Thank you to all the shoppers who are continuing to visit us in the midst of our construction project! We hope you’re not experiencing too much inconvenience and that you’ll let us know how we can make it easier for you to get what you need.
We are thrilled with the progress of our construction team of Naylor & Breen (from Brandon) and their subcontractors. Our north addition is almost complete and will double our small backroom space. We will soon make a temporary delivery door on the side of our building where customers usually park until the new delivery receiving area is completed. The west addition, on the Middlebury Inn side, is our largest addition of about 5,000 square feet. It’s coming along nicely with excavation, foundation, steel framing, and roof trusses almost complete. I’m sure you’ve noticed the long platform overhead near the frozen food area and over cheese and deli. Naylor & Breen created this temporary protection while the sloped roof above is being removed. I asked them to come up with some way to do this work without closing this part of the store to customers and staff. I think their solution was brilliant.
By the time you read this, the construction on the east side (bagel bakery side) will have begun. This will be the most disruptive to customers, but we’re here to help you. On this east side, Naylor & Breen’s team will be enlarging the space for the produce department both on the customer retail floor and the produce walk-in cooler. It will include excavation, foundation work and framing for new walls and a roof. It means that the sidewalk and parking close to the building will be compromised. We’ll create a safe way for customers to enter/exit the building. Please let us know how it’s working for you.
I’d like to thank the amazing Co-op staff for working so well under difficult circumstances…they’re all a super team. There will be a lot more challenges ahead, and it’s exciting to see progress moving along so fast.
Happy spring to everyone.
Glenn Lower, General Manager
Here’s a Look at the New Store Layout:
Note that the dotted green line represents the outline of the current store. The additional space will allow:
A better insulated, more energy-efficient building with 50% more retail space overall
20% more retail space in the Produce department and a more open layout for easier navigation
Improved store entrance with energy-saving air lock
100% increase in the bulk/grocery backstock area
Expanded selection in the Bulk department
100% increase in fresh meat retail space
100% increase in cheese retail space
Improved deli, with 75% more retail space, a hot bar, and more
Enlarged deli kitchen for more prepared foods and faster service
New Co-op Cafe with 100% more seating and a dedicated entrance
New customer service desk
Wider, longer, safer driveway in and out of the parking lot
The most important thing members/customers can do to support our expansion project is to keep shopping during the construction months. Thank you!
Our co-op has put a strong emphasis on Environmentally Sustainable and Energy Efficient Practices (Hint: It’s one of our Ends!). We do our best to pay attention to this End in every aspect of our operation. The easiest place to measure it is the “tailpipe end” of our business: how much energy do we use to heat the store, keep the lights on, keep the food cold, and make the sandwiches in the Deli? But the focus goes on beyond that. Our push for a vibrant local economy means that we source as much of our food from local farmers and producers as possible, thus cutting down the carbon footprint of the food we sell.
When we set out to expand, we did so with an ambitious goal: make sure that the expanded store uses the same amount of energy as the store today. That’s not a small feat; it’s going to be 50% bigger! But with a building as big and complex as our market demands, with an organization that reflects as many values as ours, we need to ask ourselves: how will we measure that?
One measurement is simple: the tailpipe. Will our expanded store–that’s built more tightly than our store is now–use the same amount of gas and electricity? Though we are insulating every wall to its maximum capacity and adding double doors to stop heat loss, we may fall short of this goal.
But consider the energy used before the tailpipe: a big part of our expansion is to improve store operations. We want the staff to have a better place to work thereby helping us, the member-owners, have a better shopping experience. Thus, this expansion has real potential to increase our membership so that more people can make more environmentally friendly choices. This means our local farms have the chance to increase production to feed more people locally, offsetting the food that comes from far away. We are expanding our offerings so you won’t have to stop at Shaw’s or Hannaford after the co-op to get the food the store doesn’t carry, which in turn means fewer and shorter car trips. All of these outcomes have a real effect on the net-energy that goes into our food production, not just our store.
