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“Where Organic

and Local Food

Comes Naturally”

77 Wales Street,

Downtown Rutland, VT

The Co-op’s mission is to provide affordable access to natural, whole foods and products to the Rutland

Area Community; to provide a mar-ket for local and regional produc-

ers of natural, minimally processed products; to provide a community-

building and educational center where people can work, shop, and

learn together; and to support and work cooperatively with other

individuals and organizations whose purposes are similar to those of the

Co-op.

802-773-0737

www.rutlandcoop.com

Everyone Welcome

Open Every DayMonday - Saturday 9am - 7pm

Sunday 10am - 6pm

Spring 2014 Newsletter

In This Issue....

Letter from General Manager, page 6 Strategic Plan Update, page 2

Quinoa Survey, INSERT (page 13 in web version)

Coupons, page 9

Visit us on Facebook

This is a special-edition newsletter that is going out to ALL who have ever signed up for a membership to the Rutland Area Food Co-op!

We are growing and expanding so read more about it in this newsletter and come on in to see us! We can easily let you know at the front register if your membership is still active and if not, we can renew it so you can become a shareholder again. If you are a current member, just show us your card. We are always open to all and appreciate your patronage!

Investments$10/yr individual membership$20/yr household membershipTotal $200 lifetime membership

Benefits- Vote for directors & by-laws- 2% discount- Quarterly newsletter with coupons

APRIL IS MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL MONTH

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Editor & Advertising Coordinator: Janet Kennedy-Farmer decaura@vermontel.net

Membership and Mailing Information: Leah, members@rutlandcoop.com

STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE FROM THE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS We did it! We promised you a strategic plan at last year’s annual meeting and it is now just about com-plete with only a bit of editing and polishing to be accomplished. It will be presented at this year’s Co-op Annual Meeting on June 1st, 2014. It is the first ever strategic plan and it will set the course for the future of OUR Co-op for the next three to five years.

Just the process of setting up goals and objectives has encouraged staff to incorporate so many of the key ideas. The process involved a wonderful collabo-ration between Leah Csiszar, representing the staff, to members Pat Hunter, who provided great expertise and leadership, and Randall Smathers, a super edi-tor. It also included Board members Rod Munroe and David Tibbs (AKA Uncle Dave).

The plan is based on cooperative principles outlined in this year’s International Cooperative Alliance: par-ticipation, sustainability, and identity within a capital and legal framework. In addition, we set four goals that the Board and General Manager deemed essen-tial: Internal Strength and Profitability, Exceptional Service and Atmosphere, Connection to the Com-munity, and Enthusiastic Stewardship and Leadership. Throughout the process we kept in mind that the Rutland Area Food Co-op is integral to the downtown business community and because of that we made a commitment to stay in our original location.

We’re off and running! See you in June.

Sandy Cohen, Planning Chair

New! Beautiful ceramic incense burning dishes—a lovely variety of earth-tone glazes at a special price of $7.49

Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!

~Sitting Bull

68 South Main Street Wallingford, Vermont 05773 802.446.2499

Celebrating Our 14th Year of Service to the Community

Chiropractic Care • Therapeutic Massage • Holistic Health Education Stress Reduction Products • Nutritional Supplements • Coaching

Local ketchup grown and made by Yoder Farm in Danby, Vermont!

Founding Member of the Co-op

Going off to travel? Stop in and choose helpful items from our suitcase.

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Board of directors Vacancies announcement

The RAFC Board of Directors has vacancies that we are looking to fill at our June 1st annual meeting.

We are searching for proactive members who are interested in being actively involved as co-op directors. Valued skills include, but are not limited to, finance, marketing, human resources, pub-lic relations, technology, banking, and law...but most importantly a vision and commitment to the future of our co-op and community.

We are very proud and confident with our management, staff, and strategic plan. We are a col-laborative board following policy governance and are looking for new directors who will share in bringing our co-op to a new level.

If interested, or for more information, please contact Barbara Buck at bkbuck@comcast.net or any other board member.

Who would have thought squeezing out time to work on another com-mittee could be so much fun?! When Board member Sandy Cohen asked me to join the group developing a Strategic Plan for the Co-op, I couldn’t pass up the chance to work with her. When I met the other staff, board, and volunteer members I knew we’d have a good time and would develop a very exciting plan. And we did!

