HWFC Coop Scoop Flowers: May/June 2023

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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.

That’s a long time—long enough to have sponsored an enormous amount of beneficial relationships and biodiversity. And we are major beneficiaries of these contributions! Besides being a food source for us and for the more-than-human community, flowers have long been part of our repertoire for everything from rituals and remedies, teas and dyes, to design, decor, and the arts. “I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers,” Claude Monet said. What might you owe to flowers?

Ruth Ann Smalley PhD, is our Content Editor. An educator and writer, with a 4-digit Co-op member number from the early 90s, Ruth Ann offers wellness, writing, and creativity coaching through her practice at www.vibrant-energies.com or www.ruthannsmalley.com.

Colie Collen is a flower farmer and designer raising a funny little kid in Troy. You can find her work at www.flower-scout.com

Anastasia Rodgers is the new Education and Engagement Specialist at HWFC. They love learning, creating and having as much fun as possible along the way! They can be reached at: education@honestweight.coop

, our Assistant Editor, is a retired cataloger at the New York State Library, where she worked for over 35 years. She wrote a 10-year blog called “Typo of the Day for Librarians” and has been a Co-op member since the 1980s.

Letter from an Editor

By Ruth Ann Smalley

Letter from an Editor

TBy Carol Reid

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-

he Coop Scoop team is excited to bring you this issue focusing on flowers. Because, when you think about it, the idea that flowers are a luxury item is all wrong. Flowers are a necessity! Maybe you don’t sprinkle your salad with lavender or nasturtium blossoms, or eat dandelions, daylilies, or squash blossoms. But consider for a moment: how much of the food you eat started out as a flower? Or even still is, such as broccoli or artichoke?

Although evolutionary biologists are still learning about the emergence of flowers, fossil evidence dates back about 136 million years.

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.

As we become increasingly aware of the existential plight of birds and other wildlife, and the crashing insect population, many of us are seeking ways we might help. We’re wondering about participating in campaigns such as No Mow May, or Mow Less May (see https://beecityusa.org/no-mow-may/ ) or curious about how to go even further, with local campaigns such as Unlawnfu l ( https://northeastpermaculture.org/unlawnful-spring-news/). Even if you don’t have land or a green thumb, there are ways to get involved.

Cultivating a more conscious relationship with flowers can be a great first step. Whether that is through appreciating their role in recipes, therapies, or as natural dyes; supporting the work of local cut flower farmers; or converting lawns to flowering plants; the articles in this issue offer you information and inspiration.

Fresh News!

Mathew Bradley is our Layout Editor. He has been the Lead Designer at Honest Weight since the new store. Outside he enjoys writing band, tending to his garden, and training his English Cocker Spaniel, Cricket, for field work.

By Patricia Ellis

anuka honey is a dark, rich and creamy honey that is produced by bees who gather nectar from the flowers of the Manuka tea tree found in New Zealand. Its special value comes from the pairing of the nectar itself with the way the bees turn it into honey. This combination produces a honey containing unique antioxidants, probiotics, and an anti-bac terial comp ound called methylglyoxal (MGO).

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.

Read on to learn about how local small farms are diversifying their plantings, how HWFC’s pollinator garden came to be, and how you can bring clover, wildflowers, and native plants into your environment for everyone’s benefit.

May you eat, drink, and grow flowers!

BEE-unifying: Bio honey Skin Products from New Zealand

3

M“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.”

1. Bee Venom Mask: Contains proteins that help in blood circulation and cell renewal. Manuka honey's antimicrobial, antibacterial properties are combined with organic oils for smoothing and replenishing the skin. This formula includes NZ Tree fern, a natural skin lifter.

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

2

Manuka honey has been used as wound treatment and skin care as far back as the ancient Egyptians and Greeks.

2. Hydrating Mist Toner

Nutrient rich and mild enough for sensitive skin. Wild plum extract contains superfruit ingredients for hydrating and nourishing mature skin. Vitamin E acts as a powerful antioxidant, while Rose flower water's anti-inflammatory properties help reduce redness and puffiness.

3. Natural Acne Cream Formulated with high levels of Manuka honey and oil, which helps break down the acne causing sebum. Apricot Oil helps sooth and replenish the skin.

