Winter 2015 Coop Scoop

ISSUE #405

WINTER 2015

Printed with soy ink on recycled paper

IN THIS ISSUE

“Roots” Keep Growing Strong —

Capital Roots PAGE 18

Crafting When It’s Cold 11 How to Help Your Achy Dog Seed Catalog Bonanza 16

14

open every day 8am - 10pm

Honest

FOOD CO-OP

Honest Weight is a member-owned and -operated consumer cooperative that is committed to providing the community with affordable, high quality natural foods and products for healthy living. Our mission is to promote more equitable, participatory and ecologically sustainable ways of living. We welcome all who choose to participate in a community which embraces cooperative principles, shares resources, and creates economic fairness in an atmosphere of cooperation and respect for humanity and the earth.

behind the CO-OP BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

Bill Frye

VICE PRESIDENT

Kelly Carrone

TREASURER

Hilary Yeager

SECRETARY

Erin Walsh

Weight

Honest Weight is located at 100 Watervliet Avenue in Albany, New York.

contact us 100 Watervliet Avenue Albany, NY 12206 (518) 482-2667 [482-COOP] coop@honestweight.coop www.honestweight.coop

LEADERSHIP TEAM

(518) 482-2667 + ext.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Duke Bouchard

(x107)

SYSTEMS LEADER

Lexa Juhre

(x101)

COMMUNICATIONS LEADER

Lily Bartels

(x116)

OWNER SERVICES COORDINATOR Morgaen Hansen

Committee Liaisons

(x104)

MERCHANDISING MANAGER

Sandra Manny

(x120)

OUTREACH COORDINATOR

Amy Ellis

(x128)

BYLAWS PANEL

Bill Frye

MARKETING MANAGER

Jennifer Grainer

(x106)

COMMUNICATIONS

Roman Kuchera

EDUCATION COORDINATOR

Colie Collen

(x219)

FINANCE

Hilary Yeager

FRONT END MANAGER

Katie Centanni

(x109)

GOVERNANCE REVIEW COUNCIL

Bill Frye

BULK MANAGER

Tom Gillespie

(x130)

MEMBERSHIP

Kelly Carrone & Deborah Dennis

PRODUCE MANAGER

Phil Gardone

(x118)

NUTRITION & EDUCATION

Erin Walsh

FOOD SERVICE MANAGER

Donna Quinn

(x108)

GROCERY MANAGER

David Aubé

(x119)

MEAT MANAGER

Nick Bauer

(x113)

WELLNESS MANAGER

Kevin Johnston

(x122)

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Deborah Dennis

Interested in joining a committee?

Contact: board@honestweight.coop

HONEST WEIGHT COMMUNITY INITIATIVE

Bill Frye GOVERNANCE REVIEW COUNCIL

want to advertise?

Leif Hartmark, chair The cover photo was taken by Andrew Franciosa, Co-op member since 2013.

Contact Kim Morton at (518) 330-3262 or kim.a.morton@gmail.com 2

The contents of the Coop Scoop are for information purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read in the Coop Scoop.

COOP SCOOP

table of

contents Feature “ROOTS” KEEP GROWING STRONG Capital Roots

18-19

COMMUN

COMMUNITY

Articles

OUTREACH UPDATE

4

HOW ABOUT THEM APPLES?

5

DI S CO U N T P RO

DIS COU N T P RO G R A M

The Co-op Community Discount Program

by Morgaen Hansen, Owner Services Coordinator Co-op member since 2012

If you are a Member-Owner of the Co-op, you already know some of the benefits that come with membership: a discount on all your purchases in the store, extra incentives on select local items, the chance to work in the Co-op and spend time with your like-minded neighbors and, perhaps most important, a sense of community and pride of ownership in this one-of-a-kind, homegrown natural foods cooperative (bragging rights also included).

Starting now, the benefits of Co-op membership extend beyond our doors and into our larger neighborhood. Honest Weight is thrilled to be launching our exciting new Co-op Community Discount Program, designed to offer an additional benefit to our Member-Owners while connecting them with community-minded businesses nearby. Now with your membership card, you can get discounts on fine and casual dining, yoga, massage, facials, and memberships to fitness clubs, auto clubs, and car sharing services. And the list will only grow from here!

SAVE YOUR OWN SEED Invest in the Future

6-7

FINANCE ON THE ROAD

6-7

BUY NOTHING DAY (FOR VALENTINE’S DAY)

8-9

CRAFTING WHEN ITS COLD

11

A SEASON OF SELF-CARE

12

PRODUCER PROFILES Raven Crest Botanicals Cider Belly Doughnuts The Piggery

13

HOW TO HELP YOUR ACHY DOG

14

SEED CATALOG BONANZA

16

MEMBER PROFILE

20

COMMUNIT

The goal of this program is to strengthen ties within the Capital Region and to strengthen the economy in our own backyard. We have partnered with businesses that choose to support local food, are locally owned, promote health and wellness, or are mission-based like Honest Weight. Check out our website (www. honestweight.coop) or grab a flyer in the store for a complete listing of offers, and please support these neighboring businesses as we strive to grow “Local” bigger and better than ever.

DI SCO UNT P RO G R

WINTER 2015

UPCOMING EVENTS

5

FROM THE SUGGESTION BOX

21

CLOSING WORDS

22 24

KIDS PAGE

3

Message from the Leadership Team

Lily Bartels, Duke Bouchard, and Lexa Juhre make up Honest Weight’s Leadership Team

As the old year gives way to the new, it seems a natural time to reflect on where we’ve been, and anticipate where our journey will take us in the New Year.

How does Honest Weight measure success? While numbers are only part of our larger story, they’re indispensable for understanding what we achieved in our first full fiscal year (July 2013-June 2014) in the new store. In that period, we attracted 1,800 new shareholders and created 70 new jobs. HWFC contributed a robust $34,000 to 170 non-profits and other local organizations.

