FREE! WINTER 2019

the wellness issue IN THE SPOTLIGHT Urban Moonshine BETWEEN THE ROWS Making Winter for Seeds THE DEEP DISH - A Natural Defense FOOD FOCUS Superfood Salads

Jovial King Urban Moonshine Founder and Creative Director

1 under the sun QUARTERLY WINTER 2019 Winter Wellness … Getting through winter vs. enjoying winter

Winter can be a tough time for many people, physically and mentally. Cold, dark, windy, catching 2 CO-OP CONVERSATIONS colds, icy roads, and more cold. For me, the challenge is not just getting through winter, it’s OPEN 8:00AM TO 7:00PM EVERYDAY A Letter From Glenn, GM 9 WASHINGTON STREET MIDDLEBURY, VERMONT changing my frame of mind to enjoy winter. Here are some ways that my family and I try to stay (802)388-7276 middlebury.coop healthy and enjoy winter: EVERYONE WELCOME! 3 A WORD FROM THE BOARD On Holding Our Attention The winter landscape is so dramatic and pristine, so I focus on getting outside regularly to enjoy it. My wife and I set a goal to go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing at least 10 times during WHY DOES THE CO-OP EXIST? 5 IN THE SPOTLIGHT the winter. My favorite area is the wooded trails just off the road to Blueberry Hill. So peaceful. The Co-op exists to help our member-owners Urban Moonshine Sometimes we are breaking fresh trail in the snow and we have the whole place to ourselves. customers and the community benefit from: • HEALTHY FOODS BETWEEN THE ROWS I like to spend time in front of a blazing fire with a good book. If you don’t have the fire option, • VIBRANT LOCAL ECONOMY 7 reading on the couch with a quilt is a close second. How many pages can you get through before • ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE & Making Winter for Seeds falling asleep? ENERGY EFFICIENT PRACTICES • COOPERATIVE DEMOCRATIC OWNERSHIP 9 SEASONAL HERB CALENDAR I’m not the type to go to the gym for exercise, though this would be a good idea. Instead, I love • LEARNING ABOUT THESE VALUES Keeping Well All Year Long the challenge of riding my bike to work in winter. Part of the fun is seeing people’s reactions to me WHAT IS OUR BUYING CRITERIA? coming in with all my layers and ice crystals stuck to my eyebrows. My hero is Brian who works at the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op strives to select THE INSIDE SCOOP Addison Independent and rides his bike back and forth from Bristol all year-round. I don’t know if products that are local, organic, and free of: 11 riding in winter helps me stay healthy or actually has me catching colds more often, but it sure adds Meet Tracey, Wellness Manager • ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES, COLORS, FLAVORS spice to life in winter. And the couch looks extra enticing when I get home. I’ve earned it! • ADDED HORMONES AND ANTIBIOTICS • TRANSFATS • PARABENS 12 RALLY FOR CHANGE I don’t take many herbal remedies, but when I’m starting to get the sniffles or scratchy throat, you • HIGH FRUTOSE CORN SYRUP Turning Point Center, Middlebury bet I’m reaching for the Vitamin-C and echinacea with goldenseal to nip it in the bud. I’m thankful to • ANIMAL TESTING the Wellness staff at the Co-op for helping me stay healthy in winter. 13 THE DEEP DISH Winter wellness for my family means lots of soup. How many different soups can we create this To contact the Board of Directors: Garlic - A Natural Defense winter? Always fun to try something new. I love cooking soup because it’s one of the most forgiving [email protected] foods to cook. It seems, no matter what I do, it almost always turns out okay. We often make a big pot (802) 388-7276 15 FOOD FOCUS: SALAD GREENS to last the whole week. It’s so nutritious and easy to heat up after working all day and coming home Let’s Dissect Your Mesclun in the dark. Soup, salad, good bread and a glass of wine. Perfect. If you would like to receive an electronic copy of this newsletter, or if you have any questions or comments please contact: 17 FOOD FOR ALL Another boost to my mental health in winter is to have something to look forward to in spring, like Karin Mott Finding a Place at the Co-op Table a vacation or planting the garden. Buying seeds in February and planting something every couple [email protected] of weeks into March is a great way to build anticipation for spring, which helps make winter seem to pass more quickly. (802) 388-7276 x307 Noticing seasonal changes outdoors also helps build the anticipation: birds becoming more BECOME A MEMBER! active, daylight getting longer, sap buckets appearing in February, cars stuck in muddy driveways. DISCOUNTS AT LOCAL BUSINESSES MEMBER DEALS PATRONAGE REFUND I wish you all a winter full of wellness. Slow down, make soup, read books, don’t listen to too much A VOICE AND A VOTE CONTRIBUTORS news, spend time with family or friends. Every week do something special: go out to dinner, get a [email protected] Shannon Foster massage, or go for a ski or snowshoe. Stacy Jones Emily Landenberger Glenn Lower Julie Mitchell Karin Mott Glenn Lower, General Manager Tam Stewart Middlebury Natural Food Co-op

