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DULUTH,MN

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DuluthMN55805

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GARBANZO

GAZETTE

A G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E2 S U M M E R 2 0 1 0

GARBANZO GAZETTEPublished by Whole Foods Co-op610 E. 4th St. • Duluth, MN 55805(218) 728-0884 • fax (218) 728-0490

www.wholefoods.coopSTORE HOURS:

7 am – 9 pm every day

Membership Investment:$100 per voting membership

Further membership information isavailable at the Whole Foods Co-op.

The Garbanzo Gazette is publishedfour times a year (March, June,September, December) for theMember-Owners and patrons of WholeFoods Co-op. The Garbanzo Gazette ispublished by Whole Foods CommunityCo-op, Inc. to provide information onWhole Foods Co-op, the cooperativemovement, food, nutrition, andcommunity issues. Views and opinionsexpressed in this newsletter do notnecessarily reflect those of Co-opmanagement, Board or Member-Owners. Submissions must be receivedone month prior to publication. Thenext deadline is Saturday, July 31.Refer submissions and questions toshannon@wholefoods.coop.

Editor: Shannon SzymkowiakContributions: Members & StaffDesign: Kollath Graphic DesignPrinter: InstyPrintsMailing: Barcodes PlusReprints by prior permission

The Garbanzo Gazette is printed on100% post-consumer recycled paperwith soy ink. This paper is recyclable.

The information in the GarbanzoGazette is also available on our websiteat www.wholefoods.coop

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MOVING? Pursuant to WFC Bylaws,Article I, Section 6. Current Address.Each Member agrees to provide to thecooperative his or her current address andto keep the cooperative informed of anychanges in address. This obligation shallcontinue even after a membership hasbeen terminated as long as the Memberhas any interest in the cooperative. In aneffort to remind our Member Ownersto keep WFC advised of addresschanges, the Board, on 8/26/96,approved a policy making a Membertemporarily inactive when there is nocurrent address on file. InactiveMember Owners are not eligible formembership benefits and will notreceive the newsletter.

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BEFORE RECYCLING THIS COPY ofthe Garbanzo Gazette, please pass italong or share it with a friend orneighbor. This can help save a bit onpaper costs and reduce waste. Also, it’sa good way to introduce folks to WFCwho aren’t current customers orMember-Owners.

• $165 in mileagereimbursement toWFC employees whochose to volunteer asfarm workers for localgrowers who supplyproduce to WFC.

• Program sponsor ofEast Hillside Mind-to-Mind summerprogram for childrenincluding presentationon organic farming methods andrental of van for local farm tour forparticipants.

• $2,897 to Lake Superior SustainableFarming Association representing2009 abandoned equity distributionpursuant to vote of Owners inSeptember.

• Over $69,000 of consumable foodand other products to SecondHarvest Northern Lakes Food Bank,CHUM, Loaves & Fishes House, andother area non-profits.

• Our Promotions & EducationDepartmentdistributed over$5,600 of cash,gift card andin-kind contri-

management report

In my previous column, I reportedon how staff have partnered withothers in our community toachieve progress on our Board’s

ENDS Statement:

In Duluth there is a thrivingconsumer-owned cooperative thatsupports, invests and partners to createa healthy community including, but notlimited to, a healthy regional foodsystem.

Now I want to report to you on how,in 2009, we allocated resources, in-kindcontributions, and the purchasingpower of our Owners and customers toachieve progress on creating a healthycommunity:

• $5,000 to the Duluth CommunityGarden Program to supportdevelopment and maintenance ofurban gardens inthe City of Duluth.

• $493 to the DuluthCommunityGarden Programrepresenting10 cents for everypacket of organicgarden seeds sold.

• $5,000 for eventcosts of theSuperior GrownFood Summit, apublic conver-sation about ourregional foodsystem held inDuluth onSaturday,Nov. 14, 2009.

by Sharon Murphy, General Manager

survey says…

“So we’ve industrialized and consolidatedour farms into giant factories that usepesticides, herbicides, growth hormones,antibiotics, genetic modification and otheruntested and even inhumane practices, allin the name of low price. The high pricecomes when we pay the doctor, thedrugstore and the hospital… Wouldn’t itmake more sense to pay more fornutritious, non-toxic food and less forillness and disease?”

— Ken Whitman, “Are we getting what wepay for?” Organic Connections, March–April 2010.

Sharon MurphyGeneral Manager since 1988Attended first CCMA in 1988Gazette contributor since 1978Still never gets the last word

For the well-designed life.

How did Julie and Lee Harris of Cloquet match form with function in their favorite space? By choosing the right process to find the perfect products- and the right people to craft the dream design. Learn how our certified kitchen and bath designers help families throughout the region find their perfect sense of place.

“WE NEVER IMAGINED IT COULD BE THIS GOOD.”

HEAR THEIR STORY.

SEE THE PRODUCT.

DISCOVER THE PROCESS.

lindquistandcompany.com

218.728.5171 Duluth, MN

throughout the region findbath designers help familiesour certified kitchen andthe dream design. Learn howand the right people to craftto find the perfect products-By choosing the right processfunction in their favorite space?of Cloquet match form withHow did Julie and Lee Harris

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their perfect sense of place.

butions to area non-profits.

• WFC’s purchases fromlocal growers and fromindependently-owned,local food producersincreased by 15% whilestore sales increased by6%; the number of localgrowers on ProduceManager Michael Karsh’scontact list increasedfrom 27 to 45.

This year, 2010, marks WFC’s 40thanniversary as a Hillside business andas a consumer-owned cooperative. Aswe celebrate this anniversary, werecognize and respect thecontributions of a group of people whostarted a small retail food store tuckedaway in a neighborhood on a hill inNorthern Minnesota. And one way,maybe the best way, we can show thatrecognition and respect is to continueworking for the sustainabledevelopment of our community, ourregion and our planet. GG

G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E A S U M M E R 2 0 1 0 3

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Look for exciting classes, events & workshops:www.YogaNorthDuluth.com www.YogaNorthDuluth.blogspot.com

In my last book review I discussedinflammation and its tremend-ous impact on our bodies(Inflammation Nation by Floyd H.

Chilton, PhD). Today’s review shows asimilar link between fungi and many ofthe same diseases for which we can’tseem to find a cure..

Both books seem to be able to show astrong connection between many com-mon diseases and our diet. Both have

been able to see great success with dietchanges — from lessening of symp-toms to outright cures.

Doug Kaufman sets out to educate,and educate he does. He has a quiz tohelp you determine if fungi might beinstrumental in your health issues. Hegives an initial diet to follow (includingeggs, meat, vegetables, fruits and car-rot juice), along with a list of goodfoods and a list of foods to avoid. He

includes healthy recipes, and finally,along with all of this information, hegives you testimonials. Kaufman’s bookcommunicates detailed information inwords and concepts that are easy forthe reader to understand.