The tailpipe easily draws our attention: it smokes right in front of our face, and it’s loud as it turns on, but that can distract us. When more people shop at the co-op, the ratio of energy-in to food-out improves. It is also important to note: before embarking on the expansion, options were considered that would have been more resource intensive such as building or renovating an existing space. And, it might have meant giving up our prime in-town location, which is bike and pedestrian accessible AND on the Addison County Transportation Resources (ACTR) Bus System. By expanding at our current location we continue to reduce the number of cars on the road because our staff, member-owners and other customers can access our location car-free.
While our expansion includes tremendous improvements and upgrades to our energy efficient practices, there will always be more to do. That is why we need to consider all of the data when we assess our energy consumption, not just the tailpipe. – RJ Adler is a Co-op Board Member
Green Up Day: A Vermont Experiment in Co-operation
Early on the morning of Saturday, May 6th, thousands of Vermonters will rise, slip into some well-worn apparel, cram some work gloves in their pockets and head off to their towns’ pick-up centers for maps and bright green trash bags (and let’s not forget the free donuts and coffee!). If you’ve lived here long enough, you might assume that this routine is being played out across the country. In fact, Green Up Day is a Vermont creation and has never been replicated in the same way in any other state.
So, how did this happen? Green Up Day was born on April 18, 1970, as a statewide effort by Governor Deane C. Davis to clean up roadside trash. Vermont happens to be the only state without an Adopt-A- Highway program (there we go again!). In Green Up Day, we have found a truly Vermont-style and co-operative alternative. Paid roadside crews are replaced with local volunteers of all ages, income levels, and affiliations, all working with the same goal in mind.
As an experienced Green Up day volunteer, I can attest to the sense of satisfaction that comes from driving by roadsides that you’ve tended and knowing that you’ve helped to make your community a better place to live.
In 1979, Green Up became a non-profit organization. Ten percent of Green Up Day is now funded through the state, while the vast majority is covered by the non-profit. While the main focus of the event is still to “green up” our roadsides, it has also become an opportunity to bring attention to other environmental issues.
If you’re new to Green Up Day and would like to find out how to get involved, you can find information about volunteering at greenupvermont.org
Happy Earth Day!! In honor of Mother Earth, it’s a perfect time to green up your Spring cleaning routine with Earth Friendly Products & ECOS! They’re featured in our Member Deals Spotlight this week and all of their products are 20% off for member-owners from April 20th – 26th. Read on to learn more about this family owned and operated company offering safe, effective cleaning products for people and the planet for nearly 50 years.
Their Story:
Earth Friendly Products, makers of the ECOS line of cleaning products, has been a family owned and operated business since 1967. Their team is made up of mothers, fathers, chemists, visionaries and pioneers who passionately uphold the idea that everyone should have access to delightful, affordable cleaning products.
Making ECOS products in their four carbon-neutral plants has enabled the company to keep prices low and quality high, shattering the myth that buying “green” has to be expensive.
Formulated with pure, thoughtful science and manufactured using Zero-Waste guidelines, ECOS is made in facilities powered by renewable energy. Created with mindful ingredients that are safer for people and the planet, ECOS is the delightfully Plantlicious™ way to protect your family and home.
Their Promise:
“We promise to make green cleaning a reality for all by using sustainable practices that protect people and the planet. By formulating products from the goodness of plants in facilities powered by 100% renewable energy, we empower a natural clean at a price you can afford. Made with love from the inside out, we hope you’ll experience the difference in each bottle of ECOS™”
Our Co-op Spotlight is shining brightly on Kimball Brook Farm! Their full line of products are 20% off for member-owners from April 6th – 12th. Read on to learn more about one of Vermont’s finest family-owned organic dairy farms:
History
Kimball Brook Farm was first settled by Daniel Kimball in the late 1700s. Daniel and his sons continued running the farm until it was purchased by Edward Danyow in 1960.
The DeVos family purchased the farm in 1967 and on June 1, 1968, John De Vos Sr. and his son John De Vos Jr. moved their complete herd (50 cows), machinery and households from Monroe, New York to the Kimball Brook farm in North Ferrisburgh, Vermont.
