1. home and garden

“I believe that voting is the first act of building
a community as well as building a country.”
~John Ensign
March - April 2015
inside this issue
Greetings from the GM.............2
Please...
Candidate Statements...............3
Words on Wellness....................4
Ultimate Composting Guide.....5
Classes at the Co-op.................6
UNF Outreach Efforts...............7
Grants & Donations............8 & 9
Earth Day Extraveganza.........10
Patronage Dividends................11
Co-op Calendar........................ 12
In the Board Election
March 1 - 31, 2015
Candidate Statements on Page 2
Connected to
Our Community
greetings from the general manager
Spring Forward!
A natural foods cooperative since 1976
721 South State Street
Ukiah, CA 95482
707 462-4778 Store
707 467-9720 Annex
www.ukiahcoop.com
e-mail: [email protected]
Store Hours
Daily 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
UNF Management
Store
General Manager
Lori Rosenberg
Front End
Lodie DeAlba
Grocery
Eric Slagle
Information Technology
Brian Alexander
Marketing & Outreach
Mary Anne Cox
Produce
Libee Uhuru
Wellness
Mike Tilander
Operations
Don Buchanan
Annex
Finance
Anne Wright
Human Resources
Susan Winter
Co-op News
Editor / Layout
Enjoli Rountree / [email protected]
Contributors
As we approach longer daylight hours and await the
new season of springtime, I hope that Mother Nature
gives us the rain we desperately need. I love this
time of the year and I’m excited to start the preparations for the gardening season, deciding on what new
varieties to experiment with. We are offering a great
selection of organic seeds from Renee’s Garden and
local organic plant starts from CNA Farm in Redwood
Valley.
Three board of director seats are open for election,
each for a three-year term. In this edition of the
newsletter you will meet the four candidates running
for the three open seats. We will have in-store voting set up at our customer service station for voting
member-owners during the month of March. Member-owners who cannot come to the store to vote can
request a paper ballot to be mailed to the shareholder
at the address on record. Results of the 2015 election will be announced at our annual member-owner
meeting on Saturday, April 4th at Terra Savia Winery,
on our website and in the store. We hope to have a
great voting turnout as well as member-owner participation at the annual meeting. It will be a fun event
with great food, music to dance to and an opportunity
to enjoy each other’s company. Details of the event
are in this edition of the newsletter. Hope to see you
all there!
In 2012 our Co-op began labeling all Non-GMO Verified Project products throughout the store with the
Project’s butterfly logo placed on our shelf strips. I
am happy to report that currently there are 3,227 of
those products labeled in our Co-op! We hope that
this helps you make easier shopping choices. The
Non-GMO Project Verified seal indicates that the
product bearing this seal has gone through their
In cooperation,
Lori Rosenberg
General Manager
Our Core Values
• Integrity
• Quality Food & Goods
• Customer Service
• Community Involvement
& Leadership
• Prosperity
marketplace of goods and services that provide for the needs of our diverse community.
Purpose: The purpose of Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op is to be a vital, thriving, and growing
community center that will:
Submissions
The Co-op News • March - April 2015
Thank you all for your continued support of our
great Co-op and I look forward to seeing you at the
member-owner annual meeting. Happy Spring!
Vision: We envision Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op to be the foundation of a trusted, cooperative
Lori Rosenberg, Mike Tilander, Amanda Slade,
Anne Wright & Cliff Paulin
Views expressed in the Co-op News are the writers’
opinions and are not necessarily the views of
Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op. Submissions from
members are encouraged. The deadline for submissions is the first Friday of the month, two months
before publication. Submissions may be edited or
not printed based on length and appropriateness.
verification process. That verification process is
an assurance to the consumer that the product has
been produced according to consensus based best
practices for GMO avoidance. For more information
regarding the Non-GMO Verified seal go to www.
nongmoproject.org/learn-more/understanding-ourseal/.
•Provide and promote organically grown, sustainably produced food, goods, and services that are
locally and regionally sourced whenever possible.
•Promote the health and wellness of our community by providing facilities, resources, and
information and by offering effective, positive community education and services.
•Embody and model sustainable, humane, equitable, green ways of working and living, creating and
maintaining an ideal workplace.
•Add to the enjoyment and enrichment of our greater community ventures and networks.
•Have fun doing it!
2
Ukiah Natural
Foods Co-op 2015
Board Elections
Candidate Statements
T
his year the Co-op has four
candidates running for three open
board seats. The four candidates receiving the most votes will be seated.
We ask that you read the candidate
statements and exercise your right as
a member-owner to govern the Co-op
and vote!
Voting will take place in-store at
Customer Service from March 1-31st.
Owners unable to come to the Co-op
for in-store voting in March may email [email protected]
or call Vicki Prince at 467-9720 to
receive a paper ballot.
as a manager in several Silicon Valley
companies will be particularly helpful
in working with other members of the
Board of Directors and staff at UNF.
In addition, having worked as an independent contractor has provided me
valuable insight in the various aspects
of running a successful business. I look
forward to the opportunity to contribute
my knowledge, people skills, years of
business experience, and passion for
health food to the UNF Board of Directors.
Adam Gaska
I am interested in the future planning of the Co-op, increased membership involvement and improving the Co-op physical store space.
Whenever I’m in Ukiah I go the Co-op.
I know I’ll find food and people I recognize there. As a member since its earliest
days I’ve seen it grow to be a gathering
place which serves a large community
with broad interests. I know of no other
local place where one sees the diverse
mix found every day at the Co-op: young
and old, all shapes and sizes. It’s a
I have served on the board for eight
years and in that time our membership
has more than doubled. My wife and I
Candidate Statements
Win Styles
As an individual health food consumer
for over 40 years, I’ve been intimately
involved in alternative foods preparation
and experimentation. I have taken and
taught cooking classes off and on during
those 40+ years. My active interests in
health, food, and cooking push me daily
to continue improving my knowledge
and skills. I am currently the Secretary
for the Executive Committee of the Lake
Group of the Sierra Club, and a founding
member of the Lake Group.
