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Market Medley Mississippi Market Member Newsletter October-November 2015 Vol. 40 No. 5

NOTICE OF THE Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op’s

ANNUAL MEETING THURSDAY, OCT. 29 MINNESOTA HISTORY CENTER 345 W. KELLOGG BLVD. ST. PAUL 6–6:30 p.m.: Arrival and check in (last chance to vote!) 6:30–7:45 p.m.: Annual meeting program in the auditorium, featuring guest speaker Pakou Hang of the Hmong American Farmers’ Association 7:45–9:00 p.m.: Hors d’oeuvres, beverages and time to explore the We Are Hmong exhibit Tickets are required for attending this event. Beginning October 1st, visit msmarket.coop or the customer service desk to reserve your space.* * Tickets must be reserved in advance for all attendees. A $5 reservation per person is required. This will be reimbursed to you via a $5 Mississippi Market gift certificate receivable at the event. Cancellations must be received at least 48 hours before the event for a refund. Please visit msmarket.coop or customer service to purchase your ticket.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Meet the candidates for the board of directors’ election • October is Fair Trade Month • Thanksgiving tips & recipes

General Manager’s Report

Growing Food—in more ways than one Gail Graham, general manager

Our Fiscal Year 2015, which ended on June 30, was another year of strong financial results for our cooperative. Sales grew to $28,692,841—up 6.3 percent over the previous year. Our Net Operating Income—i.e., income derived from doing business with members and nonmembers, as well as patronage income received from other co-ops—was $917,025. As a cooperative, we return profits generated from doing business with members back to members, proportional to their shopping with us. This year, we will distribute to members $137,628 in electronic vouchers, which can be “spent” at the register or redeemed for cash; and $487,955 in Class B stock will be allocated to members’ accounts. The refund and a letter explaining the details will be distributed in October. We pride ourselves on our commitment to sustainability—beyond just financial sustainability. We strive for sales growth because it allows us to grow in a variety of ways and to increase our impact as we do. AS OUR SALES GROW: • We are better positioned to act thoughtfully on opportunities. We developed our new East 7th store using sound green design features and not only built a beautiful new store to help us serve our member-owners better and serve new people, we also remediated a brownfield site and returned it to the tax rolls, further benefiting our community. • We reach more people and increase membership in our cooperative. Last year, 1,580 new people joined the co-op, for an 11 percent gain in our active members. And, over 80 percent of our business was done with member-owners.

• We increase the number of living-wage jobs in our community. We know that our staff is the foundation of our success. To ensure that we offer sustainable jobs, we are committed to offering a competitive wage and benefit package and to pay St. Paul’s living wage to eligible employees. At the end of the fiscal year, we had 207 employees. Of these, 70 percent were full-time, and 74 percent were earning at or above a living wage of $12.82. Last year, we added nine new jobs. In September, with the opening of East 7th, we have added another 65 jobs—filling 48 percent of them from among residents from the surrounding neighborhoods.

Our cooperative has much of which to be proud. I would like to invite all of you to join us in celebrating the successes of this past year on Oct. 29 at the Minnesota History Center for our Annual Meeting. Thanks to all of you for helping us have another excellent year!

Board of Directors Report

Democracy in action—cast your vote for the board of directors and board compensation changes Jon Olson, president We hope to see you at the Annual Meeting on Oct. 29 at the Minnesota History Center. It’s a chance to connect with other member-owners and celebrate all that we have accomplished through cooperation over the past year. The Annual Meeting is also the culmination of our board of directors’ election. One of our guiding principles as a cooperative is democratic member control. Each year, the board election puts this principle into practice and gives you an equal voice with your fellow co-op member-owners as to who will serve on the board of directors and guide Mississippi Market into the future. We hope you will exercise your right to vote, either online, in our stores, or at our Annual Meeting. BOARD COMPENSATION VOTE The Mississippi Market Board of Directors is asking our member-owners to approve an increase to board compensation. The last time such a change was brought before the membership was in 2005. Member control, as enacted through the board of directors, is a unique feature of a cooperative business. As our business grows and becomes more complex, so too does the role of board members. The new compensation would better reflect the importance our co-op places on board leadership. WHY ARE WE PROPOSING THIS CHANGE? During the past year, your board of directors has been evaluating the current board compensation plan. We took the growth we have experienced into account and reviewed the board stipends at the other Twin Cities food co-ops. We believe our proposal will better reflect the value that board members create for our cooperative. Board governance is a critical business function, and it requires an investment to attract, train, and retain effective board members. Also, we believe

the increase will promote inclusivity by removing financial barriers that might keep some memberowners from applying to run for the board. WHO DECIDES? Our bylaws require that co-op owners approve any changes to board compensation. We have had information about the proposed changes in the last two newsletters, and board members were available to answer questions at Meet and Greets over the summer. If you have questions or concerns about the proposal, you can email the board at board@msmarket. coop or attend our Sept. 22 meeting. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WILL APPEAR ON OUR BALLOT: In compliance with the Mississippi Market bylaws, the board of directors is asking member-owners to approve a change in the compensation board members receive for their service. Currently, the board president receives a monthly stipend of $100 and other board members receive a monthly stipend of $45. The proposed compensation for board members is as follows: a monthly stipend of $100 a month for board members; $150 a month for board secretary, treasurer, and vice-president; and $200 a month for board president. The stipend will continue to be in the form of a co-op gift card. In addition, board members would receive a 10 percent discount on store purchases. Upon approval of this measure, the compensation outlined will be in effect unless changed by the owners of the co-op at a regular or special meeting, or unless the board determines that the compensation would cause financial harm to the co-op, in which case the compensation would be suspended by the board.

