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Spotlight on Wood’s Market Garden

There are certain fruits and vegetables that seem to announce the changing of the seasons, and for us here at the Co-op, the day we receive our first delivery of local, organic tomatoes and strawberries from Wood’s Market Garden, we know that summer is finally here! We’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Wood’s Market Garden this week to highlight their magnificent 150-acre organic farm in Brandon, VT. Member-owners can enjoy 20% off all of their glorious local, organic fruits and veggies from June 29th – July 5th. Choose from heirloom tomatoes, succulent strawberries, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers (the first of the season!), shell peas, sugar snap peas, broccoli, and cauliflower!  Read on to learn more about the family that makes it possible for us to offer such a beautiful bounty:

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Wood’s Market Garden is a fruit, vegetable & flower farm and seasonal market nestled in the quaint town of Brandon, Vermont. Their fields have been producing fresh food for the greater Brandon community for over 100 years. Jon Satz purchased the farm 16 years ago from Bob and Sally Wood. With his passion for growing and sustainable farming practices, the farm and market have blossomed into a destination for beautiful organic vegetables, quality bedding plants and some of the sweetest strawberries around! Jon, his wife Courtney, and their 2 young sons make their home on the farm and enjoy the continued legacy of farming the land that the Wood family started generations ago.

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The farm consists of 150 acres of Vermont farmland and woods. Known far and wide for their delicious sweet corn and plump, sweet strawberries, they also grow over 50 kinds of vegetables and fruits on 60 acres of sandy loam soils. In addition to their field production, they also have 7 greenhouses for raising bedding plants, ornamentals, vegetable starts and the tastiest early tomatoes in the state! Their unique varieties of plants and their passion for quality crops keeps people coming back year after year.

All of their produce is certified organic. It’s a labor of love for everyone involved from seeding to harvesting to washing and selling. They’re really proud to be able to provide such a bounty of farm fresh, organic fruits and vegetables to their community year after year. It’s what feeds their own family on the farm and they grow it all with love, care and a commitment to good organic practices.

Aside from growing an abundant array of fruits and vegetables for retailers like our Co-op, they also offer a CSA and have a seasonal farm stand open daily in the summer from 9 am – 6 pm. Outside, it’s a paradise of plants, hanging baskets, creeping vines, and gardens to wander. If you haven’t yet visited their farm stand, add it to your list of things to do this summer! It’s such a treat to browse all of the gorgeous plants, flowers, and fresh produce! They’re located on the banks of Jones Mill Pond on Route 7, which during the warm summer months is covered with those famous pink water lilies. Inside the market, the shelves and baskets are filled with gorgeous fresh produce from the farm and bouquets of fresh-cut flowers. Depending on what’s in season, you’ll find everything from fresh spinach to strawberries to squash. They grow over 50 different kinds of produce on the farm, just yards from the farm stand. In addition to produce,  you’ll find a variety of artisanal cheese, organic milk, and other local dairy products, local meat and poultry, fresh baked goods, maple syrup, raw honey, homemade pickles, jam and more!  If you’re looking to stock your own garden, you can browse their selection of farm-grown organic veggie and herb starts, and a stunning variety of annuals, and perennials! Stop by to see them on your next visit to Brandon!

Business of the Month – Juice Amour

We’re excited to shine a little light on one of our newest members of the Co-op Connection – Juice Amour! They’re our featured Co-op Connection Business of the Month and they have a sweet deal for Co-op member-owners. Show your member card when you visit Juice Amour and you’ll receive 10% off their full line of organic, raw, fresh-pressed juices, smoothies, chia pudding bowls, acai bowls, sprouted nut milks, and other healthy snacks! Read on to learn more about one of Middlebury’s hottest new spots!

Juice Amour is truly a family affair! The business is run by Sheri & (Dad) David Bedard with tons of support and skill from (Mom) Bonita, (Sisters) Shawna & Kristi and all the many nieces and nephews that lend a hand whenever they can.They are a VERY juicy family (wink, wink) and they LOVE promoting and drinking healthy juice, smoothies, and yummy soups.

