The Digest Summer 2015
The Buzz: Bees are Irreplaceable Manager’s Note by Noel Ashcroft
by Natalie M. Rotunda
B
ees. Step on one in your back yard while barefoot and you’ll likely send up a cry of pain. But, just before the bottom of your foot connected with the little creature buzzing around searching for nectar, he’d been working hard for you and me.
risk—one-third of all crops, in fact, not to mention 100 flowering food crops. To state the obvious, the work bees perform for us is irreplaceable. So, save the bees!
Summer is in the air and the smells of fire pits and grills beckon us all to finally get outside and enjoy what Minnesota has to offer. I know our household loves this time of the year, with only a few bugs and the crisp night air.
Fact is, bees pollinate a great number of the foods we hold dear for our own good health and sweet enjoyment. Botanists have known this forever: without bees, mankind will perish.
Our minds instantly go to meat on the grill, and fortunately, the Good Earth Food Co-op has some of the best steaks, pork, and sausage available in the Midwest.
In the md-1990s, bees became victim to a sinister turn of events. At first, the cause mystified scientists. The elephant in the hive later became known as Colony Collapse Disorder.
Meat from some of our favorite farms like DCBL Acres of Avon, whose farm is certified organic and their strict policies of not spraying fields for weeds and thistles, hand digging and burning the weeds, as well as never feeding their herd any hay or grains planted with GMO Seeds. The difference is happy, not stressed animals, and the proof is in the unbeatable taste.
This bee-decimating phenomenon is likely caused by a variety of interacting factors, including pathogens, loss of habitat and increased exposure to pesticides everywhere, from farm fields to home lawns, and beyond. Since there is no government intervention at present to help bees regain their once-considerable population, bee-appreciating activists around the globe have stepped up to spread the word with posters, such as this one:
Bee-protecting, proactive steps we can take… Once our mindset moves away from viewing bees as backyard pests and into appreciating their incomparable gifts to us, growing numbers of us want to do something to protect and save our pollinators. These suggestions will take some effort to implement, but will reap so many benefits for everyone, bees included.
• Forego the use of chemicals to fertilize or otherwise maintain your lawn. In particular, neonicotinoids Apples, almonds, blueberries, cherries, are highly toxic to bees. Instead, cukes, onions, grapefruit, oranges, use pesticide-free ways to fertilize pumpkins, avocadoes. your garden. Check with Good Earth staff to find methods you’re Those 10 crops are staples for increascomfortable using. ing numbers of health-conscious people, most finding their way onto at least one list of “super-foods” deemed to be • Serve bees a little drinking water. Surprised? Just like birds, bees vital for good health. need to refresh themselves with cool drafts of water from time to Actually, more crops than these are at continued on page 8 You’ll Miss Us When We’re Gone:
www.goodearthcoop.coop
Fox Farm of Browerville, MN is another fine example of pork raised naturally. Sows are not confined in farrowing crates, open hoop barns provide fresh air and sunshine, making a very comfortable enviroment. No antibiotics or animal by-products are used, and the family raise and grind their feed using non-GMO seed. Also, having their own processing facility means the hogs are not stressed by being trucked long distances, and this reflects in the great flavor the Fox family hogs have obtained. So, if you are like us, fire up your grill and be sure to check out these great offerings from the Good Earth Food Co-op, where I am sure you will be pleased with your choices.
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Get Involved Are you interested in getting more involved with the coop, meeting new people, and bringing new ideas and energy to events at the co-op? Do you have great ideas about what the co-op could do to better serve its member-owners? Contact a board member to see how you can contribute!
Have a story idea, comment, or question for the newsletter staff? To contribute, email us at
[email protected].
Board Members & Management Christy Benesh
International Day of the Co-op July 11: 4:00 pm-8:00 pm Live music, bounce house, vendors, and more!
Katrina DolezalMersinger
Local Vendor Spotlight July 25 and August 22 Come in and meet the people that produce your food!
Gwen Feddema
Annual Member Dinner and Meeting September 12 All member-owners and non-memberowners invited for a fun event, State of the Co-op address by the board of directors and final opportunity to cast your ballot for the board elections.
