Y O U R
C O M M U N I T Y
THE
N A T U R A L
F O O D S
NATURAL
A Pu b l i cat i o n o f t h e S kag i t Va l l e y Fo o d Co - o p
M A R K E T
ENQUIRER April - June 2021
How to Compost with Worms by Callie Martin
There is a climate impact hiding in the back of your fridge: Wasted food! According to the U.N. Food & Agriculture Organization, 30% of food is wasted globally across the supply chain, contributing 8% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions. And don’t forget all the metal cans, plastic bags, and cardboard boxes our food comes in. By throwing away leftover stir-fry, half the emissions from producing and processing, packaging, shipping, storing, picking up, and cooking are also wasted. Reducing food waste is one of the most important things we can do to halt global warming. So, how do we tackle a global problem on a local level? We compost – a simple habit benefiting people and planet that diverts nutrient-laden, rotten food from the landfill and gives it back to the soil.
Red Wigglers in compost.
Vermicomposting, or worm composting, is one of the most efficient, accessible methods for composting food waste at home. By harnessing the work of redworms, you can transform kitchen scraps into a soil amendment that’s good as gold. Here’s how to create a worm bin: Choosing the Right Worm Bin Many containers make suitable worm bins, from commercially available vermicomposting units to DIY bins, and common materials range from wood to plastic. Airflow is an essential function of any bin’s controlled environment. The goal is to create an aerobic habitat, one in which oxygen is present throughout the bedding. Oxygen is necessary not only for the worms, but
also for the millions of microorganisms that work with the worms to break down waste. To ensure successful airflow, a bin needs lots of surface area to allow more air to contact the bedding and provide a broader space for food waste. If your worm bin is single layer, it should be shallow, usually no deeper than 12”-18” because redworms tend to feed upward, munching from beneath the surface material at the top of the bin. In a deep container, bedding can pack down, and this compression forces air out from bottom layers, creating smelly conditions due to lack of oxygen. Bins must have holes in the sides, tops, or bottom to let air in but keep pests out. You can use mesh screens to cover the holes, install various styles of louvered vents or cut out a rectangle from the bottom, side, or lid and cover with a screen to provide more airflow. (continued on page 8)
in this issue
page
page
6
Board Elections ∙ pg 2
page
11
7
Third Street Cafe Closure ∙ pg 5 Tokens for Tomorrow ∙ pg 5 Hidden Food Allergies ∙ pg 9 4% Friday Recipients ∙ pg 10
Pop, Rock, & Soul
Hanging On & Letting Go
Whidbey Pies
from the board
Annual Meeting, Elections, & Bylaw Changes
No Patronage This Year
The Co-op’s Annual Meeting will be held on May 12 at 6pm via Zoom for the second, and hopefully, last time. As usual, part of the meeting will be the election of Board Members. This year, the election will also include the approval of some changes to our Bylaws. The Bylaws are one of the two foundational documents of the Co-op. (The other is the Articles of Incorporation.) The Bylaws lay out the general processes by which the Co-op is governed: Ownership, Meetings, the structure of the Board, and other high level details. All active owner-members can vote on proposed changes to the Bylaws, and approval requires a 2/3 majority of those voting. Changes are infrequent — the last changes were made in 2009. Over the past several years, we have been constrained in a few areas by our current Bylaws — mostly in the areas of communication and elections. For instance, our current Bylaws require that paper ballots be used and either mailed in or dropped in a box at the store. We want to allow for some flexibility in this process to encourage more participation by ownermembers — such as internet or email voting — but we’re unable to do so based on the rules in the Bylaws. We decided to modify the Bylaws to allow more options in voting and owner-member communication generally. We also wanted to make sure that we were in compliance with changes in State law, to correct a few typos, and clarify some muddy language. We’ve spent the last few months scrubbing the Bylaws to this end. We had our lawyer review them as well. We are now ready to submit them to a vote by Skagit Valley Food Co-op owner-members. The primary changes are: •
Allowing owner-members to optionally supply their email address in addition to, or instead of, their postal address.
•
Allowing more ways to announce meetings, such as email.
•
Allowing more methods for balloting.
•
Clarifying the process for removing a Board member for cause.
•
Allowing a person filling a Board vacancy to serve for the remainder of the term of the vacant position.
•
Having our lawyer rewrite the Indemnification and Limits of Liability sections to reflect changes in laws and best practices.
The full text of the current and proposed Bylaws, as well as a document showing the specific changes are posted online at skagitfoodcoop.com.
The Skagit Valley Food Co-op Natural Enquirer is a quarterly publication of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and may not reflect Co-op policy. No articles are meant to be used for diagnosis or treatment of illness. The Co-op does not endorse the products or services of advertisers.
Skagit Valley Food Co-op Mission Statement The Skagit Valley Food Co-op is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide good food at a fair price. As stated in the Co-op Bylaws: “The Co-op shall promote member welfare by utilizing their united funds and their united efforts for the purchase and distribution of commodities in accordance with the following criteria: B. Offering high quality products which contribute to good nutrition;
C. Supporting a low impact, non-harmful approach to the environment; D. Supporting local suppliers and producers; E. A commitment to building a cooperative economy and supporting others who share that commitment;
Board Elections
There are two positions open on the Board of Trustees. Two incumbent Board members and four owner-members are running for these two open positions. The information about all candidates and a ballot are included in this issue and are also available online. Candidates were asked to address the following questions and to provide a candidate statement regarding their desire to serve: •
Describe your previous experience serving on a board of trustees. Indicate the type(s) of board (governance, nonprofit, fundraising, etc.) and whether you held a leadership position.
•
What special skills/knowledge would you bring to the board? (Select all that apply: financial, legal, co-op, facilitation, Spanish language fluency, farming and food distribution, grocery, general management, other)
•
Describe any existing relationships you have with communities related to co-op, such as: farming related, underserved communities, political governance, not for profits, compatible organizations, etc.
When you cast your ballot for Board Members, please also vote to approve the changes to our Bylaws. The Board unanimously supports these changes. We strongly feel that these changes will allow us to be more transparent and inclusive, and provide more owner-members with a voice in the Co-op. Please note: If a ballot is returned without a vote either FOR or AGAINST these changes, we will assume that that is a vote FOR.
BRAD CLAYPOOL Incumbent Board Candidate
Board Experience • Skagit Valley Food Co-op: Co-op Governance - 7+ years - Treasurer 6 years (current) •
Middle Way Acupuncture Institute: Advisory Board (current)
•
Artist Trust – Non-profit Board of Directors - 6+ years - President 2 years
•
Artech Inc. - Corporate Governance 12 years - President 12 years
•
Various Co-op & Condo Association Boards
Skills/Knowledge
√ Financial
F. A commitment to educational programs relevant to members and non-members in the community.” Editor: Nicole Vander Meulen | Layout & Design: Emily Zimmerman Staff Contributors: Contributors: nancylee bouscher, Ben Goe, Jenny Sandbo, Leigha Staffenhagen, & Tony White Board of Trustees: Brad Claypool, Kristen Ekstran, Britta Eschete, Casey Schoenberger, Rob Smith, Wayne Rushing, Tim Penninger & Tom Theisen Copyright 2021: Reprints with permission
2 Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021
√ Co-op
√ General Management
Existing Community Relationships •
A. Maintaining the non-for-profit status of the Co-op;
The Co-op Board has declared no Patronage Dividend for 2020. Patronage is only returned to members when the Co-op has made sufficient net income for the year. In 2020, the Co-op experienced a loss of $6,600, therefore there is no excess earnings from 2020 to return. 2020 was a year unlike any other. Compared to 2019, store sales dropped 4.47%, while Third Street Cafe sales dropped by 247%. Overall, sales were down 9.97% over the previous year. We also incurred substantial additional COVID-19 expenses totaling $580,000. Included in that amount was over $500,000 in added pay for employees. The good news is that we are very stable and have adequate resources to weather a year like 2020 and beyond. So, in lieu of a patronage refund we would like to express to you all our sincere appreciation for your commitment shown to our Co-op during 2020.
Volunteer for Meals on Wheels
Candidate Statement I have been honored to serve on the Skagit Valley Food Co-op Board since 2014. During the last few years I have been involved in developing the basics of our move towards Policy Governance and a new committee structure; our successful executive search — leading to hiring our new General Manager; developing a new, hopefully more inclusive process for bringing in new board members; and revising our Bylaws. I have served as Treasurer for the last six years. The Co-op has faced many challenges in the last few years, including a change in operational management and the pandemic. Our financial health has limited the potential long term impacts of the pandemic, and we have been able to invest in some long overdue upgrades. I am especially mindful of our responsibility towards keeping our employees and our owner-members safe, while also helping the wider community through these times.