You’ve already experienced a bit of it with the new Point of Sales system, the new computer system, and PLU codes. There’s much more to come, as everyone will learn at the Annual Meeting this spring. It’s such a treat to be a part of this exciting time at the Co-op.

Its seed time! Many pretty packages of seeds to choose from, from the Hud-son Valley Seed Library and of course High Mowing Seeds.

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. ~Henry Van Dyke

Pat HunterRAFC Member

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Grains of Wisdom from the Bulk Department

Everyone has their own top food choices. Generally, these decisions are based on flavor or health content, but many have additional qualities that add to their appeal. As a matter of

fact, many of my favorite foods lead secret double lives. Some are great for cleaning, others make inexpensive and effective body care products, and a great many fall in to the “miscellany” category. The benefits of raw honey are probably the most widely known. Aside from a plethora of purported medicinal benefits, it is an antiseptic that, historically, was used to treat cuts and wounds to keep them clean and prevent infection. It can be used as a moisturizer and a hair conditioner that will leave behind a wonderful smell. Each spring many people use local raw honey (which contains small doses of local pollen) to treat allergies. Also, anecdotally, honey can help to cure a hangover. Rice is an amazing grain that absorbs a remarkable amount of moisture. The next time you drop your phone in a puddle, seal it in a container full of rice to help speed the drying process and draw out water. Rice, buckwheat, and other grains are also commonly used for many types of pillows. These types of grains can be frozen or microwaved and will hold temperature for a long time, lending themselves to beneficial therapeutic use. Rice can be put through a coffee grinder to clean it, as it will both clean out the gunky residue and deodorize. My favorite alternative use for rice, however, hails from some of my best childhood memories. It can be used indoors with water and sandbox type toys during inclement weather or in the middle of winter. It seems to me that baking soda is the great all-purpose powder. It is a wonderful deodorizer, although ground coffee is very effective in this arena, too. If you pour baking soda down a drain, followed by vinegar and then hot water, they make a wonderful drain cleaner. Alternately, if you make a paste of the baking soda and vinegar, it makes a gentle and effective cleaning scrub. These two ingredients also make for some very fun science experiments. A slightly lesser known use for baking soda is as a shampoo. Use one part baking soda to three parts water and scrub the solution through your hair. This solution won’t strip the natural oils from your hair so, if you exclusively use this method, there is an adjustment period when your hair may feel oilier, but after a while, your body will adjust to the new norm. Apple Cider Vinegar is such a wonderful thing. It is much more flavorful than white vinegar, it can be used as a cleaning agent, and many people swear by it as a daily tonic. There is also a fabulous reason to keep a bottle of it in your shower – it can be used as a hair conditioner. You can do this as a hair treatment or in combination with using baking soda as a shampoo. The vinegar should be diluted with about 4 parts water and essential oils can be added to counter the intensity of the vinegar smell (don’t worry – the vinegar scent disappears once your hair is dry).

By Manager, Laura Daubenspeck

Our beautiful bulk department becomes lovelier each day! Thank you all for your support and patronage which helps us make these improve-ments happen. Don’t forget to write the PLU number on your sticker.

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Grains of Wisdom from the Bulk Department Beans of all sorts are a universal food staple, but dried beans have a couple of other ready uses. They can be stitched into a long skinny case and used as a door draft stopper. They also make a great reusable weight if you are par-baking a pie shell. Sugar (of any kind) makes a great exfoliant. It can be used to make body or face scrubs, but my favorite, by far, is a moisturizing hand scrub. Just take an empty jar, fill it with sugar, and then pour in the oil of your choice (olive, coconut, jojoba, etc.) so that the oil completely saturates the sugar. When this is used as a scrub, the sugar will scrape off dead skin and open up pores so that the oil is more readily absorbed. In cold climes, oats are practically a required breakfast food, but they are also wonderful for skin conditions that become more pronounced in the winter. Oats are purported to be great for dry and irritated skin. The easiest application method is probably by way of a bath. However, if you don’t want oat flakes drifting around the tub, an alternative would be to put them in a small cloth bag and let it soak in the tub. By making a sachet this way, you can also easily add herbs like rosemary or lavender to your soak. As the weather warms up, we will all be looking for the bug repellant, but before going for the chemicals, try one or more of these herbs: bay leaves, basil, peppermint, lavender, or sage. When planted in a garden, many herbs help to act as an insect deterrent. Planting peppermint around the foundation of a house will help dissuade ants and even mice from wanting to come in. Bay leaves can be used as a guard against pantry moths. These herbs can be grown in small pots on porches or windowsills, or the dry herbs can be distributed in sachets around a house or apartment. As you are spring cleaning and you stumble across some of these products in your pantry, make sure to set them aside to try something new!

