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The Digest The Power of Buying Local

Spring 2018 Manager’s Note

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sets us apart, and what’s in it What for you?

by Natalie M. Rotunda

aybe you’ve heard this before: When you buy from local stores, your money is circulated—spent— seven times over. And more of it stays right here in the community.

A few things about the Good Earth that stand out to me are our central focus on community involvement and support, prioritizing products locally grown and made, unmatched customer service, and our cooperative model.

The Good Earth Food Co-op is a local store, unique because of its dedication to serving member-owners and anyone who wishes to shop here. Last year, Co-op customers spent Follow us as we show how Backwards $11,514.23 on Backwards Bread. Of Bread actually circulates locally earned that amount, we kept $10,363.23 in our dollars through our community. community. Backwards Bread: Keeping our food dollars local Travis Hartjes has appeared in the pages of our newsletter several times in the last year or two. You may remember reading that Travis-the-staff-member, who held several front-end positions, became Travis-the-breadmaker.

by Amanda Hegreberg

With each bread purchase, we’re supporting Travis, his family, and his business. His purchasing habits give back to the community and create a dynamic ripple effect of local support.

People often ask about the benefits of membership and, while the discounts are certainly a nice perk, did you know it doesn’t stop there? Sure, you’ll save a substantial amount of money thanks to special sales pricing each month, a 5% once-monthly discount, $10 off on super weekends, and 10% off all case orders, but what you might not know is that the benefits of membership are also so much more.

 Travis buys his bread flour from either Swany White Flour Mills in Freeport, or from Natural Way Mills At the time a former local artisan of Middle River, also in Minnesota. breadmaker stopped delivering his popular breads to the Co-op, an idea to  For his brioche, he buys butter from Stony Creek in Melrose (we become a baker of bread slowly took shoppers can also buy Stony Creek root in Travis. Before long, he was butter for use in our home kitchens; baking delicious, crusty sourdough find it in the open cheese, egg, and fermented bread. butter dairy case). He welcomed suggestions from bread customers, and incorporated their ideas  Another dairy product he buys, cheddar cheese, comes from into new flavors and varieties. And, Cashton, Wisconsin. voila! success (cheddar-chive bread, anyone?). The rest, as they say, is  Though the organic peeled garlic history. comes from California, it’s also considered it a local purchase At the beginning of his new venture, since it comes to us through a Travis was allowed to use the Good local distributor, Co-op Partner’s Earth’s commercial kitchen. When calls warehouse. A certified organic for loaves increased and he needed more wholesale distributor, Co-op space, he moved to another location. He Partners services retail stores, still delivers this comfort-food staple and restaurants, educational institutions, his breads fly off the table. He’s become and buying clubs located in the the new local artisan of delicious breads.

The Co-op is here to directly serve its members—that means YOU! At the Co-op your voice is valued and heard through the suggestions you submit in the store, your vote for the board, regular surveys, and direct access to your board of directors. We want to know what you love about your Co-op and how we can make the Co-op even better for you.

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Another way you’re given priority and influence in the way your Co-op serves you is by sitting on a committee. The Board of Directors runs several active committees, Finance and Member Engagement are two. The Member Engagement committee is active in planning various Co-op events. Currently we are wrapping up the planning of out International Day of the Cooperative celebration (save the date: July 7th) and starting to plan our annual meeting for Fall 2018.

If you have questions or would like to join a committee, contact the Board at board.directors@goodearthfoodcoop. coop. continued on page 8 continued on page 4

Get Involved

Board Members On the

Good Earth Management Calendar &

Want to get more involved with the Co-op, meet new people, and bring new ideas and energy to Co-op events? Have ideas about what the Co-op could do to better serve its member-owners? Contact the board to find out how you can contribute!

Bobbie Hentges President

Adam Konczewski

Sara Mruz Vice President

Steve Janasie JOIN THE BOARD!