(Brad Claypool continued) My background is well suited to this role. I had a successful 20+ year career in technology. In the late ‘90s, I left my position as a corporate senior manager to co-found an art gallery in Seattle. I was subsequently asked to lead a 30 year old art services company back to financial stability. I served as CEO, managed all accounting, and was the “IT Guy” of this 60 person corporation for 12 years. I am a life-long believer in the co-op model, and I truly appreciate the people and the work of this Co-op. As members, we can all be proud of our ongoing success and our Co-op’s impact on the entire community through direct support of local non-profits, local producers, and educational programs. I believe I have the skills to help the Co-op continue to thrive, grow, and positively impact the larger community. I hope you’ll take the time to vote, and I hope you’ll consider voting for me.
Skagit Valley Food Co-op's Annual Member-Owner Meeting Wednesday, May 12th • 6pm Via Zoom
Join us for an informative evening with your fellow Skagit
Valley Food Co-op member-owners, Board of Directors, and
General Manager. Hear the latest news and updates from the Co-op Board and General Manager.
TOM THEISEN
Zoom link available at skagitfoodcoop.com
Incumbent Board Candidate Board Experience I currently serve on two Boards; the Board of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op and the Board of Skagit Council Housing. I have served on the Board of Skagit Valley Food Co-op for nearly twenty years, as President for at least the last ten. This Board is a Policy Governance Board. Skagit Council Housing; SCH is a non-profit Board which manages 106 units of low income senior housing in Mount Vernon. I have served on this Board for over 20 years at all positions, currently as Vice President. Skills/Knowledge
√ Financial
√ Legal
√ Co-op
√ Facilitation
√ Grocery
√ General Management
√ Farming & Food
environmentally sensitive and sustainable agriculture. Can we produce and package more of our own? What are other partnering opportunities with our abundant, local agricultural resources? The Board has challenges ahead: COVID-19 recovery, maximizing the function, efficiency, and economics of our “campus”, maintaining a thriving store with a well-cared for staff, expanding our contribution to the security and availability of quality food and food related resources to name a few. I would be honored to have your vote to continue to serve.
DAVID M. ESCOBAR, DO Board Candidate
Existing Community Relationships
See board experience above.
Candidate Statement I graduated with a Master’s degree in Architecture from Montana State University in 1978. 31 of my 43 years as an architect have been in Mount Vernon managing my architectural firm and its wide variety of projects. Architects are by nature, education, and experience, problem solvers; analysis of needs, exploration of options, decision making, implementation. Along the way, one manages time, people, budgets, and performance. Consensus among partners is essential for success. These skills have proved valuable in the numerous remodeling projects over the years in the main building and the significant C-SQUARE project. The combination of my architectural experience, my thirty one year Co-op membership, and my nearly 20 years as a Board member gives me valuable institutional knowledge of the site, the buildings, and the business. Of course, it’s not all about the site, the buildings, or the “business.” It’s about food and community relationships. I was on the original committee that created 4% Friday that assists regional non-profits to be successful in their missions. To date, we have helped over a hundred non-profits with donations of over $375,000. As a type 1 diabetic, good nutrition is essential to my health and quality of life. My interest (ok, obsession) with food has expanded over the years from its nutritional value and where it comes from to, how it’s grown, how it’s handled both physically and socially, and does it represent best practices in
(Tom Theisen continued)
Board Experience I currently serve on the Board of Directors as Vice President of the Washington Osteopathic Medical Association and on the Board of Trustees for the Washington Academy of Family Physicians. Skills/Knowledge
√ Financial √ Legal √ Facilitation √ Healthcare & Nutrition Existing Community Relationships No previous experience other than being a member. But I look forward to learning more about sustainable farming, food security, and how community cooperatives play a role in such matters. Candidate Statement
I have been a member of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op for several years now and have always enjoyed the benefits of such. As a local physician I have a growing interest in how access to whole, nutritious foods that are sustainably sourced impacts human health, and thus the health of our local communities. So often my conversations with patients in the community revolve around diet, nutrition, and proper access to food. What I have found is a lack of
Ballot for the 2021 Board of Trustees Cast your vote for this year's candidates and Bylaw changes.
Eligible member-owners may vote for two Board of Trustee Candidates. Please note: If you submit a ballot without voting either FOR or AGAINST the Bylaw revisions, we will assume you agree with the proposed changes and will count your ballot as FOR the changes.
Board of Trustee Candidates (check 2) Brad Claypool Incumbent
Tom Theisen Incumbent
Vote on Bylaw Changes:
FOR
David Escobar
Michael Martucci
Sonia Sahay
Paul Lin Satzinger
AGAINST
Ballots must be received by Wednesday, May 12 th , 2021! How to Submit Your Ballot:
• Write your Name and Member Number on the outside of an envelope • Enclose ballot in the envelope and return to the ballot box in the Co-op, OR located at the Board of Director’s Information Board by the grocery registers.
• Mail ballot with your Name and Member Number to: Skagit Valley Food Co-op, 202 S 1st Street, Mount Vernon, WA 98273, Attn: Ballot
Voting Eligibility, Verification & Confidentiality: You must be an active member to vote in the Board election. An active member is current in equity payments, has made a purchase at the Co-op in the last 12 months, and has a current address on file. Member name and number are required to verify eligibility, and are confidential. Ballots will not be counted without verification. Ballots will be accepted until 5:55pm PST, Wednesday, May 12, 2021. One ballot per active household.
Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021
3
(David M. Escobar continued)
(Sonia Sohay continued)
health and nutrition literacy writ-large, and I believe community co-ops like ours play a pivotal role in not only access to food, but food and farming education as well. My expertise these past many years is in health care, but I also currently serve on a number of not-for-profit boards and have done so for many years. Additionally, I am working towards completion of Master’s Degrees in legal studies and dispute resolution with the Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law; in the next couple of months, I will successfully complete a Master’s Degree in public health from the A.T. Still University of Health Sciences. I can bring expertise in health care, nutrition, public health, and legal knowledge and facilitation/mediation skills to the Board, as well as years of experience in various leadership positions. I very much look forward to the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors for our Skagit Valley Food Co-op. The chance to serve is paramount, but I also anticipate learning much more about community co-ops, sustainable farming, and ethical food sourcing. Thank you for considering my candidacy to serve.
Skills/Knowledge
MICHAEL J. MARTUCCI Board Candidate
Board Experience This will be my first opportunity to serve on a board of trustees. Skills/Knowledge
√ Legal √ General Management √ I bring my background legal training
and professional experience as a litigation attorney to contribute to the Board’s work.
Existing Community Relationships
Through the LAW Advocates “Street Law” program, I volunteer my time to give pro bono legal advice to low-income individuals. Candidate Statement:
Serving on the Co-op board would be an opportunity to contribute to an organization and community that has nourished my family’s bodies and souls since moving to Mount Vernon six years ago. I, like many Northwesterners, am a transplant. Growing up in Philadelphia, food largely came from the “middle aisles” of large, chain grocery stores. Putting roots down in Mount Vernon coincided with discovering the Co-op and quickly led to a deep appreciation for the unique value it brought to our entire community. Through membership and purchases, the Co-op has become a forum for my family to promote concepts we are passionate about, including shopping locally, supporting non-profit partnerships, and cultivating respect and appreciation for the food we put in our bodies, as well as the land and people who produce it. The recent birth of my son coupled with the overwhelming challenges brought by 2020 created a renewed sense of perspective and urgency to take action. The values and principles embodied by the Co-op are those I hope to preserve and pass on, making keen stewardship of this organization a future investment and a current imperative. If elected to serve on the Board, I look forward to utilizing my legal training and professional experience as a litigation attorney to contribute to and advance the Co-op’s mission and vision. Fundamental to my work is the ability to listen carefully, think critically, communicate clearly, and keep an open mind to resolve problems. As a Board member, I will strive to help lead this organization in a way that is financially sustainable, environmentally sound, and responsive to input from employees as well as fellow memberowners. It would be an honor to offer all that I have to serve this community and keep the Co-op thriving for generations to come.
SONIA SAHAY Board Candidate
Board Experience I was a member of the City of Issaquah Human Services Commission for a period of nearly a year and a half. This is an appointment made by the Mayor of the City. The commission plays an important role in studying issues and concerns in the human services area to ensure that the basic survival needs of Issaquah residents are met and that support systems are in place to help people through economic and personal crisis.