Manuka Honey Skincare for Face by Biohoney is available now in HWFC’S Wellness Department. Biohoney® essential skincare products are suitable for all skin types. These skincare products contain natural ingredients that are rich in age-defying antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. 1

Deanna Beyer

Ruth Ann Smalley

Coop Scoop

Carol Reid

Natalie Criscione remembers shopping at the Quail St. Honest Weight location. She wears many hats: educator, writer, artist, musician, property manager, advocate, volunteer. She loves being part of the Coop Scoop team!

Lucia Hulsether is a teacher and writer currently based in Saratoga Springs, NY. Her first book, Capitalist Humanitarianism, is forthcoming from Duke University Press. www.dukeupress.edu/capitalist-humanitarianism

lOl

By Deanna Beyer

Planting Wild ower Seed Mixes

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!

By Richard Daley

Salad, Hot Bar, and Cafe are Back, with

For a handy database to discover native plants for your zip code, see:

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.

By Natalie Criscione

Through Hope and Mission:

Community Fathers, inc.

Hope comes in many forms, and, for Community Fathers, Inc., “Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.” (Martin Luther quote on website)

Today, Community Fathers, inc., which is based in Schenectady but serves the greater Capital District region, oversees many programs, all of which encompass the mission of “Building communities one father at a time.”

growing needs of the broader society. “We started to make it up ourselves,” said Simpkins, since “there was no father-program to service our needs…Each part of the program was what, at various times, we felt fathers needed.” Since group members themselves were the ones grappling with challenges, it made sense that they “were the ones most capable of coming up with answers and solutions.”

way to attend to your body's thirst, as soon as it arises, and to restore your body’s electrolyte balance.

Though obstacles abound, there is an eternal wellspring of hope which leads to creative and innovative solutions to overcoming problems. When every person is seen for the good they can bring, the spring is truly overflowing. That sentiment is expressed generously and lovingly through the words and actions of founder Walter Simpkins, whose vision continues to better the community.

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

What started as a support group for fathers who were dealing with issues such as family court, re-entry, or substance abuse, grew in 2009 to encompass the

Though weekly support groups continue, other programs that have been added include: “Occupations Instead of Incarceration,” “Domestic Violence Cessation,” “Young Fathers,” and “Male Achievers.” All of the programs strive to create a strong, civic-minded culture that empowers participants to think differently about themselves by increasing each individual’s sense of self worth and positive identity within the community.

Involvement in the organization opens doors for creating greater good not only on an individual basis, but for society at large. Members come together for

programs such as “Re-Tree Schenectady,” for which they planted 50 trees in the city in 2022, and are projected to plant 100 this year. “We are going green!” saysSimpkins. Another event which brings members and their families together is through the collective interest in the “African American Ancestral Burial Ground,” part of the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, located in Schenectady’s Vale Cemetery. Through the efforts of Community Fathers, inc. and collaborations with local high school students, the area has been refurbished and maintained. It is the site for Schenectady’s annual Juneteenth celebration which brings together families from all around the region. Finally, keep an eye out for information about August’s “I Am Father Festival” held annually in Schenectady to celebrate fathers.

Like so many non-profits, volunteer needs and shoe-string budgets are the norm. Visit the website to learn more about how you might become involved (https://www.communityfathersinc.org/ ).

cinnamon, and vanilla extract.

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

And, during the month of May, as you pay for your groceries or morning coffee and are asked “Would you like to round up for Community Fathers, inc.? ”remember, you too can Be The Change! Say “YES!”

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

“

”

…Each part of the program was what, at various times, we felt fathers needed.

Let Clover Take Over:

Save Time, Money, & Our (Only) Home Planet

By Ben Goldberg

By now many of us have learned that mono-cultured turf grass lawns are a waste of resources, time, and—worst of all—chemically toxic to the environment (see “The Grass is Never Greener: Lawn Begone!” in Scoop Winter 2020). But what’s a lawn-loving human to do? One solution, in the Northeast anyway, is to let clover take over. These flowering, perennial legumes can enhance, if not replace, turf grass lawns in our part of the world. Clover made up most of the lawns in the U.S. until the 1950s when herbicides were introduced—herbicides that killed clover and therefore redefined clover as a “weed” instead of a common, earth-friendly ground cover.

Clover as a turf replacement or additive does have some (albeit minor) disadvantages, including:

Clover alone may not be tough enough for high traffic areas, but it can be tough enough if it is mixed with grass.

