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Season's Greenings!
Sarah Hoyle-Katz, Education Coordinator
 Here we are on the first of April -no joke- and one thing is at the front of my mind: Earth Week. At the Co-op we celebrate the Earth all year round (with sustainably- and locally-produced foods, reusable containers and bags, energy-efficient appliances, classes, a biweekly sustainable transportation gift card drawing, and more!), but we like to take one week every year to specifically share our love and appreciation of all things green.
This year we have some stellar (or should I say terrestrial?) Earth Week classes and events, including a bicycle repair workshop, story time, spring cleaning class and more. We love encouraging our customers to "go green," so like we did last year, we're offering a prize for customers who use sustainable transportation -hike, bike, or bus!- to get to the Co-op. I'm sorry, did I say a prize? I meant two, one for each of two lucky sustainable transportation users: a free CUMTD bus pass, and a gift card to Champaign Cycle. Enter one of these drawings each time you bike, hike, or bus to shop at Common Ground during Earth Week!
However, we're not the only ones excited about Earth Week - Prairie Rivers Network is so pumped that they've put together a list of lots of different Earth Week events, which you can check out here. Want to find more? The News-Gazette usually puts up an article about Earth Week events a couple of weeks in advance, so you can check out their website, too. Wherever you are and whatever you're doing April 16-22, we hope you keep the Earth in mind!
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Expansion Update
Jacqueline Hannah, General Manager
It's time to get out the hammers!
By the time you read this, we'll be less than two weeks away from finalizing our primary lender loans for Common Ground's expansion - the very last step before we can throw ourselves headlong into the construction of our fabulous expanded store space. As you probably know, we have a printed expansion newsletter in the store that we just updated in March. The newsletter outlines all the fabulous new departments and offerings the expansion will make possible, with a map of the expanded store included. If you have not yet picked one up, you can do so at the register next time you come by your co-op; it's full of fun details about your expanding store.
Thank you again to everyone who helped to make the second push of the owner loan campaign such an amazing success. Together, we raised $1 million in owner loans! After we accomplished this amazing feat, we began asking around and found out that there are only a handful of other co-ops who have met this lofty owner loan goal, and all were far larger co-ops than Common Ground - proof again that there is something very special happening in C-U. The level of support Common Ground's owners give to their co-op is just off the charts, and it's the key reason we've been able to accomplish so much in just three and a half short years since our first expansion to Lincoln Square in 2008.
We had to get all the owner loan checks in the bank before our primary fund lender, Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund, could finalize their part of our expansion funding with us. And then, of course, these things always take longer than planned. Right now the planned final date for the primary lending financing is April 13th - keep your fingers crossed! If everything goes according to plan, we'll be building as soon as Monday, April 16th! Our general contractor and fellow co-op owner, Tim Gibbs, and his team are more than ready to get started, as I think we all are. We're ready to see our new store unfold!
The construction phase is planned to take a little over five months, meaning the store will be complete this fall. But as this is a "phased expansion" -meaning we'll still be open at the same location as all this construction and moving is happening- you'll see the store start changing right before your eyes long before the final completion date. More details on that coming soon.
Thank you to each and every one of you for your hard work to make Common Ground's 2012 expansion happen. From making an owner loan (or even two or three!) to spreading the word and bringing in new friends to your co-op, your commitment to your co-op and our community inspires me over and over again.
To the next phase of Common Ground's fabulous success!