Juice Amour produces local, raw, organic juice and products made daily on site for pick-up or delivered to you! You can order in person at their shop, located at 1396, or order through a subscription plan where you decide which juices you want, which days you want them and which pick up location you want them delivered. Subscription clients have fewer upfront costs (no jar deposit), they get to skip the wait in line, and they have access to specials and offers that are not available to the general public!

The juice cleanses at Juice Amour are also extremely popular! These cleanses offer a nutrient dense reset for your cravings, they can jump start a long-term health change, and provide immediate living nutrients to support and heal your body. Their juice cleanses are 100% organic, unpasteurized and made fresh daily.

Getting as much produce from local, organic farmers is a core principle of the Juice Amour mission to make minimal impact on the earth while supporting local farmers (more about this mission below). They also reuse the glass jars their juices come in. This eliminates the use of disposable plastic from the waste stream.

Sheri and the Juice Amour crew are proud to be based in Middlebury, Vermont and are currently delivering to Bristol, Middlebury, Shelburne, Vergennes and the Burlington area. They deliver only to businesses and partner locations because the cost and environmental impact required to deliver to individual homes is not conducive to the do-goodery they hope to accomplish with Juice Amour.

Health Benefits

There is plenty of research that shows the healing properties of juicing. Juicing can facilitate weight loss, increase energy levels, strengthen immunity, support strong bones and a glowing complexion. A growing body of research suggests that most vitamin supplements don’t help prevent chronic disease while natural, plant-based vitamins and minerals are more easily and completely absorbed by the body.

Fresh is Best

Fresh juice not only contains greater nutritional value than mass-produced “bottled” juice, it is like drinking a natural vitamin filled with living enzymes, essential minerals, antioxidants, and natural antibiotics, which are vital for optimal health. Bottled juices sold in supermarkets are pasteurized which means they are heated and processed, which can kill vitamins and minerals. That also means that you should not “wait” to drink Juice Amour’s juices- Please consume within 48 hours!

Organic

Organic farming uses methods that minimize the use of toxins while building soil fertility and protecting water quality. Additionally, buying organic supports chemical and pesticide-free practices that are healthier for our farmers and for our planet. Lastly, the Juice Amour family feels that organic foods have more intense and delicious flavors.

Local

Supporting our local, organic farmers is essential to minimizing the global impact of their business as well as providing support and income for their neighbors. All ingredients in Juice Amour’s juices will be sourced locally whenever possible.

Glass and the “Milk Bottle” Concept

To maximize health benefits for you and minimize the impact on our planet, Juice Amour avoids the use of plastic and instead chooses to recycle and reuse the glass jars their juice is delivered in. They ask customers to return jars and lids to the location they picked up their juices and, after a commercial wash, Juice Amour will reuse the bottles again. This reduces the cost to clients, eliminates a great deal of plastic from the waste stream, minimizes any negative impact of drinking out of plastic, and maximizes benefits to the community and planet!

Spotlight on Neighborly Farms

As our celebration of Dairy Month churns on, we’re shining our Co-op Spotlight on a fantastic local, organic dairy farm hailing from Randolph Center, VT: Neighborly Farms! Member-owners can enjoy 20% off their award-winning organic cheeses from June 22nd – 28th! Read on to learn more about this 168-acre organic dairy farm that calls VT home:

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Established as an operating dairy farm in the 1920’s, Rob and Linda Dimmick are continuing the tradition of family farming. Nestled in the rolling hills of Randolph Center, Vermont, Neighborly Farms decorates the countryside with its red barn and white post and beam farmhouse built in the 1800s. They operate on 168 acres with cropland and grazing fields to support the dairy and a sugarhouse for producing pure Vermont maple syrup. The clean and tidy barn is home to 70 Holsteins—the black and white cows that symbolize rural living at its very best.

Rob and Linda are continuing the family farming tradition because they have a passion for the land and animals. They are a totally organic farm. This means the farm is run in complete harmony with the land and the animals; no antibiotics, no hormones, and no commercial fertilizers. Just pure and natural techniques that keep the cows healthy, happy, and the dairy products wholesome and chemical-free. It means that the cheese produced at Neighborly Farms are pure and natural. And the best part? The organic cheeses taste great too.

