The Insider September 2014 by Swarthmore Co-op

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INSIDER CREATED BY THE SWARTHMORE FOOD COOPERATIVE

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SEPTEMBER 2014 ISSUE 014

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inside you said it page 3

upcoming events page 4

september specials page 14

features

@swacoop

truckathon goes green page 5

meet milkcrate

page 6

good credit page 7

co-op flower discoveries page 9

super size sunday suppers

page 10

tis the season to eat apples designed by HILLARY WICKLINE

page 11

published & printed by SWARTHMORE FOOD COOPERATIVE photography by ANDY SHELTER

(4, 5, 8, 12, $ 13)

you said it Do you have a question, comment, or concern? Talk to us! Email operations@swarthmore.coop, or fill out a comment card in store.

Please bring back Dannon or Oikos coffee yogurt and scones - it’s my favorite breakfast! Thank you! Thank you for your suggestion! The Co-op has been trying to reorder coffee flavored yogurts, however, our distribution companies have been out of stock for quite some time. As soon as we can order coffee flavored yogurt, we’re on it! Sincerely, Swarthmore Co-op

I had some black bean pasta lately and would like to purchase some. I thought for sure the Co-op would have it for sale, but turns out there is none. Would the Co-op be able to sell this product? - Virginia Thanks for the suggestion, Virginia! We’re open to bringing in a black bean pasta. Please contact our grocery team if you’re interested in purchasing a specific brand. Sincerely, Swarthmore Co-op

looking to advertise?

contact HILLARY WICKLINE for a rate schedule marketing@swarthmore.coop

The $10 credit card minimum policy is ridiculous. As a member that spends $3,000 plus per year at the Co-op, I am offended. Other grocery stores in the area don’t have this policy. Please eliminate the policy. - Kevin Thank you for your concern, Kevin. As a member owned grocery store, we do our best to please all of our members. However, unlike most grocery stores, the Coop operates on thin margins, meaning that high credit card fees are a large expense. Please see page 11 and read the article, “Good Credit,” for more detail. Sincerely, Swarthmore Co-op

UPCOMING EVENTS TRUCKATHON SEPTEMBER 19TH, 6 PM - 10 PM LUNCHTIME GRILL EVERY SATURDAY, 11 AM - 2 PM

#TRUCKATHON

GOES

GREEN(ER!) This seasons’ Truckathon is taking it up a notch. In addition to vetting food trucks on their commitment to sustainability, the Coop has partnered with The Energy Co-op and Solar States to promote local, renewable energy. The Solar Leader program is the newest product offered by The Energy Co-op and Solar States, a solar installation company (and Membership Loyalty Partner!). The Solar Leader program offsets 5% of your energy usage by a new power generation that will be installed in the area. It’s a great product for anyone who wants to see more solar power in Philly but isn’t ready to invest in their own system. The Solar Leader product is affordable, accessible, and connects our members to solar power in a way that isn’t currently available in the PECO territory. By increasing the amount of solar power in our grid, we have less of a need to draw on traditional polluting electricity sources such as coal and gas. And what’s better for our environment is better for our communities. According to the EPA, if we meet our goal of installing 50 new solar arrays in the Philadelphia area, we could annually avoid emissions equivalent to: • 185,089 pounds of coal burned • 4,507 incandescent lamps switched to CFLs • 410,280 miles driven by passenger vehicle What’s in it for you? Well you support local, renewable energy by taking your first step to help relieve our dependence on fossil fuels. But, The Energy Co-op and Solar States are also throwing in a $20 Truckathon meal ticket to anyone that signs up with the Solar Leader program! To sign up, visit http://www.solar-states.com/ truckathon/ and your meal tickets will be waiting for you at Truckathon!

MEET MILKCRATE SPONSORED BY MILKCRATE

written by HILLARY WICKLINE onveniently located in the palm of your hand, the MilkCrate app is designed to assist users in finding ecominded businesses. Morgan Berman, CEO and founder of MilkCrate, states, “[MilkCrate] came from my own desire to live more sustainably and realizing that there was no constantly available and updated source of information on how to do this here in my home of Philadelphia.” The extensive database includes farm to table restaurants, farmers markets, eco-conscious retailers, and more. “Our goal is to help businesses reach concerned consumers and to help them become even more sustainably,” says Berman. Currently, MilkCrate can be downloaded from the Droid Store, Apple App Store or through your Internet browser.

