|
|
Owner Appreciation Day!
Jacqueline Hannah, General Manager
 We Love Our Members! It's time for our
first-ever Owner Appreciation Day on Saturday, February 14th! Four times a year, a
day is set aside to celebrate the Co-op's owners and the idea of
community ownership. How do we do that?
- 10% off of your
entire purchase for all C0-op owners
-
Live music in the
deli seating area from 11 am to 1 pm!
-
Free goat cheese
sampling with Prairie Fruits Farm of Urbana!
-
Free bread
sampling with Pekara Bakery of Champaign!
-
Food sampling
throughout the store!
-
Giveaways!
The entire staff and I
are so looking forward to the 14th, and it is going to be a
fabulously fun day at your Co-op--don't miss it!
Owner Appreciation Days
are just one way you benefit from being an owner of Common Ground
Food Co-op all year long. Other benefits include half-price
registration for our incredibly popular classes and workshops! Once
advertised, these classes fill up within hours, so if you want to
attend, please register as soon as you can! We'll be
expanding our class offerings this month and re-offering both
January's Yogurt Making workshop and "Eating Healthy for Less" class.
Check out the list of classes being offered at
the bottom of this newsletter.
On March 1st, the Co-op will release its annual report that details how your co-op performed, both
fiscally and as a member of the community, in 2008. Copies will be
available at the register and the report will be posted to the web.
As an owner of the Co-op, you have a right to this information and an
investment in knowing. 2008 was an amazing year for your Co-op, and I
hope you will pick up a copy of the report and review the struggles
and successes of your Co-op's year. There will be an owner
forum in mid-March for any and all interested owners where I will
discuss the report and answer any questions you may have about the
co-op's fiscal performance.
It's been an honor
working for you throughout 2008, arguably the
most spectacular year in Common Ground's history, and I look
forward to a rich and wonderful 2009 with all of our owners.
|
|
Local Producer Profile: Blue Moon Farm Q&A with Jon Cherniss of Blue Moon Farm
|
 What does your farm name mean to you?
How did you choose this name? I suppose we were
trying to suggest our produce was special or rare. If Al Gore had
invented the internet sooner we would have learned that Blue Moon
Farm was as common as the name Jon.
Where is
your farm located? How many miles do you travel to reach Common
Ground? The farm is just 10 miles North of the Co-op. We even have
an Urbana mailing address.
How long
have you been farming? Since the summer of 1988. Actually, I could
argue I have farmed all my life since I grew up on an Egg Farm, or
Ranch as we called it in California
What do you grow or
raise on your farm? We grow almost every major vegetable except,
sweet corn, melons and green beans.
What is
your signature product? I don't know if these are my signature
products, but I look forward to sugarsnap peas and asparagus in the
spring, tomatoes in the summer, carrots in the fall and spinach in
the winter. Of course salad mix, broccoli, potatoes, squash, onions
and garlic are really good too and then there are the red peppers, oh
and green peppers ( they are amazing when eating right off the
plant). Whoops, the hot peppers are great in the winter. Hot peppers
freeze easily and Michelle makes the best tortilla soup in the
winter. Sorry, but I am very hungry right now and the winters are
way too long in Illinois.
When and
why did you make the switch to organic farming? In 1988 I had just
finished my Masters Degree in International Relations and needed a
summer job, my then wife-to be and I were moving to Ohio in the fall.
My plan was just to kill time and finish writing my thesis. I got a
job at Stone Free Farm in Davis Ca. (named after the Jimi Hendrix
song "Stone Free", now that is a good farm name). I fell
in love with the food and the machines and have farmed organically
full time ever since. So there was never a switch to organic
farming.
What do you enjoy
most about farming? Eating and our customers. I also like the
machines and spreadsheets. It's funny though, I can't
really distinguish between any of the past 20 years farming except
for the people I have worked with. Many have remained or have
become close friends and some have even become farmers themselves.
What do you find most challenging about being a farmer? The endless
work and possibility. You really do have to make hay while the sun
shines.
What is your philosophy/perspective on farming and
agriculture? This is a tough question. I suppose I am a realist,
vegetable growing is really at odds with mother nature. Sure, when
you farm organically and try to be sustainable you attempt to work
with mother nature, but there are some real environmental limits you
need to press up against to make a living. I suppose that is the
most challenging thing about farming and life. You try not to do any
harm and hopefully leave the land and the world in better shape for
the next generation.
Is there anything else you'd like Common Ground members to know about
your farm? I think I would like to just say thank you. Your
appreciation and passion for eating well keeps me farming.
|
Staff Pick: Red Navel Oranges
Anne Bargar, Produce Assistant
|
 Red Navel oranges are one of the most fabulous horticultural
accidents of the 1970's. Discovered at the Hacienda de Cara Cara in
Valencia, Venezuela in 1976, the red navel (also know as the Cara
Cara Navel) is of unknown origin. Some believe it's an unintended
cross between two cultivars, while others believe it's a mutation of
the Washington navel. Regardless, the red navel is a wonderful piece
of fruit.
Red navels have
beautiful ruby red flesh, which is the result of a high lycopene
level. The flavor of a red navel is truly superb; sweet, rich, and
a bit berry-like. These oranges are great for fresh eating, and
their brilliant color and flavor make an excellent addition to
salads. Additionally, red citrus are low in acid and high in
vitamin C. Give red navels a try!
|
Recipe: Food For All Vegetarian Chili
|
This is a sample recipe from our new Food For All Recipe Program. You can check out the full list of 'Feed 4 on $5' recipes right here!