The bottom line isthat Doug Kaufmanwants you tobecome moreinvolved in your ownhealthcare. Heencourages you to find a health careprovider who is open to new informa-tion. With so much new informationcoming out each and every day, weoften can do some of our own researchand share what we have learned withour health care provider. We need towork as a team and be willing to lookat our own eating habits and takeresponsibility for them. A practitionercan’t help us if we refuse to look at ourlifestyle and acknowledge how it maybe affecting our health.

— Judy Kreag, Member-Ownerbook reviewIn this book, Mr. Kaufman talks aboutconnections between fungi and arthri-tis, digestion, respiration, mentalhealth, dermatology, hearth health,allergies, yeast related issues, andchronic pain. He shows the connection

between food andfungi, adding thatsugar is one of themain ways to feedout of control fungiin our bodies.

However, he points out that the rightkind of carbohydrate in a non-toxicindividual will supply energy, while thewrong type of carbohydrate in a fungal-ly-toxic individual will actually suppressenergy. Many times just by eating theright kind of foods we can bring ourbodies back into balance.

One of the reasons that more is notknown about fungal toxicity is that thesymptoms of a fungal infection mimicmany other common disorders.Antibiotics are often used to clear upthese disorders and as many of youknow, antibiotics kill good as well asbad bacteria and can cause our intes-tinal tract to get out of balance. It is atthat point that we become susceptibleto fungal diseases. What we must keepin mind is that if the treatment we useto correct a disorder is not working, weneed to look for a different answer.Inflammation and fungal infection arejust two of the many other possibilities.

After reading this book I now under-stand that one of the reasons many ofmy health issues persist, even though Ieat many organic foods, is because ofmy lifestyle (too many restaurants &desserts). Realizing that the averageAmerican eats 130 lbs. of sugar a year(not hard to believe when you look atour sugar-filled holidays), it is easy tosee the validity of the information inthis book. If you would like to knowmore about how you can take controlof your health, pick up a copy of FungusLink in the book section of the Co-op.

Judy Kreag has written two guidebook/cookbooks, taught cooking classes and hasworked for a local nutritionist. She presentlyteaches at The College of St. Scholastica.

The Fungus Linkby

Doug Kaufman

A G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E4 S U M M E R 2 0 1 0

Area’s Largest Selectionof Organic Wines

• Over 1,000 hand-picked wines• Knowledgable staff• Large selection of wine racks, stemware,

openers, books and more!

Fitger’s Brewery Complex • 600 E. Superior St. • Duluth218.733.0792 • www.fitgerswinecellars.com

(218) 724-6000

Lakewalk Building, 1420 London Road, Suite 102B www.occmanmed.com

Expertise in managing:

Rehabilitation of non-operative musculoskeletal pain syndromes

Acute and cumulative trauma from work, sport or play

Motor vehicle related trauma

Occupational disease assessment and diagnosis

Fitness for duty & return to work coordination

Hands on care utilizing osteopathic manual medicine techniques

Let us get you moving again

April brought our 40th Earth Day.So much has been done, yetthere is so much more to do.What would you do to make

the planet environmentally sound andits inhabitants better off? You mightsay you’d like to help feed the worldwhile protecting its resources. Thatwould be an admirable goal.Supporting the growth of organic agri-culture can do just that. According to arecent International Federation ofOrganic Agriculture Movements(IFOAM) report, the world’s under-nourished people reachedone billion in 2009. In anutshell, 15 percent ofpeople are hungry; andmost are women and chil-dren despite the fact thatthe world produces 125percent of the requiredfood for all to eat.Of the one billion,

three quarters of theundernourished live inrural areas. How can thisbe? What about the greenrevolution? The green revolution is saidto have accomplished a lot but it failedto combat hunger. What about the

promises of genetically engineeredcrops to feed the world? Within themedia the agro-industry proposes asecond green revolution based ongenetic engineering. Unfortunately, thisfeeds the industry’s self-interests byboosting its bottom line and continu-ing its control of the world seed supplybut it does not contribute to feedingthe poor.What about organic agriculture —

can it help solve the hunger crisis? Wellyes it can! According to the IFOAMreport, “Organic Agriculture based on

its encour-aging con-cepts,experienceand exam-ples pro-poses aparadigm-shift infood secu-rity policiesto ensurethathunger is

history by 2050.” That’s quite a state-ment, so how can that be so?The needs of rural people and the

sustainable use of natural resourcesare at the core of the organic farmingsystem. Organic agriculture uses locallyadapted technologies to create employ-ment opportunities and income.Organic agriculture encourages lowexternal inputs to minimize risk ofindebtedness and intoxication of theenvironment. Organic agricultureincreases harvests through practicesthat favor the optimization of biologicalprocesses and local resources overexpensive, toxic and climate damaging

agro-chemicals. Organic agriculturalpractices bring degraded land back intoproduction.The slightly lower yields of organic

agriculture in favorable, temperatezones are compensated with approxi-mately 10-20 percent higher yields indifficult environments.Responding to a frequently asked

question: can the world be fed by theworldwide adoption of organic agricul-ture? YES!Tremendous strides have been made

in the last decade toward organic agri-cultural systems, producing safer, morenutritious and better tasting food withfewer resources and less waste. It is upto us to keep this progress going.How can you help organic agricul-

ture feed the world? Learn about thescience and technology driving innova-tion on organic farms and in organicfood manufacturing plants. A greatorganization is the Organic Center,which provides a great monthly elec-tronic newsletter called “The Scoop.”For a free subscription, visitwww.organic-center.org.Another way to help is by supporting

organizations likethe OrganicFarming ResearchFoundation, whichfunds the grants,research, policy andpublic educationprograms that helpset the course ofwhere organic farm-ing should be in thefuture and how toget there. To findout more go towww.ofrf.org.

SOMEWHEREIN BETWEENFor those in-between months where localsummer crops have not shown up yet andthe winter supply starts looking all toofamiliar. That’s when a good imaginationand some good recipes come into play likethis. From Jennifer Brewer, try:

Easy Vegetable CashewStir-Fry over Brown Rice1 T Coconut Oil (olive’s ok, just don’theat it too high)

1 Onion, sliced1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced1/2 lb Broccoli Florets1/2 lb Crimini Mushrooms, sliced1 small head Napa Cabbage, thinlysliced

Sauce:1 T Arrowroot1/3 C Tamari2/3 C Vegetable Broth2 cloves Garlic, minced1 2-inch piece of fresh Ginger, minced1/2 C Raw Cashews

Slice onion and pepper. Prepare broc-coli into florets, slice mushrooms andNapa cabbage.

When vegetables are ready, heat oil inheavy skillet or wok. Add onion andpepper and cook for 3 minutes. Addbroccoli and mushrooms and cook for5 minutes more. Add cabbage andcook, stirring for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, mince garlic and ginger. Ina small bowl, mix together the arrow-root, tamari, vegetable broth, gingerand garlic. Whisk until smooth. Poursauce over vegetable mixture, stirringconstantly.

