On October 28, Back to Nature voluntarily recalled the following product because it was mislabeled. The chocolate in the Chocolate Chunk Cookies contained milk, an undeclared allergen. Between July 30 2016 and October 28 2016, Seward Co-op may have sold products affected by this recall at both the Franklin and Friendship stores.

Back to Nature Chocolate Chunk Cookies –$5.29
Best By Date: 5/8/17-5/12/17
Size: 9.5 oz.
UPC: 1989801100

If you purchased any of the above product at Seward Co-op between July 30 2016 – October 28 2016, recalled products will be fully refunded at either our Franklin or Friendship store Customer Service desk. Consumers can find more information at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm526992.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.

On October 18, Seward Co-op removed Hylands teething gel and teething tablets from our shelves, due to an FDA recommendation warning consumers that homeopathic teething tablets and gels may pose a risk to infants and children. The FDA recommends that consumers stop using these products and dispose of any in their possession. Between July 1, 2016 and October 18, 2016, Seward Co-op may have sold products affected at both the Franklin and Friendship stores.

Hylands Teething Gel–$8.99
Size: 0.5 fl. oz.
UPC: 35497375212

Hylands Teeting Tablets – $10.99
Size: 135 tablets
UPC: 35497331271

If you purchased any of the above product at Seward Co-op between July 1, 2016 and October 18, 2016, affected products will be fully refunded at either our Franklin or Friendship store Customer Service desk. Consumers can find more information at http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm523468.htm.

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the anniversary of the Friendship store and the annual meeting. The family-friendly event was held in the parking lot of the Friendship store in the same location as the ribbon cutting one year ago. We are thankful that the rain held off and a chili supper could be shared by community members. Seward Co-op owners and shoppers danced together as Friendship store Manager on Duty, Jerry Williams and his band, Sultry Soul performed. Check out some of the photos from the event on our Facebook page. As the Friendship store enters into its second year, we have a lot to celebrate.

• Store sales have been better than projected.
• As of October, 2,235 ownerships were sold at the Friendship store.
• The Friendship store employs 56% staff of color.
• 55% of Friendship store staff live within 1.5 miles of the store.
• 75% of Friendship store staff are full-time and eligible to receive benefits.
• The Friendship store pays a living wage of $12.82/hour to staff who have worked 2,000 hours.

Integral pieces of the annual meeting is the announcement of the board of directors election results and the release of the 2016 Scorecard, our annual report. Congratulations to Mehdi Kennar, Jill Krueger, Gregory Lee and Migdalia Loyola! Together with five others, these individuals are responsible for articulating the vision and goals for Seward Co-op that management pursues and achieves. The 2016 election featured a pool of highly qualified candidates. Thank you to all who ran and all who voted.

During the business portion of the meeting, the upcoming 2017 SEED recipients were also announced. For more than 40 years, Seward Co-op has been committed to giving back to our community. In 2011, we introduced SEED, a new way for customers to participate in this commitment. This simple yet powerful community giving program allows customers to “round-up” their grocery or cafe bill for recipient organizations that share our commitment to a healthy community. Congratulations to our 2017 SEED recipients!

Wreaths and garlands from Trout Brook Vineyard in the St. Croix River Valley are available at Seward Co-op this year. The grapevine was harvested from the vineyard and handcrafted into the wreath base. Evergreen boughs are sourced from locally owned Koehler and Dramm.

An 18-inch grapevine and mixed evergreen wreath is $40. Mixed evergreen garland is available by the foot for $12/foot. We will be accepting pre-orders online and at the Customer Service desk at the Franklin and Friendship stores until Saturday, Nov. 26. Orders will be available for pick-up Saturday, Dec. 3. To order your winter décor, please click the link below:

Winter wreath and garland pre-order

The next time you’re in the Produce department, let one of our staff tell you about our selection of seasonal produce available for the remainder of fall and into winter.

Co-ops around the world share a set of guiding principles with Seward Co-op, including “cooperation among cooperatives,” and “concern for community.” When you purchase delicious healthy food at the co-op, you’re supporting a business that cares about people and contributes to a livable, sustainable community. And when you choose products from co-op farmers and vendors, that impact grows and grows.