4 Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021
√ Financial
√ Legal
√ Facilitation
√ General Managment
Existing Community Relationships
No existing relationships. But am a supporter and regular customer of Waxwing Farm right here in Mount Vernon. Candidate Statement:
Giving back to the community I live in is important to me. As a new Mount Vernon resident, the Co-op has played a huge role in us feeling at home here. It’s a gift to have local organizations like the SVFC whose values and objectives have much in common with mine. I’d like to find a way to use my skills and experiences to contribute and make a difference. When serving on the Issaquah Human Services Commission, I actively participated in topics concerning human services planning and funding. I visited organizations that the City approved grants for; my area of focus was health – physical and mental health organizations. I learned and brought back inputs from site visits to organizations like NAMI, Crisis Connection, etc. The second half focused on the grant cycle for the 2021-2022 grant allocations for five area goals: Food to Eat and Roof Overhead, Supportive Relationships within Families, Neighborhoods, and Communities, Safe Haven from All Forms of Violence and Abuse, Health Care to be Physically and Mentally Fit as Possible, and Education and Job Skills to Lead an Independent Life. This involved deliberating with commission members on ~80 grant applications and deciding funding recommendations for the five goal areas. Reviewing the grant applications by area and balancing out the need and impact for the benefit of city residents took over tens of hours. In a year of stressed city budgets due to COVID-19 this was tough and involved multiple rounds of discussions across commission members and city staff to arrive at an appropriate recommendation to City Hall. My reason for sharing this is, I am not one to take on a commitment lightly and can be counted on to be a full participant. I am currently employed full time at Microsoft Corporation in Bellevue. I work on Mergers and Acquisitions and while I specialize in Sales & Marketing, I work every day with legal, financial, and general management matters.
PAUL LIN SATZINGER Board Candidate
Board Experience Since 2018, I have been part of the leadership team at NOLS Pacific Northwest. As part of this team, I provide consultation and solutions for strategic initiatives, policy and procedural development, staff hiring and training, team building, and managing crises. Skills/Knowledge
√ Financial √ Facilitation √ Language (Mandarin Chinese, Spanish) √ Farming & Food Distribution √ General Management Existing Community Relationships
During the COVID-19 pandemic, NOLS Pacific Northwest did not operate. With the campus empty, I was able to partner with two organizations that could use the campus while NOLS was not. The first is Greenwood Tree Educational Cooperative (GWT). GWT is an educational program here in Skagit Valley. Through this partnership, GWT has been able to offer classes held at the NOLS outdoor campus for three of its classes. The second is a new business called Rachael and Bread. Since NOLS was not using its commercial kitchen, I worked with Rachael on developing an equitable rental agreement to cover operating costs, but also allowed her to get her business off the ground. Rachael and Bread is now a growing business providing amazing fresh sourdough bread and baked goods in Skagit Valley. Candidate Statement:
My partner and I moved to Skagit Valley four years ago and were so warmly welcomed by the community here and continue to be awed by the richness of the area. I love this community and want to give back to it. Food warms my heart and soul, and I know it does so for many others. The Food Co-op is an amazing hub that provides food and resources for our community and I want to support it so that everyone in our community can be nourished in body, mind and soul. I have a deep background in environmental education, business management, and community engagement. I currently work for NOLS Pacific Northwest as their Operations Manager. NOLS takes students of all ages and backgrounds on wilderness expeditions, and teaches leadership, environmental ethics, and backcountry living skills. I want to use my skills and experience to serve the Food Co-op as a Board Member and serve the community. Thank you for reading and for considering me for this position.
Third Street Cafe Closure It is with deep sadness that we announced the closure of Third Street Cafe at the end of January. The decision to close the restaurant was a difficult one, but we believe it to be the right one for the good of the Co-op. We would have loved to pursue the vision of a Co-op restaurant, but it was no longer sustainable to keep that portion of our business open. With COVID restrictions in place and an unpredictable future, even a half full Third Street Cafe felt impractical both in economics and community, and we can all agree that takeout just wasn’t the same.
We want to emphasize that our decision to close Third Street Cafe is in no way an indicator of how business is going in our main store. In fact, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, our Co-op is healthy, and sales are steady and stable—even growing in many departments. For that, we thank you for your unwavering support. Our community is so resilient.
So what happens now? Like most plans in recent history, we’re reluctant to make them too concrete, or too public, for fear of change. However, what we can tell you is that opportunities abound, and the main goal is to use the space to improve your shopping experience in the Co-op by improving our offerings, creating more space, and maximizing efficiency. We’ve already laid the groundwork: we’ve been handcrafting amazing food for decades and will continue to churn out incomparable fresh baked goods, meats, ice cream, and other novelty items. We want to bring you even more of those unique, quality products on a consistent basis! Expanding our kitchens and production in the C-SQUARE Building will allow us to do so.
Tokens For Tomorrow
Meet the 2nd Quarter Tokens for Tomorrow groups! With Tokens for Tomorrow, every time you bring in a reusable shopping bag, we honor your commitment to reducing waste with a token worth 5¢ that you can give back to one of these local organizations.
Helping Hands Food Bank
The mission of the Helping Hands Food Bank is to nourish the community with kindness and without judgment. In 2020, Helping Hands fed over 700,000 individuals throughout Skagit County. Through its 13 distributions sites, the expansion of the mobile food program, and removed restrictions from C.H.O.W. (Cutting Hunger On Weekend, also known as the Children's Backpack Weekend Meal Program), Helping Hands is currently feeding an average of 6,000 families each week.
Northwest Youth Services
Northwest Youth Services is a nonprofit organization serving young people ages 13-24 experiencing homelessness in Whatcom, Skagit, and Island Counties. It supports youth in identifying goals and building the skills necessary to reach their own sense of stability. Northwest Youth Services offers housing, street outreach, assistance in finding a job or enrolling in school, connection to mental health services, support for LGBTQ youth, restorative justice for juvenile offenders, and referrals to other services in the community.
Reach Out & Read
Reach Out & Read (ROR) believes that all families should have the tools and information they need to make reading aloud a daily routine. ROR is an evidence-based school readiness program that seeks to provide young children with a foundation for success though the powerful effects of reading and sharing a story with a loved one. To facilitate this, Reach Out & Read partners with doctors and nurses to incorporate books into children’s routine pediatric care visits and encourages families to read together.
Skagit Land Trust
Storage has never been tighter at the Co-op, and our teams are Tetris masterminds when it comes to maximizing space, but if you’ve ever wondered why your favorite ice cream bar or frozen berries are out of stock, lack of storage just might be the culprit. By increasing space for product backstock in the C-SQUARE Building, you’ll be more likely to find what you’re looking for in the Co-op every time you shop. It is also clear that what we imagined would be a temporary online ordering and curbside service isn’t going anywhere soon, maybe not ever. We’ll be able to use our extra space to streamline our processes even further, making Co-op Curbside easier to use, with more product availability.
As for the Third Street Cafe team, we’d been running our restaurant takeout service fiercely and efficiently with just ten amazing employees, all of whom were offered work here at the Co-op. We feel very fortunate to be able to provide steady employment in uncertain times, and more importantly, to care for the people who have contributed so much to our business over the last few years. We held a Third Street Cafe Info Session via Zoom on February 24th, and General Manager Tony White shared tentative plans for the space. The session concluded with a brief Q&A. The Zoom recording is available on the website. Closing the restaurant is not at all what we had envisioned, but we’re excited for the opportunity to bring you even more of the food you love right here in the Co-op.
As always, thank you for your support and cooperation as we move ahead.
Skagit Land Trust works with partners and the public to protect and restore wildlife habitats, agricultural and forest lands, scenic open space, wetlands, and shorelines for the benefit of the community and as a legacy for future generations of people and wildlife. The Trust engages people of all ages to care for, connect with, and learn about the natural lands that make the Skagit Valley so special. The Trust’s Conservation Classrooms program allows youth across Skagit County to develop a sense of place, learn to value conservation and the plants and animals living in the community, and gain the physical, social, and emotional benefits of time in nature.