When sauce has thickened (about 2minutes), stir in cashews and serveimmediately over cooked brown rice.Serves 4

If you like this recipe, go to Jenny’swebsite for some more ideas:www.nourishingnutrition.com.

Fresh Perspective Organic Options

This Month’s TidbitGenetically engineered corn,

soybeans and cotton have increasedpesticide use in the U.S. by

318 million pounds since 1996,largely as a result of the rapid spreadof glyphosate (Roundup) resistantweeds. Herbicide use on so-called“herbicide-tolerant” crops rose a

remarkable 31 percentfrom 2007 to 2008

Last, keep buying organic foodwhenever possible and support thestores that provide you with fresh quali-ty organic food

Ask Dr. Patty ProduceQ: Dear Patty, With all this new infor-mation coming about GMOs why don’tcountries ban them? Don Bromberg

A: Dear Don, One has! This pastOctober the Irish Government voted toban the cultivation of all GM crops andintroduce a voluntary GM-free label forfood. The ban includes meat, poultry,eggs, fish, crustaceans and dairy pro-duce made without the use of GM ani-mal feed. The agreement specifies thatthe Government will “Declare theRepublic of Ireland a GM-Free Zone,free from the cultivation of all GMplants.” Perhaps the United States willtake a hint from its European ally.

References this issue: Ireland Bans GMOCrops,http://www.enn.com/business/article/40579; “Putting the Last First — TheOrganic Answer to Food Security For All”,10/12/09, www.ifoam.org/;www.organic-center.org

G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E A S U M M E R 2 0 1 0 5

news bitesINTERESTED IN SUPPORTING THEDEVELOPMENT OF URBAN GARDENSVisit the web site of the DuluthCommunity Garden Program(www.duluthcommunitygarden.org) or email atduluthcommgarden@yahoo.com. The GardenProgram’s Growing Together Campaign needssponsors to fund much-needed improvementsto the garden sites including fencing, water andcompost. Community Action Duluth is lookingfor donations of vacant land, plants, seeds, dirt,compost and tools to begin a long-term andextended season project to increase the amountof local and affordable food in our region whileproviding employment to low-income people(angie@communityaction.duluth.org).

APATRONAGE REBATES DISTRIBUTEDFOR FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2009Over 4,600 patronage rebate checks weremailed to Owners in early December 2009.Please cash your check. Checks not cashed willadd to WFC’s tax liability in 2010. For details onthe who, what, why and when of patronagerebates, please visit WFC’s web site:www.wholefoods.coop

ASUPPORT FOR ALTERNATIVETRANSPORTATIONDuluth Transit Authority/DTA bus passes areavailable for purchase at the Customer ServiceCounter. WFC’s Courtesy Cab Coupon programbegan on a trial basis in December 2009 inpartnership with Go Green Taxi and Yellow Cabof Duluth. Details on this program are availableat the Customer Service Counter and on WFC’sweb site: www.wholefoods.coop

ASUPPORT FOR RECYCLINGIn partnership with Western Lake SuperiorSanitary District, the Minnesota Chamber ofCommerce and Lincoln Park Life Skills (MNState Operated Community Services), WFCaccepts clean plastic bags for recycling throughthe “Its in the Bag” program. A drop-offcontainer is located next to the ATM.

ALEARN ABOUT LOCAL FARMSAND FARMERSVisit the website for the Lake SuperiorSustainable Farming Association(www.lssfa.org) and www.superiorfoodweb.org

ACALL FOR ART!Member-owner art showto be on display in the BCO seating areaduring the month of October 2010.Interested members contact Jill atjillh@wholefoods.coopSpace is limited and someconditions apply.WFC thanks the followingbusinesses for doing anamazing jobupgrading the lookand feel of ourclassroom:

Garrison Builders/Noah Garrison

Eco/Julie McDonnell

Terrazzo & Concrete Restoration, Inc.

Builders Commonwealth, Inc.

Dean’s Report the Dean goes back to school

This January I went back toschool. WFC-U that is. ThisJanuary I was hired as aPromotions and Education

Coordinator at the Whole Foods Co-op.and, although the winter semester ofclasses was already in full swing, I doveright in. I began by familiarizing myselfwith our great kitchen and learningspace, making connections with ournetwork of instructors, and lookingahead to the Spring and Fall classes Iwould begin to organize. During thisprocess I learned three important les-sons.

The first thing that I learned is that youlove ethnic cooking. Minnesota may bethe land of hot dishes and Jell-o salad,but that doesn’t mean you don’t lovecurry, basil, and ginger too! This springwe’ve held sold out classes onCaribbean, Indian, and Asian cookingjust to name a few.

The second thing I learned was thatyou don’t just like to cook. Some of ourmost popular classes in the past fewmonths have included topics rangingfrom making herbal medicines, togluten free eating and shopping, to theMediterranean diet.

Finally, I’ve learned that flexibility is keyat WFC-U. My lesson in this came dur-ing preparations for a children’s cook-ing class. Coming into this class I hadno idea what cooking with 10 buddingchefs was going to be like. As the classbegan we all got to work helping tocook the different dishes, learning allabout the ingredients, and picking upsome basic cooking skills too. Eventhough this class might not have beenwhat I expected, it turned out to be oneof the most fun and informational classof the semester.

You can be sure that as I begin to put

by Chris Rubesch, Promotions and Education Coordinator

together another semester of classes Iwill take these lessons to heart.Prospective and returning WFC-U par-ticipants can look forward to a widerange of upcoming class topics such asScandinavian cooking, homeopathicmedicines, food preservation, filledpasta cooking, and even basic moneymanagement. Our fall classes willresume in September and the schedulefor these classes will be available onour website and at the customer serv-ice center at the end of July.

If you ever have any ideas for classesyou would like to take please don’t hes-itate to fill out a comment card, andI’m looking forward to seeing you atthe “U”!

Chris Rubesch is an ultra-marathoner andfirst-year beekeeper.

