicable and goes against everything this company stands for. It’s important for incidents like this to come to light, and we have already launched an internal investigation, from the top down. If any of our employees were involved, they will be held accountable.”]

Q. I wish I could buy from Honest Weight sunflower seeds in shells as it was before for years. A. Unfortunately, our distributor has discontinued carrying sunflower seeds in the shell.

Q. Could we consider adding a “Do not leave car idling” sign outside? Or alternatively could a few solar car ports be constructed? Or more trees added for shade? Thank you! A. We know that it’s not ideal but there are some circumstances where people need to keep a/c going for people or pets to stay safe in the heat or the extreme cold in winter. Solar car ports were explored as an option but [are] not feasible. Our trees do continue to grow.

Q: Has HWFC thought about decreased, optional, or waived membership fees for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, & POC in efforts to fight systemic racism, oppression, reflect the diversity of the neighborhood & remove economic barriers that marginalize groups within our food system? A: This is something that we are very interested in doing. We’re further exploring a type of solidarity share program as a future goal.

Q. How long until HW makes membership more financially accessible to low income & BIPOC folk? (I’m aware there are payment plans that increase the total price of membership but that seems to penalize those who have less money.) A. This is something that we are actively pursuing and trying to make a reality. Please stay tuned for more details.

Q. Thank you for not playing music in the store. A. Thank you for your feedback. continued on page 7

These pictures tell a story! To beautify the parking lot wall, Amplified Voices collaborated with Honest Weight. Check it out when you’re at the store.

food for thought

continued from page 5

cooking after soaking, put them in a food dehydrator or spread out on a cookie sheet in a warm oven to dry out completely before storing in a sealed container.

• Use a pressure cooker to cook vegetables or beans that contain lectins. Soak, change the water a couple of times, and then cook according to pressure cooker directions.

• Choose Co-op products that have been prepared and packaged to minimize the effect of lectins. This can save a lot of time and still protect you from lectins. Canned beans from brands such as Eden are low-sodium, already soaked, and ready to use in your favorite recipes. Look for canned tomato products with peelings and seeds already “The word ‘lectin’ comes from the Latin ‘legere,’ meaning ‘to select.’ They select the carbohydrates to which they bind... lectins are a bit like the bumps and holes in Lego blocks.” —Food Revolution Network

removed. Ezekiel bread products (in the frozen section) are made with sprouted grains.

Not everyone is highly sensitive to lectins. To find out if you are, try totally eliminating high-lectin foods for 4 weeks and see if you feel better. If you choose to include foods with lectin in your diet, a little planning and special preparation can help you to minimize their negative effects.

HWFC does not provide medical advice. Please check with a health care practitioner before treating any condition. See pg. 8 for all policies and full disclaimer.

coming next month: all about apples

Suggestion Box

continued from page 6

Q: The Co-op continues to disappoint me this year. I have seen HWFC commodify an endangered plant (ramps), hide my suggestion to implement sliding scale membership for BIPOC as anti-racist co-ops have done, and now punish all of your paying customers by denying a $3 product because HWFC is so passionately anti-theft. The management team here values white supremacy capitalism over community and it shows.

A: The ramps we carry are not the same as those that have endangered status. The variety Burdickii is listed as endangered in NYS but those we do carry are primarily harvested by local farms in the Hudson Valley. Our Food and Product Manual is subject to update by Membership. Feel free to email the Nutrition Committee at nutritioncomm@honestweight.coop. Your previous question from Oct. 2020 was answered [but] because of the pandemic, our bulletin board was not available to post answers for much of the year. Your suggestion and answer were published in Dec. 2020’s Honest Slate. We’re still very interested in offering a solidarity share program and will work to explore this option. We are aware of the $3 product you are referencing. We are indeed anti-theft, but it is not our intention to deny anyone any products. All are welcome at the Co-op. We strive to be an inclusive community. If you have any feedback as to how we can do better, please let us know.

Q: Very disappointed that the Co-op would take such a childish and petty response to someone shoplifting cilantro seeds. To take these seeds away from everyone just because someone didn’t pay is ridiculous. A: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We have removed the Post-It™ note and we continue to explore the best way to move forward.