Co-op

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4 Producer profile: Slattery Family Farm 8 Annual meeting report 9 Coulee Region Community Fund changes its name

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New election information ! PAGE 13

JIM RIDDLE 2014 Annual meeting guest speaker: Educating membership about organics and GMOs

The Co-op Shopper is published by the People’s Food Co-op of La Crosse and Rochester, 315 Fifth Avenue South, La Crosse, WI 54601 and 519 1st Avenue SW, Rochester, MN 55902. The Co-op Shopper serves to educate shoppers about food issues, community activities and events, co-ops in general, and membership in the PFC. The views expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the People’s Food Co-op or its membership. The Co-op Shopper is a nonprofit publication printed on recycled paper. All articles and pictures submitted for publication become property of People’s Food Co-op. PFC reserves the right to refuse publication of any article for any reason. contributors

proofing advertising editor/design photography

Michelle Schry Ray Schmitz Heidi Blanke Liz Haywood Jen McCoy Kevin Ducey Sue Knopf, Graffolio Kevin Ducey Kevin Ducey Lauri Hoff, Kevin Ducey, Karissa Kostka

KNOW YOUR BOARD Heidi Blanke vice president

BECOME A CO - OP MEMBER Our Mission— (What we strive to accomplish in our work every day) The mission of the People's Food Co-op is to build community, grow a loyal and thriving membership and be the best fresh food market in the country.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS • • • • • • • •

Become a part owner of the People’s Food Co-op! Five percent discount on your choice of one shopping trip each month Member-only specials Reduced rates for cooking and gardening classes A vote on Co-op issues (one vote per membership) Eligibility to run for the Co-op board Ability to request refund of your equity investment if you discontinue membership Patronage rebates (in years the board declares them) on the basis of Co-op profitability and the amount of money you’ve spent at the Co-op during the year

I T ’ S E A S Y TO J O I N • Ask any cashier for an application and fill it out • Pay for your membership. It’s $100 for the first (primary) member plus $25 each for up to two additional members. You may sign up for the installment plan and pay $25 per quarter until you’re paid in full ($7 administrative fee applies). • Enjoy the benefits of membership!

STUDENT MEMBERSHIP The Co-op offers one-year memberships for only $10 to college and university students who show a valid student ID! Join now and reap the benefits: • One-year membership, September through August • Five percent discount on one shopping trip per month • Member-only specials • Reduced rates for cooking and gardening classes • Students are not eligible to vote on Co-op issues, run for Co-op board, receive patronage rebates, or have membership fees refunded

Tessa Leung Dan Litwiller president Katherine Logan Monica Lunde Beth Moore secretary Jocy Poehler treasurer Ray Schmitz Contact the board at [email protected]

Cover photo: Jim Riddle at 300-year-old fig plantation in Iran, after speaking at an organic farming conference in Tehran, May 2014.

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BOARD MEMBERS ’ REPORT Ray Schmitz and Heidi Blanke, Board Members

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our People’s Food Co-op Board of Directors is eager to know how we can best keep in touch with you, the many Co-op members. As Board Directors, our job is to not only set policy, but also to act as a conduit between you and those policies. For example, this year, the Board dealt with the voting process and issuing additional member shares; we discussed GMOs and long term growth; we debated the merits of electronic voting.

Through it all, the Board of Directors remains beholden to all members. We want to hear from you, no matter what, good or bad. If it’s out of the Board’s jurisdiction, we’ll get your comment to the right person. Most of all, we want to know how we can best represent you and how we can best keep you in touch with board activity. Suggestions boxes are tried and true, but you can also reach us through the Co-op’s web page, our Facebook page, or Twitter.

Even if the Board of Directors isn’t listed as a direct contact, we’ll hear or read the message and will get back to you. So, leave a comment at the store, visit the Co-op electronically, or simply stop us as we do our own shopping. We’re members, just like you, whose goal is to build a community based on being the best fresh food market around.

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS Patronage Refund People’s Food Co-op had a record $23 million in sales for fiscal year 2014. Net income exceeded budget, and in November the Board of Directors approved a patronage refund to Co-op members. Patronage refunds are proportional to purchases made by members throughout the year. The total refund for the fiscal year ending September 26, 2014 is $102,351, a little over 1% of member purchases. Patronage refund checks are expected to be mailed by April 1, 2015. When paired with $214,911 in monthly member discounts during 2014, members have experienced a return of 3.24¢ for every dollar spent. Watch for your People’s Food Co-op 2014 Annual Report for more information about the health and performance of your co-op.

2nd Annual “Be Well Bash” in Rochester January 1, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Join us to rejuvenate after a night of revelry and to fuel up for a fantastic new year!

Save on all personal care items from the Wellness Department: 10% off all day long! Enjoy our classic homemade brunch all day! Pancakes, sausages, frittatas, vegetables, oatmeal, bacon-and-egg sandwiches, and the now-famous Breakfast Platterito (just ask for it!). Made-to-order starts at 6:00 a.m. and the hot buffet starts at 10 a.m.