Board of Directors Election 2015

YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE!

No matter how much you shop at Mississippi Market, a little or daily, if you are a member-owner, you get a vote. Please use that vote: We’re listening! At a co-op, each member-owner gets one vote for the board of directors, whether he or she just joined the co-op on a payment plan or has invested $1,000. It is this democratic process that makes our co-op different from so many big businesses. This year’s election includes the opportunity to vote on compensation for the board of directors and the election of three directors to the board. Please review this newsletter or the same information online to inform your decisions.

Use one of these venues for casting your vote: • Online at https://www.directvote.net/MMNFC by 8:00 a.m. on Oct. 29; • In all store’s seating area by 8:00 a.m. on Oct. 29; or • At the Annual Meeting—final ballots accepted 6:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. If you have any technical difficulty with online voting, please call 952-974-2339 for assistance.

MISSISSIPPI MARKET’S STRATEGIC DRIVERS: 1. Delivering exceptional customer service experiences. 2. Supporting and developing an engaged work force. 3. Achieving operational excellence 4. Being the most trusted advisor 5. Fostering growth in the local food economy.

BOARD COMPENSATION VOTE In compliance with the Mississippi Market bylaws, the board of directors is asking member-owners to approve a change in the compensation board members receive for their service. Currently, the board president receives a monthly stipend of $100, and other board members receive a monthly stipend of $45. The proposed compensation for board members is as follows: a monthly stipend of $100 a month for board members; $150 a month for board secretary, treasurer, and vice-president;

QUESTIONS FOR THE CANDIDATES In submitting their application for the co-op’s board of directors, the candidates were asked to address specific questions: 1. Why are you interested in running 3. What is your vision for Mississippi for this particular board? Market’s future growth? 2. What challenges will the co-op 4. Choosing one of our strategic face in the future? How could the priorities, describe how our board co-op overcome these challenges? could help drive that priority.

and $200 a month for board president. The stipend will continue to be in the form of a co-op gift card. In addition, board members would receive a 10 percent discount on store purchases. Upon approval of this measure, the compensation outlined will be in effect unless changed by the owners of the co-op at a regular or special meeting, or unless the board determines that the compensation would cause financial harm to the co-op, in which case the compensation would be suspended by the board.

5. What professional or volunteer experience, including having served on a board or governing committee, uniquely qualifies you to serve on the board?

Due to space limitations, candidate responses have been edited down. To read their answers in full, visit msmarket.coop. Full candidate responses are also available for review on the online voting system https://www.directvote.net/MMNFC. 4

THE CANDIDATES FUN FUN CHENG 1. My belief is that everyone should have access to healthy food and that the sharing of food is a powerful way to build community. Mississippi Market’s mission embodies these beliefs as the co-op exists to create “positive change in the community by influencing the production, distribution and enjoyment of food.” 2. Mississippi Market is in a competitive business in which its competitors do not share its larger mission, and thus, do not have the risks and costs associated with that mission. I believe that Mississippi Market’s success will be tied to its effectiveness in changing its customer demographics. The population is becoming more diverse than the coop’s traditional customers. Because of Mississippi Market’s broader mission, the natural progression for growth is to reach out to diverse communities. Mississippi Market must make a strong argument for itself as a relevant choice for communities of color and for people with lower incomes. What differentiates Mississippi Market is that it is about being part of the community, serving the community, and making positive change in the community. Thus, in addition to providing healthy food choices and living-wage jobs, it can take the initiative to truly engage with diverse communities through collaboration in community projects and partnering in community events. 3. My vision for Mississippi Market is to make it a comfortable place where everyone feels like they are welcome and they belong. One way the co-op can accomplish this is to have a workplace that looks and feels like the diversity within the communities they serve. Furthermore, since each community is unique, each market can develop its own personality rather than be cookie-cutter [versions] of each other. The co-op can also

make people feel welcome and comfortable by stocking the foods that are familiar to their customers’ day-today eating. With a more diverse customer base, what is deemed familiar foods should expand. 4. Foster growth in the local food economy. Mississippi Market can foster growth in the local food economy by being in tune with what’s happening in the food landscape, then using its resources to boost what’s already happening. Creative projects are being launched within various communities, such as urban farms, mobile markets, and even a winery that uses gleaned fruit. Perhaps urban farms can become suppliers to Mississippi Market, thus defining “local” as practically right in its own backyard. 5. I have served as a co-leader in a leadership team for Planet Homeschool (PHS), a homeschool educational co-op. The leadership team was tasked with building and sustaining a positive and enriching environment for learning, socialization, and support for students in upper elementary grades through high school. My specific role was to transform the annual list of class offerings decided by the voting members of the co-op from words to reality. Also during my tenure at Planet Homeschool, I volunteered regularly with The Little Kitchen Food Shelf as the parent monitor working alongside student volunteers. This collaboration was a win-win situation, providing the PHS community with an opportunity to serve and allowing Little Kitchen to be open on a day when it wasn’t normally open.

