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HR 875: Looking for Real Answers
Jacqueline Hannah, General Manager
 If you've been
watching the news lately, you've probably heard of HR 875,
the Food Safety and Modernization Act. This bill, along with two other
bills addressing food issues, is currently under consideration in the House of Representatives.
What is it all about?
What about the rumors that the bill is sponsored by
Monsanto, or that it will make organic farming illegal?
Wherever these rumors
started, I feel confident stating they are not true. Monsanto is not
behind HR 875, and none of these bills will make organic farming
illegal.
But I urge you not to
take my word for it. An important part of the Co-op's mission
is to educate our members and the C-U community on food issues. In
that spirit, we reach out now and again to inform you about current
legislation that could have a real effect on organic and local
food.
To learn more about HR
875 and the other two bills, HR 759 and HR 1332, please take a look at the following
resources offered by organizations that have a solid reputation as champions of local and organic
food:
The Cornucopia
Institute
Main article on the issue and their action alert
with suggested things you can do.
Food and Water Watch
These bills are still in committee, and will likely be changed a good deal
before reaching the House floor. If you have concerns about parts of
these bills, now is the time to make your voice heard. The most effective way to do this is to contact your
Representative:
Tim Johnson
2004 Fox Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: 217-403-4690
Fax: 217-403-4691
Email Representative Johnson
Phone calls tend to
carry more weight than e-mails. Representative Johnson serves on the
organics subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee, so these issues
are of particular interest to him. If you have concerns, questions,
or comments about the bill I encourage you to speak up and get
involved in the democratic process!
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Local Producer: Market at the Square!
Market at the Square starts tomorrow, May 2!
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 Through this column, you've heard directly from many of the local
farmers that supply Common Ground Food Co-op. And now you have a
chance to meet them! The Market at the Square starts tomorrow, May 2,
in the Lincoln Square Village parking lot, and we encourage you to get
out to the Market bright and early and see what's fresh and in season!
Despite
these tough economic times, there has never been a better time to
support your local farmers. They need our financial support (and maybe
a hearty 'thanks!') more than ever. Tomorrow, and every Saturday
through November 7, vote with your dollars for good food, clean soil,
and a better way of doing business!
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Staff Pick: Cottage Cheese
Cody Bralts-Steindl, Front End Staff.
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 Ever since I was little, I have had a secret relationship with cottage
cheese. Call it an obsession, I fondly remember having a bowl of the
stuff placed in front of me every morning before hopping off to Leal
school. In truth, I was the only one in my class that would dare eat
the lumpy white stuff. So I kept it a secret. Until now!
Cottage cheese is essentially a type of cheese that is made up of
cheese curds. It is packed with as much-even more depending on the
brand-calcium and Vitamin D as milk. These curds are low in fat,
carbs and are very high in protein. It is also more versatile than
milk. You can have it as a dip, put it on some fruit, or, if you're
feeling rebellious, on a large piece of Blue Moon lettuce. If you have
a stomach disorder, try eating cottage cheese, as the amino acids from
the curds will regulate your gastrointestinal tract! For women, eating
cottage cheese may help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
I recommend the Organic Valley brand, located in the dairy section in the back of your co-op!
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Recipe: Simple Roasted Asparagus
Jessy Ruddell, Produce Manager |
 1 bunch asparagus
olive oil
salt & pepper
1 lemon, zested
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line
a baking tray with parchment or waxed paper. If the asparagus is
very thick, use a vegetable peeler to peel the bottom third of each
stalk. Spread the stalks on the baking sheet in one layer and
drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands to spread the oil evenly over
each stalk. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 10-15
minutes, depending on the size of the stalks, until the asparagus is
deeply colored and tender. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the
asparagus as soon as it comes out of the oven.
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Green Living: Sustainable Saturdays!
Meagan Luhrs, Outreach Coordinator
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 Join Common Ground Food Co-op this May for Sustainable Saturdays,
co-sponsored by FS Farmtown! When you bring your Common Ground receipt
to FS Farmtown, you'll be entered in a drawing for great
eco-friendly prizes, such as a rain barrel, a fruit tree, and a GeoBin
composting system! Bring your FS Farmtown receipt to Common Ground and
you'll be entered in a drawing for a $50 gift certificate. Drawings
every week throughout the month of May! Stop by the store for more details!
MAY 2, 10am-12pm: Market Kickoff!
Come
celebrate local foods on the first day of Market at the Square! Pick
up a list of in-season local foods and some recipes to go along with
them!
MAY 9, 7 to 11 am: Plant Sale!
The Co-op's
Annual Plant Sale features organic tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and more,
grown by local farmers and community members! All proceeds benefit the
Co-op's Food for All Discount and Equity Scholarship Programs.
MAY 16, 12-2 pm: Transportation!