Outreach efforts extended our voice and our mission to 25,000 Capital Region residents. The expansion of educational programming around food, wellness and environmental sustainability was an instant success: 230 well-attended free classes in our first year alone! We have also mobilized our data to further our educational work, and can now identify that about 20% of our revenue derives from the 4

local products we source from 285 farms and more than 300 producers.

Coupled with the fact that our sales significantly exceeded projections, these numbers add up to a remarkable picture of how the new store has served our Honest Weight mission to date. Our Co-op is increasingly playing a demonstrably meaningful role in meeting the needs of our community, serving our customers, and supporting our local farmers and producers.

It is no small thing to make a tangible positive difference in the lives of our neighbors and a measurable contribution to the quality of life of our community. We take that commitment seriously, and it inspires us daily.

Even with all these achievements, it is crucial that we not take our continued success for granted. This is a dynamic and challenging time for the Co-op. The competitive landscape and regulatory environment are changing rapidly. We see the need for ongoing education on the merits of the co-operative model and on the importance of supporting a robust local economy.

We also see opportunities to strengthen the organization to adapt to this larger scale and seek new ways to support informed dialogue about the issues that matter to us. We must continuously evaluate how we can best serve our community and marshal our collective resources to be the change we want to see.

In the New Year, HWFC will be focusing on a strategic planning process in which our member-owners will collectively establish a shared vision and next goals for the Co-op, and a bylaws revision intended to fortify our governance structure. As a Leadership Team, we’ll continue to vigorously strategize ways to survive and thrive by supporting responsible change and growth. Along the way, we’ll also continue to offer our gratitude to our staff, members, and customers, and to remind us all that every successful step on our Honest Weight journey has been a co-operative achievement.

COOP SCOOP

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Give yourself or a loved one the gift of entrepreneurship for the New Year!

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Visit us online!

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socially concerned investors with local micro and social

entrepreneurs since 1985

5

Finance on the Road

by Ryan Rose, Assistant Finance Manager Co-op member since 2011

Illustration by Meg Sodano, Co-op Member since 2013.

The Honest Weight Food Co-op has grown tremendously over the past year and a half. The physical space, the number of staff and members, our sales, and the number of products at Honest Weight have grown beyond expectations. And what about the commitment to our mission and the triple bottom line: People, Planet, and Profit? We set high standards, however I believe we can set the benchmark higher.

In November CFO Duke Bouchard and I went to Philadelphia for the National Cooperative Grocers Association’s Finance Conference. The NCGA is a business services cooperative that assists food retail co-ops. Honest Weight is one of 143 food co-ops in the United States that the NCGA serves. This finance conference was the first of its kind. CFOs, finance directors, and managers from coops throughout the East Coast came together to discuss the state of food cooperatives, best practices, and the principles and practices of open 6

book management and patronage dividends.

This is where open book management comes into play.

This gathering offered examples of triple bottom line business practices that Honest Weight could explore and adopt.

Open book management works when staff are educated, empowered, and engaged in the organization’s finances and other measurements of sustainability. On a weekly basis, staff review a set of metrics that capture previous weeks’ performance figures while setting goals for the future.

This can range from sales and labor hours to composting or customer satisfaction. The transparency of our cooperative’s finances connects us to human values such as trustworthiness and honesty, while we collectively reach an understanding of where our business stands.

But what exactly does “triple bottom line” mean? Triple bottom line is an accounting framework that incorporates a more holistic view of the organization through three key parts: social, environmental, and (of course) financial. This idea goes beyond the traditional “bottom line” business accounting. Sounds great, right? But how do we measure results?

Metrics are the key to benchmarking and measuring our ability to achieve our goals. Managers and staff need to understand what these metrics mean, how they work, and how their contributions impact the numbers.

This investment into our cooperative wisdom empowers staff to make decisions while developing an open, accountable, and transparent culture.

A challenging aspect of open book management that we gathered from our time in Philadelphia was engaging and educating a busy staff. Where some cooperatives have successfully implemented principles of open book management, others continue to struggle with staff commitment.

Wheatsville Food Co-op in Austin, TX, and Lexington Food Co-op in Buffalo, NY provide models of success, reporting fruitful outcomes and involved staff. John Perkins, Wheatsville’s Finance Manager, has invited Honest Weight to shadow their practices in person. “If you’re going for Open Book Management, you need to go all in,” says Gina SmithMurphy, Lexington’s Assistant Finance Manager.

Co-ops where open book management is working are experiencing a higher level of staff engagement and increased profitability. Some co-ops return that profitability to the owners in the form of patronage dividends, issued to owners who have purchased goods from the cooperative. They are calculated based on the amount that each owner spends at the cooperative in a given year. When filing federal tax returns, a cooperative may deduct the amount of the patronage dividends that it issues from its gross income in that year. As a result this income is not taxed at the corporate level.

Patronage dividends benefit owners personally, and reduce the amount of money the Co-op has to pay in taxes.

A co-op has the potential to take this tax savings and reinvest in itself, the food shed, and the broader local economy.

This conference showed that practices like open book management and patronage dividends can be supportive in living up to triple bottom line principles. Honest Weight has the potential to incorporate more supportive practices into our cooperative. We can look to these other models with the aim of expanding our positive influence in our community. We can create the world we want to see.

Betsy Mercogliano, CPM, LM (518) 449-5759

Tisha Graham, CPM, CLC

Jess Hayek, CE, Doula

(518) 584-6619

(518) 727-8219

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Cat Sitting in Your Home

Buy Nothing Day (on Valentine’s Day)

by Cara Benson

Co-op member since 2013

AS A PROTEST AGAINST RAMPANT CONSUMERISM,

by Molly Eadie the first Buy Nothing Day was Co-op member since 2014 organized in 1992.