John De Vos Jr. and his wife Sue operated the farm for over 30 years raising three sons and one daughter on the farm. The eldest son, John De Vos III (JD) and his wife Cheryl took over the business in 2001, expanding the herd from 80 cows to 200 and added a milking parlor.
In 2003, JD and Cheryl began transitioning the 220 cow farm to an organic operation and Kimball Brook Farm became one of the largest certified organic dairy operations in the State of Vermont. The first shipment of organic milk was in September 2005. In 2010, they began the process of pursuing another dream of opening their own creamery in the former Saputo Cheese plant in Hinesburg. This would allow them to assemble, bottle, and package all of their own products. In June of 2011, they were awarded the VT Dairy Farm of the Year award and by May of 2012, they were celebrating the official opening of Green Mountain Organic Creamery.
At the Co-op, you can find a broad selection of Kimball Brook Farm’s organic products including Whole Milk, Cream, Chocolate Milk, Maple Milk, Mocha & Coffee Flavored Iced Cappuccino, Butter and Iced Teas.
The Herd
The herd at Kimball Brook Farm consists of Holsteins, Jerseys and Jersey/Holstein crosses. During the growing season, their cows and heifers(teenagers) can be found happily grazing on the lush grasses their pastures provide. The cows that are being actively milked also get some mixed legumes and grains at the barn to provide them with the extra energy they need to produce rich, organic milk.
The Devos family believes that by maintaining the health of the land and the health of the cows, they can provide a fantastic organic milk free of Growth Hormones, GMO’s, Pesticides, Herbicides and Antibiotics for consumers to enjoy.
Check out this fun video showing how Kimball Brook Farm milk gets from the cow to your kitchen table:
Events at the Farm
Throughout the summer months, be sure to check out the fabulous farm dinners and other events at Kimball Brook Farm! Stay tuned to their events page for dates and details.
Investing in Local Organic Dairy
You eat local and you drink local, but what about Investing local? Kimball Brook Farm has an offer for those looking to make a deeper commitment by investing in their organic dairy farm and creamery. This offer is for Vermont residents only. Click here to read more about it.
A polyculture of corn & sunflowers grown as food for the herd at KBF
Searching for healthful options to treating disease and pain that restore health rather than merely treat symptoms? We invite you to check out our April Co-op Connection Business of the Month- Natural Medicine of Vermont! Card-carrying Co-op member-owners can enjoy 10% off their 1st visit and $5 off subsequent visits!
Natural Medicine of Vermont (NMV) is an integrative naturopathic medical facility whose goal is to provide comprehensive and expert health care services. NMV, located in Middlebury, Vermont, is owned and operated by Dr. Karen Miller-Lane, N.D.,L.Ac.
Dr. Karen Miller-Lane is a Naturopathic Physician licensed in Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture and trained in Craniosacral Therapy. Her expertise lies in providing an integrative, compassionate and individualized approach to women’s health, endocrine, gut and immune support, and to the challenges of chronic disease. She received a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine (2001) and a Masters of Acupuncture (2002) from Bastyr University. She received certification in Craniosacral therapies in 2000. In addition, she spent four years (2008-2010, 2012-2014) studying advanced Chinese medicine and pulse diagnosis with the acupuncturist and scholar Lonnie Jarrett. She also trained with Eileen McKusick, and was certified as a Biofield Tuning practitioner in 2016. These multi-cultural, multi-modal teachings provide a rich foundation for her practice of medicine. Prior to becoming a Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Karen worked in the field of international development and education with a focus on women’s healthcare issues. Currently, she is particularly interested in the developing field of epigenetics and nutrigenomics, as she continues to embody a commitment to being an innovator in the ever emergent field of healthcare in the 21st century. She finds joy in her family, friends, the patients she works with and finding the humor and wonder in everyday situations.
Thanks to her diverse clinical background, Dr. Karen MIller-Lane is able to unite many different complementary practices into one visit. This integrative approach provides the best possible treatment and outcomes natural medicine has to offer. Read on to learn more about these particular approaches from the Natural Medicine of Vermont website:
What Is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic Medicine is a distinct profession of physicians trained in primary health care who are oriented towards prevention, education and promotion of optimal health rather than just treatment of disease. Naturopathic doctors (ND’s) integrate centuries-old knowledge of traditional, non-toxic therapies with the best of modern medical diagnostic science and standards of care. ND’s complete pre-med education followed by a 4-5 year residential curriculum with 4,500 – 5,000 hours of instruction and extensive, supervised clinical training. ND’s must also pass rigorous state and national board examinations.