Local Polymeadows Farm half-pint creamy, dreamy drinks! A maple smoothie which is delightfully full of culture and probiotics...or a lovely chocolate milk, not too sweet but very smooth and satisfying ~ Always available in the cooler, great for a morning or mid-day treat!

FOR UPDATES ON GMO LEGISLATION IN THE VERMONT HOUSEAND SENATE GO TO www.vtrighttoknowgmos.org

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We have started 2014 off with an exciting boom of beautiful woodworks, space enhancements, optimized efficiencies, and good cheer! Thank you all for your patronage, feedback, and patience as we shift and transition. To help paint the picture of how this all came to be and why, here are the juicy details of the people and the systems that have come together:

Our new shelves and countertops were skillfully handmade by Douglas Yaremchuk of Green Mountain Home Refinements in Claren-don, Vermont. Douglas brings his work ethic, clever mind, basic tools, good humor, and problem solving skills together and the magic happens! We have been so fortunate to have his hand and eye in our Co-op as we seek creative, affordable solutions to our plan for enhancing and expanding our store. He not only wields his saw and hammer for the big changes, but has moved through many small projects for us to help keep the day-to-day sundries well-oiled and working. A carpenter who will tighten the screw, hang the window, or design and build the dream addition. We highly recommend GMHR and value his community-minded approach. Thank you Douglas!

Our new bulk bins are the first phase of an ongoing upgrade to our bulk department. These were purchased with funding from Cooperative Fund of New England, http://www.cooperativefund.org/, a non-profit, socially-responsible financial institution that connects investors to Co-ops, communities, and worker-owned businesses. CFNE funded our Co-op’s opportunity to open its doors in 1995. We are grateful to work with them again and they are thrilled by the evolution of our Co-op thus far and the path that we are laying. We applied for a revolving line of credit, which carries the same low-interest rate as an outright loan, in order to plan our projects thoughtfully in rela-tion to our growth and member’s needs.

The bulk bins are one example of a project that we broke into phases so that we could meet the needs of the members, the depart-ment, and our financial condition. Phase one has proven to be a success visually, feasibly, and financially! Thank you for all of your feedback and enthusiasm for this project! We are excited to update you again in the future when round two is about to begin.

The hard-to-miss Point of Sale (POS) register system is our most complex new addition. An enormous thank you to the staff and all of our wonderful customers for your patience and support throughout the transition process! What a journey and an upgrade to our operation and working systems. We all love the human touch of price tags and manual registers, but as we grow and hear the wish list of our community the time to optimize this technique has arrived. With a computer system we are able to keep better track of inventory, use staff time more effectively and efficiently, track our sales and dollars more accurately, and have fun printing off statistics for all of you such as:

• how much local product we carry and sell• how well any product sells• how much we contributed to local organizations via gift basket sales, community cupboard bags, and soon to come Round Up dona-

tions• how much and what types of savings your purchases have, which is printed on each receipt

All of that and more is to come as we continue to learn and grow into the Core POS system. We have the good fortune of working with Joel Brock of designslife, http://designslife.com/, who is our Core POS guru and technician. Joel spent over a week here building, implementing, and troubleshooting our register system while continuing to help us learn and iron out the kinks. He is a smart, savvy, talented specialist who works with, for, and in Co-ops around the nation to help us all optimize our systems. Thank you Joel! Funding for this project was also drawn from the CFNE funds and a small grant we were rewarded by Rutland’s Downtown Partnership. Many thanks to those organizations for helping us bring Core Pos to our little Co-op!

