Spring Catalyst 2016 by New Pioneer Co-op

Always FREE

spring 2016

Why We Need

YOU to Shop the Co-op

Page 3

Economical Organics Make any a Earth D Help n to o i t u l o s ar: Re e Y s i h t rs Pollinato mpact by I Make an Organic g Choosin ractices! P Farming

Page 8

The

Incredible Bulk! Page 14

+ Coupon inside!

Economical Organics p. 8

1101 2ⁿd St. • Coralville, IA 52241 (319) 358-5513 open daily 7am–10pm 3338 Center Point Rd. NE • Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 (319) 365-2632 open daily 8am–9pm

The Incredible Bulk! Saving Money & the Planet p. 14 Frugal Recipes p.16

STORE SUPPORT OFFICES 22 S. Linn St., Unit 2A • Iowa City, IA 52240 (319) 248-6400 open Mon.–Fri. 8am–5pm

www.newpi.coop

EEK’S 2016 AN KW NU AL

EDITOR Allison Gnade MANAGING EDITOR Jenifer Angerer DESIGN Sara Montgomery PHOTOGRAPHY Sara Montgomery & Mel Roling CONTRIBUTORS Genie Maybanks, Theresa Carbrey, Ben Partridge, & Scott Koepke PRINTER Royle Printing, Sun Prairie, WI

Board of Directors Meetings All owners are welcome! April 27

6:30pm, New Pi Store Support Offices 22 S. Linn St. (3rd floor), Iowa City, IA 52240

May 25

6:30pm, New Pi Cedar Rapids 3338 Center Point Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

June 22

6:30pm, New Pi Store Support Offices Owners are welcome to share their views with the New Pi Board:

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

(year indicates when term expires) President JANET RAZBADOUSKI (2017)

PRESE

NT E D BY

W NE

Wednesday, May 18 Meet at Chauncey Swan Park (near New Pi Iowa City) at 5:30 for a Family-Friendly Bike Ride to New Pi Coralville for Fun & Refreshments! Rain date Thursday, May 19

(312) 476-0943, jraznpboard@gmail.com

Vice President JEN KNIGHTS (2016) (319) 331-6631, knightswhowrites@gmail.com

Secretary JON FOGARTY (2016) (319) 400-4911, jon@jonfogarty.com

CAROLINE DIETERLE (2016) (319) 338-8674, caroline-dieterle@uiowa.edu

CALVIN NORRIS (2017) (319) 355-2603, cal_norris@msn.com

CAITLIN SLESSOR (2019) (319) 389-6431, cslessor@gmail.com

ZARA WANLASS (2019) (319) 800-9046, zwanlass@yahoo.com

new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter

NEW PIONEER FOOD CO-OP MISSION STATEMENT New Pioneer is a cooperatively owned business, fully serving the needs of the natural products consumer. We emphasize high quality, fair prices, and product information. We are an environmentally and socially responsible member of the community we serve. New Pioneer’s mission is to serve the needs of its members and to stimulate the local agricultural production of natural and organic

foods by providing a market for such foods. The Cooperative fully recognizes the value and dignity of work and shall place a high priority on the health, welfare, and happiness of all its employees. The Cooperative shall strive to set a community standard for the best possible working conditions, training, wages, benefits, and opportunities for advancement for its employees.

Submit comments to Jenifer Angerer at any store or email jangerer@newpi.coop. No more than 500 words. Deadline for the Jul./Aug./Sept. issue is June 3, 2016.

We Walk the Green Talk! p. 4

Catalyst Owner Open Forum is an opportunity for owners to express their views about the Co-op experience.

IN THIS ISSUE

owner open forum

published by: NEW PIONEER FOOD CO-OP 22 S. Van Buren St. • Iowa City, IA 52240 (319) 338-9441 open daily 7am–10pm

Letter

ou’ve heard of “voting with your wallet,” right? I’m writing on behalf of the New Pi Board of Directors today to ask for your votes – and the good news is, if you’re like most people, you have many opportunities each week (every time you buy food!) to cast a vote for the Co-op!

We know a lot of you choose not to shop at corporate big-box stores like Wal-Mart, whether because of their labor practices, trade practices, or the fact that they’ve effectively shut down locally-owned small businesses (often downtown) in small towns all across America because the mom-and-pop businesses could not compete. We agree with you, knowing there are businesses to support that offer better value to our community. We don’t have to look far! Co-ops value their employees’ happiness, invest in local farms and businesses, and pump money into our local economy rather than pulling it out of the community every twenty-four hours. Co-ops offer a fundamentally different way of doing business. We want to take a minute to remind our owners and shoppers that where you spend your money is incredibly important. In fact, right now, the financial well-being of your Co-op depends on it. As Lucky's and Hy-Vee and Costco and Target (and yes, Wal-Mart too) crowd into the natural and organic foods market that New Pi built in our community, it matters more than ever. Our sales in Coralville and Iowa City are down, and this has negatively impacted our profitability. We’re happy to report that our new Cedar Rapids store is doing well, and is helping us weather the pressure of new corporate competition in Iowa City and Coralville. But our sales figures tell us a lot of you started taking your dollars to those competitors, and it has absolutely made an impact on the financial health of our Co-op. We want to ask you, straight up, to bring those grocery dollars back to New Pi. Your support is crucial to the economic function of your Co-op. New Pi is dedicated to offering top-quality food without artificial ingredients (that would be: no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives, no trans fats or high fructose corn syrup, and no added growth hormones, antibiotics, nitrates, or chemical additives in poultry, meat, seafood, or dairy. Phew!) – throughout our whole store, not just part of it. We price it as competitively as we can, often meeting or beating the prices of those big chains, believe it or not (we run regular price audits to make sure). We’ve introduced a new line of Co-op Basics: hundreds of natural, organic, and non-GMO household staples at affordable prices, available everyday for everyone. We are truly committed to our community, our local farmers, and the environment – and we show our commitment in more ways than you can count – head to pg. 4 for a start. We have been owned by our members since 1971 (most of you live in this community!) and any profits we make stay right here. When we are profitable, we’re able to lower prices, pay dividends to our member-owners, and fund community initiatives like school gardens and healthy food education. We employ over 200 staff members, and we are committed to giving them the best pay and benefits that we as an organization can afford. If you support all of that, and if you want New Pi to continue thriving as we have in the past, I hope you'll be mindful about where you spend your grocery budget, and consider bringing more of it (or all of it!) back to the Co-op. The more of us commit to this, the better chance we have of still having a thriving food co-op in our community, years into the future. Thanks for reading, and thanks for your “votes!”