Jennifer LarsonRead the Board Update on Grinsell page 4 to learn how you can become a member of Elizabeth Baklaich the Co-op Board. Amanda Hegreberg General Manager amanda.hegreberg@ goodearthfoodcoop.coop

Contact the Board board.directors @goodearthcoop.coop

Shop Super Sunday For daily menu updates,

like

the Good Earth Food Co-op on Facebook! 2

and enjoy a cup of organic, fair-trade coffee on us! www.goodearthfoodcoop.coop

Member-Owner Appreciation Every Sunday is Super Sunday in March! Hot Dish Cook-Off April 8: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Drop off entries between 11:30 and 12:30, come taste and vote starting at 1:00! Member-Owner Drive April 22-28 Pie Cook-Off May 6: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Drop off entries between 11:30 and 12:30, come taste and vote starting at 1:00! Member-Owner Appreciation Every Sunday is Super Sunday in June! BBQ Cook-Off June 3: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Drop off entries between 12:00 and 1:00, come taste and vote starting at 1:00! Bring your own warmer if needed. Rhubarb Cook-Off July 1: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Drop off entries between 11:30 and 12:30, come taste and vote starting at 1:00! Sweet or savory, give us your best rhubarb recipe. International Day of the Co-op July 7: 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Meet Your Board of Directors Every 1st Sunday: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Visit the Good Earth website for more event details, and “like” the Good Earth on Facebook for event reminders and more!

Please Note Advertisements and articles do not imply endorsement of any belief, idea, or service by the Board, management, or staff of the Good Earth Food Co-op.

Staff Spotlight: Anna Blommer by Natalie M. Rotunda

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ou’ll instantly recognize Anna by her stunning red hair. About her hair. She gave us the go-ahead to tell you that her natural hair color is blonde. It looked washed out to the then-high school senior, so she began dyeing it with henna and indigo. She told us, “Maybe they’d [you, our readers] wanna know, so they can henna their hair, too, if they want!” Anna, tell us about yourself. I’m from St. Cloud, and have lived here most of my life. I lived in Clearwater for a while, and also lived and taught English in Spain. I always seem to make my way back home to St. Cloud. I went to SCSU and earned a BA in Spanish and minored in music, but couldn’t find a job I really liked in that field. I started working at the Co-op in August 2017, but have shopped here since the mid‘90s.  Your job is… Baker. I started as a cashier. After a couple months, I trained in as a baker. Now I work full time in the bakery. I’ve always loved baking anything and everything, so that’s a great job for me! I’m also vegan, and I have the freedom to make whatever I want and “veganize” anything I choose. I love being creative and bringing new recipes to the Co-op and our customers.  I particularly enjoy making traditionally non-vegan recipes vegan—donuts, macaroons, coffee cake muffins, caramels, and savory scones. I’m currently working on a vegan version of cannoli. 

Bake, read, knit, watch movies, go swimming, biking, and I like singing and playing musical instruments. In summer, I LOVE to camp, and I love hiking the Superior Hiking Trail. My favorite part is by Grand Marais. Northeastern Minnesota is so beautiful! Do you have a favorite season? Fall! It’s so beautiful, and Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I love decorating and making crafts for it. This past fall, I made a Halloween puff quilt that turned out very well. 

The deli also makes delicious corn fritters, vegan Mac and Cheese, and Hiking during the fall is my favorite, I love the lemon pepper Alfredo. I’m too, because it’s cooler and I can hike also partial to the monster cookies, further before I get tired. Plus, it’s too so I make them pretty frequently.  cold for mosquitoes. All the changing leaves of the forests are amazing to hike Did you grow up around organic through.   food? Do you grow any of your own I also love apples and pumpkins food now? Not really. I don’t think I really even and squash and all the other knew about the difference until college.  delicious fall produce, so I get very excited about cooking and baking I live in an apartment, so I don’t have with those during the season.  room to grow much. However, I do have three fig trees, three dwarf banana plants Anything else you’d like to share? (that haven’t fruited yet), and several I’d like to encourage non-vegans to potted herbs. I planted a few apple trees try the vegan entrees and baked goods at my parent’s house that started fruiting and other vegan products in the store. last year.  Most vegans are foodies, too. We make everything taste as delicious as nonI hope to have a huge garden, one day, vegan foods! It’s not all bland “health when I buy land on which to build a house.  food.” Don’t let the vegan label stop you, because you may be missing out on something you might like. You’d What do you like to do when you’re be surprised at how many things you not working? already eat that are actually vegan! 