Chili  is a classic
for a reason! Delicious, filling, and cheap, you can't go
wrong with a big pot of chili. This recipe freezes beautifully, so save
lots of meal preparation time by doubling this recipe (or tripling,
even) and putting away half in individual portions for taking to
school or work.
1
T canola oil (bulk) $0.08
1/2
lg yellow onion, diced $0.69
3
cloves garlic, minced fine $0.15
1/2
a green bell pepper, diced $0.65
1
cup dry bulk black beans (3 cups cooked) $0.54
2
- 3 cups black bean cooking water $0.00
1/2
a 28 oz can diced Muir Glen tomatoes
$1.40
1/4
lb dried textured vegetable protein (TVP) bits $0.75
1
tsp salt (or to taste) $0.03
1
T chili powder blend $0.29
1
T cumin powder $0.15
1
dried chipotle pepper $0.06
2
tsp Santa Cruz bottled lime juice $0.19
Total Cost: $4.98
Makes
four generous servings at only $1.25 per serving! Click here to read the full recipe and see other great Food For All Recipes!
|
| Green Living: Buying in Bulk
|
 If you've perused the new "Food For All" recipes, you no doubt noticed that buying ingredients in bulk is the key to enjoying affordable,
healthy food. Bulk buying allows you to purchase only what you need,
cutting back on cost and waste, plus it's often fresher than pre-packaged items. Bulk foods are also great when you want to experiment in the kitchen. New to millet, quinoa, or green lentils? Just purchase a small sample to see if it fits your culinary tastes.
Bulk
foods are not just economical and convenient, they are great for the
environment, too! It takes immense amounts of energy to produce
grocery cans, boxes, crates, and labels, most of which end up in the
landfill. Traditional packaging contributes to deforestation, the use
of petrochemicals, and increased transportation emissions--even recyclable
packaging takes energy to produce and recycle.
You make a
significant environmental impact when you choose bulk foods, especially
when you package them in reused bags and containers. Yes, you can bring your own bags and containers to the Co-op for your bulk items! While plastic bags and containers will always be
available in the bulk department, we do encourage you to bring your own glass or plastic containers--just be sure to weigh them before you fill them. Any staff member can show you how this is done!
Choose bulk! Your wallet and the environment will thank you for it!
|
From Your Board of Directors
What Sam is doing to
Prepare for Summer Growing Season
Sam Vandegrift, Board Member
|
 First a plug. Join my
neighbors and me at the Common Ground Food Coop on Sunday, February
1, for a SEED SWAP. Speakers will give instructions on seed saving
and starting techniques and then trade seeds with fellow gardeners!
While encouraged, you do not need to bring seeds to join in the fun.
See you there. Now the title article.
I spent summers as a
child wandering my folk's garden, in salt-water sandals, eating
fresh peas and avoiding the mercilessly hot peppers. My family
tradition continues at my own home. Gardening gives you the best food
that is beyond fresh and coaxed into being through your own labor.
You can easily begin this year without any previous experience. In a
crass way, all you have to do is break up the soil, plant seeds in a
sunny place, water and eat. I think everyone who has some dirt at
their disposal should grow basil and spinach at a minimum. I, in no
way, am a master at this, nor do I claim insight into every problem
and aspect that may come your way. I simply want to encourage you to
garden more (a bit anyway) than you did last year. Here is a basic
list of what I am doing in preparation for all those zucchini I will
need to 'do something with' later. Click here to continue reading!
|
|
Thanks for shopping at Common Ground!
Remember, membership is not required to shop at Common Ground! Anyone can shop in the store, but there are some great benefits to joining and we are always happy to welcome new members! |
|
|
|
February Sales!
|
Check out this month's sales here!
|
 |
Did You Know?
|
To speed up the ripening of a green
pineapple, store it upside down in a box for a day or two. When it's
fragrant and more yellow than green, it's ready to eat.
The easiest
way to cut a pineapple: cut off both ends, then use a paring knife to
peel off the skin. Quarter the pineapple lengthwise and cut out the
core, then cut the sections into chunks.
~Jessy Ruddell
Produce Manager
|
 |
|
SEEDS!
|
Spring is on its way--really! Check
out Common Ground's produce department for a wide variety of garden
seeds from Seed Savers Exchange and Fedco. This month we'll carry a
lot of seeds suitable for indoor starting, but keep coming back,
because our selection will change with the seasons. If you don't see
something you're looking for on our racks, email Anne, and she'll do her best to acquire it for you.
|
 |
|
Co-op Principle Number 3!
|
Want to learn more about the Seven Cooperative Principles? Click here to learn about Principle #3.
|
|
|
|
February Classes and Workshops
Herbal Health Workshop
Wednesday, February 11, 6-7:30 pm
$5 for owners/$10 for non-owners
New Owner Orientation
Saturday, February 14, 4:00pm
FREE, registration is not required
Yogurt Making Class
Saturday, February 21, 3-4 pm
$5 for owners/$10 for non-owners
Aromatherapy Workshop
Thursday, February 26, 7:00-8:30 pm
$20 for owners/$25 for non-owners
Eating Healthy for Less
Saturday, February 28, 3-4 pm
FREE, but pre-registration is required
Click here to read the full descriptions of our February Classes.
Please register in person at Common Ground Food Co-op. Due to the high level of interest in our classes, we cannot take registrations by phone or email. Thank you for your understanding.
|
Common Ground Food Co-op
1 Lincoln Square Village
Urbana, IL 61801
Ph. (217) 352-3347
www.commonground.coop
|
|
|
