Port Townsend Food Co-op Commons Newsletter

Hungry for ChangeThe Food Revolution

DEBORAH SCHUMACHER , Sta� Writer

Revolutions have their heroes and the food revolution has several worth mentioning including farmer and writer Wendell Berry, journalist Michael Pollan, mad farmer Joel Salatin and Will Allen, urban farmer and CEO of Growing Power in Milwaukee. ese last three are featured in the lm Fresh, presented by e Food Co-op on August 28 at e Rose eatre in support of the Je� erson County Farm to School Coalition and the J.C. School Gardens program. At the Port Townsend Food Co-op we’re celebrating Organic Month in September, International Cooperative and Fair Trade Months in October and World Food Day on October 16. We celebrate because the food revolution is coming.

continued on page 2

Will Allen, photo courtesy of growingpower.org

SaturdaySeptember 177:00 pmMcCurdy PavilionFort Worden State ParkSponsored by the Food Co-op$10/$12 tickets available at the Food Co-opproceeds bene� t the Northwest Earth Institute

THE Port Townsend Food Co-op

Food RevolutionOP COMMONSO-OP COMMONSOOTHE THE

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September/October 2011

Join the Revolution!Will Allen speaksThe Good Food Revolution: The Power of Community Agriculture

2 September/October 2011 newsletter of Port Townsend Food Co-op, THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop www.foodcoop.coop September/October 2011 newsletter of Port Townsend Food Co-op, THE CO-OP COMMONS 2 www.foodcoop.coop September/October 2011 newsletter of Port Townsend Food Co-op, THE CO-OP COMMONS 3

www.foodcoop.coop

414 Kearney St.Port Townsend, WA 98368Store 360-385-2883

OPEN DAILYMon-Sat 8 am - 9 pm

Sun 9 am - 8 pm

MISSION STATEMENTSeeking to uphold the health of our community

and world, The Food Co-op, a consumer cooperative, serves our membership

by making available reasonably priced whole foods and other basic goods and resources by means of our life a� rming democratic organization.

The CO-OP COMMONSis printed by The P.T. Leader

using recycled paper and vegetable-based inks.

Opinions expressed in this newsletter are the writer’s own and do not necessarily re� ect Co-op policy or

good consumer practice.

EDITORIAL STAFF Brwyn Gri� n, Managing Editor

Deborah Schumacher, Copy Editor Mindy Dwyer, Graphic Artist

[email protected]

SUBMISSIONS of interest to the community are gladly accepted.

Please drop o� articles for consideration at the Co-op c/o The Co-op Commons.

Include your contact information. Submissions may be edited for length or content.

[email protected]

MEMBER-OWNEDno annual fees

one time $5.00 sign up fee$2 payments

every month you shop until $100 capital investment achieved,

a paid-in-full membership!

[email protected]

PRINCIPLES1. Voluntary & Open Membership2. Democratic Member Control3. Member Economic Participation4. Autonomy & Independence5. Education, Training & Information6. Cooperation Among Co-ops7. Concern for Community

THE CO-OP COMMONSa bi-monthly newsletter of PORT TOWNSEND

FOOD CO-OPestablished 1972

Like any good revolution, the food revolution started on the fringes, in recent times with the back-to-the-land movement in the 1960s and 1970s, when food cooperatives sprang up around the country and organic farming rose up in repudiation of chemical farming. But awareness of the failures of industrial agriculture is growing as we collectively experience a looming health and environmental crisis. We know that much of the food we eat is making us sick:

� e Centers for Disease Control estimates that fully three quarters of US health care spending goes to treat chronic diseases, most of which are preventable and linked to diet: heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and at least a third of all cancers. � e health care crisis probably cannot be addressed without addressing the catastrophe of the American diet, and that diet is the direct (even if unintended) result of the way that our agriculture and food industries have been organized. (Michael Pollan, “Food Movement Rising”)

We are also learning that the way we grow our food is contributing to the degradation of our planet: “…rapidly expanding energy use, mainly driven by fossil fuels…explains why humanity is on the verge of breaching planetary sustainability boundaries through global warming, biodiversity loss, and disturbance of the nitrogen-cycle balance and other measures of the sustainability of the Earth’s ecosystem” (“� e World Economic and Social Survey 2011”). Farming, one of the most energy-intensive of human activities, is contributing to damage of our ecosystem.� e players—local and not-so-local� e food revolution is increasing in force in response to the health and environmental crisis and is being fought on many fronts by people who are well known and by the folks who are in the dirt every day working to bring healthy food to their families and their communities. Will Allen’s e� orts in this food � ght are focused on food justice. He believes “that all people, regardless of their economic circumstances, should have access to fresh, safe, a� ordable and nutritious foods at all times.” His urban farming in Milwaukee demonstrates that if you’re willing to get your hands dirty, everyone can have access to

good, healthy food. If you want to hear what Will Allen has to say (mind you, he says “To truly change our food system, we must have 50 million new people growing food in their local communities”), he’ll be in Port Townsend on September 17. See cover for more about this event.

� e Je� erson County Farm to School Coalition is trying to revolutionize the food kids are fed at school. We all know about cafeteria food—it’s usually something between unpalatable and just plain gross. You don’t think fresh and healthy when you think of cafeteria food. But the food we feed our kids at school has to do better and in Je� erson County parents and teachers and others in the community are moving schools, some with surprising alacrity and some with resistance, towards cafeteria options that incorporate fresh and local foods into the menu. � e Je� erson School Gardens program, which has been struggling this past year to stay solvent, is teaching kids at an early age the value of healthy food. School kids learn how to plant seeds, tend gardens, make compost, harvest and then prepare the food. Truly revolutionary.

Food cooperatives like ours are part of the food revolution just like we were back in the early days of the cooperative movement. � e documentary Food for Change,

continued on page 3

“We celebrate because the food revolution is coming.“

“One of the most interesting social movements to emerge in the last few years is the “food movement,” or perhaps I should say “movements,” since it is uni� ed as yet by little more than the recognition that industrial food production is in need of reform because its social/environmental/public health/animal welfare/gastronomic costs are too high.” –Michael Pollan, “Food Movement Rising.”

“Revolution, n. In politics, an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.” - Ambrose Bierce

Looming crisis

Coops have a role to play

www.foodcoop.coop September/October 2011 newsletter of Port Townsend Food Co-op, THE CO-OP COMMONS 2 www.foodcoop.coop September/October 2011 newsletter of Port Townsend Food Co-op, THE CO-OP COMMONS 3

“The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.” - Che Guevara

Organic Vision Vision

coming out next year to coincide with the United Nations designation of 2012 as the International Year of the Cooperative, looks at how food co-ops manifest principles like education, participation, independence and cooperation in their day-to-day operations. � e � lm takes a contemporary and social-historical look at cooperatives in the United States and explores three periods of cooperative expansion: the � rst wave following the � nancial collapse of 1929; the second wave in the 1970s, driven by a counter-culture desire for whole and organic foods; and the third wave, they say currently underway, aimed at both concerns. (See the � lm’s trailer at www.foodforchangemovie.com) � e Food Co-op is one of 64 co-ops in 25 states that have contributed towards the making of the movie.

� e latest in the cooperative revolution is the rejection, by students at the University of California, Berkeley, of a planned opening of a Panda Express Chinese fast-food outlet. Students “not only defeated the chain but also took their victory one step further by raising $100,000 to replace the proposed Beijing Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp and Kung Pao Chicken joint with a student-run co-op carrying fresh, local, healthy, sustainable and fairly produced food that would be sold at a� ordable prices” (“Across the Country, Food Co-ops by the Students for the Students”).

Berkeley students also founded the Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive (CoFed) with a launch committee that included Michael Pollan, Bill McKibben of 350.org and Slow Food USA president Josh Viertel. In January 2011, “30 students from 10 campuses across the country—in Oregon, California, Washington, D.C., and Massachusetts—gathered in Sebastopol, California for 10 days of leadership training” with plans to be on 25 campuses and have 100 trained leaders by the end of summer (“Across the Country”). Young energy coupled with wise counsel leading the cooperative movement into college campuses brings great promise to a food revolution that’s gaining force.

It’s the harvest season, the season of food, one that humanity has celebrated during the fat times (and lamented during lean times) since we � rst picked up a stick to scratch a living from the earth. In some parts of the country, combines the size of small towns are rolling across acres of corn and soy, bringing in a harvest of chemical-laden and genetically modi� ed feedstock for the food industry that will emerge as packaged food products in a grocery store near you.

But let me say now that these are the lumbering dinosaurs of our time and they are nearing the end of their time on Earth. A new agricultural animal is emerging, and just like its

Paleolithic analog, it’s smaller and quicker and will survive long a¥ er its larger cousins have collapsed under their own weight. If we’re fortunate and if the food revolution achieves its goals, changing the way we eat, the way we grow food, how it’s distributed and who has access to it, the next generation will enjoy the fruits of a sustainable agriculture that produces healthy food and that supports and honors the complex natural systems that sustain us all.