Foundation and Guidance for Naturopathic physicians are based on the following principles:
First, Do No Harm
Prevention
The Healing Power of Nature
Treatment of the Whole Person
Treat the Cause
Doctor as Teacher
What Is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a system of medicine based on 3,000 years of history, tradition, and application. It uses very thin needles to stimulate hundreds of different points on the body that lie along channels known as meridians. These points balance, tonify, or reduce excess in the body. At its heart, Acupuncture balances “Qi” or vital energy and treats the whole person. The treatments are generally very relaxing. At least 4-6 weekly treatments are usually required to determine the cause and treat the condition.
Licensed Acupuncturists go through a three-year Masters program that incorporates over 1700 hours of training, followed by national licensing exams.
In 1997, a consensus panel convened by the National Institute of Health (NIH) concluded that “there is clear evidence that needle acupuncture treatment is effective for postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting, nausea of pregnancy and post-operative dental pain…also addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma.” Other conditions which Acupuncture treats effectively include menopausal symptoms, chronic pain, diabetic symptoms, fatigue and sleep complaints, digestive problems, depleted immune system, arthritis, stress, anxiety, support for depression, smoking cessation and more.
Biofield Tuning is a unique non-medical therapeutic method that uses sound waves produced by tuning forks in the biomagnetic field, or biofield, that surrounds the human body. Biofield Tuning was developed by pioneering researcher and practitioner Eileen Day McKusick and is based on her 20 years of clinical inquiry into the Biofield Anatomy. It is a simple, non-invasive, and efficient method that can produce profound and powerful outcomes. Biofield Tuning sessions can be experienced in person or at a distance, singularly or in a group, by a certified practitioner.
“Biofield” is the word chosen by a team of National Institute of Health scientists in 1994 to describe the field of energy and information that surrounds and interpenetrates the human body. It is composed of both measurable electromagnetic energy and hypothetical subtle energy, or chi. This structure is also called the Human Energy Field or Aura.
While Western Science has yet to describe and measure subtle energy, other cultures, especially ancient Indian or Vedic cultures describe it extensively. The term “chakra” means wheel in Sanskrit and these spinning energy vortices are seen as structures in the body’s subtle energy anatomy. Not coincidentally, chakras are present where there are large nerve clusters or plexuses within the body itself.
The Biofield Tuning process is designed to locate, identify, and interrupt patterns of sonic imbalance, making it possible for the individual to become “unstuck” and able to move forward in life with a more balanced perspective.
What Is Craniosacral Therapy?
You are probably aware of the many systems that the body is made up of including the respiratory system, digestive system, the cardiovascular system, etc. The body also has a very subtle system unrecognized by science until fairly recently which is known as the craniosacral system. The craniosacral (CS) system consists of the membranes that form the meninges of the brain and spinal cord (down to the sacrum), the bones of the skull to which the membranes attach, other structures related to the meninges, the cerebrospinal fluid, and the structures that produce, contain and resorb the cerebrospinal fluid.
The cornerstone of the CS system is the finding that the bones of the skull are able to move as the cerebrospinal fluid moves through the membranes. While this information is not accepted by all health care professionals, the CS treatment is based on this finding and on the literature that has developed around the research using the CS theories.
Because the CS system is connected to the rest of the body by its connection to the fascia, restriction can affect many other systems, most notably the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, vascular system, endocrine system, etc. Because of these relationships, CS therapy is used to treat many different conditions. In our clinical setting, we have found them to be helpful for headaches, sinus problems, anxiety, general stress, endocrine problems, muscular fatigue or stress, depression, TMJ problems and others.
The treatment is done with the patient fully clothed lying down and is often extremely relaxing. The clinician uses light pressure and sessions often last between 20-40 minutes depending on what is being addressed.