Representatives
from the Bike Project and the Zipcar Programs will give you the tips
you need to be sustainable on the go! Come learn more about these
great local programs that will keep your bike in check and lessen your
need for owning a car.
MAY 23, 12-1 pm: Vermiposting!
Get the low down on vermiposting--composting that uses red wiggler worms! It's
a fun activity for children and also offers a way for people without
yards to compost indoors. This talk will cover the basics of how to set
up a worm bin, what to feed the worms, and how to harvest your finished
compost from the bin.
MAY 30, 10am-12pm: Wee Sustainability
Common
Ground welcomes kids of all ages to join us on the patio to talk about
the importance of local and organic foods. We'll be examining and tasting some in-season vegetables and making posters dedicated to our local farmers!
All events are free, open to the public, and will take place on the Common Ground outdoor patio unless otherwise noted.
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From Your Board of Directors
Lisa Bralts-Kelly, Board Member
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 Greetings Common
Ground Owners! April's over, Market at the Square
is getting started, and everyone's emerging from a long winter
like bears from a cave. There's no better time than the present
to get involved in the doings of Common Ground, especially those of
the social AND governance kind.
Our spring General
Membership Meeting, or GMM, is happening Saturday, May 9, at 12:30 PM
at Victory Park. Bring a dish to share while the membership conducts
its business, which includes meeting board members up for
re-election, discussion of pending bylaws, a report from the general manager,
and other topics. This is yet another time where Common Ground's owners' voices are incredibly important--this is governance
happening! Make sure your voice gets heard!
Common Ground's
Board of Directors meets every month (the second Monday of each month
in the Satterthwaite Room at the Urbana Free Library, if you're
interested in attending), and various committees continue to meet on
a regular basis. Email board@commonground.coop
if you're interested in more information regarding the Board
and/or its committees' meeting schedules.
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NEW HOURS AT COMMON GROUND!
Common Ground will be open 9am to 9pm every day! We will open at 7am on Saturdays during Market Season. Effective Saturday, May 2.
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Plant Sale!
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Common Ground's Annual Plant Sale is Saturday, May 9 from 7am to 11am! We'll have organic tomatoes, vegetables, herbs and more! Don't miss it!
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May Sales!
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Check out this month's sales here!
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Did You Know?
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It's the most wonderful time of the
year: asparagus season! To choose the perfect bunch of asparagus,
look for three important features:
1. Uniformly sized spears. Both fat
and thin asparagus spears are delicious, but uniformity makes for
even cooking.
2. Tightly closed heads. Nice, tight
tips mean your asparagus will be fresh and tasty.
3. Green (not brown or woody) bottoms.
Turn the asparagus over and check the bottoms of the spears. They
should be green and fresh-looking. This indicates that they were
picked recently.
To store your asparagus for more than a
day or two, stand it upright in a jar of water in your fridge.
~Jessy Ruddell
Produce Manager
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Common Ground has a new neighbor at Lincoln Square Mall!
Amara Yoga & Arts,
a new yoga studio and art gallery, opened in mid April. You can find
them across the hall from Cardinal Fitness and online here!
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Co-op Principle Number Six!
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Want to learn more about the Seven Cooperative Principles? Click here to learn about Principle #6.
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Central Illinois Social Forum
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Common Ground Food Co-op is co-sponsoring the Central Illinois Social
Forum, an all-day event designed to build connections among local
social justice organizations.
Saturday May 2
12:30 - 7 pm
at the Independent Media Center
202 S. Broadway Ave., Urbana
Lunch and music at 12:30, workshops all day, and community potluck dinner at 6 pm. For more details, click here!
This event will kick off a series of monthly potlucks for community members to share ideas.
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MAY EVENTS AT COMMON GROUND FOOD CO-OP!
Click here for more information on these events!
Water Use Workshop
Led by Co-op Member Brett Bloom
Saturday, May 2, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
$20 for owners / $40 for non-owners
Annual Plant Sale!
Common Ground Patio
Saturday, May 9,
7:00 am to 11:00 am
General Membership Meeting
Victory Park, Urbana (Green & Lynn)
Saturday, May 9, 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm
Co-op Kitchen: Bulgar & Amaranth
Led by General Manager Jacqueline Hannah
Wednesday, May 20, 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
$6 for owners / $12 for non-owners
Cheese Making
Led by Co-op Member Anna Barnes
Saturday, May 23, 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
$10 for owners / $20 for non-owners
Eating Healthy on a Budget
Wednesday, May 27, 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Led by Jacqueline Hannah
FREE, but pre-registration is required.
Please note! You must register in person at Common Ground. Due to the high level of interest in our events, we cannot take registrations via phone or email--thank you for your understanding!
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Common Ground Food Co-op
1 Lincoln Square Village
Urbana, IL 61801
Ph. (217) 352-3347
www.commonground.coop
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