Good cheer weaves all of this together, making it possible to growing substantially. Thanks to a wonderful staff of people who are committed to connecting you to healthy, safe products from responsible sources as close to home as we can get. This team has developed a solid, positively-charged work dynamic in order to provide the best customer service and generate a healthy shopping environment. After all, we love Co-ops everywhere for not only being a sensible food resource, but for the additional community experience and educational opportunities that they provide. This amazing staff of people, enthusiastic and committed Board of Directors, and a group of dynamite volunteer workers are what makes our Co-op shine! So, please thank them for this good cheer and dedication that they provide everyday!

It is a great pleasure to work with all of you in every facet of our Co-op. I appreciate the contributions that so many people make simply by walking through the door and I value the collaboration in this community. The road ahead has just begun in some ways and carries on in others. It is an honor to lead the way with so many passionate, creative, supportive, and contributing individuals at my side!

All the best and in good spirits,

Leah Csiszar

General Manager

Greetings and HAPPY SPRING Members, Customers, and Community!

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NEW! Locally-made reusable sand-wich bags. So cute and easy to clean. Many fun colors and prints to choose from. Made by Sarita’s Bagitas

www.bagitas.com

Winter Donation Programa SUCCESS!

Our winter donation program to the Vermont Foodbank and Community Cupboard has been such a success! Thank you all for participating and help-ing your neighbors have access to healthy food! This program ends on March 21st. Stay tuned for more ways that you can ex-tend your dollar right into our community and help us spread the good food word!Peace, Love, and Wellness. ~ RAFC Staff

Local hair and skin line, Flourish from Woodstock, Vermont, is now at nice low price—$9.19 instead of $11.09. Many scents to choose from and a lower price to enjoy!

Your Image is Everything.. .

GREENSCREENGRAPHICS.com

7 Pine Street, Rutlandwww.greenscreengraphics.com

greenscreen@gmail.com802.773.0683

Now you can earn a bachelor’s degree from Johnson State College in

Wellness & Alternative Medicine — through a program right here in Rutland!

Call Tammy, Chris or Laura at 786-6996 to learn about this unique program for students with 60 college credits.

NEW!

www.jsc.edu/EDP

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Bring on spring with these great crafts!By Barb Willner of Squiglys’ Playhouse,

A Website for Kids, www.squiglysplayhouse.comButton Flowers

Garden Stepping Stones

This fun craft for making button flowers is a great craft for kids of all ages. Use colorful paper and buttons and pipe cleaners and make a bunch and give them as a gift or use them to decorate your home in anticipation of spring!

WhaT yoU need:• Stiff construction paper• Scissors• Pipe cleaners• Buttons

WhaT yoU do:

1. Cut out flowers from different colors of construction paper. Choose buttons that match your flower.

2. Center a button with the middle of your flower. Poke a pipe cleaner through your flower so that it comes up and through the first hole of your button, then poke it down through the next hole in the button and through your flower.

3. Twist the short end of the pipe cleaner around the long end, directly under the flower and button.

WhaT yoU need: • Ready mix cement• newspaper• Container• Beads, shells, bottle caps,

key chains, etc.

This easy-to-make craft for Stepping Stones are a nice addition to any garden. They also make great gifts because they are easily personalized.

WhaT yoU do:1. Find a plastic container that you will use to make your stepping stone. It could

be the top of a ready made cake from the grocery store (these usually have fancy edges) or a plastic container. If you plan to use a paper box use plastic wrap to line it, so the water from the cement will not seep through.

2. Mix the cement according to the manufacturers instructions. Pour the cement in the container. Two inches is thick enough.

3. Before the cement dries, press your decorations, beads, shells, etc, into the cement.

4. Wait at least 24 hours for your stepping stone to dry before removing it from the container. enjoy!

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.

~William Shakespeare

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Member-Owner CouponShow card to redeem coupon

$.75 off one quart of Buttersworks yogurtOne per customer, can only be combined with 2% member

discount offer expires 5/31/14

Member-Owner CouponShow card to redeem coupon

$1 off a 1lb of However Wild Farm honeyOne per customer, can only be combined with 2% member

discount offer expires 5/31/14

Member-Owner CouponShow card to redeem coupon

$.50 off one Luna & Larry’s ice cream One per customer, can only be combined with 2% member

discount offer expires 5/31/14

Member-Owner CouponShow card to redeem coupon

Buy 1 get 1 free of any “Sale Herb” while supplies last.