Rochester Wellness Lunch-In Every Monday, starting Monday, January 5, 12:15 to 12:30, Rochester Community Room, FREE! No registration required. Join our new education series—it’s short, it’s sweet, and it puts you in charge of your own health. Feel free to buy lunch beforehand and eat during the Lunch-In. Watch www.pfc.coop for details on upcoming Lunch-Ins. Topics we’re covering in the first eight weeks: • Using turmeric for health • Omega basics • Using bee products for immunity

• Reducing salt in your daily diet • Aromatherapy • Stretching at the office • Making good food choices • Choosing the right Vitamin C

Rochester Movie Night! Bring a date or come alone—we have a fun night out planned for you! Friday, February 6, 7–9 p.m. Short, fun, food-related movies running in the Community Room throughout the evening, starting every 15 minutes. Wine samples from Tessa’s Office Wine and Liquor. Food sampling throughout the store. Live music in the dining room. FREE! No registration required.

Hackberry’s Valentine’s Day Chef Charles George plans a special Valentine’s menu for you at Hackberry’s Bistro. Join us on Saturday, February 14th, to fill your loving cup. Call for reservations: 608.784.5798 ext. 2202.

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PRODUCER PROFILE : SLATTERY FAMILY FARM

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Harvest Brussels sprouts and cabbage inding good, local sources for our food is a goal that People’s Food Co-op is rightly proud of, but the fact is, North America’s Upper Midwest grows disappointing bananas. Wisconsin and Minnesota are excellent regions for cabbages and other winter-hardy vegetables, however. The products that thrive and excel in the Driftless Region are our legacy from the land and the people who settled here.

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One advocate of the local is Patrick Slattery of Slattery’s Family Farm. He’s been a supplier of People’s Food Co-op since the 1980s. At that time he supplied spinach to the Co-op. Patrick now specializes in cruciferous vegetables, a family which includes cabbages, turnips, kales, and Brussels sprouts, among others. “We are the perfect region to be growing Brussels sprouts,” Patrick says. “We have a cool-down in the fall here that California doesn’t have. And that drop in temperature imparts a sweet taste to the sprouts. We have a simply superior product to California’s.” According to Patrick, the Brussels sprout has been poorly served by the Californian agribusiness model, which has turned a sweet-tasting, delicate vegetable into a bitter, foul-tasting sham—the castaway vegetable on every child’s plate. The californication of the sprout has made it probably the only vegetable disliked even more by kids than canned peas. Unlike peas, sprouts are too big to hide successfully

under your mashed potatoes or to slip to the dog. Patrick Slattery hopes to see the Brussels sprout become the preferred vegetable of the region’s children and their parents.

It’s not only the climate The Slattery farm is 20 miles east of La Crosse, across from St. Peter’s Church in Washington Township, Wisconsin. Patrick reports the architecture of the church is Bavarian, reflecting the German settlement of the region. “We’re newcomers to the area,” he says, “we moved in only 31 years ago.” According to Oxford University’s Food and Drink in America, Wisconsin is the nation’s leader in cabbage production. Perhaps the early German immigrants naturally migrated to the best place in the new country when it was time to make sauerkraut. “I wish people didn’t eat so much broccoli as they do,” Patrick says. “Cabbages are far superior.” The Slattery farm has a long-standing commitment to organic produce. The Slatterys attended the first Organic Valley meetings in 1988, and Patrick is an exuberant advocate for the local. “We can produce brilliant crops here. A third of the food grown in the U.S. is from one valley in California. Think about the trucking costs involved. The whole thing doesn’t make sense. Our soil is really good here: loam on top, clay below. We don’t need all the irrigation required in California.” In addition to Wisconsin’s excellent climate for cold-hardy vegetables, Patrick also believes that local organizations such as Organic Valley have been key in sustaining local agriculture. He reports that in the years his family has lived in the area he’s seen many local dairy producers give up the business. “I remember when there were four cheese factories in the neighborhood—all gone now.” He credits the organic movement, specifically Organic Valley, for saving what’s left. “They’re the salvation of dairy. We have cooperative relationships and knowledge-sharing we wouldn’t otherwise have. We don’t feel alone out here.” Nonetheless, organic farming is still rare enough in the area: Patrick reports he’s a road hazard when he gets down on his hands and knees to cultivate in his field along Hwy 33. “People will stop to check that I’m okay. Nobody sees a farmer in the dirt anymore. So everybody stops to see if I’ve had a heart attack. I get a lot of that.”

Sprouts on the stalk in mid-October.

