The Digest 6 Reasons to Juice and Blend by Natalie M. Rotunda
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rink your fruits and veggies? What a revolutionary idea! Fact is, it’s not revolutionary, new, or a fad. Decades ago, folks who juiced were into health and fitness in a big way. Now, not just fitness buffs but ordinary folks keen on getting and staying healthy are adding the regimen to their daily lives.
Spring 2016
Manager’s Note by Amanda Hegreberg
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would like to introduce myself to our co-op member-owners, though I have probably met a lot of you over the years. My name is Amanda Hegreberg and I have been with the co-op since 2007. Over the years, I have seen lots of change. Do you remember the whole in the wall where our deli made fresh soups, sandwiches, and salads? I certainly do!
If this is your year to seek out a delicious, nutritious, never-dull change to your diet, we invite you to join this drink-fest as your healthiest choice ever, bar none. So that we’re on the same page—juicing means you extract nutrient-rich juices from whole fruits and veggies by means of an electric juicer. On the other hand, you make smoothies by combining fruits and/or veggies (and other add-ins we’ll go into later) in a blender. The prepared drink will be thicker than a juice-only drink.
like receiving an intravenous infusion of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes because they go straight into your body without needing to be broken down… it’s no surprise it can produce rapid and profound health benefits.” Wow! I like Any reason to regularly juice or make that a lot. It’s the “Big Reason Why” for smoothies is a good reason. Mine may me and others. mirror yours. 5. These beverages are fabulous replacements for those sugary drinks 6 Reasons to Juice and Blend 1. Juices and smoothies are simple and purporting to be, disguised as, healthy. quick to make. How does 15 minutes or 6. Our kids and grandkids are watching. less sound? 2. Juices and smoothie combinations When they see us making healthy are endless. If “variety” is your middle moves, they’re likely to repeat what name, you’ll love the possibilities we’re we do. Why not invite them into your prepping process? about to share. 3. They’re an easy way to enjoy more About Juicing fresh, live food in a single serving. A couple of well-known doctors have That’s not to say you shouldn’t sit down weighed in on the joys of juicing. I’ve to a plateful of steamed veggies, if you already mentioned Dr. Mercola, who prefer. For you, juicing and smoothies writes, and has others write, for his online library of articles on health. can be a sometimes-option. At times, he likes to shake us out of 4. Juicing (also true of smoothies) makes ourselves. Like when he warns us off the nutrients immediately available. Dr. calling juices beverages. “…juice is not Joseph Mercola believes that, “When a beverage – it’s a liquid food.” Oops! you drink fresh, live juice, it’s almost It’s awfully tempting to reach for the continued on page 8
www.goodearthcoop.coop
When I first started at the Co-op, I was a cashier trying to learn everyone’s names and what a co-op stands for. Thanks to the staff, I was able to navigate how a co-op works and what we can do for our shoppers and owners. I have been part of many changes at the Good Earth: the expansion to our new space, the upgraded deli kitchen, new fixtures like the beverage coolers, new freezers and the awesome salad bar (my new favorite thing at the Co-op). Changes to come will include the new produce coolers, a receiving area in the back of the store, and eventually, new register stands. The staff at the Co-op will continue to be caring and strive to help you with all your co-op needs. We exist to serve our member-owners, and we need your help. Did you know that many people don’t know there is a co-op that serves the Saint Cloud area? Please, help to spread the word on what the co-op is and what we are here to do! Tell your friends, or bring them in for lunch sometime. With everyone’s help, the Good Earth will continue to serve this community for another 45 years and beyond.
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Get Involved Are you interested in getting more involved with the coop, meeting new people, and bringing new ideas and energy to events at the co-op? Do you have great ideas about what the co-op could do to better serve its member-owners?
Board Members & Management Christy Benesh Vice President
Katrina DolezalMersinger President
Contact a board member to see how you can contribute!
Have a story idea, comment, or question for the newsletter staff? To contribute, email us at
[email protected].