The brainchild of UK artist Ted Dave, the idea was picked up and promoted by the Canadian culture-jamming magazine Adbusters. Over the years the campaign has grown substantially; it’s set on Black Friday in the US and on the following Saturday in over 65 nations worldwide. There’s a hashtag (#BND), memes (“Because nothing says I love you like a bunch of plastic crap made by exploited workers”), and inventive Direct Actions suggested for shopping malls or big box stores (Zombie Walks, Whirl-Marts, and Credit Card Cut Ups, to name a few).

While BND as an officially unofficial socio-political effort targets specific annual buying frenzies, the time seems ripe to recommit to this practice.

Hence, I give you VALENTINE’S DAY NOW REBORN (rebranded?) as buy nothing day, without the acronym, capitalization, or cool graphics. Why not? Instead of succumbing to yet another way that commercialism invades our most intimate relationships, this year let’s take the opportunity to use the day creatively.

Here are a few friendly suggestions:

1. NOTHING SAYS I LOVE YOU like staring at the wall together. My partner and I actually do this fairly often. Rather than having an agenda (though I’ve always maintained that the agenda to have no agenda is an agenda), we just sit on the couch together. I might put my head on his

chest (or vice versa); I might not. We don’t say much, initially. Yes, it can get uncomfortable or boring, but that always passes. This deflates the pressure to speak, so whatever we do is built on one another’s thoughts or insights or imaginations. This just doesn’t happen in the regular day-today. It’s not shared meditation, but it’s close.

2. NOTHING SAYS I LOVE YOU like cutting up old magazines together. I have a drawer of glossies and freebie journals for just such an occasion. I call it “heart art.” Technically you could buy old, but there are enough free monthlies and weeklies to avoid spending a dime. You don’t even have to have scissors, if you’re skilled at ripping. Find images and language that appeal to you, and arrange them into collages around themes. What do you want to do in life? Where would you like to go? Is there anything you want to experience, but haven’t yet? What is your wish for the planet? Make a graphic prayer.

3. NOTHING SAYS I LOVE YOU like cooking together, especially with the odds and ends in your cupboards.

Take stock of what’s been hanging around and is ready to be used. Just like the inventiveness engendered by a CSA rutabaga, use the opportunity to create dishes you might not have thought of otherwise.

4. NOTHING SAYS I LOVE YOU like an original card. It doesn’t have to pretty, polished, or rhyme. Two lines can be put together, “heart art” style, by cutting words out of newspapers and taping them as a headline to a front page. “THIS JUST IN: My Life is Better With You In It.”

5. NOTHING SAYS I LOVE YOU like reading aloud together. Make up stories or share a book. Either way, there is something primally wonderful about storytelling. Along with bipedalism, it’s one of the things that make us human. When my partner and I first moved in together, he read to me from his favorite book every night before we went to sleep.

6. Last but not least: NOTHING SAYS I LOVE YOU LIKE SAYING I LOVE YOU! Best of all, it’s free.

member forum

Join the conversation!

Did you know there is an online place to share your ideas, comments and suggestions with your Co-op community? Join the conversation by going to: WWW.HWFCCOOPCOMM.BOARDHOST.COM

Promoting successful homeownership and healthy neighborhoods through:

HOMEOWNERSHIP CENTER

255 Orange St. Albany, NY 12210 518-434-1730 www.ahphome.org

Homebuyer Education Credit Repair Landlord Training Energy Efficiency Down Payment Assistance/Grants Foreclosure Prevention Assistance Thinking about buying a home? Contact us to register for FREE Homebuyer 101 .

Save Energy. For a comprehensive home energy assessment — GreenCapitalRegion.org

Food For Thought is a monthly evening of food, film and discussion with a focus on films of social, political, environmental and community interest.

Run for the Board!

by Erin Walsh, Board Secretary Co-op member since 2009

JANUARY 15, 2015

Illustration by Meg Sodano, Co-op Member since 2013.

BANANALAND For consumers, bananas are a delicious and nutritious start to to the day, a healthy snack and a fixture in our fruit bowls. For millions of residents in the banana lands, the production of bananas means social upheaval, violence and pesticide poisoning. Banana Land explores the origins of these disparate realities, and opens the conversation on how workers, producers and consumers can address this disconnect.

Presentedononthethethird thirdThursday Thursdayofofeach eachmonth monthwith withfood food samples samples generously generously provided Presented providedbybythe theHonest HonestWeight WeightFood FoodCo-op Co-op FoodThought for Thought features foodfood at 6:00 withand livefilm musicatby Jackplus Empie and friends, the film at 7:00the followed by alive panel discussion.

Admission is $8guests Food for events feature at 6:00 7:00, a panel discussion following film and music with Jack Empie and

The Linda

Food For Thought co-presented by:

FEBRUARY 19, 2015

WAMC’S PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO

339 Central Avenue, Albany, NY thelinda.org | 518-465-5233 x4

GRAZERS With interest in a farm-to-table food on the rise, a small band of upstate New York farmers sees an opportunity to hold on to their endangered farms by raising and selling grass-fed beef. Forming a cooperative, they soon discover that the marketplace surprisingly can’t support their simple ambitions. Jackson and Teale follow their efforts for two years, through near collapse to an uncertain future, exposing in microcosm the struggles of small-scale farming in our modern, industrial world.

Presentedononthethethird thirdThursday Thursdayofofeach eachmonth monthwith withfood food samples samples generously generously provided Presented providedbybythe theHonest HonestWeight WeightFood FoodCo-op Co-op FoodThought for Thought features foodfood at 6:00 withand livefilm musicatby Jackplus Empie and friends, the film at 7:00the followed by alive panel discussion.