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The Slattery Family Farm is not a big operation. It has an acre of asparagus, an acre of tomatoes, some fall squash, some rutabagas and sprouts. The current project, though, is Brussels sprouts and cabbages. The Slattery Farm has gone in with several other local growers to purchase a mechanical sprout stripper from Holland — used to strip the individual sprouts from the stalk. How does one go about finding a sprout stripper? “Oh, they’re on the Internet. Ours is antiquated—like a one-row corn picker— but it helped a lot.” On the day of the interview, the stripper was at the farm of one of the other copurchasers. Pat admits he’s not a mechanic and isn’t quite used to the working of the machine yet, noting that they can strip the sprouts from the stalk almost as fast by hand. Sprouts are labor-intensive. The farm transplants the stalks by hand in June and harvests in late fall.

Medicine man “I’m a healthcare provider,” Patrick says. “This food is full of anti-cancer compounds

and Vitamin K.” Websites will tell you that cruciferous vegetables are fantastic foods for a healthy diet. Brussels sprouts are a relatively new addition to the ancient cruciferous line. While cabbages appear in early Greek and Roman literature (the ancients too believed cabbage to have excellent medicinal value, perceiving, among other things, that cabbage eaten with a meal helps prevent drunkenness), sprouts were developed in Belgium only some 500 years ago. Brussels sprouts made their way to the U.S. early in the 19th century, and Thomas Jefferson was planting them by 1812.

Late harvest When we spoke with Patrick in early December, he reported the sprout harvest is ongoing. “I’ll be in this week to the [La Crosse] store with some sprouts. The harvest has brought 5,000–6,000 pounds of cabbage this year, shipping to Co-op Partners and People’s.” Patrick pauses for breath and then adds: “Thank you, People’s Food Co-op shoppers, for buying this food.”

Happy Hour—Rochester Wednesdays at People’s Food Co-op!

Brussels sprouts Your local sprouts may not need much cooking. Simply shred them and toss with olive oil, a little pepper, and lemon juice; add a bit of Sartori parmesan and some toasted almonds or hazelnuts and you have a tasty fall salad. If you decide cooking’s the way to go: you may steam your sprouts for five minutes, then fry for a minute in butter or bacon grease—though I’ve had good results skipping the steam and going directly to the frying pan. Add some sliced garlic or chopped almonds, salt and pepper and serve. Finally, you should try roasting your sprouts. Cut them in half, toss them in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place on a baking tray. Cook in a 400ºF oven for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Any loose leaves should turn brown and crispy, sweet and delicious.

Helping you solve your animal health problems...naturally

Small & Large Animal Medicine & Surgery Veterinary Spinal Manipulation • Acupuncture Herbal Medicine • Homeopathy

Caring Professional Veterinary Services – Conventional and Holistic Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. at PFC—Rochester! Get 50% off select, top quality produce! 50% off selected Co-op’s Own meats 50% off anything from our coffee/tea/smoothie deli menu Fish tacos made fresh for you! Look for the starburst signs to find the deals! SAMPLES , UNBEATABLE DEALS , DELICIOUS FOOD — AT PEOPLE ’ S FOOD CO - OP !

Marta W. Engel, DVM Certified by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association

Janna Kottke, DVM Certified by International Veterinary Acupuncture Society

315 E. Decker St. 608-637-2227 Viroqua, WI www.risingsunvet.com PEOPLE’S FOOD CO-OP

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ROCHESTER

FROM THE

STORE MANAGER ’ S DESK — ROCHESTER Lizzy Haywood, Rochester store manager

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classic tension exists at the start of the American adult’s New Year: the Resolution. Aiming to fix ourselves in a myriad of ways, we often pit a sweetsdeprived body against a stressed-out mind, and before long we throw in the towel. Let me issue a different challenge to begin our year together: I invite you to meet some local folks who bring all kinds of good things to our community. As you accomplish this resolution, I promise you’ll feel better. First, it is my pleasure to introduce you to the people who really make things happen at PFC Rochester. Pictured below are some members of our management team. They are responsible for getting the best food, wellness products, and staff into the store so that your needs can be met at every shopping trip. Next time you’re in, introduce yourself to one of our department leaders— we love to make connections with our members. After all, we’re here to serve you!

Here are a few others in the community who are making a difference in our culture. Even if you don’t see them, you may want to check out what they’re doing! Brianna and Mike Elwood: This couple is stepping up Rochester’s food game by taking Rochester Food Tours into its second season. After being inspired by a walking tour of Chicago eateries a few years ago, they now show off Rochester’s delicious offerings to locals and visitors alike. The next season of tours starts in April. Kelly Corbin: Kelly’s official title is Community Health Specialist with Olmsted County Public Health, and at PFC we have gotten to know her through her activism with the Rochester Bicycle Coalition. Along with Brad Smith, PFC’s Rochester Outreach Manager, she helped bring a certification course for League Cycling to Rochester last October, and she

advocates year-round for bike-friendly systems in our city. Jan Joannides: Jan is the Executive Director of Renewing the Countryside. It is not an exaggeration to say that Jan’s work has been integral to building Minnesota’s local food economy. For the past fifteen years, she has been an advocate and organizer for rural communities. Last November she helped bring the first annual (and very successful!) FEAST celebration to Rochester. You can find her at the MN State Fair with the Local Foods Exhibit, or at the Sustainability Stage highlighting partnerships between farmers and restaurants. Jason Pearson, Curator of Education at Rochester Art Center. Of the many great things about the Art Center, one of my favorites is Free Family Day. On the first Saturday of the month, Jason and the staff invite everyone to create original art pieces and tour the center, all free of charge. Jason has also helped bring the work of Rochester artists into the Co-op for viewing in our dining room. —Lizzy