A G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E6 S U M M E R 2 0 1 0

Here’s a sign of how things have beengoing lately: At a recent Board meeting,we approved 86 newmemberships (that’s justone month’s worth!) Our

continuedgrowth tells uswe are doingsomething right.But these newMember-Ownersdidn’t justwander into thestore one day toescape the coldwind and suddenly decide toplunk down 100 bucks. Isuspect they were part ofsomeone’s social network, assuggested by Alison in thismonth’sMember Matters.Welcome to all new Member-Owners!That original group of 20

represents a pebble throwninto a lake, with ripplesreaching outward. Forty yearslater, those ripples still travel,touching new people, whoare

looking for goodfood, food with aconscience, and away of doingbusiness that doesmore than sell food.

board reportboard ofdirectorsAlison ChampeauxAd Hoc Policy CommitteeGM Eval CommitteeStudy CommitteeTerm expires 2011alison@wholefoods.coop

Mary DragichAnnual Mtg PlanningBoard RecruitmentStudy CommitteeTerm expires 2012maryd@wholefoods.coop

Chris EdwardsonFinance CommitteeAnnual Mtg PlanningFinance CommitteeStudy CommitteeTerm expires 2012chrise@wholefoods.coop

Mark FriederichsMark FriederichsTreasurerAnnual Mtg PlanningFinance Committee (Chair)Study CommitteeTerm expires 2012mark@wholefoods.coop

David HelfPresidentAnnual Mtg PlanningGM Eval Committee (Chair)Term expires 2011davidh@wholefoods.coop

Theresa KoenigVice PresidentBoard Recruitment Committee (Chair)GM Eval CommitteeStudy CommitteeTerm expires 2012theresa@wholefoods.coop

Heather MurphySecretaryAnnual Mtg PlanningBoard Recruitment CommitteeStudy Committee (Chair)Term expires 2011heather@wholefoods.coop

ASharon Murphy, General ManagerWhole Foods Co-op610 E 4th StreetDuluth, MN 55805728-0884/w728-0490/faxsmurphy@wholefoods.coopWFC web site:?www.wholefoods.coope-group address to communicate with entireBoard and GeneralManager:?wfcbod@wholefoods.coopCall 218 728-0884 to leave a call-back requestfor a Board member.Letters addressed to Board membersc/o Whole Foods Co-op, 610 E. 4th St.,Duluth, MN 55805 will be forwarded unopenedto the Board/Board member.

ends statementIn Duluth, there is a thriving consumer-owned cooperative that supports, investsand partners to create a healthycommunity including, but not limited to,a healthy regional food system.

co-operative principles1. Voluntary and open membership.2. Democratic member control.3. Member economic participation4. Autonomy and independence.5. Education, training and information.6. Cooperation among co-ops.7. Concern for community

Happy 40th Birthday!by David Helf, Board President

Do you remember what youwere doing 40 years ago? Ifyou’re old enough, you mayrecall the first Earth Day. At

my school, we spent the day trying tounderstandproblemscaused bypollution, andwe resolved togo forth andsolve thoseproblems. InDuluth, agroup of 20was concernedabout thequality of foodavailable locally,but rather thanjust study theproblem, theystartedsomething.They called itthe WholeFoods Co-op.The rest, asthey say ishistory —our history.The numbers are impressive. What

took place in the first floor of a house onEast 2nd St now happens in a modernbuilding of 18,600 square feet, with 5,500Member-Owners, 86 employees, andannual sales of over $10,000,000. Weowe an incredible debt to those 20pioneers. What foresight!

INTERESTED INHOW THE BOARD

WORKS?Meetings of the Board ofDirectors, except for closed ses-sions, are open to WFC Owners.If you have an item for discus-sion at the Board meeting,please submit your item in writ-ing by the first Friday of themonth in which you request theBoard’s consideration. Suchagenda items will be subject totime constraints at the Boardmeeting. Board meetings are onthe 4th Monday of every monthbeginning at 5:30 PM subject tochange due to holidays andco-op events.

The three men and four women ofyour Board of Directors come from two

continents, range in age fromtwenty-something to almostsixty, have a variety of lifeexperiences, yet we are single-minded as we work for you. Werecognize that for Whole FoodsCo-op to have gotten this far,many people have helped bringabout many changes. We study,listen, deliberate, and act onbehalf of our Member-Owners.Help celebrate 40 years. Cut

some cake. Attend our galalargest-ever annual meeting. But let’s allkeep our expectations high. If you likesomething here, tell us. If something isless than you’d expect, tell us also. Holdus to a high standard. Write me at:davidh@wholefoods.coop Thanks forreading. GG

E-mail questions or comments for theBoard at wfcbod@wholefoods.coop

David HelfBoard President

G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E A S U M M E R 2 0 1 0 7

Chris C. WilliamsLillian CainVivian PleusBeth A. PeteresonRick GiswoldAutumnHommerding

Dana MillerSteve PatrickRachel YrjansonJohn KnierimTeresa S. BurgoonV. Kay GoodmanMelissa BellGretchen RingdahlWendy L. SmykalskiDebra J LiebergJames HongistoDenise ColemanLyng

Lisa R. ReevesShari OlsonBetty JunoAndrew ReitzBrent KustermannJanna GilbertsonBeth CashSusan MattsonRobert JokelaAnn F. ClarkJames LyndonUrness

Mary BoothKristineSchottenbauer

Joshua FriendJodi SlickZachary ZorbasChristin LindKris Gerard JacobsCharles O.Nahgahnub

William KinsleyDiana BuhrJeremy A. AndersonLisa A LarsonIvy CotoneBernadette JohnsonMatt P JacksonBetsy CristBryon ColbyChenoa WilliamsJonathan OtisStephen BockholdArek LucichEdward FelixPiasecki

Ryan MakiKarri La BarreTimothy P. FallonAmy Angeline GrigalNikolaus WourmsDoreen Hansen

Ben EbacherPamela LempiCynthia SundstromMaureen MathesonStephen ArthurMalory SchaefbauerDale NummiNora L. EckstineLisa HaberlingLaura J. FurtmanJanet SuttonSheri SullivanDiane KauppiNicole Enge-FreyKatherine LaucampLisa ConsieErin BlazevicJill Rigling FeeEdward MarsmanJulie J. BuriaLaura E. JuntunenMaria HarveySarah Ann WalkerHonor SchaulandBrooke RoalsonMylii PukemaJulie MeyerHeather M. FranzCandi Jean BroeffleBrandon CarlsonDonald KooimanTerry J. DegerstromDuane OhmanHeather Lee HornAnne FrancesRedfield

Lorraine FishRenee PearsonAngela Rae LockerDavid RobisonMoriah GraceDavid J. OngaroSandra DantesPamela GipeCarrie HeikkilaKelly WarkKirsten KvalstenDelorisMcnaughton

Erika MockHeidi SeversonDana SalmelaJoanne JoiceNancy KrullElizabeth JoJohnson

Stacy FosterEllen L. AbareBruce GiersdorfDelores GrunwaldBette GreatonAnn BoctorBrooke Kennedy

Diana McfaddenMolly HannanSharon WeiszJudith LingSuzanne PalmLeslie Ann HannaKerry Jo CainAlisyn FriederichAlyssa SmithSummer WaldropVirginia MainellaAngela Rae RicharteJennifer BerryMichele DowneyAnne ScottBeth A. LindMarianne T. Miller

Nicole CaldwellDaniel CarrLorenda IngersollElena IngersollJack MahoneyDuane FogardRobert BartlowNancy SchumacherMarian LaniganEllen L. StasneyAnne MarieGorham

Beverly PetersDana VarlandSarah L RenschlerCheryl J. HusbyBeverly RobinsonRobert RoperHeather DuvalTheresaSchmaedeke

Gustaf EkstrandBeth MagomollaGwen AndersonDeborah GibbonsCheryl FlorenSandra ManleyMelba WellerDerrick SnyderErica MulcahySara CookRita MarjutSwanson