hts, Jen Knig ent, sid Vice Pre oard of New Pi B s Director

Andrew Dunham (left) of Grinnell Heritage Farm offering samples of his local, organic carrots at New Pi. Shopping the Co-op supports over 136 local farmers year-round.

Spring 2016 • www.newpi.coop

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Dear fellow New Pi owners and shoppers:

S COMMUUPNPORTING New Pi do ITY GARDENS nated $20 ,000 sch

FREE ORGANIC GARDEN EDUCATION

New Pi Soilmates taught organic garden and food education in 40 schools for free just in the past year! Choosing organic foods and gardening practices builds healthy ecosystems rather than harming them.

Whenever you shop the Co-op, you’re supporting a whole new way of doing business. Walking the sustainable talk is at the core of everything we do. From composting to prevent methane gas creation, to protecting our seafood population by only carrying sustainable seafood, to fully backing organic producers and reducing harmful chemicals for our environment, our pollinators, and our people, everything we LEAD do works together to make your Co-op the COMPOERSTS IN ING greenest business you can choose to support. We were th e

ALL

ann rage ur staff ts to encou e o r e ff We o bike helme a local bik e or for fre , and spons e bicycle g ot e in m bik s on th to pro team and less car ucing red tion educa r health and ns. o road f rbon emissio ca

STARTING CAFETERIA COMPOSTING

first grocery store in th e area to st art compostin g, compost A and we LL our foo d waste and kitchen scraps!

WE’RTE BIKING ers h ABOU ual vouc

WELL OVER 80% OF NEW PI’S PRODUCE IS ORGANIC!

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COMPO IN OUR STING DELI We

New Pi’s mission is to suppor t local and organic food producers, not to create profits. Any profits go into improving our stores and our local community.

new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter

LOCAL & ORGANIC IN EVERYTHING

’re the find com only place you’l l posta and we’r ble containers, e t he first a grocery rea to offer c for deli c omposting usto waste as mer well!

Supporting organic means no pollinator-harming pesticides were used, which is good for you, your neighbors and farm workers, and for our natural ecosystems.

ON A MISSION FO LOCAL & ORGANICR FOOD PRODUCERS

ool & com to local m this past y unity garden projects ear sustainable to encourage local, food prod uction, an seed-savin d g! The mo re plants w grow, the m e ore CO2 is reduced fr the ozone om layer – pla nts can heal the p lanet!

MAKINGEATING RIAN EASY VEGETAIO S& DELIC U less or without

se to eat If you choo uce your personal d e here to meat to re tprint, we’r o fo l ta n e bsolutely environm ou – and a y r fo sy a e vegetarian make it ady-to-eat re m ro F s. e best deliciou eals to all th , we’re m n a g e v and ur own to make yo to go light ingredients a e ere it’s sy h w e c la p the et. on the plan

New Pi walks the talk: our kitchen and deli cook with local and organic ingredients. When we say we support local and organic, we mean it.

ENCOURAGING LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION

Local purchases at New Pi sent $2,333,354 to local farmers & producers, just in the past year alone! New Pi partners with over 136 local farmers and producers to bring you the best Iowa has to offer.

Shop the Co-op to Support These Environmental Efforts!

Owner Beat

"What’s that one thing you have to get at the Co-op and can’t get anywhere else?" 1

y, Theresa Carbre on ti ca u New Pi Ed & Outreach

Q: A

"I am a big fan of the bulk nuts. They are fresh and high quality. I think the biggest 'New Pi exclusive' is that I can fight back against corporate domination by shopping at my community-owned, democratically-controlled food Co-op. " – Caroline Dieterle at New Pi Coralville

"I’m a vegetarian and I really care about my veggies. You are best at organics! Other places just don’t have the same quality. I shop for packages of greens, and little peppers, sweet potatoes, and kale, just to name a few." – Marjorie Rahe at New Pi Iowa City

"New Pioneer distinguishes itself by offering wines from small producers. The Co-op brings in high quality wines from around the world. I enjoy exploring the latest varietals and blends. There are some excellent Sauvignon Blancs coming from New Zealand. " – Downing Thomas at New Pi Coralville

"The Sourdough bread here is better than any other. Good bread is important! I also appreciate the organic avocados." – Rakesh Patel at New Pi Coralville

"Today I’m buying peppers and onions for fajitas. Best peppers in town! I like that the Co-op exclusively has seafood which is sustainably harvested. " – Rika Moore at New Pi Cedar Rapids

Spring 2016 • www.newpi.coop

new pioneer food co-opâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newsletter

t Comparison: H n e i d e r g oney Laundering? n I Ingredient Comparison

f we’re experiencing a drastic COLLAPSE of bee colonies all around the world, why haven't honey prices spiked? Scarcity and rarity feed prices, right?