L AU R I E S TA N E K 1. I have a strong desire to serve the community and feel this will allow for the convergence of my passion for healthy eating and my financial business expertise. 2. As eating organic becomes more mainstream, competitors will continue to enter the marketplace, including major chains, to meet this growing need. This will place competitive pressures on the co-op from a pricing standpoint and could potentially diminish the perceived value of the co-op as the source for healthy foods as “healthy and natural” foods become more widely available. Adding to this is the plethora of marketing terms that are causing confusion to consumers (e.g. natural, organic, free-range, cage-free, non-GMO, grass-fed) and could potentially dilute the value being offered by the co-op as consumers are unable to differentiate between unregulated marketing terms and

the perceived value of the products they are buying. The co-op will need to continue to differentiate itself as the best source for locally sourced and organic foods, along with educating the consumer to help them navigate their way and make better food-buying choices. 3. I would like to see the co-op continue to be a trusted source of healthy, organic and locally produced food; possibly adding additional stores beyond St. Paul. 4. Be the most trusted advisor. In the very competitive 5

THE CANDIDATES food marketplace, the co-op will find its niche to be the most trusted advisor. The natural food marketplace is becoming very confusing, but being a place where consumers can trust the quality and source of the food will allow the co-op to be differentiated. Thus, educating consumers about the differences in products and differentiating Mississippi Market from retailers

offering similar products will be important. 5. I am a licensed CPA with 15+ years of experience working in leadership roles in finance and reporting to boards and regulatory bodies. I have strong business leadership and practical experience in senior finance roles.

H LE E VAN G 1. I love Mississippi Market and want to be an integral part of the co-op community by helping to further its core values of integrity and people. The co-op is St. Paul’s homegrown, local, and natural foods source, bringing good-quality food to traditionally less-affluent neighborhoods. As a former longtime resident of the St. Paul Frogtown neighborhood and a member-owner, I am proud to see the co-op grow, thrive, and contribute to St. Paul’s neighborhoods and communities—I, too, want to contribute to the community by serving on the board of directors. 2. I believe that the co-op will face three main challenges in the future: 1.) Maintaining quality control for the three stores with the added work and pressure of a third store; 2.) Maintaining operational excellence with the overall growth and expansion of the co-op; and 3.) Sustaining the co-op’s current state of profitability and growing the co-op’s future profits amidst the current food-distribution climate. Quite simply, the co-op will overcome these challenges by being purpose-driven and adhering to what makes the co-op great—its cooperative values and meeting the needs of its stakeholders with integrity and excellent customer service. 3. I envision the co-op’s future growth to mirror its past successes of being a leader in bringing affordable, local, natural, and organic foods to its member-owners and

surrounding neighborhoods with continued innovative programs like LIME. The co-op will continue to grow its membership and be an integral player in developing and sustaining an engaged workforce in St. Paul. The co-op will engage the surrounding neighborhoods and challenge the local food economy to engage in sustainable yet profitable business practices and projects. 4. Achieving operational excellence. The board can help to drive this priority by monitoring the operations of the co-op, providing fiduciary oversight, exercising due diligence in monitoring the co-op’s financial condition and by balancing the co-op’s values with its profit goals. 5. As an attorney, I understand the legal and fiduciary obligations of board membership, including the duty of care, duty of loyalty, and duty of attention/ diligence. I have two years of prior board service with Forecast Public Art, a nonprofit arts organization, from 2009 to 2011. Currently, I’m a Forecast board member, renewing my service in June 2015.

TIM WEBER 1. Mississippi Market, as an organization, shares many of the same goals and aspirations as I do personally. This being the case, the co-op’s mission is a great way to provide positive and meaningful community outreach. To that end, the financial management and operational experience that I have gained over the course of the last 20 years are very transferrable and well aligned with a board position such as this. 2. Dynamic growth is a sign of a healthy organization that has an engaged membership and effective leaders. The main challenges then become focus and balance; staying focused on evolving member needs and requests while balancing immediate and long-term fiscal policies. This is accomplished with active communication throughout the organization to share thoughts, ideas, concerns and vision over time. Looped feedback then helps everyone, setting expectations and correcting course as needed.

3. The addition of a third location provides a great footprint from which to expand access for members and also support the community as a whole. Co-op members also benefit from the optimization of shared resources across locations to capture organizational efficiencies and increase purchasing power to access/offer increasing menus of products and services, this model being scalable to member needs. 4. Achieving operational excellence. This priority permeates an organization to serve everyone’s best interest. Board members have a great opportunity to function as a sounding board for member-owner

THE CANDIDATES requests and assist the co-op leadership and staff with consultative decision-making on how to best satisfy these requests. This dialogue also serves to assist in distilling down organizational “needs” vs. “wants,” maximizing co-op resources and evaluating the return on investments made on behalf of the members. 5. After teaching in the adult and secondary arenas, I have spent the last 20 years in operations and sales management. The most recent five years, I have been responsible for the P&L management of my

organization. Having oversight and responsibility for both the operations and sale functions of the organization has been a very rewarding and challenging opportunity. The skills and experience I gained would be very transferrable to other situations, such as a board position with the co-op. This first became apparent to me while serving on the board for the Japan-America Society. I have also enjoyed serving in various volunteer roles with local public broadcasting organizations to raise funding and awareness.

DEBBIE BROWN 1. I’m very interested in serving on the Mississippi Market’s board because, after 27 years of career focus, I seek additional community involvement for the purpose of giving back. The co-op is a wonderful local resource with values that closely align with my own. I’d love to have the opportunity to serve and share my skills, experience, and personal commitment to help ensure the sound, financially robust future for our market. 2. I envision three challenges the co-op is likely to face. The first is economic. People will always need food. Food demand creates jobs, and healthy food is a preventive measure for avoiding the costs of poor health. Our co-op weathered the recent recession, demonstrating that we can withstand economic challenges through skilled management and communicating the value of nutritious foods. The second challenge I see the co-op facing is the need to attentively manage our growth. Successful growth hinges on strong leadership and management. It also requires that we maintain an engaged work force, dialog with our member-owners, and remain receptive to the ideas and needs of our customers. The third challenge I anticipate is ensuring that we remain true to our co-op’s goals, values and strategic priorities as we grow. Change can bring distractions that could take us off course. Yet I’m confident that we’ll build on 36 years of success by remaining accountable to our member-owners and ensuring that decisions are based on the bedrock of co-op goals, values, and strategic priorities. 3. My vision for the Mississippi Market’s growth is to solidly establish our new store, to maintain sound governance and finances, to listen and learn from the growth experience of our third store, and then to collectively determine our future steps. My desire is that all of our stores flourish and contribute to the health, education, and economic prosperity of our suppliers, employees, member-owners, and community members. 4. Achieving operational excellence. Success in operational excellence results from achievement of our other priorities: an engaged work force; exceptional customer service; support of the local food economy; and our