Vice President, Secretary
President
Bobbie Hentges Graham Litterst Sarnath Ramnath Megan McNair Vice President
Noel Ashcroft, GM noel.ashcroft@ goodearthfoodcoop.coop Contact the board at
[email protected]
For daily menu updates,
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On the Good Earth Calendar
Shop on Sundays and enjoy a cup of organic, fair-trade coffee on us! www.goodearthcoop.coop
Owner Tour Every 1st Saturday: 10:00 am Get to know your Co-op! Central MN SMART Recovery Every Friday: 6:30 pm Visit www.smartrecovery.org for more information. Holistic Moms Network Every 2nd Tuesday: 7:00 pm Cost: FREE Email
[email protected] for more information. Free Thinkers
Every 1st Sunday: 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Visit the Good Earth website for more event details, and “like” the Good Earth on Facebook for event reminders and more!
Staff Spotlight: Travis Harjes by Natalie M. Rotunda
Travis is one of the staff members who make shopping at the Good Earth Food Co-op so enjoyable. Not only is he friendly and helpful, he’s also likely to give you at least one reason to chuckle.
spend a majority of my time learning about how to appropriately house our furry friends so that they can have a phenomenal experience with us, and to also help others do the same. Oh yeah! I also play video games...haha.
Tell us about you. My name is Travis Harjes, and I’ve been a part of this community for three years now. The only child of my parents, Mike and Jennie, they pretty much rock my face off. It’s been an amazing road with them and launched from their guidance. I am grateful for my parents. I have a small family consisting of my wife and four furry kids: Cricket and Brian, my two corgis; Barney, the parrotlette with attitude; and Stella Striperella, our leopard gecko How did it happen that you became a staff member? Were you first a shopper or member? I was just starting to get into the food movement right when I was looking to get out of the corporate work I was in before. So, after a little looking, this was the best fit for the build! I did start to shop at the Co-op shortly before I was hired. What is your job title and what’s all involved? Lead cashier is my title, and working together with a team to give our community an amazing shopping/learning experience is what we do!
Do you garden? Not currently, but I have done a lot of aquascaping and salt-water aquariums. Not edible, but very difficult to cultivate!
and working in our mini-food kingdom? Education. The endless numbers of people coming from the community to share and refine new ideas and learn together. Places like this are changing the world, and I like the world that it’s changing into [said as he raises his fist]. Do you hail from St. Cloud? Do you have family members who live near? I hail from Fergus Falls, Minnesota, just two hours west on I-94. I do have some family in the area. I have my grandparents, Donna and Jerry, on my dad’s side living in town, and I have one set of aunts/uncles here, as well!
What do you like to do in your spare time? What do you like best about your job Chores, especially cooking. I also
When we check out, you often tell us about your adorable pets. Would you tell us a little more about them now? Cricket is our first fur-baby, and she is short, cute, amazing, and made of meat! Stella is our second. She’s quiet, lazy, and much like Godzilla. Brian is our third, and he is stoic, strong, handsome, and also short. Ha! Last, but certainly not least, is Barney, the Independent green hero of the room. We are still getting to know him, since birds are amazing and complex. What did I miss asking? Tell us about that. If it wasn’t for the amazing people in our community like you, I would not be having such an amazing life experience here in St. Cloud. To all the members, regulars, and everyone in between, I really want to thank you all for doing such a fantastic job of making this place something beautiful. Please don’t forget about the knowledge and health you glean when we care about ourselves and our neighbors, equally and fully! I believe in you all, rock on! OUR BODY CARE PRODUCTS ARE: Made in small batches with the finest nurturing, safe and organic ingredients combined with herbal infusions and pure essential oils which restore the balance of both physical and mental well-being.
NATURAL ARTISAN BODY CARE
ALL PRODUCTS FREE FROM:
DIVINE HARMONY FOR SKIN & SOUL
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Petroleum Parabens Sulfates Synthetic Fragrance/Dye GMOs Artificial Preservatives Detergents Animal Ingredients Gluten
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Good Earth From the Board of Directors co-op. Members’ votes are needed to Greetings from the approve the changes. Board Meetings Good Earth Member-owners are invited to attend every third Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm in the Good Earth Community Room! Additions to the agenda must be submitted in advance.