I also believe that my work experience
Terry d’Selkie
I have served on the Co-op board since
2003. At that time, I joined the Co-op
board to help remove foods containing
GMO’s from the store. I have served
as secretary of the board for the past
six years, and prior to that as President
and Vice President. I enjoy working
with board members, staff and member-owners to help move forward in
our strategic plan, while monitoring the
progress we have made. I have been
involved in creating policies for the Coop that will help future Co-op board
and staff members continue to operate the Co-op, with more services for
our member-owners and customers. I
enjoy being a Co-op board member in
comfortable place to be. What’s on the
shelves and in the bins is only a part of it.
How it’s offered is another.
own and operate Mendocino Organics,
a farm base in Redwood Valley that produces pork, lamb, and beef. We supply
the Bay Area along with our own community with Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op
being one of our biggest local outlets.
I am in a good position as a veteran board
member to help guide our cooperative
as a values driven business, as a local
farmer to promote our Co-op as an outlet
for local foods, as a parent that appreciates the role the Co-op has in making
organic and natural food accessible, and
as a business owner who recognizes the
need for fiscal responsibility. I would very
much appreciate the opportunity to serve
another term on the board of directors.
Dick (Paco) Jordan
As a private chef, I am concerned about
the variety, sources, the quality of food,
and the disturbing rise of GMO’s. I am
passionate about creating and maintaining a “team” atmosphere for employees and contributing to the financial
growth of private health food co-ops.
The Co-op is a real good store and a
great place to meet. We can do more
together. With your support I’d like
to continue serving on the board.
I have experience in Co-operative decision making both in the workplace (New
Growth Forestry) and at home (Pomo
Tierra). I have been a certified organic
farmer since the mid-‘70’s, a licensed
building contractor since 1980, an alternative energy designer, builder, consultant and teacher. I am an active community member and volunteer.
The Co-op News • March - April 2015
By serving on the board since late 2013,
I’ve become more familiar with the challenges the Co-op faces. I’m a long time
resident of a cooperatively owned organic apple farm and a licensed contractor
specializing in alternative energy. I care
about quality of life issues rather than
how much one can have or own. I’d like
to help support the Co-op’s continuing
growth in a manner reflecting sustainable
values. To me this means offering healthful and useful goods produced as locally
as possible. There are limiting factors for
sure. However, the Co-op does this very
well. How to continue this while responding to members’ recommendations and
ideas is a conversation I’m interested
in participating in and embracing as a
board member. The physical layout for
the store itself is the greatest limiting factor staff and members deal with every
day. I hope I can be helpful improving our
space as we expand fresh food services,
the produce department and offer more
classes and events of interests which
encourage member participation.
service to my community, and would be
honored to continue for another term.
I am interested in increasing the Co-op’s
involvement in the community, especially for underserved populations and
in underserved areas of our community,
increasing member-owner involvement
in the Co-op, helping to find ways to get
more local foods and products into our
store and help to reinvigorate the Coop’s strategic plan (which includes moving to a new location and get memberowner feedback on the plan).
I am a founding member of the Mendocino County Food Policy Council,
secretary for the Ukiah Teachers Association and a member of the Ukiah Unified School District’s Strategic Planning
Committee.
3
words on
wellness
Hidden-Spinach
Berry Smoothie
Dirt!
Mike Tilander –
Wellness Manager
As kids growing up in the wilderness of northern
Minnesota my wife and I loved our family’s summer
gardens. The growing season is short in the northland but mild and humid evenings and copious rains
are conducive to plentiful yields. My wife and I enjoy
sharing stories of munching on fresh picked carrots,
onions, peas, and radishes during our childhood.
Washing the delectable vegetables always left a bit
of dirt on them which as it turns out is highly beneficial to growing healthy gut flora.
According to research our friendly internal bacteria
are considered our stomach’s and GI tract’s “brain”
protecting us from pathogens and other unwelcome
invaders. The residual “dirt” actually contains HSO’s
or homeostatic soil organisms that strengthen
the “brain” in our stomach and lower gastrointestinal tract. Kids today are challenged to maintain
healthy gut flora because of pollutants, antibiotics,
pesticides, and often a lack of nutritious diets. The
friendly bacteria in our gut thrive on nutritious wholesome unprocessed foods and the beneficial fiber
in them. Research clearly shows that kids’ gut flora
can’t thrive if they are fed packaged, processed, and
refined foods. Long term research is indicating that
our children and grandchildren’s immune system
response is predicated on maintaining healthy gut
flora. Studies are showing that over seventy per
cent of immune response is related to our internal
“brain”! The Co-op’s Wellness Department features
numerous infant and children probiotic formulas
manufactured by some excellent companies such
as Jarrow, Nature’s Way, and Garden of Life.
Research is showing that when kids reach school
age they can benefit from regular probiotic formulas. We carry products that contain HSO’s as well.
Examples include Garden of Life’s Primal Defense
formulas and Healthforce Nutritionals Vitamineral
Green formulas. I treasure my childhood memories
of munching on those delicious garden vegetables
and their added side benefit HSO’s and I know that
my wife concurs. My father would send my siblings
and me out to weed the garden and though we
would whine about it we would change our tunes
when we bit into those wonderful veggies. My folks
never used fertilizers and the good clean HSO’s
were building strong and adaptive “brains” in our
guts. Kids today obviously are dealing with a different world than the one my wife and I grew up in but
we are blessed to have such a wonderful fresh organic Produce Department in our Co-op. Hey kids,
if you ever get the chance to go to a garden don’t
miss the opportunity to eat some “dirt”. Your internal
“brain” will be pleased!