This year, fair trade pioneer Equal Exchange marks its 30th year as an organization and its 10th year in the banana trade. Since its inception, Equal Exchange has worked tirelessly to give small farmers a place in the global marketplace with the mission of connecting farmers with consumers. Embedded deep within Equal Exchange’s mission is the importance of long-term trade partnerships, as evident through its partnerships with small farmer banana cooperatives in Ecuador and Peru. Equal Exchange has worked with El Guabo cooperative in Ecuador for 10 years and CEPIBO cooperative in Peru for 6 years.

Equal Exchange’s cooperative supply chain stands as an alternative to the conventional banana industry, which is dominated by multinationals. Equal Exchange bananas are grown by farmer cooperatives, imported and distributed by Equal Exchange (a worker-owned cooperative), and sold on the shelves of cooperatives like Seward Coop. Together, Equal Exchange and its partners are creating a trade model that supports small farmers, builds communities, and enriches the environment.

This coop month, celebrate this important milestone in the cooperative movement and radical banana trade with a special celebration at Lakes & Legends Brewery in Downtown Minneapolis on October 27th. Join Equal Exchange for an evening of discussion, food, and fun that celebrates small farmers striving to change the way American consumers view and eat bananas.

The evening will begin with a meet and greet with Dan Koeppel, renowned author of Banana, and Anibal Cabrera, Ecuadorian banana farmer from El Guabo cooperative. This is a rare opportunity to dig into the realities of the banana business with these banana experts, one Equal Exchange is excited to share with its Minneapolis partners.

The remainder of the evening will include a screening and panel discussion of the award-winning documentary Beyond the Seal, an intriguing piece that portrays the story of a group of small farmers – and the activists and visionaries behind them – striving to change the banana industry. Join us for a truly thrilling evening focused on bananas, small farmers, and the cooperative movement.

For more information about the event, visit facebook.com/equalexchange/events. The event is free and open to public.

Thank you for supporting Equal Exchange bananas over the past 10 years. To many more decades in the future!

Ravdeep Jaidka is the Supply Chain Coordinator at Equal Exchange Bananas. Ravdeep manages the domestic end of the Equal Exchange banana supply chain, making sure the bananas get from the Port of Philadelphia to the shelves of coops and stores on schedule every week. Her favorite way to enjoy a banana is in smoothie form.

This year, fair trade pioneer Equal Exchange marks its 30th year as an organization and its 10th year in the banana trade. Since its inception, Equal Exchange has worked tirelessly to give small farmers a place in the global marketplace with the mission of connecting farmers with consumers. Embedded deep within Equal Exchange’s mission is the importance of long-term trade partnerships, as evident through its partnerships with small farmer banana cooperatives in Ecuador and Peru. Equal Exchange has worked with El Guabo cooperative in Ecuador for 10 years and CEPIBO cooperative in Peru for 6 years.

Equal Exchange’s cooperative supply chain stands as an alternative to the conventional banana industry, which is dominated by multinationals. Equal Exchange bananas are grown by farmer cooperatives, imported and distributed by Equal Exchange (a worker-owned cooperative), and sold on the shelves of cooperatives like Seward Coop. Together, Equal Exchange and its partners are creating a trade model that supports small farmers, builds communities, and enriches the environment.

This coop month, celebrate this important milestone in the cooperative movement and radical banana trade with a special celebration at Lakes & Legends Brewery in Downtown Minneapolis on October 27th. Join Equal Exchange for an evening of discussion, food, and fun that celebrates small farmers striving to change the way American consumers view and eat bananas.

The evening will begin with a meet and greet with Dan Koeppel, renowned author of Banana, and Anibal Cabrera, Ecuadorian banana farmer from El Guabo cooperative. This is a rare opportunity to dig into the realities of the banana business with these banana experts, one Equal Exchange is excited to share with its Minneapolis partners.

The remainder of the evening will include a screening and panel discussion of the award-winning documentary Beyond the Seal, an intriguing piece that portrays the story of a group of small farmers – and the activists and visionaries behind them – striving to change the banana industry. Join us for a truly thrilling evening focused on bananas, small farmers, and the cooperative movement.

For more information about the event, visitfacebook.com/equalexchange/events. The event is free and open to public.

Thank you for supporting Equal Exchange bananas over the past 10 years. To many more decades in the future!

Ravdeep Jaidka is the Supply Chain Coordinator at Equal Exchange Bananas. Ravdeep manages the domestic end of the Equal Exchange banana supply chain, making sure the bananas get from the Port of Philadelphia to the shelves of coops and stores on schedule every week. Her favorite way to enjoy a banana is in smoothie form.