Mind Body & Spirit GIFTS & BOOKS
Downtown St. Cloud mindbodyspirit-online.com
320.203.9630
stones & crystals • books & music jewelry • Native American items soaps & candles • original artwork unique gifts • herbs, oils & incense intuitive/psychic readings classes & workshops • guest speakers ene work body & energy
The proposed changes will be posted in the store in the hallway near the restrooms, and also can be viewed on As we write this, spring is in the air and our website. If you’d like to discuss there are lots of great things happening the proposed changes, you can email at the Co-op. We are very excited about
[email protected] the ‘Co-op Coins’ program, which or call 320-247-5334. started in April. Now, customers can choose to take their five-cent bag reVoting will be open through 6:00pm at fund as a credit to their bill, or as coins the annual meeting. Check the letto drop into the beautiful, handmade ter sent with your ballot for the final collection boxes. chances to mail or drop off your ballot if you are not attending the meeting. The coins we are using are recycled tokens of varying colors, sizes, logos, Voting for the Board of Directors is one and shapes. They make a lovely ‘ping’ of the privileges of membership, and when dropped into the box on top of also a responsibility. We hope that all the other coins. Every three months, members will take the time to vote this the Co-op will select two organizations year. as the recipients of our Coop Coins Finally, in the coming months the board program. will be starting a new process of strateWe are currently collecting donations gic visioning. We will be re-examining for the SCSU Community Garden and and updating our mission statement the St. Cloud Habitat for Humanity. and our core values. To do this, as a If you know a great organization that member-owned cooperative, we need would benefit from this program, appli- YOUR input. cations are available through the Co-op There will be many opportunities for General Manager. Please feel free to you to share your thoughts with the give us your ideas! We are excited to give our members this easy way to sup- Co-op board and management. Watch for these opportunities on Facebook, port our community organizations. on our website, and in the store. Some Summer 2015 marks another upcoming will only take a minute or two, others annual Good Earth Food Co-op elecwill ask for a longer time commitment. tion cycle, culminating in the annual However you choose to participate, meeting and dinner. All members and please do take the time to give us your non-members are invited to our annual feedback. meeting and dinner on September 12th, In cooperation, 2015.
Board of Directors!
At our annual meeting we will give a State of the Co-op address and solicit member feedback. When you, as a member, receive your ballot, please take the time to read about the candidates and vote. Candidate biographies and ballots will be mailed to members and are also available at the Co-op. The 2015 ballot will also have a place to vote yes or no regarding bylaws changes, which the board is proposing. The board has reviewed our bylaws and would like to see some changes that we feel will strengthen the board and the
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The Good Earth Food Co-op Board of Directors
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.
Community Outreach at the Co-op
by Brooke Walsh
A
n important part of the Co-op’s mission is to function as a positive piece of the St. Cloud community—setting examples of how to be healthy and helping community members live full and happy lives. “We have quite a few initiatives we consider helping the community. Being here as a healthy choice is number one,” said Amie Stockholm, retail floor manager at the Co-op. In a city filled with fast food options, the Co-op offers a different perspective and an homage to the slow foods movement. Here people can find not just vibrant healthy foods, but support in learning how to pick the best foods and how to prepare new foods they may be unfamiliar with.
choice to which we are currently donating our 5 cent bag coupon to at the registers,” Amie explained. “The Community Garden is one of many community gardens in the St. Cloud Area, but what makes this one special is that this particular garden is not one where individuals rent their own plots—instead their mission is to foster community by bringing people together around food, and we appreciate how that goes along with our mission for community outreach.”
website: http://www.stcloudstate.edu/ communitygarden/default.asp The garden’s director, Tracy Ore, is also a Co-op member and shopper; she has even given classes on gardening related topics at the Co-op. The Co-op also accepts food shelf donations and sells donation bags of food already packed.
“Our food shelf bag donations have been going well,” said Amie. “We have bags of non-perishable foods made up $20 each, and we have sold $316 Learn more about their mission on their for since we started the program.”
