Step Right Up! Everybody's a Winner! Member-Owner Appreciation Day has come and gone, but the waves of appreciation will continue to flow! We want to thank everyone for making the day such a fun and festive time, including all of you who helped out by making signs, singing songs, decorating and cleaning, or donating door prizes! We gave away 28 door prizes throughout the day to member-owners; they'll be contacted this weekend. But for now, here's a list of the lucky winner's names and prizes: Harriet Davidson: Home-Cooked Dinner for Two Natalie Stafford: $50 worth of Manda Farm Organic Pork or Beef Meghan Balliet: Mac Computer Support from The Mac Man Lisa Harvey: Two-hour tutorial, either "Buying and Selling on eBay" or "Intro to PowerPoint" Stephen Kulik: Four Yoga Classes from Prakasa Yoga Thomas Leve: African Basket from the Old Creamery Co-op Leslie Rule: Autographed Children's Picture Book Slugger by Susan Pearson Barbara Sweeney: Hand-Knit Hat by Susi Westwood Terry Miller: Two Books from Storey Publishing Laura Sheridan: Two Books from Storey Publishing Corrine Sharkey: Two Books from Storey Publishing Antonia Lake: Kinne Brook Farm Ground Beef And the following folks each won one pint of Maple Valley Farm Ice Cream: Susan Verow, Bill Latimer, Alan Dater, Amy Wang, Anna Hanchett, Meg Bloom, Geri Pollard, Michele Dodge, Paul Dileo, Debbie Thibault, Stephen Bushway, Carol Claycomb, Lene McLean, Tom Tyning, Nancy Child, and Alice Schertle. We had donations from Maple Valley Farm Ice Cream, Alice and Amy, Manda Farm, The Mac Man, Ken Graf, Prakasa Yoga, Susan Pearson, Storey Publishing, Susi Westwood, and Kinne Brook Farm. Thanks again for such a fun day, and be sure to mark your calendars for the next Member-Owner Appreciation Day, coming up Sunday, June 16. |
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Locally Made Chemex Coffeemakers Now at the Creamery!
Coffee nerds rejoice! The Chemex are here! While perusing some arcane coffee website, I stumbled upon the fact that those trendy and beautiful Chemex coffeemakers are manufactured right in nearby Pittsfield by a family-owned and family-run business! They are made of a special  super-strong glass so they don't break easily, and the design is so gorgeous there is even one on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. (Indeed, in the obituary for the Chemex's inventor, Dr. Peter Schlumbohm, the New York Times called his coffeemaker one of 100 best designs of all time!) The Co-op now offers them for sale, along with all the accouterments, in our coffee section. There, along with three sizes of Chemex, you can find the filters, lids, brushes, and wire racks useful for keeping the coffee warm on an electric burner.
If you search YouTube you will find endless how-to videos for making the perfect Chemex cup, but I recommend the video and write-up found at the wonderful foodie blog Sprouted Kitchen; click here. If you'd like some cool retro illustrations to follow (after all, the Chemex was designed in 1941), check out Chemex's website here.
It's up to you how particular you are with the brewing process. There are those who carefully measure and weigh, and take the temperature of the water, and those who just go for it. Either way, we'll bet you'll be delighted with the results!
We can also order the hand-blown glass versions. Let us know if you're interested!
--Karen
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Cheese of the Week!
This weekend's sampling cheese is Gorgonzola Dolce Latte, a milder version of the traditional  Gorgonzola. It's sweet and gentle, rich and creamy. It still has a touch of spice from the pale blue mold, but it's quickly tamed by the incredible creaminess of this cheese. Gorgonzola Dolce Latte has a luscious texture with some super-runny patches here and there. Even people who say they don't like blue cheese like this one!
So come in this Saturday and have taste. Remember, we'll take 10% off the regular price all day! Hope to see you this weekend!
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Our New Shelving Is Here! Volunteers Are Needed on Sunday!
