Peak harvest time is upon us! Midwest farmers are toiling in the fields from dawn to dusk and we are reaping the fruits of their labor with fresh, local produce deliveries daily. Stop by and browse our vast selection of produce and nourish your family with something local!
We see a lot of excitement for local produce in the spring, but late summer and early fall is the time of year when local is at its peak from apples to zucchini, and almost everything in between. Right now our Produce departments are carrying over 75 local fruits and vegetables–more if you count the different varieties of hot peppers! Now is the time to make the most of the local harvest’s bounty available at the co-op. This year’s growing season produced ample amounts of vegetables such as kale, broccoli, and zucchini. Tomatoes have been plentiful as well, but some crops didn’t fare so well. One of our farms lost almost all of their watermelon and muskmelon to blight and another lost various fruits including apples because of spring frosts. Partner Farms’ cherry and peach crops did exceptionally well; their peaches are the best I’ve ever had.
Farmers work extremely hard throughout the growing season to provide produce with the utmost quality, and there is no reason this deliciousness can’t be enjoyed year-round. I challenge you this year to preserve the harvest, so you will have homegrown pickles in March and local tomato sauce in February–we have everything you need from the produce to the pickling salt to the canning jars and lids. Did you know we offer discounts on case quantities ordered in advance–10-percent- off for owners and 5-percent- off for non-owners. Another tip for saving money on bulk purchases is to stock up on sale items. Some of the best deals are on Fridays during #FarmFreshFridays when 3-5 produce items are on sale for 25% off. Follow us on social media for #FarmFreshFridays deals.
Go beyond PB & J and kick the school year off right. Stop in on Saturday, September 3 for some new ideas, recipes, and grab n‘ go items from our deli for easy, nutritious lunches and snacks for busy kids and families. Pick up some unique and sturdy insulated lunch containers, bento boxes, and even reusable sandwich wraps made from beeswax!
Last week, Stormi, Friendship store Demo Specialist appeared on Fox 9’s The Jason Show! She shared some fun snacks to create using watermelon–the watermelon salad recipe was a hit! Did you know watermelons are the most consumed melon in the United States and are made up of 92-percent water? Watch Stormi demo five creative ways to enjoy watermelon, a fruit rich in electrolytes and an excellent source of vitamin A.
recipe adapted from simplyrecipes.com
Ingredients
2/3 cup chopped red onion
2/3 cup lime juice
A half of a large watermelon, chop the fruit into 1-inch pieces, about 8 cups
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
2/3 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Serves 8
Method
Whisk together the lime juice, mint, and parsley into a large serving bowl.
Add the red onions and let soak while you dice the watermelon into 1-inch pieces
Serve immediately.
August is P6 Month, and Seward Co-op will be celebrating every week! P6 producers will be sampling and we’ll have Seward gift card raffles every weekend in both stores, so please, stop by often! The festivities begin Saturday, August 6, from noon–3 p.m.; please join us for the P6 Month Kick-off with a celebration of your favorite local, small-scale and/or cooperatively-owned producers. Both Franklin and Friendship stores will be full of P6 samples, opportunities to talk with P6 representatives, and chances to win great P6 prizes!
P6 is a national movement owned by and designed for co-ops. It was named in the spirit of “Cooperation Among Cooperatives,” the sixth principle (P6) of the seven international cooperative principles established by the International Cooperative Alliance. Cooperatives serve their owners most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures. The P6 trade movement exemplifies just and equitable trade relationships between farmers, producers, retailers and consumers, rooted in cooperative principles and values.
The P6 label calls out products that meet our highest values, which align with the Ends of the co-op, and show our commitment to supporting a strong, independent food system. When you buy P6, your dollar goes further! Buying P6 products not only supports your local co-op, but flows resources back to the small-scale, local, and/or cooperative producers–many of which pay their staff a living wage and provide them benefits. From 2010-2015, Seward Co-op’s total P6 sales have nearly doubled from $7,380,200 in 2010 to $13,587,908 last year!