More than half of all the honey on U.S. supermarket shelves is imported, and it’s estimated that much of it originated in China, but it's moving though ports in other Asian countries for countryof-origin-relabeling.1 This is where "laundering" comes into play. Countless investigations show that much of imported honey is

New Pi’s Plain Cheesecake

filtered to remove pollen (removing the ability to test for country of origin) and most has agents added to it to thin the honey and stretch the product further. 2 As much as ¾ of all honey tested on standard supermarket shelves contains rice sugar, molasses, or fructose syrup.3 Want real honey, rather than an imposter? Buy local! Our small farmers sell unadulterated honey – and we only use pure, REAL, Iowa honey throughout New Pi’s prepared foods. – Genie Maybanks, New Pi Marketing Coordinator

New Pi’s Greek Honey Citrus Chicken

New Pi’s Bumble Babies

Ingredients: House-made graham crackers (organic unbleached flour, organic whole wheat flour, brown sugar, local butter, local milk, local honey, pure vanilla, baking soda, local Frontier Co-op organic cinnamon, sea salt), local Neufchâtel (milk, cream, cheese culture, salt, xanthan gum), cane sugar, local cage-free eggs, sour cream, local cream, local butter, local honey, local Frontier Co-op spices, pure vanilla.

VS. National Brand’s Cheesecake Ingredients: Water, sugar, vegetable oil (coconut, palm, soybean, and/or cottonseed oils), milk, enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), whey, heavy whipping cream, cultured milk, cream cheese (pasteurized milk and cream, cheese culture, salt, carob bean gum), Neufchâtel cheese [pasteurized milk and cream, cheese culture, salt, stabilizers (xanthan and/or carob bean and/or guar gums)], contains 2% or less of each of the following: modified corn starch, milk protein concentrate, cream, skim milk, gelatin, maltodextrin, oats, salt, mono- and diglycerides, gums (carob bean, guar), coloring (ß-apo-8'-carotenal, turmeric and annatto extract, caramel color), cheese culture, citric acid, skim milk protein concentrate, lactic acid, lactose, propylene glycol mono- and di-esters of fats and fatty acids, natural and artificial flavors, molasses, lactylic esters of fatty acids, baking soda, modified tapioca starch, carrageenan, potassium chloride, wheat starch, cinnamon, soy lecithin, soy flour.

Ingredients: Organic peanuts, organic cashews, organic sesame seeds, organic sunflower seeds, organic peanut butter, coconut, local honey, salt.

VS. National Brand's Honey Nut Bars Ingredients: Cereal (rice, whole grain wheat, sugar, wheat bran, soluble wheat fiber, salt, malt flavoring, vitamin B1 [thiamin mononitrate], vitamin B2 [riboflavin]), soluble corn fiber, fructose, corn syrup, roasted almonds, roasted peanuts (peanuts, peanut oil), sunflower oil, dextrose, sugar, honey, contains 2% or less of sorbitol, glycerin, natural and artificial flavor, salt, soy lecithin, niacinamide, BHT (preservative), soy protein isolate, nonfat milk, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride).

Footnotes: 1 www.s.coop/1xsx2

www.s.coop/1xshd

Ingredients: Humanely raised cage-free chicken, extra virgin olive oil, local honey, oranges, lemons, fresh rosemary, fresh oregano, garlic, kosher salt, pepper.

VS. National Brand's Asian Flavor Chicken

Ingredients: Boneless skinless chicken thighs, water, sugar, soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt, sodium benzoate), contains 2% or less of the following: artificial flavor (ethyl alcohol, water, artificial flavors), brown sugar, chicken type flavor (hydrolyzed corn gluten, autolyzed yeast extract, thiamine hydrochloride, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate), corn syrup solids, dextrose, distilled vinegar, flavor enhancer (water, flavor, maltodextrin, salt), garlic powder, high fructose corn syrup, liquid sucrose, modified corn starch, modified tapioca starch, onion powder, pineapple juice concentrate, safflower oil, salt, sodium benzoate (added as a preservative), sodium phosphates, soy protein concentrate, soybean oil, spices, vinegar powder (maltodextrin, modified corn starch, dried vinegar), xanthan gum.

www.s.coop/1xsx3

Spring 2016 • www.newpi.coop

Owner Beat

l a c i om

n o Ec

s c i n a Org

You’ve probably already met our Co-op Basics program (look for the purple tags throughout our stores!) for natural and organic household staples at affordable prices. Many are new products we’ve brought in, produced by Field Day.

A few Field Day products that have won us over and found homes in our pantries:

y the Numbe b s r m 88% USDA Organic 80% Non-GMO Project Verified

Field Day I te

The goal at Field Day is to provide value-priced non-GMO, organic, and natural products, with a less-is-more approach to ingredients and packaging. They’re all about: “No confusion, just what you need.”

Their most popular product? Field Day Organic Unfiltered Apple Juice!

Field Day's Organic Peanut Butter is a perfect partner with their Organic Apricot Fruit Spread (which goes great with local Milton Quark spreading cheese on crackers!). Speaking of crackers, we’re fans of their flaky and crispy Organic Golden Round Crackers and Organic Water Crackers (excellent topped with our House-made Pimento Cheese by New Pi’s Chef Matt Steigerwald!). Field Day’s Organic Olive Oil and Mediterranean Sea Salt – in course or fine – are great buys.

Sam & Jack are fans.

Super Yum!