1 1 2 Matthew B. Crawford, a research fellow at the begets a need for more stimulation; without it, a word from the board Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, and one feels antsy, unsettled. Hungry, almost.” the author of The World Outside Your Head, ON HOLDING OUR ATTENTION recently had this to say: Okay, so if we find ourselves compulsively using By: Tam Stewart digital technology to the point that it makes us “Distractibility might be regarded as the mental unhealthy yet still wanting more, what’s to do? equivalent of obesity. The palatability of certain “My experience is what I agree to attend to.” writing in 1969: “When we speak of an kinds of mental stimulation seems to be Because in the end, as Simon said, consumption -William James information-rich world, we must understand that hard-wired, just as our taste for sugar, fat, and of too much information comes at the price of the wealth of information means a dearth of Earlier this year, Google published an academic salt is. When we inhabit a highly engineered, what is perhaps our most precious resource, our something else –a scarcity of whatever it is that information-saturated environment, the natural attention. paper describing a study performed by several of information consumes. What information its researchers, and the conclusions were not world begins to seem bland and tasteless, like consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the broccoli compared with Cheetos. Stimulation pretty. In effect, the paper described how the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of consumer technology industry’s business information creates a poverty of attention, and a model of generating advertising revenue based need to allocate that attention efficiently among Here are a few ways to curb your distractions: on capturing and holding users’ attention had the overabundance of information sources that Watch what you’re paying attention to. (There are apps for every device that can track the been so successful that it had already rewired might consume it.” many of our brains to crave a near-constant focus amount of time spent on, say, social media, or Fox News for that matter.) on our digital devices, especially our phones. Limit how often you check your devices. (For most people, checking email, Twitter or Facebook

I should quickly add that for most of my adult life once a day turns out to be plenty.) I have used digital technology to make a living, to Turn off, or dial down notifications. (Too many are crazy-making.) learn and understand, to get and stay connected, Take a walk outside, and leave your phone behind. and to give back to my community. I am neither a tech zealot nor a Luddite. But I am concerned Don’t reach for your phone or tablet the moment you wake. (Read something substantial and about this matter because our Co-op is dedicated undistracting instead, like a book.) to the health and well-being of our entire Put your devices to bed an hour before you go to bed. (If you’ve ever noticed how hard it is to stop community, and the fact that our attention is surfing at night, it’s probably the harsh blue light from screens, plus adrenal-goosing click-bait, that tell being appropriated and disintegrated into increasingly thin slices is now widely understood your brain it better stay awake.) as a health issue with profound implications for In the year 2000, the average human attention span was 12 seconds. In 2013, it was 8 seconds. our overall well-being. The average attention span of goldfish is 9 seconds. You’re Invited to Help Update Our By-Laws! Here’s how we see the process unfolding: Here’s Tristan Harris, an ex-design ethicist at ~ Source: National Center for Google who The Atlantic called “the closest thing Biotechnology Information/NIH Your Board of Directors recently updated its January/February Silicon Valley has to a conscience”: “We now live Governance Policies and in the process noticed First draft will be shared with all member-owners in a world dominated by the race for our “You know that what you eat you are.” that our Co-op’s By-Laws could use some updating for feedback. Several open meetings will be attention, and this is a problem because any -George Harrison too. So together with our General Manager, we’re scheduled for ideas and discussion. technology that tears apart our attention or working to make our By-Laws clearer, simpler, and All are welcome. causes us to feel isolated makes it almost Decades later, Simon’s observation has taken on even more consistent with our values and with the March impossible to solve the world’s other pressing new meaning since it’s now obvious that because best practices of other food co-ops (for example, Board will consider feedback and create final problems like climate change, poverty, and digital technology can deliver more information some of the current language does not allow for draft. Legal counsel will review and make any polarization.” He might have added that for than we can possibly process (drinking from a recent innovations like electronic voting) . recommendations. member-owners of a Co-op like ours, the firehose) it tends to create a sort of perpetual low- April shredding of our attention makes it hard to focus grade panic, as if we’re always missing something Once the team completes a first draft, it’ll be Final draft will be shared with all member-owners. on implementing the very values that define our important that’s just beyond our reach, or rather, your turn. So stay tuned and watch for that first May purpose. (Harris is also co-founder of the just a few more clicks away. (What we’re missing draft in January. If you have any questions or Member-owners will vote on the proposed nonprofit group Time Well Spent.) is actually the portion of our attention that’s concerns, please contact the Board at By-Law revisions at the same time as annual “consumed” by information.) Over time, that [email protected]. Thank you! Board elections. Here’s Herbert A. Simon, thought to be the first anxiety can turn into a sustained and pernicious person to address the economics of attention, kind of distractibility. 3 4 IN THE SPOTLIGHT... Whether it be a cup of tea, or a spritzer made from liquid extracts, the simple, daily rituals of Hit the Hay herbal medicine reconnect us to the wild world, Golden Milk empower us to take charge of our health, and bring the focus back to thriving for life instead of fighting disease.