This week, we’re casting our Member Deals spotlight on Natural Sea to highlight the wonderful things they do to make high-quality, sustainable seafood available at the Co-op. Their products will be 20% off for member-owners from March 30th – April 5th. They offer an array of frozen and canned seafood products that individually meet the guidelines established by various independent agencies including the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), The Safina Center (formerly Blue Ocean Institute), and Earth Island Institute. Read on to learn more about Natural Sea, and the importance of choosing sustainable seafood:
Since 1991, Natural Sea has been committed to sustainable fishing and ocean-friendly seafood. The salmon and tuna they offer are wild caught, not farmed. They’re non-GMO verified, traceable, and harvested using dolphin safe, ocean-friendly methods. Plus, they’re packaged in cans that are BPA-free. The skipjack offered by Natural Sea is individually pole & line caught from a MSC certified fishery to protect ecosystems and preserve habitat. Natural Sea’s frozen cod sticks and fillets are also MSC certified, and they’re breaded with multi-grain breading made from organic whole wheat and organic cornmeal. Their frozen fish nuggets, fish strips, and fish fillets are made with MSC certified minced pollock, and they contain no MSG or preservatives. In short, Natural Sea goes to great lengths to ensure that the seafood on your plate delivers the healthy protein and omega-3’s that you’re looking for without unhealthy additives or undue harm to oceans and sensitive fish populations.
So, why does this matter?
From above, it may seem that there are plenty of fish in the sea, but dive beneath the surface and it’s a different story. Over-fishing, lack of effective management, and our own consumption habits are just a few factors contributing to a decline in wild fish populations. Evidence of these problems abounds.
In just the past decade, Atlantic populations of halibut and yellowtail flounder joined the list of species at all-time lows. The cod fishery, once a backbone of the North Atlantic economy, collapsed completely in the early 1990s and has shown little evidence of recovery two decades later. The breeding population of Pacific bluefin tuna is now at only four percent of its original size and decline will continue without significant, immediate management changes.
Other harmful effects of fishing—some of which are preventable with modifications to gear—also impact the ocean, including the accidental catch of unwanted species (bycatch) and habitat damage from fishing gear.
So, how did we get here? One reason is the advent of industrial-scale fishing, which began in the late 1800s and has been accompanied by significant declines in the size and abundance of fish. By the mid-1990s, these fishing practices made it impossible for natural fish stocks to keep up. Ninety percent of the world’s fisheries are now fully exploited, over-exploited or have collapsed.
Because the ocean seems so vast and its resources limitless, these threats are often “out of sight, out of mind,” but over-fishing issues are not just for future generations to bear; they’re very real problems threatening our current seafood supply and the health of our ocean. The good news is that there is much we can do.
Support sustainable seafood with your food dollars – Ask for sustainable seafood at stores and restaurants. By asking this simple but important question, you can help shape the demand for, and ultimately supply of, fish that’s been caught or farmed in environmentally sustainable ways. Consumers play an important role in shaping ocean health, so start making a difference today! Look for brands like Natural Sea, Orca Bay, or Henry & Lisa’s when shopping at the Co-op.
Use sustainable seafood resource guides, like this one from the Safina Center, when shopping for seafood.
As a new member of the Board of Directors, I frequently get asked why I choose to be a board member. We are all familiar with the refrain “voting with your dollars” as a shared value of conscious consumers. I choose to spend my money at the co-op because I believe in this slogan. I choose to be a member of the Board of Directors because I similarly believe in the concept of “voting with your time.” Being a member of the board allows me to “spend” my time committing to the power of democracy and to pursue lifelong learning.
Wendell Berry writes: “No matter how much one may love the world as a whole, one can live fully in it only by living responsibly in some small part of it.” In these unsettled times, participating in the democratic leadership of a cooperatively owned, local business allows me to practice living responsibly in my small part of the world. Our co-op may seem like a small fish in the big pond of the globe—whether we buy organic, fair trade chocolate chips at the co-op, or conventional chocolate chips at a big-box store may seem dolefully inconsequential in the face of the massive social-justice issues our world faces. But, it’s really not; these choices matter. Participating in the democratic ownership of the co-op, however, allows me to devote my dollars, time and energy to the pursuit of an alternative to our global status quo.