Reuse. Rinse. Repeat. We're happy to welcome back the Tokens for Tomorrow Program! Every time you reuse your bag, you’re giving back. How many times have you given back? How many times have you reused your bag? Probably too many to count, and we are so grateful for your efforts. Now, how many times have you reused your bag since you washed it last? Chances are, probably too many times to count. So, please remember to wash your bags to help keep everyone’s food safe and clean. And thanks again for reusing your bag! Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021
5
from wellness
Pop, Rock, & Soul by nancylee bouscher
Have I already told you about my rocking chair? Maybe it’s safe to assume that if I have forgotten writing about it you may have also forgotten reading about it. I’d say “stop me if you’ve heard this one before,” but that wouldn’t stop me at all. I’m that person that gets carried away by the telling of a tale. Yes, I need an audience, but I like my audience captive. And mostly silent — like readers. Like you. I have the rocking chair that my mom rocked me in when I was a baby. It’s sitting not ten feet away from me with the quilt my mom sewed for me out of random bits of blankets and clothes. The quilt is so thread bare that it only lives on the back of the rocking chair now. One of those precious things retired to mostly being observed. I remember the feeling of being rocked in this chair and of rocking my own babies in this chair. I know the creak of its wooden dowels like a lullaby or birdsong.
whole mouth and spit out the pit with a satisfying POP! I think that Co-op employees are often like a quick cherry-sized delight to customers. You pop into the store, and we put on our game face. We smile sweetly and, hopefully, you get the best of us distilled into a few moments of hospitality. We grow in dimension to each other and yes, that does mean we lose some of the tangy zing but we add more texture, more color, and scents – we become more of a two-handed snack, if not — at times — a full meal. Fortunately, I have some really delicious coworkers. At the top of that list is my favorite ginger-crunchy-earth-mama, Ruhama in Wellness. Before I knew her or her name, I knew her dance. It was well over twenty years back at a show at the Wild Buffalo in front of an all-woman band. I noticed Ru because she danced all for herself with her arms up in the air, a curtain of orange curls floating around her face. Years later, I would see her as I shopped in the Co-op — the blur of her going from here to there. I would later dub her our “hummingbird” because she is forever in pursuit of a task, a small detail, a bit of thread to sew up a little project that perhaps no one else would ever see. I’m not certain I will ever find a co-worker so motivated to keep busy, and while I will miss that about Ru as she retires this spring after over 32 years working at the Co-op, to say she is so much more than a co-worker to me is an extreme understatement. Over the years, I have been able to somehow eke out details of her life that charm and wow me like a book you cannot put down. Once when we were gifted a deer hide and my sons were trying to build a frame to tan the hide, Ru casually commented about her years of doing just that – mentioning how she’d mix up brain the way most folks talk about their favorite muffin recipe. Ru’s particular blend of bravery and mama-love maybe isn’t something everyone got to see when they came to ask her if we had more Uncle Harry’s toothpaste, but I did, and now, I’m fortunate to have a whole box of these little vignettes A photo of Ruhama with her 3 kids...all of which have worked at the coop at some point. to keep my spirits up as she heads out: the way she’d do a little Photo credit by Ruhama's daughter-in-law James Van Salee jig when one of her three children would stop by to see her at The rocking chair became a cave when I’d flip it down face first onto the work. How she’d confront people three times her size and demand whatever floor and tent a blanket over it and crawl inside. Because I used to be that small. they had slipped into their pockets without paying — and bring them to tears Small enough to create a whole world under the canopy of a rocking chair. I with her quiet admonishment for their attempts to steal from her Co-op. don’t miss being small, but do I ache for my boys to be lap size again. When How she’d fan at her face as she felt tears coming on after hearing sad news their bodies were cradled by mine, their weight and warmth was the best quilt about our world. of all. Their own small size turning the world into a giant playground again Recently, a quote caught my eye — and although no one can decide who allowing me to relive a child’s perspective with the awareness of an adult mind said it first or at all — here it is: “You do not have a soul. You are a soul.” that sees the wonder flitting away. I suppose if any store can have a soul, it’s the Co-op. And the reason we I remember my youngest at about four. He is sitting on the top step of the do is because of folks like Ru showing up for decades, bringing their own back deck with me, having just gathered a bowl of cherries from our tree. His sweetness to share with strangers and friends alike. brown eyes are as big as the cherries and as ripe with curiosity. The cherries I know that I have been beyond blessed to be able to shout out “I love shine like lights in the summer sun, and we are both eager to snack on you” to a co-worker as I leave for the day and hear “love you too!” in response them. (Take a moment here to pause and remember how you eat cherries.) from a wild woman with a wide heart. I won’t be the only one whose work day I remind him that they have pits in them. He picks up one cherry, plucks the is a shade less vibrant without Ru because to us she is far more than the body stem from it and then holds it between his thumb and pointer finger, and who is there to answer your questions. To us, Ru is a soul. She is soft curls, quick proceeds to eat it how you and I eat a peach. He rotates the cherry and bites laughter soul. She is purple tights, hats with a rainbow of ribbons trailing behind more flesh away from the pit. Repeats this process a few more times as his soul. She is fierce, fun soul who has earned her time to rest in the sol of whatever fingers and lips get covered in sweet, ruby-red cherry juice. To him, this fruit horizon she flies off to. Now, excuse me, I need to go fan my face a little bit. was big, and he ate it as such. To me a cherry is something you pop into your
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6 Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021
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Hanging On, Letting Go, & Getting Stuck in Between
(Plus practical advice for where to take your clutter when you finally dislodge it) by Beverly Faxon
Is Open Again! Register now for our summer art camps! Running July and August Teaching Bellingham to create art since 1998.
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When I contemplate letting go of possessions, my mind often circles uneasily around a single item, like a tongue finding a sore tooth. For many years, my symbol of ultimate decluttering was a pair of fuzzing gray mittens, knit by a college roommate. They kept me warm in Michigan winters, and then, fraying and moth-bit, ended up at the bottom of a blue trunk. They didn’t take up much space in the trunk, but they took up a lot of space in my mind. Whenever I imagined weeding out the unused from my belongings, I stumbled over those mittens, woolly with some unknown importance. More recently, the item that cluttered my mind was a guitar, purchased in Spain in 1972. I was an exchange student, and the romantic lore of our college told us that we should travel to a small shop in Barcelona and buy a handmade guitar. When the time came for travelling, I was in my fourth week of a hospital stay in Germany. A friend took the adventure I missed, collected the memories and new acquaintances, and brought me back the guitar. I was grateful. The hospital was wearing thin. The wood of the guitar glowed gold. No matter that I was a beginner of a guitar player with a wavering voice not helped by a respiratory illness. I sat in the hospital stairwell in the evenings and plunked out “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” and (yes, true), “House of the Rising Sun.” The guitar flew home with me and then followed me to Maine, to Colorado, to Washington. Somewhere its side took a bad gash. But the paper pasted inside still Bev's old guitar. claimed its handmade Spanish origin, and for a long time it felt like a precious belonging carrying much more than a tune: the friend who bought it for me, the hospital staircase amplifying my voice, the travel unfulfilled but somehow resonating in the swelling belly of the guitar. It bumped its unprotected way with me from place to place. And then suddenly, it was a weary, silent guitar with a splintery hole. No one strummed it. I thought about it with a little sadness, a little guilt, for another few years, as it drew dust behind a sofa. And finally, one late fall day, I put it out on the brush pile and let it go. I would like to tell you that the guitar was a kind of key-log – the lynchpin in the stack, that once loosened, sets the entire jam of logs free. But it doesn’t work like that, for me. The piles of stuff still accumulate. I break some pieces free like teasing out pick-up-sticks, but often some specific object keeps me stuck in the process. It is beginning to seem best to just acknowledge the mitten, the guitar, the sticking place, and wait for it to let go of me. This extended time at home has brought up opportunity and compulsion to clean up our environments. And spring brings with it the natural yearning to lighten. Yet at the same time, there is the heavy, practical weighing: What is still of use? And for those of us who are drawn to imagine the catastrophic effects of, well, a pandemic: What might be of use in an uncertain future? I once read a book about an apocalyptic event that left a woman with a single sliver of soap. She cherished it for months. You can imagine the relationship she created with her last book of matches. I am a person who should not have read that book. This past year has seen my growing ability to let go warring with my old habits of hanging on. For awhile, the flow of things out also got a bit plugged up – our usual outlets were closed or not accepting used items. I’ve had a box of books in my car since February 2020, and a box of clothes on my bedroom floor since last spring. Admittedly I could have tried harder, but in some areas, inertia has taken over. So, I spent a recent Friday, not sorting and deciding, but making calls to see who was taking what, in an effort to encourage myself to get back into the fray – of clearing space from floors, brain, and ribcage. I wanted to hear what people really could use and what they didn’t want. Value Village in Mount Vernon was an early pandemic casualty, now permanently closed. I was sad — it was my thrift store of choice. I loved that they sorted all the clothes by color. It made life so simple. (continued on page 14) Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021