Ingredients 1 Cup coconut milk 1 cinnamon stick 1 1-inch piece turmeric, unpeeled and thinly sliced 1 half-inch piece ginger, unpeeled and thinly sliced 1 T coconut oil ¼ tsp whole peppercorns 1 T honey 1 tsp Urban Moonshine’s Hit the Hay Dash ground cinnamon

Directions A big moment in the Urban Moonshine story occurred last year: the amazing independent Combine first six ingredients in a small pot herbal tea company Traditional Medicinals and bring to a gentle simmer for about 10 acquired Urban Moonshine. Fundamental to minutes. Strain out the spices and pour that story is the fact that Traditional Medicinals golden milk into a mug. Stir in honey and Urban Moonshine’s story began in 2008 in Urban Moonshine begins with herbalists. From was co-founded in Sebastopol, CA in the early Hit the Hay. Sprinkle with a dash of founder Jovial King’s kitchen with the goal of their founder to their research, education, and 70’s by one of Vermont’s most beloved/ cinnamon. Sip before bedtime to unwind legendary herbalists, Gladstar, who making herbal medicine more accessible. The customer service teams, they are trained in plant and prepare for a restful sleep. business has since grown from a booth at the medicine in all its aspects: growing and was also one of Jovial’s first herbal teachers! local farmers’ market to a nationally distributed harvesting, manufacturing and extracting, and Both companies are on the same path to and recognized brand, all while staying true to applying herbs in the clinic. They believe that bringing high quality, organic herbal medicine its original mission of bringing high-quality, plant medicine is beautiful, accessible, and into more people’s lives. Urban Moonshine is certified organic herbal medicine to more flavorful: their herbalists want to bring you thrilled to be able to lean on Traditional people and changing the way we think about vibrant remedies that highlight the best of what Medicinal’s experience to help continue to build the healing power of plants. The business is herbalism has to offer. their company from the small kitchen to farmers’ based in beautiful Burlington, VT and is proud market business Jovial started in 2009. to be a woman-run company. Both botanical wellness companies are aligned Urban Moonshine aims to return the use of with the usage of high-quality organic herbal medicine to daily life, to bring it “out of ingredients, ethical sourcing processes and a the cupboard and onto the counter”. They mission to make herbalism more accessible by specialize in high quality liquid herbal extracts connecting people to the power of plants. with a focus on digestive bitters, herbal tonics, Traditional Medicinals and Urban Moonshine and everyday health remedies. They see their will continue to operate separately and retain herbal products as part of a growing wellness existing headquarters in Sonoma County, CA movement, focused on authentic, effective, and Burlington, VT. whole plant solutions. -Emily Be sure to visit their webpage at urbanmoonshine.com to find great recipes for everything from immunity broths to herbal tonic treats! 5 6 How is it Done? There are a number of ways to create a winter When the time is right, dampen your paper for seeds, each aimed at providing a cold, moist towel and wring out the excess moisture. It environment for your seeds. I will focus on the should be wet, but not dripping. Sprinkle your refrigerator method. seeds into the paper towel, then carefully roll it up, pressing gently to be sure the seeds have good contact with the wet paper towel. Tuck There are a few items you’ll need: Making Winter for Seeds the rolled paper towel into a bag and be sure Perennial seeds of your choosing to clearly label your bag with the seed type. It’s Unbleached paper towels also helpful to record the date you began the Plastic or waxed bags stratification and the date you plan to sow your Jar with a lid seed. Tuck the bag(s) of seeds inside a jar with a Marker for labeling lid and place it in your refrigerator.