“Field Day Cereal and Cereal Bars are amazing – we eat them all the time at my house. For a cheap dinner night, grab Field Day’s organic pasta and sauce (it’s sweetened so my kids love it). To take it up a notch, throw in some New Pi house-made sausage.” – Sue Andrews, New Pi Purchasing Manager

new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter

Spring 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ www.newpi.coop

Local Producers

for

l a loc

ALLISON GNADE , EDITOR

Your purchasing choices are an excellent way to make an environmental impact 3 (plus) times a day (if we’re talking food… and we’re always talking food). Choosing local and organic significantly reduces environmental impacts (and supports the health of your neighbors – and often your own health too). Choosing local and organic helps our pollinators too, reducing Iowa pollinators’ load of environmental chemicals and improving the health of our habitats and ecosystems. Meet three local companies making earthfriendly choices easy right here in Iowa:

Local Burrito Catering Iowa City, Iowa

Every time you eat, you have an opportunity to eat your ethics. Local? Check. Organic? Check. Fueled with renewable energy? Check! “We recently off-set all our energy production costs with 100% wind power, so Local Burrito is now a 100% renewably fueled company!” Entrepreneur Kyle Sieck’s proud to share. His burritos, in the freezer section at the Co-op, come with an extra helping of thoughtfulness: “We work with local farmers – half a dozen or more local producers,” for local ingredients that taste better, have higher nutrition, and smaller ecological footprints. “At least 80% of our ingredients are local, and 90% are organic. We’re not quite perfect, but we do our best.”

Photo courtesy of Local Burrito

Old Capitol Tofu is on our shelves at all New Pi stores! Local, organic, small batch: www.s.coop/oldcaptofu for more info.

ON OUR SHELVES:

Local & Organic Vegetarian & Vegan Frozen Burritos 10

new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter

Kyle got his start in local foods selling produce for Echollective Farm & CSA at the Iowa City Farmers’ Market, where he craved something more nutritious in the morning than egg rolls and baked goods (the only ready-to-eat foods at the market at that time), so, he started his own business. You'll now find him in his truck-side taco bar at markets, around town, and catering, as well as churning out tasty frozen burritos for the Co-op like Chickpea Potato Masala; Sweet Potato, Broccoli, & Barley; Rice, Bean, & Cheese Curd; & Breakfast Burritos. Kyle’s invested in “the benefits of empowering local communities, local markets, and reducing local food production costs. I’m really interested in mentoring and sharing information with other food producers to help them ramp their production up. Making a living supporting farms that heal the planet while serving people healthy food has become a mission, a full plate, and a way of life.” Stay tuned for a macaroni & cheese burrito, currently under development, and a burrito with a Cajun spin on Grimm Family Farm’s local organic pinto beans and Old Capitol’s local organic tofu!

East Grove Farm Meads & Wines Salem, Iowa

Kurt Garretson returned from Japan and the Peace Corps in Niger, West Africa, to his family’s farm near Salem, Iowa, to make “the world’s oldest alcoholic drink known to man,” on Iowa’s oldest farm. Founded in 1837 by his great-great-greatgrandparents, active abolitionists Joel and Elizabeth Garretson (slave owners had a $500 reward out for Joel’s head!), East Grove Farms is the oldest continuously settled family farm in Iowa. Interested in sustainable agriculture and non-traditional crops, and with his brother Justin’s long-term home brewing hobby, the two brothers and their father Joel founded a winery and meadery. Mead is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water, sometimes with fruits, spices, grains, or hops. “If you try one mead, it’s unlikely that the next one will taste anything like it. They take on the character of whatever you add, and honey flavors depend greatly on what the bees are feeding off.”

Kurt Garretson

Drink extra local & earth-friendly: Their all-Iowa brews are with honey from Perry, Iowa, and fruit they grow and pick locally themselves. “We use a lot of organic practices and avoid pesticides as much as possible, using cover crops and other practices to improve soil health.” Kurt’s favorites? “Our ‘New Tradition’ sparkling mead, very strong and semi-sweet, and our ‘White Pyment,’ a drier style mead of 50/50 grapes and honey, offering acidity and aged with burr oak from our farm.”

Tradition calls for drinking mead for 30 days after marriage to promote fertility, hence a “honeymoon”!

Photo courtesy of East Grove Farm

ON OUR SHELVES:

Local Sparkling Mead, White Pyment, & Elderberry Wines

Visit the Farm for their 3rd annual Folk Music Festival June 18 – William Elliot Whitmore, Flash in The Pan, & more info on their Facebook page!

Diane Ott Whealy

Seed Savers Exchange Decorah, Iowa

In the last century, the world has lost 75% of its edible plant varieties. That might be hard to perceive when many of us have enough food on our plates, but consider this: According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, only five cereal grains make up 60% of our calories. A system that depends so heavily on so few crops is quite fragile. Think of the Irish Potato Famine – the use of only one variety of potato led to a catastrophe. In the United States in particular, genetically modified (GM) plant varieties have had a devastating impact on biodiversity. In 2013, 170 million acres of GM crops were planted in the U.S., seeds that are patented and cannot be saved and planted again next year. That’s roughly half of all American cropland.

Photo courtesy of Seed Savers Exchange

Extra seeds? Many can be used to sprout your own micro greens!

ON OUR SHELVES: Local Heirloom & Organic Seeds of All Varieties

To protect our precious and dwindling seed diversity resources, Diane Ott Whealy and Kent Whealy founded Seed Savers Exchange in 1975. Diane's grandfather entrusted them with the seeds of two garden plants: Grandpa Ott’s Morning Glory and German Pink Tomato. These seeds, brought by Grandpa Ott’s parents from Bavaria when they immigrated to Iowa in the 1870s, became the first two varieties in the Seed Savers collection. Seed Savers formed a network of gardeners interested in preserving heirloom varieties and sharing seeds. Today, with 13,000 members and 20,000 plant varieties, Seed Savers Exchange makes its home on 890 scenic acres in Decorah, Iowa, at Heritage Farm. – Abridged from www.seedsavers.org Mark your calendar to visit their beautiful farm for their summer Conference & Campout July 15-17 and Tomato Tasting Sept. 3 – details at www.seedsavers.org/events

Spring 2016 • www.newpi.coop

waste waste not the

It’s been awhile since I checked in with y’all about compost. In my outreach experience, the statistics from the U.S. Composting Council continue to convince those on the fence that supporting composting is important: 72% of what Americans discard in the trash each day is compostable food and paper, the primary nitrogen and carbon components for making plant food. Knowing that certainly makes folks look at a garbage can in a different light. I often characterize the New Pi Soilmates mission as “closing the food loop.” If we can’t get food in tummies to avoid wasting it, we at least have a choice to compost it into soil nutrients for the next generation of plants. New Pioneer exemplified our “pioneer” name as the first local grocer to prioritize food waste management on three fronts: a.) New Pi co-founded Table To Table, Iowa City’s hunger relief and food recovery service that prevents food waste. b.) New Pi not only collects produce, deli, and kitchen trimmings (defined in the industry as “pre-consumer” waste products) and diverts them to compost facilities, but we are distinct in also providing collection bins for our deli customers (“post-consumer” waste).