Although it is a perennial, it may have to be reseeded every two or three years if it does not spread or self seed adequately, which it often does. On the other hand, clover seed is much less expensive than common grass seed. (E.g., the Honest Weight price is $2.99 per 2 ozs.)

Meanwhile, here are some of the advantages/benefits of using clover in or instead of grass lawn.

Clover flowers attract pollinators, including one of the most beneficial: bees. (Note that if bee sting allergies are an issue, or if young children use the lawn, you can grow clover without having many bees simply by mowing during the blooming season to prevent flowering.)

Clover also attracts parasitoid wasps, tiny harmless creatures that feed on destructive insect pests such as aphids, scales, and white flies.

Clover grows well in a variety of soils, even poor soils. It chokes out weeds, reduces erosion, and, because it holds moisture, clover is relatively drought-tolerant, requiring little if any watering. It stays green during the hot summer months and greens up early in Spring. It can grow well in full sun or partial shade, and it feels great to walk on barefoot!

Because it grows low, clover does not require frequent mowing, if any.

Clover doesn’t require any chemicals, herbicides, or fertilizers. It is a legume, so rather than depleting nutrients in the soil, clover converts atmospheric nitrogen into a form that benefits plants. In effect, clover fertilizes itself and, in mixed lawns (clover and grass), it feeds whatever it grows with.

Clover lawns don’t require aeration, and decomposing clover roots attract earth worms that loosen soil and leave nutritious vermicast, AKA “worm poop”.

Honest Weight carries clover seed during the growing season, and it is also easy to nd on line, for example at:

Hudson Valley Seeds - https://hudsonvalleyseed.com/ Fedco Seeds - https://www.fedcoseeds.com/ogs/dutch-white-clover-8040

For information about how to grow a clover lawn, check out the following:

https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/how-to-establish-a-clover-lawn/ https://earth911.com/home-garden/clover-lawn-improve-biodiversity/

Clover won’t brown up from dog urine the way turf grass does.

Finally, for those of us who (unlike me) prefer a more manicured look to our lawns, clover can be mixed with regular grass and the lawn will still reap many of the listed benefits. Is clover the perfect anti-turf grass solution? No. Perfection continues to elude us in most matters, but being able to save money, time, and our environment is not a bad trade-off.

Ben Goldberg lives and celebrates in Albany.

Flowers, Flowers, and More Flowers!!!!!

By Colie Collen

If you’re reading this, you may already know something about the local flower movement.

You may have seen the concept grow, from “Slow Food” to “Slow Flowers;” you may have bought or admired a bouquet at a farmers’ market or the co-op; you might even know that 75% of the flowers sold in the United States are imported, grown in Colombia, Ecuador, Kenya, and other countries, and shipped via air and refrigerated truck across the country, sometimes held up in customs, and often wasted due to freezing temperatures and wilted stems.

and interesting—there are so many incredible varieties that just can’t withstand shipping—and that they have more scent, more vitality, and foster more connection to community than anything you could find wrapped in plastic at a big box store or conventional florist.

The membership makes all kinds of decisions, including what foods and products are on the shelf, and what standards those products and their producers have to meet (think growing practices, clean ingredients, etc.). At Honest Weight, we’ve got about 14,000 members.

entry is high, and there is/has been an opening for flowers as an alternative product,

bouquets and services (weddings and other events, special arrangements) are a substantial value-added product for small farms,

and low-cost educational programs that are open to all, and are always looking for ways to collaborate with partners in the community. We offer many opportunities for member-owners to help with this community engagement.

In response to all of this, a local flower farmer movement has developed throughout the United States (the world, really), trumpeted by writers/growers like Lisa Mason Ziegler, Erin Benzakein, Lynn Byczynski and Jennie Love. But each farmer has their own reasons for focusing on cut flowers as a source of income.

I’m a flower grower myself, and I spoke with three other farmers for this article: Corrine Hansch of Lovin’ Mama Farm, Rebekah Rice of Nine Mile Farm, and Robin Holland of Goode Farm.

Who can shop here? Everyone is welcome: anyone can shop at the co-op. If you decide to become a member, you’ll purchase a “share” of the co-op, become 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 discount (up to 24%) on their groceries.

and there’s something very special about flowers and their place in our homes and ecosystems. There’s something experimental and emergent about the role they occupy in farming. It’s exciting, is what I’ll say!