Left to right, these are the managers of our main departments: Maura Henn, Deli Kitchen & Bakery; Elizabeth Canale, Front End, Floral, Books & Housewares; Ethan Schandelmeier, Meat & Seafood; Brigitte Heublein, Wellness; Carey Shanahan, Grocery; (seated) Karla Meyer, Grocery; Jessi Stewart, Deli Counter & Cheese; Scott Weaver, Produce.

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LA CROSSE

FROM THE

STORE MANAGER ’ S DESK — LA CROSSE Jen McCoy, La Crosse store manager

or many of you, shopping at the Co-op is just something you do. Maybe it’s about convenience, or for the atmosphere, or because we have the products you have come to know and trust. Maybe it’s for our friendly service and the availability of our staff to answer questions. Maybe it just feels good. Mostly it is a combination of these things and more and whatever your reason, we are glad you shop with us.

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Our members and shoppers make us successful, and our staff is focused on satisfying your needs— from product selection to service that goes the extra mile. But the good we do doesn’t end with your shopping experience. We are making decisions every day that affect not only the successful operation of our cooperative grocery and restaurant but also our community at large. It is part of our mission to give back to the community that supports us so that in the end, we are all stronger and more successful. We are invested in education and seek to educate our community in a variety of ways. At our annual meeting we had Jim Riddle

speak on the value and future of organic agriculture. In our classroom we host a wide variety of groups and classes to learn about food, cooking, wellness, nutrition, and the cooperative economy. On the floor we host demos about our products and offer samples and information to help you make informed buying decisions. Through our newsletter we seek to connect local farmers with our members and shoppers by telling their stories and putting faces with the products we sell. And in February we are proud to be a major sponsor of the Midwest Organic Sustainable Education Service Conference (MOSES). We will welcome thousands of organic farmers of all ages to our community. Education is not the only way we impact our community. We also do it by building community connections. Our Beans for Bags program is one way we seek to draw connections in our community through the monetary support of organizations championed by our membership. This program does good in so many ways. First, by encouraging shoppers to bring their own bags. We are reducing the number of bags

we buy, use, and throw away. Second, we are raising awareness of the many organizations that do great things in our community by including bios on our bean jars and giving shoppers information about programs available in our community. Third, we are keeping our democracy and cooperative economy alive by asking you to vote for how we distribute our donations. One of my favorite daily moments at our store is watching Co-op kids in the checkout line waiting for their beans to fill a jar. It is in this way that we are teaching the important lessons of conservation and giving to the next generation of Co-op shoppers. In the last year, through our Beans For Bags program in La Crosse and the Wooden Nickel program in Rochester, we donated over $19,000, saving 380,000 bags. Thank you for helping to make our community stronger every time you shop. Be warm and well this winter. I’ll see you in the store. —Jen

New item in our ! s t n e m t r a p e D s s e n Well Children’s allergy alert wristbands

• Customizable • Perfect for school, camp, sleepovers, daily use PEOPLE’S FOOD CO-OP

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MEMBERSHIP

Annual Meeting

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n early December, People’s Food Co-op members met for the Annual Meeting at the Myrick Center in La Crosse. PFC members enjoyed a buffet lunch from the La Crosse Co-op and a chance to reconnect with old friends before the afternoon’s program. Members heard a presentation from the Co-op’s general manager, statements from board candidates, and a talk from Jim Riddle, organic farmer and former chair of the National Organic Standards Board.

Year in review Michelle Schry, PFC General Manager, gave a brief recap of the Co-op’s year. She noted some of the events and honors that People’s has received, notably an award from the U.S. Department of Housing recognizing the success that the Co-op has made of a HUD CDBG loan in 2004. HUD named PFC “one of the 10 best projects in the U.S.” Michelle also noted some financial highlights of the year. The two stores both showed very strong growth in sales and memberships. La Crosse sales were up 3.5% from last year’s and La Crosse now has 5188 registered members. The Rochester store had a 91.7% increase in sales (this was its first year, after all) and an increase in

2014

membership of 46%, to 2374 members in the Rochester area. “We saw almost 900,000 transactions through our two stores,” Michelle reported. We also heard presentations from Board candidates. It was revealed that more than a couple of the candidates found their future spouses at People’s Food Co-op. Take note, lonely hearts.