Robert ZaporzanJames FrericksLucy SweeneyJesse ShaddrickJames J. ThomasKelly Jo MessinaSamuel BradleyJohn BaumanJennifer RasmussenDarlene NagyMabel VeselLinda Kay BergquistMary Jane HugginsCherie Lynn UlviRoberta PascuzziErin OlinConnie ThomsonMichell S. ParmeterScott CarlsonKirsten MooreJenny SilvisEdward WilsonJulie ErnstKelly HansonRoger W. HartzbergLaura E. ReganDevin GarrettMichelle M. SeafolkLee MielkeEmily Vos

welcome, newmember-owners!

by Alison Champeaux, Board Member

membership matters

The WFC Board often discusseswhat makes Member-Ownerstick. It is of great concern tous to know who you are, why

you are an Owner, and what you likeabout WFC. This helps us guide the Co-op’s direction and purpose for this yearand beyond.I heard on Minnesota Public Radio

some interesting research about socialnetworks; not to be confused withsocial networking. Our social networksare people in our direct circle, like fami-ly, close friends, and sometimes co-workers. Our indirect circle includesour family member’s friends, friends offriends and friends of co-workers.Research showed that we are influ-enced by several dimensions, or circlesof people and not just our friends.Think about it. Did you hear about anew restaurant in town because yourfriend heard it from their friend? This ismore common than we think and it canaffect the decisions and choices thatwe make.Being a Member-Owner of the Co-

op isn’t always a conscious decision. Iwas a member at PCC Natural Marketsin Seattle, so it seemed like a goodchoice to join WFC when I moved toDuluth. I did not fully appreciate why I

had joined until I met people in variouscircles who talked about the Co-op; Ivalued being a Member-Owner evenmore so when I became a BoardMember.People become Owners join for so

many reasons, such as the great food,our commitment to local and regionalfood production, health and allergicneeds, and more. Your membership atthe Co-op is so important! You are notjust a customer (although we value allour customers); you are an owner andhave invested in an important, vitalnatural foods store that benefits ourentire region.If you are unsure why you are a

member, ask other Co-op members inyour social network for their perspec-tive. If you are clear why you are amember and how you became one,then please let me know, so I can sharethis with the Board. And remember: asa member of several social networks,you can influence and encourage oth-ers to become a member of our Co-op.You can help us realize our mission,and help a healthy regional food sys-tem flourish.Let me know why you are a

Member-Owner:alison@wholefoods.coop I would loveto hear from you! GG

What or who influenced YOU to be a member?

The 259 newMember-Ownersfrom February 1,2010 to April 30,2010 represents adramatic upturn inOwnership. The totalnumber of newMember-Ownerssince July 1, 2009 is653. We are so closeto our goal of 800new Member-Owners by June 30,2010 it’s amazing!Let’s extend a greatbig welcome to ournewest Member-Owners. We wouldn’thave made it 40years without you all.

Michaela FrokjerMichael A. FowlerJamie TupperCarl HuberFiona MckeeJoelyn WoehlerMichael AndersonIlone Ann HamiltonNancy WittmerDaniel HolmGrace CampbellTyler BarrellJonathan KucheraArthur Gil DeLamadrid

Desiree MurphySusan VanossJessica Frenz

Tamara GatlinBlazevic ReedLee BujoldLori SchroederAmelia DothEmily OpacichAngela KrickMeghan GenglerMaria MayotteArthur Simpson Jr.Mary Jo GundersonLori NestrudMary MeyerSue BomanTeresa ErkkilaKimberly DaunerVirginia Hanson

Margaret Plummer-Steen

Rita OhmanSteven ArnoldHeikkila

Karri KiefatSarah KernElizabeth A.Pearson

Jennifer MarieHeglund

Amie Lynne BieblWilliam NarogMona KnutsonJon WellesAnn McintoshLinda D. JohnsonPegge Skunberg

Victoria StarrCatherine SwansonBrigid S. RipleyBonnie L. AndersonRebecca UnzeitigThomas ChartierStephanieThompson

Cheryl A. BeresAnh LyHenry NoordzyMary SchroederAngela D. RobinsonLinda JohnsonCinthia GilesSandra MeintsVanni Hayden

A G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E8 S U M M E R 2 0 1 0

the buzz— by Jill Holmen, P & E Coordinator

wfc staff news

March:Customer Service Award winners: Front End Clerk Jason Kokal and Deli Counter Clerk Angela BransonGumby Award winners: Deli Cook Kate Toumi & Merchandising Receiver Eriq Reed

April:Customer Service Award winners: Grocery Buyer Joe Ulvi & IT Coordinator Andy TheuninckGumby Award winner: Merchandising Clerk Kaily McKee

May:Customer Service Award winners: Finance Coordinator Karen Johnson &Front End Clerk Janet RamelGumby Award winner: Manager on Duty Jackie Bradley

JUNE ANNIVERSARIES:Dean Bishop, Administration 1 yearAnton Lepak, Deli 3 yearsMichael Olker, Front End 5 yearsJoe Ulvi, Merchandising 4 yearsLuke Vandrovec, Front End 1 year

JULY ANNIVERSARIES:Jessica Belich, Front End 9 yearsKelly Bittner, Merchandising 2 yearsKelli Burkland, Merchandising 1 yearRain Elfvin, Front End 6 yearsJennifer Harner, Deli 1 yearAlisha Stalker, Front End 2 years

AUGUST ANNIVERSARIES:Kenny Bitzer, Front End 1 yearJennifer Graupman, Front End 2 yearsNatalie Hansen, Front End 1 yearLaura Irving, Produce 3 yearsTimothy Malkovich, Produce 2 yearsKevin “KC” Meyers, Front End 1 yearCameron Reider, Merchandising 2 yearsJim Richardson, Merchandising 12 yearsDylan Savall, Front End 1 yearAndy Theuninck, Administration 5 years

Merchandising Manager LisaAnderson shows off the drasticchanges she and Hobbs fromGarden Magic made to her backyard. Talk about a transformation— we can’t wait to see thoseflowerboxes filled with blooms.!

Take a look at the ad below. One more Co-op staff member (and family) is a proud homeowner thanks toNorthern Communities Land Trust. Congratulations KC!

Front End Clerk Alisha Stalker reportsthat she is one step closer to receivingher Wildlife Rehabilitation NovicePermit with the DNR and will be soonbe able to rehab orphaned wild animalshere in Minnesota! Alisha’s interest inthis was piqued after finding an emaci-ated bat in the co-op entryway last yearand connecting with wildlife rescuers inthe area.

Chris Rubesch, P & E Coordinator tookFIRST place in the Ice Age Trail 50Kmarathon this past weekend in LaGrange, WI!!! 50 kilometers is approxi-mately 31 miles... longer than a tradi-tional marathon, but not as long assome of the other races Chris com-petes in. Chris’s wife Meg came inSECOND in the women’s race, soanother congratulations to her as well.