In the future, MilkCrate hopes to expand outside of Philadelphia to cities such as Baltimore, New York, and San Francisco. “We want to take this all over the country, building the sustainable local economy everywhere.” -MilkCrate is the app for sustainable local living. Support MilkCrate and donate to their Indiegogo campaign at http://igg. me/at/milkcratephilly

FI MILND TH KCR E TRUTEAM ATE CKA AT TH SEP ON ON TE 19T MBER H!

But, MilkCrate wants to take it to the next level. The current Indiegogo campaign is raising funds for the release of MilkCrate 2.0, which includes personal profiles, GPS location driven results, premium account deals, and more. Donate some extra change or larger amount to score perks, such as restaurant certificates or a discounted solar installation from Swarthmore Co-op Membership Loyalty Partner, Solar States. To donate, visit MilkCrate’s Indiegogo page listed below.

GOOD CREDIT written by BROOKE PORCH n August 1st, the Co-op instituted a new policy, instituting a $10.00 minimum for all credit card transactions. Below outlines a few of the reasons the Co-op has decided to make this change.

EXPENSIVE CREDIT FEES Every time a customer uses a credit or debit card, the Co-op must pay the associated bank or credit agency a variety of fees, including connection fees (even if the transaction is declined or the wrong PIN is entered) and a transaction fee on credit cards that is a few percentage points of the total transaction. The big number to keep in mind is 1.5%. That is, 1.5% of our gross sales (top-line) income goes straight out the door to service our electronic transactions. One way to think about it is that if you purchase $100 worth of goods, the Co-op will only receive $98.50 to buy more goods, pay the rent, pay the utilities, pay the employees, and etc. These electronic benefit transfers are like a silent thief in the night, just stealing money away.

OPPORTUNITY COST Another way of viewing electronic benefit transfers EBT - data is in comparison to the Co-opâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bottom line profit. Our year to date EBT charges total 182% of our bottom line profit! Profitability should be important to all Co-op customers but especially to our members since our members collectively own the Co-op. These EBT charges ought to be considered an opportunity cost. We could do other things

with that money. We could lower prices on goods; we could offer more special events; we could expand our business. The reality of the Co-op is that we operate on razor-thin margins. Any expense which consumes 1.5 percent of gross sales is cutting directly into our bottom line in a big way.

UTILIZE HOUSE ACCOUNTS Thus, the $10.00 minimum is just one part of a grander strategy that involves shifting more transactions from credit towards cash and cashequivalent. House accounts are a great way to avoid these costly fees and makes shopping at the Coop even easier. House accounts are available to all members upon signing up. Once opened, you will be able to debit your transactions from your account and receive a monthly statement of account activity. Funds can be added to the account easily, using cash, check or even a card. The Co-op wants to thank our members and customers for your understanding in our decision. If you have any further questions, please contact Aliya, our Business & Finance Manager, at comptroller@swarthmore.coop

CO-OP FLOWER DISCOVERIES written by GINNY DAVIS ver take a moment to look at the beautiful fresh flowers in the Co-op wondering, “Where do these beautiful blooms come from?” I certainly have. On several occasions, my enchantment with the flowers has even led me to photograph them because I want to possess a permanent image of their beauty. My search for answers led to some interesting discoveries about the Co-op’s floral products. When she’s not working as a Produce Associate, Kristina Hill serves as the Co-op’s “flower girl,” ordering all flowers for the store. She began her tenure as the Co-op’s florist in March when the Co-op supported Kristina’s enrollment in a bouquet-making course held at the University of Pennsylvania’s Morris Arboretum. Since that time, she has revitalized the floral section and created a few bouquets of her own design. Flowers sold at the Co-op are furnished from multiple suppliers whose businesses vary both in size and in the season when they are able to provide blooms. During the fall, winter, and early spring, the Delaware Valley based