Neighborly Farms of Vermont is not just another dairy farm. At their family farm, there is a deep love for the land and animals. That’s why they choose to be an organic farm. It’s a way of showing that they care about their surroundings and neighbors. Neighborly Farms produces eleven kinds of delicious organic cheeses; all made with wholesome milk from their well-cared for Holstein cows. They make cheese the old-fashioned way and believe that caring for the land and surroundings helps them produce the finest cheeses possible.

At the Co-op, you’ll find a rotating variety of their cheeses including Jalapeno Jack, Monterey Jack, Colby, Feta, Green Onion Cheddar, and their staple Raw Milk Cheddar, many of which have been honored with awards from the prestigious American Cheese Society. They hope you enjoy them and they thank you for supporting your local, organic dairy farms!

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Spotlight on Tierra Farm

We’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Tierra Farm this week to highlight the socially and environmentally responsible practices of this employee-owned business. They provide an array of healthy products to our bulk department that are certified organic, gluten-free, kosher, and GMO-free, all of which are produced in small batches in their solar-powered facility in nearby Valatie, NY. They’re featured in our Member Deals program this week, so member-owners can enjoy 20% off their delicious fair-trade coffee, dried fruits, nuts, nut butters, and other healthy snacks from May 25th – 31st! Read on to learn more about this fantastic small business and their commitment to responsible practices throughout the supply chain:

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Tierra Farm is a Certified Organic manufacturer and distributor of nuts, dried fruits, and coffee located 20 miles south of Albany, New York. Their customers consist mainly of cooperatives and independently owned grocery stores that value working with an employee-owned, environmentally conscious company that manufactures its own products.

Tierra Farm started as a diversified organic vegetable farm in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The organic nuts & dried fruit portion of the business started in 1999, as a way to generate income in the slower winter months. That portion of the business has continued to thrive and evolve into a year-round operation, though they still maintain their original farm.

Tierra Farm offers their customers exceptional value through unbeatable quality at prices that are fair both to the consumer and to the farmer. Their products are made without preservatives, added oils or refined sugars, in their own peanut-free facility. They manufacture the products they sell: dry roasting and flavoring nuts and seeds, blending trail mixes, grinding butter, covering nuts and fruits in fair-trade chocolate, and roasting fair trade coffee. Everything is made in small, hand-crafted batches for freshness.

One of their core values has been to cultivate strong relationships with the best organic farmers in the world. They work directly with the farmers from which they source their nuts, seeds, and dried fruit and have worked with some of these farmers for over a decade. Being in direct communication with their farmers allows the preservation of their organic integrity and ensures fair business practices throughout the supply chain.

Tierra Farm handles only Certified Organic products which are grown without synthetic pesticides, genetically modified organisms, or chemical fertilizers. This helps sustain biodiversity, conserves fresh water, and enhances the soil. They generate over 70% of their electricity from solar panels and recycle over 60% of their waste. Their boxes are made from recycled cardboard and their deli cup containers are made from over 50% recycled material – both are recyclable after use. They’re continuously looking for better ways to protect the planet.

Tierra Farm also values the importance of investing in their staff. They have an in-house gym, an in-house chef who cooks daily organic, gluten-free meals for staff – often using fresh produce directly from their farm, a staff masseuse who visits weekly, and they offer many employee health initiatives such as a smoking cessation program that allows their staff to be 100% tobacco-free.

If you’re passing through the Albany area, they invite you to stop into one of their Tierra Coffee Roasters locations for a great cup of coffee and some homemade baked goods. Also be sure to check out the retail store at Tierra Farm’s headquarters in Valatie, NY, where local customers are able to purchase all of their (almost 200) products!

Want a virtual tour of the farm? Check out the video below!

Spotlight on Amy’s Kitchen

We’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Amy’s Kitchen this week to shed some light on a family-owned company that was organic before organic was cool. Member-owners can enjoy 20% off the full line of Amy’s Kitchen products from May 18th – 24th! Read on to learn more about this pioneering company that set out nearly 30 years ago to offer convenient, time-saving foods that didn’t sacrifice health or quality:

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Their Story

Amy’s didn’t set out to become the nation’s leading frozen food brand; they simply hoped to create a successful business that would provide convenient and tasty vegetarian meals for people who appreciated good food but were often too busy to cook healthy, organic meals from scratch.