My favorite foods to make at home are pastas or anything with potatoes.  Do you have a pet? I do! I have a nine-year-old Maine Coon named Thumbs (on account of her being polydactyl). She is very small for her breed; around eight pounds. She’s my baby, and snuggles me whenever I’m home with her.  Any favorite foods you like to buy? I’m constantly eating our organic Medjool dates and Honey Crisp apples. I love all our produce!  I also really love to make cucumber sandwiches on bread with Wildwood aioli. Super simple and tasty! 

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Good Earth Board Meetings Member-owners are invited to attend every third Thursday of the month at 6:15 pm in the Good Earth Community Room! Additions to the agenda must be submitted in advance.

Greetings from your

T

Board of Directors

his year the Board is committed to re-incorporating two very important agenda items into every regular meeting: Board Education and Board Policy Monitoring.

Starting in January 2018, we are reviewing 1-2 policies per month by means of an anonymous survey. Each Board member rates the Board’s compliance to our policy. During the Board Education is vital to keep following meeting we discuss the incumbent Board members engaged survey results and the relevance and and prepared to make the best decisions applicability of that policy. possible for the current and future state The Capital Campaign was given a rest of the Good Earth. We spend ½ to 1 hour over the winter. We have been successful per month learning about or deepening in achieving the goal of the first phase of our understanding of a variety of the campaign. Over the next few months subjects that Board members need to we will be rejuvenating, reinvigorating, make sound decisions regarding the Co- and re-launching the campaign. Our op. goal is to raise enough capital to make We started with the basics in January. some store improvements. The local We spent our education time reviewing competition is tough. We have to be able “The Board’s Job,” a fundamental to offer our member-owners the best subject for new Board members and a shopping experience possible. This year meaningful review for the veterans. The look for new and improved ways that second month of the year we spent our you will be able to support the Co-op. time brainstorming and discussing the Remember that your Co-op needs you recruitment of new Board members. just as much as you need your Co-op. Recruitment is a year-round effort. Please continue to support and sustain Over the last year the Board has been the Good Earth Food Co-op in any or all diligently working on revising and of the following ways: adopting our governing policies. In ● Increase what you spend each doing this we ensure that we, as well as week at the Co-op by just $10 future Boards, have a solid framework ● Purchase a non-voting preferred within which to operate. In order to make share of D-stock for $100 sure that our policies remain current, ● Join the Board of Directors appropriate, and relevant, the Board should review them annually, monitor ● Attend a committee meeting our compliance to those policies and ● Consider a loan to the Co-op revise them when necessary.

Manager’s Note

In-store events are another great benefit, and you ensure those continue through your active membership. Our most recent addition: monthly cook-offs. We kicked it off with a cookie bake-off, then a dip challenge, followed by a quick breads contest. Each month you are invited to show off your culinary skills by bringing in a dish for other shoppers to try. Not a cook? Come in to taste all the yummy food and vote! Prizes go to the winning entries. There’s a cook-off every first Sunday. Check the store to find out what’s up next! Perhaps the most powerful benefit of membership is eligibility to join the Board. Guiding policy and procedures at the Co-op is a meaningful contribution,

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also a way for you to ensure your store remains healthy and strong, serving you and others with the many benefits members enjoy, for years to come. See the Board in action every third Thursday in the community room to get a feel for the job and how you might make an impact. While you’re there, pick up an application packet and talk to one of your elected Board members. We’re happy to provide these benefits and more as you support the Good Earth through purchasing, membership, and engagement. After all, mutual benefit and co-operation is what a co-operative is all about! Thanks for making it possible by partnering with us in our shared goal of helping our community thrive