brand as a trusted, ethical information source. Our board could help drive operational excellence through active oversight of these priorities, accountability for sound co-op finances and by seeking continuous improvement through work with our stakeholders. 5. In service on Mississippi Market’s board, I’d like to draw on my professional, volunteer and life experiences from 27 years of work, including: •

Serving as an officer in the U.S. Army.

•

Working as an occupational safety and health professional for 20 years. I have a passion for health and for keeping people safe at work. In addition to technical expertise, I’ve developed knowledge of business and operations principles, strategic and annual planning, business finance, and management skills.

•

Leadership in volunteer organizations including membership of the professional association American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) for 20 years. I have served on numerous committees, including the Academy Conference Team and the AIHA Future Leader Institute advisory board. I currently serve on the finance committee, working closely with the board, out of commitment to ensure the AIHA has a financially sound future as the membership and demographics change.

•

An understanding of and appreciation for cultural differences. Learning about the world, its people and our connections are some of my enduring interests. I’ve worked in southwest Africa and have lived and traveled extensively outside the U.S.

his year, we will have three varieties of free-range, allnatural locally raised turkey.

Kadejan Farms | Glenwood, Minn., provides our fresh turkeys. Ferndale Farm | Cannon Falls, Minn., provides our frozen turkeys.

R E H GAT HER T E G O T

Schultz Organic farm | Owatonna, Minn., provides our organic birds, only available frozen. All varieties will be available in a wide selection of sizes on a first-come, first-served basis in all three of our stores. Look for signs posted daily as to estimated delivery times and size options. You can preorder both Kadejan and Schultz turkeys. If you are interested in this option, please fill out an order form at our customer service desks or in our meat departments. Preorders can be made for Thanksgiving turkeys from Nov. 1–21. Visit our website for roasting tips and temperatures. If you’re looking for something beyond turkey for your Thanksgiving spread, we’ll also have ducklings, hams, roasts and more.

Whether you’re looking to make a side dish or dessert to accentuate your Thanksgiving spread, take advantage of the season’s peak produce.

Pear and Pomegranate Crumble topping ingredients ½ cup all-purpose flour | ½ cup rolled oats ½ cup brown sugar | ¼ cup butter, chilled and cut into small pieces | ½ tsp cinnamon | ½ tsp nutmeg filling ingredients 4 pears, peeled and chopped | 1 pomegranate, seeds only 1 orange, zest and juice | 1 lemon, zest and juice 1 tsp. cinnamon | ∂ tsp. nutmeg | ∑ cup flour ∑ cup sugar | salt preparation Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a medium bowl, add all topping ingredients. Stir together and break up butter until combined. In another bowl, add chopped pears, pomegranate seeds, zest and juice of lemon and orange, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Pour fruit mixture into baking dish. Add topping and gently press down onto the fruit mixture. Bake until lightly browned and bubbling, about 50 minutes. 8

Our Deli Makes Your Big Day Easier Order our appetizers, side dishes and desserts to save time as you prep your Thanksgiving meal. We’ll have them ready to pick up at your convenience. And don’t forget to pick up a traditional or vegan dinner plate for the lone omnivore or vegetarian at the table. Stop by our deli counter and ask us about how we can simplify your Thanksgiving. Gorgonzola Cheese Balls Olive Variety Packs

preparation Preheat oven to 400˚ F.

Appetizers Seasonal Cheeses

Wild Mushroom and Spinach Turnovers

Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese Puff Pastry

Peel squash and remove seeds. Chop squash into ½-inch cubes; set aside. Wash and trim Brussels sprouts and cut in half. Toss squash and Brussels sprouts with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, then salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. Place in medium saucepan or rice cooker and add 3 cups water. Cover, bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let quinoa stand covered for another 10 minutes. To prepare dressing: In a small bowl, stir together shallot and vinegar. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Once squash and Brussels sprouts are roasted, quinoa is cooked, and dressing is prepared, combine quinoa and dressing in a large bowl, then add squash, Brussels sprouts, pumpkin seeds, and chopped parsley. Gently stir to combine and serve.

Green Beans Amandine

Side Dishes We strive to offer the best-tasting, highest-quality Thanksgiving fare so you will be proud to pass it off as your own. (Go ahead, we don’t mind.) Saged Pesto Pumpkin Soup with Gruyere

Mixed Berry, Pecan and Goat Cheese Dinner Salad

Creamy Cashew Mushroom Soup (vegan)

Roasted Squash and Red Onion Salad

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Mushroom Walnut Loaf (vegan)

Cranberry, Walnut and Blue Cheese Dinner Salad

Butternut Squash Lasagna (vegetarian)

Traditional Stuffing

Green Beans Amandine

Cranberry Sauce

Classic Mashed Potatoes

Wild and Crazy Rice Maple-glazed Yams Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pecans

Vegan Mashed Potatoes Poultry Gravy Mushroom Gravy (vegan)

Pies Our bakers make our crusts by hand and use the finest ingredients to create pies that you’ll be proud to serve at your celebration. Apple Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Pecan Pie

Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Cheese Cake

Apples!