Andy & Rachel Berliner launched the business 1987, the year their daughter Amy was born, using their own house and barn as headquarters. The founding meetings were held in the same room where the couple married and where Amy was born. They began with a humble vegetarian pot pie, followed soon after by pizzas and soups. The business continued to evolve and expand, realizing a need to include gluten-free and dairy-free items for those living with food allergies. Amy has since grown up and started a family of her own. She and her husband, Jace, both play active roles within the company.

Organic Before Organic Was Cool

Amy’s was serving up organic food before there was a national certification program. In fact, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture decided to create standards for organic, they looked to Amy’s for guidance. Together with other industry leaders, they helped pioneer the organic food industry and, more importantly, helped make organic food available to more people. Their commitment to organic ensures that neither farmers nor consumers are exposed to harmful chemicals and pesticides. A proud supporter of GMO labeling initiatives, all of Amy’s dishes are non-GMO. They were also the first to market canned items with non-BPA-lined cans, and they’re happy to see many other food companies following their lead.

Amy’s Kitchen has grown beyond the Berliner’s wildest dreams, going from several family members pitching in anywhere they can, to a wonderful group of employees, farmers, and suppliers. But no matter how big the company grows, one thing will always remain the same—the family spirit that permeates every decision made inside of Amy’s Kitchen. Although they have considerably expanded their production facilities and the number of people they employ, Amy’s remains family-owned and fiercely independent. They choose what’s best for their customers, their farmers, their employees, and the planet. It’s a tall order, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

Spotlight on Lake Champlain Chocolates

We’re casting our Co-op Spotlight this week on a local favorite – Lake Champlain Chocolates! All of their mouth-watering chocolates are 20% off for member-owners from May 11th – 17th, just in time to pick out something sweet for Mothers’ Day!  Read on to learn more about this local confectionery that has called Vermont home since 1983:

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According to the folks at Lake Champlain Chocolates, Vermont is more than an address; it’s home. It’s where they live, who they are, and how they choose to do business.  And from the first truffle in 1983 to the present day, Vermont has inspired the folks at Lake Champlain Chocolates to take a craftsman’s approach to chocolate: creativity, patience, and mastery.

What began as a truffle-making venture has now grown to include a long list of tasty treats from fudge to sea salted caramels and beyond. And with each new product, their original commitment to excellence has remained the same. They have remained true to their mission of seeking out the best and freshest ingredients from local farmers and producers and they’ve been doing it that way long before it was cool.  Call it Vermont instinct, but even back in ’83, it just made sense that using local honey, maple syrup, and fresh cream in their Chocolates of Vermont would result in superior flavor. Those same instincts also guided the decision to never add preservatives, extenders, or additives to any of their chocolates.

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Fair Trade:

Beyond labeling individual products as “fair trade” — an ongoing process in itself — the entire company is now certified Fair for Life.  Fair for Life is a rigorous third-party certification for social accountability and fair trade. Above and beyond fair trade certification, it looks at a company’s practices as a whole, including the ingredients used in its products. LCC undergoes regular audits to ensure every step of its supply chain is socially legit. Not just the cocoa, but every link they have as a business, including their own employees’ working conditions here in Vermont.

Why? Because of their belief that every person in the process should be treated and compensated fairly. And that means everyone in the supply chain — from the farmers who grow and harvest the cocoa, to those who transport it, transform it into chocolate, process your order, package it, and ensure it arrives ready for you to enjoy.

This certification affirms the following:

  • A price premium is paid to the cocoa farmers and co-ops.
  • Certified products originate from fair trade producer operations.
  • LCC is engaged in long-term partnerships and socially responsible trading practices with its suppliers/purveyors.
  • LCC respects the labor rights of its own employees, providing good working conditions.
  • LCC is a good community citizen and practices environmental responsibility.
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Blue Bandana Bean-To-Bar:

Blue Bandana is an award-winning line of single-origin craft chocolate bars launched in 2012 by Eric Lampman, head of R&D at Lake Champlain Chocolates and son of founder Jim Lampman. Born from a desire to go deeper into the chocolate-making process, the micro-batch chocolate bars are produced in Vermont using cocoa beans sourced directly from their origin.