Being on the Board of Directors also offers opportunities for meaningful personal growth. I recently attended a cooperative board leadership workshop, and it was truthfully the most useful training that I have ever attended. In only a few hours, I had the opportunity to learn the history and saliency of the cooperative movement, meet board members from our neighboring co-ops, and learn essential skills for my board work. My highlight of the day was building MNFC’s financial model with LEGOs alongside Glenn, our General Manager, and Ann, a fellow board member! The concepts and skills I took away from that day have proven to be not only indispensable for my work with MNFC, but also highly translatable to my job as a cooperative leader of the Bridge School.
The election season for our co-op is in full swing. As you decide whether to spend your time filling out your ballot, and voting for new members of the Board of Directors, I urge you to remember Wendell Berry’s notion. Our co-op may be small, but voting for our board allows us to exercise our democratic muscles and live responsibly in our small part of the world, and thereby living fully in the world as a whole – Amanda Warren, Board Member, Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op
To learn more about the Co-op’s Board of Directors, click here.
What comes to mind when you think of organically-grown produce? Does it conjure a pastoral scene with fields of fertile soil dotted with lush, healthy plants? What about hydroponic ‘vegetable factories’ and ‘vertical farms’ where production is hermetically sealed in huge warehouses filled with LED lights and nutrient pumps? Should hydroponic production operations like these qualify for organic certification?
This is the hotly-contested question being debated by the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). They’ve been granted the authority to determine whether fertile soil is to remain the foundation of organic farming. To many, this seems like a no-brainer since the original government definition of ‘organic’ stressed ‘soil biological activity’ as one of the vital processes enhanced by organic practices. Unfortunately, under significant corporate pressure, the USDA rewrote that definition in 2002 to remove any reference to the word “soil.”The massive influx of hydroponic vegetables and berries being certified is the result of corporate interests successfully redefining “organic” in the USDA.
In October of 2016, Vermont farmers and legislators spoke out in opposition to this corporate takeover of organic during an event known as The Rally in the Valley. The protest was sponsored by NOFA-VT and took place in Thetford, VT. Hundreds of people marched with a 26 tractor cavalcade ending at Cedar Circle Farm, where Senator Patrick Leahy, Congressman Peter Welch, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, and farmers such as Eliot Coleman and Will Allen spoke about the importance of returning to real organic. Check out this great video from that event. We spotted Will and Judy Stevens of Golden Russet Farm & Mia Allen of Mountain Yard Farm in the crowd lending their voices to this important cause. Do you recognize any of your favorite farmers?
Their message continues to gain steam and in January of 2017 Eliot Coleman gave a powerful keynote address at the Mid-American Organic Alliance (MOA) winter conference described by one attendee as “a love letter to organic agriculture”. In his address, Eliot called for us to wake up to what is happening to the organic label, urging that “long time supporters of organic farming need to realize that the ground has shifted under their feet. Ever since the USDA (and by association the industrial food lobbyists) was given control of the word, the integrity of the ‘USDA Certified Organic’ label has been on a predictable descent.” Eliot went on to say, “There isn’t any soil in hydroponic production. How can it be organic? One of the appeals of organically grown food is based on the high nutrient status of plants grown in a biologically active fertile soil, with all its known and yet to be discovered benefits.” He urged those in attendance to stand up for the future of organic.
Eliot Coleman
Another powerful voice for the cause was offered by Vandana Shiva in her keynote address at the recent NOFA-VT winter conference. Vandana is world famous for her opposition to Monsanto and Big Ag and she’s widely respected for her defense of small farmers and healthy soils around the world. In the middle of her address, she held up a “Keep The Soil In Organic” t-shirt, and said, “ I think it is in the soil that our future lies. As Ayurveda says, ‘In this handful of soil is your future. Take care of it.’ This is 4000 years ago wisdom…Soil will sustain you and provide you with food, and clothing, and shelter, and beauty. Beauty is very much a part of it. Destroy it and it will destroy you. Now, ALL of chemical farming has been an escape from the soil and an arrogance that you can replace it…Every step of so-called innovation in agriculture is running away from the soil. It stops being agriculture because ‘agriculture’ means ‘taking care of the land’.” View Vandana Shiva’s entire inspiring address below:
According to one of the founders of this movement, Dave Chapman, “the question of hydroponics in organic goes to the core meaning of the word. If organic isn’t about healthy soil, then what is it about?”. As one soil scientist said, “The answer is soil. The question is irrelevant.”
