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Let's Grow Our Classes!
Maya Bauer, Education Coordinator
 An unprecedented number of you have come out to classes in the past few months. It's so exciting to see the Flatlander Classroom bustling with kids cooking, people learning about gardening, and people coming together to share food. Just in January and February we've had more than 2 dozen classes with more than 200 people attending! Thank you!
We still have work to do, though. Together we can offer classes that work towards our Ends and best meet the needs of our awesome owners and our awesome town. For months I've been collecting your class ideas--now it's time to find the best possible teachers to bring you the most requested classes. This teacher could be you! Join our awesome crew of teachers to make lively and engaging classes available to our community!
What does your community want to learn about? A LOT of things!
Our most requested/priority classes are:
 Interested in teaching? Grab a Class Proposal Form right HERE or at the Welcome Desk when you come into the store.
Feel free to contact me with ideas/questions! Email: education@commonground.coop, or call 217 239 8108
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Store News
Jacqueline Hannah, General Manager
Cooperatives are where business and social mission meet. You might think of it as a simple equation: mission + economic engine = lots of community change and empowerment.
Common Ground's recently completed expansion was taken on to grow its ability to meet the desire of the community to have more food options and to support more local farms while shopping for their grocery needs, but it was also taken on because we knew it would vastly multiple our ability to make an impact on our mission. In 2007, Common Ground was offering a single gardening class per year as its one educational offering. The expansion in 2008 grew our educational offerings to over a dozen classes per year. The 2012 expansion, with the Flatlander Teaching Kitchen opening inside Common Ground, has made it possible for your Co-op to offer a dozen educational classes per month and we expect to see close to 1000 learners come through those teaching kitchen doors within the classroom's first year of existence.
I could write a novella on all the 2012 store expansion is going to make possible as we strive to meet our Ends, in addition to blessing my life with an all organic and local salad bar and a huge selection of amazing regional cheeses. By meeting our need for fresh, healthy food at a store we collectively own, we are making so much more possible.
What is next for your Co-op? I heard this question more than any other as I walked the sales floor and talked to dozens upon dozens of Co-op owners during grand opening week. That question will be, as always, answered by our collective vision as the owners of Common Ground. In the late fall of 2011, your board of directors led a visioning process that dozens of CGFC owners attended where they shared their dreams and aspirations for the future. From that dynamic input process, six major themes arose, for CGFC to:
- offer even more education within the Co-op and educational outreach to the community
- serve as a source of information on food policy and even lobby on the behalf CGFC's owners on local food issues
- open more stores in the C-U area to reach more areas of the community
- do more with kids both within the Co-op and through reaching out to local schools
- create more community gathering space and spaces in which the co-op can support local arts
- increase the fiscal accessibility of the Co-op
What's next for your Co-op? Finding the best, most dynamic way to make the dreams you shared with your board in that visioning process possible. How do we do that? We've got our ideas here on your staff, but what we really want to hear are all the great ideas you, the owners of Common Ground, have for meeting these six dreams that are shared by most of Common Ground's owners. We work for you, we need to make sure the way we move forward meets the needs and dreams that our Common Ground community collectively holds.
Your vision and your dreams have lead us to this amazing store and this amazing economic engine for creating powerful community change. We'll be calling on you over the next six months to help us refine these themes into road maps to the future of Common Ground. I can't wait to hear what you, the owners of Common Ground, have in mind for our community.
In Cooperation,
Jacqueline
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| From Your Board of Directors
Julie Zilles, Board Member
We did it! All of us, together, the staff, the board, the shoppers, and all the owners of CGFC, survived the chaos of construction and celebrated throughout the grand opening festivities in February. It's now easier than ever to lose yourself in the colors of the produce and the aromas of the kitchen, to pick up tasty local food and beverages for a gathering of family or friends, to meet a friend for a cup of coffee whatever the weather, or to enjoy a class in the new Flatlander teaching kitchen.
But as I'm now reminded every time I shop, by the beautiful display above the registers, there is
something even more amazing going on here. Unlike most grocery stores, this whole endeavor isn't designed to make some person or some company rich. Instead we are all owners, to share in the success, and there is a broader set of ideals at play. Both the board of directors and the store management are tasked with meeting these four ends:
- The co-op is the center of a vibrant, inclusive community.
- The cooperative movement is strengthened.
- The co-op serves as an educational resource on food issues.
- Our local food movement is equitable, robust, and environmentally sound.
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Since these ends are the guiding principles for CGFC, the board is often reflecting on them, and this month I'd like to share my thoughts on the fourth end...
Have any thoughts, questions, or comments
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Local Producer Profile: Central Lean Meats
Q & A with Dave and Sandra McClure
What does your business/farm name mean to you?
Central = Centrally located in the Midwest and Central Illinois
Lean = Consistent, high quality lean product
We wanted to give our product a descriptive name to set us apart in the industry.