With the Blue Bandana line, they’re following a “direct trade” model. As the name implies, there’s no middleman, so the supply chain is that much shorter. This allows them to build one-on-one relationships with farmers and sponsor local initiatives in the communities where the cacao is grown. There’s a direct feedback loop with growers and co-ops, and that makes a huge difference in the quality of the end product.

For LCC as a whole, fair trade still offers the best solution. Going 100% direct trade company-wide would be a real challenge, for a few reasons — sheer quantity, for starters. Bottom line, fair trade and direct trade are both valid ways to do the right thing, make sure farmers get a fair shake, and get to know your supply chain.

Eric Lampman in the Dominican Republic

Uncompromising Quality:

All of the products at Lake Champlain Chocolates are certified Kosher with zero additives or shelf extenders and the goal is to use non-GMO ingredients whenever possible. Of course, their certified organic chocolates are 100% GMO-free as guaranteed by the organic certification.

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Factory Tours:

Want to see how their chocolates are made? Take a FREE Factory Tour!

Monday-Friday, 11am-2pm
Tours on the hour
Self-Guided Tours after 3pm

FREE Chocolate Tastings
Saturday & Sunday, 11am to 4pm

750 Pine Street Burlington, VT
Tours fill up quickly in peak months, so call ahead: 802-864-1807

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Spotlight on Earth’s Best

Our Member Deals Spotlight is shining brightly on Earth’s Best this week! Member-owners can enjoy 20% off their full line of organic products from April 27th – May 3rd. Read on to learn more about this Vermont-born company providing healthy, organic foods for babies for more than 30 years:

 

Their Story

Earth’s Best was founded by Ron Koss and Arnie Koss in Vermont way back in 1985. From day one, they recognized the importance of wholesome, pure nourishment for babies. Embracing fruits handpicked from organic orchards and vegetables cultivated from the earth, Ron Koss and Arnie Koss believed in creating delicious, organic baby food while promoting environmental responsibility. Their initial organic food processing facility had just 20 employees producing three fruit purees and two vegetable purees. Over the past 30 years, the business evolved, outgrowing its Vermont headquarters and expanding its offerings to include cereals, formulas, diapers, wipes, and over 50 different fruit & veggie purees! All of Earth’s Best products are created with care, using pure, simple ingredients found in nature. Made with love from the ground up, you can trust their products to be safe for your baby and safe for the environment.

Their Quality Assurance

To ensure the best ingredients for their food and ultimately the best food for your children, Earth’s Best carefully selects organic growers that treat their crops with care. From careful seed selection to sustainable farming practices, quality is an essential part of their seed to spoon journey. They guarantee that the ingredients sourced for their products do not use potentially harmful chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, genetically engineered ingredients, or growth hormones from animal-derived products. This rigorous quality assurance process allows Earth’s Best to meet the strict standards for organic certification. Their products are also:

  • Unsweetened, unsalted, and contain no added modified starches
  • Kosher certified (excluding meat varieties)
  • Contain no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
  • Undergo rigorous product testing to guarantee quality and safety
  • Their infant formulas are produced with milk from cows that are humanely raised and not treated with antibiotics or growth hormones.

Click here to read more about the farms that supply organic vegetables for Earth’s Best baby foods.

Spotlight on Kimball Brook Farm

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

Spotlight on Annie’s

We’re shining our Co-op Spotlight on Annie’s this week to highlight their mission to “make organic for everybunny”. All of Annie’s products are 20% off for member-owners from February 16th – 22nd, so it’s a great time to stock up and save on all of your favorites. Read on to learn more about Annie’s history and mission:

History

It all began in 1989 with a young lady named Annie Withey who believed it was possible to start a business that was both socially conscious and successful. Annie started by making delicious mac & cheese and selling it out of the trunk of her car.  Now, nearly 30 years later Annie’s remains devoted to the business of good: creating good food, demonstrating good business practices, and helping build good communities.

