From
the General Manager
by Mel Braverman Hello. I
hope your holidays are warm and peaceful. For me, winter is a time to reflect because I
have a limited desire to participate in activities outside of my home. It is during this
time when I connect more strongly to some of the cooperative principles. Also I have been
thinking about “Community Connections”, the theme of our General Membership
Meeting on May 1, 1999.
North Farm Cooperative has been a participant in a number of communities throughout our
history. Our participation comes in a number of forms: through our food deliveries,
working with food cooperatives to help strengthen them, donations to various community
organizations, initiating the Disaster Relief Fund and doing some outreach to inform
people of the alternative business we are.
One of my goals, as established by the North Farm Board of Directors, is to work to
promote the cooperative model of business. Last May the National Cooperative Bank informed
me of scholarships they offer to high school students for writing a quality essay about
cooperatives. I immediately contacted a local high school and informed them that North
Farm would love to sponsor a student who would be interested in pursuing a scholarship. A
few weeks later I was contacted by Anna Shelton, a senior at a local high school, and she
said she would like to participate in this contest. Anna came to my office and interviewed
me for about 2 hours, she accessed our Web site and took a copy of our 1997 Annual Report
with her. Claire Herrick, another student, was also sponsored by North Farm. She wrote her
paper on a Madison worker owned cab cooperative - Union Cab.
In September I was happy to inform both Anna and Claire that they had each won a $2,000
scholarship and were entitled to participate in training for Future Cooperative Leaders
that would be underwritten by the National Cooperative Bank. This was as big a thrill for
me as it was for Anna and Claire, although not quite as big as for their parents as they
saw the first year college expense reduced by $2,000. Our first year of participating and
we produced not one but two winners. I have since sent a copy of the winning entries to
the principal of the high school and suggested ways North Farm might become involved in
the education of students on the value and uniqueness of cooperatives. I look forward to
having the opportunity to bringing cooperatives into the local schools.
Another one of my goals is to continue to break down barriers with cooperatives. I feel
this is one of the least followed Cooperative Principles--Cooperation with Cooperatives.
To facilitate this I am now involved in regular meetings with other cooperative warehouse
managers. We visit the host’s facility and meet some of their staff. We are looking
into how we may work together to enhance all of our cooperatives. It is a challenging
process, but that’s what goals are all about- stretch the individual and the
organization. In light of private business competition with all the cooperative
warehouses, I find this to be a very valuable goal. This process has fostered better
knowledge and understanding between all the participants. I appreciate your support in
allowing me to actualize these goals.
Yours in cooperation,
Mel Braverman, General Manager
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North
Farm Cooperative: The Natural Octopus
by Anna Shelton
For the Judy A. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Fund June, 1998
She leans her ancient bike against the cool tan wall of the warehouse, not bothering to
lock it to anything. Moving her multi-colored woven bag from her sweaty back to hang on
one arm, she steps lightly in worn sandals through the door into the store. She runs one
tanned hand through her short dark hair and proceeds up and down the aisles like a queen.
This is her fortress, and she knows where every item waits to be placed lovingly in her
bag or left on the shelf for a less particular customer. She stops at the spices, buying
red and yellow exotic blends that can be found nowhere else in the city. She moves quickly
past the specialty cheese and all dairy products, stopping again to examine bulk macaroni.
Her baggy pants blow in the slight breeze created by the entrance of another customer and
she steps absent-mindedly out of his way.
He slammed the door to his Volvo approximately 8 seconds before walking rapidly into
the store. Eyes scanning quickly back and forth, he makes a beeline for the ice cream,
giving the woman looking at the macaroni a wide berth to ensure that nothing mars his new
dark suit. He is frustrated that he must forgo air conditioning for a period of time
greater than 2 minutes, but as he stands in line he reminds himself that this is the only
place to buy the food he wants with the restrictions his doctor has placed on his diet. He
looks out the window at a man and his two laughing daughters parking a beat-up old station
wagon in the lot.
The two girls split up, two sets of Tevas walking down separate aisles seeking half of
the monthly shopping list. One girl goes for the rice, the dried beans, and the tuna fish
and stands on one leg comparing prices. The other girl smells the coffee blends and begins
to choose from the vegetables in the display. The father has stopped and is talking to an
employee. A woman with baggy pants and a package of macaroni backs into him, and he
excuses himself, laughing.