Gwen Feddema
Vice President
Bobbie Hentges Sarnath Ramnath Steve Kutscheid Adam Konczewski Matt Parks Lisa Molitor Diane Griswold Accountant
Sara Mruz Secretary
Amanda Hegreberg Interim GM
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On the Good Earth Calendar
Spring Potluck April 24: 12:30 pm-3:00 pm Get connected with the Co-op community! Board Nomination Packets Available April 25 International Day of the Co-op July 9 One of the biggest events of the year. Music, fun, and activities for the whole family! Cooking Class with Julie Peters Every 2nd Tuesday: 5:00 pm Good Earth Hot Deals Thursdays-Sundays Look for incredible discounts each week on your favorite products! Owner Tour Every 1st Saturday: 10:00 am Amie Stockholm helps you get better acquanted with your co-op. Central MN SMART Recovery Every Friday: 6:30 pm Visit www.smartrecovery.org for more information. Holistic Moms Network Every 2nd Tuesday: 7:00 pm Cost: FREE Email
[email protected] for more information. Free Thinkers Every 1st Sunday: 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Visit the Good Earth website and find us on Facebook for event reminders!
Please Note
Advertisements and articles do not imply endorsement of any belief, idea, or service by the Board, management, or staff of the Good Earth Food Co-op.
Staff Spotlight: Laura Akre by Natalie M. Rotunda
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here’s a lot of determination packed into front-end staff Laura Akre’s goal to help others live their best, healthiest life through fresh, nutritious fruits and veggies. What better place to work in her day job than at the Good Earth Food Co-op, helping shoppers who prize good nutrition! After her shift ends in warm-weather months, Laura takes her goal on the road. Wait’ll you see what she’s up to! Laura, tell us about yourself—where you’re from, when you came to work at the Co-op, a little something about your family. I grew up in St. Cloud. After I went to college in Duluth, I came back here to live. I have two children, both girls, who are 12 and 15 years old. I started working at GEFC last March. What is your job title here, and what do you like best about your job? My job title is cashier/sales. I check folks out and do customer service, as well. The thing I like best about my job? Helping people. People ask our opinions about various things, and I do enjoy the questions they ask, as well. Another thing I like about my job is my co-workers. Did you grow up eating organic food? Did your family have a veggie garden? No, we didn’t. I ate the “fun foods” Americans know as children’s food. I switched to healthy food when I had my own kids and found out how unhealthy all that other food was for us. We did have a garden when I was very young, and I helped in it, pulling weeds and helping plant seeds—and eating the foods we grew. Do you like to cook? I don’t like cooking, but I do all the cooking in my home. What I do like about that is, I know what I’m feeding my family. I constantly experiment and modify with ingredients I have, if I’ve forgotten something at the store. Sometimes it turns out awesome, and sometimes not so awesome. Baking is the tricky one in modifying ingredients, I’ve discovered.
established.
I hear you own a juicing truck. What’s the story behind that? I was inspired by a course I took at church, where we read, “I Dare You to Change.” It’s about how to help people. Growing up, I had a lot of health problems, and so the juicing truck was based on my awareness of food choices. I knew that was something I could share with people to help them. My goal is to have a smoothie and juicing store. The only way I could afford to open one was to start out with a food truck. When did you start your business? I’ve had the business for two years. When I went to the Small Business Center for help in getting my business started, they thought I wouldn’t be able to get in a full season the first year, but we did! I found a truck that had all the qualifications we needed, like five separate sinks and we got certified through the city. In our second year, we tripled the number of people who wanted us at their events. The name of your company is awfully clever. How did you choose it? I was going to name it Fountain of Youth, since eating and drinking raw fruits and vegetables keeps people feeling, and especially looking, very youthful. Then I decided the word “youth” might imply a business for children. So I switched “youth” to “juice!” Fountain of Juice implies the youthful look and feel people get from eating our healthy products.
Where can we find Fountain of Juice? We go to festivals around the area, or events where lots of people will be attending. Festivals are very hard to get into, by the way, but we have a strong What do you do in your spare time? customer base for just being in business I enjoy going to my kids’ activities, like two years. I’m the town’s “smoothie their dancing and cross-country skiing and juice” person. The town likes to have their smoothie and juice person events.