(given two different herbs, the higher will be charged) One per customer, can only be combined with 2% member

discount. Discount offer expires 5/31/14

Member-Owner CouponShow card to redeem coupon

$.50 off any Hudson Valley Seed Library seed Packet

One per customer, can only be combined with 2% member discount offer expires 5/31/14

Member-Owner CouponShow card to redeem coupon

$1 per lb off organic wild rice One per customer, can only be combined with 2% member

discount offer expires 5/31/14

Member-Owner CouponShow card to redeem coupon

$.50 off any bar of soap

One per customer, can only be combined with 2% member discount offer expires 5/31/14

Member-Owner CouponShow card to redeem coupon

$2 per lb off dried seaweed or dried mushrooms One per customer,can only be combined with 2% member discount

offer expires 5/31/14

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77 Wales StreetRutland, VT 05701

www.rutlandcoop.com

802-773-0737

Everyone Welcome!1. In a food processor, combine almond flour, arrowroot

powder, salt and baking soda.

2. Pulse until ingredients combine.

3. Pulse in agave nectar and lemon zest until the dough forms a ball.

4. Remove dough from food processor and work in chopped almonds with your hands.

5. Form dough into 2 logs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Lemon Almond Biscottiby Elana Amsterdam at Elana’s Pantry, http://www.elanaspantry.com/lemon-almond-biscotti

1 1/4 cups blanched almond flour1 tablespoon arrowroot powder1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup agave nectar or honey1 tablespoon lemon zest1/4 cup toasted almonds, chopped

6. Bake at 350º for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and cool for 1 hour.

7. Cut the logs into 1/2 inch slices on the diagonal with a very sharp knife.

8. Spread slices out on a baking sheet and bake at 300º for 12-15 minutes.

9. Remove from oven and allow to cool, set, and become crispy.

10. Serve! Makes about 14 biscotti

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

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Please share your thoughts..... A Quinoa SurveyHello to all of our quinoa loving customers! With more information circulating regarding the sustainability of

quinoa crops in South America, we would like to ask all of you for your thoughts and votes on how we respond to the high demand of this amazing food source. We are committed to providing healthy food for all but our mission is also to maintain awareness and social responsibility. Our minds expand when we remember that wellness begins in the air, water, and soil before moving through plants, animals, and people. We consider this concept in our selection process of socially, environmentally, and nutritionally sound products that you bring to your table.

There are many articles circulating on this subject and as media coverage can be, there is controversy in the reporting. Now that inflation and global demand has increased, the discussion revolves around the access local people have to this Superfood. Although we are not certain how the impact of this demand is affecting the local people of the Andean region, we are keeping a close eye on the subject and will be more selective in our purchasing. Please share your thoughts, ideas of alternatives, and how you would respond to a change in our quinoa inventory. We care about offering this Superfood to you but also care about respecting the local communities where the plant actually grows. After all, we have the luxury of prioritizing local foods for our health and wellness and believe all people deserve that right and opportunity.

Here are a few articles that provide more details to the story:

· http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/11/06/global-demand-for-quinoa-takes-toll-onandean-farmers-and-consumers/

· http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2014/01/06/quinua-llega-hasta-lanasa-pero-se-aleja-de-los-consumidores-andinos

· http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/210958/icode/

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Tell us your thoughts!• Would you understand and support a change in our quinoa inventory that considers the social impacts? ________________________________________________________________________________

• Would you try alternatives even if you were not already familiar with them? ________________________________________________________________________________

• More thoughts to share?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The purpose of this article and survey is to start a conversation surrounding current events. We are committed to choosing products responsibly and communicating well with our members and the

greater community.

We appreciate your perspectives and voices, please detach and drop off your survey results in the box on the register counter. Names and contact information are optional.

Cheers to good health and a global impact!

Sincerely, the Rutland Area Food Co-op StaffWritten by Leah Csiszar and Meghan Burke