Admission is $8guests Food for events feature at 6:00 7:00, a panel discussion following film and music with Jack Empie and

The Linda

Food For Thought co-presented by:

WAMC’S PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO

MARCH 19, 2015

339 Central Avenue, Albany, NY thelinda.org | 518-465-5233 x4

The end of one year and the beginning of another tends to make most of us a bit self-reflective; we think back on how we’ve evolved over the past year, and how we hope to better ourselves in the new year. As we begin 2015, I’d like us all to broaden this perspective and imagine how we, as individuals, can work to make a better Co-op. As we continue to evolve at Honest Weight, we do so together, and it is necessary that we do so with a strong and capable Board of Directors. Perhaps this will be the year that you consider running for a seat on the Honest Weight Board.

While serving on the Board can be challenging, and involves a time commitment of 20 or more hours a month, there is also a lot of fulfillment. Serving on the Board will allow you an opportunity to use your enthusiasm, creativity, and ideas, as well as personal and professional experiences, to serve the Honest Weight community—a community which has served us all over the years.

Specifically, we are looking for people with experience in cooperative governance, business, natural foods, community development, and teamwork.

As always, I urge anyone interested in running for a seat on the Board to attend one of our meetings and engage in the democratic process. Our regularly scheduled Board Meetings are open to any member and are held on the first Tuesday of the month at 5:45pm in our Community Room. The Board also hosts Coffee with the Board on the second Saturday of each month from 10:30 am until noon in our cafe, at which time you can chat more intimately with current Board members.

If you have any questions about running for the Board, or have already made the decision to run and want to start the application process (application deadline is March 26th at 5pm), please contact me at erin.walsh729@gmail. com.

ALIVE INSIDE is a joyous cinematic exploration of music’s capacity to reawaken our souls and uncover the deepest parts of our humanity. Filmmaker Michael Rossato-Bennett chronicles the astonishing experiences of individuals around the country who have been revitalized through the simple experience of listening to music. His camera reveals the uniquely human connection we find in music and how its healing power can triumph where prescription medication falls short.

Presentedononthethethird thirdThursday Thursdayofofeach eachmonth monthwith withfood food samples samples generously generously provided Presented providedbybythe theHonest HonestWeight WeightFood FoodCo-op Co-op FoodThought for Thought features foodfood at 6:00 withand livefilm musicatby Jackplus Empie and friends, the film at 7:00the followed by alive panel discussion.

Admission is $8guests Food for events feature at 6:00 7:00, a panel discussion following film and music with Jack Empie and

The Linda WAMC’S PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO

339 Central Avenue, Albany, NY thelinda.org | 518-465-5233 x4

10

Food For Thought co-presented by:

Want to advertise in the Scoop?

Contact Kim Morton at (518) 330-3262 or kim.a.morton@gmail.com COOP SCOOP

Crafting When It’s Cold

by Meghan Breen Co-op member since 2007

WINTER IS UPON US, and the cold and snow may have us feeling a tad claustrophobic, especially if one has kids who are itching to move their wiggly bodies. Sometimes a romp in the snow helps, but once they come back in, eager to use up more energy, what is there to do with them? Create with them, of course! Hopefully some of the ideas I’ve listed below bring joy and fun to your family while you eagerly wait for spring.

ICE WREATHS: If there are several very cold days ahead, this is a fun and simple craft to try. Head outside with the kids and a basket, and look for anything remotely colorful. It may seem that the world is a huge canvas of white (or gray/brown) but look closer! Trim a few ends off an evergreen tree; look for red berries on sumac or mountain ash trees (sumacs have cone-like clusters of reddish berries and mountain ash trees have small bright red berries). If you don’t have any berries around, cranberries work well too! Next, look for other items like pine cones or small twigs.

Then get a pie plate or Bundt pan and fill it with water. Have the kids place the natural items in the pan. Cut a short length of twine, make a loop, and place the ends into the water. Put your creation outside overnight. In the morning, lift the frozen ice wreath out of its pan and hang it on a tree branch outside your window. Your kids will love to see the little bursts of color on their ice wreath, and will want to make more!

POPCORN/CRANBERRY GARLAND: This is a lovely way to both bring a bright decoration to an evergreen tree and to also offer some food for the very hungry birds!

Pop some (GMO free!) popping corn WINTER 2015

and put some cranberries in a bowl.

Thread a needle onto a very long length of thread (4-5 feet) and assist your little one (or set to work your older child) with stringing popcorn and cranberries, in any order, onto the needle. They will have fun pulling each item all the way down and creating a beautiful garland. Tie it off when done and bring it outside to decorate a tree, then watch from inside as the birds slowly discover it.

SEWING/KNITTING/ CROCHETING: You don’t have to be a pro yourself to help kids get started at an early age with these crafts, plus a beginners book from the library will help get you started if you feel completely unsure. And what fun to learn these age old traditions!

Kids will love watching you create something out of a ball of yarn or a needle and thread, and they will want to get started on their own projects. If kids are six and up, then they are ready for knitting needles.

Under six can try their hands at finger knitting. (Do an online search for ‘how to finger knit,’ and you’ll find simple instructions.) For sewing, a

great starter project for kids is making bean bags. Use two small squares of fabric, right sides together, and teach them (and/or yourself ) to whipstitch.

Whipstitch around all but one edge of the square. Then turn it right side out, fill it with beans, and stitch it closed.

Then kids can play bean bag toss with something they made (and they can use up some more of that cooped up energy in the process!).

OTHER FUN PROJECTS include: making paper snowflakes, making your own play dough, and making paper chains (either for decoration or for counting down to a special event). We also enjoy making candles in the winter. What better time than when we are so hungry for more light!

Candle dipping can be done carefully and safely with small children. It is also a great way to use up bits and ends of leftover candles to melt together.

It’s best to have another adult help if you have kids under five. And what a smile it will bring to their faces to see their very own candle lit for the first time.

These are some ideas to get you started. Enjoy the rest of your crafty 11 winter with your little ones!