www.goodearthcoop.coop
Do you have a menu of juices, or can customers ask for special combinations? We have at least three standard juice and smoothie recipes, and customers can customize them, if they like. A favorite, and our best seller here in St. Cloud, is the Go Green smoothie. I always try a new recipe, maybe a special of the week, or I use whatever I have the most of to create a juice from that. I’ve sold thousands of juices and smoothies, and I like to try new recipes. People are very open to being healthy. We take pride in making sure our customers enjoy everything they buy from us. What’s the best part of owning a juicing truck? The best part is teaching and exposing people to healthy food. I feel very happy about that—that we are there to help provide a real food product for people, and to help break down the barriers about unhealthy foods and replace them with good nutrition. What’s the hardest part of owning a juicing truck? A lot of people might not know that it’s very difficult to run a mobile food truck business. It’s a lot of heavy lifting to set up and tear down. I start getting ready for an event the day before, when I buy the fresh fruits and vegetables and the other ingredients we’ll be using. I really do love what we’re doing, though, and I love serving healthy food to people. What’s next for you and Fountain of Juice? It’s always been my goal to have a brick-and-mortar store so that we can be convenient for people and open yearround. I would still do the mobile, too. We started a GoFundMe campaign to help us get the store. Is there a way smoothie and juicing fans can find you? Sure, they can follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/fountainofjuicemn) to see where we’ll be. And this summer we’ll be back at Summertime by George and at the Sauk Rapids Food Fest and other area festivals. We also take the truck to a few festivals outside of the area. You can find our GoFundMe campaign at gofundme.com/fountainof-juice.
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Good Earth From the Board of Directors Dear Member-Owners, committee service. Board Meetings Time and again we are reminded that • Share your input in person. In the Member-owners are invited to attend every third Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm in the Good Earth Community Room! Additions to the agenda must be submitted in advance.
change is the only constant in life. The board has been addressing several changes over the last few months that we would like to share with you, our member-owners.
As you likely know from the letter we sent in January, the Good Earth Food Co-op recently faced the unexpected departure of our General Manager, Noel Ashcroft. Thanks to the strong board and staff at our co-op, the transition period was uneventful. Amanda Hegreberg stepped easily into the role of Interim General Manager; with her leadership and the support of the department managers and staff, the store has continued to operate smoothly. The board’s job does not include involvement in the day to day operations of the store. Therefore, most changes within the store are decided upon and implemented by our General Manager. Large expenses, however, are also monitored and approved by the board.
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Both management and the board have been monitoring the condition of our produce coolers for some time. The coolers have recently reached the point where they are failing. Repairs have become too costly and replacing them is now a priority. The new coolers will be larger, more reliable, more energy efficient, and will save on produce department labor costs. The new units could also be moved to other locations in the store if it seems prudent to do so in the coming years. Finally, a major task of the board is to contemplate future changes and imagine what our store might look like in the next five to ten years. Part of that work is to envision what the needs and desires of our membership and shoppers will be. To ensure that the board’s vision is one our co-op community will support, we welcome you to share your needs and ideas with us. Some ways to do so include: •
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Serve on a Committee. We have been excited to welcome memberowners onto several of our board committees. We encourage more member-owners to explore
www.goodearthcoop.coop
coming months, representatives of the board will be available in the store on Super Sundays from noon to two o’clock. They will answer questions and solicit input from members-owners and shoppers.
•
Another time to share with the board in person is at our quarterly events. The upcoming spring potluck on April 24 and the International Day of the Co-op on July 9, are two events where the board looks forward to dialoguing with member-owners.
•
As always, we welcome input by phone or email.
•
Finally, member-owners are always welcome at our monthly meetings. Please give at least ten days advanced notice if you would like to address the board during a meeting so that we may add you to our agenda.
Your input and engagement will help make our co-op thrive! We appreciate working with and serving you. Sincerely, The Good Earth Food Co-op Board
Maple Syrup: Old Sweetener, New Interest by Donniel Robinson
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ative Americans were the first known consumers of maple syrup. Maple tree sap was originally harvested by making a V-shaped cut into the tree’s trunk and letting the sap run into a container below. Boiling the sap was necessary for creating the syrup-like consistency and for increasing the shelf life of the maple syrup. Early Native Americans boiled the sap by putting rocks that were heated in a fire directly into the sap. Modern Day Syrup Production These days, maple trees provide one of the most sustainable plant-based sugars. The production of most sugars requires killing the source-plant. Maple trees not only survive the harvesting process but can live for up to 300 years. A mature tree can remain healthy with 2-4 taps per tree each season. The maple season may begin as early as February and last as late as April. It is one of the only crops that is harvested in the spring rather than the fall. The Rising and falling temperatures during springtime will cause the maple trees to “pressurize.” When the trees are tapped the sap flows out under pressure. Many modern-day maple syrup producers use extensive plumbing systems to link many tapped trees together. The sap runs into a single storage container, simplifying the process. ABCs of Maple Syrup Grading Once maple syrup has been collected and processed, it receives a “grade” that indicates a specific category. During 2015 the maple syrup grading system changed. Prior to this change, maple syrup was graded only by color and would be classified from Grades A to C or was classified as Commercial Grade.