I had a really wonderful time talking to and visiting some of these farmers. There’s something so creative in the flower farming movement—it’s new, but based in both old traditions and experimental methods. There’s so much about it that can only be learned through experience, especially with a

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

What other co-ops are in the area? You can find co-ops everywhere! In addition to Honest Weight, there are several others you can 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:

· voluntary and open membership

democratic member control

homestead in Northern California, with a flower farmer mom and a dad who quizzed her on the Latin names of plants. As a young person, with just a quarter acre of land, she produced and sold enough flowers at the farmers’ market to send herself to Europe (after three years of very hard work). Her current project, Lovin’ Mama Farm started in Northern Cali and moved to Amsterdam, NY in 2016. Corinne, her husband Matthew, and their three children grow vegetables and flowers on their regenerative, no-till farm, with flowers occupying about 20% of their land. With just 2 acres, they have to maximize yields, and so flowers are useful for attracting beneficial insects, to dry for wreaths and bouquets, and to make beautiful fresh market bouquets. Corinne's farmers’ market booths have

· member economic participation

· autonomy and independence

· education, training, and information FLOWERS

Colie at one of her farm plots in Troy, NY

been spilling over with tulips in early 2023; Lovin Mama grew 25,000 tulips to supply the local demand for early spring color. You can also sign up for their CSA, buy bulk buckets to design your own flowers, and contact them about a la carte wedding florals. lovinmamafarm.com (We also carry Lovin' Mama microgreens; see Corinne's Scoop article on regenerative farming, Jan/Feb 2019 and on gardening tips, April 2022)

Before she started Goode Farm in Ballston Spa, Robin Holland had a career in interior design, and also spent time working at a high-end restaurant where farmers were treated (as they should be!) like local celebrities. She’d always nurtured gardens to satisfy her love of beauty, and so she found herself curious about how farming and design might intersect. In

HOT TIPS

from these growers — recommendations for the Home Flower Grower:

gorgeous flowers and remarkable, interesting vegetables there ever since. She has a weekly subscription service, available for pickup or delivery, which features blooms coming from the farm each week. Currently it’s tulips—mass quantities of incredible varieties, which are ripening under lights in her basement and out in the spring sunshine. Her farm has one high tunnel filled with early bloomers—anemones, sweet peas, ranunculus, campanula, and more—and another tunnel that will be filled with dahlias in summer and fall. Like Rebekah, she has a beautiful woodlot to forage from, and all these elements combine in her wedding design work. You can find her flowers for sale at a few local shops, and can place an order for a bouquet or arrangement, throughout the growing season, right on her website: goodefarm.com

Corinne Hansch:

Plant something blue in your cut flower garden— people love a shock of blue in their bouquet.

Rebekah

member!) for many years. Her farm, Nine Mile Farm, is in a rural corner of Delmar, and she’s been growing vegetables and flowers there since the ‘80s, helped along by a community of friends and her very helpful granddaughter. Rebekah is highly influenced by Permaculture, sows according to the Biodynamic calendar, and has a high tunnel currently filled with salad greens, self-sown herbs, seedlings she’s been nurturing since last fall, and trays of fresh starts getting ready to go out in the garden. With a mix of perennials (peonies are a big focus), woody shrubs, annual flowers, and materials foraged from her 90-acre property, she emphasizes that while it’s very labor intensive, she’s found flower farming to be easier on her body than vegetable growing was. “And you never hear, ‘oh I don’t eat such-and-such,’ with flowers,” she says. She is experimenting with interplanting—ways of combining different crops to maximize harvest and efficiently use space—and offers a flower CSA, bulk buckets, and wedding/event florals, in addition selling directly to other local florists.

Other regional flower farms we weren’t able to visit or interview, but which you should certainly check out:

Robin Holland:

Utilize beautiful vegetables in your arrangements! Special kale, pea foliage, herbs, and strands of cherry tomatoes are all novel and gorgeous in a centerpiece.

Embrace the volunteers and self-sowers in the garden, and you’ll have easy flowers year after year.

Rice: And from me,

Colie Collen:

Queenz Cut Flower Farm, a Troy-based CSA

queenzcutflowers.univer.se

Native Farm Flowers in Greenfield Center

www.nativefarmflowers.com

Pleasant Valley Flowers in Fort Edward

www.pleasantvalleyflowerfarm.com

It’s all an experiment! Play with new flowers every year, move perennials around, and see what your particular plot of land can grow best. Also, research when to harvest and how to condition your flowers; it’s a shame to grow something beautiful and have it wilt before you can design with it.