7
(continued from page 1)
How to Compost with Worms
Preparing the Bedding A big part of your home vermicompost system is the bedding where the redworms live, feed, and breed. Worm beddings are multipurpose: they hold moisture, provide a medium for the worms to work, and are a place to bury food waste. According to the book Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof, worm bedding is usually a form of cellulose, a carbon source that provides energy to composting organisms. Worms also consume bedding as they munch down food waste, so non-toxic bedding sources must be used. The best beddings are light and fluffy, two characteristics necessary for adequate air flow. Mixing several beddings together is often helpful, depending on convenience and cost. BEDDING Shredded Paper
ADVANTAGES Free Most readily available bedding Odorless
Fallen Leaves
Natural worm habitat
DISADVANTAGES Large strips dry out more easily than machine shredded paper
Large strips dry out more easily than machine shredded paper
Strips can mat into layers
Strips can mat into layers
Leaves can mat together
Leaves from trees with antibacterial properties, like black walnut, cedar, or eucalyptus are not good choices
Free
Manures
Natural worm habitat Free for the hauling Variety of nutrients
Coconut Fiber
Wood Chips
Not easy to access May contain unwanted organisms
Makes nice finished product
May be too warm at the start, slowing the time when worms can be added
Moisture retaining
Must be bought
Mixes well with other beddings
Transportation could have high environmental impact
Clean and odorless Clean and odorless Helps create air flow throughout the bin Mixes well with other beddings
NOTES
Dries out quickly Limited availability
Do not use dog, cat, or pig manures
Comes in bulk fiber blocks. Must be broken up and moistened in a wheelbarrow or bucket Partially composted wood chips are best. Do not use cedar chips, or other chips that come from trees with antibacterial properties
Assuming your bin is completed, after gathering bedding materials, the next step is to prep them for your redworms. You’ll need at least one or two handfuls of soil and access to water. The amount of bedding needed depends on the bin volume. While challenging to measure, you’ll want your worm bin at least three-quarters full of moistened bedding. A helpful trick is to use about three pounds of shredded paper per cubic foot volume of the bin. Once in place, a final, essential step is to add the right amount of moisture to the bedding. It should be damp, but not soggy. Think about a moist piece of cake, or a wrung out sponge. A worm’s body consists of 70 to 90 percent water, and its skin must be moist in order to breathe. When bedding has a similar moisture content to the worm’s body, worms don’t have to struggle in an environment that’s too dry or too wet. When the bedding is ready, dump the whole grouping of worms onto it. Gently spread out clumps of worms around the surface, leaving lights on or the lid open to sunlight. Gradually, the worms will wriggle into the dark, damp bedding where they are comfortable. Using the Right Kind of Worms Most of the worms you could dig up in the yard would not be willing to do the work of composting. It is important to use the right kind of worm in your vermicomposting system. You’ll want worms that process large amounts of food waste, reproduce rapidly in confinement, and accept interruptions caused by weekly deposits of food waste and additions of bedding. There are two major types of earth-dwelling worms, the “earthworkers” and the “composters.” Earthworking worms are sensitive to habitat disturbances and cannot process large amounts of food waste. Redworms 8 Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021
are composters, and the most agreeable worm to use in your system. When the time comes to acquire worms for your bin, be sure to verify the species using the scientific name. Redworms, or Eisenia fetida, are called a variety of common names, including red wriggler, tiger worm, or manure worm. A clear pattern of alternating red and fawn stripes distinguishes this reliable composter from its relative earthworker, who is traditionally plumper and longer, without pigment and appears pink, blue-grey, or beige in color. Having the right worms ensures your home vermicomposting system gets off to a running start. What Can Your Worms Eat? If you cook at home often, you’re in luck! Any vegetable waste you create can be used to feed your worms. Here’s a quick list of yes and no items as you get started. ITEM
YES
NO
NOTES ON NO'S
Apples/Pears
√
Baked Beans
√
Banana Peels
√ √
Slow to compost, sharp in finished compost
√
Only if shredded. Do not use for bedding.
√
Can transfer disease
Lawn Sod
√
Too heavy, reduces oxygen levels in bins
Meat Waste
√
Invites odor, rodents, unwanted organisms
√
Most have a thin plastic lining
Produce Stickers
√
Do not break down
Rubber Bands
√
Do not break down
Salt/Very Salty Foods
√
Too much salt can kill worms because they absorb oxygen through skin
Bones Bread/Cake
√
Cabbage/Celery
√
Cardboard Casserole
√
Cat/Dog/Pig Manure Cereal
√
Cheese
√
Citrus Peels
√
Coffee grounds and filters
√
Cream Cheese
√
Cucumber
√
Eggshells
√
Oatmeal
√
Onion Skins
√
Pancakes
√
Paper Cups Pizza Crust
√
Potatoes
√
Tomatoes
√
Tea Leaves
√
Use a bowl or bucket in your kitchen to collect food scraps. Be sure it has good airflow, so as not to become too “ripe” as you fill it. Even these food scraps can become anaerobic, and along with the stinky smell, depositing oxygen-deprived scraps into your worm bin can introduce anaerobic organisms, creating challenges in the balance of odorless, oxygen-loving decomposers. How often you feed your worms depends on your needs, not theirs. Throwing waste in more than three times a week works as well as only feeding them once every two weeks. What does matter is that you don’t saturate the bin by overfeeding, or go several months without feeding them at all. Each time you feed your worms, try emptying the food into a new spot. Waiting a week or two before reusing the same spot allows time for previous food waste to break down. Lastly, cover newly deposited food waste with one to two inches of bedding, adding more bedding to the bin as needed. Covering waste makes it less accessible to egg-laying fruit flies laying and adds more carbon sources for the worms to balance out the nitrogen rich food waste. Once food waste is in, close the lid and let the worms go to work! The feeding process takes less than five minutes. A small act that changes the world. Information adapted from the book, Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof.
Hidden Food Allergies by Karl Mincin, Functional Medicine Nutritionist
Can you be allergic to gluten-free? Hint: yes! I see this often in my nutrition practice. Patients come in having suspected a wheat sensitivity or what they think is gluten intolerance, and have gone gluten-free (GF). Upon analyzing the frequency of their consumption of glutenfree swaps such as rice, corn, quinoa and other ancient grains or the flours of almond, coconut, tapioca, garbanzo, potato, etc., it's often several times a day. It might look something like this: GF cereal for breakfast. GF sandwich for lunch and GF pasta for dinner. Some end up overusing GF foods in the same fashion they once overate wheat. And by the way, corn contains a protein nearly identical to gluten, and for some individuals, it can be just as problematic. Such overuse can lead to the same allergic problem but to a different food. This is true not only with gluten-free foods but any food.
In particular, two food groups are top suspects: the entire grass family, all grains and animal foods, meat & dairy products. Here’s how and why: Other than those who have an anaphylactic allergy, peanuts are no more allergenic than almonds – kids are just raised on peanut butter. Turns out, we tend to develop hypersensitivities to the foods we like and eat the most. When it comes to allergic hypersensitivity, “favorite” can become a bad word. Eat the same food antigen day in and day out, the immune system gets fed up and reacts adversely. Although I don't worry about produce as much as the two food groups mentioned, ‘twas a time when I was as sensitive to peas as I was to wheat. I liked and ate a lot of them. Variety is not only the spice of life and the best way to nourish ourselves, but a truly diversified diet is the best way to feed a healthy gut biome and to minimize the development of allergic hypersensitivities. The moral of the allergy story is not restriction and narrowing of the diet but rather expansion and diversification. Allergic reactions are not always immediate, like eating a strawberry and getting a rash or a closed throat after eating shellfish. Rather, they can be delayed, like eating a grain and two days later experiencing joint pain, a headache, skin eruption, or gut flare up. Unfortunately, conventional allergy testing detects only the immediate type reactions, not the less obvious delayed. There are two accurate food allergy testing options to uncover delayed type hidden problem foods: either 1) Proper blood testing or 2) The Self Challenge Pulse Test method. I offer resources for both on my website and social media. The good news about these less common delayed-type sensitivities is that once identified, it need not be a life sentence of avoidance. After a short-term avoidance to clear the immune system, many can be reintroduced on a limited, rotational basis. Keep it fresh my friends! Karl Mincin is a Functional Medicine Nutritionist in practice for 35 years. 360.336.2616 | Nutrition-Testing.com | Instagram @MincinNutritionist Facebook @NutritionTesting1
CELEBRATE
AT THE CO-OP!
ONE FREE TREE PER CUSTOMER
thursday, APRIL 22 RED FLOWERING CURRANT
CASCARA
OREGON WHITE OAK
Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021 9
Photos: Courtesy of 4% Friday recipients
DOUBLE DONATION DAY!
Every time you shop at the Co-op, you help support our local economy and community. 4% Friday is another easy way to do your weekly shopping and contribute to organizations you care about. On the 4th Friday of every month, the Co-op donates 4% of the day's sales to a local organization, and Skagit Community Foundation matches our donation!
You Shop
+
We Give
+
They Match
=
8
Double Donation
Mount Vernon Farmers Market — April 23
The mission of the Mount Vernon Farmers Market is to provide the citizens of Skagit County fresh, locally grown produce and handcrafted items, and support community agriculture in a friendly, informative atmosphere. At the market, one of the main goals is food access. 4% Friday funds will help support the market’s Skagit PICKs program, where they provide free fruits and vegetables to low-income families with educational tools from their partner, Skagit Pediatrics.