Sources:1. “Across the Country, Food

Co-ops by the Students for the Students,” � e Atlantic at www.theatlantic.com (2/2011).

2. “Food Movement Rising,” Michael Pollan. New York Times (6/10/10)

3. “� e World Economic and Social Survey 2011: � e Great Green Technological Transformation,” UN Department of Economic and Social A� airs (reported by the Environmental News Service, July 2011)

GARY HIRSHBERGCEO of Stonyfi eld Farm

People say organic isn’t proven. It’s actually the chemicals that aren’t proven. We’ve been on this experiment with our bodies and our air and our water and our soil for about 70 years. All food, until somewhere between World War I and II, all food through humanity was organic. That means every famous person you know from history ate only organic food. Jesus Christ ate only organic food, George Washington, Mozart, Joan of Arc. It was fi ne for them. We think that this is a big, bold visionary new thing, but really, we just got off track.

To get to 50 plus percent organic, let alone back to the hundred, there are a lot of concerns. There’s research dollars—we have to retake our share of the research dollars. There’s Ag extension—we have a whole generation of Ag extension agents who’ve been trained by Monsanto and Dow. We also have to level the playing fi eld in terms of subsidies. I’m not arguing for organic subsidies. I’m arguing to get rid of the subsidies for other commodities. Let’s level the playing fi eld and give organic a fair shake.

www.bioneers.org

“We celebrate because the food revolution is coming.“

A new agricultural animal


SAM GIBBONEY, Board President

Why a Co-op? food you can trust

As an organization, we have chosen to subscribe to the Rochdale Principles. � ese principles were articulated by those same weavers and artisans and form the basis on which cooperatives around the world operate today. An updated version known as the Cooperative Principles was adopted by the International Cooperative Alliance in 1966 and reads as follows:

1. Open, voluntary membership

2. Democratic governance

3. Limited return on equity

4. Surplus belongs to members

5. Education of members and public in cooperative principles

6. Cooperation between cooperatives

7. Concern for community

So what does all this have to do with the food in our store? At the end of the day, we hope it means food you can trust. Food that has been grown, produced and distributed in a way that takes into account not just one bottom line but three.

Do we always get it right? Of course not—this is an organization run by humans a� er all. Do we always agree on the best way to live up to our ideals and principles? No again, democracy has always been and always will be a messy business. But in a world dominated by a food system that seems devoid of any intention of sustainability, it’s a pretty darn good alternative.

Once again I say: � e Food Co-op is much more than a grocery store. Just like that group of weavers and artisans, we are engaged in a di� erent way of doing business. So add your voice as we co-create this together.

� e Food Co-op is a consumer cooperative. We sell whole foods and basic goods. Ours is a retail store owned by our members. But what does it really mean to be a consumer cooperative and what does it mean to be a co-op member?

Consumer cooperatives are business enterprises owned by consumers and managed democratically. While one could argue that the very basis of agrarian society and civilization is based upon the principle of human cooperatives, most historians recognize the cooperative movement as having its roots in the industrial revolution. As masses of people migrated to cities to work in factories, they became reliant on store owners for their food and frequently had little choice as to quality, selection or price. � e most famous of the early cooperative pioneers were the Rochdale Pioneers.

� e Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers was a group of 28 weavers and other artisans in Rochdale, England. � ese trades people decided to open their own store selling food items they could not otherwise a� ord. On December 21, 1844, they opened their store with a very meager selection of butter, sugar, � our, oatmeal and a few candles. Within three months, they expanded their selection to include tea and tobacco, and they were soon known for providing high quality goods.

From these humble beginnings, an entire movement was born. But the basic tenet remains the same: by working together, we can obtain the goods and services that we need and want in a manner that serves our values and principles. We are not beholden to an anonymous set of shareholders to provide the highest pro� t and � nancial return on their capital investment. We are, however, beholden to our owner-members.

Boardcalendar

All meetings are held in the Co-op Annex at 2482 Washington Street unless otherwise noted.Committee meeting dates/times are posted on our website and on our bulletin board in the store.

Sept 6*Board of DirectorsMeeting

Sept 8Member Relations Committee11:00 amClay Street offi ce

Sept 14Product Research Committee3:00 pm

Oct 4*Board of DirectorsMeeting

*Check the Board’s board in the store or our website at www.foodcoop.coop for Board meeting time.

Contact the Board at [email protected]

“Suppose we were able to share meanings freely without a compulsive urge to impose our view or conform to those of others and without distortion and self-deception. Would this not constitute a real revolution in culture?”

- David Bohm

in a di� erent way of doing business. So add your voice as we co-create this together.


ORGRGR

AGAGAGNANA ICsince

1972197219721972

October is Co-op month and it’s time for us to once again recognize our rich history and celebrate our successes. Cooperatives are business organizations owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual bene� t. But that doesn’t begin to tell the whole story.

� e Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, founded in 1844, is usually considered the � rst successful cooperative enterprise and is used as a model for modern co-ops. Co-ops evolved in the 20th century as mostly farmer-owned businesses such as Land O’Lakes, Sunkist and Ocean Spray that eventually became household names. During the depression, co-op grocery stores opened, and as the need for electricity and phones grew, rural ranches in the west formed electrical co-ops to bring those services out to their homes.

Later, in the 60s and 70s, co-ops were formed to bring natural foods to the new wave of hippie homesteaders in places like Port Townsend. In our community we also formed a shipwright’s co-op, a construction co-op, a credit union and even an employee-owned propane co-op. � us the structure of equitable ownership has stretched and been used to accommodate many di� erent types of businesses world wide.

� e other amazing thing about co-ops is that they work so well in times of economic uncertainty. � ey embrace business innovation and can change to re� ect the needs of the owners or the marketplace. � e other day someone described us as “opportunists,” a word I normally associate with weeds, which do such a great job of seeing a bare patch of earth where nothing else wants to grow and taking over.

As I thought more about it, I began to see the correlation. Take our own example of opening a store selling natural

foods when they weren’t available elsewhere. We saw the opportunity and seized the moment. And now, 40 years later, we have a thriving, robust business that employs over 90 people and meets the needs of over 5,500 owners. � e need to seize opportunities still exists, yet with that increase in robust business comes also the need to plan more carefully and consider all stakeholders. More consideration, certainly, than in 1972 when stakes were smaller.

As we begin our strategic planning process, we recognize that we will be looking for such opportunities and unmet needs of our community. We may not be able to take advantage of all the suggestions we hear, but we will welcome them as we determine the future of this business together.

Some things won’t change: trust, loyalty and cooperation will still matter. Our actions will still be local and people will rediscover the value of cooperation on all economic levels. And as the market changes and as our members’ needs change, so we need to be able to stretch to reconnect and to continue to be relevant. It’s a dialogue and a conversation.

� ere will be constraints but nothing should be sacred. We need to plant seeds, encourage creativity, hold unconventional conversations, learn from each other and stretch ourselves so that we can continue to serve our members for another 40 years. Please be sure to look for invitations from the Co-op Board of Directors to come play with us as we search for opportunities and strategically create our future together.

“Personal transformation can and does have global effects. As we go, so goes the world, for the world is us. The revolution that will save the world is ultimately a personal one.” - Marianne Williamson

Thinking Like a Weed robust and thriving we are holding our ground

KENNA EATON, General Manager

from the GM’s deskShopper SurveyWe will be conducting a shopper survey sometime in the fall. It’s been over six years since we last asked our shoppers to tell us a little bit about themselves. Thank you for taking the time, when asked, to participate. We look forward to seeing how much our membership has changed—or stayed the same!

Construction ProjectThank you for your patience during our construction project—we also want to thank all the people who helped make it go so smoothly, especially our local crews: Nordland Construction, Craighead Electric, Bob Brown Plumbing, Hope Roofi ng and Sunshine Propane, as well as all our staff. We are so excited to be better able to serve you. Look for our new grab ‘n’ go case in our deli—it’s fi lled with some pretty amazing and yummy new food.and yummy new food.


“In a revolution, as in a novel, the most difficult part to invent is the end.” - Alexis de Tocqueville

StaffSpotlight

Brendon O’SheaProduce Buyer

BIRTH DEFECTS CONNECTED TO PESTICIDESThe conclusion of a new report authored by a group of international scientists and researchers, (“Roundup and birth defects: Is the public being kept in the dark?”) reveals that industry’s own studies (including one commissioned by Monsanto itself) showed as long ago as the 1980s that Roundup’s active ingredient glyphosate causes birth defects in frogs and chickens at concentrations much lower than those used in agricultural spraying. The study shows the pesticide industry and Europe’s regulators have jointly misled the public with claims that glyphosate is safe. As a result, Roundup is liberally used by home gardeners and local authorities on roadsides, in school grounds, and other public areas, as well as in farmers’ fi elds. Many independent studies, summarized in the report, show that glyphosate and Roundup cause birth defects, cancer, genetic damage, endocrine disruption, and other serious effects, often at low, realistic doses. “The inside story on Monsanto and the glyphosate birth defect data,” by Claire Robinson and originally printed in The Ecologist (6/13/2011) is available on our website (follow the Co-op Reading Room link on our home page).