Saipua/the Farm at World’s End

www.saipua.com

& my own project, on urban lots in Troy Flower Scout

www.flower-scout.com

Flower Dyes Made Easy!

By Ruth Ann Smalley

Let’s get started!

Here’s what you need:

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

any of us already enjoy the vibrant colors of flowers such as cosmos, coreopsis, marigolds, hollyhocks, hibiscus, and zinnias. But did you know that all these flowers also make lovely natural dyes?

Last summer when I started playing with botanical dyes, a new world of color awareness opened up. So many plants and trees are secret sources of beautiful hues. It feels like a form of earth magic to rediscover what our ancestors already knew!

The process for making some plant dyes can seem like following a multi-stage recipe, but some are literally as simple as making tea. So, to encourage you to give it a try, I’m sharing the easiest, most pared-down versions I’ve tried: recipes for solar-dyeing with small-batch tickseed coreopsis and hibiscus dyes.

Most flower dyes are not very powerful, and work best on fibers that have been treated with a “mordant,” which is a substance that helps the color stick to them. That can be something as simple as having pre-soaked them in a soy milk bath. But for those just starting out, it’s easier to buy some already mordanted wool yarn (available locally through Cece’s Wool).

Tickseed Dye:

1 2

Pour hot tap water into the jar, over the flower heads. Set outdoors in sunlight, as you would sun tea. Enjoy watching the yellow color begin pouring out of the flowers into the water. Add the yarn (it can help to wet it first) and let the process begin!

Depending on how sunny it is, the yarn may noticeably take up color within hours. Let it steep for several days. I love watching the water clear as the color transfers to the yarn. For more intense color, repeat this process a few more times, using new batches of flower tea.

Hibiscus Dye:

1

Put dried petals directly in your jar, or in a large muslin “tea bag” to keep fragments from sticking to your wool. For a pink color, just add hot water. For a more purple color, experiment with adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the water.

2 3

For both types of dye, the yarn will retain less color than first appears while it is wet. Depending on your tap water, you may get various shades as well.

When ready, gently squeeze excess water out of the skein, and hang to dry out of direct sunlight. I like to wait a few days before rinsing. Once the rinse water runs clear, hand wash the skein in water with a few drops of Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap, rinse, and air dry again.

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:

Double Up Food Bucks!

By Deanna Beyer

Hunger Free America estimates that this past year has seen a 67% increase in food- insecure New Yorkers. And here at Honest Weight we’re on track to have the highest redemp-

Bringing Good Food AND Good Cheer: The South End Grocery

When I think of the South End Grocery, there’s no better metaphor than a lush, overflowing forest…full not just of plants and vegetables, but life,” said Travon Jackson the Blue Light Development Group President, Executive Director of the African American Cultural Center, and the store’s owner when he spoke with WAMC earlier in the year.

Jackson’s description is apt and important as it highlights what has been absent from the neighborhood. For years, Albany’s South End struggled with the food challenges that plague many areas throughout the country. Without easy access to fresh foods, families and entire communities are affected by what are known as food deserts.

According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, “Food deserts are geographic areas where residents have few to no convenient food options for securing affordable foods—especially fresh fruits and vegetables. Disproportionately found

tion of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits that we’ve seen in a single year. Which is why we’re so excited to participate in Double Up Food Bucks!

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 every $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 healthy food needed to support families. Sign up is free and the dollars never expire.

In New York State, Double Up has contributed to 1.1 million pounds of healthy food sales to over 24,000 customers, at more than 130 sites spanning 23 counties.

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

By Natalie Criscione

in high-poverty areas, food deserts create extra, everyday hurdles that can make it harder for kids, families and communities to grow healthy and strong.” They “are also a disproportionate reality for Black communities, according to a 2014 study from Johns Hopkins University.” Furthermore, “nearly 39.5 million people—12.8% of the U.S. population—were living in low income and low-access areas, according to the USDA’s most recent food access report, published in 2017.” One of the solutions is “extending support for small, corner-type stores and neighborhood-based farmers’ markets,” something that describes one of Albany’s newest grocery stores.