Health Benefits Maple syrup, in moderation, can be quite good for your health. According to organicfacts.net, “...[maple syrup] contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus sodium, potassium, and zinc…and vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and B6.” It’s also a known antioxidant and immune system booster.
Stanley’s Sugarbush also makes maple butter, maple candy, and granulated maple sugar. The maple sugar is also made from a single ingredient. Terry and his family have dedicated much of their lives to perfecting the products sold by Stanley’s Sugarbush.
Even after all of these years, if you ask Terry how he feels about maple syrup, he will simply say, “it’s fantastic!” I As a bonus, real maple syrup is think he just might be right. comprised of a single ingredient and is minimally processed. No label reading is necessary. Maple syrup can easily be used in place of other sweeteners. It’s often easier on the body’s blood sugar levels and provides a host of nutrients. Minnesota to Pennsylvania Terry Stanley of Stanley’s Sugarbush is one of the Co-op’s maple syrup producers. His company started out as a small family business on the north side of Lake Miltona in Minnesota. They began tapping trees in the late 80’s using the simple process of inserting a tap and letting the sap run into ice cream buckets. By the time they had 1,500 taps flowing each spring, it became clear that it was time to look for more land and more trees. They found the perfect site on a beautiful mountain in Pennsylvania. The company has grown to 1,500 taps in Minnesota and 10,000 taps in Pennsylvania.
Syrups are now categorized by color and flavor and all syrups get an A. There are still four classifications. They are Grade A: Golden Color & Delicate Taste, Grade A: Amber Color & Rich Flavor, Grade A: Dark Color & Robust Flavor, and Grade A: Very Dark & Strong Flavor, which encompasses what used to be labeled Grade B, known for its higher concentration of nutrients. The grading system no longer implies a level of quality but rather an intensity of color and flavor.
www.goodearthcoop.coop
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Pacha Soaps and Local Faves by Donniel Robinson
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right colors and luscious Midwinter flower garden? Minnesota. It’s the Pacha Soap in the Co-op’s Health and department.
smells. Not in display Beauty
Clean, Natural Products Pacha Soap was started by a married couple who was interested in the art of handmade soap making. Their products are available in bars (individual and bulk), liquids, bath soaks, and scrubs. Their soaps are made from all natural products, including activated charcoal powder, rolled oats, and 100% pure essential oils. Almost good enough to eat. The company has now grown to include a number of employees, but each batch of soap is still handcrafted and carefully monitored for quality. When they say handcrafted, they mean everything! Even the soap molds and cutting tools they use in production are made by hand. Socially Conscious Company Not only is Pacha Soap responsible in how they make their products, they are also helping us all to “raise the bar” on social consciousness through various programs. Raise the Bar is a “buy-onegive-one” program. For each bar of soap that is purchased, one bar is donated to communities around the world that struggle with basic hygiene due to a lack of water and soap.
“Each purchase of Pacha True Hand Soap contributes 100 gallons of clean water to people in water-scarce areas.” These communities are also taught how to access water by drilling their own wells. Made in Minnesota If, however, you would prefer to keep your dollars in Minnesota, Purple Prairie Botanicals might be the ticket. It was born out of its creator’s own challenges with “dry, irritated skin and acne problems.” The company started by making soap and has expanded to include various products that make contact with the skin, including baby lotions and bug sprays.
Kathy Anthony (left) Alexia crispy seasoned potato puffs
Luke Salisbury(center) SnoPac frozen peas—the big bag, because it tastes better!
Hannah Kruse (right) It’s citrus season; blood oranges, lemons and grapefruits, because it is all at it’s peak!
These products are made with organic ingredients such as herb infusions and pure essential oils. Just as important, is what they don’t include. They never include petroleum, parabens, detergents or other scary and toxic materials that should be avoided. Buyers can also feel good about purchasing a sustainable product from a socially responsible company. Purple Prairie Botanicals is a “Zero Waste” company where any materials which might be regarded as waste are either recycled, re-used, composted, reclaimed, or brought back into the production cycle.