Mike Tilander
The Co-op News • March - April 2015
Recipe Provided by: Stronger Together
Natural Easter
Egg Dyes
Ingredients
2 cups (8 ounces) frozen or fresh red berries, raspberries, strawberries, or a mix
3 cups (3 ounces) spinach (packed)
1 cup yogurt, kefir, or a non-dairy alternative like
almond milk
1 large banana, fresh or frozen
Looking for natural ways to dye your eggs this Easter?
Check out the chart below for great ideas and remember, you can boil the items listed along with your eggs,
or dye them after they are hard-boiled. Whatever your
preference, keep your Easter ‘clean’ this year! (Note:
The items marked (boil) must be boiled before the
eggs.)
Lavender
Small quantity of purple grapejuice
Violet blossoms plus 2 tsp lemon juice
Red Zinger Tea
Blue
Canned blueberries
Red cabbage leaves (boiled)
Purple grape juice
Preparation
Put the berries and spinach in the blender first, and
add the yogurt and banana. Process, scraping down
as needed. Blend until smooth and serve. Tips &
Notes: If the smoothie is too thick to blend, add milk
or a non-dairy alternative as needed to blend.
Kiwi-Avocado
Smoothie
Recipe Provided by: Stronger Together
Green
Spinach leaves (boiled)
Liquid chlorophyll
Yellow
Orange or lemonpeels (boiled)
Carrot tops (boiled)
Celery seed (boiled)
Ground cumin (boiled)
Ground turmeric (boiled)
Orange
Yellow onion skins (boiled)
Cooked carrots
Chili powder
Paprika
Pink
Beets
Cranberries orjuice
Raspberries
Red grape juice
Juice from pickled beets
Red
Lots of red onion skins (boiled)
Canned cherries with juice
Pomegranate juice
Raspberries
Ingredients
5 medium kiwis, peeled
1/2 medium avocado
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup plain coconut water or kombucha
2 tablespoons honey
Preparation
Combine the ingredients in the blender and process.
Serve immediately.
4
The Ultimate Urban
Composting Guide
•Non-fat food scraps
•Worms (about 1,000)
•Water
•A great worm composting guide
book (Follow the steps carefully
— worm compost requires the right
balance of water, air, bedding and
food.)
Article provided by networx.com
Yes, I know what you’re thinking:
“No way am I going to keep a bin
If the idea of composting fills your head with images
full of worms on my balcony! Eeeeof a large backyard and a big compost bin, it’s time to www!” The truth is, vermiculture creates almost no
rethink what composting means. Today, everyone can mess, and it’s possible to compost without ever havcompost — even if you live in a bustling urban center. ing to touch the worms. No one needs to know what’s
If you think your city balcony is too small for compost- inside that large bin on your porch, although divulging
ing, think again. Even a fire
Just in case for those of you who don’tits contents will provide some enviescape is big enough for a small
ronmental inspiration to your cocktail
compost bin. There are many
party guests.
compost options that allow city
dwellers to save valuable landfill
Guerrilla composting
space. Read on to learn how to
Urban dwellers who have no place
compost in the city — without
to dump their compost bins are
attracting pests or creating a
taking matters into their own hands.
bad smell.
These eco-enthusiasts have been
Bins, pails and buckets
Newfangled compost bins are
perfect for city dwellers. For
under $40, you can buy a chic
and functional compost pail that
doesn’t take up much space.
You’ll find lots of bamboo compost pails, ceramic compost
pails, and stainless steel compost pails on the market right
now. These pails have tightfitting lids to keep pests out, and
carbon filters to keep them odor-free. Most of these
containers come in different sizes and shapes to suit
your needs. They’re attractive and clean enough to
keep on a countertop, or you could store one on your
balcony or fire escape.
If you’re living in a small space where moisture and
bad odors proliferate quickly, it’s imperative to buy
a compost pail with a carbon filter. Do it yourself
solutions are generally a good way to save money,
but your average plastic Tupperware-type container
will inevitably generate bad smells. If you must use a
container other than a compost pail with a carbon filter, store the compost in the freezer. This will prevent
your apartment from stinking of week-old vegetable
peels.
Vermiculture
Worms are fascinating creatures that immensely
enjoy your leftover food scraps. When fed food waste,
red worms will consume this waste, and later excrete
the waste in the form of small nutrient-packed pellets. Worm waste is the best kind of soil that you
can provide your plants with, which is why so many
“urban farmers” choose this form of composting over
all others. In order to become a worm composting
enthusiast, you will need the following objects:
•A proper container
•Bedding, like strips of old newspaper
The Co-op News • March - April 2015
known to dump compost waste into
a nearby composting bin at the wee
hours of the morning. Aside from this
sneaky tactic, scope out your city
for the following compost dumping
locations:
•Urban gardens: Head over to your
nearest urban gardening center, and
ask about donating your compost.
Also, speak with some gardeners —
many of them will be glad to have
your nutrient rich compost!
to produce your own goods. All you need is a nice
window spot or balcony. Just think — you already
have the compost!
•Public places: Guerrilla composters tend to find
public parks, gardens, and grassy areas that look
like they could use a bit of attention. While this form
of composting is an entirely noble feat, it’s best to
do this kind of compost dumping during the evening
hours — this way, you’ll avoid a large city fine!
•Craigslist and other public forums: Why not donate
your compost? Sell or give away your compost to
those that need some top-notch soil. You’ll be surprised at the number of responses you get!
Smells, pests and other concerns
Containers that have been specially made for urban
composting are often equipped with anti-odor features. Some of these items contain carbon filters that
must be changed once every couple of months, while
others contain natural deodorizers.
Worm compost piles don’t actually smell at all, though
it’s important to control the amount of food that your
worms eat. By feeding your worms a small amount of
food waste at a time, you can ensure that rotting food
won’t be left lying around.