In support of organic practices, and to rebut those who claim organic is impractical, Jim cited recent Iowa State University research that shows organic management practices improve corn and soybean yields over conventional practices by the fourth crop rotation. Research also shows that alternative cropping practices decrease the amount of nitrate contamination, a major problem in conventional agriculture that leads to “dead zones” in waterways and the Gulf of Mexico.

Guest speaker This year’s Annual Meeting guest speaker was Jim Riddle, founding chair of the Winona Farmers Market and the International Organic Inspectors Association, (IOIA); he is also a former chair of the National Organic Standards Board. Jim’s talk was an overview of the challenges, achievements, and opportunities of the organic food movement. He started with the following definition (taken from the Organic Standards): “Organic production [is] a production system that is managed … to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.”

Jim also spoke about the spread of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the United States. He cited problems created by “escaped” transgenic organisms, such as recent findings of GMO canola that has cross-pollinated with wild relatives, creating transgenic weeds resistant to herbicides. The Bt toxin, used in certain GMOs, has been found to remain active in the ecosystem long after application, disrupting riverine ecosystems. Jim points to significant increases in food allergies coincidental to the introduction of glyphosate herbicides into the conventional food system. Glyphosate-resistant weeds have been on the increase, leading industry scientists to recommend application of multiple herbicides, such as Atrazine, Simazine, 2,4-D, and other herbicides in order to kill weeds. The result: more chemicals to manage the weeds resistant to chemicals. “Why should we farm organically?” Jim asked. He gave the answer that organic farmers have often given to this publication: “to protect my family.” Jim’s PowerPoint presentation, with links to the research mentioned here, can be found on People’s website, www.pfc.coop.

*** A special thanks to PFC IT director Jason Turonie, who was on hand a with backup projector when the Myrick Center’s projector went down.

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COULEE R EGION CO - OP COMMUNITY F UND (CRCCF) CHANGES ITS NAME

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oulee Region Co-op Community Fund (CRCCF) is changing its name to People’s Food Co-op Community Fund (PFCCF). CRCCF, a 501(c)(3), was established in 2003 with the specific mission of providing supplemental or projectspecific funding to local nonprofit organizations that have missions consistent with the goals of PFC. Priority is given to grant requests for educational projects, development projects, and events that have a focus on, but are not necessarily limited to, food and food systems, nutrition, health and well-being, sustainable agriculture, cooperative education, and social change. People’s Food Co-op’s community fund was established with a $5,000 matching grant from the Twin Pines Cooperative Fund. Twin Pines provides management services to People’s Food Co-op’s community fund as well as to more than 30 other food co-op-based community funds throughout the United States. Over the past decade PFC has worked to build its endowment in the fund, which today stands at nearly $50,000. Fund earnings are used to provide grant monies to local nonprofits in the communities that we serve.

Some previous grant awardees include: • Cornucopia Institute (ongoing operational funding)

COMMUNITY

• Coulee Children’s Center (Diet Resource Group materials funding) • Houston Community Garden (community garden project) • La Crescent Area Healthy Community Partnership (funded garden tiller purchase for community garden) • Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School (school garden program) • Riverway Learning Community (poultry to school project) • Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers (bi-lingual diabetes education materials) • Women’s Resource Center of Winona (children’s summer garden project) In February 2015 People’s Food Co-op’s Community Fund will begin accepting grant applications from nonprofits in our region who need the kind of assistance described above. Grant application materials can be found at www.pfc.coop. Click on the “Our Co-op” tab at the top of the page and look for “PFC Community Fund.”

BUILDING IN

L A C ROSSE

beans for bags

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henever you shop at the La Crosse People’s Food Co-op, bring your own shopping bags. For every reusable bag you use, you’ll get a bean to throw into the jar of the worthy organization of your choice. Each bean means a donation of five cents, which is the reusable bag credit.

Bean totals for September and October 2014 were: The International Owl Center, Houston, MN $315.36 Friends of the Marsh $445.44 Howard Bowers Fund $144.48 As this issue of The Shopper goes to press, the bean jars for November and December are steadily filling. La Crosse People’s shoppers are currently helping to support La Crosse Community Thanksgiving Dinner, Salvation Army Meal Program, and the “Come For Supper” Tuesday night meal program at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.

Rochester Wooden Nickels In our Rochester store, donate your reusable bag credits to community building through the Wooden Nickels program. For every reusable bag you use, you’ll receive a Wooden Nickel token to donate to a local organization.

Alice the Great Horned Owl (right) from the International Owl Center, Houston, MN, with her human, Karla Bloem. PEOPLE’S FOOD CO-OP

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Another benefit of membership: Take advantage of these sales all month long, or pre-order by the case to take an additional 10% off !