A Season for Self-Care

by Mary Theresa Julien Co-op member since 2011

AROUND HERE, cabin fever tends to set in after the holidays. A few short months ago, people exuberantly noted the invigorating cold snap in the air. After mid-season, it’s more likely to be referred to in less flattering terms. Our bodies start feeling a bit run-down, our senses are dulled, and we have most certainly forgotten what it feels like to wear flip-flops.

During the second half of the season, we hunker down and wait for the sleeping earth to sigh and stretch. It’s an inward time, and a good time to give our spirits a little TLC. Maybe we cannot stop and smell the roses, but we can allow our minds to wander, mesmerized by the dance of woodstove flames. Nourishing our bodies, minds and spirits is so important in the cold of winter.

Though the earth slumbers, there are many ways to enliven our senses. If you have a woodstove available, placing a few drops of Essential Oil (EO) in an oven-proof dish and setting it on your woodstove will infuse the room with a wonderful scent. Rosemary EO adds an uplifting and refreshing fragrance to the room. There are many warm and spicy EO scents like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, while others such as lavender are relaxing

and calming. An EO diffuser with a tea light candle works just as well, and helps set the mood in any room.

I put orange peels directly on my woodstove, and they slowly release an enticing fragrance. Many of the hardier herbs such as dried rosemary, cinnamon chips, or cloves can also be used in an oven-proof dish on top of the woodstove.

Challenge yourself to pamper all of your senses. You can make a lovely hand-crafted BATH AND MASSAGE OIL to thank the hard-working snow-shovelers and wood cutters in your life. For fatigued muscles, just combine the following ingredients in an eight ounce bottle: 8 ounces of jojoba oil 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil (as a preservative) 30 drops of rosemary EO 10 drops of nutmeg EO Shake before use and enjoy!

If there is a bone-chilling wind howling at your door, you can warm yourself with a simple white pine footbath.

This footbath increases circulation in your legs and relieves tired muscles, while the steam helps to clear sinuses.

You will first need to infuse the white pine by filling a pot two-thirds full of fresh white pine sprigs, then add water almost to the top. Bring this

to a boil. Cover the pot and turn the burner off. Let it sit for one hour. Add the infusion to your soaking vessel and top off with hot water so that the mixture comes up to mid-calf height.

If you have sensitive skin, check after a few minutes of immersion to make sure that this soak agrees with you.

You can leave the pine in the soak, or strain it out if you prefer. I like the feel of the soft pine needles under my feet in the footbath. It reminds me of walking barefoot in the summer!

Enjoy some tea as you rejuvenate; there are so many good choices! You can also try your hand at spiced bourbon. Fill an eight ounce bottle and add one cinnamon stick, five whole cloves and one cardamom pod. Cap and steep the mixture for two to four weeks. Strain and enjoy!

Paying attention to our more subtle needs is appropriate in the stillness of the cold season. Nourishing ourselves in this way will help keep us refreshed, relaxed and less drained. Plus, being cognizant of the role that winter plays as a time of reflection, planning and rest helps us to maintain a positive perspective. Soon enough, the earth will stir, thawing and warming. Our windows and our hearts will open to the song of the newly returned birds and bright flowers will come up to greet us! Until then, take care of yourself!

producer profiles RAVEN CREST BOTANICALS Susanna Raeven is an herbalist and medicinal herb grower, and operates Raven Crest Botanicals, a small-scale organic herb farm in Berne, New York.

Raven Crest Botanicals is an apothecary of hand-crafted tinctures and extracts, all-natural artisan skin products, and herbal tea blends. Susanna grows over 100 medicinal and culinary herbs using organic methods. Her handharvested herbs are watered with a solar-operated, pond-fed irrigation system, and her seedlings mature in a

by Pat Sahr Co-op member since 2005

beautiful earth-sheltered greenhouse, which is also used as a drying house for herbs harvested later in summer.

Susanna first learned about medicinal plants during a trip to the Peruvian Amazon and has not looked back since. Her farm has grown with her knowledge, and she continuously increases the size of her growing space and the number of herbs she cultivates.

CIDER BELLY DOUGHNUTS Cider doughnuts have finally come to Honest Weight! They are the product of Cider Belly Doughnuts, a business owned and operated by Jennifer Novak and her brother Peter, and located at 25 North Pearl St. in Albany. In addition to selling doughnuts at the shop, Cider Belly also offers catering and runs a doughnut delivery service in downtown Albany and the surrounding suburbs. All of the doughnuts (called “Bellys�) contain apple cider, which gives them their unique flavor.

photos by Andrew Franciosa Co-op member since 2009

WINTER 2015

THE PIGGERY Heather Sandford and Brad Marshall own and operate The Piggery, a 70acre farm located in Trumansburg, NY, where they do everything they can to create pork that is good for the people, good for the land and good for the pigs, with a focus on minimizing their carbon footprint. The herd consists of 450 pigs of various heirloom breeds, which are raised on NOFA-certified organic pasture and woodland. They are fed a balanced diet consisting of greens, sunshine

and local GMO-free small grains (barley, wheat, triticale, and peas). All of these components work in synergy.

Since The Piggery needs plenty of pork while still wanting to give pigs lots of space to roam, Heather and Brad have partnered with a few other local producers who also pasture their animals and stay away from antibiotics, hormones, confinement facilities, and GMO feed. They are honored to be able to support these small operations while they raise their herds in a sustainable and humane way.

13

How to Help Your Achy Dog

by Laurie S. Coger, DVM, CVCP

by Shannon Hayes

Integrative Veterinarian, www.TheHealthyDogWorkshop.com

Illustration by Meg Sodano, Co-op Member since 2013.

AS THE COLD OF WINTER SETS IN, we often complain about sore, stiff, and aching joints – all symptoms associated with arthritis. Yet we are not the only ones who suffer. Our dogs experience the same aches and pains, especially in cold and damp weather. I am often called upon to help dogs who are stiff in the morning, have trouble comfortably sitting or lying down, and cannot walk as far as they did in the summer.