Pacha Soap and Purple Prairie Botanicals are taking good care of our skin and our Pump It Up is a program that donates futures. clean water for liquid soap purchases.
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Staff Picks
www.goodearthcoop.coop
rBST/rBGH-Free Cheese
ELLSWORTH VALLEY
Get to Know your Board: Lisa Molitor
ow long have you worked on the H board at the co-op? I’m a new member. This is my first year.
What do you do in addition to working on the board (career, family, etc)? I love natural health and the arts. I get to work in both worlds. I work part-time at Inez’s Natureway Store. I feel blessed to be connected with Inez’s and the Coop. They both care about people, their health and the community. They both are extremely important businesses in our area.
the community, the direction the Good Earth Co-op is moving, etc. I can see it in their faces and hear it in their voices It is evident in the discussions and the actions that take place. We all really care. I have such a passion for natural health, the values and the principles that the Co-op stand for that I am delighted to work with these people.
What is your favorite vegetable? Least favorite? My favorite vegetable is blanched collard or kale with my homemade cultured vegetables on top. If I had to I am also a fine art artist. It is one of my pick a least favorite I’d have to pick greatest passions. Recently, I illustrated tomatoes. a children’s book, which is at the publisher getting ready to be published. What was your diet like growing up? I’ve done many commissioned pieces. How is it similar or different today? I’m working on a commissioned portrait What a contrast! I hate to think about it. of three young men. When I am finished I remember having cornflakes in skim with this piece I want to set my creative milk, white bread, bologna sandwiches spirit free and see what develops in the with miracle whip, margarine, and studio. I am scheduled to show my art at canned vegetables. We had fried foods the Co-op in April. fried in Crisco oil. My mother meant well; my diet was not good growing up. What is your favorite thing about working on the board? At the age of 25 (31 years ago) I was There are now nine members on the diagnosed with ovarian cancer and a board. I love meeting with the people in pituitary tumor. This has changed my this group. It is so interesting being in life in many ways, for the better. a room of intelligent people who have such unique, interesting personalities. I currently eat the Body Ecology Diet. They all bring such interesting thought, It’s the best diet I found that addresses perspective and ideas to the table. I can the body’s ecosystem as well as immune tell these people really care and take health. I do best staying on stage 1. I eat their positions seriously. They truly care mostly vegetables, cultured vegetables about the members, the employee’s, and some sea vegetables. I don’t eat
sugar. I have to be careful of even fruit sugars. For beverages I drink coconut kefir, green tea or add one of the fruits I mentioned to water. I love eating like this! I am very creative with these foods. With good spices, herbs and healthy fats I can create delicious recipes and meals. My recent new venture is bone broth. It has so many healing and health benefits! I have a large pot cooking right now. I was in a bad car accident that created a lot of soft tissue damage. I’ve been blessed with an amazing chiropractor. I will add consuming this healing broth on a regular basis and see what happens! I recently heard Suzanne Somers speak on a summit. She told her doctors when they wanted to give her chemo, “I am going to eat like my life depends on it”. That is exactly what I do. I get so excited talking about natural health! I am a walking example that so much can be done through natural, holistic health and functional medicine. What is the most interesting experience you’ve had at the co-op? It has to be all the interesting people I have met over all these years! I’ve been a member for 22 years. I have met such great people and developed such good friendships. My husband no longer asks me where I’ve been when I come home late. It’s most likely that I ended up talking to people while shopping. There is such a personal, community feeling at the Co-op. What is your favorite recipe? My favorite recipes are my cultured vegetable recipes! I have come up with so many varieties using the different organic vegetables, herbs and spices that I find at the Co-op. I make about 10 quarts every three weeks! Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do for fun? I love to create art! It is more then a hobby to me. I love listening to beautiful music. I spend time in my studio, turn on Pandora and feel like I am in heaven. I love to read and do research on natural health and functional medicine. I love to cook. I love to work out. I just got a ballet barre. I used to dance so I am excited to spend time working on continuing the healing process through slow, graceful stretching, toning and creating more flexibility through the art of dance.