Jacqueline
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From Your Board of Directors
Clint Popetz, Board Member
 Most discussions of sustainability focus on issues related to natural resources. How fast are we consuming them? How fast are we replenishing them? Are they being contaminated? But equally important are the institutions that foster stewardship of those resources. In the end, the short term conservation of any resource will be meaningless if longer term patterns of use result in its depletion.This is why the Co-op, as a business, is so crucial. Institutions that work on long range plans to build and maintain sustainable local food systems are few and far between, but even rarer are those with a business model that ensures their success into the indefinite future. There are three ways in which the Co-op Board works to understand and support the long term sustainability of Common Ground itself:* Financial Sustainability: What does the near, mid, and long term picture look like for the Co-op's ability to run a successful store, grow to meet the demands of its customers, hire competitively, and service its debts? A big part of this is how much equity the community has invested in Common Ground, as equity represents a crucial path toward making the Co-op independent of reliance on the banking sector to finance our improvements and growth. * Market Sustainability: Can we compete? What natural foods chains are interested in our community, and what would be the impact should one open a competing store? Are we growing to meet the unmet needs of our community, and how big would we need to be to fully meet that demand and thus survive competition from chains with deeper pockets and larger buying power?* Democratic Sustainability: How do we implement the improvements in board governance necessary to ensure that the circle of empowerment (from owners, to the Board, to management, to staff, and back to the owners) is maintained? How do we educate ourselves and our owners about co-ops and how they function? How do we ensure a lively and positive conversation continues to take place in our community about why our co-op exists and what needs it meets as it grows? How do we stay responsive to the changing needs of our owners?Questions such as these ensure that our co-op is itself a sustainable business, and therefore can exist for generations to come, working to make our community a better place to live. So we'll keep asking them, and we hope you'll join us in that conversation! | Have any thoughts, questions, or comments about this article or for your Board of Directors? Email the Board at board@commonground.coop.
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Local Producer Profile: Golden Meadows Farm
Ryan Johnson, Operator/Manager
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The bison farm for me began up in Hoopeston, IL on September 11th, 2001. I was a senior in high school; it just happened to be that day and I won't ever forget it. I started with two bison, and as time went on the herd got a little bigger. I left for the Marine Corps and then ended up serving in Iraq during the initial invasion. My dad took care of the small herd we had during all this.
I then started selling the meat to some friends and family here and there -nothing too big- but as word spread about it, the more calls and emails I got about how people wanted the meat and wanted to come to the farm to see the animals. So then I got my license to sell it and started selling it to anyone. The name I used was simply Johnson's Buffalo Meat Sales.
As time went on I met up with a guy who wanted to start raising a herd on his 200 acres down north of Danville, near Bismarck. We talked a lot and discussed just how it could be done, and then ended up joining together. I started his bison operation down there, and also still raised my own. It was beginning to be a bit of a hassle doing both, so I decided to sell off my herd and just run the whole thing at the one place. He agreed to buy me out and everything was moved to the Danville farm (45 miles to the Co-op).
So the name "Golden Meadows Farm" was then put into effect; that name came in memory of the land owner's father, who used to work at a dairy called "Meadow Gold Dairy" and would deliver milk to the hospitals and children's home every day.
The bison are raised using organic practices, and are only grass fed. Once all the pastures are completely built, they will be on rotational grazing, which will give the land the most time to recover and grow up grasses.
The thing I most enjoy about raising bison is that it is something unique and different; they are neat to be around and be a part of. However, they can be very hard to handle and load. They don't like confined spaces, so the fencing is all bigger and stronger than it would be with just cattle.
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Local Food Recipe: Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic and Rhubarb Reduction
Skeeter Riddle, Produce Manager
 1 lb of asparagus
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 stalks of rhubarb
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Trim the woody parts of the asparagus away. To prepare the asparagus, lay the spears flat on a large sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil and add garlic, salt and pepper. Cover with another piece of aluminum foil and fold all 4 edges closed, creating a little bag for the asparagus. You can put this on the grill. If you are putting it on a rack directly above the heat, watch carefully - the asparagus will cook quickly. If you have a grill with a warming rack, you can often use this to cook the asparagus over a longer period of time.
For the reduction, put 1-2 tsp of olive oil into a saucepan and heat. Add the shallot and cook for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add the rhubarb, balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook this mixture, stirring regularly, for 7-10 minutes. When the sauce has thickened and the rhubarb has softened, take the saucepan off of the heat and allow mixture to cool for a few minutes. Then add the lemon juice to the mixture and blend until smooth. Serve on or along with the asparagus.