floral suppliers Fresh Blooms and Pennock Flowers typically serve as the suppliers. These two large floral wholesalers depend upon multiple growers near and far for blooms year round. In the summer, the Coop obtains its fresh flowers from Sunny Harvest, a small business run by the husband and wife team of John and Rachel Glick in Quarryville, PA. Though not certified as organic, the Glicks’ flowers are not sprayed with chemicals. These flowers retail between $10 and $15 a bouquet. Beginning this past spring, however, you may have noticed the stunning new floral arrangements bound in brown kraft paper. These bouquets are provided by nearby florist, Suburban Blooms, owned by Swarthmorean Marsha Swezey and her husband Jon. Flowers purchased from Suburban Blooms are grown in a garden in Ridley Park State Park, only three miles from the Co-op. Marsha follows organic growing

practices and uses collected rainwater to irrigate the flowers. These bouquets typically run about $15. There are many things to discover about the Co-op and I was fortunate to learn about the most beautiful and fragrant. If you’d like to discuss placing a special floral order, or for more information about the Co-op’s flowers, contact Kristina Hill at krhill86@gmail.com -Ginny Davis is a longtime member of the Swarthmore Coop and frequent shopper at the store. She and her husband, Mike Davis, keep busy by directing their new business, Pike Pond Communications.

SUPER SIZE SUNDAY SUPPERS written by ROSE MCMANUS Sunday Suppers, a Co-op sponsored outreach initiative, is growing thanks to the incredible support from the Swarthmore and surrounding communities. While the Sunday Suppers is always accepting donations, Super Sunday, the first Sunday of every month, is a no holds barred effort to donate as much as we can to Sunday Suppers. This means we ask every customer to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar. Donate a couple cents or a few dollars – every penny directly benefits Sunday Suppers.

WHAT IS SUNDAY SUPPERS? Sunday Suppers is a Co-op sponsored outreach initiative that benefits low-income and homebound seniors in the Swarthmore and surrounding communities.

According to Feeding America, 2.8 million households that include seniors experienced food insecurity and 3.9 million seniors live below the poverty line. For seniors, protecting oneself from food insecurity and hunger is more difficult than for the general population. With the projected increase in population, seniors are likely to experience more difficulty in gaining access to a healthy diet due to lack of transportation, functional limitations, or health issues. The goal of Sunday Suppers is to make an impact in this community by cooking and delivering homemade, nutritious meals.

TIS THE SEASON TO EAT APPLES

written by ROSE MCMANUS

eptember is here and the Co-op is full of apples! While a Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Gala apple are always a good choice, Ed Farace, the Co-op’s Produce Manager, is bringing in 30 varieties of apples this season. With so many choices, it can be hard to distinguish between taste and texture. See the information below for some assistance in navigating our variety of apples.

CHOOSE IPM

When choosing an apple, start by identifying the farming techniques. A farm that uses IPM - or Integrated Pest Management - farming techniques is a good place to start. IPM, considered to be a safer and environmentally friendly farming method, is not a single control method, but a series of controls using four steps. Before pests and weeds are eliminated, pests and weeds are evaluated as a potential threat and monitored in order to determine the best means of prevention. This could include rotating crops or planting pest free rootstock. If the problem progresses, pests are eliminated using safe sprays to deter pest mating, insect traps, or targeted pesticides. Look for Beechwood Orchards’ apples, a local farm that uses IPM farming methods.

TRY SOMETHING NEW

Ed is bringing in 30 (yes, 30!) varieties of apples this season. Try something new such as a Ginger Gold, a spicy yellow apple, and perfect for the beginning of September, or a Zestar apple, a sweeter, crisp apple with a little spice. The recipes included are just two of the many recipes to try this season. Ginger Gold Applesauce

Zestar Apple Baked Pancake

Ginger Golds are the top selling apple in Pennsylvania for making applesauce. This applesauce recipe is forgiving - feel free to add cinnamon or more/less sugar depending on your taste.