PARKINGThank you for parking in the appropriate spots. Handicapped is only available to those with permits.Please don’t park where it says you can’t!

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CO-OPPORT TOWNSEND

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@ptfoodcoop

w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / T h e Fo o d C o o p

www.foodcoop.coop

join our email list [email protected]

CO-OP CLASS

sign up for a classsee the updated class schedule in the store

NON-GMO MONTHIf you happen to be on the other coast in October, join the GMO Right2Know March from 10/1-10/16. The walk, organized by the Non-GMO Project, features daily events between New York and Washington, D.C. Marchers are expected to walk part or all of the 313 miles from the UN Headquarters to the White House. More info is available at www.righttoknow.org And don’t forget—October 16 is World Food Day!

CHILD-SIZED SHOPPING CARTSSome of you have been waiting, and now they are coming...Learn-To-Shop carts! They will be available on a trial basis. The Co-op is a crowded place, so we ask that members be mindful of their children and that other shoppers welcome this opportunity for children to learn healthy shopping habits

SUMMER SALMON SALEJust in time for the Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend, all Cape Cleare salmon sold in our meat case, from our favorite fi sherman Rick Oltman, will be on sale for the month of September. You’ll also have a chance to sample Rick’s delicious salmon—he’ll be outside the Co-op grilling salmon every Monday in September from 3-5:30.

PEANUT BUTTER NEWSDrought is a� ecting the supply of organic Valencia peanuts, the variety of peanut used for making peanut butter. Domestic organic peanuts will continue to be available in the bulk section as long as we can get them, but we will no longer be able to stock our hopper with domestic locally roasted organic peanuts from CB’s Nuts. � e price may go up as the supply dwindles and/or when only imported organic peanuts are available.

all the news that wouldn’t fi t

NEW FALL CLASSESNew classes have been added to the Co-op Class schedule with new teachers! Dr. Dale Fountain will be holding a free seminar on Resistive Weight Loss on Sept. 14, 6:30-7:30pm including free Nutritional Response Testing. We also have Julie Abowitt back with her series on stress management. Sherry Fry will also offer her Nutritutional Response testing again in Sept. See calendar page 19 for more info and pick up a class schedule addendum today.

GARLIC POWDER NEWSFrontier’s organic garlic powder was recently honored on American Public Media’s “The Splendid Table.” In a comparison of garlic powders from various spice companies, Frontier’s garlic powder came in 1st place: “Bulk garlic powder from local co-op. This is the standout. Where all the other powders tasted toasted and/or metallic, or simply awful, this one tastes clearly of fresh garlic.” Try it out yourself in our bulk spice section!

NEW SUPPLEMENTSLiz Lindstrom, our Supplement Buyer recommends VEGA Optimizers. a new product in the Wellness Department. VEGA products are all-in-one, natural plant based powdered supplements that are an excellent source of protein, fi ber and antioxidants They provide 100% recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals and contain omega 3 and 6 EFAs, enzymes, probiotics and phytonutrients in a vegan formula.

October 16 World Food

Day!www.worldfooddayusa.org

October is Fair Trade MonthTo view an Equal Exchange

video celebrating the month go to

www.equalexchange.coop/10-days-in-peru-10-

years-later

In a message from Equal Exchange to Port Townsend Food Co-op, the following words were shared:

“Building decade-long relationships between

farmers and store managers wouldn’t be possible

without the support of your shoppers. “

eat wellbe well

f THE

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dooCO-OP CLASS

Fall 2011Class schedule


7

Way To Go!

Thanks to the Food Services staff for providing great

service during construction!

DEBORAH SCHUMACHER, Interviewer

StaffSpotlight

Brendon O’SheaProduce Buyer

JulyMarioGonzales

Deborah: Can you please describe your job for our readers?Brendon: I coordinate purchasing through distributors and local growers for Produce and Floral & Garden. I also work with Derek (Produce Manager) on merchandising and I work with marketing to, among other things, create the weekly produce ad. In September I’ll be presenting with Brwyn in Outreach/Marketing at the Northwest Earth Institute conference at Ford Worden.

DS: What’s your favorite part of your job?BJO: Working with growers and staff. I feel like I have the best job in the world—I work with fruits and veggies, sharing the sustenance of life with people.

DS: What part do you think you play in the food revolution?BJO: Modestly…I play a small part in our little Port Townsend world with the day-to-day functioning of our food system while at the same time shifting to meet future food needs for our customers.

DS: Describe your life in 25 words or less.BJO: I am a born and raised East Coast boy who knew at a young age that the West was for me.

DS: If you were a fruit or vegetable, what would it be?BJO: As of this morning [July 26], I’d like to be a blueberry. I like blueberries. I’m sad that Rick Eason won’t be able to supply us with blueberries this year—the November freeze, a wet cold spring, mold, disease, lack of pollination (he saw 1/3 the number of bumblebees this year) has resulted in a very poor crop this year.

DS: What’s your favorite food, and why?BJO: Kelly’s (Brendon’s partner) homemade spanakopita—‘cause you never know what kind of green you’ll fi nd in it. Because spanakopita isn’t just for spinach anymore, Popeye!

DS: If you could play on any baseball team in the world, which would it be and what position would you play?BJO: The Red Sox and I’d be the bat boy, the guy that picks up after everybody and gets to interface with each player in a dreamy, made-up world.

DS: What one thing do you absolutely have to do before you die?BJO: Live in another country, a country that has a lot of agricultural roots. I’d like to experience another culture’s food palate.

DS: What one thing do you want our readers to know about you that I haven’t asked you?BJO: I want to be like Walter!

10 yearsLoran Scruggs, POS

9 yearsMelodie Thompson, Food Services

8 yearsMark Verheecke, Produce

7 yearsAndrea Dahdah, POSScott Marble, FacilitiesEric Rymer, Grocery

6 yearsMarcia Atwood, OperationsAnnie Cleveland, Front End

5 yearsJosh Madill, Food ServicesSheryl Little, Food Services

3 yearsPhil Blair, Food ServicesAnita Jahoda, GroceryJan Tobin, Wellness

1 yearHadley Nye, Food Services

Anniversaries are calculated from date of most recent hire for paid employment and may not refl ect previous years of employment or years of work as a volunteer.

JuneEric Rymer

“When dictatorship is a fact, revolution becomes a right.” - Victor Hugo

Estelle GiangrossoHempler’s Natural Uncured Beef Pepperoni“Don’t eat much of it but this meat makes my mouth happy. Delicious and not too greasy.” Next to the meat case.

Debbie Vanderbilt KIND Healthy Snacks“Nuts & Fruit - tasty, easy to eat, nutritional snack. My favorite is Apricot-Almond. Great for car tripsor camping.” Located across from the dairy case.

Debbie

Staff Picks

Estelle Giangrosso

AnniversariesSept & Oct

Hearty Thank You

Awards


“It is impossible to predict the time and progress of revolution. It is governed by its own more or less mysterious laws.” - Vladimir Lenin

Raw Food Revolution

for Your Pets

The use of algae for health benefits can be found as long ago as the 9th century. The health benefits of consuming green superfoods are well documented for all four of the algae presented here. All four have amazing properties for balancing the body and providing support for many conditions by providing super nutrition to the body. And, they have many healing properties in common. Today, they are recognized good manufacturing practices for growing and processing algae for human and animal consumption.

Spirulina algae is a nitrogen-based blue-green mico-algae with a coil-like shape residing in alkaline fresh water lakes and ponds. It’s used as an immune enhancement, as a protein supplement, for allergic reactions, and for liver disorders and oral and skin problems. Spirulina provides significant amounts of blue-green algae nutrients, vitamin B12, amino acids, trace elements, chelated minerals, and enzymes. Additional benefits of spirulina include: protection of the liver and kidneys; improvement of blood quality and prevention of anemia; removal of heavy metals from the body; control of allergic rhinitis.

Chlorella, an oxygen-based green algae used widely in Japan, has bio-chelated vitamins and minerals and is easily cultured. The chlorella cell is made of indigestible cellulose similar to green grass and can be considered a complete protein as it has all eight of the essential amino acids. Used for digestion, detoxification, and to support the immune system, chlorella has been touted as the perfect whole food. Aside from being a complete protein, it contains all the B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and the major minerals (with zinc and iron in amounts large enough to be considered supplementary). Chlorella has been found to: improve the immune system; improve digestion; detoxify the body;

Eat Your Greens Algae That Is!Green superfoods Astaxanthin, Chlorella, Chlorophyll & Spirulina

JAN TOBIN, Wellness Manager

accelerate healing; protect against radiation; aid in the prevention of degenerative diseases; aid in the treatment of Candida albicans; relieve arthritis pain; aid in the success of numerous weight loss programs.

Chlorophyll is a porphyrin ring, a molecular arrangement that allows for free electrons to remain available to help new plant cells grow. Chlorophyll is the result of photosynthesis, when the sun’s energy is absorbed by a plant and water and carbon dioxide is converted into oxygen and glucose. Researchers have found that chlorophyll is similar to human blood except that its main atom is magnesium (in human blood it’s iron). Additional benefits of chlorophyll: aids in gastrointestinal problems; promotes formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells; treats bad breath; detoxifies the body of toxins that cause cancer; beneficial in assimilating calcium and other heavy minerals; fights infections.

