Seeking Principle Six (P6) – Co-operative Trade Movement National Director
Principle Six (P6) – Co-operative Trade Movement is a multi-stakeholder co-operative, comprised of retail and wholesale co-op members, working together to build economic relationships rooted in the values of co-operation. P6 promotes small farmers/ producers, co-operative businesses, and local farmers/ producers to consumers in retail co-ops. Currently there are ten co-operatives participating in the movement. Visit P6.coop for more information.

P6 is looking for an energetic person who will lead the co-op as we build membership and refine our operations. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated history of success in facilitating diverse interests in support of a shared vision, exceptional communication skills, and a passion for co-operatives. This is a full-time position working out of Seward Co-op in Minneapolis, MN.

Overview

The P6 National Director is the first point of contact for current and prospective P6 member co-ops and is responsible for all day-to-day management, coordination, implementation, and promotion of the P6 Program. For more information on P6 please visit p6.coop.

Minimum Qualifications
• Organizational skills, attention to detail, strongly self-directed
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong networking and relationship development skills
• Ability to lead a diverse group and create shared alignment across stakeholders
• Experience with sales and recruiting
• Organizational management skills and supervisory experience
• Experience with organizational budgeting and financial management
• Familiarity with and/or enthusiasm for the cooperative business model
• Computer proficiency, experience with Microsoft Office and WebEx or equivalent
• Ability to travel frequently
• English proficiency

Compensation: DOE

Please e-mail cover letter, resume, salary requirements or requests for further information to Nick Seeberger, P6 Board President at nseeberger@seward.coop by Sunday, November 15th, 2015.

Seward Co-op is issuing a voluntary recall of Cascadian Farms Frozen Cut Green Beans (16 oz.; retail $3.39) due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses have been reported in connection with this product. We have pulled the product from our shelves.

The affected product’s UPC code is UPC: 000219085014 with a Best by Date of 6/29/2017. The product would have been sold between July 6, 2015 and October 4, 2015. If you have purchased the product and are in doubt, do not consume the product. Recalled products will be fully refunded at our Franklin store Customer Service desk.

Last Saturday, co-op shoppers had the opportunity to meet members of Featherstone Fruits and Vegetables. The farm was started in 1995 as Jack Hedin and Jenni McHugh’s five-acre garden at the Zephyr Valley Land Co-op near Winona, Minn. Since then, the farm has relocated to land near the town of Rushford, Minn., and now employs nearly 50 people working on over 250 acres of optimal vegetable-growing ground. Beginning in late May with leaf lettuce through a summer’s harvest of zucchini and cherry tomatoes into winter squash and carrots in the winter, there’s hardly a month that Featherstone isn’t represented in the co-op’s Produce department. The farm is certified organic and is dedicated to creating a truly sustainable agriculture system. That includes geothermal heating and cooling for the packing shed, as well as a solar array that generates about 60 percent of the farm’s energy. Featherstone also operates a community-supported agriculture program and is currently signing people up for their winter 2015-2016 season!

The 2015 Annual Meeting at the Friendship store was quite likely the largest one in Seward Co-op’s history – in terms of sheer number of people in attendance and in terms of the size of the event. The night’s agenda was packed, and we were thrilled to see such a great turnout.

The 2015 board of directors election saw a pool of highly qualified candidates, and we are excited to have assembled such a strong board of directors. On behalf of the board, thank you to all who ran, and all who voted. Congratulations to election winners Louis Alemayehu, David Hoffman-Dachelet, Joe Riemann and Mary Alice Smalls! For full election results, please click here.

Following the announcement of the election’s outcome, community members shared their support and stories about their deep roots in the Bryant and Central neighborhoods. The We Win drummers signaled the ribbon cutting ceremony, and a vast crowd watched in anticipation as Friendship Store Manager Ray Williams, Diversity and Community Engagement Manager LaDonna Sanders-Redmond, and Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Billy Russell cut the ribbon and invited shoppers in to check out the new Friendship store. Thanks again to all who came out to support the co-op.