Generally, small pests are not a problem when it
comes to urban composting. However, it’s important
to keep tight lids on compost jars, do not pile compost
higher than the container that you are using, and
keep your compost container in a secluded area.
•Horticulture centers: Any savvy horticulturalist knows
the value of good compost. See if you can bring yours
to a nearby horticulture center once or twice a week.
•Neighbors: Does your next door neighbor have a
garden? If so, educate your neighbour on the importance of compost, and then ask if they’d like to have
yours. Just make sure to gain your neighbor’s permission before you dump out your compost pile!
•Your own container garden: Nothing beats the taste
of vegetables and herbs grown in your own container
garden. You don’t need a large space or lots of land
SALE
Wednesday
April 22nd
10% Off all bulk products!
Sale includes all bulk food, herbs and coffees. (Exclusions Apply)
5
Classes at the Coop
Nutrition & food
therapy according
to chinese medicine
Part Two
Co-op Wellness Class
Wednesday, March 11th
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
$8/$5 Member-Owners
herbs & spices
A tapestry of flavor
Grilling,
The next step
Co-op cooking Class
CO-OP COOKING CLASS
Wednesday, March 25th
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
$15/$10 Member-Owners
Wednesday, April 15th
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
$15/10 Member-Owner
Instructor: wyn styles
Instructor: don buchanan
Instructor: Victor Cheng, L. AC.
Join us for a wellness class with Victor Cheng, L. Ac.
practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Ukiah. Students will learn the basic principles of Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM), its theories, and its application to the use
of food therapy. Problems of modern diet will be discussed.
Students will also learn how to plan and apply this diet for
themselves. RSVP Today!
st. patricks daY
Co-op Kids Class
Wednesday, March 18th
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
$12/$7 Member-Owners
In this class you will learn a short history of herbs and
spices, proper storage and organization. The bulk of the
class will be devoted to various techniques of cooking
with herbs and spices to maximize their benefits; the use
of herb and spice combinations; and a brief introduction to their medicinal uses. Each participant will receive
handouts that cover the class material, some recipes for
combinations, and an annotated bibliography for additional study. RSVP Today!
Menu planning
for healhty eating
Co-op cooking Class
Wednesday, April 8th
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
$15/$10 Member-Owners
Instructor: jen dalton
Sign your child up today for our St. Patrick’s Day kids
class! In this class we will make green food, treats with
tricks and leprechaun gold. It will be a class full of magic
and fun! RSVP Today!
The Co-op News • March - April 2015
Have you been thinking about eating healthier and with
more forethought but feel daunted by shopping, menus,
recipes and vegetable/ingredient processing? In this
hands-on workshop you’ll learn lifestyle tips and be given
handy resources (like weekly menu plans) to maximize your
time and money. We’ll make a sample weekly meal plan
together and learn about some recipes that make great
leftovers to extend into new meals. You’ll leave inspired
and ready to go shopping! RSVP Today!
Join us for this basic grilling class with Webber certified
grilling expert Don Buchanan. In this class you will learn
basic grilling tips for vegetables and meats for dinner
salads or entrées. There will be live demonstration and
sampling to enjoy. RSVP Today!
RSVP for a class today!
By contacting customer service
at 462-4778 or register
online at ukiahcoop.com.
You may also use your digital device
to scan the qr code below to view
our classes and register online.
Class Cancellation
and Refund Policy
Please cancel at least two days in
advance to receive a refund.
If cancellation is within 48 hours of
class time, a credit toward future
classes will be issued.
6
Outreach Efforts
Enjoli Rountree – Marketing & Outreach Coordinator
Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op has been working hard to
expand our outreach by building partnerships within
the community. Our purpose is to educate, promote
and provide good food for good health.
We have joined forces with Ukiah Valley Medical Center in an effort to provide UVMC staff and the greater
community with classes on positive
lifestyle changes for their “Lunch
and Learn” wellness class series.
These free classes are held on the
last Tuesday of each month at Ukiah
Valley Medical Center from 12 – 1
p.m. and cover a variety of alternative diets such as Vegan, GlutenFree, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free and tips
on how to shop and cook within a
budget.
Speaking of budget, each month we
offer free “money saving” in-store
tours to all community members.
In February, we were honored to take part in two community events. “Go Red for Women” at Hillside Health
Center as well as the first annual, “A Toast to Red, a
celebration of the heart,” at Barra of Mendocino. Both
events were in support of the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” campaign raising aware-
Money-saving store tour
In-Store Tour
Wednesday, March 18th
9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
FREE Tour
721 S. State Street
Think healthy eating is too expensive? Don’t think you
can afford to eat organic? Then come to our store tour,
“Shopping to Save at the Co-op.” Outreach is here to give
you tips and tricks to stretch your food budget! Tour fills
up quickly so please RSVP today!
The Co-op News • March - April 2015
ness of heart disease. The participants of these
events enjoyed co-op smoothies, beet, celery and
apple juice. We had a great time connecting with
member-owners and community members in support of heart health.
earth day Kids Event
Co-op outreach event
Tuesday, April 21st
Invitation Only
With an ongoing desire to impact the younger
generations within our community we offer instore school tours emphasizing organic produce,
co-op composting and recycling
methods while exploring each
department. We have had the
pleasure of hosting classes from
River Oak, Yokayo, Oak Manor
as well Eagle Peak. We have
also expanded our kids’ classes
with an early and a later option
for children to participate.
This year in celebration of Earth
Day, Ukiah Natural Foods Coop has invited select local third
grade students to participate in
the viewing of “What’s on Your
Plate,” a witty and provocative
documentary about kids and food politics hosted
at Ukiah Players Theatre.
Remember, Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op continues
to offer adult classes in wellness, food education,
cooking, movie nights and more.