Where is your business/farm located? entral Illinois, in Ford County. Ford County is just north of Champaign County. County, 25 miles from Common Ground Food Co-op.
What do you produce/raise?
For how long have you been making your products? It has been a way of life for our partners. They were all born and raised into farm families and have over a century of livestock experience between them. In addition, possess degrees in Ag Business and Animal Science. Where do you get the ingredients for your products? We raise the Beef on our local farms. Central Lean also maintains two smaller divisions producing quality Charolais seed stock. Dave Leffler and Dave McClure produce Charolais bulls that excel in feed efficiency and carcass quality and place them in local herds. Central Lean then sources back cattle to our program. This allows us to use cattle in our program possessing our genetics and performance. In addition, we have the ability to DNA test our bulls to identify carcass traits such as marbling and tenderness. We believe these things set us apart. We don't believe in cutting corners or compromising quality on our family tables or our customer's table. We have a few select local farmers we get pork from who raise their hogs to the high standard we have set for our beef.
Do you use organic or fair trade (natural) feed/practices? All of our animals are fed a balanced, vegetarian diet. We raise our animals as naturally as possible for our climate. You will not find a governmental stamp on our packages stating "Naturally Raised," "Grass Fed," or "Organic". Our beef maintains a lower price point by not incurring extra fees for a stamp. We focus on spending our resources on producing the very best meat quality and the very best packaging available. The flavor, health and freshness are our focus. Our animals are fed and very treated well. We do not use growth promoting hormones, implants, or feed antibiotics. Our cattle are fed mostly grasses and greens (90% or more) with a small ration of Non GMO waxy corn. In our climate, it is not possible to feed only pasture grasses. We raise cattle as natural as possible with a goal to have antibiotic and hormone free, lean and tender quality meat.
What do you enjoy most about raising your products? The feeling of accomplishment when our customers return for their favorite Central Lean products! Providing a safe, healthy, lean and flavorful product to our customers has always been our focus. Our partners have a passion for the livestock business and enjoy many aspects of life on the farm.
What do you find most challenging about raising your products? Planning for the demand. We have been thankfully blessed and our business is quickly growing. We are committed to growing only as fast as our quality will allow. It takes a cow 9 months to have a calf. We harvest at about a year old. It takes the better part of two years to plan in advance! We will not compromise quality for quantity. We are selective of where we allow our products to be sold (other than our retail store) since we don't have an endless supply. We are thrilled to be able to entrust Common Ground Co-op with Central Lean products!
What is your philosophy/perspective on locally made goods/farming and agriculture? We partner with other local farms for many products in our Paxton retail store. We strongly support local businesses of all types. We carry local honey, milk, cheeses, eggs, sodas, gluten free flour and more in our store. We strive to have a variety of products that are as local as possible, and still have affordable products for the average household.
Is there anything else you'd like Common Ground's customers to know about your business? We strive to be responsible in our practices. From feed efficiency of our animals to utilizing the entire animal, it is our goal to be good stewards of the land and the animals. For example, Charolois cattle have a high feed efficiency, meaning pound of gain for pound of feed, our cattle eat less, and therefore create less waste. We also have a line of soaps (Central "cLean" Soap) made from our tallow. The soaps are handcrafted locally. Many of our customers have found this soap to be mild, moisture rich and help their skin feel fresh, clean and healthy.
In effort to use the extra bones, we sell Beef Dog Bones. At this time, our local town is raising money for a dog park. We donate 75 cents of each dollar of the Central Lean Dog Bone sales to the local dog park fund.
In these times of economic trials, we are especially thankful for each and every customer who has purchased Central Lean products. We are so happy and proud to be a fresh Beef and Pork supplier for Common Ground Food Co-op. Thank you!
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Sign Up Online, Easy!!
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Eating Smart, Being Active: Make a Change!
Led by Amy D. Ali, University of Illinois Extension
Saturday, March 2nd, 1-2pm
Free, but preregistration is required.
Led by Renee Ray
Saturday, March 2nd, 3:30-5pm
$15 owners/$20 non-owners
(2nd kid ½ off! Parents are free!)
Sunday, March 3rd, 10:30am-12:30pm
$20 owners/$25 non-owners
Led by Common Ground GM Jacqueline Hannah
Tuesday, March 5th, 6-7pm
Free, call and pre-register!
What's for Dinner?
Led by Colleen Wagner
Tuesday, March 5th, 5-7pm
Led by Amy D. Ali, University of Illinois Extension
Saturday, March 9th, 1-2pm
Free, but preregistration is required.