Taking Care of Your Heart by Dr. Lee Aberle, ND, IFMCP

eating fresh veggies, and move your body at least once a day.

creased defense •Increased immune dysfunction What about multivitamins? There is •Lack of sleep no study that proves a benefit to taking •Lack of exercise a Multivitamin. But I question those •Stress, anxiety and depression studies. While I agree that most of the multivitamins available over the count- •Homocysteinemia er that have synthetic components are not likely to prove to be beneficial. Is it •Subclinical hypothyroidism possible that the trials for multivitamins •Hormonal imbalances in both genders included iron in the supplementation and that is part of the reason the results •Chronic clinical or subclinical infections do not show benefit? •Micronutrient deficiencies, such as I remember asking one study author low vitamin D and K etc. about the source of the nutrient in •Heavy metals his study and he had no idea. He had ver the last year I have lost several to run and check to see what was in •Environmental pollutants the bottle. It seems to me that before close friends and family members someone starts a study that they should According to Dr Houston: “The infinite to heart disease. It was heartbreakinsults and CHD risk factors and mediat least know a little about the subject. ing. I console myself in part with the ators induce only three finite responses A 2011 journal (Am Heart J;162:949) understanding that heart disease is the of inflammation, oxidative stress and indicated that a lower iron burden and leading cause of death for men and controlled phlebotomy (blood draws to vascular immune dysfunction.” The women. As a doctor, I have a clinical good news is that we can test the 25 lower iron) improved cardiovascular perspective about heart disease, prefactors to get a better sense of your outcomes of peripheral artery disease, ventative testing, heathy heart diets heart disease risk. Once we know your heart attack, cerebrovascular accident and a solution oriented approach. Here specific challenges we can choose the and life expectancy. is some valuable information you’ll lifestyle choices to help you modify want to have to look beyond the surface these factors. One of the cardiovascular doctors I and help prevent heart disease in your admire is Dr Mark Houston of Vanfamily. derbilt. I recommended his book What I know this kind of list can be overwhelming for some. But we can choose Your Doctor May Not Tell You About According to the US Department of to do what we can to eat well, sleep Heart Disease. He identifies his top 25 Health and Human Services, the top 5 well and begin testing for the risk facmodifiable heart disease risk factors: risk factors for heart disease include tors beyond the conventional top 5 to hypertension (high blood pressure), •Hypertension (24-hour Ambulatory ensure early detection of your or your hyperlipidemia (elevated blood fats, Blood Pressure Monitoring) loved ones’ risks for heart disease. or cholesterol), diabetes, smoking, and •Dyslipidemia (advanced lipid analysis) obesity. But that isn’t the whole story. On a more personal note, several of •Hyperglycemia, metabolic syndrome, my loved ones had a pattern that most More than 50% of patients with heart insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus doctors don’t ask about. I am hoping disease lack any of those five risk my disclosing this observation may •Obesity factors. This may explain why for help you or your loved ones. The so many, the first symptom of heart •Smoking pattern I discovered a bit too late was disease is a heart attack. If the only that my loved ones were using simple thing your doctor is screening for is the •Hyperuricemia sugars and caffeine in excess to address above symptoms, that means they are •Renal disease fatigue related to heart disease. The missing more than half the patients at candy wrappers and the cola cans were •Elevated fibrinogen risk. found in hidden stashes and the extent •Elevated serum iron of the indulgence was not known in But don’t let these stats depress you, •Trans fatty acids and refined carbohytime to allow for other therapies to be because you have power over this drates considered. disease process. According to an article in the Lancet in 2004, exercise, optimal •Low dietary omega 3 fatty acids My message is that if you have somenutrition, fruits and vegetables, mod•Low dietary potassium and magneone close to you consuming ever-inerate alcohol consumption, and smoksium with high sodium intake creasing amounts of quick energy foods ing cessation reduce the risk of heart or drinks (think candy, sugary drinks, •Inflammation: tested with increased disease by up to 80%. etc), pay attention it may be they may hs-CRP, Myloperoxidase, interleukins need to evaluate the fatigue for heart My advice is to upgrade your choices •Increased oxidative stress and deconcerns. by dropping processed sweets for fruits,