You may check on your seeds every week, or so. If they’re beginning to mold, the environment you created for them is too wet. If the paper towel begins to dry out, you can always mist it with water. When it’s time to sow your seeds, remove them from the refrigerator and separate them from the paper towel. Some of the seeds may have germinated, which is fine. You may also notice that they don’t look any different than when you began and that’s okay, too. Plant your seeds according to package directions in Check the back of your seed packet for indoor flats and enjoy watching your new instructions on when to begin your cold perennials sprout and grow. Once the danger stratification period. Some seeds require several of frost has passed, it’s safe to move them weeks, while others require several months. For outdoors to their new home in your garden. example, your seed packet may instruct you to Have you ever wanted to purchase a packet of seeds become buried under leaves and soil, cold stratify for 4 weeks, then sow indoors 6 -Emily perennial seeds, but noticed that they required thanks to animals’ digging and heaving frosts. weeks before the last frost. In our region, our something called cold stratification before The seeds then hunker down to endure winter’s safe-from-frost date tends to be Memorial Day planting? If you’re like me, those two words frosty bite and wait for their chance to sprout weekend, so for this example, you would count were enough to scare you away. Thankfully, in the spring. Of course, in the wild, many of back a total of 10 weeks from Memorial Day there’s nothing to fear! I have since learned these seeds fail to survive the winter. They land weekend to begin your cold stratification. that the process of cold stratification is actually in poor places for growth, they get consumed quite simple. Perennials can provide decades of by hungry animals, or they get too wet and then low-maintenance yields and soil building rot. This is the reason that plants put out such a benefits for your garden, so taking this extra significant number of seeds -- it’s their insurance step is more than worth the effort. policy. With cold stratification, you can create a winter for your seeds in a more controlled So What is Cold Stratification? environment and give them a greater chance to succeed. Cold stratification is the process of breaking seed dormancy and promoting germination. In essence, you’re creating a winter for your How Does it Work? seeds. Cold stratification works by softening the seed coat, leaching out hormones that inhibit growth, This process occurs naturally in the wild as allowing moisture and other elements into the plants scatter their seeds in the fall and those seed, and signaling that it’s time to grow.

7 8 Winter - Make Your Own “Fire Cider” Spring - Make Your Own “Breathe Jar” (from Mountain Rose Herbs) (from onegoodthingbyjillee.com) 3. Cover with tight-fitting lid. Ingredients Instructions 1. Place 1 to 3 cotton balls in a 4 ounce mason jar 1. Add ginger, horseradish, onion, garlic, jalapeño peppers, lemon zest and juice, 2. Add the following essential oils, dripping them directly 1/2 cup freshly grated ginger root To use, open the container, place it over your nose and inhale rosemary, turmeric and cayenne powder into quart-sized glass jar. onto the cotton balls. These oils open and soothe the & horseradish root S L O W and D E E P. If your jar is big enough you can also 2. Pour apple cider in the jar until ingredients are fully covered and vinegar tissues of the respiratory system and combat 1 medium onion, chopped place it over your nose AND mouth, and the heat from your reaches the top of the jar. Avoid allowing vinegar to touch metal jar lid. airborne bacteria and viruses. 10 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped breath will help produce vapors from the oils and heighten the 3. Store in a dark, cool place for 4-6 weeks, remembering to shake the jar a few 15 drops oregano 2 organic jalapeño peppers, chopped decongestant effects. seconds every day. 15 drops tea tree 1 lemon, zest and juice Replace lid securely. Repeat as needed. Keep in a cool dry 4. After one month, strain out the solids, pouring the vinegar into a clean jar. Add 15 drops peppermint 2 tablespoons dried rosemary leaves place. If the scent starts to fade, add a few more drops of honey to the liquid and stir until incorporated. 15 drops lemon 1 tablespoon turmeric powder essential oil to bring it back to full strength. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder 5. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator or in a cold, organic unfiltered dark place. 1/4 cup raw honey, or to taste 6. Drink 1-2 Tablespoons when needed.

A YEAR OF HERBAL WELLNESS

Fall - Elderberry Immunity Elixir (from holistichealthherbalist.com) Here’s what you’re going to need: two mason jars brandy raw honey 6. Top with raw honey and mix until well combined. fresh or dried elderberries 7. Store in a cool dark place or pour into dropper bottles for Summer - Homemade Poison Ivy Spray dropper bottles for easy use easy use on the go. (from scratchmommy.com) Instructions Ingredients 1. Put your herbs in a blender Before heading off to work, school, or just out for errands, Preparation 2 parts jewelweed plant 2. Pour enough witch hazel to cover herbs take a dropperful of elderberry elixir to help strengthen your 1. Fill the far to the shoulder with the fresh berries, mashing 1 part plantain (organic plantain, or wild-harvested) 3. Blend until everything is well pulverized immunity throughout the day as a preventative. them as you go. witch hazel, enough to cover herbs (organic witch hazel) 4. Pour herb mixture into a jar and let it sit for one week During cold and flu, take the elixir 3-5 times a day to help 2. If you’re using dry elderberries, fill the jar half-way. lavender essential oil, 5 drops per cup of liquid 5. Strain the herbs into a glass jar shorten duration and support immunity. You can take it by the 3. Next, fill the jar to the shoulder with brandy. Make sure the 6. Add lavender essential oil, stir, and label berries are spoonful or add it to your favorite tea. Tools Elderberry elixir will last indefinitely. Keep it stored in a cool totally submerged. Blender When ready to use, pour into a spray bottle dark place out of direct sunlight to keep the integrity of the 4. Allow the mixture to sit for 4-6 weeks. Strainer and spray rash or bug bites as needed. 5. After 4-6 weeks, strain the tincture into a larger jar. medicine intact. 9 10 the inside scoop Interview with Tracey Orvis, MNFC Wellness Manager RALLY FOR CHANGE By: Karin Mott ROUND UP AT THE REGISTER, FEB 7TH-13TH FEB YOUR CO-OP WILL MATCH YOUR DONATION 7TH-13TH across the board, starting with scientists who evaluate the data of a supplement and ending in the retail environment, including making supplement claims when talking with customers. In a nutshell, we can’t recommend products or claim that any supplement cures any health issue.