MEMBER SPECIALS

y r a u n Ja All member specials are available at both stores! BULK

Chia Seed organic

Save $2.00/ lb reg. price $9.99/lb

MARIEKE

Goudas,

local Select Milk

all varieties

Save $2.00/ lb BULK North Bay Trading Co. Soup Mixes

Save $1.00/ lb

Save 30¢ half gallon, reg. price $2.19 to $2.59

SAMI ’ S

Lavash

Save $1.00 12 oz, reg. price $5.99

reg. price $5.99 to 8.49/lb

SIMPLY BEE NATURALS

PFC BRAND

GREY DUCK

Immune Support

Basic Multi

Chai

Save $11.20

Save $3.40

Save $1.50

local

40 caps, reg. price $27.95

y r a u r Feb HOLYLAND local

60 count, reg. price $11.25

SARTORI

WW HOMESTEAD

Montamore Cheese

Milk

Save $1.50 7 oz, reg. price $5.99

local

Hummus

Save 30¢ half gallon, reg. price $2.09 to $2.99

SNO PAC

loca

l

Strawberries or Blueberries

Save 74¢

Save 75¢ 10 oz pkg, reg. price $3.49–$4.39

5 pack, reg. price $4.99

SIMPLY BEE NATURALS

PFC BRAND

Breathe Better

Garlic

Save $6.00

Save $1.79

2 oz liquid, reg. price $14.95

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local

Bagels

7-12 oz, reg. price $3.39 to $4.69

PEOPLE’S FOOD CO-OP

local

reg. price $8.99 qt

ST PAUL BAGELRY

Save $1.00

10

KEMPS

JAN UARY – FE B RUARY

100 count, reg. price $5.99

2015

SEVEN SUNDAYS local

Muesli

Save $1.00 12 oz, reg. price $6.89

COOKING CLASSES La Crosse location

&

demos

Rochester location

All about bees

Raw foods class

Thursday, January 22 • 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. • with Bob Hoffman and Oscar Carlson

Saturday, January 24 • 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. • with Matt Bennett

The hard-working honey bee is an important player in our food system. In this presentation local beekeeper Bob Hoffman will describe the bee life cycle, how pollination works, how bees create their hive environment, and how a beekeeper facilitates hive life and harvests honey. Co-presenter Oscar Carlson will guide us through a honey taste-test comparison. Sweet! Cost: Free for members; $5.00 for nonmembers. Proceeds will be donated to the La Crosse Area Beekeepers Association

Love and pie for Valentine’s Day! Wednesday, February 4 • 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. • with Monique Hooker and Jessica Rizzolo Join Monique Hooker, owner of Got2HavPie, and Jessica Rizzolo to learn about pie crust from the experts! We’ll use Monique’s Got2HavPie crusts and puff pastry to make special Valentine’s Day treats. Learn how to handle crust for best results and get ideas for both sweet and savory pies. There will be plenty of pie to sample, too! PFC 2nd Floor Community Classroom.

COOKING CLASSES Co-op classes: $15/members $25/nonmembers Except where noted

Start your new year off right with Matt Bennett, a raw foods aficionado and PFC produce employee, who will be walking you through different recipes using raw foods. An emphasis will be placed on healthy fruits and vegetables, and unique juicing recipes.

Kid’s casserole Sunday, February 8 • 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. • with Jessica Saw Ready for family fun? Bring your kids and a casserole dish for this interactive class aimed at getting kids (and parents) excited for cooking. Learn that there are no mistakes in the kitchen when fun is being had. Participants will leave with recipes and a dish to throw in the oven at home.

Natural skin care workshop Date TBD • with Chersten Kiellor of Lillybud Naturals We’ll make a face scrub to take home, learn all about natural ingredients, holistic skin care essentials, and the most important facial care steps. Materials are supplied.

Class policies: All classes require preregistration. Classes with fewer than eight registered 24 hours before class time will be canceled or rescheduled. All cancelations made by preregistered participants must be made 48 hours before class time to qualify for a refund. Please wear a hair restraint to all cooking classes. (Dishes may be subject to change at instructor’s discretion.)

• Register in person or over the phone. • Payment is due at the time of registration. • La Crosse: 608-784-5798 • Rochester: 507-289-9061

Monique Hooker has the pie crust for your Valentine’s Day! See class listing for La Crosse February 4.

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welcome

NEW PFC OWNERS A hearty welcome to our many new members ! Blythe Newburg Stanley A Bissen & Cassandra A. Bissen Lori Campbell Christine Reynolds Jill Blaken Kristy Holinka Eric Warner Amy Wettstein & Andrew Wettstein Tammy (Tamera) Frei Bonnie Lovell Zhuo Julia Wang Teresa Goodier Joyce Altobelli Jennifer Karnowski Jeanette Von Ruden Dawn Gale Jennifer Solfest Jerrilyn Brewer Samantha Behrens Becky Prichett & Gregory Prichett

La Crosse Members Nona G. Hagel Earl Sanders Patrick Paulino Chelsey Willms Kristine Stemper Miranda Roberts Jerry W. Blake Betsy Neil & Brian Neil Barret Myers Wolfson & Elliott Wolfson Danielle Rathke Jay Schnoor & Connie Schoor Ariana Gonzalez Organista & Will Albertsen Thomas Schoenfeld Richard Loomis & Anne M. Loomis Josh Dirks Kristina Lemmer Stephanie Brunkow Kristen Reich