Thanks to speakers:

• City Councilperson Alondra Cano
• State Representative Karen Clark
• City Councilperson Elizabeth Glidden
• City Councilperson Cam Gordon
• Stephanie Zawistowski, speaking on behalf of Mayor Betsy Hodges
• Pastor Nazim Fakir, St. Peter’s AME Church
• Eric Weiss and Mike Stebnitz, Carrot Initiative
• Gary Cunningham, Metropolitan Council member & nephew of Kenneth “Mo” Burton
• Pastor Billy Russell, Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church

Of the many reasons to love eating with the seasons, I find the anticipation of the next season’s harvest perhaps the most satisfying. The feeling of excitement for the return of certain fruits and vegetables after months away – when they are in their prime and often when we like to eat them most.

This summer, we’ve had our fill of vine-ripened tomatoes, succulent stone fruit, and hydrating melons – all of which require no heat or fuss to enjoy. As summer winds down and the weather cools, cool season bulk greens such as arugula, spicy mix, salad mix, and spinach have returned from Heartbeet Farm and we have been enjoying deliveries of late season raspberries. We’ll have both until the frost. We also have squash, sweet potatoes, and fall apples to look forward to cooking with and feasting upon for months to come.

In the past few weeks, squash availability really blossomed. Now, beyond the standard butternut and spaghetti squash we have acorn, blue hubbard, buttercup, red kabocha, red kuri, and delicata. Over the next few months, this list will grow to include over a dozen winter squash varieties each with unique flavors and textures suited to different preparations.

Butternut squash makes a richer and nuttier pie than any pumpkin pie I’ve tried. Roasted buttercup is my favorite for a pureed soup. For a quick snack, halve a delicate squash lengthwise, brush the flesh side with olive oil and tuck a clove of garlic and a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme in the cavity and place flesh side down on a baking sheet. Roast until soft and fragrant. Add a little butter, salt and pepper and eat right out of the skin.

I love simmering thick wedges of a red kuri squash, skins on, in 1 cup dashi (Japanese broth made of kombu and bonito flakes), 2 Tbsp. mirin, 2 Tbsp. sake, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce and a pinch of salt until the broth is reduced by half and the squash is tender. Equal parts savory and sweet, this makes a delicious side or could be eaten over rice with a little of the cooking broth poured over.

Squash risotto is perhaps my favorite way to eat winter squash. In a heavy pan, heat a tablespoon of butter and a little olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cups of squash (butternut or buttercup are great here) cut into ½ inch cubes. Cook until the squash begins to soften – around 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of Arborio rice, stir to coat the squash and cook for a few minutes until the rice begins to appear translucent. Add ½ cup of dry white wine, stir until the wine has evaporated. Add in heated vegetable or chicken stock ½ cup at a time allowing each to be absorbed by the rice up to 3 cups in total. When finished, the rice should be tender but not soft and the squash should be fully incorporated. Add ½ cup of grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste and garnish with sage and more parmesan.

To navigate the many squash varieties, look to Produce staff. Information is also posted next to squash displays with basic flavor profiles and suggested uses. In the next Sprout! newsletter, Snow, Seward Co-op’s Produce Buyer, profiled the squash varieties expected from our local farms this year. Perhaps the best way to become familiar with the different squash varieties is to try and taste them all!

Seward Co-op is issuing a voluntary recall of Kevita Strawberry Acai Probiotic Beverage (16 fluid ounces; retail $3.39) due to the possible presence of glass pieces in the product. We have pulled the product from our shelves.

The affected product’s UPC code is UPC: 0085331100305 with a Best by Date of 2/7/2016. The product would have been sold between June 21, 2015 and Sept. 21, 2015. If you have purchased the product and are in doubt, do not consume the product. Recalled products will be fully refunded at our Franklin store Customer Service desk.