Astaxanthin is a carotenoid (like beta-carotene), a long-chain molecular pigment that is extracted from a tropical micro-algae strain called Haematococcus pluvialis. A molecule that gives color to salmon and some crustaceans, it has 10 times the activity of beta-carotene and 500 times the antioxidant potency of vitamin E.

Benefits associated with Astaxanthin:• Inhibits lipid peroxidation at the cell level,

thus protecting the cell membrane and the mitochondrial membrane within the cell.

• Crosses the blood-brain barrier, which makes it available to the eye, brain and central nervous system to alleviate oxidative stress that contributes to ocular and neurodegenerative diseases such as glaucoma and Alzheimer’s.

• Provides significantly more antioxidant capacity

than other carotenoids and antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamin E.

• Entraps free radicals by adding them to its long, double-bonded chain rather than donating an electron.

• Stabilizes the cell membrane like a bridge because its polar end groups span the cell membrane, increasing its rigidity and mechanical strength.

• Neutralizes (de-charges) singlet and triplet oxygen generated by UVA and UVG radiation and other sources.

• Binds to a lipoprotein, an efficient transport vehicle, making it more bioavailable.

• Increases immune system function including heightened production of antibody-secreting cells and Interleukin 2 and suppression of Interferon-gamma. Inhibits reactive oxygen species that cause inflammation.

• Enhances the antioxidant actions of vitamin E and vitamin C and encourages the release of vitamin A from the liver when needed.

• Very likely increases cell gap junctional communication, a mechanism thought to inhibit cancer.

With today’s modern cooking techniques and the decrease in nutrition in foods in general, adding super nourishing and protective green foods will enhance your health and well-being.

References: Nutritional Supplements Health Guide (internet)Healing with Whole Foods, Paul PitchfordVitamin Bible, Earl MindellStaying Healthy with Nutrition, Elson Haas, M.D.“Potential Health Benefits of Spirulina Microalgae, “ Bob Capelli and Gerald R. Cyewski (2010)


“The seed of revolution is repression.” - Woodrow Wilson

MOLLY FORCE, N.D. Owner-Member & Naturopathic Physician

Raw Food Revolution

for Your Pets

MenopauseWomen’s Mid-Life Revolution

DR. ANNA GARDNER, MA Vet. MBOwner-Member & Holistic Veterinarian

Menopause is a time of change. As a woman, your body will stop having periods because your estrogen and progesterone levels naturally decline. Like most women, you may start to experience perimenopause in your 40s with symptoms lasting into your 50s. This is a normal and natural process. Unfortunately, for many women, the menopausal transition can be an uncomfortable one. Fortunately, the menopausal discomforts you may experience respond very well to natural medicine and natural approaches.

What can you expect? The way you experience menopause will be unique to you and your body. Some of the changes you may notice include menstrual cycle changes, hot flashes and night sweats, mood changes, headaches, weight gain, dry skin, cold hands and feet, loss of libido, memory problems, loss of bone density, insomnia.

Consistent exercise decreases hot flashes, benefits mood stabilization, and improves bone density. Focus on eating seasonal and fresh foods that support your specific constitution. Whenever possible, buy organic and local foods. Calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D support healthy bone density, immune function, and sleep. Vitamin E reduces hot flashes and vaginal dryness by improving blood supply to the vaginal wall. Herbs such as sage, black cohosh, licorice, alfalfa, wild yam, and St. John’s wort may be appropriate.

Some plants contain phytoestrogens, chemicals in plants that mimic estrogens in your body, that can help reduce menopausal symptoms. Soy is the most well known phytoestrogen-containing food. The use of soy is controversial because of its link to increasing estrogen-sensitive cancers. I recommend fermented forms of soy (tempeh and miso), which are easier to digest for menopausal women not at high risk of having breast cancer.

Flaxseed is my favorite phytoestrogen plant because it contains anti-inflammatory oils as well as fiber. I always recommend grinding the whole seeds fresh and keeping them in the refrigerator, as their delicate oils go rancid quickly, especially after they have been ground.

How you decide to manage the challenges that may arise during menopause is one of the most difficult healthcare decisions you will face as a woman. Conventional hormone replacement therapy with pharmaceutical estrogens and progesterone has many known risks and side effects. With my patients, I advocate an effective, integrated and natural approach to menopause. I often suggest hormonal testing to focus treatment on their specific hormonal imbalance. It is critical that you are individually evaluated to help you determine the optimal approach for you.

Dr. Molly Force is a family practice naturopathic physician who specializes in combining natural healing with conventional medical diagnosis and therapy. Her practice Prosper Natural Health is located in Port Townsend. She can be reached at www.ProsperNaturalHealth.com or 360-385-5375.

There has been a dramatic shift in the pet food industry in recent years: feeding a raw food diet to cats and dogs. It’s been revolutionary in many ways and has caused a lot of controversy amongst vets and pet owners.

Cats and dogs evolved to eat in the wild. As wild cats and dogs evolved towards domestication, they would have been fed scraps from human foods, also meat-based. The digestive tracts of cats and dogs are short and acidic and suited to eating meat (not to digesting complex carbohydrates like grains). Their teeth, with sharp incisors to stab and catch prey and shearing molars to eat meat, are also suited to a meat- based diet.

Modern pet food was introduced in England in 1890 and was made from ingredients like wheat, vegetables, beets and meat. Beets and wheat are not natural foods for cats or dogs and they tend to be allergenic. As the profit-driven pet food industry developed, preservatives like BHA and BHT, which can cause liver damage and possibly cancer, were added as well as artificial colors and fillers like soy, bran, and sorghum. Wheat and wheat glutens became common ingredients in pet foods, and continue to be so today, even in so-called “prescription” diets. It’s no surprise, with the use of harsh chemicals and multiple vaccines, as well as an increasingly toxic environment and genetic problems due to selective breeding (primarily for looks), that the health of pets began to decline.

Recently, pet owners have begun questioning the ingredients in many commercial pet foods and some have turned to raw foods for their pets. They either prepare a raw food diet at home or they buy commercially available pre-made frozen pet food. At the very least, they are looking for pet foods made with food-based ingredients and without preservatives or artificial chemicals or fillers.

While not all animals are strong enough to eat exclusively raw foods, most animals thrive and become healthy and vibrant on a raw food diet. Their coats will be healthier and they should have more energy and fewer health conditions. After all, it’s what they’re supposed to eat!

Anna Maria Gardner MA Vet. MB is a holistic veterinarian based in Brinnon. Dr. Gardner uses nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, flower essences, and other holistic modalities to bring holistic health care to the animal kingdom. She can be reached at 360-796-3749 or [email protected] or for more information visit her website at www.petsynergy.com

Saturday, Sept 102-4 pm

Living Gluten Free

Saturday, Oct 82-4 pm

Natural Kitchen Medicine$25 owners $30 guests

CO-OP CLASS


Van’s totally natural and blueberry

Nature’s Path Mesa and Homestyle waffl es

in the freezer

Revolutionary Diet Changes

“We used to think that revolutions are the cause of change. Actually it is the other way around: change prepares the ground for revolution.” - Eric Hoffer

gluten freedom!

10

breakfast

lunch

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my job is helping our customers. Sometimes they just can’t fi nd the tofu or the coffee, but other times they come in with a

serious diagnosis or illness and are looking for nutritional support with dietary changes. More and more folks are being told they have an allergy to wheat and/or

gluten and need help fi nding substitutions for all of the things they previously had eaten.As we rearrange products in the store, I’ve tried to group gluten-free items together whenever possible for your shopping pleasure and convenience. We’ve added GF shelf labels next to the items that are gluten-free. Find something great you’d like us to carry? Please write me a suggestion and I’ll see if we can’t squeeze it in!

LAURA LAWLESS, Grocery Buyer

lunch

breakfastNature’s Highlights brown rice pizza crusttop shelf of the freezer

pizzatortillastortillastortillaspizzatortillaspizza

cereal

waffles

breadbreadUdi’s gluten-free breadRudi’s gluten-free breadin the freezer

Nature’s Path best selection of

gluten-free cerealMesa, Mesa with Raisins,

Cornfl akes, and Envirokids

cerealcereal

Nature’s Pathbest selection of

cereal

pizza

waffles

best selection of gluten-free cereal

Mesa, Mesa with Raisins, Cornfl akes, and Envirokids

Nature’s Pathbest selection of

Sonoma Ivory Teff tortillas

bottom shelf in the frig

Food for Life’sbrown ricetortillas in the freezer

Udi’s gluten-free pizza crust

top shelf in the freezer

Van’stotally natural and blueberry

Nature’s PathMesa and Homestyle waffl es

in the freezer

waffles

Erewhon crispy brown rice cereal

Glutenfreeda vegetarian and chicken burritosin the freezer


Mary’sGone Crackers

Ancient Harvestquinoa pastas spaghetti linguine, rotelle, pagodas and elbows

My new favorite crackers are Jovan’s. They are made in Blaine, WA by a small company and offer whole food nutrition. Made from garbanzo bean four and whole organic dehydrated veggies, they are the healthiest cracker option we carry, hands down!