What would you say is the hardest part of your job? It’s a challenge to talk with customers about our products, but not be able to recommend them, Turning Point Center of Addison County is a especially if I personally believe we have a product that can help them. non-profit organization located on Creek Road in Middlebury. We are a member of the Vermont What’s your most popular seller right now? Recovery Network (VRN) comprised of 12 recovery Tracey, we’ve been blessed with your presence at the CBD Products!!! I would say that in my twenty-one years centers statewide. The recovery support services Co-op for over 20 years. Can you tell us what kind of at the Co-op, we’ve never had a more exciting product offered through Turning Point Center help clients changes you’ve noticed in the store over the past two line on the Wellness shelves. We’ve heard many success rebuild their lives and engage in being productive decades? stories customers have shared about how taking CBD members of society. We provide peer support, Wow, so much has changed, and the way we do our has impacted them in a positive way. jobs has changed significantly. We used to price-sticker host recovery meetings (including both 12-step every item on our shelves by hand. Now, the majority and non 12-step models), educational of our products automatically scan into our Point of Sale In addition to your very busy role at the Co-op, you opportunities, recovery coaching and social system. spend much of your “downtime” (I don’t really think engagement in a safe and supportive this term applies to you!) volunteering as an EMT in environment. You are a Vermonter in every sense of the word. Just Starksboro, VT. Do these two identities overlap? how deep do your VT roots grow? Yes! I have been volunteering for 21 years, beside my By focusing on our mission: Yes, and proud of it! My husband and I are both native mother (who is also an EMT) in Starksboro. My family Vermonters, and our families have been here for has also had heavy involvement in the fire department Providing peer based recovery support to all, we seek to enhance the spiritual, mental, physical, generations. We recently purchased my husband’s for multiple generations. It can be rewarding work, but and social growth of our community affected by substance use disorders and addictive behaviors. family homestead, where we plan to land for the rest of also heartbreaking and challenging to see folks in our lives. Knowing the history of the house and having difficult situations. I guess the connection is lending a We are able to move toward our vision: all of our extended family helping with it just makes it hand when you can in hopes it improves someone’s that much more special to us. well-being! It comes in handy if we have an emergency A future where stigma and stereotypes are overcome by an empowered community focused on here at the co-op. Having knowledge about side effects cultivating hope, support, and success for all people affected by the challenges of substance use Your department has a name that means a lot of of supplements has come in handy on rescue calls. disorders and addictive behaviors. different things to different people. What exactly are

“wellness products” at our Co-op? Sounds like you’ve got an inherent desire to make Our center often serves as the front door for addiction awareness. Turning Point staff, recovery Our department stocks a full line of body care products people feel better. You’re in the right department! and a wide variety of supplements. What we don’t stock coaches and volunteers help people explore and/or identify their personal path to recovery. Whether seeking treatment, peer groups, social connections, resources to meet quality of life on the shelves, we are more than happy to order for Thank you, Tracey. You rock, lady!!! customers. needs, information, or some other road to wellness; we provide a recovery community to welcome