From lettuce to lens, we congratulateProduce Clerk Sarah Lamb for beinginvited to participate in theDuluth Art Institute’s EmergingPhotographers Exhibition, showingApril 22–September 6 at the Depot.Way to go, Sarah!

Jenny Graupmann, Front End Clerk, issaving up to represent American VocalJazz at the International Society forMusic Education's Symposium inBeijing, China, in August. Her groupLake Effect will be scatting their wayacross the globe for this excitingopportunity. Happy travels!

G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E A S U M M E R 2 0 1 0 9

• Gardein Vegetarian Meats– Chicken Scalopini– Chicken Tenders– Beef Tips– Annie Chun’s Wontons– Ginger Pork– Garlic Chicken

• Almond Dream Ice Cream– Cappucino Swirl– Chocolate– Vanilla

• Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream– Mud Pie

• Stonyfield Ice Cream *– Strawberry-licious

• So Delicious Coconut Ice Cream– Chocolate Almond Mini Bar

GROCERY• Solid Gold Pet Food– We now stock a full line of thisnatural pet food, including cat,dog, and puppy food, treats,and natural cat litter.

• Uncle Pete’s *– Locally Made Sweet & HotMustard

new productsCOOL• Greek Gods Yogurt– Plain 24oz.

• Cedar Summit *– Heavy Cream Pints

• Earth Balance– Soy-Free Spread

• Batter Blaster *• Goodbelly Probiotic Juice– Pomegranate Blackberry

• G.T.’s Kombucha *– Superfruits

• Food For Life– Sprouted Corn Tortillas

FROZEN• Ciao Bella Sorbet– Wild Blueberry

• Luna & Larry’s Coconut Milk IceCream *– Almond Fudge

• Udi’s Gluten Free Bread– Blueberry muffins

• One Sun *– Pizza Crust

• Amy’s *– White Sauce Pizza

grocery gabby Jesse Hoheisel, Cool Buyer

Grilling MeatsGrilling meats are making their way back intoour store as the days are getting longer andwarmer. You can expect to see pork ribs,tenderloins and bratwurst from Pastures-a-Plenty; both beef and bison kabob meat fromNorthstar Bison and Thousand Hills Cattle; aswell as pork hot dogs from Lorentz. In additionto the kabob meat, we are also bringing in moresteaks from Thousand Hills, in particular therib-eye and round tip steaks. The round tipsteaks, due to their smaller cut size and betterprice point proved to be very popular lastsummer and we’re hoping it will go even betterthis year. As always, we are carrying the bisonflank steaks for fajitas or steak sandwiches, andwe can always special order almost any size orquantity of steak from Northstar Bison any time.Pre-made ground beef and bison patties areavailable in the meat freezer. Don’t forget thefish — we have cedar planks available for thosewho want to grill up some salmon, whitefish, ortrout and add a flavor that is both sweet andsmoky, but at a much more subtle level thansmoked fish.

Off the grill, we do have other summer favoritesready to go: sandwich meats from ApplegateFarms, summer sausage from Thousand Hills,bison snack sticks for the trail and pre-cookedbacon from Beeler’s.

• Muir Glen *– ReducedSodiumVegetableSoup

– ReducedSodiumChickenNoodle Soup

• Glenny’sGluten-Free– VanillaMarshmallowTreats

– ChocolateMarshmallowTreats

– PeanutMarshmallowTreats

• Q-Bel– DarkChocolateWafer Bars

– Milk ChocolateWafer Bars

– ChocolatePeanut WaferBars

CurranTax Service

218-720-6000Tax Preparation for Regular People

From W-2s to Small BusinessesEarned Income CreditItemized DeductionsInvestment Income

Rental IncomeSmall Businesses:

Contractors, Therapists etc.Corporations

Thomas J. CurranEnrolled Agent

18 years experience

• Function– Goji Berry Urban Detox Drink

• King Arthur– 2# Unbleached Cake Flour

• Crown Prince Tongol Tuna– Salted & Unsalted

• Xylismart– Powdered Xylitol

• Yogi *– Ginkgo Clarity Tea

• Seventh Generation– Disinfectant Wipes– All Purpose Disinfectant SprayCleaner

– Free & Clear Laundry Sheets

• Traditional Medicinals *– Heartburn Soother Tea

• Honestkidz *– Appley Ever After Juice Packets

• Pacific *– Spicy Black Bean Soup

• Tanka– All Natural Cranberry BuffaloEnergy Bars

• San-J– Wakame Broth Packets

• Good Health– Hot Veggie Stix

• Prometheus *– Lemon Ginger Elixir– Lychee Wasabi Elixir

• Mimicreme– Non-Dairy Cream Substitute

• GlutenFreeda Gluten-Free– Natural Instant Oatmeal– Instant Oatmeal Variety Pack

• Shelton’s– Canned Chicken Breast

• Kame’– Oyster Sauce

• Rapunzel– Vegetable Broth

HBC (Health & Body Care)• Burt’s Bees– Fluoride Free WhiteningToothpaste

– Radiance Day Lotion SPF 15– Medicated Lip Balm

• Radius Toothbrushes• Deep Steep– Honeydew Spearmint FoamingHand Wash Refill 16oz *

– Tangerine Melon FoamingHand Wash Refill 16oz *

• Crystal Deodorants– Chamomile Green TeaMineral Roll On

– Pomegranate Mineral Roll On– Lavender White TeaMineral Roll On

– Chamomile Green TeaMineral Spray

– Pomegranate Mineral Spray

• Ecco Bella– Hair & Scalp Intensive TherapyOil *

• ProSeed– Feminine Rinse

• Desert Essence– Coconut Shampoo &Conditioner *

• Pure Life– Volcanic Clay Facial Mask *

• All Terrain– AquaSport & TerraSportSunscreens

• Amazing Grass– Amazing Meals *12.2oz, 10ct boxes, singles

• Rainbow Light Organics– Women’s, Men’s & PrenatalVitamins *

• Rainbow Light– Gummy Get Well

• All One– Rice Based Multi Vitamin &Mineral Powder

• Source Natural– Taurine Powder

• Oregon’s Wild Harvest– Maitake 60ct *– Green Tea 90ct *

Meat• Tino & Tomasso– Porketta– Turchetta

• Beeler Pork– Ham Steak

* Contains Organic ingredients**Fair Trade

A G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E10 S U M M E R 2 0 1 0

610 East 4th Street A Duluth MN 55805 A 218.728.0884www.wholefoods.coop A Open everyday 7am–9pm

The Midsummer Food Fest has gone local! Come downto meet the local and organic farmers behind your food.

Find out what the Eat Local Challenge is all about.Grab a recipe pack and sign up for your own Challenge.

Enter drawings. Listen to music. Enjoy great food.

Join us Saturday, August 7 from 10am–2pm right in front of the store.Your taste buds will be glad you did.