The South End Grocery, a nonprofit grocery store opened its doors at the end of 2022 on the corner of Madison Ave. and South Pearl St. in Albany (in the building that was formerly McDonalds), offering an array of affordable, locally sourced foods. As Jackson reported to the Times Union, “it is a Black-owned, farm-to-store, affordable grocery,” and has created a food oasis within an area that was once a food desert, a step in a positive direction for the citizens of Albany.

The South End Grocery initiatives are about more than just food however, for one

can not only find ideas for healthy food alternatives within the store and its social media pages, but also a wealth of good cheer. A reminder on one of the facebook posts says, “Do a good deed for a neighbor or a stranger. Put some love and positivity into the world on this beautiful Sunday.” With affordable offerings of holiday or weekly culinary specials such as Valentine’s Day steak and lobster or Shish Kebob Saturday, neighbors are drawn to the store.

And, there are further reminders that this neighborhood grocery store is also a neighbor, something personal, caring, and integral within the life of the community. Whether it is employee of the month recognition, a seasonal egg decorating day for the community’s children, the new raised garden beds contributed by Soul Fire Farm, or the reminder that they are available to help families in need, the South End Grocery has found a home and helped to create a lush oasis where there was once a desert.

By saying “Yes” as you pay for your groceries at Honest Weight during the month of June, you too nurture the oasis!

Corner

Cardamom Rose Water Cookies

By Melanie Pores

Servings: 12 cookies

According to Ayurveda, the 5,000 -year-old system of medicine from India, the summer is a good time to eat foods that are cooling, as they are healthful for our digestive tract. Roses are considered a food with cooling properties. Coconut flour lends a sweet flavor and also possesses cooling properties. My

simple sweet spice mixture aids in digestion. I hope that you will enjoy my recipe for Cardamom Rose Water Shortbread Cookies, which is adapted from a Persian recipe for Nan-e nokhodchi cookies.

Wet: Dry: Sweet spice mixture:

¼ cup ghee, room temperature

¼ cup avocado oil, room temperature

½ cup date syrup

(or 1/2 cup dates soaked overnight and blended with soaking liquid)

1 tsp rose water

2 cups almond flour

½ cup coconut flour

¼ cup ground pistachio nuts

1 tsp ground cardamom

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp sea salt

½ tsp pistachios, coarsely ground

¼ tsp unsalted pistachio kernels

¼ tsp chopped walnuts

1. Cream together wet ingredients thoroughly either by hand or with an electric mixer.

2. Whisk together dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and mix them into wet ingredients in two batches, until just combined to form dough. Form balls about the size of a golf ball.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. Arrange dough balls on the cookie sheet, about 1 to 2 inches apart and gently flatten the balls to approximately 1/4 inch thick with the palm of your hand.

5. Whisk together dry ingredients in a separate bowl, and mix them into wet ingredients in two batches, until just combined to form dough. Form balls about the size of a golf ball.

6. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Melanie Pores is a retired bilingual educator, an HWFC member since 1978, and the facilitator of HWFC’s Spanish Conversation Group since 2015, currently on Zoom, Fridays 10am to noon.

Fresh News!

Upstate Elevator Supply Co

By Pat Sahr

production by including new farmers in the growing process. By then the Vermont acreage consisted entirely of internally-developed proprietary seed stock.

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 every $1 spent with SNAP, so you can purchase even more produce.

Double Up Food Bucks!

CBD is a natural antidote to the woes of modern life,” declare the folks at Upstate Elevator Supply Co., a Vermont-based business that produces a variety of products containing cannabinoids. These CBDs are derived from organically certified hemp that is grown in Vermont, and is meticulously processed through a range of extraction methods to preserve the full spectrum of its properties.

By Deanna Beyer

Hunger Free America estimates that this past year has seen a 67% increase in food- insecure New Yorkers. And here at Honest Weight we’re on track to have the highest redemp-

Dylan Raap is the founder and CEO of Upstate Elevator. In 2016 he and his family began a breeding program to develop specific, unique CBD cultivars (plant varieties that have been produced in cultivation by selective breeding). A year later, in partnership with Evergreen Capital Management, they acquired 2 acres in Charlotte, VT, where they grew 1,000 of these specialized plants. Shortly thereafter, the company was able to expand

From the Archives: The Pollinator Garden

By Natalie Criscione

As you walk, ride your bike, or drive to the co-op, take a moment this spring to pause and look around before dashing inside. What do you see? The outdoor area has evolved dramatically since the building was first opened in June of 2013. Every structure, garden, and colorful mural holds a story of people coming together to plan and carry out a vision. Community, cooperation, and participation are some of the many things that make the co-op special.