In celebration of Earth Day 2015, Ukiah Natural Foods
Co-op invites local third grade students to participate in
the viewing of “What’s on Your Plate,” a witty and provocative documentary about kids and food politics. Over
the course of one year, the film follows two eleven-yearold African-American city kids as they explore their place
in the food chain.
Lunch & Learn Series
Practical Fitness
Lunch & Learn Series
quick healthy meals for Busy People
Tuesday, March 24th
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
FREE EVENT
Ukiah Valley Medical Center
275 Hospital Drive, Ukiah
Tuesday, April 28th
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
FREE EVENT
Ukiah Valley Medical Center
275 Hospital Drive, Ukiah
Instructor: local fitness instructors
Instructor: Tiera Pack-Lawyer
Are you looking for ways to increase your fitness and activity level? Join us for this exercise sampler with local fitness
instructors. In this class instructors will demonstrate quick
tips to add into your daily routine. “Fun with Fitness” is a
class for all age groups and fitness levels! RSVP today!
Busy? Of course you are! Come learn strategies to eat
healthy in a busy schedule. Join us for this class on quick
and easy meals...that are affordable too! Recipes provided.
RSVP today!
Co-op outreach Class
Co-op outreach Class
7
Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op gives back!
2014 grants & donations
SPACE Performing Arts
We are pleased to submit this report to you regarding
the $1,000 award from Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op
Grant Program. By the end of 2015
SPACE Co-Directors & Board will
have raised $30,000 in financial aid
for eligible students from individuals,
businesses, foundations and organizations.
The SPACE program has touched
children’s lives thanks to our innovative program, which combines
performing arts, youth leadership,
and attention to students’ social and
emotional skills to build resilient
children who are equipped with the
skills and desire to be active and
engaged citizens in the 21st century.
On behalf of all the families who
benefit from the scholarship program, thank you for Ukiah Natural
Foods Co-op 2014 donation.
Ukiah Valley Trail Group
Thank you so much for providing us funds to update
our website. We have completed the project and are
happy with the results. Our request for funds was
spurred by a number of problems with our existing
website.
The Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op grant has also allowed us to create a new calendar function that will
not only be of use for volunteers who want to know
when we will have our next trail day, but hopefully will
help us attract people to our website. The calendar is
being promoted in conjunction with our sister organization Walk & Bike Mendocino. It has been designed
so it is open to the public to post outdoor events.
People can use the calendar to publicize hikes, bike
rides and educational outings. Our hope is that this
will further our mission in
helping people get outside
and engaged in healthy
physical activities while
at the same time getting
people to come to our
website where they can
learn about what to do.
This project has also allowed us to improve the
ease with which people can buy our few products or
make donations. We now are PayPal ready and can
accept both donations and purchases with money
being transferred directly to our bank account. Users
still have the option of donating through “Network of
Good.”
The Co-op News • March - April 2015
Finally, the site is now mobile friendly. We want to
extend our thanks to Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op for
the support that has allowed us to make these great
improvements to our website.
den, its gardeners, and the materials that were purchased with the grant to facilitate their development.
Vinewood Park Community Garden
On behalf of North Coast Opportunities,
Inc. Foster Grandparent Program please
accept this letter as the final report on the
use of the $2,400 grant funding that was
provided on March 6, 2014. The funds
were used to provide nutritious, appealing
food at monthly in-service training meetings for Foster Grandparents in Ukiah.
These low-income, senior volunteers were
provided breakfast and lunch or a brunch
at each meeting.
Located between Pine and Elm streets to the north
of Low Gap Road, the Vinewood Park Community
Garden is the first community garden within a city
park for the city of Ukiah. The garden in the park has
enhanced the use of the outdoor recreational space,
with 28 garden plots total: 12 that are raised beds for
seniors and 16 in ground beds. The Gardens Project
partnered with Pinoleville Pomo Nation Youth Build
program to construct the fencing and beds for the garden. With funding from Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op, a
redwood trimmed, hog wire fence was constructed by
the Youth Build crew under the direction of contractor
Mike Sherosick.
This year we partnered with Ford Street
Program for several months to cater food
for our meetings. With one donation you
supported two non-profit programs and
helped two segments of the community:
low-income seniors and disadvantaged participants at
Ford Street.
Gardeners at Vinewood are constantly complimented
on the beautiful space they grow food in, and many
walking through the park pause to admire the transformation of that corner of Vinewood Park. The fencing
adds to the beauty of the garden, allowing space to
look in for all that pass-by and protecting the hard
work of the gardeners signed up for plots.
North Coast Opportunities, Inc.
Since 1973 Foster Grandparents
have served in Mendocino, Humboldt and Lake Counties under
the sponsorship of North Coast
Opportunities, Inc. In 1999, the
program expanded to serve Del
Norte and northern Sonoma Counties. The funds provided by Ukiah
Natural Foods Co-op were used to
support operation of the program
in Mendocino County; however,
by providing local match for the
federal grant, a byproduct of the
support also benefits operation of the program in all
five counties.
Thank you for your interest in the community and for the community grant program. On behalf of the Foster Grandparent
volunteers and the children they tutor and
mentor, please accept our appreciation for
your support of our program.
The Gardens Project of
North Coast Opportunities
The Gardens Project of North Coast Opportunities (NCO) has had an exciting
year of community based garden development. With the support of the Ukiah Natural Foods
Co-op, we were able to supplement the development
of two community gardens in Ukiah. The UNF grant
of $2,000, delivered in March of 2014 provided the
framework, literally the fencing, for creating greater
access to local food production for nearly 80 families
in Ukiah. The following is a description of each gar-
Village Circle
Community Garden
The Village Circle Community
Garden, just east of the Ukiah
Natural Foods Co-op on Gobbi
Street, has become the most visible garden to the Ukiah community. Village Circle is the new home
for many of the gardeners at
Cleveland Lane Community Garden. Cleveland Lane was the first
community garden established in
2000 in Ukiah, and it will be closed after 2014 season
due to expansion of the Grace Hudson Museum. Plots
have been assigned to families nearby Village Circle,
including the Summer Creek Village apartments directly south of the garden. The garden provides space
for 50 families to grow fresh food.