APPLE TASTING Taste the best of Minnesota apples, grab a recipe for home and get your apple passport stamped!

WHO GROWS OUR LOCAL APPLES? Whistling Well Farm | Hastings, Minn. Approximately 10,000 apple trees consisting of over 20 varieties are grown on the farm. Farmer Charlie Johnson uses integrated pest management, and his apples are Food Alliance certified.

West 7th Street store

Hoch Orchard & Gardens | La Crescent, Minn.

Saturday, Oct. 10 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Their first fruit trees were planted in the 1940s, but most of their 8,000 trees are young and densely planted on their 25 acres. Farmers Harry and Jackie Hoch’s apples are certified organic.

HONEYCRISP

SWEETANGO

ZESTAR!

Honeycrisp apples are a favorite midseason local apple known for their crispness and juicy flavor.

A cross between the Zestar and the Honeycrisp apple, the Sweet Tango is crunchy and juicy, with a sweet-tart flavor.

A delicious early-season apple with a sweet-tart taste and a crisp texture.

Apple, Bacon, Cheddar (A.B.C.) Sandwich ingredients (serves 2) Butter | 4 slices sourdough bread | 5–6 slices of sharp cheddar cheese | 4 slices of bacon, cooked | 8 slices apple (we love Sweet Tango or Honeycrisp!) preparation Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Butter one side of each bread slice and layer cheese, bacon, and apple between the slices, leaving the buttered side out. Place sandwich, one at a time, into skillet, butter-side down. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes, flip, and repeat. Remove from heat once both sides are golden and cheese is melted. 10

Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Crisps ingredients 2 apples | ½ tsp. cinnamon | 1 tsp. sugar preparation Preheat oven to 200°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Slice apples: inch thick with mandolin or knife. Add apple slices, cinnamon, and sugar to bowl and toss to combine. Place apples in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, being careful not to overlap the pieces. Bake for one hour, flip and bake for another hour, then turn off oven and cool. Apples crisp up once they are completely cooled.

Focus on Fair Trade

October is Fair Trade Month

Mississippi Market’s mission is to create positive change in the community by influencing the production, distribution and enjoyment of food. Mississippi Market offers our member-owners and shoppers a choice of products and information that promote personal, economic, and environmental health and sustainability. As part of this, we give strong preference to products that are fair trade certified.

SOME OF OUR FAVORITES FROM ALAFFIA New hand soaps in great scents, like mandarin mango and lavender spice

One of the companies we support is Alaffia. Alaffia aims to alleviate poverty and advance gender equality through the fair trade of indigenous resources and community empowerment initiatives in Togo, West Africa.

Coconut strawberry baby shampoo and bubble bath

Alaffia a•laf•fi•a \ ah-la’-fee-uh \ noun. A common greeting or valedictation originating from central Togo, Benin, and Nigeria, meaning a state of peace, health, and well-being.

Shea butter Coconut oil

Fair trade shea and coconut Fair trade shea butter and coconut oil are the main ingredients in most of Alaffia’s skin and hair care products. The members of the Alaffia shea and coconut cooperatives receive a salary more than four times the average family in Togo and receive full medical care, employment security, and one month of paid vacation each year. These aspects of fair trade give workers the opportunity to self-empower. Empowerment projects In addition to their commitment to fair trade practices, Alaffia empowers communities throughout Togo in other ways, including their eyeglasses project and various education projects. Mississippi Market is proud to support these programs by collecting your used eyeglasses and donated school supplies. For the eyeglass project, Alaffia employs an optometrist in Togo to correctly fit and distribute your donated glasses. To date, over 5,700 pairs of glasses have been distributed, improving the lives of children, adults, and the elderly with poor vision. The founders of Alaffia believe that the future of African communities depends on the education of young people. Since 2003, they have provided school uniforms, book and writing supplies to help offset the financial burden of school. Last year, through Alaffia product sales and you donations, 11,700 students received school supplies.