G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E A S U M M E R 2 0 1 0 11

notes fromthe front—Briana Brewington,

Front End Manager

it’s in the bag!WFC accepts plastic material for recyclingthrough the WLSSD’s It’s In The Bag Program.We’ve been participating in this program sincethe fall of 2009 and so far it’s been a big hit.The program reports that WFC receives asignificantly higher amount of material forrecycling than their other pick-up locations.Thank you to all who have helped make thisprogram a success. If you’d like to contribute tothis effort of reducing plastic material thatwould otherwise end up in the trash, you maydrop off acceptable clean plastic material in thebin at WFC.

material accepted for recyclingGrocery bags

Retail bags with ALL string ties and rigid plastichandles removed

Newspaper bags

Dry-cleaning bags

Produce bags with ALL food residue removed

Bread bags with ALL food residue removed

Cereal bags with ALL food residue removed

Frozen food bags with ALL food residueremoved

Plastic wrap from paper products (papertowels, etc.)

Salt bags with rigid plastic handles removed

Stretch/shrink wrap

Zipper-type bags WITHOUT rigid plasticclosing mechanism.

unacceptable materialSoil or mulch bags

Bubble wrap

Food Containers

Bottles

For more information visit www.wlssd.com orcall (218) 722-0761.

A

reduce reuse redeem programreportSince June of 2006, WFC has recorded theimpact of customers who reuse their shoppingbags. As of April 2010, 134,193 shoppers havebrought their own bag, with an average of about5,000 each month. Each time a shopper bringstheir own bag they have option of donating acredit toward the Second Harvest NorthernLakes Food Bank or collecting them on a punchcard for future redemption. Thus far, WFC hasdonated $5,005.65 to the Food Bank solely dueto this program. Participating shoppers mustbring their own bag/carrying device into thestore for credit — sorry, you can’t just opt out oftaking a bag. Thanks to all you shoppers whohave also helped to make this program asuccess, too!

A

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Residential and community based architecture that is unique, energy efficient and conservation minded

Some people thrive in hot weath-er. (I will write columns espe-cially for you folks in the falland winter!) Others of us find

that too much heat makes us crabbyand miserable! The reason for this isthat when one’s constitution is alreadypretty fiery, adding lots more fire tipsthe scales out of balance. Symptomsrange from minor irritability to majorbad temper, rashes, fevers, infectionsand other “hot” disorders. What can bedone to restore balance?Look first at lifestyle. If you are a

hot-headed Pitta, avoid intense sum-mer heat, especially at midday. Do notbake on the beach or run on the black-top at noon! Saunas are also a no-go.(Yes I know they’re great for other con-stitutions, but not for you.) Do yourgardening in the morning and theevening, if possible. Search out cooloutdoor experiences — walking by ashady creek or gazing at the night sky.Back off from ultra-competitive activi-

ties to “cool it” figuratively as well asliterally.Then look at diet. By understanding

the virya — the heating or coolingenergy — of food, you can make yoursummer much more comfortable. Forexample, all fermented foods have awarming virya, which means they willheat up your body, regardless of thetemperature at which they are con-sumed. This includes yogurt, kefir, but-termilk, sour cream, pickles, and wine.Other foods with a strong warmingvirya are nuts, oils, very salty or spicyfoods, meat, and (surprise) carrotjuice! One serving will not turn you intoan inferno, but if you eat these foodsevery day, you are putting a lot morefire into your system.Other foods have a cooling virya.

Include lots of these in your summerdiet! Cooling vegetables are artichoke,asparagus, cabbage family (broccoli,kale, etc), celery, cucumber, greenbeans, eggplant, lettuce, peas, pota-

toes, spinach, and squash. Most freshfruit is cooling, as are the herbs mintand cilantro. Unfermented cow’s milkis very cooling. (Soy milk, not somuch.) Beans and whole grains arepretty much neutral in energy. An inter-esting and intensely cooling herbalproduct which the Co-op carries isSwedish Bitters, a bottled distillation ofmany bitter herbs. Take a little in waterto counter the effects of too muchsummer heat. The taste is more pleas-ant than you’d expect!If the summer heat makes you into

a hot-head, please use these tips tochill out and enjoy the season! GG

Bonnie Williams Ambrosi is a certifiedAyurvedic Health Educator and teachesyoga and ayurveda at several locations.Contact her at (218) 728-9942 orgrihastashrami@gmail.com or visit herwebsite at grihastashramiyoga.com

In Balance with Ayurvedaby Bonnie Ambrosi, Member-Owner

A G A R B A N Z O G A Z E T T E12 S U M M E R 2 0 1 0

Summer is a favorite time inDuluth for a variety of reasons,if only for those few days ofbaking sun that MIGHT make a

person believe they were in fact some-where tropical. It is fun, and certainlyeasier to be a Locavore during this timeof year, with the variety of offeringsavailable being at peak from late Junethrough August (look out for our ownLocavore Challenge and MidsummerFood Fair to connect with this seasonalfeast). While this seasonality is a pleas-ure, its transient nature belies the realstrength that our local economicsderives from agriculture in this part ofthe state where it is certainly less visi-ble than the fence-to-fence fields of thesouthern part of the state.

The economic downturn, meltdown,recession — you choose — has cer-tainly brought about an awareness ofhow important local economies are forour mutual well being. I knew it hadsunk home when I started seeingChamber of Commerce commercialstouting the importance of buying local,something WFC has championed fordecades. I have certainly mentioned

here before that I believe that econom-ic realism will have to come to termswith what has been dismissed asuntenable and at best a pleasantdream: a vibrant and integral local eco-nomic base in the age of free trade andeconomies of scale. If there is onething that the recent economic messhas taught us, it is that the other shoeWILL drop, and fancy accounting andpractices that make wealth from noth-ing can only suspend that reality, butnot eliminate it. There are objectiverealities that must be reckoned with nomatter what equations you use toexplain them away.

As our local season heats up, we willbegin with our Amish and moresoutherly growers — we are thankfulfor their blessing of a warmer startingseason. However our close local grow-ers, those we’ve dealt with for most ofthe two decades I have been with WFC,were and continue to be the fiber thatgives structure to the bounty you asshoppers experience. Food Farm car-rots, berries from Shary Zoff, cucum-bers from Olund’s Greenhouse areindispensible parts of the season, as

well as beingtangible con-tributions tothe success ofWFC, but alsothe life of our region through thoseemployed, mentored and inspired bythem. Along with Farm Beginningsclasses, and the work of theSustainable Farming Association ofNE Minnesota we are seeing more peo-ple not only deciding to stay in ourregion, but to thrive through methodsof production and access to marketsthat have continued to improvethrough much effort.