The Summit School (C.R.) Garden Club worked with New Pi and their food service team to start composting on-site, including school paper towel waste.

new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter

c.) New Pi fully funds New Pioneer Soilmates outreach where I take the compost message to thousands of school children each year, and help more of them start their own composting projects in their schools and neighborhoods. From diversion to conversion, nothing says communitybuilding more than decomposing vegetative matter!

New Pi Community Outreach Particularly relevant to Earth Month (Earth “Day” on April 22 isn’t enough for us): food waste management’s direct causal effect on climate change. When organic matter decomposes in a landfill without the opportunity to be converted into compost, it releases that gas into the atmosphere, becoming a trapping greenhouse gas over twenty times more potent than CO2! Alternatives are clear: compost it to become nutrients for future food, or convert methane gas into electricity like they do in Linn County! As my dear friend Jen Jordan, Recycling Director of Johnson County, continually reminds me: “We need to stop burying our resources.” I personally took my passion for compost to the next level in 2007 while studying with Will Allen at Growing Power in Milwaukee (www. growingpower.org). I’ve since changed his name to Will Power. If you don’t know about his work, please check out that link. And, while you’re web surfing, check out inspirational food waste management models throughout the world where composting has become a cultural expectation, codified in public policy and budgets. Private interests, as well, need to be expanded. At New Pioneer, our food waste is hauled away by two companies: Johnson County Refuse and GreenRU. Johnson County Refuse transports our compostables to the Johnson County landfill’s compost facility, and GreenRU takes compostables from our Cedar Rapids location to their own processor in Edyville. Either way, institutions (like grocers) that generate higher levels of food waste volume than a typical home have more options than ever to divert that waste to a compost facility. (Speaking of households, kudos to University Heights, now providing residences with curbside collection of all food scraps – meat and dairy included – that are taken to the landfill’s composter!)

The children are driving the composting train – the rest of us just have to get on it!

But infrastructure is still lacking. We are blessed here in Johnson and Linn counties to have places to take our food waste for compost. I was recently at a Food Waste Stakeholders Group meeting with partners from the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) to academia, and we were shown a map of Iowa that highlighted just a few compost processors in the state, all of which were in Eastern Central Iowa. We have a cart and horse challenge: Before we can mandate food waste recovery (as 3 states have done!), we need to have somewhere to take it. A grocer in northwestern Iowa currently has nowhere to take rotting food for composting – unless a fine organic farmer wants to take it. And, again, our first priority needs to be getting food into stomachs before it becomes compost. Misperceptions abound about compost, especially in urban contexts: people think it’s stinky and attracts rats. Nope, not if you have the properly balanced ratio of greens to browns (1 : 2), and not if you leave out meat and dairy; although, even in that case, I should also add that new bio-chemical research in pulping, vermiculture, and mycology is producing encouraging methodologies about how to process ALL food waste while mitigating odor and vermin concerns in residential zones. I always say “start small” … but start! From neighborhoods, where neighbors who don’t want their own compost can leave buckets of food scraps on the porches of their neighbors who do, to the work of grocers like New Pi, I would suggest we have an ethical imperative to support composting systems – in whatever form works for you.

ke, New p e o K t t nic - Sco tes Orga a m il o S Pi h Outreac Garden

The N. Central Jr. High (N. Liberty) Green Team worked with New Pi to start composting their lunch waste, now picked up by Jo. County Refuse.

“We need to stop burying our resources.” Spring 2016 • www.newpi.coop

Turn to p g 17 for Erin . ’ favorite h s inexpensiv ealthy, with farro e ways fo meal of th r any e day!

The

Incredible Bulk! New Pi's

-packaged Tone's Pre

Saving Money & the Planet in One Go

Welcome to the bulk department at New Pioneer Co-op! This diverse section has literally hundreds of items to choose from, all in just the right amount for you. Coffee, tea, herbs, spices, dry goods, liquids, nut butters, and more are available with our assurance of quality and freshness. When you buy in bulk, you aren’t only saving money, you’re saving packaging too – and you’re participating in a tradition that started the Co-op. So let's begin! 14

new pioneer food co-op’s newsletter

“There’s no cheaper way to buy herbs – AND they’re the freshest around! Double win!" – Jenifer Angerer, New Pi Marketing Manager

Bulk 101 (it's easy as 1, 2, 3!)

1) Container: The Co-op provides containers for your use, or you're welcome to bring your own (just ask a cashier to weigh your container prior to filling, so you’ll only pay for the contents and not the weight of the container). 2) Scoop it! There are scales for optional measuring and scoops for filling. Cooking instructions are listed on the item labels, along with nutritional information. 3) Label it! Please write down the “PLU number” of the item (the 4 digit number on the bin) so our cashiers can ring you up accurately. Tired of filling your bag with brown rice twice a week? We’d be happy to assist you with a special order. If your household has a steady demand for a bulk item, consider buying an entire bulk bag and receive a 5% case discount (case discounts are available on most items in our stores, actually)! If you have any questions (or get way too many beans), please ask any staff member to help you. The combinations are endless in the bulk section. And best of all, they’re economical – and oh so environmentally friendly. – Erin McCuskey (left), New Pi Iowa City

Best $$$ Savers in Bulk!

