Monadnock Community Market Co-op
Monadnock Community Market Co-op

April 2012 Update

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Membership Goals

Current Members: 907
Current Goal: 1,000

Here's a way to help:

At different times, many of you have offered to help get our community-owned store off the ground.  We have a couple volunteer needs and if you can help, please let us know

Thank You!

Since the co-op is a community initiative, we want to take the time to thank community members for contributing their time, skills and passions to the Monadnock Community Market. 

Thank you to Paul Pezone, Vice-President Facilities Planning & Support Services at CMC/DHK. 

Paul has been an important member of the board of directors for the past two years. 

Paul has brought much needed expertise to the Board as well as his commitment to improving our community.  We thank Paul for all his contributions to our project.
Community Corner

Connect 2011  

Turn a New Leaf Program

Stay Connected

Michael Faber,
General Manager
603-355-8008

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Updates - Please Share Your Input
As we work towards the exciting opening of our cooperatively owned food store, we've been thinking more about our store's brand, more specifically, who we are and what we do.  We are considering how to best position ourselves to attract new members and shoppers - and be easy to identify in our community. 

We have been working with the National Cooperative Grocers Association's (NCGA) marketing department on this project.  NCGA is a business services cooperative for retail food co-ops that helps unify natural food co-ops and offer more value to co-op owners and shoppers everywhere.

This process has led us to consider a change in our store's name and logo, a direction we think would better reinforce who we are in the community.  We believe that a strong brand is essential to our ability to differentiate ourselves from other grocers, and to create a positive impression of our store.

There are countless stories from other co-ops of potential shoppers driving right by their stores without realizing the co-op sold food. In honor and recognition of our cooperative structure, the way we are already commonly referred to in the community (the co-op), and our primary product focus (food), we are exploring the idea of a name change from Monadnock Community Market to Monadnock Food Co-op.

This change would also provide greater opportunities to collaborate on projects with our neighboring co-ops: the Putney Food Co-op, Brattleboro Food Co-op to the west, Co-op Food Stores to the north in Hanover and our nearby start up Great River Co-op in Walpole, NH. 

We would like to get your input on this change.  Please click on the link to answer a quick survey:


As we go through the process, our goals are to develop a brand that will:
  • Communicate both who we are and what we do,
  • Be easy to read in a variety of mediums and of sizes, as well as in black and white for print purposes,
  • Include a graphic element that can be used to reinforce our brand in other ways in and outside the store, and
  • Create a sense of pride among member owners and staff.
After hearing your feedback about our name, we will assemble a small group to review some logo concepts that we think will accomplish our goal of telling our story as a community owned food-coop.  We look forward to a great new brand that will help our store thrive and we will share more in the coming weeks on our progress.

Building Updates
On Friday, March 30th, the Monadnock Economic Development Corporation, who will lease us the finished building, received all of the bids for the construction of our building and other site work at Railroad Square.  The selection of a general contractor will be announced shortly, and we plan on starting construction later in April. 

Our timeline continues to have us opening either at the end of 2012 or early 2013.  In the next few weeks, we will announce the date for a ground breaking event.  We will let you know as soon as we can - we'd love for you to help us celebrate this next important step!

Yours Cooperatively,
Monadnock Community Market Co-op

Locally owned. Locally grown. Locally eaten.

    
Why We Joined the Co-op

Because we are excited about our area having such a great place to share in bringing the community together while encouraging healthy, local foods and spreading the word about better food choices for our families & environment!!

 

~David and Peggie Greenough

Green Teens 

Become a MCM Co-op  

Member-Owner  

 Join Today! 

 

Member-Owners make a one-time $200 investment 

(not an annual membership fee).  

Events:

Button Up NH
Connect 2011Thursday, April 10, 6 - 9 p.m.
The Waldorf School, Keene
Enjoy an evening of sound energy advice, hands on experience, and refreshments as we all learn the fundamentals of "buttoning up" our homes and making our region more sustainable and resilient.  More details.

Keynote Address:
Franklin Pierce Earth Week
Wednesday, April 18, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Franklin Pierce, Rindge
Tracie Smith, Manager of Tracie's Community Farm, LLC, will deliver the Keynote Address for Earth Week at Franklin Pierce University.   The Keynote Address is part of Franklin Pierce University's Earth Week series of events. For more information, contact Sustainability Coordinator Jess Gerrior at 603-899-4175.

Monadnock Earth Day Festival:
Healthy Community - Healthy Planet
Connect 2011Saturday, April 21, 9a.m. - 4 p.m.
Keene Recreation Center, Keene
Join us at the 11th annual Monadnock Earth Day Festival - a culmination of a week of celebration with music, speakers, open mic sessions, great t-shirts, and lots of community involvement.  See the full schedule.

Greater Keene Restaurant Week
Monday - Saturday, April 23-28
Participating restaurants will offer their own unique prix fixe menu.   This is an annual event, created to spotlight Keene as a culinary and cultural destination. Patrons are invited to visit the great assortment of restaurants and eateries:
Keenerestaurantweek.org.

Localvore 101
Sunday, April 29, 2 - 3:30 p.m.
Stonewall Farm, Keene
Wondering about the buzz revolving around Local Food and Localvore? Think it might be something you would like to try for yourself or your family, just not sure how to get started? Learn the basics, ask questions, gather additional information and learn where you can find even more resources. More Monadnock Localvore events.

Connect 2011Greenerborough
Saturday, May 5
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Downtown Peterborough
Part home show, part tech fair, part farmer's market, and fun-filled festival with music, sheep dog demonstrations and more, Greenerborough is entertaining and informative for folks of all ages and a with a wide variety of interests. View more Greenerborough details.
Savor Our Seasons:

Arugula 

By Liza Drew, RDConnect 2011

 

Flavorful Fact: Arugula greens are known as "rocket" in some countries, and are famous for their peppery bite. Arugula seeds contain a similar flavor that can be used to make flavored oils for dipping or dressing a salad.

In the Spring I tend to crave the color green.  I find it hard not to gaze at a field turning green as I drive past, soaking up the feeling of fresh new life growing up through the dull grass of last year. I also feel like eating fresh vegetables and crisp baby greens. The first local vegetables of the season taste particularly delicious when prepared simply, with few other ingredients to hide their delicate flavors.

 

Try this Recipe:

- Arugula and Asiago Frittata

Co-op Corner:
How an Old Business Model
is Finding New Relevance
All Over the World

Originally Posted in Yes! Magazine
Connect 2011
Gumutindo Coffee cooperative, Mount Elgon Uganda. Photo by Twin and Twin Trading Images

"While cooperation is really our oldest model of work, it feels brand new and we don't have the systems down yet. It also usually takes much longer than anyone thinks it should to make some decisions, to develop infrastructure, and to create the kind of cooperative alignments that serve for the long haul... Although we now have some excellent tools to quantify culture, few leaders understand the value of deploying those tools and few see themselves as able to devote the time & attention required."

Read More: 2012: The Year of the Cooperative.