NEW! Jōvan’s Zesty TomatoTaste of TuscanySpicy El Paso (my personal favorite)Garden Pesto

New! Glutino gluten-free crackers

Lundberg rice chips

Blue Diamond Nut Thins crackersoriginal, vegetable not shown Mary’s Sticks & Twigs

Glutino pretzels

Revolutionary Diet Changes gluten freedom!

dinner

snacks

“The American Revolution was a beginning, not a consummation.” - Woodrow Wilson

New! Glutino gluten-free crackers

Amy’s deserves acknowledgement for their effort at bringing tasty gluten-free convenience foods to folks. They make burritos, tamales, enchiladas and pizzas.

gluten-free crackers gluten-free crackers

NEW! Jōvan’s Zesty TomatoTaste of Tuscany

rice chips

Mary’s

healthiest cracker option we carry, hands down!

Ian’s Gluten-free chicken nuggets and fi sh sticksin the freezer

New! Jovial brown rice pastaThe best I’ve tried! spaghetti, fusili and penne

Tinkyáda brown rice pasta Many different shapes and cuts; certifi ed organic and natural options available

snacks

Food for Life’sbrown ricetortillas in the freezer

chicken nuggets and fi sh sticksin the freezer

Ancient Harvest

Spicy El Paso (my personal favorite)Garden Pesto

chicken nuggets and fi sh sticks

Tinkyáda Many different shapes and cuts; certifi ed organic and natural options available

chicken nuggets and fi sh sticks

Ancient Harvestquinoa pastas spaghetti linguine, rotelle, pagodas and elbows

dinner

options available

Ancient Harvest

options available

New! Crunchmaster multi-seed crackers

San J black sesame crackers

Gone Crackers

Blue DiamondNut Thins crackersoriginal, vegetable

Mary’s Sticks & Twigs Glutino pretzels snackssnacks


“If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself. If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part in revolution.

All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience.” - Mao Zedong

What’s in SeasonSept/Oct

apples, artichokes arugula, beans

beets, blackberries, blueberries, bok choi,

broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauli� ower, celery, chard, cilantro, collard greens,corn, cucumbers,

dandelion, dill, endive, escarole, fennel, garlic, grapes, kale, kiwi, kohlrabi, leeks,

lettuce, melons,mizuna, mushrooms

(including chanterelle & lobster), nuts, onions, parsley,

pARSNIPS, PeaRs, peppers, plums, potatoes,

pumpkins, QUINCE, radishes (Daikon),

rhubarb, rutabaga, shallots, spinach, squash

(summer, zucchini & winter), strawberries

tomatoes, turnips, watercress Fall fl ower bouquets available

through fi rst hard frost!

BRENDON O’SHEA, Produce Buyer

Certified Organic

eight years and counting!

WASHINGTON ORGANIC WEEK 9/11 – 9/17

September is National Organic Month!

July 23rd was a celebratory day at � e Food Co-op. � ere were no balloons, streamers, bells and whistles, or cakes. � ere really wasn’t anything signifying the importance of the day. � e Produce Department, though, was de� nitely aware of its importance as they worked the wet and dry racks. � at’s because since July 23, 2003, our department has been the only Certi� ed Organic Produce Department on the entire Olympic Peninsula, eight years and counting.

What does it mean to be a “certi� ed organic” department in a retail grocery store? Retail food establishments don’t need to be certi� ed in order to sell organic agricultural products. However, they’re responsible for verifying and maintaining the organic integrity of those products. It’s this same organic integrity that spurred the produce manager in 2003 to � le for organic certi� cation with the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). Since then, each and every day, we make a commitment, as a store and as a department, to uphold the integrity of the organic movement from the � eld to our customers’ shopping carts.

Being a certi� ed organic produce department doesn’t mean we ONLY buy and sell certi� ed organic products. We purchase a lot of locally grown, non-certi� ed organic produce from our local growers and producers. What it does mean is that we have to handle these products a bit di� erently, in the cooler and on the � oor. We have a clearly labeled and separate space in our walk-in refrigerator where non-certi� ed organic items live until they go out onto the � oor. Once on the � oor, whether in a wet rack (lettuce, carrots, broccoli) or in a dry display (potatoes, onions, tomatoes), we maintain a physical barrier between certi� ed organic and non-certi� ed organic to prevent commingling.

A physical barrier can mean one item wrapped in plastic, for example a 5 pound bag of carrots is placed between a row of non-certi� ed lacinato kale and a row of certi� ed organic kohlrabi. � e bag of carrots acts as the physical barrier. We also use separate sinks in our backroom when we rinse our vegetables before stocking them. We don’t stock non-certi� ed organic items above certi� ed organic items in the department to prevent commingling (dripping). To maintain certi� cation, each year, usually in late summer, all our processes are reviewed by a visiting WSDA Organic Inspector.

� e integrity of our organic system is very important to us. Helping local growers bring fresh, healthy and organically grown fruits and vegetables to our shelves is our job. See you around the department.


Celebrate National Bulk Day on October 23 this year by trying out the bulk sections in our store. Save money. Save packaging. Enjoy more variety. For more about shopping bulk visit www.bulkisgreen.org

BULK UP at the CO-OP!

23 varieties of beans18 types of grainsSpicesHerbsTeasWater Olives CapersVegetable OilVinegar Vanilla TamariStoneground MustardHoney MolassesNut ButtersSea VegetablesBaking Powder & SodaArrowroot Powdered BrothBaking ChocolateMassage oils Shampoo & ConditionerLotions Liquid SoapPet FoodDish SoapLaundry Soap (liquid & powder)Soil Amendments Green Sand Bone Meal... and more!

Renegades Shop Bulk

Oct. 23PERFECT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING

makes 2 big pies

6 cups baked mashed Sweet Meat or other prime squash or pumpkin 2-2 ¼ cups eggs (I use duck eggs, but chicken eggs are fine) 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1-3 cups brown sugar, packed down, depending upon the sweetness of the individual fruit 2 Tbs. Carol’s Perfect Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix (16:4:4:1 cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves) 1 tsp. real vanilla powder ¼ tsp. salt

1. Measure and combine the mashed squash, spice mix, vanilla, sugar, and salt in a large stainless steel bowl.

2. Add the eggs. I use a hand mixer to beat the eggs (on top of the squash mix) for a few seconds, then add the cream and blend everything into a smooth batter. Any strings from the squash end up wrapped around the mixing blades and are thus automatically removed.

3. Pre-warm the batter by placing the bowl with the mixed ingredients inside another bowl or pan filled with hot water to bring the batter to lukewarm. When the batter is warm to the touch, pour it into two pie plates.

4. I put the pies on the second rack from the bottom in an oven preheated to 350ºF. It takes about 45 to 55 minutes to bake the pies.

5. Remove the pies from the oven and put them on a rack to cool. During cooling, the pie surface sinks down to become ordinary concave pie shape and the delicate crust disappears. Now, here comes the hard part. Cover the pies and refrigerate them for a day. It takes a day in the refrigerator for the full flavor to develop.

From The Resilient Gardener: Food Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times by Carol Deppe (2010)

Delightful Sweet & Savory

SquashAll the hard squashes make good winter eating because they store well and because their sweet orange and golden flesh is so filling when we crave comfort food. Some hard squashes are so sweet they can be a dessert-like pudding. Drizzle on a little maple syrup and a pat of butter...yum!

Acorn: green, gold and white varieties, compact with defined ribs. They make an attractive vessel—hollow out the halves after baking and use as decorative bowls for mashed squash, squash soup, rice or stuffing.

Buttercup: squat and green with vertical gray or pale green stripes. Tender orange flesh has a taste similar to sweet potato.

Butternut: creamy-orange gourd with a bottleneck shape. Tastes like a nuttier version of sweet potato and can be baked or steamed.

Carnival: has a festive pattern with brush-like stripes of orange and specks of green. The meat is a golden yellow similar to butternut, even creamier and sweeter.

Delicata: oblong with lemon-colored skin streaked with green or orange. The meat is a cross between butternut and sweet potato (it’s also called sweet potato squash).

Hubbard (blue, golden, green, grey): large and bumpy like a misshapen teardrop with a wart-covered exterior and peach-colored flesh. The flesh is moist but best prepared boiled or baked and then puréed.

Kabocha: the word for “squash” in Japanese. Mossy-green rind with spotted streaks of gray with a tender, sweet pumpkin flesh but without the stringy fibers.

Red Kuri (Orange Hokkaido): butter-colored flesh smoother than butternut squash, tear-drop shaped with an intense orange rind. With a distinctive chestnut flavor, it makes a unique soup base that lends itself to pairings with many other ingredients.