www.goodearthcoop.coop
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6 Reasons to Juice and Blend by Natalie M. Rotunda
word, as I did earlier, since we’re used cool-down so much sooner. to calling things we drink, “beverages.” Let’s honor his choice from here on. A suggested shopping list GEFC’s produce department is a giant Another point Dr. Mercola makes is that, garden of choices for juicing (and “Raw juice is equivalent to a ‘living smoothie-ing): broth’ teeming with micronutrients that many people are lacking, and this • Beets deficiency is a major factor in disease…” • Broccoli* That, or something very much like it, • Cabbage is what Dr. Norman W. Walker may have said in his book, Fresh Vegetables • Carrots and Fruit Juices, What’s Missing in • Celery Your Body? In my opinion, the book is superlative in expressing why, how, and • Chard what to juice. • Collards* Here’s an example of Dr. Walker’s take • Cucumbers on juicing. “Oxygen,” he writes, “is one • Kale* of the most essential elements. As soon as food is cooked, its oxygen is lost.” • Parsley Locked inside the interstices of these • Radishes fresh foods, and ready to burst free • Spinach* when we juice, are nutritional elements of atoms and molecules essential to our • Spring Mix good health.” • Watercress* I love the book—you’ve probably • Wheat Grass guessed that—but what I love best is the *A good source of protein formulas Dr. Walker gives for juicing and what conditions they help repair. The produce department is also an One example is celery. It’s a hot day. orchard full of fruits for both juice and Because celery contains high amounts smoothies: of sodium chloride, it’s the best choice • Apples for providing cool relief. You could eat several stalks of celery and receive its • Avocado (a bonanza fruit containing cooling effects an hour or two later, but 485 mg of potassium [more than a why wait? Juice it and feel that welcome hundred more mg than a banana]; B
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www.goodearthcoop.coop
Continued from page 1
and E vitamins, choline, folate, iron, fiber, lutein and zeaxanthin) • Bananas • Blueberries • Cranberries • Lemons • Limes • Mangoes • Pineapple • Strawberries You can also stroll over to the cooler section to pluck bags of frozen sweet cherries, mangoes, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and maybe cranberries from the shelves. About Smoothies Bulk department manager Luke Salisbury makes smoothies for his daily breakfast. A half banana is a must-appear in all smoothies (the venerable banana’s job is to also add thickness). From there, he uses milk or kefir, a frozen fruit currently in his freezer, and sometimes he’ll add a tablespoon of flax oil, or maybe a protein powder. One of the beauties of making smoothies? Use whatever you have on hand. Smoothies, versatility is thy name! Recently, my daughter, Heather, and I started breaking midday for a smoothie lunch. Our “recipe” consists of a banana, sometimes half an apple with skin, frozen raspberries, a handful of Spring Mix or spinach, and a teaspoon of spirulina powder. Unlike Luke, we use a milk alternative, or a container of coconut water. While the produce department is simultaneously a giant garden and a bountiful orchard, the bulk department is a cornucopia of healthy add-ins. Need specific help, like more B-vitamins? Add a tablespoon of bee pollen. Need a shot of protein? Try hemp seed powder or chia seeds. Need the boost vitamin C provides? Stock up on one of the freeze-dried berry powders. Make the bulk department your new best friend. Become familiar with the marvelous things Luke and Hannah bring there, and find even more things you’ll want to try. Of course, this list Continued on page 9
6 Reasons to Juice and Blend by Natalie M. Rotunda
isn’t confined to smoothie-ing; they have • Whey multiple uses in your healthy kitchen: • Wheat Grass An add-in shopping list Sprouting seeds Powders • Freeze-dried blueberry, raspberry, goji berry, and strawberry • Hemp seed • Lucuma (Luke tells us this is a South American fruit, light, vanilla-y in flavor, and not very sweet) • Rainbow Super Food powders
Sprouts are a nutritious addition to smoothies, and they’re easy to grow from seed to sprout in four to six days on your kitchen counter. Do your kids or grandkids like to help in the garden? They’ll love helping with this minikitchen garden! • 3-Part Salad Blend • Protein Powerhouse
Continued from page 8
• Alfalfa • Lentils • Green Pea • Mung Bean • Broccoli • Radish In the cooler • Bee pollen • Wheat germ • Sunflower seeds A couple asides on seeds and sprouting • Soak sunflower seeds overnight, and blend them into your smoothie the next day. Should you drain the water off the seeds first? Maybe. You choose. • Soak sprouting seeds overnight. Should you drain the water off or use it in your smoothie? No choice here. Always drain! Your houseplants will love that healthy drink, and they won’t have the three-day bellyache you’ll have. Planning to join the juice and smoothie club? We’re wishing on a star that your answer is yes! Be sure to read our Staff Spotlight on Laura Akre. She’s our mobile juice and smoothie lady.