Free Introduction to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) All interested are welcome (Required for those interested in eight-week MBSR Program) Tuesday, January 20, 2015, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Franciscan Spirituality Center

Rochester Business

Tuesday, February 17– April 7, 2015 6 – 8 p.m. Consecutive Tuesdays Teachers: Vanee Songsiridej, MD Marty Kreuzer, LCSW

Ryan T. Kazamba, Rochester Earned Services

Rochester Members Chris Higgins Susan Bartels Julie Ellingson Sherry Wolf Karen Koka Paul Johnson & Nancy Johnson Karen Hanson & Harlan Hanson

For fee schedule, more information, and registration go to http://7riversmindfulness.com or call our office at 608-784-8688. PEOPLE’S FOOD CO-OP

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JAN UARY – FE B RUARY

La Crosse Business Mathias Harter, MWH LLC

Eight-Week MBSR

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Claire Rueckheim Patty Van Gundy Laura Vanderlei Rachel McKenney Tim Leonard & Carrie Leonard Gerald Mengelkoch Diane Gray Todd McGinnity Mahnaz Farahmand Tyler Lee Ashley Deets/Vega & Raymond Vega Lindy Messerly & Larry Messerly Ben Miller Guerra T. Peterson Michael Horn Benjamin Parsons & Jana Parsons Justin Creswell, Tammy Creswell & Jeanne Creswell Deborah Nerud Doug Seberg & Jenny Clark (Seberg) Juan F. Jimenez & Kristine Von Ruden Kevin Boser & Jessica Boser Erik Johnson Karen Gaede Whitney Thooft & David Baumgartner Richard Pearse Heather Linville Peter Gorski Alexandra Matthews Erica Krause-Wagner & Andy Wagner Lindsay Murray Ronald Ammerman Ryan Schultz & Morgan Gantenbein John Brevik Jane Donaldson Diane Dippel Stephanie Loizzi & John Loizzi Harald Bringsjord

2015

Ann Jost & Jay Jost C. Russ Gambrell & Lauren Gambrell Alexander Ginsburg & Melissa Glader Shane P. Erickson Deanna Swanson & Sarah Upton & Jesse Reed Judith Young & William Young Rebecca Nesse & Rob Nesse Licelle Cayer Jennifer Pickard Laura Anderko Kady Weigel Becky Oppold Moritz Binder Guy Eastep Victor Jortack Dan Kohrs Siyao Gu Ken Edelbach & Christina Edelbach Joseph Vavra John Reiser Dan Kenney Mary McKie & Paul McKie Yvonne Van Veldhuizen Jennifer White Leslie R. McClellon Parker Quammen Chris Ostendorf & C. Blake Frazier Chris Thompson Sandra TePoel Jillian Markus & David Field Joseph Alexander & John Alexander Jennifer DeClercq Janet Lewis Yonggang Wang Laura Wyttenbach Marie J. Maher Kari Grabowsky Nicole Bakri Rick Welch Cara Tracy & Tim Tracy Chad Nelson & Kris Haeussinger Bruce Goff & Kary Kay Goff Valerie Willis & Vanessa Allen Kathryn Stolp Earlene Hackenmiller Valerie Waldner Nancy Walsh Joseph W. Gelwicks June Wicks Angie Hutchins Gay Eastman & Tom Eastman Shannon Killeen Penny Thomas

$

BOARD ELECTION REPORT Dan Litwiller, Board President

T

he 2014 PFC Board Election and Bylaws vote failed to achieve the required member quorum, unfortunately. As you know, democratic control is a defining feature of our cooperative, and member election participation is vital to the continued success of our food co-op. Without your participation in our elections, the Board cannot effectively conduct business on your behalf. The Board of Directors has opted to re-run the election at a substantial cost to the

Co-op of about $10,000. Please watch your mailbox after the beginning of the year for a new ballot packet (printed on bright green paper as in previous years). Please note, all previously returned ballots are VOID. If you voted before, you must vote again in this new election. Please vote, using either the postpaid mailer or the store ballot box. In addition to the usual Board Election, the 2014 ballot includes a number of proposed amendments to our bylaws intended to streamline the governance process and to

support the continued success of our growing food Co-op. We urge you to support these sensible amendments. Again, your participation in the democratic process is vital and much appreciated. Please don’t hesitate to contact your Board with questions or comments and please don’t forget to vote! On behalf of the Board, Dan Litwiller, President [email protected]

No qu Boar orum! re-sch d election edule d!

New election information !

