Keewaydin Farms, founded in 1976 by Richard and Mary Haucke, is now run by their son, Rufus Haucke with help from his children Karma and Aurora. Previously a dairy farm run with sustainable practices, the farm is now a MOSA certified organic vegetable operation. Rufus and his family raise 15 acres of produce for wholesale markets and a community supported agriculture program. Located in beautiful rural southwestern Wisconsin, Keewaydin Farms enjoys the serenity found only in the quietest places. It is a place where the scenery nourishes the soul, and the bounty of the farm nourishes the body. In these times of global markets, Keewaydin Farms is rooted in providing high quality products to its local community, because they believe these products are not only better for the planet as a whole but that people who eat locally grown products are eating healthier, better-tasting goods.

1. When did you begin farming and what inspired you to pursue it professionally?
I began my farming career in 2004. Actually, I grew up on my farm and as a kid, helped my parents with the daily chores of a small dairy. But 2004 is when it became my operation. Honestly, I never imagined this would be the profession I would choose. As a young adult, I moved to Colorado and lived there for about eight years. Over that time, I would come back to the farm a couple times a year. As the years passed I began to really fall in love with this place. The idea of working outside, surrounding myself with wonderful food and people became a passion that was to hard to ignore. My final year in Colorado I spent the summer growing a garden, and was amazed daily by the process of growing plants and the taste. It was after that summer that I knew I had to follow this dream and I haven’t looked back. After ten years of doing this work, I feel like I almost love it more. Honestly though, it was probably my stomach that inspired me 🙂

2. Will you describe your approach to farming?
We have been certified organic by MOSA since 2004. There was never a question in my mind about that approach. I have never had a desire to insult this beautiful land with harsh, toxic chemicals and I feel like my organic certificate is my proud declaration to the world of that commitment. Beyond that, I feel it is important to provide space for the natural world. Over the next couple of years, we are working on establishing strips of land between fields that will be left as natural areas. The plan is to plant them with prairie flowers and grasses. I love all the birds we have around here and want to give them the space they need to survive. We have 30 acres of woods as well and for the last three years, we have been planting small batches of trees.

3. What distinguishes your products from other local produce?
We are the chard people 🙂 Swiss chard is the first crop I started growing for market and have continued to grow it. I love the beauty we find in those bunches of rainbow chard, it looks like a bouquet when we are done bunching them. I also refuse to use plastic mulch on my fields, I know there are a ton of benefits but I just can’t bear to insult my soil with it.

4. What is your favorite way to enjoy your own produce?
Stir fry! I think we live off of that over the summer. Oh and who can resist a BLT: farm fresh tomato, bacon, lettuce and a fresh loaf of bread, its heaven on earth! Often I will graze all day long on the plants right from the field, raw. This year we have been doing a bit of grilling as well. So far, grilled asparagus has been on the menu a handful of times.

We are more than a week into June and, with more than $1.5 million in owner investments, we now have less than $1 million remaining to raise. We have been aiming toward June 30 — the end of our fiscal year — as our goal date for attaining the $2.5 million in owner capital needed to complete our expansion projects. While we could continue to raise capital throughout the summer, we are eager to redirect the energy behind this campaign toward more community building and realizing the Friendship store and the Co-op Creamery. June 30 is also the final day for owners to purchase shares of Class C stock and still receive the full 4-percent dividend from this fiscal year in July (although Class C shares will still be available for purchase after June 30 and eligible for the dividend from next fiscal year). At 60 percent of our goal, raising the remaining amount in less than three weeks isn’t impossible, but it will depend on our owners rallying in support of Seward’s expansion. If you are still considering an investment, we are here to answer your questions and assist with your investment. Stop by the Customer Service desk, or contact me at 612-314-2012 or jlivingston@seward.coop.

Thanks!

A Huffington Post article begins:

Is the ancient Indian practice of oil pulling a cure-all or snake oil?

A scientifically minded website devoted to debunking internet nonsense says:

“Oil pulling is a traditional Ayurveda method of oral care. It involves swishing sesame oil or a similar oil, perhaps mixed with other substances, in the mouth for 10-20 minutes as a means of preventing caries (cavities), reducing bacteria, and promoting healthy gums. In our internet-fueled age of misinformation, oil pulling has seen a surge in popularity as it makes the rounds on Facebook and other popular social media sites.”

The National Center for Biotechnology quotes a randomized, controlled, triple-blind study from 2009 (Indian J Dent) that studied oil pulling and determined:

There was a statistically significant reduction of the pre- and post-values of the plaque and modified gingival index scores in both the study and control groups (p < 0.001 in both). The oil pulling therapy showed a reduction in the plaque index, modified gingival scores, and total colony count of aerobic microorganisms in the plaque of adolescents with plaque-induced gingivitis.

Meanwhile, a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend on Facebook says, when I asked her:

oil pulling! one of my faves! doing it right now ;P and have for over two years on a regular basis! if you don’t yet know about this wonderful method of detox for your organs AND amazing, all natural powerful healing tool for your teeth, here ya go! enjoy!