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What’s a CSA Anyway? by Joan and Nick Olson, Prairie Drifter Farm

them more deeply to the food system. Other members have joined our farm due to a need or desire to change their eating habits and lifestyle. They report that with their CSA membership, they eat more vegetables, have gained great skills in the kitchen, and spend more time with their families around the table. Other families want to connect their kids to healthy food and the land and find that a CSA share can be one way to strengthen their eating habits and ou may have seen the acronym interest in cooking. around the Co-op, in past newsletters, advertising, or posters. So, CSA farms make a commitment to what is CSA? their communities in many ways, by increasing habitat for pollinators, CSA stands for Community Supported building soils through cover cropping Agriculture, and it is a unique way to and healthy crop rotations, and educating connect eaters to farmers in order to through presentations or on-farm tours. create and nurture more connectedness CSA farms and farmers recognize that and resilience in our local communities. to have healthy and resilient farms, we need to mutually support our members CSA may look different from farm to not only through delicious and nutritious farm, but the underlying principles food but also through playing an active remain the same. CSA farms ask that role in our local communities. people make an investment in the farm by becoming a member, essentially The Good Earth Food Co-op has been a purchasing a share of the farm for that strong supporter of local CSA farms for season. The farm and the share member a number of years, serving as a pick-up enter into a relationship in which there site for several local farms. Our farm is an exchange of fresh, local produce or has several CSA pick-up sites both in other farm-grown products throughout Litchfield (where we farm) and the St. the growing season from the farm to the Cloud area and the generosity of pick-up share member. site hosts like the Good Earth allows us to meet the needs of our farm members. For our farm, Prairie Drifter Farm, members can choose either half shares Some other great CSA farms that serve or full shares, receiving a box of fresh the St. Cloud area include Bakers’ Acres produce every other week or every in Avon and Common Ground Garden week from mid-June to mid-October. in St. Joseph. Contact them directly We hold several member events at for more information about their CSA our farm each season so that members programs. can see where their food is grown and create a deeper connection to their food. You can connect with a local CSA Several members choose to come out to farm to learn more about their farm or the farm each season to lend a hand with to register for a share through several tasks such as our August onion harvest routes. Many farms list their offerings on or garlic cleaning. the Minnesota Grown or Local Harvest websites. The Land Stewardship Project The benefits of a CSA membership are maintains a directory of CSA farms in many, from supporting local growers the region. You can also do a simple to increasing vegetable consumption to internet search for CSA farms in your making a deeper connection to the land area. to gaining culinary skills. Members receive fresh and seasonal produce If you are looking to do growing on along with a weekly newsletter that your own, look no further than the offers great tips for cooking and updates Good Earth for great plant starts and about what is happening on the farm. seeds. The Good Earth stocks plants from several local growers, including Year after year, our members tell us our farm. They also stock seeds from that being part of a CSA has connected Seed Saver’s Exchange out of Decorah,

CERTIFIED ORGANIC VEGETABLES

FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

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CSA Join our family’s CSA farm for fresh, delicious organic produce from June-October.

CSA

Sign up at PrairieDrifterFarm.com [email protected] 320.693.5502

Learn more about Prairie Drifter Farm in our Member Spotlight on page 10 Iowa, an organization dedicated to the preservation of genetic diversity and resilience in our seed sources. Whether you buy a CSA share, shop the Good Earth produce aisle, or grow your own, spring fever is around the corner. We are certainly looking forward to bringing fresh local produce back into our kitchen and yours!

Naturopathic and Functional Medicine

We are a full service general and family practice that puts you back in charge of your health. We focus on hard to cure and manage conditions like: • Heart health and prevention • Customized Healthy Diet Modification • Chronic disease and pain • Metabolic disease like autoimmune • Lyme disease • Pediatrics

We are proud to celebrate

National Heart Health Month St Cloud

22 Wilson Ave NE, #205 St. Cloud, MN 56304 320 253-4112

Free 15 minute phone consults

Y o u r

s y m p t o m s

t e l l

Alexandria

510 22nd Ave E, #202B Alexandria MN 56308 320 219-6800

[email protected]

y o u r

s t o r y .