The Co-op’s expansive collection of natural health and beauty products as well as supplements and remedies brings a wealth of options to the community in hopes to improve the health of St. Cloud and surrounding areas. But, did you know the Co-op has many other outreach areas? “Our community room—free for members to reserve if their event is free—is another area. We have a community donation program where we make up gift baskets and Co-op gift card donations. We also sponsor community events,” Amie added. “We attend health fairs, expos, and fundraisers as much as we can.” The Co-op also seeks to give back to worthy causes that echo some of their same goals whenever they can. In a newly launched program, when members choose to bring reusable bags, the Co-op offers them 5 cents off of their purchase per bag, or offers to donate the 5 cents to various causes. The current organizations are the Community Garden and Habitat for Humanity. New causes are chosen for the donation program each quarter. “We selected the Community Garden to be one of our local organizations of
www.goodearthcoop.coop
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Rid your Home of Ants Naturally STAFF PICKS
by Brooke Walsh
Nothing spoils summer fun quite like an army of ants taking over your home. But, being rid of the pests is not worth putting your family or pets at risk of toxic chemical exposure. Have no fear:
lids left over from used jars or yogurt containers. Place wherever you have seen ants entering. Dr. Bronner’s Soap Another cleaning staple you probably already have in your home that is great for killing ants! The Castille soap dissolves the waxy coating on the outside of the ants. The co-op has many scents of Dr. Bronner’s on sale in bulk, but peppermint will work best since peppermint also deters ants. Fill a quart-sized squirt bottle almost all the way full of water, then add 1/4 cup of Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap. Shake and spray at any entry point for ants. Repeat for a few days until you stop seeing any ants.
with these natural ingredient and deferents, using items available for purchase at the Co-op, you can kick the ants to the curb and celebrate summer. Vinegar What can’t you use vinegar for? Vinegar is a staple in any natural cleaning product collection, but did you know it also helps disrupt the smell sensors ants use to follow trails? Take equal parts apple cider or white vinegar—1/4 a cup of each is a good place to start for a few small ant trails—and combine in a spray bottle, shaking to mix. Spray the mixture along any entry points you have seen ants coming into your home. Disrupt their scent receptors and free yourself from the ants. Baking Soda + Powdered Sugar It may seem counter-intuitive to sift sugar onto your floor if you are trying to get rid of ants, after all sweet crumbs are probably how you got here in the first place. But this pairing of sugar to attract and baking soda to kill can be a great weapon against ant infestations. Mix equal parts baking soda and sugar, then place them in the tops of small
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Citrus Peel Spray This is a great way to get extra use out of the yummy citrus fruit you bring home from the co-op. Any citrus will work for this spray: oranges, clementines, lemons, limes, grapefruit, you name it! Take the peels and place them in a saucepot on the stove. Fill the pot until the peels are covered with water (or for a super powered spray do 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar), then bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, turn it off and let it sit for 12 hours. Strain the mixture and place it in a spray bottle, which you can use to spray areas you have any ant problems. Cinnamon Now that you have rid your home of ants, use cinnamon to protect yourself from new invasions. Ants hate the scent of cinnamon. Pick some up from the bulk department at the Co-op and begin sprinkling it around your home, especially in areas where ants would enter. This should help deter the ants, and give your home a sweet, welcoming scent.
www.goodearthcoop.coop
Jeff
“Ginger Ale High Ball Energy Drink is a great way to get a jump start on my day. Vanilla Mint Everyday Shea body wash and Natural Grooming Forest Scent Deodorant help to keep me fresh and clean.”
Cyndi
“Snap Pea Crisps, organic avocados, and Eden Organic Gomasio Seasoning. Gomasio + Avocado = Avomasio. And Snap Pea Crisps = love!”
Sydnee
“Quorn Nuggets are yummy! Just Coffee Revolution Roast Coffee gives me the perk I need to get moving in the morning. Multi Green Kombucha is so refreshing!”
Debbie in Accounting
“I absolutely LOVE bulk chocolate turtles, deli Samosas and Greek Gods Honey Vanilla Yogurt.”
Get to Know your Board: Bobbie Hentges
by Brooke Walsh
I grew up in Hibbing and on Lake Vermilion in Tower. After graduating from UMD, I lived in Duluth for 12 years. I moved back to Hibbing when I got a job at the (then) new Northwest Airlines reservation center in Chisholm. I loved my 14-year career with the airline but it was cut short when I was permanently disabled in 2008. That event led us to move to St. Cloud, which I have grown to love. My parents came to live with us and I have been so lucky to be able to spend time with and care for them. I recently lost my dad at age 93. As far back as Duluth I occasionally shopped at co-ops. I really fell in love with New Pioneer in Iowa City. I have recently been trying to enhance my health and lifestyle in order to improve my quality of life with MS. I am trying to make organic and whole foods more of a priority in my diet and have really come to appreciate having a reliable and reputable whole foods source in the community. My disability has also made gardening on any large scale difficult. I love to cook and spend time with my husband and stepson, my mom and my two beautiful yellow labs, who are my pride and joy. How long have you served on the Coop board? I have been on the board since September 2013. What did you do prior to serving on the board? My last position was Customer Service Manager with Northwest Airlines Ground Operations (airport). I did that for three years in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and for three years in Minneapolis. What is your favorite thing about being on the Co-op board? Since I stopped working, I missed being a part of something. But this is not just “something.” I feel like I am part of something really special. The people at the Co-op are so passionate and dedicated. I have learned so much from my experience here. The staff is amazing.