Concrete Farm to School — May 28
The mission of United General District 304 is to build healthier communities. The mission of Concrete Farm to School is to build resilient students and families by providing access to healthy local foods, nutrition and culinary education, and hands-on gardening activities. Concrete Farm to School serves students, families, and community members that live within the Concrete School District boundaries. 4% Friday funds will be used to support the Concrete Farm to School summer vocational program for high school students. During the eightweek seasonal position, high school “program assistants” earn wages, grow produce and flowers in the school garden and greenhouse, assist the school district staff to maintain campus landscaping, lead younger students in garden activities, and work on local farms. Learning is integrated into their summer experience with a focus on critical job skills such as communication, conflict management, resumé writing, interviewing, and much more.
Camp Korey — June 25
The mission of Camp Korey is to honor the courage, strength, and determination of children and their families living with life-altering medical conditions by providing them with a transformational experience in a fun, safe camp environment with specialized medical support. Annually, Camp Korey serves over 1,500 children and families living with one or more of 35 medical conditions, including craniofacial differences, solid organ transplants, metabolic bone disorders, skeletal dysplasia, bleeding disorders, skin diseases, sickle cell disease, spina bifida, mitochondrial disease, Down syndrome, and pediatric brain injury. All Camp Korey programs are 100% free of cost to children and families. Camp Korey will use funds from 4% Friday towards the cost of installing permeable pavers that will make their garden more accessible for children using wheelchairs and walkers. Currently, the garden paths are covered in gravel, which is difficult to navigate with small wheels. With pavers installed using volunteer labor, campers and their family members will enjoy better access to planting, harvesting, and eating fresh fruits and veggies.
Together we gave:
December
$3,217
Friendship House
10 Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021
January
$4,782 Viva Farms
February
$4,958
Skagit Valley Meals on Wheels
New & Notable by Jenny Sandbo
The Return of Some Old-time Co-op Favorites!
New Local
Patty Pan Cooperative Tamales. Besides being the maker of most-excellent tamales, Patty Pan Cooperative is, as the name suggests, a cooperative! Worker-owned, they operate a food production and distribution business out of Shoreline, WA. If you’ve visited any of the Seattle Farmers Markets over the last few years, you may have had the (pre-COVID) opportunity to taste their fresh, seasonally-focused foods. Our Co-op is carrying two of their offerings: Green Chile & Cheese Tamales and Chicken & Tomatillo Tamales. Find them in the freezer section!
Patty Pan Cooperative Tamales
Ezekiel Sprouted Whole Grain Breakfast Cereal. I remember Ezekiel Cereal from waaaaay back when I was a high school kid trying to figure out how to eat healthier! It was a popular item that checked all the boxes: vegan, yeast-free, sprouted whole grains, fiber, and lots of plant protein. As the years passed and trends changed, Ezekiel Cereal lost its place on our shelves. We’ve had a couple of requests for it lately, so we’ve brought back two varieties: Organic Original and Organic Almond. Look for this crunchy classic in the cereal aisle.
Forest Farmstead Spruce Bitters & Douglas Fir Syrup. It’s so exciting to see new innovations from Terrence & Erin! Their family business is based on their homestead in the North Cascades where they manage farm and forest to make products with uniquely Northwest flavor. We also carry their Umeboshi Plums and Vinegar, Blackberry Syrup, and Woodcutter’s Bitters. Look for their bitters and syrup in the beverage aisle. Look for Umeboshi in the PanAsian foods section set at the end of aisle 6. Pangea Ferments Organic Sauerkraut & Kimchi. Braeden and Chika traveled the world then settled just outside Bellingham. Utilizing influences from S.E. Asia, they make traditionally fermented foods using locally sourced fresh veggies. We’ve added their Organic Traditional Sauerkraut and Organic Kimchi to our lineup of live cultured foods. Look for these zingy selections in our grocery cold case.
New Plant-Based Dips in our Deli Lilly’s Keto-Cauliflower Hummus. Rich and savory, this creamy dip is vegan, keto, and glutenfree! Made with organic cauliflower, olive oil, and seasonings. Look for it in the deli to-go case. Ithica Hummus. All natural, fresh, and organic ingredients combined into a delicious hummus experience. Ithica is offering up bright and savory flavors like Lemon Garlic, Lemon Dill, and Kalamata Olive. Enjoy their hummus as a high-protein dip for veggies or chips or spread it on a sandwich! Gluten-free and vegetarian, look for Ithica Hummus in the deli to-go case. Kite Hill Almond Tzatziki. Kite Hill’s special power is taking foods that are traditionally dairy and making them deliciously dairy-free. Their version of Tzatziki is made with cultured almond milk blended with cucumbers, dill, and spices. You can use it as a dip, but it is especially delightful in a wrap or sandwich. Find it in the deli to-go case.
Immaculate Baking Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Immaculate Gluten Free Cookie Dough. Imagine this… you’re chilled from a day of spring-time yard work. You open the front door to your house and are immediately enveloped in warm, cookie-scented air. Not just any cookies. Chocolate chip cookies. Yeaaaaaaah! Immaculate makes fresh cookie dough that is ready to pop in the oven and serve piping hot. As a bonus, they’re dairy free and gluten free. Look for the red package in the grocery cold case. Bar Harbor Clam Chowder. Do you say “chow-der” or “chow-duh”? Either way, Bar “Haw-buh” is back on our shelves! Choose from traditional New England Clam Chowder, Lobster Bisque, Corn Chowder or Salmon Chowder. You’ll find them in the soup section, aisle 6. Don’t forget to grab some saltines and Tabasco!
vendor spotlight
Whidbey Pies by Leigha Staffenhagen
Whoever came up with the saying “easy as pie” clearly never made a pie crust from scratch, let alone put it all together with cute pastry decorations and a sweet, tender fruit filling. The saying should really be “easy as eating pie” since a well-made pie is hard to resist. Whipping up the perfect pie from scratch isn’t for the faint of heart, but doesn’t pie always taste better when it’s made with love and the highest quality ingredients? We think so — and that’s why we’re proud to share we’re now offering fresh Whidbey Pies in our Deli’s grab-n-go case! They’re ready-to-eat and oh-so scrumptious. Handmade on Whidbey Island, Whidbey Pies has been handcrafting artisan pies since 1986. They believe “a quality pie connects us to childhood memories, to the bounty of the garden and orchard, and to the nurturing pleasures of good food made with love and care.” And we couldn’t agree more. After all, there’s no better way to celebrate the bounty of fall apples or a summer full of ripe blackberries than a classic pie. Founder Jan Gunn started Whidbey Fish in the ’80s, where they specialized in Dungeness crab, fresh fish, chowder, and you guessed it, pie. What started off as a kind gesture of warm, bubbly, sweet pie to visitors and guests eventually transformed into a full-fledged pie-making operation. In 2016, Jan sold Whidbey Pies to her son, Joe, who has been leading the business with partner Jessie ever since. Every Whidbey Pie is truly a unique work of art — from weighing and portioning out the dough to filling the pie shells to placing and crimping the top.
Each pie maker has their own unique crimping style, so if you notice that two of the same flavor of pies look slightly different, that’s why! Whidbey Pies’ humble crew turns out nearly 2,500 pies a week, which adds up to 130,000 handmade, fragrantly sweet pies every year. Here at the Co-op, we carry their fresh granny apple, marionberry, and cherry pies along with a seasonal offering. Be sure to check our freezer case where you’ll find other rotating favorites like salted caramel apple or strawberry rhubarb depending on the time of year! So, next time you’re celebrating a birthday, an important anniversary, or just the fact that you made it through an exceptionally Monday-ish Monday, snag a handmade Whidbey Pie for an extra special treat!
Owners of Whidbey Pies, Joe & Jessie Gunn.
Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021 11
Neurofeedback train your brain…function better
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Kara
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Coaching and Neurofeedback
call me to see if this is a good fit
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12 Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021
staff profile
Wayne Rushing
Grocery Manager Co-op Employee Since December 2016
Gift Cards…
Always the Right Choice
Favorite Customer Moment: No favorite moment but one of the best things about working at the Co-op is the customers. I have a lot of neighbors and friends that shop here, some of them I only met because of the Co-op. My interactions with our regular customers are on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, so it becomes something more than just a customer service relationship. I see all these people here at the store but also out and about around Skagit, and it has really provided me with a sense of community.
Favorite Item in the Co-op: I have so many favorites. Our baguettes and Fidalgo Italian Roast coffee come to mind, however my current favorite is our Essentially Orange ice cream. It's delicious!