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The Power of Buying Local by Natalie M. Rotunda

Upper Midwest. They affiliated with the Wedge Co-op.

than with credit cards? Sometimes, using the card is unavoidable. But wouldn’t our whole community enjoy greater benefits from spending local if we could slash a large portion of those fees by paying with cash?

 For all of his breadmaking ingredients, Travis either purchases them directly from the source, or he works with Co-op staff, thus supporting the store in another way.  Rounding out the picture of keeping dollars local, Travis and Backwards Bread collaborate with many local businesses, such as Beaver Island Brewery and Jules Bistro, and their events. This same process is ongoing with every purchase of Backwards Bread. So, too, are they ongoing with every purchase from our many local farmers and growers. Their stories are similar to Backwards Bread’s story, multiplying the ripple effects of spending local. Figures: They tell an impressive story At the bottom of all register receipts is a message like this one, which appeared on one of my receipts: “$15.19 (64%) of the items purchased came from LOCAL sources. T H A N K Y O U.“ It may not seem like a lot, that $15.19… …until you know how those amounts, on every receipt, given to customers on every business day of the year, tallied at the end of our last fiscal year (June 30th). Let’s just say, “Wow!” to this eyepopping sum: $1,109,289. The millionplus dollars accounted for a whopping 36% of store sales. That percentage is significant. It reveals the core value of every Co-op shopper and the core value of the Co-op itself. Because, in even less-than-robust years, local sales make up one-third of our total sales. Buying local foods to serve and enrich our families’ health is important to us. it’s what we’re really buying when we shop in our Co-op community.

way we pay for our purchases. We’re more likely to grab for a credit card when we pull up to the register to check out our basket of delicious foods and health supplements.

The not-so-obvious ripple effects of spending local Storewide, we carry over 2,000 products grown by local farmers. (Meet one of our farmers, Joan and Nick Olson of Prairie Drifter Farm, in the Member Spotlight on page 10 of this issue, and read their article on CSA on page 6!) That means that every time we buy local, we’re supporting those farmers, growers, breadmakers, and their families. Through them, we’re making connections with the land on which they grow the food we eat.

But did you know that paying with plastic actually siphons dollars away More ripples… from the local economy? We’re partnering with them to help keep Say it’s Super Weekend and you’ve just them on their land for this generation spent $100 (you may be surprised how and future generations. much of it will be local foods!). The Co-op only keeps $43 (or 43%) of that And… hundred. But pay with cash or check and the store gets to keep $68 (or 68%), …we’re helping to preserve our local agricultural landscape for not just our instead. farmers’ families, but for us and our families. Being paid a fair and decent Last year, the Co-op paid a whopping price for their products by the Cofive figures in fees to process card op, farmers and growers are most apt purchases—along with a percentage of to stay on their land and not sell it to every transaction—for a grand total of someone wanting it for non-agricultural $49,869.63. development. What if we were all willing to pay for “Keeping Cash Local” Campaign more of what we buy with cash or check Earlier this year, The Good Earth launched a campaign designed to remind us about the impact our food dollars have on local spending. Watch for the friendly signage regarding the benefits of shopping with cash instead of credit cards, posted at registers and on tables in the Deli seating area. The power of buying local. It strengthens our community in ways we’ve talked about here, and in many ways you may know of.

Cash or Credit, is one more local? Number crunchers, Amanda, our GM, and members of our Board, know the answer to that question. And the answer is cash or check.

What are some of your favorite local products to buy at the Good Earth, your local food Co-op? Tell a friend and invite them to join you in supporting your community!