Thanks to the funding provided by Ukiah Natural
Foods Co-op this garden was also fenced in to provide security to the community plots. Jason Dolan and
Dark Horse Farming Company generously donated a
day of labor to install the fencing.
Community Care Management
Corporation
Community Care Management Corporation received
a generous grant in the amount of $1,000 from Ukiah
Natural Foods Co-op for the 2014 calendar year.
Community Care utilized this award to help pay for a
pilot program called Simple Healthy Eating. Simple
Healthy Eating provided meal planning, preparation,
nutritional information, and hygiene education utilizing
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2014 grants & donations continued
hands on instruction to adults in Mendocino County
with intellectual disabilities. Many of these adults have
severe reading and comprehension difficulties and
are often left out of being able to access information
about healthy food and cooking
because most of the information available is not designed
for individuals with intellectual
disabilities.
Our Ukiah Natural Foods Coop grant was used to purchase
food for the workshop. We
had a total of 11 unduplicated
participants, many of whom
came to every workshop. During the workshop the clients would be presented with
a menu, be shown how to shop for the menu items,
how to prepare the ingredients for cooking, how to
cook the meal, and how to set the table for sharing
the meal with others. This pilot program was incredibly successful and all participants reported how much
they enjoyed it. Many tried the menus presented at
the workshops at home, and some even brought in
samples of their own efforts at creating the recipes.
We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to
introduce simple ways for these people to shop, cook,
and eat healthy as they are often left out due to their
challenges with reading and limited incomes. We plan
on continuing to offer these bi-monthly workshops
and hope that Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op will please
consider our Simple Healthy Eating program for funding in 2015.
The Garden at Anderson Valley Elementary
The Garden at Anderson Valley Elementary has grown
again over the last eight months. With the addition
of the greenhouse, we will be getting ready to plant
seeds for spring. It is very exciting to be able to use
our own starts instead of purchasing them, as we
have always done in the past.
Our first use of funds donated by
Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op was
used for laying the foundation for
our greenhouse. The base consists
of a redwood frame with gravel fill
for the floor. The assembly of the
greenhouse took three hours by two
people and the completed project
from beginning to end took a total
of 30 hours. The greenhouse will
also include a concrete slab at the
entrance door. This project took
place on Jan. 1st of 2015. A workbench/potting station and racks
have been purchased for the greenhouse for housing
seed starting trays. Additional racks (two sets) are to
be purchased in order to make efficient use of both
long walls of the greenhouse, permitting we have the
available funds to do so.
The continuation of the garden program has been an
essential benefit to our kids. With the help from organizations such as yourself, it encourages us to keep
The Co-op News • March - April 2015
moving forward on this journey. We plan to have
plenty of starts ready for spring to not only plant in the
school garden, but to have a plant sale held by the
kids.
I would like to thank you
for all the support you have
given us as we continue
teaching the value and necessity of growing our own
food to ensure healthy lives.
Plowshares
Plowshares received $1,800
from the Ukiah Natural
Foods Co-op non-profit community organization. We
requested the grant money to help us fund the milk
we provide our homebound seniors
in the meals on wheels program
(MOW). The MOW program consists
of three routes, each delivering to
30-35 homebound seniors MondayFriday. A team of two volunteers, a
driver and a runner, take the meals
into the senior’s home. In addition
we also deliver one quart of milk on
Mondays. Along with providing a hot
meal to their home, runners do a
quick informal check on each senior.
100% of the grant money went to
pay for the weekly milk bill for MOW.
The cost of the weekly milk was approximately $117.00/week to Clover
Stornetta Farms. We were able to
cover this milk cost from March 18,
2014 to June 30, 2014.
Receiving this grant money has helped us not only
in providing milk to our MOW homebound seniors,
but allowed us to free up funds for other
expenses incurred in the program. The
food trays and lids for the hot meals are
some of the largest costs we have here
at Plowshares. Having the milk covered
for three and a half months was of great
benefit to us.
We thank you for your generous award of
$1,800 in grant money to fund 16 weeks
of milk for this worthy program of meals
on wheels for homebound seniors.
The Joyful Cooking Grant
The Joyful Cooking Grant from Ukiah
Natural Foods Co-op was used to purchase produce and other ingredients from UNF to prepare meals by and for local families. In a partnership
between FoodCorps, HealthCorps, Gardens Project at
North Coast Opportunities, and Ukiah Unified School
District’s Garden Enhanced Nutrition Education
(GENE) Program, the Joyful Cooking series was held
at Oak Manor Elementary School on October 29th,
November 5th and 12th.
10 families participated in all three of the classes. The
series provided nutrition education as well as education on: safe knife skills, safe food handling practices,
how to safely cook with kids, and how to help kids
enjoy healthier foods. At each class the entire group
worked together to create a healthy meal that they
ate together. Through the different partners involved
dietetic interns were recruited to help counsel and
educate individual families with special needs like
one family who had a student who was diagnosed as
“pre-diabetic” or one who suffered from celiac disease.
The 1st, 2nd, 3rd class focused on healthy breakfasts, lunches, snacks and dinners, respectively. The
recipes that were used in the classes were all found
in cookbooks provided by Champions for Change,
Network for a Healthy California. At the completion
of the series participants received their own cutting
board and knife, a set of cookbooks from Champions
for Change, an apron and a certificate for $20 to the
Ukiah Farmer’s Market to encourage the continued consumption of
healthy foods.
The Joyful Cooking Series will be
repeated at two other local elementary schools (Nokomis and Yokayo)
beginning in late January 2015.
Fresh Food Advocate
Hello to Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op!