Exclamation points notwithstanding, I do believe that she really has oil-pulled for over two years and that she’s really (!!) excited about it, and that she may even be doing it whilst Facebooking.

But…WTF, as the kids say?

What IS oil-pulling?

Again, let’s turn to NCBI for a description :

Oil pulling, in CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine), is a procedure that involves swishing oil in the mouth for oral and systemic health benefits. It is mentioned in the Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita where it is called Kavala or Gandusha, and is claimed to cure about 30 systemic diseases ranging from headache, migraine to diabetes and asthma. Oil pulling has been used extensively as a traditional Indian folk remedy for many years to prevent decay, oral malodor, bleeding gums, dryness of throat, cracked lips and for strengthening teeth, gums and the jaw.

Oil pulling therapy can be done using oils like sunflower oil or sesame oil. The sesame plant (Sesamum indicum) of the Pedaliaceae family has been considered a gift of nature to mankind for its nutritional qualities and desirable health effects. Sesame oil is considered to be the queen of oil seed crops because of its beneficiary effects.

OK, we know what it is. Now I want to know if it really works.

How To Oil-Pull

To do this, I need some volunteers from the audience. Please try this yourself — at home, not at work. Place a tablespoon of cold pressed organic vegetable oil (sesame oil most sources say) in your mouth and swirl it around for about 10-15 minutes, then spit it out.

Practitioners of oil pulling say this has a few different effects.

1) The oils mix with the saliva, turning it into a thin, white liquid. Lipids in the oils begin to pull out toxins from the saliva.

2) As the oil is swished around the mouth, teeth, gums and tongue, the oil continues to absorb toxins, and usually ends up turning thick and viscous and white.

3) Once the oil has reached this consistency, oil and toxins are all spit out..

None of this is meant as an endorsement of the practice — I’m simply reporting what I’ve read about oil-pulling and would like to know more. Liike…

What The Heck Does Oil-Pulling Do?

Says FoodMatters, a site that’s almost as breathlessly pro-oil-pulling as my Facebook pal:

Oil pulling may also increase saponification in the mouth, creating a soapy environment that cleanses the mouth as vegetable fat is an emulsifier by nature. Most interesting is perhaps the ability of oil to cleanse out harmful bacteria, as well as reduce fungal overgrowth. These oils also possibly help in cellular restructuring, and are related to the proper functioning of the lymph nodes and other internal organs.

Other possible benefits of oil pulling for oral health include:

• Overall strengthening of the teeth and gums and jaws
• Prevention of diseases of the gums and mouth, such as cavities and gingivitis
• Prevention for bad breath
• Potential holistic remedy for bleeding gums
• Prevention of dryness of the lips, mouth and throat
• Possible holistic treatment for TMJ and general soreness in the jaw area

Is oil-pulling something you know about? Want to talk about oil-pulling? Want to hear other people talk about oil-pulling? Leave a comment on our Facebook page and tell us what you think — pro, con, non, or, especially, from your own experiences. We’d love to hear what you know about this.

Frozen grapes are terrific trick to keep in your summer tool kit. They’re great treats for kids, fun to make as an activity, make good “ice cubes” for kids’ fruit drinks (lemonade!) and/or grown-up drinks (sangrias!), or they’re just lovely to pop in your mouth on a very hot day.

And frozen grapes couldn’t be easier to make. Here’s the ingredient list:

* Your favorite organic grapes, as many as you like.

And here’s how you make them:

1. Wash your grapes and let them dry.
2. Place grapes on a cookie sheet or pan in a single layer.
3. Place grapes in the freezer for one hour.
4. Transfer grapes to a plastic freezer bag or your choice of freezer storage container.
5. Remove frozen grapes from the freezer as needed.

Photo is licensed by Dana Payne under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

June 5, 2014 –Reps from Sabathani Community Center Food Shelf received their record-breaking SEED check from Seward Co-op in a small but very moving ceremony today. Seward owners and shoppers gave more money in the monthly register donation program’s history at $18,470.

Sandra Richardson described Sabathani’s various programs for aiding low income people in the Bryant-Central neighborhood and what $18,000 would mean to the Community Center.

Kevin Sanders, who runs the Food Shelf operationally, spoke about his experience as a recipient of SCC’s Food Shelf and then becoming involved as a staff member. The Food Shelf’s message of healthy eating resonated deeply with Kevin, so, he says, he made key changes in his diet and lifestyle thanks to this program. He was touched by the large amount that Seward shoppers donated to Sabathani and how much food it would purchase.

From left to right: Cindy Book, Interim Director; Kevin Sanders, Basic Needs Supervisor; Sandra Richardson, Sabathani Family Resources.

As part of its forthcoming “Nourish” program, Seward Community Co-op has raised its store discount from five to 10 percent for Seward shoppers who receive various forms of needs-based assistance. The increase went into effect June 1, 2014.