Seward Co-op proudly launched P6 in 2010 as a tool to help shoppers identify products that meet their values. In order for an item to receive the P6 label, the producer must meet two of three criteria: locally produced, cooperatively owned, and/or small-scale.
• Local defines a product grown or produced in the five-state region (MN, WI, IA, ND, SD).
• Cooperative is defined by cooperative ownership of the business or non-profit.
• Small-scale producer is defined using these guidelines: independently owned and operated, selling direct to our stores or through a local distributor with a regional distribution area.
We pay special attention to products from international sources, or whose main ingredient is from an international source, like a chocolate bar or coffee. The international ingredient must be sourced from a small-scale farmer co-op in order to receive the P6 designation. This extra level of attention is because of rampant exploitation in international commodity food chains.
We hope that Seward’s cooperation with the other P6 co-op members inspires you to support your co-op, area producers, and the equitable relationships embodied in a co-op supply chain.
Join us in celebrating P6 products from small, local farms with 25% discounts on select produce, meat and cheese items every Friday throughout the year. Starting Friday, August 5, look for Farm Fresh Friday sale signs in the stores or check out Seward’s social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) every Friday for a list of items on sale.
Since opening in 1972, Seward Community Co-op has been committed to supporting the local economy. We do this in many ways, whether it is through our SEED round-up, Seward Community Fund (SCF) grant or P6 programs. P6 was created to highlight the products that meet our highest values. The P6 label calls out products produced by small, local and/or our cooperative vendors. We wouldn’t be able to sustain a healthy community without the support of our owners and shoppers, so we’re proud to announce another opportunity to support our small, local producers with Farm Fresh Fridays.
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Sin Fronteras (Without Borders) is a Stillwater, Minn-based family-farm growing fresh, healthy Latino food. Farmers Eduardo Rivera and Madeline Shaw bring to the Twin Cities sustainably grown – and at times challenging to find – varieties of chile peppers, tomatillos, and epazote along with familiar roots, greens, and herbs. These foods can be found at area coops and restaurants, the Linden Hills Farmers Market, and through a culturally appropriate Latino CSA. Look to their Facebook page (Sin Fronteras Farm & Food) for recipes using Sin Fronteras produce.
Construction season is upon us in Minnesota, and this year the Seward neighborhood is no exception. In May, the Franklin Avenue Bridge closed and is scheduled to reopen this September. We’ve provided detour routes for bicycles and cars on our website here. We aren’t letting a little construction get us down, and neither should you —take the scenic route and check out these great things Seward Co-op has to offer! Here are five reasons to take the detour to the Franklin store.
Seward Summer Sale: Throughout the summer we will be running limited time offers on some of our most popular products. Take advantage of these deep discounts and stock up on snacks, treats, and pantry staples for the family.
Cycle Perks: Snap on your helmet and take a spin to the co-op. All bike commuters are eligible to enter our monthly Cycle Perks drawing. Pick up a “Cycle Perks” sticker at Customer Service to wear proudly on your helmet or bicycle. Along with this sticker, you’ll also receive a special punch card, which you can have punched for any purchase at Seward Co-op. A full card of 10 punches will enter you into a monthly drawing for a $50 gift card at Seward Co-op!
Nourish: Nourish provides practical ideas about how we can nourish ourselves, our families, and our community, without sacrificing our values and our budgets. Nourish recipes, found near the Customer Service desk offer inspiration for affordable ways to feed a family of four for $10 or less ($15 or less with meat protein). Learn basic scratch-cooking techniques in our free Nourish 101 classes. Staples shelf signs highlight products Seward Co-op is committed to offering at everyday low prices.
Ownership: Owner or not, everyone is welcome at Seward Co-op. Many people join to support a community-owned business that works to sustain the local economy. Ownership in the co-op comes with many benefits:
Becoming an owner of Seward Co-op is easy! Ownership is $75, and we offer three different payment options: Paid-in-Full, Installment, and Needs Based. Individuals wishing to become owners should stop by the Customer Service desk for more information.
P6: P6 is a unique national labeling program that you’ll only find in certain grocery co-operatives like Seward Co-op. The P6 label promotes small farmers/producers, co-operative business, and local farmers/producers. A company needs to meet two of these three criteria to receive the P6 label:
• Local
• Cooperative
• Small farmer/producer
Local defines a product grown or produced in the five-state region around the given co-op, or having value added in that region (see Seward Co-op’s definition of local below).
Co-op is defined by cooperative ownership of the business or nonprofit status.
Small producer is defined using these guidelines: a) Independently owned and operated, and b) Selling direct to store(s) or through a local distributor with a regional distribution area.
Did you know summer squash is not really a vegetable? The many varieties of summer squash are a type of “pepo”, or hard-walled berry that are harvested while the rind is still tender and edible. Summer squash is in season now and we are carrying at least five varieties (green and gold zucchini, crookneck, zephyr-my personal favorite for its sweetness-, patty pan, and calabacita, a small tender zucchini). Wisconsin Growers Co-op, Featherstone Farm, Heartbeet Farms, and Sin Fronteras are delivering these squash multiple times each week. Select firm, unwrinkled, evenly shaped squash and store in your crisper drawer.
Sin Fronteras (Without Borders) is a Stillwater, Minn-based family-farm growing fresh, healthy Latino food. Farmers Eduardo Rivera and Madeline Shaw bring to the Twin Cities sustainably grown and at times challenging to find varieties of chile peppers, tomatillos, and espasote along with familiar roots, greens, and herbs. These foods can be found at area coops, the Linden Hills Farmers Market, and through a culturally appropriate Latino CSA. Look to their Facebook page for recipes using Sin Fronteras produce.
Wisconsin Growers Co-op was founded in 2006 to help 20 families maintain ownership of their farms. Its members are dedicated to the idea that if farmers take “good care of the soil, the soil will pay back with high-quality produce.” This mindset has proven effective; Wisconsin Growers often brings us produce all year long, from greenhouse radishes at the first sight of spring clear around the calendar to over-wintered parsnips. The key to the longevity of their growing season are labor-intensive, fossil fuel-free farming methods. On nearly 40 acres of the co-op’s land, these farmers plant, tend, and harvest crops exclusively using horses, horse machinery, and hand tools. In addition to more popular produce items such as potatoes, onions, and radishes, the Wisconsin Growers Co-op offers unique heirloom squash varieties, such as Queensland blue and Long Island cheese.
Featherstone Fruits and Vegetables 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 Farm also operates a large community-supported agriculture program.
Heartbeet Farm is a family farm owned and operated by Joe and Rebecca Schwen. Located in Zumbro Falls, Minn, the fields that now comprise Heartbeet Farm are the same fields that Joe was raised on and where he learned to farm. Recently, Joe and Rebecca have begun to cooperatively market their produce as Heartbeet Farms along with two nearby small family farms: Easy Yoke and Hare & Tortoise. Working together allows these farms to operate at a scale that enables them to directly interact with the plants, soil, animals, and farm ecosystem while still being productive, efficient, and sustainable. They employ a combination of draft horses, small tractors, woodstove heated greenhouses, and other technologies to grow a wide variety of vegetables. Look for beets, shiso, Hakurei turnips, and many other items from Heartbeet Farms throughout the growing season. All three farms are dedicated to farming in a healthful, holistic, and sustainable way and are certified organic.
Starting in September, the “Sprout!” newsletter will be published quarterly, rather than bimonthly. It will continue to feature the same information on classes, co-op news and events, P6 producers, and food-related issues. We will continue to mail the newsletter to those who elect to receive it. We’ll post the electronic version on our website.
Moving forward, owners can expect increased communication across our various other mediums, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and websites. In a competitive grocery market, we have found that our electronic communication channels are a more robust and timely means of sharing information. The decision to reduce printing and mailing costs also allows us to be more efficient with our resources, both financially and environmentally, which aligns with our Ends and is something that we know co-op owners appreciate. The National Cooperative Grocery Co+op Deals flyers that were mailed with the “Sprout!” will be available digitally on our website and at the flyer racks in the stores. Keeping owners and customers informed and up-to-date remains our priority.