Sweet Dumpling: cream- or daffodil-colored rind boasts thick deep ribs lined with green or orange. Sweet and tender, it’s a great size for roasting or baking as individual servings.

Turban or Turkish Turban: shaped like a sultan’s turban, color can range from orange, red, green, sometimes a combination of all four. Flavor can be a little like hazelnut; good size makes a wonderful bowl for serving soup when hollowed out.

Adapted from glossary of squashes at Melissas.com

“Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”

- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin


Adding Value growing a local food business

farmers marketnews

CHIMACUM SUNDAY MARKET

10am-2pmChimacum Corner

Over 30 local vendorsFARMS, FOOD, MUSIC AND

MORE

jeffersoncountyfarmersmarket.org

PORT TOWNSENDSATURDAY MARKET

9am-2pm Uptown at Lawrence &Tyler

Over 70 vendorsOne of the largest small town

markets in the nationFARMS, FOOD, ARTS, CRAFTS,

MUSIC AND MORE

PORT TOWNSEND WEDNESDAY MARKET

3pm-6pm Uptown, at Polk & Lawrence

FARMS, FOOD, MUSIC AND MORE

One of the most exciting developments at our market over the last ve or so years has been the emergence of local food processors and preparers. � ese are the folks that have created businesses that add value to pre-existing local produce. Last month I wrote about Mama’s Harvest, who bought over a thousand pounds of local carrots for pickling. You probably know about Mt. Townsend Creamery, who purchases tens of thousands of gallons of local milk to make award-winning artisan cheese. You know about Bob’s Bagels, who uses local � our in the bagels when he can and gets really creative with local ingredients as toppings, from market greens to eggs to kimchi, cheese, and lots more. Cape Cleare Salmon has spawned two prepared food businesses at the farmers market—the amazing salmon wagon and the InSeason Catering sh taco booth, both featuring Cape Cleare sh as their primary ingredient and both buying local produce for sides and toppings. Rainie Sunshine, Dented Buoy, and Pane D’Amore use all kinds of local too. And of course the Food Co-op kitchen. I want to see more value-added local food businesses at the market and in our community. � ey can create jobs, help support local farms and improve our community health and bottom line. � ere is no downside. Well, except one. It’s not the easiest way to make money—creating iphone apps is likely more pro table, but who among us moved to Je� erson County because we were looking for increased pro tability? � e cost of our high quality of life has always been an extra dollop of manual labor and perhaps not as much dessert as you could have in Lynwood or Bellevue. But I digress. What I want to do is lay out a few logical steps for starting a local food business.

Find your passion. Any good business idea needs to excite you enough to give up your

free time, your extra cash and likely the extra time and cash of some of your friends or family to make it a reality. Find a source. You need to be able to nd your product components a� ordably and in abundance. Pickling Nash’s carrots is great ‘cause they grow tons. Pickling quail eggs, not so much.

Make sure there’s a market. You need to have a public interested in buying it. � is is confusing to some people, who think it’s the job of business to create demand. Not always so. I think you are better o� starting with a demand that is unmet—like bagels and pickles. � ree years ago there was no supply, but people still wanted them. If no one wants to buy your product then you have two businesses to run: the business of making your product and the business of generating demand. Create a connection with your supplier (like Mama’s Harvest working a deal with Red Dog Farm to have their own rows of pickling cukes custom grown).

Find a rental kitchen (there are lots all over the county).

Find an outlet. My bias is to the farmers market and the Co-op is a great option as well. If you are making a value-added product from locally grown materials, we likely have a space for you. Hargopal of Mama’s Harvest calls his farmers market stand their retail store, and it is. It’s a retail store with very little overhead and only a one- to three-day-a-week commitment. Even more valuable is the marketing opportunity it provides. On Saturdays, the budding entrepreneur has the chance to connect with up to 2,000 customers a day, to tell the story and sample the product face-to-face. � at’s a value that almost no other retail outlet can o� er.

WILL O’DONNELL, Je� erson County Farmers Market Director VALUE ADDED FOODS TO CONSIDER SELLING AT MARKET (Per Will. . .)

Charcuterie: sausages/cured meats. We have consistent and reliable high quality local meats right now, especially pork and beef. Ravioli: I love the idea of a business that can take advantage of the seasonal nature of local food. Ravioli, or any stuffed pasta, can be frozen or fresh, providing some fl exibility in marketing. Lots of variations on this theme (empanadas, Middle Eastern savory pies...).Stock or soup bases: meat or vegetable or fi sh stock can be the offshoot of a business that uses a lot of local foods.

To avoid: gooseberry juice. No point starting a business based on a crop that you can’t get a sizable quantity of, that is unless you are going to be selling it like caviar. Which isn’t a bad idea, we could use some local caviar. And that reminds me: why no local seaweed? No nori or kombu or dulse? Dabob Bay is clean and lovely—can we partner with the oyster folks to do local seaweed...?

LLOCAL

“A revolution can be neither made nor stopped. The only thing that can be done is for one of several of its children to give it a direction by dint of victories.” - Napoleon Bonaparte


“Many a revolution started with the actions of a few. Only 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence. A few hanging together can lead a nation to change.” - Wynton Marsalis

DEBORAH SCHUMACHER, Sta� Writer THERESA MARQUEZchief marketing executive at Organic Valley, a national dairy cooperative

Those of us in organic are hopeless idealists and hopelessly optimistic about the future direction of agriculture. We think that the future of agriculture has to be organic. When you start peeling back the layers of our food system to look at what’s wrong, a lot of it starts with pesticide-intensive agriculture. The biotech industry makes the claim that GMOs are going to feed the world, and yet they are using over twice the amount of pesticides and more water than non-GMO crops.

For me, the future is organic in the next 20 years. Unfortunately, we’re probably not going to get there without a whole lot of pain, i.e., everyone realizing they know someone who has fertility problems and can’t reproduce without assistance. That’s only 15 percent of our population now, but it’s going to be 25 percent in not too long. People think that’s normal. We should be terrifi ed about that. In 20 years, I see an evolution of our food system, if we’re still around, because the human race seems to be intent on doing itself in.

We need a Noah right now to start building his ark. Slow Food has an Ark of Taste. I see that there are food arks now popping up all over.

www.bioneers.org

“� is latest E. coli outbreak is painful real-life evidence that natural foods are not always better, nor safe for consumption.” Wall Street Journal, “Europe’s Organic Food Scare” ( June 13, 2011).

How many times did we hear over the TV or the radio or in print that the e-coli outbreak in June that killed 25 and made hundreds sick was suspected to originate from an organic farm in Germany. Emphasis on organic.

It’s not just that the cheerleaders for conventional production agriculture could collectively breathe a sigh of relief because organic agriculture, apparently, could have a food safety scare just like them. � e Wall Street Journal editors suggest that it’s precisely because of organic practices that the e-coli outbreak occurred: “It’s no small scandal that the latest E. coli outbreak has been linked to an organic German farm that shuns modern farming techniques” (emphasis of organic in the original; emphasis that follows is mine). From a Reuters article on the same subject: “And organic farms, with all that they entail in terms of not using ordinary chemicals and non-organic fertilizers, carry an extra risk” (Reuters quote at Sharon Astyk’s June 7 post at scienceblogs.com/casaubonsbook).

What? Organic farming is risky? Riskier than spraying poison on food and inserting the DNA of bacteria and viruses into the seeds that grow our food? Riskier than giving sub-therapeutic doses of antibiotics to animals raised knee-deep in their own excrement?

At a time when organic agriculture is threatened by a renegade USDA that earlier this year approved the release of no less than three new and untested genetically modi� ed products (alfalfa, sugar beets and a corn designed

for ethanol production), this media smear campaign emphasizing the suspected role of an organic farm in this latest food scare is disheartening and maddening.

Disheartening because Monsanto/Forage Genetics’ genetically engineered alfalfa, a perennial plant, is a real threat to organic agriculture. Albert Straus, president of Straus Family Creamery, paints a pretty bleak picture: he believes GE alfalfa “seriously jeopardizes the integrity of the organic food chain, and could cause irreparable harm to organic farmers” (“Your Government Insists the Food Revolution Will Be Genetically Modi� ed,” Common Ground Magazine, March 2011).

Maddening because organic agriculture is a pretty unquali� ed good. It doesn’t introduce poison into our food system and it doesn’t introduce novel and untested organisms into our food supply. Animal welfare, people welfare and planet welfare are core values in organic agriculture. At its best, when done on a small scale by people who care, organic agriculture conserves water, protects soils and biodiversity, and practices sustainability—the thing that will make it possible for our children and their children and their children’s children to continue to grow food.

Too o¢ en, organic agriculture, really smart farming that shuns stupid modern innovations, is dismissed as a specialty niche supported mostly by “foodies” and without a role in the future. But we need to know that organic agriculture is the future. I end with these wise words from Wendell Berry: “It is one of the miracles of science and hygiene that the germs that used to be in our food have been replaced by poisons.”