“We’re very proud to make this higher discount available,” said Seward Co-op’s General Manger Sean Doyle. “It’s part of our overall strategy to make healthy food as accessible as possible through our Nourish program.”

Seward Co-op’s Nourish is a shopper-education program whose motto is “Simple, Healthy Eating.” Offering $10 or less recipes for a family of four, classes on cooking from scratch, and numerous shopping tips for saving money, Nourish is aimed at shoppers looking to make their dollars stretch at the co-op. The needs-based discount is a featured aspect of Nourish.

“Because Nourish is about eating better for less, anyone can benefit from the recipes and classes,” LaDonna Sanders-Redmond, Seward’s Outreach and Education Coordinator, explained, “But the discount portion of Nourish is needs-based.”

Eligibility for the 10-percent discount is based on financial need, which, in turn, is based on shoppers’ individual enrollment in Minnesota Food Assistance/Support (SNAP/EBT), Women, Infant & Children (WIC), MN Care and Minnesota Medical Assistance, or Social Security Disability.

As part of the Nourish program, Seward Community Co-op also offers a needs-based path to ownership. Shoppers receiving various forms of assistance can purchase a new ownership with an initial $15 payment (the remaining $60 is paid with future patronage refunds). As soon as the $15 payment is made, however, the full benefits of co-op ownership begin, including store specials, quarterly discounts, and a vote in upcoming co-op Board elections.

“We don’t think money should be a barrier to shopping or voting at Seward,” Doyle said.

The needs-based discount increase will apply at both Seward Co-op’s current Franklin Avenue store and at the coming Friendship Store, slated to open in summer 2015 in the Bryant-Central neighborhood.

When your thyroid doesn’t function well, it can affect every aspect of your health — depression, energy levels, weight, everything.

Since undiagnosed thyroid problems can dramatically increase health risks, it’s important to understand the complexities surrounding the thyroid. This Saturday at Seward Co-op, you can learn what key nutrients are needed for healthy thyroid function with Dr. Sara Jean Barrett, N.D. (left). Discover what you can do to naturally improve thyroid function and increase your energy, mood, and metabolism.

This is a terrific opportunity if you have questions or concerns about thyroid health. Dr. Sara Jean Barrett is a Naturopathic doctor in Bloomington, MN who treats patients of all ages with a variety of health concerns. Her passion for her practice is demonstrated in the strong relationships she builds with her patients. It’s those relationships that allow her to more deeply identify underlying causes of health issues and provide patients with personalized, natural health care options.

Register at the co-op Customer Service Desk, or get more details about the class here.

Have you ever tried goat before?

Right now, the Seward Meat Department has goat cuts from a new P6-producer Peters Family Farm in Fountain, MN, and we’re very excited for you to give them a try.

“We began raising goats in 2008. We have a 40-acre place,” Travis Peters of Peters Family Farm tells us, “situated on a hillside; the land is perfect for goats. The goats graze mixed grass pastures in season and are fed hay in the winter.”

Erik Sather, Seward’s Meat Depart Manager, says he found out about Peters’ goat farm from Bonnie Austin at Hill and Vale (a very old friend of Seward Meat Department). Travis Peters is a farm hand at Hill and Vale.

When asked about websites or pictures of the farm, Sather said, “Yeah, I don’t think their farm actually has a name. They’re a very small operation.”

“We actually don’t have an official name… other customers have simply listed ‘Peters Family Farm’ or ‘Travis and Jen Peters Goat’ or something similar,” Peters said. “Our farm is truly a family affair, as the kids help my wife (Jen) and I with chores year round.”

And while goat might seem an unusual meat to carry at Seward, the fact is, it’s only unusual in the U.S.. So, for all us Americans, and those of us not lucky enough to be on the Peters Family Farm, here’s the basic 411 on goat:

* Goat is the most widely eaten meat in the world. Seventy percent of red meat eaten worldwide is goat.

* Goat is quite similar to lamb in how it cooks, so you can cook goat all the ways you’re used to cooking lamb: Grilling, roasting, stews, and braising.

* You’ll notice that goat comes in most of the same cuts as lamb: Shoulder, stew meat, ribs, shoulder, etc.

* A key reason Seward Meat Department is excited about carrying this meat is that goats are a far less environmentally destructive livestock than cattle. This is because goats are like Google Chrome: They’re browsers. Seriously, they don’t pull up entire root systems and deplete the soil of nutrient-rich grasses the way cows do when they graze. Also, goats require far less space than cattle. These are small footprint livestock.

* Goat is one of the leanest meats you will ever eat (unless you can get your hands on some ostrich cuts). Chicken is twice as fatty, lamb is six times fattier, and pork has nine times the fat of goat.

So come and get your goat from Peters Family Farm and try the whole world is eating. Below is a recipe with goat meat for you, written by our buddy St. Paul blogger Amanda Paa. She writes the terrific blog Heartbeet Kitchen, (which you should also try!).

RECIPE: Gluten-Free Ravioli with Meat & Ricotta in a Lemon Dill Sauce (Heartbeet Kitchen)