Ingredients: 5 tablespoons melted butter, divided 3 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup milk 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or Asian five spice powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour 2 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced 3 tablespoons brown sugar 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Ingredients: 12 pounds of apples (about 36 medium apples) 3 cups of granulated sugar 4 tablespoons of lemon juice 8 pint (16 oz) preserving jars with lids and bands Instructions: First, heat, don’t boil, the lids and jars in simmering water to disinfect and remove to cool. Next, peel, slice, and core the apples. Boil the apples for about 10-20 minutes, or until they are soft, remove, and cool slightly. Place the apples in a food processor and puree until smooth. Next, pour the pureed apples into a saucepan and add the sugar and lemon juice. Boil the mixture over medium heat and stir frequently to avoid sticking. Add the applesauce to the jars, screw the lids on tightly, and your applesauce is ready!

Instructions Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine 2 tablespoons of melted butter with the eggs, milk, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and flour. Mix the batter by hand or in a food processor. Set aside. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter with the apple slices in a 10-inch oven-proof skillet until the apples are sizzling and slightly cooked. Pour in the batter. Sprinkle the top with brown sugar and bake until well browned and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Monthly Specials FOR EVERYONE...FOR EVERYONE...FOR EVERYONE...FOR EVERYONE...FOR EVERYONE...FOR EVERYONE... SEAFOOD FRESH COD FILET

PREPARED FOODS

ALL PREPARED DINNERS $2.00 OFF

REG. $14.99 LB

SALE $12.99 LB MEAT DARTAGNAN PORK BACON (APPLEWOOD & MAPLE) REG. $11.99 EA

DELI APPLEGATE LUNCH MEAT & CHEESES

$2.00 OFF A POUND OR MORE *NOT INCLUDING BACK TO BASIC ITEMS*

SALE $9.99 EA SPECIALTY SPECIAL POINT REYES BLUE

DELI

CROQUE-SWARTHMORE

SALE $15.99 LB

APPLEWOOD SMOKED HAM, OVEN ROASTED TURKEY, SWISS AND MAPLE MUSTARD ON CHALLAH BREAD DIPPED IN EGG AND GRIDDLED

BAKERY

REG. $7.95 EA

ASSORTED BAKLAVA

SALE $5.95 EA

REG. $19.99 LB

REG. $8.99 EA

GROCERY

BAI 5 DRINKS REG $2.19 EACH

SALE $1.79 EA FROZEN NATURE’S PATH WAFFLES REG. $3.99 EA

SALE $3.39 EA DAIRY CALIFIA FARMS PRODUCTS

15% OFF

SALE $7.99 EA

Member’s

FOR MEMBERS...FOR MEMBERS...FOR MEMBERS...FOR MEMBERS...FOR MEMBERS...FOR MEMBERS...FOR MEMBERS... SPECIALTY

PREPARED FOODS

DAIRY

BOURSIN GARLIC AND HERB

CO-OP MADE CHICKEN TENDERS

REG $5.99 EA

REG. $11.99 LB

LIFEWAY KEFIR 8 OZ OAT DRINKS

MEMBERS $4.99 EA

MEMBERS $9.99 LB

BAKERY

DELI

BREAKFAST BAGELS

MY HOUSE COOKIES REG $3.99 EA

$1.00 OFF

SALE $3.19 EA

SEAFOOD 16-20 COOKED SHRIMP 1 LB FROZEN BAG

MEAT

SHORT RIBS

REG. $22.99 EACH

REG. $10.99 LB

MEMBERS $9.99 LB

MEMBERS $20.99 EACH

REG. $1.99 EA

SALE $1.24 EA FROZEN

WYMANS FROZEN FRUIT PRODUCTS

15% OFF GROCERY

KIND CLUSTER GRANOLA & SQUARES *SALE DOES NOT INCLUDE KIND BARS*

10% OFF

Back to Basics

FOR EVERYONE...FOR EVERYONE...FOR EVERYONE...FOR EVERYONE...FOR EVERYONE...FOR EVERYONE...

BACK TO BASICS IVORY SOAP 4 PACK ORIGINALLY $3.49 EA

NEW PRICE $3.19 EA

Specials valid September 1-30, 2014 except Back to Basics (B2B prices are part of a permanent program).

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