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER

SUBTLY SWEET TREATS (DT) Thursday, Oct. 15 • 6:00–8:00 p.m. $23/$20 members With subtly sweet treats, we use alternatives to sugar for sweeteners and amp up proteins with nuts, seeds, various nut butters, and other highquality ingredients! You will satisfy your sweet tooth, keep your blood sugar happy and avoid mindless overeating. Instructor: Sonja Ramos, B.S., RYT, RTT, CHHC REGISTERING FOR CLASSES BREAD WITHOUT FEAR (DT) Registration is required for all classes. You may Thursday, Oct. 15 • 6:00–8:00 p.m. $25/$23 members Learn the three essential skills for successful bread-baking and how to register online or at our customer service desks. avoid bread-baking failures. Learn how to choose recipes, shape loaves Class fee(s) are due at time of registration. and enjoy fresh-baked bread out of your own oven. Instructor: David S. Cargo, St. Paul Bread Club For full class descriptions and online registration, visit our website, msmarket.coop/events. COMFORTING SOUPS (DT) Saturday, Oct. 17 • 1:00–3:00 p.m. $20/$15 members Call 651-690-0507 to register by phone. There is nothing like a hot bowl of soup to warm you up on a chilly winter day. We will discuss the merits of homemade stock vs. store bought, and then make some wonderful soups, including Cream of Wild Rice, Southwestern Corn and Potato, Spicy Squash and Basil Tomato. CLASSES LOCATIONS: WEST 7TH | EAST 7 TH Instructor: Instructors from Urban Relish L = Lecture | DT = Demo and Tasting | D = Demo | H = Hands On BEAT THE SUGAR BLUES (L) Saturday, Oct. 17 • 1:00–3:00 p.m. $20/$15 members Are you constantly craving sweets and want to understand why? Do you THE GLUTEN-FREE MYTH (L) Saturday, Oct. 3 • 1:00–3:00 p.m. $20/$15 members want to gain control without deprivation? Learn about the causes of Nearly 20 million Americans feel stomach or intestinal pain after eating your sugar cravings, practical tools for dealing with them, plus samples wheat/gluten products; many have not identified the root cause of pain, and recipes for healthful sweet treats. Instructor: Katy Taylor discomfort, bloating, or other reactions. Learn the primary reason why elimination diets, specific carb diets, and taking pre- or probiotics may FOODS TO REDUCE PAIN AND INFLAMMATION (L) all fail to solve the problem due to a single overlooked condition. Tuesday, Oct. 20 • 6:00–8:00 p.m. $30/$25 members Instructor: Ed Watson, exercise physiologist Do you have stiff joints, achy muscles and inflammation? Your food choices affect pain and inflammation levels more than you realize. NO-KNEAD BREAD (DT) Thursday, Oct. 8 • 6:00–8:00 p.m. $28/$25 members Learn why sugar and processed carbohydrates increase pain and inflammation. Discover the role of Omega-3s and key minerals. Take Learn three different methods of creating no-knead breads and their home recipes, and begin your anti-inflammatory eating plan. different advantages and disadvantages. These methods are simple but Instructor: Nutrition Educator from Nutritional Weight and Wellness have equipment needs and limitations to take into consideration. Instructor: David S. Cargo, St. Paul Bread Club SHOPPING CO-OP ON A BUDGET (L) Tuesday, Oct. 20 • 6:00–7:00 p.m. Free (please register in advance) COLD PROCESS SOAP-MAKING (D) Learn the secrets for how to shop for natural, organic foods without Thursday, Oct. 8 6:00–8:00 p.m. $25/$20 members breaking the bank. Learn to set a budget, get coupons and resources, and learn more about our Essentials and LIME programs! Learn the cold process method of soap-making. Instruction includes ingredients, recipes, equipment list and how-to instructions. Each MULTIGRAIN BREADS (DT) student will receive four bars of soap. Bring a pen to take notes and a Wednesday, Oct. 21 • 6:00–8:00 p.m. $28/$25 members container to take home your soap! Learn to bake multigrain breads with interesting flavors and shapes. Instructor: John Hanson, Longfellow Soap Company Learn three different methods for combining different grains into the same loaf. Learn about enhancing the flavor of breads with starters and CULINARY BOOT CAMP: WORKING WITH FISH AND SHELLFISH (H) Saturday, Oct. 10 • 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m $40/$36 members added ingredients. Instructor: David S. Cargo, St. Paul Bread Club Culinary Boot Camp is designed to get students cooking healthful, fun and satisfying meals. Please bring your cutting board, chef’s knife and COLD-PROCESS SOAP-MAKING (D) paring knife. This course will focus on fish and shellfish. We will discuss Thursday, Oct. 22 • 6:00–8:00 p.m. $25/$20 members sustainability and how to buy fish and shellfish. Preparations will Learn the cold-process method of soap-making. Instruction includes include fish stock, fish amok (a Cambodian dish), paella, and linguine ingredients, recipes, equipment list, and how-to instructions. Each with clams among other dishes. student will receive four bars of soap. Bring a pen to take notes and a Instructor: Matt Deutsch container to take home your soap! Instructor: John Hanson, Longfellow Soap Company NUTRITION MYTHS AND READING LABELS (L) Tuesday, Oct. 13 • 6:00–7:00 p.m. $10/$5 members MIZUTAKI: JAPAN’S FAVORITE WINTER FAMILY DISH (DT) We will debunk common nutrition myths and set the record straight Saturday, Oct. 24 • 2:00–4:00 p.m. $35/$30 members about the best foods for health and vitality. Low-fat foods, dairy, gluten Mizutaki, a type of Japanese hot pot, is a perfect fun and tasty winter and everything in between will be discussed. Continue being a food dish to keep you warm. Learn how to prepare this traditional dish of detective by practicing the tools of reading labels and becoming your vegetables and meat, and share the meal with the whole class! This class own nutrition expert. contains fish, seafood and soy ingredients. Instructor: Katie Peyton Instructor: Kimiko Molasky ACT ON ALZHEIMER’S: BECOMING A DEMENTIA FRIEND (L) EASY PEASY PLANT-BASED MEALS (DT) Tuesday, Oct. 13 • 6:00–7:30 p.m. Free (please register in advance) Saturday, Oct. 24 • 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. $15/$12 members This session is designed for members of the community and those Join Chelsea Hassler from the Animal Rights Coalition for an afternoon caring for loved ones with dementia. It is focused on a combination of of easy peasy plant-based eating. We will prepare breakfast burritos, education, empathy training and skills for communicating with those meatless sausage and cinnamon roll pie. Learn how affordable and easy living with dementia. plant-based eating can be! Instructor: Julie Hunt, R.N., Wilder Foundation & ACT on Alzheimer’s Partner Instructor: Chelsea Hassler, Animal Rights Coalition