all. Supplements…like vitamins? -Karin Yes, vitamins, herbs, CBD, homeopathics and more! Supporting Turning Point recovery center is an investment in reducing incarceration, recidivism and other social expenses. More importantly, it is an investment in creating a healthy and vibrant I understand that there are rules about what you can say to customers when they ask for information about community we can be proud to be a part of. Donations are always welcome, recovery from supplements and natural healing products. substance use and addictive behavior is a community investment, your help is always appreciated. We are required to follow a set of guidelines - the DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health & Education Act of 1994). It’s how the FDA regulates supplement claims 11 12 The Deep Dish Garlic Soup Serves 4 GARLIC – A NATURAL DEFENSE FOR WINTER COLD Directions: By Julie Mitchell Preheat oven to 350F. Place 26 garlic cloves in small glass baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and toss to coat. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake until garlic is golden brown and ten- der, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic between fingertips to release cloves. Transfer cloves to small bowl. Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, , ginger and cay- Ingredients: enne powder and cook until onions are 26 garlic cloves (unpeeled) translucent, about 6 minutes. Add roasted garlic and As I look out my window the first snow in Fire Cider is a modern day elixir made with garlic 2 tablespoons olive oil 26 raw garlic cloves and cook 3 minutes. Add vegeta- November is falling over the garden, covering all (not quite as many cloves), horseradish, onion, 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) organic butter (grass-fed) ble broth; cover and simmer until garlic is very tender, of the unfinished chores of raking and putting my cayenne, and apple cider vinegar. A shot of this 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in garden properly to bed for the winter. Ah well. At mix in a glass of water in the morning can be used 1/2 cup fresh ginger a blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan; add least I got my garlic in the ground and will have for ‘sluggish stomachs’, increasing circulation and 2 1/4 cups sliced onions coconut milk and bring to simmer. Season with sea salt 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme to be satisfied with that, along with knowing that activating gastric juices. (see recipe on pg 9) and pepper for flavor. 26 garlic cloves, peeled I have prepared some of my favorite and useful Squeeze juice of 1 lemon wedge into each bowl and 1/2 cup coconut milk remedies for this coldest of seasons. This is a dry Most of garlic’s medicinal constituents result from serve. 3 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth and energetically cold time of year, the optimal the breakdown of allicin only found in the fresh 4 lemon wedges time to use herbs that can ‘light the fire’ inside bulb when cut or crushed. Allicin contains the and out. element sulfur in a form that readily interacts with important enzyme systems in the human body, One herb and food in particular that is readily and will break down into various other Kitchen Remedy Flu prevention: available for winter health is Garlic (Allium sativa). constituents with time and with cooking. These It is cultivated throughout the world, probably sulfur-containing components are what gives Directions: originating in central Asia as a wild plant medicine garlic its odor and what can regulate body Blend together in a quart jar. Pour boiling water over (easily grown here in the northeast) and utilized as functions such as detoxification and immune the whole concoction and drink the tea while still hot a food and medicine before recorded history. response. When fresh, it is strongly antimicrobial, Honey can be added for its own medicine as well as to Garlic has so many uses..from a strong immune- as an antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, and improve the taste (avoid if you have issues with blood stimulating medicine to a delicious food - the best fungicidal. sugar). of both worlds. Easy to grow and find as a kitchen As another option, add an elderberry syrup staple, this plant medicine has an unmatched Cooked garlic is clinically useful for instead of honey. Other respiratory and versatility. Traditionally, use of the juice and/or oil hypertension, heart disease, and high cholesterol Ingredients: 1 teaspoon of lemon juice immune herbs can be added into the mix as well. in soups or syrups can be effective in the [Sun YE. 2018]. People who have high cholesterol/ 2-3 cloves garlic crushed to release the active treatment of colds, ear infections, and flu. Garlic lipids can benefit from eating 2 cloves of garlic constituents has an expectorant and diffusive action that helps daily, which will inhibit the production of A pinch of cayenne or ½ teaspoon of grated remedy acute or chronic coughs. It is one of the cholesterol, thin the blood and act as antioxidants. fresh ginger seven ingredients in Eos Botanicals Immunity Compound, specifically formulated to prevent I keenly believe that food is our medicine and upper respiratory infections (giving it has that hope with these recipes, I will encourage good Pickled Garlic wonderful lasting garlicky flavor!) health and good eating. The ingredients for the Remove the skins from the garlic. Fill a jar with the whole cloves. Pour either tamari or recipes on the following page are easy to find apple cider vinegar over the garlic, fill to the top and cap tightly. Let it sit for 6 weeks. Historically it was used as a protective measure and can be changed to accommodate tastes and Know that garlic will release gaseous bubbles and these can be released during this in the time of Plague in the concoction known as creative impulses. process by opening the jar to let them escape, now and then. At the end of the 6 weeks, Four Thieves Vinegar. It was made with 3 pints Bergner, Paul. 1996. The Healing Power of Garlic. Prima Pub. strain liquid off. Take ½ of the liquid and add an equal amount of honey. If it’s easier, of strong white wine vinegar and included fifty Sun YE, etal. 2018. Anti-hyperlipidemia of garlic by reducing the level of warm the two liquids together (do not boil). Pour this solution over the garlic, cap and let cloves of garlic along with a lot of aromatic herbs. total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein: a meta-analysis. Medicine. 97 (18):e0255. sit another 6 weeks at room temperature. The longer the garlic sits and ages the better. Once decanted, it was rubbed on the clothing Eat as is or serve with toast. The strained liquid can also be utilized in cooking. and skin when approaching a plague victim.