We’re all creatures of habit. One of the most ingrained habits we have is the

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ANewAdventure by Co-op Staff

Adventure(her), a local business

owned

by Good Earth’s own HBC Manager, Hannah, has handmade jewelry and mercantile on display throughout the store. Hannah is self-taught and always creating something when she’s not here at the Co-op. “I use only high-quality natural and vegan materials in my art and jewelry; my creations reflect the things I value most in life and the vegan lifestyle I follow. I love feeling a connection to the earth through the use of various semiprecious stones and minerals. Many of the different beads and supplies used to make the jewelry I pick up throughout my travels, hence the name Adventure(her). Some of the pieces I create are also inspired by geography, the places I’ve lived or explored.” Hannah would love to hear any of your thoughts on her creations. If you are interested in a custom-made pieces of jewelry, feel free to give Hannah a shout-out at the Good Earth.

Shop the Co-op’s

Weekly Produce Deals to save on fresh, organic fruits and veggies

Join us for

brunch every Saturday & Sunday

Visit the GOOD EARTH DELI for made-fresh-daily comfort foods, from delicious soups to hot entrees. For menus, check out the Co-op’s website and Facebook page.

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Member Spotlight: Joan and Nick Olson by Natalie M. Rotunda

When you own a CSA farm, as Good Earth members Joan and Nick do, your life adopts a certain rhythm in readying the land for each new growing season. Their children, Abe and Freya, love doing their part, “specializing” in tasks they love. Do you have favorite foods you like to buy at the Good Earth? So many things . . . Grumpy Goat cheese, Whole Grain Milling tortilla chips, Equal Exchange bananas, Equal Exchange chocolate chips, local apples, dried mangoes—and a fresh-baked Good Earth cookie for the drive home. Are you both from Minnesota? Nick grew up in St. Cloud and Joan grew up in Viroqua, Wisconsin. flowers will you bring us this year? For herbs, we’ll grow rosemary, Tell us about your experiences lemon balm, lavender, oregano, teaching environmental education. parsley, thyme, savory, and sage. For We met while teaching at Wolf Ridge vegetables, broccoli, kale, cabbage, Environmental Learning Center Brussels sprouts, onions, and in Finland, MN. Incorporating our cauliflower. For flowers, we’ll bring twin passions, teaching and being marigolds, calendula, nasturtium, outdoors, was fulfilling. Nick spent morning glories, salvia, zinnia, anise, a year in Argentina, and Joan spent a hyssop, and echinacea. year in California, each exploring and appreciating different bioregions. We Your CSA newsletters are packed travelled together throughout South and with useful information. Who writes Central America, glimpsing the direct them? impact local foods and farms can have Joan writes our weekly newsletter. She on a community. Our travels were one enjoys pulling together recipes that of the inspirations to start farming. can inspire members to get creative in the kitchen and includes updates about Did you always know you’d be the farm to keep members connected farmers?  to its daily workings. This year, we No, after our teaching experiences, out added a Kids’ Corner to connect our of curiosity, we did farm internships to younger members to the farm. learn how to grow food for ourselves. We were then inspired to explore organic What does a typical day look like at farming as a way to live our shared Prairie Drifter Farm? values—stewardship, community, and Starting in March, we fire up our education. Very soon, we knew that greenhouse to start transplants we’ll organic farming would allow us to live ultimately plant in our fields or high and work together, while staying true to tunnels (known, too, as hoop houses) what was most important to us. Since or sold as bedding plants. 2006, we’ve been growing healthy foods and communities, and we’re in it In early to mid-April, we start planting for the long haul. into our protected high tunnels, and by the end of April, we start seeding and And farming was in your DNA… transplanting out in the fields. Each of us had a set of grandparents who lived on farms. We have fond memories May and June, we’re busy with of visiting them and enjoying the beauty transplanting and seeding, weeding, and bounty that they produced but never irrigation, cover cropping, trellising, worked at their farms. Prairie Drifter cleaning, and readying our packshed Farm is not located at either location. for the harvest season. Which kinds of herbs, veggies, and By