What is this place where such different people come together with such different
agendas? North Farm Cooperative, a consumer based natural foods distributor. The
cooperative is an octopus whose long tentacles reach out of this tan warehouse into the
surrounding city of Madison, Wisconsin and beyond, into thirteen Midwestern states. North
Farm supplies over 2,000 members, both urban and rural, with organic fresh produce, frozen
goods, grocery, health and body care items and more. Each member has a specific need to be
met by North Farm and desires a unique assortment of goods.
The octopus that is North Farm can be best understood by crawling inside of it and
looking out through the eyes of Mel Braverman, general manager. Tall, lean, and quick to
smile, Mel has held the co-op together with the principles of democracy, quality, and
communication. When he speaks of the North Farm mission, he does not simply read the
framed version so prominently and proudly displayed in the main entranceway to the office
building. That printed mission is simply stated: to provide high quality, natural products
and grocery items to members and non-members. The reality of North Farm, however, is much
greater in scope. It is really a unique community with a vision for the future.
Mel was not at North Farm when it was established in 1971. During that time of
nationwide protest and change, Mel was growing herbs and spices to sell to Madison co-ops,
never dreaming he would one day become the general manager of one. People active in the
cooperative movement during this time were seeking peace, social justice, and more control
over their own lives. This spawned the cooperative movement that called for more
democratic involvement with the power in the hands of the people. Cooperatives were a move
away from big business toward a community based system of living and purchasing based on
social consciousness. North Farm was originally created to provide access to products and
services that the community had been unable to tap into. “Food for people, not for
profit” was the original slogan.
While Mel slowly became involved more and more with various cooperatives, the movement
took hold. Madison, Berkeley, and Ann Arbor were the three places that the co-ops had
taken position. In Madison, many of these cooperatives survived through the fledgling
years, participating in first the war protests and then the grape boycotts and war
protests. These cooperatives survived despite changing ideals and aging membership. Some
co-ops did not make it, and in that sense Madison has really been representative of
cooperatives nationwide. North Farm not only survived into the 80’s, but also
expanded. This decade found people with a greater health awareness, changing the face of
the membership of the co-op. Catering to this new membership was another way North Farm
survived: being responsive to the community is key, Mel stresses. With the expansion, the
co-op found it necessary to restructure the management from a socialistic style to a
hierarchy-type management. Departments were created, efficiency rose, and North Farm
changed with the times in order to survive. Mel speaks of the co-op undergoing a maturing
process, a necessity for it to become more widely focused.
“The 80’s was a critical time. There were more private competition and the
co-ops had to respond. We had to advertise, become more accessible… growth is not
better, per say, but growth is a sign of health,” Mel explains.
The “Food for people” slogan did not change, but co-ops began to realize the
value of a profit.
“One fallacy that many co-ops operate under is the question: ‘Why make money
instead of breaking even?’ You have to be accessible to more than the idealistic
component of the population. You don’t want to alienate, you want to reduce barriers
in a co-op. Profit doesn’t need to be the driving force.”
This is actually the difference that Mel sees between a corporation and a co-operative:
“A corporation has profitability as the bottom line, and uses service as a tool to
achieve profit. A cooperative has service as its purpose and uses profitability as a tool
to that end.”
Mel has used this idea in the 90’s to help channel the direction of North Farm. He
eagerly explains, however, that the actions of North Farm are determined by the
membership, not by him.
North Farm, guided by Mel, embraces the seven principles of the International
Cooperative Alliance. All individuals are welcome to be a member or shopping non-member of
the co-op. North Farm is governed completely democratically, with each person’s voice
equally important, regardless of his/her level of economic participation. The cooperative
is an independent organization that promotes education and correct information for
employees as well as members. North Farm attempts to cooperate with other cooperatives,
and is very dedicated to the community.
Although these principles sound like they govern a utopia, North Farm has its share of
challenges. It is very difficult to maintain a democratic organization while being
efficient with time and resources. Even Mel admits that the nature of the co-op can be
very challenging because all of the problems and complaints are in your face at every
second; no one is afraid to voice their concern. This very challenge, however, is one
aspect of North Farm that Mel wouldn’t trade for anything. Another challenge for
North Farm has been one that Mel works very hard on: cooperating and communicating with
other cooperatives. He calls it the least followed international principle.
Mel speaks of the impact of a recent merger of privately owned warehouses. In order to
combat the huge pooling of resources of the new warehouse, Mel believes that smaller
co-ops, including North Farm, will need to combine purchasing, research, and development
in order to compete. He realizes that it is even somewhat hypocritical for the
cooperatives to not cooperate.