Favorite Way to Spend Time Outside of Work: Sailing around the San Juan Islands with my amazing wife and our sweet little sea dog.
Ad Rates & Sizes Contact
The Natural Enquirer at nicole@skagitfoodcoop.com or (360) 336 5087 ext. 136. Or visit our website at www.skagitfoodcoop.com /learn/stay-connected We offer discounts for prepayment. All first-time ads MUST be paid in advance. The ad deadline for the next issue (July 2021) is Friday, May 21.
Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021 13
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Hanging On, Letting Go
Goodwill is now the one big player in Mount Vernon – the thrift outlet with a larger infrastructure and multiple stores, and so less dependent on immediate sales and limited storage onsite. When Goodwill finally reopened for donations, reports were of long lines. A Goodwill spokesperson told me wait times now vary — it can still be an hour, although 15 minutes is fairly common. The suggestion was to call ahead both for wait times and to be sure they aren’t closed for cleaning. They can’t take upholstered furniture, large appliances, hazardous material, medical supplies, mattresses, box springs or bed toppers, but otherwise they accept much of what you have, as long as it is neither wet nor broken. Wear a mask, drive up, and you can unload what you have in a socially distanced way. Their spokesperson stated, “We appreciate everyone’s donation because it helps support our mission: free job training and education in community. We like to give a second life to as much as we can, and keep as much as we can out of landfills.” Bargains Galore in Mount Vernon has been a fairly steady presence for donations through this past year. Proceeds from sales support Mount Vernon Christian School. Manager Peter Cisneros says that they have masked workers who will help you unload your car. Initially they took donations by appointment, but now you can drive up during business hours and be helped. They have limited space; what they get, they have to move out. They can’t take large furniture, appliances, mattresses, or bed frames. Like Goodwill, their store sales are now brisk. The Skagit Humane Society Thrift Shop is one of a host of smaller shops you can find with an Internet search. They suggest calling before donating – not a bad idea, especially for the smaller shops. They also made a plea for clean items only — not dirty, or smelly, or ripped. They pointed out that as sorters wear masks, it can be harder to check for cigarette smoke. But when it is detected, the item has to be thrown out. This is a good place for a reminder to not take what is really trash to a thrift store. We do want to keep whatever we can out of landfills, but it is unfair to make others make that call for us, and to have to go to the expense of sorting, and then transporting, trash. Yes, I am talking to myself here. Probably no one wants three marbles and four half-used pencils. (And of course, don’t just dump items at a location if they aren’t open or there is no one to take your donation.) Many of these spots have online information. The website for the Skagit Habitat for Humanity store in Mount Vernon is informative and detailed when it comes to what they can and can’t take. They take new and gently used building materials and furniture. Assistant manager Michael Hatcher says that it was a surprise to find furniture was actually their best seller. They, too, need items to be in good, saleable condition. They need to sell things immediately to raise money for their houses, and lack the bodies or the time for fix up. It is difficult to sell a stained or cat-scratched sofa. They don’t take cloth goods, dishware, or knickknacks, but they do take books, DVDs and wall art. According to Michael, their wait time for unloading runs no longer than five to ten minutes. Aside from a small amount to the national organization, all proceeds go to build houses locally. They have built 39 houses and broken ground for number 40. If instead of store outlets (many of which go to support good causes), you want to try to give more directly to those with need, you might consider checking in with Community Action. Community Engagement Coordinator
Isabella Ordonez says that their street outreach program often needs gently used jackets, sleeping bags, and blankets, as well as nice shoes and boots. “Gently used” is key here. Isabella points out, “If you wouldn’t wear it, our clients wouldn’t wear it. A donation should be uplifting. It should give people hope.” She added that sizes are important, “We only need medium to extra-large.” Call Community Action for more information and to check what the need is for an item. Because of COVID and reduced volunteer staffing, their ability to take items is limited, and they can’t do drop-offs without an arrangement. They can often refer you to other agencies if they can’t use what you have to offer. Friendship House in Mount Vernon is another direct giving option. Because of COVID precautions, they also have less ability to process donations, but they can take some limited direct donations – in plastic bags – at their business office. Office assistant Rayna Huitt says that underwear, socks, thermals, coats and jackets are of use – if clean, unstained, and not torn. All men’s clothing can usually find a home. Because a big part of the homeless population is not sheltered in any way, blankets, sleeping bags, and backpacks are helpful. Because books are high on my recycling list, I checked my usual outlets: Village Books in Fairhaven, Pelican Bay in Anacortes, Henderson in Bellingham, and Easton’s in Mount Vernon have all maintained or resumed some type of book buyback, at least for trade credit. Call your bookseller of choice for their current guidelines. Just dropping by may no longer be an option, since some policies have changed. Poking about with spring cleaning in mind, I also discovered Clutter Cops. This female-owned business has operated out of Oak Harbor since 2017 and now has a Farm to Market Road location in Mount Vernon, too. I love their website with its photos of pockets of clutter to rival my own. They come to your place; they pack up your unwanted stuff (from your house, yard, or garage); they drive it off. And this is the good part — they then take it to their warehouse and sort it so they can dispose of it as greenly as possible. On average, only 8-10% goes to the landfill. They can donate and recycle everything else. Owner Melanie Patterson says COVID has kept them busy, as families try to create more space to accommodate their increased home life. COVID has also led to some changes in how they operate. They can offer a more contact-less service than previously, and often can give bids by phone. They take COVID precautions and maintain distance. The hardest part of that, she says, is not shaking hands when they get to a job. On the other hand, using their own wheeled bins to transport stuff, rather than using clients’ bags and boxes, has added to their speed and efficiency. I asked Melanie what was one of the strangest jobs they ever had. She told me that once they were asked to take a travel trailer that was filled to the brim with junk. They couldn’t do that — and they don’t do demolition. So the owners came in and crushed the trailer. Everything shot out the sides and landed in the yard. Clutter Cops cleaned it up and hauled it away. This is an image that may stay with me. It is easy to ignore stuff when it is hidden in a closet, locked in a trunk or pushed behind a sofa. But blow it free to scatter over the lawn? Maybe that dislodges the key-log. Then the choice is clear: Stuff it back in? Or let it go?
EARTH DAY SALE. 20% OFF ALL BULK ITEMS!
APRIL 22 - 25 Limited to stock on hand. Excludes special orders and bulk water.
Limited to stock on hand. Excludes special orders and bulk water.
14 Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021
Mad Hippie: Sustainable Skincare by Leigha Staffenhagen
If you’ve ever found yourself wandering around the Wellness Department taking in the sights of colorful soaps, elegant apothecary-style creams, and little bottles of botanical oils, you’re not alone. As an employee, I regularly find myself hypnotized by this little slice of personal care heaven, always on the lookout for the next cream or salve or hair care item that I hope to somehow manage to find space for in my postage-stamp sized bathroom. While I have so many favorite local and natural brands that it’s often difficult to pick my next treasure, if there’s one brand I find myself regularly gravitating toward, it’s Portland-based Mad Hippie. Maybe it’s the colorful, groovy packaging or maybe it’s the fact that I identify with the quirky brand name. But what I really think reels me in is the quality ingredients, lack of animal testing, and their overall concern for the environment. And with Earth Day on my mind, I found myself wanting to learn more about their sustainability efforts.
IN-SEASON PRODUCE Rhubarb from Living Rain Farm Asparagus from Living Rain Farm & Canales Shiitake & Lion's Mane mushrooms from Cascadia Mushrooms Leeks, collard & red cabbage raab, bunched spinach, radishes, leek scapes, red, green, & Lacinato kale from Ralph's Greenhouse Microgreens from Dahlia Depot & Tops and Bottoms Wild harvested Morel mushrooms from Organic Antics Sunflower sprouts, sunflower greens, radishes, & salad mix from Moondance Farm Spicy mixed greens from Long Hearing Farm June bearing strawberries: Totem, Puget, Rainier, & Shuksan varieties from Hedlin Family Farm
Mad Hippie products at the Co-op.