When you buy in bulk you’re not paying for the packaging cost, and neither are we, so we can pass the savings on to you. Additionally, you can scale the quantity to your needs, whether for a little snack or enough to feed the family, to reduce waste. You can save a lot of money when shopping our bulk department!

Favorite Road Snacks and Desk Snacks

If you’re planning a trip, the bulk section should be your first stop. A long car ride can be made more pleasant by munching on sesame sticks, trail mix, or dried cranberries. Those with travelsensitive stomachs will definitely want to stock up on Gin-Gins, a chewy ginger treat that sooths motion sickness. For cravings at work or travel snacking alike, granola is a popular bulk item, and we’ve got plenty of options from New Pi’s House-made or local Slipstream to raspberries and cream (with freeze-dried raspberries). While nothing beats the convenience of prepared granola, making your own is fun and satisfying – and almost everything you need is in the bulk department. If you’re in for a long day of work, nuts are a delicious, healthy snack to have on hand. They’re incredibly filling – a handful or two satiates hunger in a way that simple sugars don’t. Chocolate chips mixed with almonds feels decadent without being over-the-top sweet. For a boost of energy when you’re tired, a cup of tea can help you get through the day – I find Assam and Earl Grey indispensable. Rishi’s White Peony tea in bulk is both stimulating and relaxing. Local Herb Co-op Frontier has a wide variety of bulk caffeinated, herbal, and medicinal teas worth stashing in your desk drawer. – Elissa Cahn, New Pi Iowa City

Incredible Bulk “The Guittard chocolate chips in our bulk section are the way to go! They’re my go-to all-purpose semisweet baking chocolate (and I do a lot of baking). They melt great, unlike other chips, because they don’t have the waxes and stabilizers that prevent others from melting smoothly. Baking chocolate can be expensive – these are not!” – Allison Gnade, Editor

Kid Favorites

We carry a lot of fun foods in our bulk bins and grinders. Kids often like the chocolate covered raisins and almonds, curried cashews, pistachios, yogurt-covered pretzels, fig bars, and there’s plenty more to explore. Some are tasty paired with other bulk items – like the combination of a salty item mixed with a sweet thing – sometimes a strange combination works! Last week we offered samples of yogurt-covered pretzels mixed with cut-up fig bars (both from our bulk bins), and kids were going crazy for it. Kids really like to pick out new things to sample, so if I see a kiddo eyeing a bin or asking their parents about possibilities, I like to offer them a sample. Let any grocery staffer know if we can offer you a sample – we’re happy to! The nut butter grinders are fun to use, and operating them can even make an adult feel like a kid (which I like). You can help children use them and they’ll probably really enjoy the toggle button to turn it on and off. The act of scooping stuff out of the bulk bins is also fun for kids– it’s interactive and helps develop coordination, giving them confidence and enjoyment. It turns out that grocery shopping can be more than something to cross off your list – it can be really engaging for kids! – Jesse Helgerson, New Pi Coralville

For example: organic rolled oats are $3.25 per pound packaged, while they’re only $1.49 per pound in bulk! Organic yellow popcorn is $2.24 per pound packaged, or $1.99 per pound in bulk. Local Slipstream Granola is 75¢ per ounce packaged, while in bulk it is 62¢ per ounce. Semisweet chocolate chips are 50¢ less per pound in bulk! The list goes on and on. My personal favorite bulk item: our freshlyground Almond Butter. Soooo good... – Gavin Potter, New Pi Cedar Rapids

We keep our bulk bins fresh at the Co-op! If you see a thousand bulk bins at another store and no one shopping them, that’s a freshness red flag. We adjust our bulk department to what you’re purchasing (every purchase is a vote for that product to be there!) to maintain freshness and reduce waste. Spring 2016 • www.newpi.coop

af ntastically FRUGAL RECIPES

Welcome to the United Nation’s International Year of Pulses! ...Whaaaat are we talking about? “Pulses” are dried seeds – part of the legume family – and include nutritious proteins high in micronutrients and B vitamins like beans, chickpeas, dried peas, and lentils, and are your new best friends in making healthy and extremely frugal meals. Molly’s Kitchari recipe (shown left, recipe to right) with red lentils or mung dal (which are pulses – any pulse split into halves is called a “dal,” so split mung beans are called mung dal) is a highly economical Indian classic. Our bulk department is home to many a delightful pulse, with a wealth for you to explore. We also have plenty of pulses pre-cooked in our canned goods section, but making a pot of beans or chickpeas on the weekend will have you eating well, and very inexpensively, in diverse ways throughout the week. Get a new cook-ahead habit started with Erin’s excellent ways with farro to the right (not a pulse, but an ancient variety of wheat with a nutty earthiness and satisfying chew) for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Super Simple, Super Quick Ideas: 16

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Frugal Recipes

Cozy Kitchari Oh Farro!

"Kitchari, a very common dish in India with many variations, is definitely one of my budget staples! I like to eat it on a bed of spinach or sautéed kale as a light meal, with curried roasted vegetables, or Indian bread like naan or roti. " – Recipe by Molly McConnell, New Pi Coralville Wellness

DIENTS RE

Makes 4-6 Servings

ALL O

Very mild and comforting, feel free to add whole spices like fennel, coriander, mustard seed, and fenugreek with the cumin seed, and/or a little onion or garlic. ANIC ING

½ c. white basmati rice serving! ½ c. yellow split mung dal ES H S P I N AC (preferred) or red lentils 2 T. butter, ghee, or coconut oil 2 t. cumin seeds 5 c. water 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated 1 bay leaf ½ t. ground cumin ½ t. ground turmeric 1 t. salt & pepper to taste 1 handful cilantro leaves (optional)

Rinse rice and mung dal or red lentils twice. Melt butter/ghee/coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and sauté, stirring, until fragrant – about 1 minute. Stir in rice and mung dal for another minute. Add water, ginger, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until tender – 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in ground cumin, turmeric, and salt (add more to taste). Serve, garnishing with cilantro & pepper.

