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The Old Creamery Celebrates Co-op Month
Joins Nationwide Celebration of "Living Co-operatively"
 This October, communities across the country are celebrating Co-op Month, recognizing the benefits and values that co-operatives bring to their members and communities. The theme this year, "Live Co-operatively," invites people to explore the many ways that co-ops improve their lives and grow the economy.
Around the world, an estimated 1 billion people are members of co-ops - more than directly own stock in publicly traded corporations. And according to the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) co-ops have a dramatic impact on the national level:
- There are 30,000 co-ops and credit unions in the U.S., serving 1 in every 3 Americans;
- Co-ops operate in every industry of the economy, from food co-ops to farmer co-ops, worker co-ops to credit unions, housing co-ops to healthcare, and insurance to energy and utilities;
- Co-ops in the United States operate 73,000 establishments that provide over 2 million jobs
Co-ops are also important to local economies. For example, The Old Creamery Co-op is a member of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA), a network of over 30 food co-ops and start-up initiatives, locally owned by more than 94,000 people. Together, these co-ops have $225 million in annual revenue, employ over 1,500 people, and purchase more than $30 million in local products each year.
 Here in New England, there has been renewed interest in co-ops and the opening of new co-ops such as the Monadnock Food Co-op in Keene, NH, which opened its doors in April, and of course our own Old Creamery which opened as a co-op last November. Other local businesses are choosing the co-op model as a way of preserving local ownership, and this year, both the Artisan Beverage Cooperative and Real Pickles converted their businesses to co-ops.
While co-ops operate in many industries and sectors of the economy, they are guided by shared values and principles including democracy, social responsibility, and concern for community.
Join us in supporting and celebrating the many co-ops that strengthen our local economy.
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News from the Creamery Kitchen
New in the Grab & Go case-Annette's CIDER-GINGER TOFU. Slices of organic tofu are marinated in a tangy blend of fresh ginger, apple cider, tamari, veggie stock, sherry and spices, then baked to perfection (making the kitchen smell like gingerbread!) Pick up a package to add to a stir-fry for dinner, or as a high-protein snack or sandwich filling. Let us know what you think!
And while we're on the subject of cider, it's time for HOT MULLED CIDER at the Creamery. Look for it in a pot at the coffee bar. What would autumn in New England be without hot cider?
Another addition to the Grab & Go case, new this week-Creamery Made TRAIL MIX. Our blend is made up of whole almonds, roasted cashews, dried cranberries and chocolate chips (Callebaut chocolate, of course!) We'll be working on some other blends-let us know if you have any ideas!
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Annual Member-Owner meeting coming up fast
A week from this Sunday on October 20th we are holding the Old Creamery Co-op annual meeting. Ballots are coming in daily through the mail as well as being dropped off with the cashiers. If you are a member-owner of the co-op please make sure you vote and attend this meeting if you are able.
See more about this meeting and review the slate of candidates for board of directors seats HERE. We look forward to seeing many of you on the 20th.
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Cheese of the Week
 This week's tasty cheese is O My Heart from Lazy Lady Farm, a small organic dairy in Westfield, VT. O My Heart is made by farmer Laini Fondiller (seen milking in this photo). It is a seasonal, bloomy rind, organic cow's milk cheese, enriched with organic cow cream. This fantastic cheese is buttery, creamy and sweet! This old favorite is eagerly awaited and does not last long. Lazy Lady Farm is powered by wind and solar and completely off the grid.
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October is also Non-GMO Month
We are declaring Wednesday 30 October as GMO Awareness Day at the Creamery. A total of eight percent of sales (with a few exclusions) will be donated to the Mass Right To Know network which is pushing for labeling legislation in our State and to the Non GMO Project which is advocating nationally for GMO labeling.
Save the date, come meet some of these dedicated people, learn about the GMO labeling issues, sample some GMO-free Creamery offerings, do some extra shopping to help support these worthy initiatives, and pick up a Non-GMO Project cloth shopping bag while they last.
The co-op remains a strong advocate of labeling all products that contain genetically modified ingredients. View our full policy HERE
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Products on Sale at the Old Creamery Co-op.
We put new items on sale every week and typically for a 30 day period. After that they return to regular pricing. The shelf tags for any sale item will tell you when the sale price ends.
Click HERE for the full list of Items currently on sale.
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The best local fruits and vegetables are at the Co-op. Fresh in the store from:
Scott Farm (Ashfield MA) Apples;
Cortland
Empire
Spencer
Macoun
Ginger Gold
Fydenkevez Farm
Sugar pumpkins
Delicata squash
Acorn squash
Paddy Flat Farm
Sunshine squash
Eggplant
Suntan peppers
Sweet dumpling squash
Burgess buttercup squash
Holiday Brook Farm
Potatoes
Summit Farm
Garlic
Scott Farm (Dummerston, Vermont) Apples;
Zabergau Reinette
Orleans Reinette
Golden Russet
Hudson's Gold Gem
Cox's Orange Pippin
Maiden's Blush
Hidden Rose
Knobbed Russet
Ananas Reinette
Honeycrisp
Belle de Boskoop
Reine de Reinette
Black Guiliford (sheep's nose)
Blue Pearmain
Do you have a cider press?
We have cases of cider apples for $16/case.Order with Peter by Wednesday for Friday delivery
See all of our local farms HERE.
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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! Encourage 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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