Organic VisionOrganic Vision

DEBORAH SCHUMACHER, Sta� Writer

The Future Is Organic really smart farming that shuns stupid modern innovations


Quinoa Quandary

“No one makes a revolution by himself; and there are some revolutions which humanity accomplishes without quite knowing how, because it is everybody who takes them in hand.” - George Sand

DEBORAH SCHUMACHER, STAFF WRITER

Originally cultivated in Bolivia, quinoa (pronounced KEE-no-ah) has become a popular substitute in this country for grains like wheat and rice. Quinoa is not a grain, however; it’s a chenopod, related to plants like beets and spinach. � e Incas relied on quinoa to feed their soldiers; today, with the aid of European and American foreign aid organizations, Bolivians are growing quinoa for the export market.

Demand for quinoa is soaring in rich countries, as American and European consumers discover the “lost crop” of the Incas. � is has helped raise farmers’ incomes in one of the hemisphere’s poorest countries, but now, fewer Bolivians can a� ord the food staple. While quinoa prices have almost tripled over the past � ve years, Bolivia’s consumption of the staple fell 34% over the same period according to the country’s agricultural ministry.

Why this “shi� away from consuming quinoa in the cradle of its cultivation”? Cost is part of the problem. Many Bolivians can no longer a� ord to buy quinoa. “I adore quinoa, but can’t a� ord it anymore,” said Micaela Huanca, a street vendor in El Alto, a city of slums above the capital, La Paz. “I look at it in the markets and walk away.” At supermarkets in Bolivia, a 1,000-gram bag of quinoa (just over two pounds) costs the equivalent of $4.85 compared to $1.20 for a bag of noodles the same weight or $1 for a bag of white rice.

Tastes are changing, too. Exposed to some of the worst players in the western diet, many younger Bolivians have grown to prefer white bread to toasted quinoa � our and Coca-Cola to a traditional beverage made from boiled water, sugar and quinoa � our. “It has to do with food culture,” said Victor Hugo Vàsquez, vice minister of rural development and agriculture. Says Paulina Vàsquez, a housekeeper and mother of three children in their 20s who grows her own quinoa, “� e young people don’t want it. If there is a pot of noodles everyone is there, as if noodles were nutritious. Even my children are that way.”

� e increasing popularity of quinoa in other countries and the higher price it reaps now has had some bene� t for Bolivian farmers. “Before quinoa was at the price it is now, people went to Argentina and Chile to work,” said Miguel Choque Llanos, commercial director of the National Association of Quinoa Producers.

Rising quinoa prices have also encouraged city dwellers to return to their plots in the countryside during planting and harvest season. Ms. Vàsquez sows quinoa

each year on her family’s land outside La Paz. Because the packaged quinoa sold in

grocery stores is too expensive, she grows, harvests, and stores her own,

and then prepares it by hand, a painstaking process that includes washing away the resinlike saponin coating that protects the

seeds. She prepares a sweet drink of quinoa, apple, cinnamon and sugar

for her family for breakfast.

But malnutrition is still a problem. Nutritionist María Julia Cabrerizo said studies showed that chronic malnutrition in children has climbed in quinoa-growing areas in recent years. Government o© cials are trying to increase domestic consumption of quinoa, which is facing steep competition from other less healthy foods. President Evo Morales plans to make more than $10 million in loans to organic quinoa producers and health o© cials are incorporating quinoa into a packet of foods supplied to pregnant and nursing mothers. Victor Hugo Vàsquez said quinoa would also be available in meals to the armed forces and in more school breakfasts.

� is shi� o� ers a glimpse into the consequences of rising global food prices and changing eating habits in both prosperous and developing nations. In Bolivia, it’s been less of a “fair trade” to lose access to a healthy traditional food only to adopt a less healthy but more a� ordable diet imported from the West.

BOB SCOWCROFTExecutive Director of the Organic Farming Research Foundation and 2006 recipient of the Ecological Farming Association’s prestigious “Sustie” award for lifetime achievements in sustainable agriculture

I see organic farming and ranching as an integrated system modeling the complex web of natural systems as it takes root. All parties will come to celebrate the fertile soil that surrounds them. There will be ecological food hubs linking urban mini-farms with the surrounding countryside.

Taking advantage of this indigenous system of organic production will be an educational system that inspires K-12 students to become young cooks and learn more about nutritional balance and preventive health care.

New jobs will be created in food transport and processing. Trading collaborations will be established to reach outside of nearly full circle sustaining regional food sheds for national and even international organic products. If grey whales can migrate to Mexico and back within nature’s system of ecological balance, I see no reason why organic fruits and nuts can’t be exchanged for bananas and coffee elsewhere in the hemisphere. Distance traveled must be fl exible and provide multiple benefi ts to all.

www.bioneers.org

From “Quinoa’s Global Success Creates Quandary at Home” by Simon Romera and Sara Shahriari (� e New York Times, 3/20/2011)

“quinoa” (pronounced

KEE-no-ah)

Organic Vision Vision


“The most heroic word in all languages is revolution.” - Eugene V. Debs

Quinoa Quandary

THE DIRTY DOZEN

Did you know that 98% of apples sampled by the USDA contained residues of 56 different pesticides? Mmmhhh, that’s not good. Pesticides have been linked to a variety of health problems, including brain and nervous system toxicity, cancer, hormone disruption, and skin, eye and lung irritation. That doesn’t mean you should stop eating apples, but it might give you an added incentive to buy organic whenever possible.

The following lists compiled by the Environmental Working Group (http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/) will help you, your friends and your family make informed decisions. The “Dirty Dozen” includes fruits and vegetables that carry high levels of pesticide residues, while the “Clean Fifteen” have few residues. Here’s to our health!

THE DIRTY DOZEN buy these organic

1. Apples2. Celery3. Strawberries4. Peaches5. Spinach6. Nectarines (imported)7. Grapes (imported)8. Sweet bell peppers9. Potatoes10. Blueberries (domestic)11. Lettuce12. Kale/collard greens

THE CLEAN FIFTEEN lowest in pesticides

1. Onions2. Sweet corn3. Pineapples4. Avocado5. Asparagus6. Sweet peas7. Mangoes8. Eggplant9. Cantaloupe (domestic)10. Kiwi11. Cabbage12. Watermelon13. Sweet potatoes14. Grapefruit15. Mushrooms

GMO Right 2 Know March Oct. 1-16NYC to Washington DC (www.right2knowmarch.org)

THE FOOD CO-OP

GMO STATEMENT Updated 2010

At The Food Co-op we strive to carry organic products whenever possible—for the health of our members and for the health of our planet. USDA certifi ed organic standards prohibit GMO (Genetically Modifi ed Organism) crops from being in certifi ed organic products. Even when buying USDA certifi ed organic there is the potential for GMO contamination from GMO pollen drifting into certifi ed organic fi elds. There is no mandatory testing of USDA certifi ed organic products or any products for GMO contamination. This being said, the best way to avoid foods containing GMOs is to buy foods that carry the USDA’s certifi ed organic seal, which ensures that no known GMO ingredients have been used in the products that carry the USDA certifi ed organic seal.

Without federal labeling and testing of GM (Genetically Modifi ed) foods, no product can be guaranteed to be GMO-free or labeled as such by The Food Co-op.

To provide products at different price ranges we offer both USDA certifi ed organic and non-organic natural products. Non-organic natural products may contain both organic and non-organic ingredients that are free of synthetic colors, fl avorings and additives. Because these products are made with both organic and non-organic ingredients there is the potential for GMOs to be present in these products. According to the USDA, in 2007, 91% of soy, 87% of cotton, and 73% of corn grown in the U.S. were GMO. Starting in 2008, virtually all of the U.S. sugar beet crop is GMO, and it is estimated that over 75% of canola grown is GMO. (Source: Non-GMO Project www.nongmoproject.org

We encourage every member of the co-op to take responsibility for their product choices and prefer not to dictate food choices to our membership.

We advise our customers that the safest approach to avoiding genetically modifi ed (GMO) ingredients is to buy USDA certifi ed organic products.

We offer USDA certifi ed organic options whenever available. We will educate membership through educational outreach in our

community, in store educational displays, through our newsletter and website.

We are committed to introducing new organic products that become available to us. We actively look for a GMO-free option for product categories and carry a GMO-free option when it is available.

We support manufacturers that label their products as GMO-free through promotions and displays.

As a member of the NCGA (National Co-op Grocers Association), we support the Non-GMO project through the NCGA’s membership. A goal of the Non-GMO project is to test foods and label their GMO content in partnership with member manufacturers.

The Food Co-op GMO Statement brochure is available in the store (check the racks between the bathrooms) and on our website at www.foodcoop.coop (Products section).

GMO

September 1-26

Emergency preparation or just a good time to stock up and fi ll your pantry!

Between Sept 1-26 Co-op owners can place special orders through the UNFI catalog with no additional markup and no minimum purchase amount required.

stock up!


“The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution.” - Paul Cezanne

Material collected by DEBORAH SCHUMACHER, Newsletter Sta� U.S. lawmakers say “we can ill a� ord” school

meals with more � uits, veggies & whole grains

� e Washington Post reports that “� e GOP majority on the House Appropriations Committee approved a 2012 spending plan that directs the Agriculture Department to ditch the � rst new nutritional standards in 15 years proposed for school breakfasts and lunches. � e lawmakers say meals containing more fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy will cost an additional $7 billion over � ve years — money they say the country can ill a� ord in di� cult economic times.