“The Madison co-ops have begun to work together more,” says Mel proudly,
emphasizing the expansion of community education and a recent information gathering at
North Farm of three of the Madison cooperatives. North Farm would like to see an even
greater effort to communicate.
Other strategies for the future of North Farm include competitive pricing, constant
improvement of service, a building of relationships, and most importantly, quality.
“In the future, every [grocery store] will have everything. The places that
survive will be determined by quality. If people know that they can get the right product,
at the right price, and the right time, every time from us, I believe that we will
continue to succeed.” Mel elaborated, explaining that whatever internal processes are
necessary to uphold quality are the processes that North Farm will be focusing on.
The only possible challenge that Mel sees for the future is the possibility that co-ops
in general are losing their market share. Being so completely participation-based could be
a problem in an ever-increasingly fast paced world. Participation is not an option for
everyone, Mel reminds us.
Will North Farm weather the next decade as well as it has the past two and a half? With
Mel Braverman at the helm, who could doubt it. The last image besides a smile that a
visitor retains when she leaves his office is the message scrawled across his T-shirt:
“Believe in the power of cooperatives!”
This is no ordinary grocery store.
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For Colds
& Flu Here's What I Do
by Ben Birkett
Cold season comes along every year and there seems to be no avoiding it. In my family
we take a proactive approach to these nuisance ailments. Back when our girls were small
children, we came to the conclusion that most of the time we could take care of ourselves.
I’ll just tell you about some of our experiences and if you care to you can do some
homework, prepare, and see if you don’t have a better cold season experience this
year. Remember, there is no cure for the common cold, but it is best overcome without the
use of anti-biotics.
In my family we keep an arsenal on hand throughout the year, but especially so during
the winter months. Our cold and flu arsenal consists of old world remedies that
you’ve probably heard of, and some others that you may not. There is a great deal
written about the ways of herbs and the value of nutrient supplementation, and if you plan
to use any substance for the first time you’re advised to read up first. Here is a
list of “must haves” for our house and why:
Chicken Noodle Soup (doesn’t have to be real chicken) - We use it
because it’s good for fluids, minerals, and, with noodles, carbohydrates. Also, it
can be spiked with lots of garlic and some cayenne. We use it for everything.
Garlic - When it’s flu, especially, we use it for its natural
anti-biotic properties.
Cayenne - We use it to improve circulation, induce sweating, help
clear sinuses. (Wow!)
Juices - We drink plenty for the fluids, electrolytes and
carbohydrates.
Astragulus - We use it to tone the immune system, build strength and
increase white blood cell count gradually before the cold season hits.
Echinacea Purpurea - We use this purple cone plant's flowering tops in
capsule or liquid extract, preferably in combination with Echinacea Angustifolia root, for
its properties as an immune system stimulant and Lymphatic system toner. Actually raises
white blood cell count rapidly. We don’t keep it for every day use but for periods of
illness or infection. When that’s the case we take it throughout the day for up to 5
days. In our experience no single other item in our medicine chest has been of as great a
benefit.
We’ve been very fortunate to have had success using alternative therapies to treat
minor illness such as cold and flu and hope that more and more others have similar
experiences. We know how frightening it is to be up all night with a feverish child
wondering if we’ve done everything that we can. Everyone has to do only what they are
capable of and that can be different for each of us. We’ve had those sleepless
nights, but not so many as some folks, and I always have to wonder about the alternatives.
The combined life span of my girls is 25 years and in those 25 years we’ve had to use
antibiotics 5 times. Now there’s an alternative we can live with.
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Soup's On!
by Ben Borkovitz
“Soup is a complex collection of characters, each either vying for dominance or
seeking to subvert themselves into the whole for the common good.” -Ben Borkovitz
Nothing like a big kettle of really good soup and lots of hungry people on a cold,
wintry day. This hearty soup can be a meal in itself.
Oriental Soup Measurements are rough guidelines:
- 6 cups cooked short grain brown rice
- 1 - 15.75 oz. pkg. Ener-G brown rice spaghetti
- 1 oz. Eden Wakame seaweed (1/2 of item #6109)
- 10 medium to large cloves of garlic
- 1 Tbsp. Frontier brown mustard seed
- 1 Tbsp. Frontier chili powder
- Canola or other sautéing oil
- 1-1/2 cups of each, sliced: celery, mushrooms and carrots
- ½ small head of Romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces
- 1 cup Abco mock chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp. each of Eden Ume plum vinegar and Eden brown rice vinegar
- 1 tsp. Eden toasted sesame oil
- Bragg liquid aminos or sea salt to taste
Unless using leftover rice, start rice cooking. Also, start water boiling for rice
spaghetti in your soup kettle. While cooking these two, begin washing and slicing
vegetables. Also, rinse Wakame in cool water and soak in a bowl of cold water for at least
15 minutes. When the rice spaghetti is done, drain in a colander and rinse with cold
water. Rinse soup kettle out and fill approximately 1/3 full with cold water. Cover and
begin heating the water on high heat.