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harvesting four days a week, and continue to transplant and seed into the fields through September. Throughout the season, we weed and cultivate, plant, and turn in cover crops, monitor crops for disease and pest issues, and harvest, wash, pack and deliver for CSA shares and wholesale accounts. Each day is different, and each season keeps us on our toes with different weather and pest cycles. The season is punctuated with some great member events on the farm. Attracting pollinators to your land… tell us about that. Are you also beekeepers? We’ve been working with the Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Xerces Society for the past several years on increasing habitat on our farm for a wide variety of pollinators and beneficial insects. We’ve been part of several demonstration grants to test new methods of planting and maintaining habitat to help farmers include more habitat in their farmscapes. A biologist from the Xerces Society comes out each year to monitor our plantings and monitor for insects, especially bees. On one multispecies cover crop planting alone, she noted sweat bees, several species of bumblebees, honeybees, and longhorn bees. Beneficial insects include lacewings, soldier beetles, true ladybugs, hover flies, and parasitic wasps. We’re seeing more monarchs since we first started farming here, as continued on page 12

- All natural, non-GMO ingredients. - No preservatives or added fats. - Made with love by a small, local company.

super sunday Every 1st Sunday of the month member-owners get $10 off any purchase of $100 or more! www.goodearthfoodcoop.coop

Save a tree and stay informed! Request to receive our e-newsletter by emailing info@ goodearthfoodcoop.coop 11

DELI CORNER Celebrating 1 year as a worker-managed department! Did you know that the Good Earth Deli is a worker-managed kitchen? A worker-managed kitchen is one that is collectively run by all the workers. This stands in contrast to typical managerial Our kitchen has been organizing with The Industrial Workers of the World models that are run top-down. (IWW). The IWW is a revolutionary In our kitchen, workers are encouraged union for all workers that embraces to share skills and tasks, enabling solidarity unionism, direct action, and a several workers to be competent in any horizontal organizational structure. particular role and distributing the work more equally. Workers have power and Ultimately, Good Earth Worker’s Union authority at their job, which increases members are working to build more morale and strengthens the department democratic control and participation in the workplace. as a whole. When we trust new employees, train them well, and allow them equal say in the decision-making process, they excel as workers and as people. Hopefully they can then bring these skills and attitudes with them if/when they choose to leave Good Earth.

To celebrate our love and solidarity we would like to share Anna’s Shamrock Shake with you! Enjoy! Solidarity,

The Deli Collective

Shamrock Shake Ingredients

1 cup soy or almond milk 1 frozen banana 1 cup Ffresh spinach 1/4 cup fresh mint 1 date, pitted * Chocolate syrup adds a touch of sweetness, but is optional.

Directions

1. Drizzle syrup into glass (if using) 2. Combine the rest in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour in glass and top with cocoa powder or coco whip, if desired.

Member Spotlight: Joan and Nick Olson by Natalie M. Rotunda

well.

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tractors. He also loves cleaning garlic and onions. Freya has an affinity for the animals. Last season, she mastered picking up two chickens at a time. She also likes sorting tomatoes and seeding in the greenhouse. Both kids help us keep the tone light when the farming season gets stressful.

We’re not beekeepers, but we have hosted a beekeeper since our second season. The bees add value to our landscape and crops, and we’re happy to help sell the beekeeper’s honey to our share members at the end of the season. The honey is delicious and a true labor What keeps you busy in the offof love. season? The “off-season” for us is filled with Abe and Freya do their part… They love spending time with our farm office work . . . seed and supply crew, and they love visitors. Abe’s ordering, hiring employees, crop and favorite task is helping Nick with field planning, marketing, and repairs irrigation and anything to do with the and maintenance.

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Nick works off the farm with Land Stewardship Project, a non-profit organization working with sustainable agriculture. Joan leads workshops, teaches classes, and does community presentations in winter months. She also volunteers at Abe and Freya’s school. We catch up on projects, so we’re ready when spring arrives. We love to crosscountry ski, sled, and play on the lakes whenever we can. We also see a lot of piano, art, and Legos, puzzles, and playing farm on the living room floor.