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click here for more details
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Holistic Life 101
Led by Holistic Lifestyle Coach Trinity
Saturday, April 14, 2-3 pm
$5 for owners / $10 for non-owners
Minimum 5 / Maximum 25 participants
Class Location: Common Ground Food Co-op
Routine Spring Bicycle Maintenance Workshop
Led by The Bike Project
Monday, April 16, 6:30-8:30 pm
$5 for owners / $10 for non-owners
Maximum 10 participants
Class Location: The Bike Project (Downtown Urbana Post Office/IMC building)
Common Ground Story Time
Led by Staffer and Lover of Tales Ellen
Wednesday, April 18, 10:30-11 am
FREE! No registration required.
Class Location: Common Ground Food Co-op
Bag Tree Bag Painting Session
Led by Colleen Bocke
Saturday, April 21, 1:30-3 pm
FREE! No registration required.
Location: Common Ground Porch
Spring Cleaning Workshop
Led by Education Coordinator Sarah
Saturday, April 21, 3-4:30 pm
$5 for owners / $10 for non-owners
Minimum 3 / Maximum 15 participants
Class Location: Common Ground Food Co-op
Free Bulk Fill-Up
And receive free bulk popcorn!
Sunday, April 22, all day long!
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| April Sales! |  | Check out our current sales here!
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APRIL ROUND UP FOR GOOD
 | Champaign County Humane Society
| The Champaign County Humane Society (CCHS) is an independent charitable organization that seeks to promote animal welfare, educate the public about the humane care and treatment of animals, increase public awareness of the companion animal overpopulation issue, and provide high quality shelter, medical, and adoption services for animals when necessary. You can learn more about and donate to CCHS at the registers any time this month.
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| COMMON GROUND GIVES BACK
As part of our mission to BUILD COMMUNITY.....
COLLECTIVELY
WE HAVE RAISED
OVER $400
FOR THE INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER!
Thanks to everyone who participated in our monthly Round Up for Good! |
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MEET YOUR VEGGIE
RHUBARB | | Here we are going into spring, and of course, my mind goes immediately to pie. And rhubarb custard pie is my all time favorite. Rhubarb is a hardy perennial that for centuries was grown in Asia for medicinal purposes. In the 17th century, England adapted it for culinary uses and a pie-star was born. I use rhubarb in pies, crisps, stir-fries, and barbecue sauces. An especially delightful way to use rhubarb is to make a rhubarb and ginger reduction, then pull a shot of espresso into about an ounce and a half of that reduction and serve with a lime wedge.
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NEW PRODUCT
Xyla Xylitol | | We now carry Xyla brand Xylitol, a low calorie sweetener that is naturally derived from plant fibers (from the xylem), often from birch wood. It is a sugar alcohol and has been proven to actually help prevent cavities and improve tooth enamel if at least 6 grams are consumed per day. It may also help with the absorption of vitamins and minerals. It can be used in a 1:1 ratio in place of sugar to sweeten beverages and baked goods. It has no bitter aftertaste, and tastes "real" compared to most low calorie sugar alternatives. Try a sample in the deli!
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| Update on SNAP Benefits | 
| SNAP benefits now cover all items in the deli except coffee, hot tea and hot soups. Do you notice a trend? Anything hot in the deli is not covered, everything else is!
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EARTH WEEK!
 | | We've planned some great classes and events especially for Earth Week, April 16-22! You can check them out on the left.
Also, our Earth Week sustainable transportation prize drawing is back! For each day of Earth Week that you hike, bike, or take the bus to shop at Common Ground, you can enter a drawing for either a FREE MTD annual bus pass or a FREE gift certificate to Champaign Cycle Co.! Thank you to all our customers who use sustainable transportation to get around town!
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