What is your favorite vegetable? Lease favorite? It really depends on the season. Right now, I cannot get enough asparagus.
In my short time here, I’ve had so many interesting and pleasant experiences; I can’t think of just one. I’m very excited to be chairing the Member Engagement Committee, and am very proud of our new Co-op Coins program. What is your favorite recipe? For years my favorite recipe has been Thai sesame noodles. I started just by mixing good hot salsa with peanut butter, no sesame there. Back then, I just called them peanut noodles. Now, my recipe is more elaborate with Sriracha, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, honey and toasted sesame oil. I throw in whatever assorted veggies I have on hand, but I particularly like it with cucumbers, carrots and cabbage.
Every time I make it I have to make a double batch because I have eaten my share before the meal is ready. I guess it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if someone told me I had to give up eggplant. What was your diet like growing up? How is it similar or different? My dad was a pretty traditional “meat and potatoes” guy, but he loved to garden. I was the only kid I knew in my neighborhood who knew what kohlrabi was. My mom was always very concerned about nutrition. She was a good cook and served a lot of vegetables and rarely used prepackaged or processed foods. I remember having a fresh green salad every day. But I somehow developed a pretty serious carb and sugar addition that I still struggle with today. My diet is ever evolving. I am striving to eat a primarily plant-based diet. I have recently purchased a spiralizer that makes noodles out of fruits and vegetables. I am having all kinds of fun with it and I find that I can more easily incorporate more vegetables into my diet. What is the most interesting experience you’ve had at the Co-op?
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I’m excited to try substituting spiralized cucumbers for the noodles and make the sauce with almond butter. Working on healthier recipes all th time. I also make a killer marinara sauce that I now just love on sautéed zucchini noodles. Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do for fun? I have been increasing the amount of container gardening that I can do on my deck. I grow and use more and more fresh herbs every summer, and I kill more and more herbs inside during the winter. Someday, I’m going to figure it out. I haven’t had much luck with container tomatoes. I got some great hints from a grower at the farmer’s market, though. I’m going to give it another go this year. For fun, I have my two wonderful yellow labs. I can lose a whole afternoon playing with them and watching them play with each other. They are incredibly therapeutic for me. Steve and I also love to camp and just sit in our beautiful yard by the fire in the evenings. I’m a pretty avid sports fan. I particularly love football, baseball, and of course, hockey.
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The Buzz: Bees are Irreplaceable
Continued from page 1
by Natalie Miller Rotunda
time. Nothing fancy, merely place fresh water in a shallow bowl that you place in your yard. And be sure to add a handful of pebbles. Bees like to rest a while after hydrating themselves. Since bees don’t need a lot of water, the small amount should not provide an opportunity for mosquitoes to set up a breeding site in the bowl. • Plant species in your yard that bees love. Writes British garden writer, Alys Fowler: “Taking steps to make your garden bee-friendly brings in other beneficial insects and wildlife too, helping your garden to find its natural balance. When the balance is right, there is no such thing as a pest problem, meaning less work for you.” Bees love to visit perennials, annuals, and herbs. Did you know they’re attracted more by a flowering plant’s color than by its scent? We’re encouraged to eat more colorful fruits and veggies, but our little food helpers need no encouragement to buzz towards vibrantly colored flowers— purple ones, (ultraviolet) red, yellow, blue, blue-green, and pink flowering plants. Of crucial consideration: make sure that the plants or seeds you buy carry the green and white organic seal, and/
