Since our relocation in January 2009, Seward Co-op has had tremendous success. Our growth has put the co-op in a very good position that affords us the opportunity to build for the future and serve more people in our community.

Over the past three years, the board, management and staff have had discussions about what our co-op will do next. We held focus groups with members and conducted a member survey. Out of these conversations we decided to remodel our store last fall to make it an exceptional shopping experience. We made these improvements so we would be well situated to explore the possibility of opening a second store in the next five years. We hired a firm to explore available real estate in South Minneapolis. We conducted a preliminary market study on several sites to determine site viability.

About a year ago, co-op staff started having conversations with the Carrot Initiative (CI). Their goal to attract a grocery store to the West Powderhorn neighborhoods aligns with the co-op’s goal of a second store. The CI identified a site for us which meets many of our criteria for a second location. This site is at 38th Street and Clinton Avenue South and once housed the Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. It is across the street from the Sabathani Community Center. We are calling it the “Friendship site.” We think that captures the spirit of the relationships we are building.

Our success since moving to the Franklin Avenue store four and a half years ago has put us in the position to expand access to the co-op and bring healthy food to an area with low access to fresh foods. We have continued to improve our existing store, but we have reached capacity. A second store will provide easier access to the co-op for members who live in other neighborhoods, as well as relieve some of the congestion at the current location.

We are early in the process, and held a community meeting on Tuesday, July 9 (see the Q&A from that meeting to the left). There is still significant work to be done. We will need to secure financing, to raise member capital as we did for our current building, and we need to go through design and site approval. It will be at least a year out before we will have a store built. Co-op members and the general public should stay abreast of developments related to this project by continuing to visit this webpage. As was done during our relocation five years ago, the co-op will participate in additional community meetings as the process moves forward. Thank you for your support of Seward Community Co-op! — Sean Doyle, General Manager

On Saturday, July 20, co-op members and shoppers are invited to travel both within and beyond the city to visit local farms by participating in the third annual Eat Local Farm Tour. Eighteen sustainable Minnesota producers are on board for this year’s tour, giving attendees the opportunity to experience a diverse mix of small- to large-scale farming operations, including vegetable, poultry, beef, dairy and bee farming. New additions to the 2013 tour include three urban farms! Most tours will be self-guided, and participants must provide their own transportation.

Look for copies of the Eat Local Farm Tour guide book in the co-op, or download a PDF version. In it, find suggested tours for visiting several farms within specific regions. Follow the directions from farm to farm, or, if you prefer, make up your own route using this online map. More information can also be found on the Eat Local Farm Tour Facebook page.

The vitality and sustainability of our local food system depends on the presence of a diverse network of growers and the support of a dedicated consumer base. Seward Co-op’s annual Know Our Grower program is an opportunity to connect shoppers with the talented group of local farmers producing our food. This year we are pleased to present an extended program featuring more than 10 area growers over seven months. In addition to those farms growing during temperate months, we’re including growers that push the limits of our northern growing season by using hydroponic systems and greenhouses.

Visit the website often this summer to read interviews with featured Know Our Grower producers. Sample produce from these growers and get great sale prices on selected items.

May 1 – 21: Click here for an interview and photo from LaBore Farms.

May 22 – June 4: Click here for an interview and photo from Just Local / Keewaydin Farms.

Get creative this spring holiday season with natural egg-dyeing using bulk herbs and spices. Read below for more, and check out this natural egg-dyeing guide from Frontier Co-op.

Ingredients (per each color)
4 cups of water
2–4 Tbsp. ground herbs and spices (see below for suggestions)
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
4–6 hard-boiled eggs

Method
Bring water, vinegar and herbal-dye ingredients to a boil. Add eggs and reduce water to a simmer. Cook about 15 minutes, then cover and let sit another 15 minutes or until the color is as deep as you’d like. Remove eggs, gently rinse and let air dry.

Color Suggestions
Turmeric — gold
Hibiscus flowers — lavender
Coffee — brown
Tea leaves — sepia
Chili powder — reddish brown
Paprika — orange
Dill seed — soft brown
Curry powder — pale orange

Have fun mixing and matching colors, or experiment with other bulk herbs and spices to create your own unique hues.

The co-op is even greener this weekend, as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Look for special St. Paddy’s features around the store.

• Irish cheeses: Irish Harp cheddar – Maple Leaf Co-op, Monroe Wisc.; Dubliner cheddar – Kerrygold, Ireland; Cahill’s Irish cheddar with whiskey – Ireland; Cahill’s Irish cheddar with porter – Ireland
• Meat & Seafood: find corned beef and cabbage in the meat case. Call ahead with your order (612-338-2465), since this is a popular item!

  

• Bakery: Irish whiskey cake, soda bread and Irish cream cream puffs

Sunday, March 17, the Deli hot bar will feature a special St. Paddy’s Day-themed menu
Corned beef
Garlic mashed potatoes with poultry gravy
Smoked salmon potato cakes
Toasted barley pilaf with portabella mushrooms
Greens with turnips, rutabaga and almonds
Colcannon
Mustard braised cabbage

Friday, March 15 – Sunday, March 17: Look for special demos throughout the store, featuring our Bakery’s own soda bread and Irish cheeses from the Cheese department.

The first months of the new year offer occasions to gather with family and friends without the pressures of preparing big holiday meals. In other words, it’s party time! As winter progresses, it brings several snacking opportunities, with the Super Bowl, the Academy Awards and March Madness. When planning your party, aim above the bag of chips, and consider the following ideas from our staff:

The caramelized onion dip from the Deli, spread onto a Rustica baguette (cut into small disks and toasted in the oven), is wonderful. Top it off by adding a sliced grape on top. Sweet and savory, fatty-rich and fresh! — Ian O.

Avocados are a classic snack food for a reason — guacamole is delicious. Find everything you need for a big boisterous bowl of it in our Produce department: silky ripe avocados, zesty limes, cilantro, jalapeños and garlic. Serve with yellow or blue Whole Grain Milling tortilla chips. They’re sturdy, tasty and locally-made from high-lysine, non-GMO corn and with non-hydrogenated oil — so much better than the rest. — Hannah B.

From the co-op’s Deli, look for prepared chili and pizzas freshly made with local ingredients. Serve to guests in small cups and mini-slices for optimum snacking. Our three-bean vegan chili is especially hearty and thick; you’ll enjoy the spice and sustenance. — Allison

Swing by the co-op’s Meat & Seafood department for prepared bites that require only some simple baking time in the oven: sausage-stuffed mushrooms, jalapeño poppers, bacon-wrapped scallops. — Chris D.

So, call up a few friends, put on some tunes and enjoy appetizers and locally produced snacks from the co-op when you’re hosting a get-together.

Thank you to the 10,872 customers -more than 50%- who contributed $3,012 to the Community Development Foundation (CDF), which will help in the Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Seward Co-op will donate an addition $1,000 to the CDF.