“This is one of my favorite go-to bulk items for quick, healthy, and inexpensive meals.”

– Recipe by Erin McCuskey, New Pi Iowa City Cook farro in advance and keep in the fridge for easy meals: 1 part farro (from our bulk section) to 5 parts salted water (1 ½ c. makes about 4 big servings) Boil gently for 20 minutes. Strain excess water.

Farro for Breakfast, two ways: cooked farro avocado a dab of butter and/or olive oil egg

Heat up a scoop of farro in the microwave or steam with a little water in a pot. Set aside in a bowl. Halve an avocado, score slices, and scoop out with a spoon. In a pan, heat a bit of butter and oil (per your preference; I like a small pat of butter and a drizzle of olive oil). Place avocado slices in a ring on the outer periphery of the pan. Fry an egg over easy in the middle. Serve over farro. Break yolk so it anoints it all as a sauce and stir.

cooked farro maple syrup (available in bulk) cinnamon (available in bulk)

Heat up farro with some maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon for a great change-up to oatmeal.

“Marinate chicken tenders in New Pi’s House-made Raspberry Salad Dressing overnight. Fry in a little oil and serve. Delish!” – Theresa Carbrey, New Pi Education & Outreach

Farro for Lunch: cooked farro a handful of mushrooms (available in bulk in produce) a drizzle of oil a pinch of salt 1 bunch baby bok choy New Pi's House-made Japanese Dressing daikon radish

Heat up a big scoop of farro in the microwave or steam with a little water in a pot. Set aside. Slice mushrooms. Heat a minimal amount of oil in a pan and sauté them. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the mushrooms and continue cooking. Cut the bottom off the baby bok choy. Pull apart leaves, then wash thoroughly. Dry. Chop horizontally across from stem to end of leaves. When mushrooms have released their liquids and are browning, turn up the heat a bit and add the bok choy. Add some of New Pi's Japanese Dressing. Stir contents briefly, then serve piping hot over the farro. Grate daikon radish over top.

Farro for Dinner: cooked farro, cold arugula spinach carrots New Pi's House-made Caesar Dressing a big handful of sunflower seeds (available in bulk)

Add cold farro to an arugula and spinach salad with shaved carrots. Add New Pi's Caesar Dressing. Toss. Throw sunflower seeds on top. Enjoy!

“Make quick and easy quesadillas using New Pi Chef Matt Steigerwald’s House-made Pimento Cheese spread as the filling.” – Craig Albright, New Pi Prepared Foods Lead Spring 2016 • www.newpi.coop

New Pi's Spring Top 10 Wines

Welcome to our most diverse Top Ten in recent memory! We’ve got California Cabernets from the BEST vintage I’ve seen in the 21 years I’ve been in the business (Think that’s just hype? Try 'em and talk to me...), a stunning new Albariño, and a delicious Sauvignon Blanc. A brand new Barbera AND a Gavi to go with it. You say you've been digging our Portuguese reds? We’ve got a new one that’ll KNOCK you out. Plus a new release from an old school Zin producer, AND an early arrival Rosé. Kowabunga. – Tom Caufield, New Pi Wine Guy

Laroque Cabernet Franc 2014 & Pinot Noir 2014

These stylish wines have that extra Northern Italian finesse that makes them stand out at a dinner party. The red offers black fruits with a soft grip on the lingering finish. The white offers a dance of melon, apple, and almond flavors, and a delightfully astringent finish. $13.99 – Mercedes

FRANCE

Vidigal SeleçÃo Especial Dos Amigos 2013 PORTUGAL

CALIFORNIA

Cyprus Sauvignon Blanc 2014 CALIFORNIA

Imagine the best New Zealand Sauv. you’ve ever had. Now imagine it WITHOUT all that pesky grapefruit. Gooseberry, melon, and lime on the nose and frisking about in the mouth. Ripe and round with pitch-perfect acidity. This is my FAVORITE Sauv. Blanc right now. I LOVE this and expect you will too. $15.99 – Tom

Mercede Wine, Be s, New Pi Cheese L er, & ead

, Miss NikMistress New Pi & Cheese of Wine

a, New Meliss cialties e p S Pi inator Coord

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Dry Creek Zinfandel 2014

SPAIN

Our Portuguese set continues to expand with wines that over-perform for the money. Notes of dark fruits and raisins with a touch of earth and mocha, lush with balanced tannins, and lightly oaked. Pairs well with steak, lamb, or barbeque. $14.99 – Melissa

Jade Mountain Cabernet What? Jade Mountain makes a Cabernet? Who knew? And the price? That’s not a misprint. The only concern when we tasted it was that it might be too ‘serious’ for its price point – it’s got structure and tannin to spare and will age effortlessly for a handful of years. $13.99 – Tom

Cloudline Pinot Noir 2014

Columba Albariño 2014

It’s been YEARS since we found a new Albariño we loved enough to bring to our shelves. Melon, peach, and white flowers soar. Generous mouthfeel with lovely stone fruit (peach) and honeysuckle. Granite and slate soils bring a resounding minerality. Very long, mineral driven finish. The quintessential seafood wine. $14.99 – Tom

Domaine de Châteaumar Grenache Rosé 2015 Oh my! Let’s celebrate Spring with a crisp, fresh-from-the-vine 2015 Grenache Rosé. These vineyards on stony-clay-limestone soil have been in the Suret family for generations and farmed with utmost respect for nature. Serve with mussels, salmon, or cheese. $13.99 – Mercedes