13 14 Red Leaf - like most of the greens in your mesclun mix, Red Leaf is high in A and K – great for immunity, blood bone, and eye health. Food Focus: Salad Greens This particular lettuce contains a lot of water, so nutrient quality is less dense, but at least you’re hydrating! The holidays are a magical time of year, but by January, I’m often left with a few unwanted gifts – sluggishness, bloating, and a muffin top that seems to have overbaked. The first few months of the new year are often a period of “re’s” – resolutions, renewal, restoration….it seems like we’re all Romaine – like Red Leaf, this “king among lettuces” carries a high volume of ready to make ourselves as new as the free calendars we hang in our kitchens. One of the foods water and is known as the “dieter’s dream”, as its caloric value is very low in that so many of us turn to when we need to “start over” is salad. There are so many varieties to comparison to its nutritional value. Among its many attributes, Romaine is an choose from – whether you love a good classic Caesar, a California Cobb, or if you match your excellent source of dietary fiber. veggies with hot proteins and grains – you can’t go wrong if you start with the most important ingredient – greens. Spinach – well, it looks like our mothers were right – you really should “eat your spinach”! This member of the amaranth family is actually a At the Co-op, we sell Organic salad greens all year, and the greens come from local farms for at close relative of beets and quinoa. Eating spinach may benefit eye health, least nine of those months. The non-local varieties come from places where the temperatures are reduce stress, help prevent cancer and reduce blood pressure. much more hospitable for growing tender lettuce year-round – think California! Our Local greens come from farms that are Certified Organic, and really close to home – Elmer Farm, Four Pillars Farm, Orb Weaver Farm, New Leaf Farm, Golden Russet Farm, Nola’s Secret Garden, Singing Swiss Chard – another member of the beet family, this green contains 3 times the Cedars, Woods Market Garden and Old Road Farm – just to name a few. One of our Local lettuce recommended daily intake of Vitamin K and 44 percent of the recommended daily providers, Four Pillars Farm, is experimenting with extending their season, in hopes that one day, intake of Vitamin A. Eat this veggie to help combat cancer, reduce blood pressure we may be able to offer Local Organic salad year-round! and enhance your sports performance.

The Co-op sells greens in a lot of forms – whole head lettuce, bunched greens, and even teeny Tatsoi – also called “spoon mustard”, as you might expect, is a spicy weeny micro greens. These days, many of our shoppers buy their salad base in the form of green and is packed with a host of nutritional attributes. One pre-mixed, pre-washed baby greens, known as mesclun or spring mix. Spring mix is made up of serving of tatsoi provides more than a third of the recommended tender young lettuces and baby greens and may contain 10 or more varieties of these plants. daily allowance of calcium. So, what ARE these little leaves, and what can they do to make our bodies feel renewed? -Karin Let’s dissect your mesclun: Beet and Citrus Salad Arugula – also known as “rocket” (this is so much more fun – we should just This recipe is great as written, but can be change the name!) has a tangy flavor and contains a huge amount of nitrate, easily modified to fit what’s in your fridge! which can lower blood pressure and enhance athletic performance.

Curly Endive – (AKA frisée or chicory) is a bitter, crisp herb, rich in folate and vitamins A and K. Eaing endive can boost your immunity and help cleanse your Ingredients Directions liver and gallbladder. 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 3 tablespoons white 2 tablespoons olive oil 2. Scrub and quarter beets, toss with 1 Mâche – or, Lamb’s Lettuce (aww…) is as cute as it sounds, with little round leaves 1 (5 ounce) package spring mix tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. that have a slight sheen. It has a wonderful, nutty flavor, and is one of the most 2 tennis ball sized beets Cook for 30 minutes, or until fork tender. nutritious lettuces available. Mache is a powerful antioxidant, and it contains 1 cup orange sections 3. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and almost as much vitamin C as lemon juice! 1/3 cup thinly slivered red onion remaining olive oil 1/3 cup crumbled feta 4. Divide greens equally among three plates. ¼ cup sliced walnuts Top with beets, oranges, red onion, feta, wal- – one of the mustard green family, but much milder than 1/8 teaspoon each black pepper Mizuna nuts, and black pepper. Drizzle with reserved most, this plant is super high in vitamin C, folate and iron – all designed and kosher salt dressing. to boost your immunity. From: Eating Well Magazine

15 16 Food For All – What Can It Do For YOU? Next time you’re waiting in the check-out line at the Co-op, let your eyes roam to the stretch of pale Application yellow wall above the street-facing windows. You may never have noticed the statement posted on this wall: The Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op is dedicated to the health and well-being of the FOOD FOR ALL whole community, but it’s a statement that we return to continually, to help guide the decisions Date: we make about how the Co-op grows. And yes, we do grow – in sales, in membership, in support of local producers, and in support of the local economy. We are fortunate to be such a successful business and grateful for the support that has brought us to this point. Already a Member-owner? Please write your member number here:

There is a nagging blip in all this growth and success. At the time of this writing, only around 160 Name: households take advantage of Food For All, the Co-op’s Member Assistance Program – that’s a number we’d like to see increase in relation to the growth of our sales, but instead, it has remained Address: stubbornly static.