According to National Geographic, nearly 70% of all plastic packaging ends up in a landfill, which makes accessible, easy-to-recycle packaging more important than ever. Mad Hippie seems to agree, given that they’ve taken an impressively mindful and sustainable approach to how they package their oils, creams, serums, and cleansers. Two of the less-than-common-in-the-industry sustainable materials Mad Hippie uses in their packaging is bio resin sugarcane plastic and bamboo. Bio resin sugarcane plastic is a material that can be recycled alongside #4 plastics and is sustainably harvested from environmentally-responsible farms. It looks and feels just like plastic, but is free from any petroleum ingredients, giving it a dramatically lower carbon footprint when it’s manufactured. Mad Hippie’s concealer, mascara, and SPF tubes are all made out of bio resin sugarcane plastic. Bamboo, on the other hand, is an incredible resource because it’s highly sustainable (just ask any gardener who can’t seem to get it to stop growing in their yard), biodegradable, and is actually quite beautiful! Harvesting bamboo doesn’t require the use of pesticides or chemicals, which obviously is good for the planet. Aside from being a sustainable material, bamboo also has antimicrobial properties, making it an ideal packaging option for skin care. You’ll find bamboo lids and spoons in a variety of Mad Hippie products! Mad Hippie’s sustainable packaging initiative goes beyond which materials they choose to sell their products in. Mad Hippie recently announced a new partnership with TerraCycle, a recycling company that partners with eco-minded brands, to offer an accessible recycling program to customers in the U.S. Their goal is to keep plastic waste out of landfills (and ultimately our oceans), by providing customers with a simple way to mail in their packaging for recycling rather than tossing it in the garbage when they don’t have direct access to the proper facilities. In addition to their mindful approach to packaging, Mad Hippie products are all-out magical. Whether you’re dealing with dry skin, acne, congested pores, or signs of sun damage, Mad Hippie products are effective and made from natural ingredients that are kind to skin, no matter the type. So effective, in fact, that all their products come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. So, if you want my recommendation for your next Wellness Department treasure, I say go for that groovy packaging and feel at peace that your choice this Earth Day is from a local company that cares about the mark they leave on the planet.
Spicy mixed greens from Long Hearing Farm Red leaf, green leaf, & Romaine lettuce from Skagit Flats Farm Bamboo shoots from Blue Heron Salad mix, red, green, & Lacinato kale from Well Fed Farm
Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021 15
The Art of the Artichoke by Sarah Stoner "After all the trouble you go to, you get about as much actual ‘food’ out of eating an artichoke as you would from licking 30 or 40 postage stamps. Have the shrimp cocktail instead." - Miss Piggy Miss Piggy. Pliny the Elder. Dorgan the Cartoonist. People have been insulting artichokes for centuries, and I’m here to tell you otherwise. Artichokes are a buttery, savory delight. They are like that childhood birthday game ‘pass the present’ – the one where you unwrap layer upon layer in wonder and anticipation of what lays inside. They are easy to prepare (Steam. Melt butter. Eat). And artichokes are one of the few vegetables that my temporarily-veggie-averse children (11 and 15 years old) will now eat. So take that, artichoke maligners! The first time I served them, my kids loved even the look of the artichoke set on their plate – such a massive, beastly, wild green thing to tackle. What’s not fun about that? In these days of at-home adventures, widening their eyes, then their palate… hearing my kids dig into green foods, saying Mmmmmm. Followed by another more emphatic Mmmm!! Small pleasures, my friend. Embrace them. Maybe We Need Monstrosities
So this ancient guy Pliny, a Roman author, naturalist philosopher from the way-back 77 AD, called the artichoke “one of the earth’s monstrosities.” Maybe he didn’t have it all wrong. Maybe my kids need a crazy wild plant monstrosity to tackle on their plate some days. The artichoke plant Cynara cardunculus — and its giant flower bud, the one we eat as a vegetable prior to its explosion into a 7-inch purple blossom — harkens dinosaur days, with spiny leaves and a thorn petal tip. One full grown plant rises three feet high, and stretches its monster leaves six feet around. Despite its giant form, artichokes have a mild flavor profile that my kids embrace, not to mention the adventure of peeling away petals to a solid center heart of yum. The flavor on the leaf ends and the heart itself is akin to a blend between potatoes, asparagus, and a milder version of that nutty undertone in broccoli (minus the, ah, odor that comes with cooking cruciferous). Plus, did I mention, you can dip the petal tips in butter? Buying, Cooking, Eating, Delighting The freshest artichokes should feel heavy for their size and make a squeaking noise when you pick them up, not unlike a boat buoy rubbing
against a dock. Artichokes are available twelve glorious months a year with peak season in spring and fall. In the US, California grows 100 percent of the nation’s commercial supply. Worldwide, most artichokes come from France, Italy and Spain. That makes sense considering this perennial plant from the sunflower family is native to the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands southwest of Spain and northwest of Morocco. Artichokes are reportedly some of the oldest foods known to humans. “Life is like eating artichokes; you’ve got to go through so much to get so little,” says cartoonist Thomas (Tad) Dorgan. I guess, like they say, it’s all a matter of perspective… artichokes are an adventure on a plate, say I. Artichokes might be the plant version of cracking fresh crab for dinner. It takes a giant pot to steam them in, it helps to start with a big bowl on the table to toss your empty shells or leaves, you eat with your hands, and – this might be the key — butter. Lots of melted butter. Artichoke leaves are meant to be plucked with your fingers. Hold the petal from its pointed end and place it between your teeth, scraping the edible meat from the leaf. The leaves become softer and more purple as you move closer to the heart. Scrape off the ‘choke’ — those fibers that sit like a clump of troll doll hair — on top of the heart (and, no, you won’t die if you eat some of the ‘choke’. Somehow I got this idea in my little kid brain). Definitely don’t neglect to inform your visiting guest not to pop the entire leaf into their mouth. While the artichoke is fantastically high in fiber, especially insoluble fiber, that’s just from the meat and heart itself. The health website Today.com lists artichokes among one of five foods that help keep your body functions functioning smoothly: beans, apples, oatmeal, pistachios, and you got it – artichokes. They are antioxidant-rich and high in a crazy number of vitamins and minerals. But we eat them because we like them! You can stuff artichokes with bread crumbs, parmesan, and garlic – a common Italian comfort food. You can halve and roast them, or eat the baby versions which are just that – the smaller flower buds found lower on the stalk, shaded by the leaves — and often lack the ‘choke.’ You can buy or make amazing store-bought artichoke dips spiked with parmesan and jalapeño — warmed on a bed of greens in winter, or kept cool in summer for the inside of a crunchy romaine leaf topped with turkey. I’ve seen some gorgeous artichokes used as you would a bowl to hold a salmon spread — with the
Sarah Stoner's children with their artichokes.
added bonus of leaves to pluck and plunk into said spread. Then there’s the delicious Greek stew artichokes a la polita with potatoes, spring onions, lemon, and dill. Our family prefers whole artichokes the simple way — steamed, with a dipping bowl of melted butter. Try mayonnaise (optionally add in hot sauce for a kick), aioli, or a mayo-mustard combination. You can boost flavor when steaming artichokes by adding lemon, garlic, or fresh herbs to the water. Lemon also helps reduce oxidizing, in case you want to keep a greener look. We skip the lemon and skip the step of trimming the spiky leaf tops before cooking. No fanciness needed. I’ve blackened many a pot-bottom while steaming artichokes, so keep an eye on the water level for the 45 minutes or so until you can easily pluck off an outer leaf. Or, embrace your Instant Pot for 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time (one versus two or more artichokes in the pot) with 1 ½ cups of water and your steamer basket. I’m grateful for my food-adventurous parents who plunked a steamed artichoke in front of me when I was in my single digits. And who made it seem perfectly normal to eat the petals of a giant flower related to the thistle, steamed, and dipped one-by-one in butter. Skagit writer and eater Sarah Stoner is hungry for more adventures with her family – food, travel and new horizons of compassion. sarahjstoner@hotmail.com
Mediterranean Wheat Berry Salad Prep/cook time: About 1 hour. Makes: 9 servings
I love the chewy wheat berry texture (back when I could eat them) along with the Mediterranean flavors – and fresh mint! Perfect nearly-spring salad to wake up the taste buds.
Salad Ingredients (serves 9): • 3/4 cup wheat berries
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3/4 cup long-grain brown rice
• 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved • 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 jar (6 oz) marinated artichoke hearts • 6 tbs balsamic or red wine vinegar • 2 tbs olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley • salt and pepper
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard • 1 tsp dried oregano • 2 Roma tomatoes (1/2 lb total) rinsed, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes • 1 cucumber (3/4 lb total) rinsed, cut into 1/2 inch cubes • 3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions 16 Skagit Valley Food Co-op • The Natural Enquirer • April - June 2021
1. In a 3 or 4-quart pan, combine wheat berries, rice and 6 cups of water. (Using a rice cooker seems to work just fine too). Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer until the grains are tender to bite, 30-35 minutes. Drain. Pour into a large bowl. 2. Drain the artichoke marinade into the bowl with the grains. Coarsely chop artichokes and add to the bowl along with vinegar, oil, mustard, and oregano. Mix well and let stand until cool, about 20 minutes. 3. Add tomatoes, cucumber, onions, cheese, olives, mint, and parsley; mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.