ITA LY

FRANCE

The Cab Franc will cause you to fall in love with this grape. Dark purple in color with tobacco, raspberry, and spice on the nose. Lovely with acidity to keep things lively. Simply delicious. Buy this by the case to enjoy its currant and cassis fruit cornucopia over the next 5-6 years. $10.99 Their Pinot Noir offers classic cherry fruit with spice and earth tones, raspberry and plum, with baking spices and repeating cherries. Bright acidity and a generous finish. $12.99 – Tom

Canti Barbera d'Asti 2011 (Red) & Canti Gavi 2014 (White)

OREGON

Bright, spicy notes of bing cherry spring from the glass. Effusive wild strawberry follows, layered gracefully with smoky tea and just enough fine tannin, giving a nod to its Burgundian heritage. Pair with a leek and chèvre frittata. $17.99 – Miss Nik CALIFORNIA

Zins are famous for bold, sexy fruit and sultry spice: a bit naughty and a bit nice. This offers a generous blend of sweet raspberry and tart cranberry held tightly by dark chocolate, smoky cardamom, and white pepper. A stunning companion to char-grilled sausage, peppers, & onions. $ 19.99 – Miss Nik

Clos du Val Cabernet 2013 CALIFORNIA

Pay attention – 2013 will go down as one of the all-time great vintages for California Cabernet. It’s the best I’ve seen in my 21+ years in the business. From Vinous (Galloni): “Striking. Utterly mesmerizing. Hits all the right spots. Graphite, smoke, grilled herbs, black cherries, and incense form a tapestry of aromas and flavors that simply dazzles.” At $30 a bottle, all serious wine lovers should be buying this by the case to drink over the next 15 years. It’s approachable now, but will reward patience in the cellar with a growing sense of place and elegance. Bravo! $29.99 – Tom

Tom, New Pi Wine Guy

Get Cookin'! C L A S S E S AT N E W P I C O R A LV I L L E Turn the Right Genes On with Dr. Terry Wahls

CEDAR RAPIDS

Tues., Apr. 12, 6-7:30pm $15/person

Shores Event Center, 700 16th Street NE, Suite L100, Cedar Rapids wheelchair accessible, elevator available The genes you receive from your parents have a significant influence on your health. Aspects of your environment also play a powerful role in “turning on” and “turning off” your genetic inheritance. Join Paleo health pioneer Dr. Terry Wahls as she outlines how diet and lifestyle can help improve your mental and physical health by minimizing harmful genes, and maximizing helpful genes.

Hands-On: Tamale Party with Bill Schintler Tues., June 7, 6-8pm $20/person

Tamales, a Mexican party favorite that can be sweet or savory, are prepared by placing masa corn flour dough and a filling in a corn husk, which is then rolled and steamed. Join talented home chef Bill Schintler as he demonstrates the preparation of tamales with meat, vegetarian, and vegan fillings including Chicken and Pork Green Chili, Spicy Cheese, and Sweet Potato with Bean.Then you'll take a turn creating tamales to take home. Side dishes to sample include Albondigas, Guacamole, Queso Flameado, and Salsa Verde.

Baroncini Makes Ravioli with Chef Gianluca Baroncini Tues., June 14, 6-8pm $30/person

Chef Gianluca of Baroncini’s Ristorante will demonstrate the preparation of the vegetarian appetizer Spinach Ricotta Ravioli served with Toasted Butter, Sage, and Parmesan Cheese, continue with Ravioli stuffed with seafood accompanied by a Spicy Tomato Basil Sauce, and conclude the savory options with Lamb Ravioli served with Mushroom Cream Sauce. For dessert: Sweet Berry Ravioli made with puff pastry and topped with vanilla ice cream.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

Cooking Classes Hands-On: Asian Dumplings with Sayuri Sasaki Hemann Wed., June 22, 6-8pm $20/person

‘Dumpling Night’ was a time when Sayuri’s family gathered to prepare one of their favorite meals: Asian dumplings, also known as “Gyoza” or “Pot-stickers.” Join Sayuri as she demonstrates the preparation of the dough and two types of fillings: pork/cabbage, and shiitake/ tofu/veggie, which will be pan-fried to perfection. Sayuri will share tips, stories, and creative filling possibilities so you can have a special ‘Dumpling Night’ of your own!

Indian Butter Chicken with Pramod Sarin Tues., June 28, 6-8pm $20/person

Pramod Sarin comes from a family of excellent cooks, and learned to prepare dishes from her native region of Punjab, India. Discover the appearance, scent, and flavor of spices favored in Indian cooking, as well as how to release the flavor of the spices to season food. Pramod will prepare several dishes including Butter Chicken, Aloo Gobi (cauliflower), Potato Raita, and Rice Pulao, with samples of Chai.

Dinner on the Titanic with Chef Valérie Martin Wed., July 13, 6-8pm $20/person

Meals on the Titanic ocean liner were sumptuous and multi-course. Alert foodies ask: What were the upper-class passengers eating? Join Chef Valérie Martin as she demonstrates the preparation of Titanic favorites Truffled Wild Mushroom Tartlets, Sautéed Chicken Lyonnais with Potatoes Anna, and for dessert: Waldorf Pudding.

AREA EVENT

Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love FREE event at Prairie Lights Bookstore in Iowa City Tues., April 26, 7pm (no registration needed)

Named the environmental “messenger” by Vanity Fair, a top 10 ecohero of the planet by the U.K.’s Independent, and designated one of the top eight women saving the planet by Marie Claire, Simran Sethi is the author of Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow Loss of Foods We Love, about the story of changes in food and agriculture told through bread, wine, chocolate, coffee, and beer.

Visit our Classes & Events Calendar to register at www.newpi.coop, or contact Genie Maybanks at (319) 248-6408 if you need assistance. Classes feature sample-size portions and are held at New Pi Coralville unless otherwise noted. Classes that are full do not appear in this listing. Spring 2016 • www.newpi.coop