On October 3, TW Garner Food Company issued a voluntary recall of its Green Mountain Gringo All Natural Tortilla Strips, due to potential contamination by stainless steel fragments Between August 3, 2016 and October 3, 2016, Seward Co-op may have sold products affected by this recall at both the Franklin and Friendship stores.

Green Mountain Gringo All Natural Tortilla Strips–$2.79
Size: 8 oz
UPC: 0 53852 00300 2

If you purchased any of the above product at Seward Co-op between August 3, 2016 and October 3, 2016, recalled products will be fully refunded at either our Franklin or Friendship store Customer Service desk. Consumers can find more information at http://app.recallinfolink.com/uploads//10864-28741-GrnMtnGringoAllNaturalTortillaStrips.pdf.

On September 15, Field Day Organic issued a voluntary recall of its organic ranch dressing, due to product mislabeling that has resulted in an undeclared milk and egg allergen. Consumers who have severe allergies to milk and/or egg run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. Between Jun. 17, 2016 to Sept. 15, 2016, Seward Co-op may have sold products affected by this recall at the Friendship store.

Field Day Organic Ranch – 8 oz. for $2.99/lb.
UPC # 042563600242
Best By Date: Jan. 28, 2018
Lot Code: W210I

If you purchased the above product between Jun. 17, 2016 to Sept. 15, 2016, recalled products will be fully refunded at Seward Co-op Customer Service. For more information, please contact Drew’s, LLC between 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. EST Monday- Friday at 1-800-228-2980 or email info@chefdrew.com.

Crab apples were the only apples growing reliably in Minnesota before the mid-1800s, but years of experimentation and tree losses from harsh winters have resulted in our state producing some of the most flavorful and unique apples you will find. A short growing season and variable pest problems in local apple orchards make Midwestern organic apples rather rare. We are fortunate to be in partnership with orchards that are either certified organic or using high standards of integrated pest management and bee-friendly applications.

Whistling Well Farm

Whistling Well Farm is an apple orchard located in the St. Croix River Valley. The orchard was planted in 1972 by Carol and Charlie Johnson and their sons, and it now grows a selection of Minnesota’s favorite apple varieties, such as SweeTango, Honeycrisp, Haralson and Zestar. Through a partnership with Cornell University and by practicing integrated pest management, Whistling Well is committed to sustainable and bee-friendly orchard management.

Partner Farms

In 1971, after years of working in the family orchards with his father during the 1960s, Jim Barnard was ready to buy his first farm. He purchased an orchard in Illinois, where he was introduced to organic farming. The environmentally responsible, homegrown business flourished over the seven years he owned it. In 1976, Jim and his wife Crystal left Illinois for Egg Harbor, Wis., to transform a 30-acre dairy farm into a sustainably managed orchard. Over the past 40 years, they have grown their orchards to more than 70 acres. They now collaborate with their son on the management of the orchard and the business.

Here are some popular varieties you’ll see throughout the season:

Honeycrisp

Flavor Profile: Honeycrisp apples are sweet with a trace of acidity and little depth or complexity. There can also be essences of pear-drop flavor.
Uses: Eat raw, salad, cooking

Regent

Flavor Profile: Regent apples offer a dose of honey flavor and plenty of acidity with a crisp juicy flesh.
Uses: Eat raw, cooking

Haralson

Flavor Profile: Haralson apples have an excellent, distinctive, tart flavor and are very crisp and juicy.
Uses: Eat raw, pies, cider

Red Delicious

Flavor Profile: Red Delicious apples are crisp and juicy—not too sweet, not too tart.
Uses: Eat raw

Owned by urban and rural farms in the Twin Cities region, Shared Ground Farmers’ Co-op markets sustainably grown produce and grass-fed meats direct to consumers and to wholesale and retail accounts. Shared Ground Co-op represents a diverse group of producers united around a commitment to cultural and ethnic diversity, environmental sustainability, and social justice. The founding members of the cooperative are Cala Farm, Stone’s Throw Urban Farm, Whetstone Farm, Agua Gorda Cooperative, and La Familia Cooperative. Stop by to visit with representatives from Shared Ground Farmers’ Co-op Saturday, Oct. 22 11 a.m.–2 p.m. at the Franklin store and 3–6 p.m. at the Friendship store.