Thank you for your investment in our
garden. Although at first we had lofty
dreams (a rain water catchment
system, fruit trees for a small orchard, and a fancy worm composting
system), we ended up realizing that
our actual needs were more basic.
We needed potting soil, tools, and hoses before we
could start to think about an orchard. We were very
much in need of the money you gave us and the tools,
hoses, and other basic gardening equipment that your
grant provided us with will be used for years to come.
NOYO Food Forest
Summer 2014 Programs which Ukiah Natural Foods
Co-op generously supported with $2650 in Community Grant funding. However, this has been a difficult
year for NFF. Dispite all challenges the highpoint of
the year was the successful Summer Intern program
supported by the Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op grant.
We are very excited and hopeful that 2015 will be
a breakout year with many more interns, a needed
new greenhouse--supported by community funds and
another grant, and a productive garden providing food
for the school district and the farmers markets.
We greatly appreciate the support we have received
from the Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op.
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Earth Day
Extravaganza!
Amanda Slade – Wine Buyer
Just in case for those of you who don’t know, Earth
Day is on April 22nd and this is a great time for us to
let you know about some sustainable biodynamic wineries and their farming practices. Biodynamic farming
is a method of organic farming originally developed by
Rudolf Steiner that employs what proponents describe
as “a holistic understanding of agricultural processes.”
There are many regulations, strict standards and
specifications to be called a biodynamic winery
and it all ties in with biodynamic farming practices.
To give you a little background about how the biodynamic movement came to be it all started with
a man named Rudolf Steiner (who also founded
the Waldorf School). One of the first sustainable
agriculture movements, it treats soil fertility, plant
growth, and livestock care as ecologically interrelated
tasks, emphasizing spiritual and mystical perspectives.
Proponents of biodynamic agriculture, including Steiner, have characterized it as “spiritual science” as part
of the larger anthroposophy movement. For a vineyard
to be considered biodynamic, the wine grower must
use the nine biodynamic preparations made by Rudolf
Steiner in 1924. Of the nine preparations, three are
used as sprays and the other six are applied to the
vineyard via solid compost. Other aspects of the biodynamic winemaking specifications include composting all grape waste and using the resulting compost in
the vineyards, hand harvesting fruit, and the exclusion
of pasteurization.
For a winery to be biodynamic certified, they have to
seek out an organization that can give them the stamp
of approval. The Demeter Association is the largest
certification organization for biodynamic agriculture
and is one of three predominant organic certifiers. Its
name is in reference to Demeter, the Greek goddess
of grain and fertility. Demeter Biodynamic Certification
is used in over 50 countries to verify that biodynamic
products meet international standards in production
and processing. Its Demeter certification
program was established in 1928, and
was the first ecological label for organically produced foods.
We carry many biodynamic wines at the
Co-op, and Frey is definitely the top one.
Frey is the first certified biodynamic wine
in the U.S. and they are here in Mendocino County. They have paved the
road and have been at the forefront of
the biodynamic wine industry for years.
The Co-op News • March - April 2015
Marguerite and Paul Frey Sr. moved out to Redwood
Valley in 1960 along with their 12 children and have
been bonded since 1980. There are 7 out of the 12
children to this day that work at Frey vineyards, along
with some of their spouses. Frey has been sought
out for training and teaching other wineries who want
to practice biodynamic farming, and are an influential
and integral backbone to our community. Their tasting
room is located in Hopland in the Solar Living Institute
at the Real Goods store, which carries everything from
books to solar panels. The Solar Living Institute also
offers courses on solar panel installations, how to brew
your own beer and sustainable living practices. It’s a
really fun store and a neat location that you can tour
and have a picnic outside.
Happy Earth Day everyone, and I hope you celebrate
April 22nd by being extra conscious, appreciative and
kind to our earth today.
Salute,
Amanda
properly organic materials, including paper, we can
divert them from landfill, thereby reducing anaerobic
decomposition and the production of methane gas.
Energy Savings
• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy
to run a TV for three hours.
• The recycling of one glass container saves enough
energy to light a 100-watt bulb for 4 hours.
• For every pound of steel recycled, it can save enough
energy to light a 60-watt bulb for 24 hours.
• Every ton of paper recycled can save up to 4200
kilowatt hours of energy.
Economic Benefits
1. A Diverse Industry...Recycling means business in
California
2. Economic Benefits...Recycling adds greater economic value thanthrowing it all away
3. Job Creation...Recycling creates more jobs than
landfilling
Benefits of Recycling
4. Urban Renewal...Recycling creates opportunities for urban renewal
Article provided by Californians Against Waste
5. Economic Growth...Recycling generates business growth in California
The benefits of recycling go far beyond the materials
we keep out of the landfill. Overall, recycling
can:
6. Business Efficiency...Waste reduction and recycling
increase business efficiency and competitiveness
• Conserve resources for the future.
• Prevent emissions of many greenhouse
gases and water pollutants.
• Save energy.
• Supply valuable raw materials to industry.
• Create jobs.
7. Product Innovation...Recycling encourages product innovation
8. Saving Business Money...waste reduction and recycling mean cost savings for
business in California
9. Saving Public Dollars...Waste reduction and recycling are cost effective for local government
• Stimulate the development of greener technologies.
10. The Environment...Waste reduction and recycling
protect California’s environment
• Reduce the need for new landfills and incinerators.
Cost Savings
SOME BASIC RECYCLING FACTS:
For many businesses, recycling has proven to be cost
effective--using less energy to obtain and process materials, and reducing pollution and waste management
costs. Here are a few examples:
Conserving Resources
• Every ton of paper recycled a year saves 17 trees
and 7000 gallons of water.
• Every ton of steel recycled saves 2,500 pounds of
iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds
of limestone.
• Recycling one ton of glass saves the equivalent
of 10 gallons of oil.