Organic Commitment

The folks at Annie’s feel passionate about increasing access to organic foods. They focus on organic ingredients because they believe they’re better for you and for farmers, animals, and the environment. Certified Organic always means non-GMO, avoiding toxic, persistent pesticides, and so much more. We all benefit when there are fewer chemicals in our soils, water, food and air. Click here to read more about Annie’s commitment to organic.

Giving Back

In addition to offering an array of healthy and organic foods, Annie’s is proud to support the next generation of farmers committed to sustainable farming practices. They have two wonderful programs to help achieve this end:

Through their Grants for Gardens program, they’ve funded hundreds of school gardens to help kids connect with the source of their nourishment, encouraging them to think more holistically about their food, their communities, and the planet.

Thanks to their Sustainable Agriculture Scholarship Program, they’re able to offer $150,000 yearly in funds to college students studying sustainable agriculture. This year, 15 winners will each be eligible to receive $10,000 from Annie’s to help kickstart their adventures in sustainable farming.

When you buy Annie’s products, you cast a vote in support food education and make healthy gardens accessible to hundreds of students across the country.

Keeping it Green

Packaging:  The crew at Annie’s recognize the large role that product packaging plays in pollution and climate change. The natural resources required to make packaging is just the start. Yes, plenty of packaging is recyclable or compostable, but when it ends up in a landfill, it might give off methane, a potent greenhouse gas. If it’s incinerated instead, it releases CO2 into the atmosphere. And packaging that weighs more requires more fossil fuels to transport. Annie’s works hard to take all of this into account, using sustainable materials that are recyclable or compostable and light to transport.

Facilities:  Annie’s has maintained both LEED Gold and Bay Area Green Business Certifications since 2013 at their Berkeley, CA headquarters. In 2016, they received the Climate Disruptor award, recognizing their efforts to reduce their environmental footprint. Additionally, they monitor and encourage energy efficient practices among their suppliers, gaining insight into the supplier’s energy practices, greenhouse emissions, water use and waste output. To encourage improvement, they give an Annual Green Bernie Award to an exemplary supplier demonstrating continuous improvement for at least two years in a row and documenting high performance in one or more of these areas: energy, waste, water, and climate change.

Be sure to check out their web page for fun recipes!

Spotlight on Organic Valley

We’re shining our Co-op spotlight this week on America’s largest cooperative of organic farmers – Organic Valley!  All Organic Valley products are 20% off for member-owners from February 2nd – 8th! Read on to learn more about Organic Valley’s rich history, their commitment to their farmer-owners, and to the environment:

In the 1980’s, a dairy farming crisis was underway. The price for milk fell below production costs and the dairy farmers producing it were facing economic extinction. Farmers were told to “get big or get out”. Industrial, chemical farming was presented as the only existing option for survival. Never mind its effects on our health, our animals, and our environment.

There were many farmers who simply didn’t want to be industrial, chemical farmers at the mercy of corporate agriculture. Thankfully, in 1988 a Wisconsin farmer named George Siemon hung posters calling like-minded farmers in his community to band together. Family farmers filled the Viroqua county courthouse and all agreed that there had to be a better, more sustainable way to continue doing the work they loved in a way that protects the land, animals, economy and people’s health. And that’s how their farmer-owned cooperative was born.

This pioneering group of farmers set high organic standards, which eventually served as the framework for the USDA’s organic rules. The cooperative first focused on organic vegetables, calling themselves the CROPP (Coulee Region Organic Produce Pool) Cooperative, and within a year they expanded to include organic dairy. Demand for their organic products grew, as did farmers’ interest in joining the thriving cooperative. Interest came from farmers and consumers all over the country, and it became clear that they needed a new name to represent their broader base. With that, the CROPP cooperative became Organic Valley. 

 

Now, almost 30 years later, Organic Valley continues to produce some of the highest quality organic dairy, vegetables, soy, and eggs. They remain farmer-owned and remain true to the powerful working model that puts the environment, wholesome quality food, and the farmer first.

Click HERE to read more about the family of farmers that make up the Organic Valley Co-op and find out if there are any near you!

Click HERE for the top 5 reasons to choose organic.

Click HERE to read about sustainability initiatives at Organic Valley.

Click HERE for fabulous recipes.