We’ve spent some time trying to figure out what barrier is keeping eligible shoppers from taking advantage of this program – is it price...or brands…or just the assumption that the Co-op is not for Phone: Date of Birth: everybody? Our feeling is that it’s a little of all of these, so let’s pull back the curtains on this program, in an effort to make it more transparent and accessible. Email:

I have attached or shown: Who is eligible for Food For All? Food For All is a Member Assistance Program for participants in SNAP, WIC, and Home Heating WIC family food benefit list Copy of current WIC or EBT card Assistance, and for clients of CVOEO, HOPE, WomenSafe, and the Open Door Clinic. Home Heating Assistance Statement Statement from DCF for food stamp benefits What do you “get” from Food For All? Letter of eligibility from partner organization You get a 10% Discount on all purchases, every day (excludes alcohol, by law) You become a Member-Owner of the Co-op – your $20 share is paid by MNFC, allowing I guarantee that I meet the requirements for this program. I understand that my information will be used you to build equity, accrue a patronage dividend and have a voice in Co-op Elections for co-op membership and the Food For All Program only. I understand that this discount applies only to All Food for All member benefits are shared with the people in your household my household. I will be contacted when it is time to renew Food For All. My information is confidential. (children, domestic partners, parents living with you, etc..) How do you sign up? Fill out the application on the page to your right Signature: (or pick one up at the Co-op Customer Service Desk) Show us your current EBT or WIC benefits card The Food For All discount may not be combined with any senior, member-worker, or staff discounts. The Food For All discount will not affect your eligibility for any other Sales or Promotions. (we’ll make a copy when you come in) The Food For All discount will not be applied to non-discountable items such as alcohol and newspapers. OR Bring us a letter of eligibility from one of our partner organizations (CVOEO, HOPE, Questions about eligibility? Contact Membership Services at [email protected] WomenSafe, and Open Door Clinic). They’ll know what to do! 1 Washington Street Middlebury Vermont 05753 802-388-7276 Fax 802-388-4817 www.middlebury.coop

If you are not eligible for Food For All but know someone who might be, please spread the word. CO-OP USE ONLY This Co-op belongs to its member-owners and its community - the WHOLE community. Date received: By: Please help us serve you better. Member - Owner # Date Member-owner notified: -Karin Date Discount on: Date Discount off: 17 18 CO-OP CALENDAR JANUARY WEEKLY SALES*, MEMBER DEALS*, & EVENTS FEATURED CO-OP CONNECTION BUSINESS JUICE AMOUR 10% OFF

STORE MLK Junior Interested in Running For the CLOSED Day Co op Board? 1/1 1/21 1/3-1/9 SUPERFOOD SALADS It’s a fun way to get more involved with MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF MNFC LOGO PRODUCTS 1/10-1/16 THAI SOMETHING NEW your food and a great cooperative! MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF NEW CHAPTER 1/17-1/23 HEALTHY BREAKFAST Elections are in March 2019! MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF SPECTRUM 1/24-1/30 PIZZA NIGHT Applying is fun! MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF CABOT

To see if being an MNFC Director is the FEBRUARY FEATURED CO-OP CONNECTION BUSINESS right fit for you, please come and: OTTER CREEK YOGA YOUR FIRST CLASS FREE

Attend a board meeting RALLY FOR Valentine’s (always open to our member owners) CHANGE FOR Day TURNING POINT Read a monthly board packet CENTER 2/7-2/13 2/14 Meet with a member of the Board 1/31-2/6 SUPERBOWL Development Committee MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF LATE JULY Watch for the Board Orientation 2/7-2/13 VALENTINES DAY BREAKFAST MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF DOUGLAS SWEETS Meeting to learn more about 2/14-2/20 INDIAN FOOD how we work MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF CHAMPLAIN VALLEY APIARIES 2/21-2/27 RAMEN SOUP Questions? Contact MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF MUIR GLEN Kate Gridley at [email protected] MARCH RJ Adler at FEATURED CO-OP CONNECTION BUSINESS VERMONT SUN [email protected] 70% OFF LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP FEE Sophie Esser-Calvi at St. Patrick’s Spring [email protected] Day Equinox 3/17 3/20 2/28-3/6 MARDI GRAS MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF TOMS OF MAINE 3/7-3/3/13 ST. PATRICK’S DAY MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF LUNDBERG 3/14-3/20 SAP SEASON BREAKFAST MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF KLINGER’S BREAD COMPANY 3/21-3/27 PROBIOTICS MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF SEVENTH GENERATION 3/28-4/3 SOUTHERN COOKING MEMBER DEALS: 20% OFF KIMBRALL BROOK FARM

*PLEASE NOTE, WEEKLY PROMOTIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE