Garden of Life LLC is voluntarily withdrawing a limited quantity of its Raw Meal Organic Shake & Meal chocolate, original, vanilla and vanilla chai because they have the potential to contain Salmonella Virchow. Though Garden of Life routinely performs pathogen testing on every finished good lot to ensure safety and no product has ever tested positive for the presence of Salmonella, the company felt it was in the public’s best interest to take this voluntary action. Between Sept. 1, 2015 and Jan. 30, 2016, Seward Co-op may have sold nine raw meal products with lot numbers affected by this recall at both the Franklin and Friendship stores. If you purchased any of the products below at Seward Co-op during that time period, please return them to either the Franklin or Friendship store customer service desk for a full refund. The products that remain on the shelf are lot numbers unaffected by the recall.

RAW Organic Meal Chocolate (32-35 oz.) retail $57.99
UPC:0065801011593 Lot Numbers: 47198800, 47225900, 47249200, 47226000, 47226100

RAW Organic Meal Chocolate (16-17.4 oz.) retail $26.99
UPC:0065801011695 Lot Numbers:47226200, 47226201, 47247800

RAW Organic Meal (2-3 oz.) retail $5.49
UPC:0065801011553 Lot Number:47214800

RAW Organic Meal (32-35 oz.) retail $57.99
UPC:0065801011414 Lot Numbers: 47214600, 47236000, 47248901, 47246500

RAW Organic Meal (16-17.4 oz.) retail $26.99
UPC:0065801011696 Lot Number:47225800

RAW Organic Meal Vanilla (2-3 oz.) retail $5.49
UPC:0065801011612 Lot Number:47248000

RAW Organic Meal Vanilla (32-35 oz.) retail $57.99
UPC:0065801011602 Lot Numbers:47216100, 47225500, 47198601, 47225600, 47253900, 47216200, 47225601

AW Organic Meal Vanilla (16-17.4 oz.) retail $26.99
UPC:0065801011693 Lot Numbers:47226400, 47257401

Questions may be directed to Garden of Life at 1-866-465-0051, Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST.

On Saturday, Aug. 15, Seward Co-op hosted its career fair in the Sabathani Community Center, across the street from the future Friendship store. The fair was an immense success, with nearly 400 people attending to participate in interviews with Seward Co-op managers and to learn about working at the co-op.

The co-op promoted the event through neighborhood outreach, which included weeks of canvassing; a postcard invitation to residents within 1.5 miles of the store; advertising in neighborhood publications; and announcements airing on KMOJ and La Raza 1400. In efforts to reduce as many barriers as possible for applicants, the co-op also provided Spanish- and Somali-speaking interpreters. Several community-based neighborhood groups distributed the career fair information to their respective constituencies, as well.

Hiring a staff that represents the diversity of the Bryant neighborhood in which the Friendship store is located is a priority for Seward. With approximately two-thirds of the hiring at the Friendship store complete, 62% of Friendship staff (38 employees) identify as People of Color. In the spring of 2014, the co-op set hiring goals to be a more inclusive workplace. Our organization-wide goal is a staff that is, at a minimum, comprised of 32 percent Persons of Color by 2019. As of August 2015, 113 of 363 Seward Co-op staff, or 31% of total staff, identify themselves as People of Color.

As we move closer to opening the Friendship store and beyond, we will continue our efforts to attract a diverse pool of applicants. Owners and customers will be able to meet the new staff when we open the doors of the store at our annual meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Co-op Month Jamboree featuring Wisconsin Growers Co-op
On Saturday, Oct. 3, from noon to 3 p.m., celebrate National Co-op Month by supporting the many cooperatives that fill Seward Co-op’s shelves. Meet with members of Seward’s Board of Directors, and sample treats from local and national co-op producers. We’ll also be featuring Wisconsin Growers Co-op as part of our Know Our Grower program.

Our annual Know Our Grower series continues as our growing season thrives. Know Our Grower is an opportunity to connect shoppers with the talented group of local farmers producing our food and sample recipes that allow their flavors to shine.

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.

Wisconsin Growers’ Sweet Potato Pancakes
3-4 lbs sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Place sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan of boiling water, and cook until tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, and immediately immerse in cold water to loosen skins. Drain, remove skins, chop, and mash

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Mix mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, milk and butter in a separate medium bowl. Blend sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture to form a batter.

Preheat a lightly greased griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter mixture onto the prepared griddle by heaping tablespoonfuls, and cook until golden brown, turning once with a spatula when the surface begins to bubble.

Serves 4.

Jeni’s Ice Cream has issued a voluntary recall of all their flavors of ice cream because of possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes. To date, no illnesses have been associated with these products.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals infected by Listeria may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, infected pregnant women can suffer miscarriages or stillbirths.

Product Affected:

All flavors of Jeni’s Ice Cream sold at Seward Co-op between January 21, 2015 to present:

85316900200 ICE CRM, ASS’T FLAVORS
85316900201 ICE CREAM, DARK CHOCOLATE
85316900209 ICE CREAM, PISTACHIO HONEY
85316900216 ICE CRM, GOAT CHEESE CHERRIES
85316900240 ICE CRM, UGANDA VAN BEAN
85316900253 ICE CRM, ALMOND BRITTLE
85316900262 FROZEN YOGURT, MANGO LASSI
85316900265 ICE CREAM, BUCKEYE STATE
85316900290 ICE CREAM, BRAMBLEBERRY
85580200324 FROZEN YOGURT, GRAPEFRUIT
85580200352 ICE CREAM, BLACK CAT ESPRESSO

Price: $9.99 each. On sale for $7.99 each, from February 4-February 17.

More info at the Jeni’s Ice Cream website and at the FDA website.

Amy’s Kitchen, Inc. is voluntarily recalling frozen food products containing spinach. This recall was issued after notice came from one of Amy’s organic spinach suppliers that Amy’s may have received organic spinach with the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

Seward Co-op has removed the following products from our shelves.

Vegetable Lasagna, 9.5 oz. (269g), $5.29
UPC code:0-42272-00032-6
Four possible affected lot codes/ship dates:
LOT CODE: 30-A215 Jan. 21 2015
LOT CODE: 30-A305 Jan-30-2015
LOT CODE: 30-B115 Feb-11-2015
LOT CODE: 30-C045 Mar-04-2015

Spinach Pizza, 14.0 oz. (397g),$6.99
UPC Code: 000102 0-42272-00102-6
Two possible affected lot codes/ship dates
30-A285 Jan-28-2015
30-B105 Feb-10-2015 $6.99

Brown Rice & Vegetables Bowl, 10.0 oz. (283g), $5.29
UPC Code: 000161 0-42272-00161-3
Lot code/Ship date: 30-A205 Jan-20-2015

Vegetable Lasagna, 9.5 oz. (269g), $5.29
UPC Code: 000933 0-42272-00032-6
Lot Code/Ship date 30-A305 Jan-30-2015

Tofu Vegetable Lasagna, 9.5 oz. (269g), $5.29
UPC Code: 000033 0-42272-00033-3
Lot Code/Ship Date: 30-B135 Feb-13-2015

Recalled products will be fully refunded at our Customer Service desk.

For more information, see the FDA wesbite.

We plan to be ready to begin food production at the Creamery in late June: Deliveries to the Franklin store will start in July (then to the Friendship store in October). The café will open in July.

New windows recently went in on the Franklin and 26th Avenue walls, which is probably the most visible update that owners may have noticed. Meanwhile, construction continues on the central production kitchen and Co-op Creamery Neighborhood Café. Throughout May and June, site work and landscaping will continue, equipment will be purchased, and finishing touches will be added.