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or the Non-GMO Project label. Ask Dawn, produce manager, to help you find plants and seeds you like best. In addition to colorful flowering plants and non–GMO seeds, other important points you may want to keep in mind are to stagger blooming cycles that span seasons. It could look like this: perennial herbs such as marjoram, sage, and thyme for spring blooming; lavender and catnip for summer blooming, and hyssop and winter savory for fall blooming. Planting clusters of herbs and flowers assures you’ll attract our pollinator friends. Bees seldom visit a solitary flower. Now for the list, not a short one, of plants that bees love. Oh, what great choices we have to provide a habitat where bees can work safely! Top bee-loving herbs: • Echium (Viper’s Bugloss) and Phacella (Tansy) are two that continually produce nectar throughout the day, so they’re high on the list of favorites. Phacella is among the best spring forage plants and blooms for up to two months. Echium blooms in the spring and is a stable nectar go-to for honeybees. • Borage (Borago Officinalis) is another spring source, and blooms
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in summer. • Goldenrod is ubiquitous, easily dominating landscapes. It blooms from July to September. • Melissa (lemon balm), a perennial, blooms for up to 50 days. In no particular order, other herbs that entice bees are Echinacea, E. purpurea (purple coneflower), roses (did you know these beauties are herbs?),wild bergamot, basil, oregano, lavender, catmint, sage, thyme, fennel, cilantro, calendula, sweet alyssum, chamomile, foxglove, garlic chives, horehound, marshmallow, mints, red clover, rosemary. Annual flowers that attract worker bees include poppy, sunflowers, zinnias, heliotrope, nasturtiums. Perennials catching bees’ attention include crocus (they’re loaded with bee-lovin’ pollen in March), buttercup, aster, hollyhocks, anemone, snowdrops, geranium, daisies (Marguerito, Gerbera, and Painted Daisies are some of the daisies possessing the color palate bees love). And would you believe these oh-so-colorful fruit varieties call out to bees to stop and fill their bellies? Blackberries, gooseberries, blueberContinued on page 9
The Buzz: Bees are Irreplaceable by Natalie Miller Rotunda
ries, and raspberries. Honey, great news for your health! We shouldn’t leave the subject of bees without sharing some of the health benefits associated with the product of their work, but with this caveat: benefits are found in raw honey, not in pasteurized honey (which can contain cane sugar or high-fructose corn syrup).
the age of one year, it’s an effective cough suppressant for cold-sufferers. What about nutrients? Raw honey contains enzymes, traces of protein, B and C vitamins, amino acids, and 11 minerals from C to Z: calcium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, sodium, and zinc.
Bees predigest honey for us, so, acRaw honey’s antiseptic properties make cording to Joe Parkhill, author of The it ideal for healing wounds and burns. Wonderful World of Honey, a Sugarless It’s also antimicrobial, anti-inflammato- Cookbook, “It produces almost instant ry, and antifungal, and, for anyone over
Continued from page 8
energy without straining the digestive system.” He also tells us that our kidneys handle honey better than all other sugars available. What’s not to love about this amber powerhouse! In addition to its marvelous health benefits, raw honey is a better choice than sugar in many recipes. GEFC’s pot of gold —er, honey The large honey pot located in the bulk department is the place for anyone looking for local honey. Marquette Honey Farm, located a short distance from St. Cloud, supplies the honey. Bring your own jar, or use one of the plastic containers provided at a nominal cost. Or buy a reusable bottle. Honey dippers are also in plentiful supply. Other bee-related items you might enjoy are beeswax candles located in the front of the store. While you’re there, check for cookbooks that just may contain recipes for using honey. A final thought So that honey-lovers can be assured that honey pots everywhere don’t run dry someday, let’s all pitch in now, at some level, to help save the bees.
Join us for
brunch every Saturday & Sunday
St. Cloud Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 3226 Maine Prairie Rd. (320) 252-0020
www.uufstcloud.org Sundays at 10:30AM
Visit the Good Earth deli for made-freshdaily comfort foods, from delicious soups to hot entrees. For
A Welcoming Congregation • Seeking Truth • Building Community • Promoting Justice www.goodearthcoop.coop
menus, check out the Co-op’s website and Facebook page. 9
Member-Owner Spotlight: Jennifer Harder by Natalie M. Rotunda
Jennifer tells us she joined the Good Earth Food Co-op about two years ago. She’s involved in quite a few creative pursuits, and she’s helping a friend start a holistic group, which welcomes anyone in the holistic field.