Join us for
brunch every Saturday & Sunday
St. Cloud Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 3226 Maine Prairie Rd. (320) 252-0020
www.uufstcloud.org Sundays at 10:30 A.M.
Visit the Good Earth deli for made-freshdaily comfort foods, from delicious soups to hot entrees. For
Seeking Truth Building Community Promoting Justice
menus, check out the Co-op’s website and Facebook page.
Families Welcome!
www.goodearthcoop.coop
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Member-Owner Spotlight: Dr. Steve Crow by Natalie M. Rotunda
I
f you ever have the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Steve Crow, do it! Especially recommended: Grab a coffee or tea (he’ll have tea) from the Deli, and encamp at one of the tables there to begin one of the most fascinating conversations you’ll ever have. To set the table by sharing something of Steve’s background, let’s start at the very beginning: where he was born— Alabama; where he lived before arriving here 30 years ago—Florida, Louisiana, and Michigan. Steve grew up around planes, thanks to his dad’s work as an aviation mechanic (read more about that in a minute). As a young kid, Steve became a drummer. Music and words— can one beget the other? Consider this— Steve’s life’s work was teaching English and Literature (he recently retired as professor emeritus at St. Cloud State University). His research into his dual Southeastern Cherokee-Irish ancestry translated into a most enriching experience for not only himself but also for students of his American Indian Literature classes. Respected educator, researcher, musician, music-lover— these describe Steve. The table is pretty well set for your chat, but, first, my alltoo-brief chat with Steve Crow. Steve, how long have you been a member-owner of GEFC? I joined in 2007-2008.
to the drums. And studying science as an amateur, particularly theoretical/ quantum physics. Even more frightening, I can actually explain E=mc2 and the Higgs boson particle/ field! (Steve is a member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society.)
Your accomplishments range from developing coursework for education majors and certified teachers in “Teaching American Indian Literature,” to creating and producing online classes in writing, to becoming a private pilot, to writing poetry that has appeared in anthologies, and in 2001-2002, you were honored by the Minnesota Indian Education Association as Outstanding PostSecondary American Indian Teacher of the Year. Here’s the question: Is there one thing in particular that you’re happiest or most proud about having done? Becoming a private pilot; while I am proud of my studies at LSU-Baton Rouge and Michigan, I am even more proud about being a pilot, something I wanted to do since I was a kid and my dad was an airplane mechanic and flight engineer. When I tell people I’m a pilot and English teacher, there is sometimes a surprised expression on their faces. People usually just want to know more about that, because it is a rather unusual combination.
Tell us about your relationship with food. I think I was born to eat organic. I think we all were. When we eat organic food, we are tasting and ingesting foods our ancestors ate. Like a communion. I started working and shopping in coops in Ann Arbor before I came here in 1986. My studies about bee products began then. Bee pollen is an important part of my life. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Do you grow your own food? Rock & Roll—I started playing drums I admit I am guilty as charged. I can’t be as a kid, and then in high school with trusted with houseplants, but I am great garage bands. But I never stopped in an outdoor garden—that’s where playing, at least in my head when drums plants love me. aren’t available. I actually won some Are there American Indian and Irish awards as a young drummer, when I was 12 or 13 years old. Acoustical foods that you like? Beans, guacamole, and tortillas. I’m a sounds fascinate me. And my brain big fan of the brown rices, potatoes, and is a warehouse of tunes and lyrics, bee products. I’m a big lover of wheat. especially drum parts in songs. Soon as I hear a tune, my brain always goes
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Those are all of my questions, Steve. Anything you’d like to add? Yes, I would like to add that Good Earth’s selection of foods is very high quality, the store itself continues to develop, along with its entire product line, and freshly prepared foods and deli items. Said another way, I think the Good Earth ranks well above high quality with health food stores and coops I visited coast-to-coast over the last 25 years. And the incredible hard work and excellent customer care provided by staff members is simply superlative. The staff alone represents the best of the best of crews I have ever met in any other organic or health food stores I visited in the US. Good Earth crews and staff could teach other stores how to work more professionally, courteously and personally with the public. And how to provide really healthy, sustaining and healing food for the public to learn about.
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