Arthritis includes a cluster of conditions involving damage to the joints.

The most common form of arthritis, called osteoarthritis, is often a result of injury and/or aging. Abnormal anatomy also contributes to early 14

onset osteoarthritis, as strain is placed on joints in an incorrect manner.

Arthritis can occur in any joint, and is a continuous process. But how fast it progresses is something we as owners have some control over. The earlier we start, and the more methods we use, the better our results.

prefer a natural feeding plan, or at minimum, a grain-free diet. I believe strongly in supplementing omega-3 fatty acids by adding salmon oil to the diet.

There are many actions that owners can take to help their dogs cope with arthritis, as well as slow its progression. The following five factors are crucial:

There are a huge number of joint support supplements available. It is important to choose a quality product designed for dogs (not humans!).

This is not an area in which to pinch pennies. Choose a reputable brand, preferably NASC (National Animal Supplement Council, a quality assurance group) Certified.

1. DIET AND BODY WEIGHT Your dog must be at a healthy weight, and be eating a high quality diet. I

2. JOINT SUPPORT SUPPLEMENTS

COOP SCOOP

3. ADJUSTMENTS AND LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY Chiropractic adjustments address nerve, muscle and skeletal function.

Keeping the nerves working properly is crucial to the function of the muscles. Since the muscles move and pull on the bones and joints, helping muscles stay flexible and fit is essential. Laser therapy enhances blood flow, stimulates cell function, and decreases pain and inflammation.

Winter Trees

by William Carlos Williams

All the complicated details

4. EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL THERAPY

of the attiring and

Being active maintains flexibility and muscle tone, and is crucial for weight management. Proper exercise that does not excessively pound the joints is important. Simple activities like walking up hills can provide a workout with minimal concussion. Swimming is also great when available.

the disattiring are completed!

5. PAIN RELIEF

the long branches.

It is vital to manage pain. Where there is pain, there is also inflammation, which damages many parts of the joint. Consquently, the dog does not use the affected joint normally, and the muscles weaken. Strength and flexibility are decreased, and the problem worsens.

Prevention of arthritis is obviously important in all dogs, but especially so in hip dysplasia-prone breeds and giant breeds. All of the points discussed above apply to these cases, starting when they are puppies. Maintenance with chiropractic adjustments, proper diet and supplements, and exercise tailored to maintain joint and muscle function can delay or slow the progression of arthritis, both in dogs prone to arthritis as well as those already affected.

WINTER 2015

A liquid moon moves gently among

Thus having prepared their buds against a sure winter the wise trees stand sleeping in the cold.

15

Seed Catalog Bonanza

by Rebekah Rice Co-op member since 1992 & Organic Farmer at Nine Mile Farm

packets.

Some seed companies keep your cost low by selling in plain packages without instructions, colored illustrations, or photos. FEDCO SEEDS, a cooperative company with a huge array of seeds, packs all the growing information into their outrageously entertaining black and white catalog. They have a strict non-GMO policy for their non-organic seeds, and a generous separate section in the catalog for their organic seeds. Their plain paper packages reseal perfectly.

FRUITION SEEDS is an up-andcoming, all-organic, all regionally grown company with a focus on openpollinated local selections of great quality seed. Their website shares precisely which farm in the region has selected and grown the seed for each variety.

TURTLE TREE SEEDS is

Illustration by Meg Sodano, Co-op Member since 2013.

IF YOU ORDER seeds each year for your garden or farm, you are probably getting a lovely stack of catalogs right about now. How on earth will you decide which to order from? It’s hard to choose from among the three companies that the Co-op sources seeds from, and there are lots of other exciting ones in our region as well.

CONSIDERATIONS INCLUDE price, quality, organic, biodynamic, commitment to non-GMO, where the company is located, and where the seeds were grown. You might prefer heirloom seeds or you might prefer new hybrids. Each company has a different focus and it shows in their packaging, their breadth of selection, their information, and the quality of their seed.

16

I order from all of the companies discussed below, plus several others from outside of our region, and that’s in addition to my seed saving efforts.

I admit that my desire to try new varieties (and old varieties that are back on the market) is not very cost effective. I could save a lot of money if I could manage not to look at these beautiful catalogs, but I love them.

My love affair with the Art Packs from HUDSON VALLEY SEED LIBRARY is out of control, and they aren’t even my favorite seeds.

This year I’m buying their calendar instead of their seeds, but it probably won’t stop me from lusting for their packs which, in addition to their fabulous outsides, have clear growing instructions on inside resealable

biodynamic, open-pollinated, and mostly locally-grown—the catalog states clearly which farm elsewhere grew the seed if Turtle Tree did not grow it in Copake at Camphill Village.

Many but not all of the seeds are also certified organic. I have found their seeds to be of excellent quality and the varieties are, as they say, “abiding favorites.” Packages are plain looking but have all the information you need for successful growing.

JOHNNY’S SELECTED SEEDS is top rated by Mother Earth News readers. They have a wide selection comprising a mix of open-pollinated and F1 hybrid varieties, are workerowned, and have bred and introduced a number of award-winning varieties.

They probably offer the best array of seeds for winter high tunnel growing and their resealable packages have specific growing information.

Vermont organic seed company COOP SCOOP

HIGH MOWING has worked with Cornell Cooperative Extension to develop some great hybrid varieties that do well for northern growers.

The catalog and website have great information, and the packages have photos of the variety along with useful growing information. This year for the first time the company is testing all their seeds for GMO contamination. Free shipping and nominimum orders are a big bonus.

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Cruz Automotive



    

    

Wishing you safe winter driving.

Keep up the tire air pressure

  



 





“Roots” Keep Growing Strong

by Amy Klein Executive Director, Capital Roots, formerly Capital District Community Gardens

Photos by Andrew Franciosa, Co-op member since 2013.