Salon at the Downtown Art Crawl this spring, and hope to be sponsored by a local business in the next Art Crawl.
ularly? Do you have a can’t-livewithout food from the Co-op? Since I am predominately a fruitarian, I buy lots and lots of fruit. I also buy my dish and laundry soap there. Also I do purchase vegan meals in the Deli and the Deli’s hot bar.
Tell us about yourself, Jennifer, and what you’re all involved in. I live in Saint Cloud, and I have one dog and one cat. I’m a US Air Force Veteran that served in the Gulf. I was in the Air Force for six years and did a short tour in Saudi Arabia for 90 days. I volunteer with the VA in Saint Cloud, where I help patients in the Occupational Therapy program.
start is called The Central Minnesota Holistic Chamber, and it meets on the third Tuesday of the month in the Co-op’s meeting room. Our mission statement is, “Creating connections that allow space to be authentic in who you are personally and professionally, supporting the holistic community to create sustainable prosperity.” Our meetings are open discussions, and we plan to have speakers.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I work on meditative art and craft projects, and spend time with my close friends.
Tell us more about the holistic group you’re helpingin to start. Celebrating 13 years the Community! The group I’m helping my friend
I’m an artist. I sew, paint, and do Meditative Art, where I meditate for an hour focusing on the person I’m making the piece for. It’s usually a representation of the inner spirit of the person. There is no certification involved, but I am looking at teaching it to women veterans at the VA, and then both men and women. Do you sell any of your work? Yes, I do sell the wire wrap pendants I make and the boxes I’ve repurposed from bamboo placemats, as well as meditative art and photography. I was featured at Mantra
Anything I’ve missed asking that you’d like to share with us? The main reason I buy my fruit and veggies at Good Earth is that I can trust them to purchase Certified Organic and Fair Trade from different vendors. Since I’ve learned Before you joined the Good Earth about the side effects of pesticides Food Co-op, had you been a shop- and artificial coloring of fruit and per here? veggies, it is very important to me Yes, but only once in a while. to buy organic. The staff is really open-minded if I make suggestions What decided you on joining? of making more vegan or raw vegan I became a vegan, mostly a fruitarpremade meals that aren’t filled with ian. oils and/or grains. What do you like best about being a member? I like the very friendly and knowledgeable employees. Do you have favorite foods or departments you like to shop reg-
Ask a staff member or visit the website to apply for member-ownership today!
Celebrating 13 years in the Community!
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www.goodearthcoop.coop
MAKE A DIFFERENCE! If you are passionate about the Good Earth Food Co-op and its ideals — Become a member of the Good Earth Food Co-op Board of Directors • Be a part of a dynamic team that works together to represent the Co-op’s member-owners • Become more involved with the Co-op and its mission • Have a positive effect on the future of the Co-op • Learn more about Cooperatives and how they fit into the world in which we live
If this sounds like you, please consider applying for a position on the Good Earth Food Co-op Board of Directors. Or if it you know someone else who fits this description, nominate him or her for a position on the Coop’s Board of Directors. How to Apply or Nominate Someone: 1. Get an application or nomination form from one of the friendly staff members at the front of the store or on the website (www.goodearthcoop.com). 2. Complete the form and return it to the front of the store or to
[email protected] or
[email protected] along with a photo and a letter of recommendation. 3. The deadline for applications and nominations is Friday, July 12th 2015.
Save a tree and stay informed... Request to receive our
Super Sunday Every 1st Sunday of the month member-owners get $10 off any purchase of $100 or more! www.goodearthcoop.coop
e-newsletter by emailing
[email protected]
- All natural, non-GMO ingredients. - No preservatives or added fats. - Made with love by a small, local company. 11
Become a member today!
Centennial Plaza 2010 Veterans Drive Saint Cloud, MN 56303 Tel: (320) 253-9290
[email protected] [email protected]
STORE HOURS Monday - Saturday 8:00 am - 9:00 pm Sunday 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
Benefits include: • A 5% discount to use once each month. • Monthly specials exclusively for member-owners. • A 10% case discount on pre-ordered products. • Patronage refunds based on your purchases during profitable years. • Reduced or free admission to Good Earth classes and events. • And more! For more information or to apply for membership, please visit GoodEarthFoodCoop.coop or see one of our friendly staff members.
Or Current Resident Centennial Plaza 2010 Veterans Drive Saint Cloud, MN 56303
PRST STD US Postage PAID Permit No 228 St Cloud MN