Led By Colleen Rae Wagner
Saturday, March 9th, 3-4:30 pm
3$ owners/ $7 non-owners
Vegetarian Indian Delicacies: Tehri
Led by Shuchi Agrawal
Sunday, March 10th, 10:30am-12:30pm
$20 owners/$25 non-owners
Illinois Stewardship Alliance Farmer/Chef Mixer Monday, March 18th 3-5pm
Led by Staffer and Lover of Tales Ellen
Wednesday, March 20th, 10:30-11 am
FREE! No registration required
Wellness Wednesdays: Intro to Prenatal Supplements Wednesday, March 20th, 10-10:30am Free! Come on by, no pre-registration required Cooking Healthy on a Budget Led by Colleen Wagner Monday, March 25th, 6-7:30pm Free, but pre-registration is required Cheese 101 Led by Billy LeGrand Tuesday, March 26th, 7-8 pm $10 for owners / $15 for non-owners Planning to Keep Bees Led by Maggie Wachter Wednesday, March 27th, 6-8pm $7 for owners / $12 for non-owners How To Make Veganic Fertilizer Led by Brett Leskovisek Saturday, March 30th 1-2:30pm $7 for owners / $12 for non-owners Home Gardening for Beginners: How to Plant Led by Laura Wetzel Saturday, March 30th, 2:30-3:30 pm $3 for owners / $7 for non-owners
Led by Laura Wetzel Saturday, March 30th, 3:45-4:45pm $2 for owners/$5 for non-owners (Free to participants of the Home Gardening for Beginners Series)
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| March Sales! |  | Check out our current sales here!
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| Hours Even MORE Expanded! | 
WOW! As of Day Light's Savings (Mon March 11th) your Co-op will be open til 10pm daily!
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MARCH ROUND UP FOR GOOD
 | FOOD CO-OP INITIATIVE
| The Food Co-op Initiative Program is a 501(c)3 non-profit, dedicated to enabling a faster and more efficient start-up process to develop new retail grocery co-ops.
Don't forget to Round Up this month: drop your change in the box by the exit door or ask to be rounded up to the next dollar at the register, during your transaction! |
| COMMON GROUND GIVES BACK
As part of our mission to BUILD COMMUNITY.....
COLLECTIVELY
we have raised
OVER $430
For the Cornucopia Institute!
Thanks to everyone who participated in our monthly Round Up for Good! |
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MEET YOUR VEGGIE
Pomelos
| | Also known as a pummelo, Chinese grapefruit, jabong, lusho fruit, papana, and shaddock, the pomelo is the world's largest citrus fruit, sometimes growing as large as basketballs! Pomelos taste sour and slightly bitter, like most grapefruit, but they are sweeter than yellow grapefruit. Pomelos can have white, pink, or red flesh and either yellow or green skin. Yellow skinned varieties and those with pink or red flesh tend to be sweeter. Most commonly eaten fresh or juiced, their pulp is also delicious in jams, jellies, and salads. Though the skin is not generally eaten it is great after being candied and desserts. With it's many uses you will definitely have fun with this unique fruit, try one today!
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| | We're excited to introduce your co-op's new Wellness Wednesday program every third Wednesday of every month! Save 10% on supplements and personal care products, enjoy samples, and take a class to learn more about supplementation and body care. On March 20th ,teacher Lara Orr will be offering an introduction to Prenatal Supplements and on April 17th, we'll be offering the first in a series called Make it Yourself! Personal Care Products at Home.
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Horse Meat?
Q & A 
Q. Is there ANY horse meat in our local beef?
A. Neeeeeeeeigh!
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Check out CGFC's new bulk pet food section! We've got locally made dog biscuits, organic chicken feed, dehydrated specialty dog and cat foods, and a selection for small pets and wild birds. Ask our Bulk Buyer, Tim P., for more information on these unique products the next time you shop!
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SCHOLARSHIP REMINDER
| | Deadline:Sustainable Food Scholarship applications are due March 31st. Applications submitted in-store must be submitted before 9pm; applications submitted to the Education Coordinator via email must be submitted before midnight.
Info:
The Sustainable Food Scholarship is Common Ground's annual college scholarship. Any current undergrad or college-bound high school senior whowants to apply their education to food sustainability and who lives and attends school within 100 miles of Common Ground is encouraged to apply. Application forms are available online and in the store.
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OWNERS:
Expansion Finance Meeting!
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Wednesday,
March 6th,
6:30-7:30 pm.
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Part of what makes a
co-op unique is not only its unique community ownership structure, but the transparency that goes with that. Our more than 4,200 owners have a right to know how and why all sorts of decisions are made at your business that you'd never get an answer about at any other grocery store.
In that spirit, we will be having an 2012 Expansion Finance meeting which will include:
- a presentation of the expansion budget compared to actual fiscal performance
- a presentation of the fiscal performance of Common Ground over these first few post-expansion months
- a question and answer session where you can ask your questions both of the management and the board
Come out and learn the results of CGFC's expansion. Bring your questions! |
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