Reducing Pollution
• According to the U.S. EPA, methane is the
second largest source of greenhouse gas in the
atmosphere, and landfills account for 37% of
methane gas output. By reducing and recycling
• Every year, the makers of shipping pallets consume
half of all hardwood and 10% of all lumber used nationally. At Eastman Kodak, redesigned shipping pallets and altered stacking patterns saved over 7 million
pounds of wood and $380,000 in a single year.
• At Hewlett-Packard’s Roseville manufacturing facility, 93% of packaging waste generated is now re-used
or recycled, saving the computer giant $1.45 million in
disposal costs.
Recycling saves energy throughout the production cycle because recycled materials require less processing than raw “virgin” materials.
10
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international
co-op
principles
Patronage
Dividends
Anne Wright
Finance Manager
How to
make sure
you get
yours!
When Co-ops have profit left at the end of the year, they
may distribute that profit back to their member-owners.
Since 2012, Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op Board of Directors has distributed $775,541 in patronage dividends
to member-owners. The profits are distributed in direct
proportion to the co-op owner’s purchases. The Co-op’s
Board of Directors have approved the amount of the
2014 patronage dividend. The checks will be mailed in
April.
Voluntary & Open
Membership
Democratic Member
Control
Member Economic
Participation
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5
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Autonomy &
Independence
Concern for the
Community
Education, Training &
Information
Cooperation Among Co-ops
In order to be eligible for a patronage dividend, you need
to keep your shares current, and use your memberowner card when you shop. This enables us to track your
purchases, which we use to calculate your portion of the
patronage dividend. We really want you to receive your
patronage dividend, so please help us out by making
sure that your mailing address is correct on your membership account! Every year hundreds of patronage
dividend checks remain uncashed!
The patronage dividend checks can be cashed here in
the store, or used towards your purchases when you
shop. Also, patronage dividends are not considered taxable income if your purchases were for personal use. If
you have a business account, you should consult your
tax advisor.
Please stop by customer service when you shop and
have them do a quick check on your account. They
can update your address and check to see if you have
an uncashed patronage dividend check from 2012 or
2013! If you do, they will help you fill out the paperwork
necessary to have us reissue your check. You can also
call the membership dept. at 467-9720, or e-mail us at
[email protected].
Did you know...
As a member-owner you have the option to save trees by
having your receipts e-mailed to your inbox? This saves
room in your wallet and you’ll receive digital files of all of
your purchases from the Co-op.
Contact Customer Service and opt into e-receipts today!
What’s Happening at the Co-op?
Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op mails out a weekly e-newsletter called the Co-op News E-Beet. The E-Beet will
keep you up to date with classes, recipes, food education
and much more!
Contact Customer Serivice or sign up for the e-newsletter on the homepage of www.ukiahcoop.com.
Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op Board of Directors
Open
Seat
President
Clifford Paulin
Vice Pres.
Adam Gaska
Treasurer
George Gibbs
The Co-op News • March - April 2015
Secretary
Terry d’Selkie
Lorena CalvoEvans
Larry
Mayfield
Elaine
Boults
Paco
Jordan
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Stay connected
with the Co-op
Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op
721 South State Street
Ukiah, CA 95482
PRSRT-STD
US Postage
PAID
Petaluma, CA
PERMIT #16
Like us on Facebook!
Ukiah Natural Foods Co-op is now
on YouTube!
Scan qr codes to view on your digital device.
Co-op Calendar
Wednesday, March 11
Nutrition and Food Therapy According to
Chinese Medicine Part 2
6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Co-op Annex
$8/$5 for Member-Owners
Please RSVP at www.ukiahcoop.com or
call Customer Service at 462-4778.
Monday, March 16
Board Meeting -- 749 C South State Street
All member-owners are invited to attend, 6:00 p.m.
For a copy of the meeting agenda, go to
ukiahcoop.com or look on the Co-op event board
on the day of the meeting.
Wednesday, March 18
St. Patrick’s Day -- Kids Class!
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Co-op Annex
$12/$7 for Member-Owners
Please RSVP at www.ukiahcoop.com or
call Customer Service at 462-4778.
Tuesday, March 24
UVMC - Practical Fitness
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. 275 Hospital Drive
FREE EVENT
Please RSVP at www.ukiahcoop.com
The Co-op News • March - April 2015
Wednesday, March 25
Herbs & Spices a Tapestry of Flavor
6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Co-op Annex
$15/$10 for Member-Owners
Please RSVP at www.ukiahcoop.com or
call Customer Service at 462-4778.
Saturday, April 4
Member-Owner Annual Meeting
4:00 - 8:00 p.m. - Terra Sávia Winery
14160 Mountain House Road, Hopland,
Please RSVP at www.ukiahcoop.com or
call Customer Service at 462-4778.
Wednesday, April 8
Menu Planning for Healthy Eating
6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Co-op Annex
$8/$5 for Member-Owners
Please RSVP at www.ukiahcoop.com or
call Customer Service at 462-4778.
Wednesday, April 15
Grilling, The Next Step
6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Co-op Annex
Monday, April 20
Board Meeting -- 749 C South State Street
All member-owners are invited to attend, 6:00 p.m.
For a copy of the meeting agenda, go to
ukiahcoop.com or look on the Co-op event board
on the day of the meeting.
Tuesday, April 21
Earth Day Kids Event - “What’s On Your Plate”
Ukiah Playhouse
By invitation only
Wednesday, April 22
10% Off All Bulk Products
Sale includes all bulk food, herbs and
coffees. (Exclusions Apply)
Tuesday, April 28
UVMC - Quick & Healthy Meals
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. 275 Hospital Drive
FREE EVENT
Please RSVP at www.ukiahcoop.com
$15/$10 for Member-Owners
Please RSVP at www.ukiahcoop.com or
call Customer Service at 462-4778.
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