FERMENTED BEVERAGES FOR EVERYONE (DT) Sunday, Oct. 25 • 1:00–3:00 p.m. $20/$17 members This workshop focuses on learning the basics of making live, fermented beverages at home. We will learn about why it’s good for the body, what happens during fermentation and how to do it. By capturing and propagating the “Ginger Bug” participants will be able to make “fizzy juice,” soda, alcohol and vinegar at home. Instructor: Megan Thrasher Pierce FEARLESS PRESSURE COOKING (H) Sunday, Oct. 25 • 1:00–4:00 p.m. $25/$23 members Autumn is a terrific time to become acquainted with the pressure cooker. You can cook dried chickpeas in 11 minutes, navy beans in 3, cheesecake in 20, risotto in 7 and juicy pot roast in 60! Learn what to look for when buying a pressure cooker and what to avoid. If you have a pressure cooker you haven’t even taken out of the box yet, bring it to class to learn how to use it. This class covers stovetop pressure cookers only. Extensive handouts provided. Instructor: Jan Grover NATURAL THYROID HEALTH (L) Tuesday, Oct. 27 • 6:00–7:00 p.m. 20/$15 members When your thyroid doesn’t function well, it can affect almost every aspect of your health, from depression to weight gain. Learn what key nutrients are needed for healthy thyroid function with Dr. Sara Jean Barrett, N.D., and discover what you can do to naturally improve thyroid function and increase your energy, mood, and metabolism. Instructor: Sara Jean Barrett, N.D. COOKING FOR ONE (DT) Tuesday, Oct. 27 • 6:00–8:00 p.m. $23/$18 members Do you find yourself eating leftovers out of to-go containers, or making a big batch of soup and then eating it every day for a week? Cooking for one means you can cook what you love and eat a freshly prepared meal even on a busy weeknight. Learn what to keep in your refrigerator and pantry so you always have the ingredients on hand to whip up simple, delicious meals. Instructor: Instructors from Urban Relish BUILDING A HOME APOTHECARY (L) Wednesday, Oct. 28 • 6:00–8:00 p.m. $15/$12 members Learn about the basics of building a home herbal apothecary. We will discuss individual plants and herbal products, including dried herbs, tinctures, teas, oils, and more. We will cover general information about the different approaches and go more in depth into specific remedies to stock in a home apothecary. This workshop is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment information for any health conditions. Instructor: Megan Thrasher Pierce INTRODUCTION TO INTUITIVE DEVELOPMENT (L) Saturday, Nov. 7 • 1:00–3:00 p.m. $25/$20 members We are all born with many built-in self-preservation mechanisms. One of the most misunderstood of these is our individual navigational and guidance system, our intuitive-self. Discover how to tap into and develop your intuitive-self just as you would any other muscle in your body. Instructor: Ronald Quinn NIZAKANA TEISHOKU: TRADITIONAL JAPANESE FISH (DT) Saturday, Nov. 7 • 2:00–4:00 p.m. $35/$30 members Nizakana is a wonderful traditional fish dish commonly made at home. This is a simple but very tasty way to cook fish, but it is hard to find in the U.S. Learn to prepare this traditional fish dish with miso soup. This class contains fish and seafood ingredients. Price includes meal. Instructor: Kimiko Molasky CAST-IRON COOKERY (H) Sunday, Nov. 8 • 1:00–4:00 p.m. $35/$32 members Learn how to season and care for cast iron, how to clean it without losing its seasoning, and how and when to look for new and old pieces. You’ll cook up some old favorites that cast iron cooks superbly such as cornbread, seared vegetables, and crisp-on-the-outside, creamyon-the-inside scones. Bring your cast-iron skillet if you have one. Extensive handouts provided. Instructor: Jan Grover

ACT ON ALZHEIMER’S: BECOMING A DEMENTIA FRIEND (L) Tuesday, Nov. 10 • 6:00–7:30 p.m. Free (please register in advance) This session is designed for members of the community and those caring for loved ones with dementia. It is focused on a combination of education, empathy training and skills for communicating with those living with dementia. Instructor: Julie Hunt, R.N., Wilder Foundation & ACT on Alzheimer’s Partner NUTRITION MYTHS & READING LABELS (L) Tuesday, Nov. 10 • 6:00–7:00 p.m. $10/$5 members We will debunk common nutrition myths and set the record straight about the best foods for health and vitality. Low-fat foods, dairy, gluten and everything in between will be discussed. Continue being a food detective by practicing the tools of reading labels and becoming your own nutrition expert. Instructor: Katie Peyton CULINARY BOOT CAMP: THE VEGAN KITCHEN (H) Saturday, Nov. 14 • 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. $40/$36 members Culinary Boot Camp is designed to get students cooking healthful, fun and satisfying meals. Please bring your cutting board and chef’s knife. This course will focus creating tasty vegan entrees. We will discuss and work with protein options, including soy and other vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Preparations will include Sweet-and-Sour Tofu, Coconut Curry Vegetables, Vegetable Stock and more. Instructor: Matt Deutsch GLUTEN-FREE PIES (DT) Saturday, Nov. 14 • 1:00–3:30 p.m. $20/$15 members Pies from scratch, no catch. Learn to make classic, cornmeal, and cookie crusts and fruity, nutty, and creamy fillings. We’ll sample apple pie in a cornmeal crust, cranberry nut pie in a traditional crust and chocolate cream pie in a hazelnut cookie crust. Gluten- and dairy-free. Instructor: Susan Patterson MAKING DEEPLY FLAVORED SOUPS, LAYER BY LAYER (H) Sunday, Nov. 15 • 1:00–4:00 p.m. $35/$32 members Join Jan for a hands-on class covering the structure and techniques for making memorable, deeply flavored soups. We’ll build up soups, layer by layer, some using meat, some not; explore the spices and herbs that can lend soups piquancy; and incorporate the dried legumes and inexpensive meats that make winter soups stick-to-your-ribs satisfying. We’ll also review the things that can go wrong in soup building so you can avoid them. Bring along an appetite! Extensive handout provided. Instructor: Jan Grover CREATING A VEGAN THANKSGIVING FEAST (DT) Sunday, Nov. 15 • 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. $35/$30 members Join us as we create a feast and share tips for planning and prepping a vegan Thanksgiving. We will enjoy our first course of Spicy Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup as we get cooking. Our menu includes Black Rice- Quinoa-stuffed Peppers, Smashed Potatoes with Avocado Aioli, Grilled Green Beans and Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad. For dessert, we’ll share Poached Pears and Apples with Whipped Coconut Cream. This class includes a full meal for all participants. Instructor: Kelly Smeltzer & Mary Jo Rasmussen, Urban Relish THE PERFECT CUP OF CHAI (DT) Tuesday, Nov. 17 • 6:00–8:00 p.m. $20/$17 members In this workshop, we’ll delve into the world of chai-brewing. We will learn about classic chai spices and other herbs that can complement these flavors and support our bodies. We will learn how to brew chai using a traditional method and some techniques to make it more simply. Instructor: Megan Thrasher Pierce BLENDING TEA FOR TASTE AND NOURISHMENT (DT) Thursday, Nov. 19 • 6:00–8:00 p.m. $20/$17 members In this workshop, participants will meet 15 everyday tea herbs that are useful for a variety of nourishing and system-supporting functions. We will delve into the characteristics of these herbs, where they work in the body, how to blend them with other herbs, and how to prepare a balanced herbal tea. Instructor: Megan Thrasher Pierce