THE WALLS WERE LITERALLY FALLING DOWN around us. Outside, in the side yard of our former office, a brick wall that enclosed the seedlings we provide for our gardeners collapsed just two days before we moved. In November of 2014, Capital Roots, formerly Capital District Community Gardens, moved its headquarters and food hub from a humble property located at 40 River Street in south Troy to The Urban Grow Center at 594 River Street in north central Troy.

When we first moved from a oneroom office on 8th Street to the 17-room property at 40 River Street in 2003, we had so much legroom we thought we were dreaming. We were a staff of five, responsible for two programs – Community Gardens and Urban Greening. Our new, spacious office enabled us to offer multiple onsite 18

classes, host groups of volunteers and have board meetings simultaneously.

And dreaming we were! We were busy working with the community to develop programming that addresses the impact that poor nutrition has on our region’s communities by providing access to fresh food and green spaces for all.

After one year at 40 River, we launched our Squash Hunger program – a food rescue initiative through which our volunteers collect fresh produce from farmers, gardeners and supermarket shoppers before donating it to local pantries, shelters and soup kitchens. For the next ten years we launched a new program almost every year - including our nationally renowned Veggie Mobile® produce market, which delivers fresh, affordable fruits and vegetables to low-income neighborhoods, senior residences and child care centers

that are located in our region’s food deserts. All the while we were growing the dream, or planning for The Urban Grow Center - a food hub that harnesses the power of local agriculture for the social and economic benefit of the entire region.

By the time Capital Roots purchased a 160-year-old industrial building for the creation of The Urban Grow Center in July of 2013, our 26-member staff was managing 11 programs, through which 333 tons of fresh food were being distributed to 175,000 residents throughout Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady and southern Saratoga counties.

Operating at this capacity inside the office at 40 River, it was not uncommon for volunteers to bag produce at our conference room/lunch table while committee meetings were going on and staff members were eating COOP SCOOP

lunch. Though the lack of space had its perks – namely that we all got to know each other very well, the cons of operating out of inadequate space far outweighed the pros. At times we had to turn away groups of volunteers because our building was not accessible for people with disabilities or we did not have space for them to work.

We were not able to offer as many gardening and culinary classes as we would have liked because we did not have a suitable space onsite, and we relied on community partners to offer us their facilities when available.

With community help, Capital Roots raised $2.2 million dollars and rehabilitated 594 River Street using green building technologies, such as water reuse systems, solar power, a living roof and permeable pavement. Our staff and volunteers felt especially thankful this past Thanksgiving after moving into The Urban Grow Center just a week before the holiday. We invited the community to tour the new facility at our grand opening on December 3rd and announced that after 40 years of operating under the name Capital District Community WINTER 2015

Gardens, we are now known as Capital Roots – a name that encompasses all the food access programs with which we serve the Capital Region.

The Urban Grow Center is 12,000 square feet, or four times the size of 40 River Street! The Center’s produce distribution wing triples Capital Roots’ capacity to deliver fresh food to those in need. Our new Gardener Resource Library allows us to double the number of organic gardening and culinary classes we offer each year. Community members are now able to learn about composting, soil building, companion planting, cover crops, food preservation and other gardening methods right in our own space. An onsite marketplace makes fresh, affordable produce available to visitors to the building, along with residents of our developing north central Troy neighborhood.

offers plenty of space for volunteer groups and individuals to help bag produce for our mobile produce markets, mentor the youth we train on our urban farm, sort Squash Hunger donations, help with mailings and more.

LEARN MORE at capitalroots.org or get involved by contacting info@ capitalroots.org or 518-274-8685.

The Urban Grow Center is conveniently located off 787 and near CDTA stops. It is also handicap accessible, which means that everyone can now get involved in the work that Capital Roots does. Our new volunteer center 19

member profile Nancy Schramek, Courtesy Clerk Co-op member since 2013

Interview by Shanna Goldman Co-op member since 2002

Towards the later end of Sunday night, when the mad rush at HWFC slows, you can find Nancy doing some massage work on the tired necks and shoulders of the cashiers.

She is an interesting combination of the old and the new. Once a seamstress, who feels like “nobody learns a trade anymore,” and now a massage therapist who works with an herbalist and nutritionist, Nancy says it all starts from the same thread.

Early on, her parents were very strong role models. They instilled a deep sense of value in working with one’s hands. Her grandfather was a cabinet maker, her mother drove a bus and took her camping, and her father taught her how to use a drill. Nancy claims to have actually enjoyed Home Economics, and has been sewing and baking since the 7th grade.

Her parents also instilled a strong work ethic. As a kid, she had a paper route to earn the money she used to buy her first bicycle. But her family also backed that ethic up, with attention and support. “If I was sick, someone else in my family would go out and deliver the papers that morning,” Nancy remembers.

As a teenager, she got a job working for the Berkshire Ballet as its seamstress, making the regular trip to Albany from her hometown in Massachusetts. This work brought

20

her to Proctors and the Palace, and also to New York City for some shows. She continued to work as a seamstress into her early 20’s at the Cohoes Manufacturing Company, a scene she describes as including lots of Eastern European women, speaking in various languages, with lots of competition and fighting. “When I went in for the job interview, they gave me something to sew that they knew I wouldn’t do well. But I kept bugging the personnel lady, ‘When are you going to hire me?’ And eventually she did.”

Of all the jobs she held, from newspaper girl to seamstress, Nancy never felt like she had a real career until one day she was given a book on herbs. “I found myself highlighting the whole thing,” she says. This lead her to a class on aromatherapy one fall, and by spring she was enrolled in massage school, embarking on a new path at age 36. Nancy believes strongly in alternative medicine and is upset that it is generally not covered by traditional health insurance.

“We take better care of our cars than we do ourselves. Getting a massage once every month would cost $7 a week. When I put it this way, men get it. They know how to take care of themselves. Women tend to give and give, but this leaves them depleted. They need to refill their wells.”