“� e committee also directed the USDA to scale back participation in an e� ort to develop voluntary guidelines for companies that market food to children. And it directed the FDA to exempt grocery and convenience stores and other businesses from regulations set to take e� ect next year requiring that calorie information be displayed.”

� e Post article added that, “� e most intense reaction was generated by a provision o� ered by Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) that would block the FDA from issuing rules or guidance unless its decisions are based on ‘hard science’ rather than ‘cost and consumer behavior.’ � e amendment would prevent the FDA from restricting a substance unless it caused greater harm to health than a product not containing the substance…[T]he Rehberg amendment would also prevent the FDA from restricting the widespread use of antibiotics in feed for farm animals, which many public health experts believe has led to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threaten human health.”

� e article noted that, “� e lone Democrat on the committee who voted in favor of the amendment, Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (Ga.), said he represents cattle, pork and poultry farmers who are worried about the regulation of antibiotics.

“‘To the extent you can protect producers from unnecessary regulation, obviously with the economy and job situation being what it is we would like to have the most bang for the buck in terms of the producers,’ he said.”

From an article written by Lyndsey Layton in � e Washington Post (6/2/2011)

Politics of SchoolLunch

COMBAT TO CULTIVATIONWorking toward a shared purpose, the Veterans Agricultural Cooperative and 21 Acres Farm in the Sammamish Valley near Woodinville are working together to restore the physical and mental health of veterans through farming. From “combat to cultivation,” the Veterans Agricultural Cooperative, or VAC, was designed to support the development of veteran-owned, self-su� cient, sustainable-farming businesses through employment/career opportunities and veteran services. � e VAC’s shared purpose with 21 Acres is food production, providing veterans and their families access to healthy, high-quality, safe and a� ordable food, along with providing a setting for the healing power of horticulture therapy. � e VAC is currently looking for additional land to farm within the state of Washington. Contact Jonathan Phillips at [email protected] or 206-569-5364. Source: Tilth News, “From Combat to Cultivation, Local Veterans Become Farmers at 21 Acres” (5/20/2011)

FARM BILL NEWS� e Seattle City Council adopted resolution 31296 supporting the Seattle Farm Bill Principles as policy guidance to the Federal Government in the renewal of the 2012 Farm Bill. � e resolution was presented by Councilmember Richard Conlin at a meeting of the Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Committee of the National League of Cities in Kansas City. � e committee unanimously approved developing a resolution based on these principles that will be considered for adoption by the National League of Cities at their November annual meeting. Visit our website to read the Seattle Farm Bill Principles (www.foodcoop.coop link is on the home page, look for “Farm Bill 2012”).

FROM PYRAMID TO PLATEFirst Lady Michelle Obama, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Surgeon General Regina Benjamin unveiled the federal government’s new food icon in June. MyPlate is a “new generation icon” that emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grains, protein and dairy food groups. An LA Times op-ed suggests that a “signi� cant problem is the disparity between MyPlate’s generally sound recommendations and federal policies that subsidize the foods we’re supposed to eat less of: grains such as wheat, and sweets in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. � at’s the source of sugar found in most sodas, and those subsidies are one of the reasons such unhealthful beverages are so cheap. If the government is going to support agriculture in the public interest, a spinach subsidy would make more sense.” Source: FarmPolicy.com (6/7/2011)

NATIONAL

STATE

Food ConcernsCheck the kiosk at Member Services for updates

SURPRISING TRUCEA surprising truce was reached between the Humane Society of the United States and the U.S. egg industry over chicken cages. Both sides compromised, the Humane Society backing o� its claim that any cages are inhumane and producers agreeing to larger spaces with amenities. Several state initiatives, including Washington State’s 1130, are suspended for now. Said HSUS chief executive o� cer and president Wayne Pacelle: “� is is a historic, unprecedented agreement … an improbable circumstance in which adversaries have reached common ground…represent[ing] a pathway for a dramatic improvement in animal welfare that also considers the economic success of producers.” Source: FarmPolicy.com (7/12/2011)


Printed by The P.T. Leader

on Recycled Paper“To love without role, without power plays, is revolution.” - Rita Mae Brown

fort 2fortbikeride

salmon education

taste of pt

get the grill on!

busking in thesun

sprucing u

p

Carrie Blair serves up a

Janet and Ed Haber are winners of Weber grill!

Kenna and Tim Eaton paint the GM’s o� ce with the colors of the sun

bicyclists enjoy fresh organic fuel

N.O.S.C. at the Food Co-op

Howly Slim plays a tune on Salmon Thursday at the co-op

bicyclists enjoy fresh organic fuel

co-op summer

20 September/October 2011 newsletter of Port Townsend Food Co-op, THE CO-OP COMMONS www.foodcoop.coop

Saturday 31-3:30 pm

Cook with ChildrenIndian Cuisine, ages 8 and up

Sidonie Wilson$25 owners/$35 guests

385-0655Olympic Hostel, Fort Worden

Food Co-op Survey

1-26Emergency

Preparedness stock up your pantry

members can special order with

no additional markup

Wednesday 146:30 -7:30pm

Resistant Weight LossDr. Dale Fountain, DC

[email protected]

FREE Co-op Annex

11-17WA Organic Week

Sunday 18WSU Farm TourSunday 25

PT Film Festival

Friday 30last day

WSU Master Gardeners

free plant clinic in the co-op alcove

2:30 -5pm

CO-OP CLASS

CO-OP CLASS

Saturday 242-4pm

Labels:De� nitions & Deceptions

Brwyn Gri� n FREE TO ALL

385-2831 x308Co-op Annex

Saturday 2410am-12:30pm

Stress Reduction2. Creating A Plan

Julie Abowitt $25 owners $30 guests

385-1184Co-op Annex

Saturday 177 pm

Will Allenspeaks on the Good

Food Revolution$10/$12 tickets

McCurdy Pavilion Fort Worden

Thursday 157-9pm

Health Is FragileSherry Fry, NTP

learn NRT $30 owners $35 guests

683-2756Co-op Annex

Saturday 102-4pm

Living Gluten-freeMolly Force, ND

identify hidden sources $25 owners $30 guests



Stress Reduction1. Progressive Relaxation


385-1184Co-op Annex

September National

Organic Month

October

CO-OP CLASS

CO-OP CLASS

CO-OP CLASS

CO-OP CLASS

Thursday 20Member

Appreciation Day!

10% o� most items except alcohol, WIC,

milk & Co-op Staples

CO-OP CLASS


Stress Reduction4. Curbing Overeating


385-1184Co-op Annex

CO-OP CLASS

Saturday 152-4pm

Beans, Seeds, Nuts: Powerhouses of Nutrition



CO-OP CLASSSaturday 15

10-11:30am Health Is Fragile

Sherry Fry, NTPlearn NRT

$30 owners $35 guests 683-2756Co-op Annex

CO-OP CLASS


Stress Reduction3. Tackling Your Habits


385-1184Co-op Annex

CO-OP CLASSSaturday 8

2-4pmKitchen Medicine

Molly Force, NDnatural remedies

$25 owners $30 guests385-5375x4

Co-op Annex

CO-OP CLASS

Wednesday 126:30 -7:30pm

Resistant Weight LossDr. Dale Fountain, DC

[email protected]

FREE Co-op Annex

CO-OP CLASS

Saturday 12-4pm

Grains: Beyond Wheat, Corn & Oats



Sunday 23National Bulk Day

celebrate zero packagingbuy bulk foods and

organize your pantry with food storage containers

Thursday 6Girls Night Out

look for more info on this Port Townsend event and stop in the co-op on your

night out!

Saturday 292-4pm

Meat, Dairy & Produce



CO-OP CLASS

Sunday 16Apple Festival

moved to Finnriver Farm

in Chimacum Check back later for

details about the event!

Apple Festival

Check back later for

CO-OP CLASS Saturday 22

2-4pmOils:

Not all Are Created EqualBrwyn Gri� n

FREE TO ALL385-2831 x308

Co-op Annex

Appreciation

10% o� most items except alcohol, WIC,

milk & Co-op Staples

Sat 10,17,241-3:30pm

Int’l CuisineSidonie Wilson

$25 owners/$35non/$15 youth385-0655

Olympic Hostel, Ft Worden

CO-OP CLASS

Sat 18,15,221-3:30pm

International CuisineSidonie Wilson

$25 owners/$30 guests385-0655

Olympic Hostel, Fort Worden

CO-OP CLASS

CO-OP CLASS

All classes require reservations.

Please pick up your class schedule with complete

descriptions in the brochure rack

at the store.

CO-OP CLASS

1-30Enter the Contestand win cool prizes with your

photos and videosmycooprocks.com for detailsmycooprocks.com for details

National FairTrade Month

National Co-op Month

Documents

Port Townsend Food Co-op Commons Newsletter