Get Involved
Do you believe that healthy soil is the foundation of organic farming? Let your voice be heard! The NOSB meets next month in Denver to talk about this important issue. Click HERE to submit a comment to the NOSB. You can also click HERE to sign a petition to keep the soil in organic. Stay in the know by visiting the Keep the Soil in Organic webpage, and by following them on Facebook, and Twitter.
We’re having a Spring Sale on NFCA Farm-to-freezer fruits and veggies! What makes these blueberries special? Read on to learn about a cool collaboration between area food co-ops and farmers working together to make year-round regional produce an option for Co-op shoppers:
Being a year-round localvore is now a little easier thanks to a project bringing together food co-ops throughout the northeast to increase the availability of healthy, sustainably grown, regionally sourced fruits and vegetables for consumers beyond the traditional local harvest season. This also provides a boost for the farmers producing these crops by extending their marketing season beyond the typical (and brief) growing season in our region.
The project was spearheaded by the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA), which is a cooperative federation bringing together over 30 food co-ops and start-up initiatives throughout New England that are working together toward a shared vision of a thriving co-operative economy rooted in a healthy, just, and sustainable regional food system and a vibrant community of cooperative enterprise.
The NFCA’s Farm to Freezer project began in 2011 while exploring opportunities for increasing regional food sourcing. They noticed that most of the frozen fruits and vegetables on co-op shelves were grown on large, industrial farms and processed by distant corporations. In collaboration with local farmers, food cooperatives, and regional processors, they developed a pilot of frozen products grown, processed and packaged right here in the Northeast. Supported in part by two grants from the Eastern Corridor of National Co+op Grocers (NCG), the project enabled the NFCA to test consumer interest, processing infrastructure, and the availability of regional produce.
After two seasons, Farm to Freezer was put on hold as they worked with partners at the New England Farmers Union and Deep Root Organic Co-op to obtain a USDA Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) to explore options for future collaboration, processing, and distribution. Thanks to a new partnership with regional distributor Associated Buyers, they were able to make these products available again, exclusively through their member food co-ops.
Here’s a little more info about the fruits and veggies available and the farmers who grow them:
Blueberries
The delicious highbush blueberries are grown by Greig Farm, a diversified fruit and vegetable farm in Red Hook, NY, in operation for over 60 years. Greig Farm practices Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to maintain healthy, productive blueberry bushes.
Organic Broccoli
Established in 1818, Hepworth Farms is a seventh-generation family farm in Milton, NY, in the Hudson Valley. Today, the farm includes 250 acres of NOFA-certified land yielding more than 400 varieties of organic vegetables.
Organic Edamame
The organically grown edamame comes from Markristo Farm in Hillsdale, NY. Farmers Martin and Christa Stosiek are committed to healthy food systems and sustainable agriculture. They are active board members of Berkshire Grown.
Organic Green Beans
Martin and Christa Stosiek started Markristo Farm in 1988 on the land where Martin was raised in Hillsdale, NY. Their farm has grown from just a couple of acres to over 20 acres, producing a diverse crop of vegetables, cut flowers, and bedding plants. They work to support the ideals of a local food system and enjoy connecting with those who purchase their products.
Sweet Corn
Our delicious, non-GMO sweet corn is grown by Altobelli Farm, a third generation farm in Columbia County, NY. John Altobelli has been farming on this land for over 30 years, using minimum tillage, drip irrigation, cover cropping, and no chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
We hope that you will try these products and support your local food co-ops as we work together to build a thriving co-operative economy, rooted in a healthy, just and sustainable food system in our region and beyond!