We need a few strong volunteers to help bring our new shelving, which is in pretty heavy boxes, into an upstairs storage area. If you are available to assist this Sunday at 11:00 a.m., please respond to volunteer@oldcreamery.coop. With three or four people we should be done in an hour and a half maximum. Thank you!
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Community Resiliency Summit Is This Saturday!
It's time! This Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Cummington Community House (33 Main Street). The summit is a citizen initiative, free and open to all, to bring together a wide spectrum of individuals to talk about issues critical to our collective future. Discussions will encompass topics such as "Food, Farm, and Local Economy" and "Strengthening Local Institutions and Planning for Emergencies." Lunch will be provided by the Village Church. To learn more, visit http://communitysummit.wordpress.com.
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Yes! We Can Improve the World, the Co-op Way!
If you've never seen a copy of Yes! magazine (tagline: "Powerful Ideas, Practical Actions), the spring issue would be a good place to start. Why? Well, it has a theme dear and near to our cooperative heart: "A Cooperative Economy." Yeah, just like the Old Creamery Co-op!
Articles run the gamut, from "How Cooperatives Are Driving the New Economy" and "Why Unions Are Going Into the Co-op Business" to "Big Dividends for Your Community" and "Survival of the Nicest." (There's even a piece titled "Why You Don't Frack with John Lennon's Farm.") For the scoop on how to order a subscription and free issue, visit yesmagazine.org or call 800-937-4451.
And after Yes! convinces you that the cooperative economic model is a best hope for a better future, please consider becoming a member-owner of the Old Creamery Co-op, or purchase a member-ownership for a loved one. Click here for more information. The one-time buy-in fee doesn't jive with your budget just now? No problem. Click on that link and check out our Revolving Equity Fund.
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Gather Together, and Eat!
The Old Creamery's Community Calendar is your place to post, and check for, happenings in the Hilltowns. The Community Calendar can be found on the Old Creamery's website under "News & Events." You can click on any event in the calendar to pop up an expanded information box. For instance, click here to see the listing for the next community supper in Plainfield, this Saturday evening.
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Stay in Touch! We Love to Hear from You!
For questions about Co-op membership, product requests, or suggestions or other feedback, please send a note to info@oldcreamery.coop. We'll make sure your note is sent to the appropriate person and that you get a prompt response.
If you'd like to contact the Co-op's Board of Directors, simply send your email to board@oldcreamery.coop. Emails sent to this address are received only by the board.
To reach Karen Doherty, the Co-op's general manager, send an email to gm@oldcreamery.coop. Emails sent to this address are received only by Karen.
If you're thinking of becoming a valued volunteer of the Co-op, you can reach Shirley Todd, volunteer coordinator, at volunteer@oldcreamery.coop. There are many opportunities for volunteers. Emails sent to this address go directly to Shirley.
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Help us spread the word! Consider encouraging your friends to sign on to receive the Creamery's weekly email newsletter. Better yet, encourage them to become member-owners of the Co-op. You can forward this email to your friends and relatives (for best results, use the "Forward email" link in the white space at the bottom of this page). Rest assured, we won't clog their inboxes and we will respect their privacy. We will not disclose your or their email addresses to anyone else. You can unsubscribe at any time. Thank you for your interest, commitment, and support.
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Many items are on sale every week at the Creamery. Look for the brightly colored shelf tags. These items are 15%-45% off regular prices. We work hard to find bargains on many different items, including staple groceries, treats like chocolate, juices, refrigerated items, personal care products, and supplements. The shelf tags indicate when the sale price expires. Some sale items are one-time opportunities that remain on sale until sold out. Many are purchasing opportunities that can be replenished over several weeks at great prices. Enjoy the savings!
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Your continued patronage supports the ongoing success of our community-owned, values-based cooperative. Thank you for supporting the Old Creamery Co-op as a member-owner, as a shopper, as a friend. We value every contribution to the success of the Old Creamery Co-op.
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