For example, perhaps you’ve noticed the pollinator garden on the east side of the building, but have you ever wondered how it got there?

In an “upcoming events” announcement in the Spring 2014 Coop Scoop, the year’s Earth Day Celebration was listed. With promises of fun for all, including children’s activities, a workshop for DIY cleaning supplies, and even a Household Goods Swap, it promised to be a perfect day. One of the other activities promised was “a massive on-site planting project”—no other details given.

It must have tweaked a lot of interest (and was certainly marketed in other ways as well) because on that day in 2014, a good crowd of HWFC members gathered for the promised planting project.

Colie Collen, who is one of today’s current Coop Scoop Editors, but was the Co-op’s Education Coordinator at the time, was there and wrote

In 2019 and 2020, Upstate Elevator partnered with Pete’s Greens, Vermont’s premiere organic market farming operation, to grow 70 acres of USDA-certified organic hemp using the company’s in-house feminized seed. From this proprietary hemp, Upstate Elevator Supply Co. produces full-spectrum CBD tinctures, capsules, edibles, and carbonated drinks.

The benefits of including CBDs in your fitness regimen are relief from stress and anxiety, mood elevation and improvement of overall health. Once again, in the words of the company, “CBD is our daily dose of freedom from the ails of modern living.” In the Wellness Department of the Co-op, you will find CBD gummies oils, and seltzers in various flavors.

tion of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits that we’ve seen in a single year. Which is why we’re so excited to participate in Double Up Food Bucks!

the following article (Summer 2014) about the event. You might find as you read it that your own dreams of gardening are piqued. If you are not familiar with the terms “permaculture” or “French drain,” you will be by the end of her article. And, if you haven’t thought about what you might be planting in your own garden for the bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, it’s time to start thinking! Finally, your approach to the co-op may never be quite the same since you will probably take special note of the pollinator garden, established 9 years ago on the east side of the building, and appreciate it even more than you already do.

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 healthy food needed to support families. Sign up is free and the dollars never expire.

In New York State, Double Up has contributed to 1.1 million pounds of healthy food sales to over 24,000 customers, at more than 130 sites spanning 23 counties.

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

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This Earth Day, more than thirty Co-op members came together to install a gorgeous garden on the east side of the store. Sharon Hoffman, a former Co-op employee who has run her own landscaping business in Albany for years, sourced a huge amount of pea gravel, rich compost, cardboard, mulch, and native plants from various local nurseries for this huge project.

A lot of the work we did was inspired by PERMACULTURE, which Bill Mollison has defined as “a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single product system.” We wanted to install something beautiful that would work with the building, the existing landscaping, the sun and the soil. Our hope is to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies to the plants that flower here, and to provide a little bit of beauty for folks walking by, waiting for the bus, and riding their bikes to the Co-op via this entrance.

First we dug out some scraggly grass, then made a deep trench along the length of the garden, filling it with the gravel. This is a version of the

classic “French drain,” and will redirect surface water when it rains, reducing erosion on the hillside. We covered the gravel with wheelbarrow upon wheelbarrow of compost, covered the compost with a layer of cardboard, and wet the cardboard. Then we took a fruit and water break, and snapped a photo (see above).

What started as a gray day became bright for the next few hours, and after covering the cardboard with even more compost, we started planting, cutting through the cardboard to place over a hundred plants directly into the fresh soil. We watered all of those plants, giving them a good dose to get their roots growing, and then we all wiped our brows, put our tools away, and went home to take a nap! (At least I did.)

It rained that night, helping establish our new garden. As I write this, it rains again. And whereas before that rain would have run off the roof in rivulets down the hill, now it’s absorbed by a long line of beautiful, living materials. Thank you, Sharon! And our heartfelt thanks to all the members and staff who participated. THIS IS JUST ONE STEP toward making this new building feel more like home.

Pat Sahr has been a member of the Co-op since 2005. She contributes to the Coop Scoop as the writer of the Producer Profiles. Sahr says, "It’s a pleasure being part of the Honest Weight family, and I've especially enjoyed communicating with the various producers whose products are sold at the Co-op!"

To see the full line of products offered by Upstate Elevator Supply Co, go to