I pointed out to Nancy that it seems she has these competing themes in her life: a kind of traditional set of values around hard work and making things with your hands, and then this passion for alternative medicine and a kind of “new age” philosophy. But Nancy sees these ideas as all connected.

Maybe it can be summed up by saying that life is what you make of it. “Right now,” she says, “I’m working on my gratitude.” And when you look at Nancy, whether it’s her healthful skin and bright eyes, or her passion for life, you can see that the Universe is giving back.

COOP SCOOP

from the

SUGGESTION BOX

Q: Can hot food containers &

plastic utensils be recycled? I never know which bin is the appropriate receptacle - trash or single stream?

A: The paper containers may be recycled and placed in the single stream receptacle. You can leave your plastic utensils in the dish bin, and they’ll be composted.

Q: Thank you for the awesome

“Recap” line of mason jars you brought in. They rock.

A: We’re glad you liked them! Check out Cuppow, too.

Q: Please, please create a cook-

book featuring all of your amazing prepared foods, and sell it to the public!

A: We do think about offering a cookbook someday! In the meantime, though, come to our “Secrets of the Co-op Cafe” classes which are held once a month. They demonstrate three different Co-op recipes, on average, and are very popular.

Q: What do you do with expired

meat?

A: We donate any meat that is past the date wherein it’s safe for human consumption to a big cat rescue facility.

Q: Please please get Maggi’s leg-

gings back! And more! They have blouses, etc..

Q: The new vegan breakfast burri-

wares Department, apparel is proving to be a difficult fit. We may have an opportunity to consider it again in the future.

A: Wow! Thank you for the kudos! What

Q: It is difficult to get wheelchairs

over the door jamb and also hold the door open while trying to wheel in.

A: We’ll certainly evaluate accessibility improvements to the seasonal entrance.

In the meantime, we suggest that you use our main entrance, which is fully accessible.

Q: Please carry unshelled “green”

almonds from California. We get them in Laval, Canada - why not here? Yum!

Q: It would be nice to have a “Tea

A: Currently we are using a local organic

tion of US-grown “green” almonds. We do carry raw, unpasturized almonds, which come from Spain.

tea company, with a limited selection of bagged tea. Do you have any particular varieties that you would like to see offered in the future?

Q: Large food containers should be

made of BPA- and PVC-free, nonleaching material.

A: All of our containers are BPA- and

PVC-free. This is very important to us, and we strive to use only safe and recyclable plastics.

WINTER 2015

the Southwest that has severely impacted the availability of Valencia peanuts.

Pacific Beach is not available through our usual distributors; we’ll research it further.

A: As we continue to rework our House-

A: The FDA has prohibited the distribu-

of the Week” in the deli, to enhance variety.

A: There has been a serious drought in

tos are a huge improvement! Mmm else would you like to see on our breakfast bar?

Q: Can you carry Udi’s Breads - fro-

zen or fresh? They are the best-tasting of all the gluten-free products, almost like “real” bread.

A: Unfortunately, Udi’s Breads contain cultured corn syrup, which does not meet our buying policies.

Q: I couldn’t find a compost bin in

the cafe area. Ithaca Co-op composts, and so do farmers’ markets, and coffee shops, and restaurants...

A: If you leave the food on your plate and place it in the dish bin, we will compost the food waste in the kitchen.

Thanks for your environmental awareness!

Q: It may be useful to keep a scale

by the hot food bar so customers will not be surprised by their total at the register.

A: We’re working on improvements for this department as a whole. We’ll certainly consider adding a scale.

Thanks to those who’ve made suggestions! You can see all the suggestions and responses on the Suggestion Board posted near our Co-op Cafe.

Q: Yum! I’d love if you carried

Pacific Beach Peanut Butter with organic Valencia peanuts.

21

“

To see things in the seed, that is genius.�

Lao Tzu Photo by Colie Collen, Education Coordninator and Member since 2006

CENTER FOR NATURAL WELLNESS SCHOOL OF MASSAGE THERAPY

CONTINUING E D U C AT I O N

NEED ce hours?

Now offering a full line of classes and workshops for

ALL Allied Health Professionals

TYPES OF CLASSES

?

Medical Massage, Shiatsu Massage, Reflexology, Myofascial Release, Energy Healing, Aromatherapy, Self-care, and many more…

HOW TO SIGN UP

?

Easy and secure ONLINE registration makes signing up for classes fast! Visit: cnwsmt.com/redpines.php for info about classes and to register.

CONTACT/ MORE INFO

?

Contact Grayce Ray, Director of Continuing Education: 518-489-4026 or email: redpines@cnwsmt.com LOCATION: Unless otherwise noted all classes are held at The Center for Natural Wellness School of Massage Therapy located at: 3 Cerone Commercial Drive, Albany, NY

518.489.4026 • www.CNWSMT.com/redpines.php

co-op kids!

WINTER WONDERLAND WORD SEARCH D E S A F V S H P P O E C I Q

E S N R P N S E U T M T H E P

P V O O O G R N A A I A E O M

BLIZZARD CHESTNUTS CIDER COAT DATE EARMUFFS EGGNOG EVERGREEN

D S E W C S N T N O T N S X I

T A M R I E O H S C T A T U Z

T A E M G P N F R O E R N D R

N U M R T R F I G C N G U A G

R O R E B U E O P T S E T T E

N E E N M R N E T O U M S E K

R W D R I G E A N H M O F C X

FROST GINGERBREAD HOT COCOA MITTENS PEAR PEPPERMINT PERSIMMON PINECONE

S P A I G P O G I R R P R D F

N E E E C C W I N T E R A L W

S U G A R P L U M I A F C Q B

T N I M R E P P E P G Y S R C

P R A D R A Z Z I L B S L E D

POMEGRANATE SCARF SLED SNOWMAN SUGARPLUM SWEET POTATO TURNIP WINTER

Color your own winter outfit!