News and Announcements IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER October 29- Annual meeting November 26- Thanksgiving

HOLIDAY HOURS

East 7th Street store Ribbon Cutting On Sept. 2nd, nearly 200 people joined us for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the East 7th Street store. Our guests were greeted with tasty scones from our bakery and Peace Coffee to enjoy. We were pleased to have the following speakers in attendance to mark the occasion: Our general manager, Gail Graham; Mayor Coleman; St. Paul Port Authority President, Louis Jambois; Dayton’s Bluff Community Council Executive Director, Deanna Abbott-Foster; and Mississippi Market Board President, Jon Olson. Carolfaye Meadows, Je Vang, and Jon Olson helped cut the ribbon, joined by Rekoe Howard and James Arnold from Project Superman and Fresh Starts Farm. We are so thankful to have been surrounded by so many co-op supporters on this big day!

Thanksgiving hours 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Je Vang (left), Carolfaye Meadows (center), and Jon Olson (right)

Thank you! We’d like to thank these partners for celebrating with us at our Grand Opening: Peace Coffee, Aura Cacia, L.T.D. Farm, The Lone Grazer Creamery, Rare Earth Candles, Salad Girl Organic Salad Dressings, Sunrise Pasta, Sweet Science Ice Cream, and Kebrita. In addition, a big thank you goes to Crofters Organic, Equal Exchange, Lundberg Family Farms, Honest Tea, Clif Bar & Company, Runa, Bionaturae, and Jovial for generously donating products for our goodie bag giveaways.

at the

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Katy Taylor

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Contact me for a free Nourishing Wholeness Discovery Session Attend The Way of the Happy Woman® Seasonal Mini-Retreats

Emily E. Sherman emilyesherman.com

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Board of Directors 651.310.9475 board@msmarket.coop Julia Burgess Sara Kujawski Megan McGuire Jon Olson Matthew Orensteen Tracy Sides Stephen Streng Mia Taney Maureen DeCamp, Board Assistant

Locations: 622 Selby Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55104 Administrative Offices 740 East 7th Street, Saint Paul 1500 West 7th Street, Saint Paul www.msmarket.coop

Market Medley

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Market Medley is published six times each year to provide information on Mississippi Market, the cooperative movement, food, nutrition and community issues. Member coupons will be published in each issue. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the newsletter or Mississippi Market. Nutritional and health information are provided for informational purposes only and are not meant as a substitute for consultation with a licensed health care provider.

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General Manager Gail Graham Editor Kari Binning Proofreader Sid Korpi/ Proof Positive Graphic Designer Lucas Beck Greenhaven Printing Printing

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Gestalt Work is a learning process that helps you explore your life story and Gestalt Work helps youInexplore your you life jerry story and rothstein your present experience. the process develop a your toolkitpresent of observational experience. In the process, you core will develop a toolkit of observational and thinking methods; clarify your principles; and define your goals. and 265 Oneida St. your goals. 265 Oneida methods; clarify core principles; and St. define Tothinking learn more, contact Jerryyour Rothstein: 203 651-587-8859 or jerold@gestaltwork.org, Suite or Suite see 203 www.gestaltwork.org.

jerry rothstein

265 Oneida Street, 203 •Minnesota St. Paul, Minnesota 55102 St.Suite Paul, 55102

St. Paul, Minnesota 55102

erry • gestaltwork28@gmail.com gestaltwork.org 651.587.8859 Gestalt thinkers: othstein Fritz Perls and Paul Goodman were co-authors of the• seminal book Gestalt Therapy: Excitement and Growth in the Human Personality. 651.587.8859 Perls: “The ability to resign, to let go of obsolete responses, exhausted relationships 651.587.8859 and tasks beyond one’s potential, is an essential gestaltwork28@gmail.com part of the wisdom of living.” gestaltwork28@gmail.com Goodman: “Courage is justice to oneself.” www.gestaltwork.org www.gestaltwork.org

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