• New ballots will be mailed in early January. • Look for the bright green mailing. • Ballots due February 5! • Ballot boxes available in stores. • Membership meetings in both stores January 29 to discuss bylaw changes. New Members continued Anthony Reyes-Kneen Carla Nelson Kamille Bustos Cheryl A. Kupp Sherry Rengstorf Colin Gentling Sean McCauley & Joselyn Raymundo Karla Knockel Sara Mangan Robin Phillips & Randy Phillips Kathryn A. Dewey Amanda Van Ness Dawn Meldahl Ruth Morton Gail Eadie Thomas Borell & Mark Meillier

Kay Johnson Kathy Hoeft Mike Enke Elizabeth Lavine Jeanne M. Townsend Audrey Graffeo Jill Tacl Coleen Rieder & Mark Rieder Deirdre Graff-Radford (Pachman) & Jonathan Graff-Radford Mary Williams Rachel Sutliff Joel Schroeder & Teresa Joswick Amanda Marnholtz & Will Marnholtz Eric Reeve David Williams Lesa Brusse JoAnne Ryan & Steve Groth

Sarah Leigh & Mark Leigh Aaron McGrath John R. Masters & Carol Kerian-Masters Constance Williams Katherine Skleba Jodie Meurer Debra Wilkinson K.C. Hinz

Susan Niemeyer John Mueske Ryan Oldenburg Lyndon Leining & Mary Leining Deb Rundquist Mattie Roberson Louanne Brooks Gary Ryba Dennis L. Damerval Terra Boraas

REMINDER TO MEMBERS If you have changes to your membership please remember to notify the Co-op by filling out a Membership Change form at the service desk. Thank you for keeping us up to date! PEOPLE’S FOOD CO-OP

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Healing from Brazil Pamela will talk about her trips to Brazil at a free program. Tuesday, January 13 • 6–7:45 p.m. La Crosse Public Library 800 Main Street • La Crosse

Come learn about:

Pamela Radosen, M.S.

• The world-renowned healer affectionately known as John of God • The Casa de Dom Inácio de Loyola, his famous healing center in Brazil • Pamela’s guided trip to the Casa: April 26– May 10, 2015

Sixta Insurance, LLC Providing a Full Range of Quality Financial Services and Products ~Since 1981

Everyone is welcome!

Robert Sixta, CLU MN State License #1001480 WI State License # 1071463

pamelaradosen.com 608.787.1865 | La Crosse • Wisconsin

425 15th Avenue SW Rochester, MN 55902 [email protected]

Life Insurance Annuities Estate Planning Retirement Business 507.288.2366 Cell 507.259.8357 Home 507.281.3358 Fax 507.288.2358

Dr. Frederick George Kriemelmeyer

Mercury-free Dentistry for over 20 years

• Chronic Pain • Orthodontics

• TMJ • Jaw Orthopedics 319 Main St. Suite 400 • downtown La Crosse 608.784.1730

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PEOPLE’S FOOD CO-OP

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JAN UARY – FE B RUARY

2015

cleanse Colon Hydrotherapy 221 Pearl Street La Crosse, WI

Digestive issues to detoxing…

www.dimsumteashop.com Hrs: Mon.– Sat. 10 a.m.– 7 p.m. & Sun 11 a.m . – 3 p.m. Ph. 608-738-1221

for FAQs visit cleansellc.com

Veggie & Yoga Night Bulk Tea & Gifts Bubble Teas • Smoothies Dim Sum & Soups Tea Tasting Parties Valentine’s Day gifts for your sweetheart!

608.784.9806 [email protected] 1526 Rose St. • La Crosse, WI 54603

ABLAN MICHael aBlaN laW FIRM, S.C.

Home Birth • Water Birth Birth Center Birth

Denise Doerr Certified Nurse Midwife

Office 608-634-3664 215 Ramsland St. Cell 608-606-2598 Westby, WI 54667 [email protected]

The twin pines emblem, a symbol of cooperation, was created in 1922 by Dr. James Peter Warbasse, NCBA’s first president. Dr. Warbasse defined the symbol in this way: The pine tree is the ancient symbol of endurance and fecundity. More than one pine is used to signify cooperation. The trunks of the trees are continued into roots which form the circle, the ancient symbol of eternal life, typifying that which has no end. The circle represents the all-embracing cosmos, which depends upon cooperation for its existence. The two pines and the circle are dark green, the chlorophyll color of man's life principle in nature.

The symbol is still in use today.

If you are interested in advertising in the Co-op Shopper, please contact Kevin Ducey, marketing, @ 608.784.5798 or e-mail Kevin at [email protected] PEOPLE’S FOOD CO-OP

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2015

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Find us on Facebook Badge

People’s Food Co-op

CMYK / .eps

Follow us on Twitter

postal return address: 315 Fifth Avenue South La Crosse, WI 54601 608.784.5798

@pfccoop

www.pfc.coop La Crosse Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Daily Rochester Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Daily

change service requested

Bistro

Valentine’s Day Menu Saturday, 14 February 5 to 9 p.m. Our special menu will be available from 5 to 9 p.m. for Valentine’s Day! Reservations recommended 608.784.5798 ext.2202 details at www.pfc.coop

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID DPC