Each year I make the trip to a farmingconference in La Crosse, the largest ofits kind in the region, and as I sit in thesessions I am continually struck by theingenuity and genius resident in ourown community as compared with thepractices amongst the best in theregion. These are individuals and fami-lies that have decided that their effortsare best put into communities tuckedback in the pines, along the rushingrivers and even right here in town. Theyare recovering disused orchards, wast-

— Michael Karsh, Produce Manager

back 40 Summer 2010 “Fibrous”

It’s snowing right now. March andApril were snow-free and here weare, on the verge of summer and it’ssnowing. After writing (and then

having to cut) the Spring Savor theSeason article about springtime being atime of transition, it seems like a mootpoint to have transitioned mentallytowards summer only to have snowfalling.

Sometimes it seems like we take onestep back for each two steps forward. Ispeak to groups and see excitementabout what the Co-op is doing in ourcommunity, hear about people support-ing their local businesses and askingquestions about sustainable farmingpractices. Then I’ll run into someonewho can’t seem to understand theimportance of shopping locally orspending just a little extra for unadul-terated food and I feel like I’m startingall over again. Or I’ll have a conversa-tion with a customer who doesn’t thinkwe’re doing enough and that is equally(and sometimes more) frustrating.

Coincidentally, I have had a few inter-esting conversations lately that mademe realize how deeply ingrained someof my beliefs are and how differingpoints of view can make for lively inter-actions. It reminded me again that weare all in constant transition.

I had a discussion with a gentlemanwho was upset at the amount of pack-aging we allowed with the food we sellhere. I tried to point out to him thatnot everyone is in the same place as heand I when it comes to prepackagedfoods. For some people, it is their firstvisit to the store and the idea of thebulk aisle is (believe it or not) a littleoverwhelming to them. Minimally pack-aged items help newer shoppers totransition to a more sustainablelifestyle, bit by bit. I sometimes jokingly

ed resources and a her-itage that was currenthere in past genera-tions. They are applyingtheir skills and days to

humane animal raising, and preservingboth healthful food and our naturalresources.

They’re doing this without the benefitof the kind of financial support and taxbreaks that traditional business devel-opment offers; that communities useto attract revenue to their region.Sustainable agriculture is not some-thing that can be outsourced, it is apart of the place and region and so itssuccess is also the success of thatregion in a way that no corporate suc-cess can be. In a very real sense it isneighbors feeding neighbors, comejoin us in celebrating the value of thatas our season wears on!

Michael Karsh is the Produce Manager atWhole Foods Co-op, where he has workedfor the past 20 years in various positions.A transplant from the Twin Cities, he is anavid parent, cook, and organic gardener.Through his work at the Co-op he hasdeveloped markets for local growers, with anemphasis on organics.

refer to Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies as my“gateway drug” when I take them tooffsite events. These delicious littlemorsels shaped like bunnies do notinspire fear of “hippie food” in folksnew to our way of eating. They encour-age tasting and dialogue. When I havepeople by their tastebuds, I usually alsohave their ears. That is when I handthem a grains, beans or rice brochureand talk about how easy and cheaplyyou can cook from scratch and mosttimes, they listen because they start torealize that eating better doesn’t haveto be difficult or expensive or blandtasting. After doing this kind of workfor about 17 years, I hear GrandmaIrene on my shoulder saying “you catchmore flies with honey than with vine-gar”. She was right.

We are approaching our Co-op’s 40thAnniversary. I have a few things up mysleeve, but the serious planning has yetto be done. When I am doing my cre-ative thinking (some people call it day-dreaming), I think about the peoplewho started the Co-op. What were theirmotivations? I want to pay homage tothat time and place when events beganto change the food scene in Duluth.

And what about everyone who cameafter? Everyone, including myself, wan-dered into a natural food store at somepoint and something clicked. For as bigof a foodie as I am now, the first thingsI bought weren’t even edible. I was buy-ing unscented body care and laundryproducts to help end a skin condition.When that was literally just what thedoctor ordered, I looked around oneday at the food at the Powderhorn Co-op and bought a bag of Hain CarrotChips. That co-op and that food prod-uct are no longer in existence, but bothof them started me on my path. I knowfirst hand the power of the “gatewaydrug”.

What was the first thing you bought ata co-op or health food store? I reallywant to know. I also want to hear yourideas about how we should celebrateour transition into the next 40 years.I’ve got the birthday cake covered, butany other suggestions will be consid-ered.

Transitions. I hoped that some of myconversation with this young manhelped to open his eyes to the fact thateveryone is at a different place for dif-ferent reasons. You can’t assume thatsomeone is willfully ruining our envi-ronment with their choices or you willnever have a productive conversation.Does that make him wrong and meright? No. This conversation causedme to look at the next step I could take.I transitioned to becoming a more con-scientious consumer because of ourinteraction. And with patience and edu-cation, we can help others along theirpath as well by example and dialogue.Be the example. Be the agent ofchange. But be gentle. Ears open withkindness.

I taught a class about cheese in May, andI was surprised at how many people weremaking something as simple as Mac &Cheese so difficult. Since I continuallyencourage people to save money bycooking from scratch, I thought I’d sharethis recipe with everyone. This recipe isvery flexible. Feel free to stir in whatever iscoming out of your garden for a morecomplete meal. Broccoli, cauliflower andgreens are especially delicious. Leftoverchicken or tofu also work well. Apologiesto my vegan and milk allergy friends.Perhaps you can come up with your ownversion I can share in the Fall Issue of theGazette. Just send it my way toshannon@wholefoods.coop.

Until then, eat well, and Savor theSeason.

“Surprise”Macaroni & Cheese7 oz Macaroni, Shells or Fusilli(WW pasta offers more nutrition)3 T Butter, Earth Balance ButterySpread or a combination of both3 T Flour (I use Gold-n-White)2 c Milk, Half-n-Half or a combination1 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese(or 1 C homemade Cream Cheese)1/2 t Sea Salt1/2 t Black Pepper, freshly ground1 T minced Onion (I use a grater to getit very fine)2 t Dijon Mustard2 C Cheese, shredded (almost anycombination will work, but I like tohave at least 1 c of something sharplike an aged Gouda or Cheddar)

Optional crunch topping:1 c dry Bread Crumbs (crushedcroutons work well and taste terrific)2 T Butter, melted2 T fresh Parsley or Chives, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring alarge pot of water to a boil. Add pastaand cook for 8 to 10 minutes or untiljust al dente; drain — don’t over cookand don’t rinse it. In a 3 qt saucepanover medium heat, melt butter and stirin flour. Cook for about 1 minute, untilsmooth and bubbly; stirring constantlyuntil it is tan in color and gives off anutty scent (look at that, you made aroux!). Mix in milk, cream cheese, salt,pepper, onions and Dijon mustard.Continue cooking on low heat untilsauce is thickened. Add cooked maca-roni and the rest of your cheese.

Pour into 2 qt casserole dish. If youwant the optional crunchy topping, mixtogether bread crumbs, butter andparsley or chives in a small bowl;spread on top of the dish. Bake for15 to 20 minutes or until golden brownand heated through. GG

Shannon has her black currant bushesplanted and big plans for tomatoes insteadof a front lawn.

Savor the Season— Shannon Szymkowiak, Promotions & Education Manager

Transitions