Peel garlic cloves and cut into 1/8” thick slices. Place about 2-1/2 Tbsp. of oil
in a fry pan, heat and add brown mustard seed. When the seeds first start to pop, add the
garlic and sauté on medium heat for about two minutes, then add the chili powder and
sauté for three more minutes, make sure the garlic/chili powder doesn’t burn!
Whisk Mock Chicken Broth into the soup kettle. Rinse off Wakame, cut into medium-sized
pieces and add. Add all other ingredients and allow to simmer together for 15-20 minutes.
Add water to fill your kettle and Bragg Liquid Aminos or Sea Salt to taste.
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Delivery Tips During
Winter
by Jan Torkildson
Winter can be a difficult time for many of us. Poor weather can cause delivery delays,
slow down the unloading process or just be down right cold. We asked some members to give
us some pointers on how to deal with winter deliveries. We hope these are helpful in
ensuring you are well taken care of during the season.
- Use space heaters in a garage (be sure to have good ventilation)
- Have extra people help to get done faster
- Be organized (develop a process and continue to improve it)
- Move your delivery site to a heated building
- If your delivery is in a parking lot or other outside location, consider having one or
two people pick up the order and take it to another location to stay out of the cold
- Bring coolers so items don’t freeze
- Have a cell phone available so you are able to call North Farm
- Make sure you have plenty of gas in your vehicle
- Dress warm
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North Farm's
Value Added Website
by Dottie Dykstra
Have you visited the North Farm Web site lately? It has a fresh new look, and more
importantly, new member services. Service highlights are listed below:
New Product Ingredient Information. New product ingredients are
updated before each new Price List goes to the printer. This gives you the chance to see
new products two months before you see the hardcopy of that issue. For example, new
products for March 1999 will be available on the North Farm Web site right around January
18!
Promotions. Have you ever relied on the U.S. Postal Service for your
subscription, only to find they were oh-too-slow and your Price List didn’t arrive
when you needed it to place your order? We’ve had several members call asking for a
list of promotions faxed to them, or read to them over the phone because they wanted to
place their order! Now you will be able to view the promotions on the Web site. Like the
new product information, promotions will be available to you sooner on the Web than in
printed form. Product Notes Product Notes are published in The Home Shopping Insider.
By accessing these notes on the Web site all North Farm members will have immediate access
to weekly updated product notes, informing them of:
- Vendor out-of-stocks
- Home Shopping and Retail Price List errors
- Product Recalls
- Vendor Production Problems
- Vendor Discontinued Products
- New Product Reformulations
- New Packaging
- Seasonal Shorts on Products
These are just a few of the new services on the North Farm Web site. Services on the
site that have been available to our members over the last year include:
- The North Farm News
- Weekly organic produce price updates
- North Farm History
- Cooperative Principles
- North Farm’s Statements
- Cooperative and Natural Food Related Links
Over the next several months we are planning to add even more services and features to
the Web site for your convenience. We hope you will turn to the site as one more option to
get up-to-date details on the information you need to know.
Visit Us!
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Peanuts Anyone?
North Farm has switched from using shredded paper for packing diddly boxes, to packing
peanuts made from corn starch. Customers who do not want these packing peanuts have two
options for their disposal:
- Pour water on the peanuts, they will dissolve.
- Put them in a box or bag and send them back to North Farm for re-use.
These packing peanuts are less messy than shredded paper and are environmentally safe.
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Favorite Product Picks
Ben
1960 Traditional Medicinal Ginger Aid - Hot ginger tea in the winter months is an
important addition to my diet. 15042 Bragg Liquid Aminos - An old favorite (that not too
many people know about!) I use it instead of Tamari because I like its flavor more and
it’s not as heavy.
5072 Rainbow Light Advanced Nutritional System - I’m told by nutritionists that
this is one of the highest quality multiple vitamins on the market. It is “food
based” and contains many important anti-oxidants, green foods and other ingredients.
6109 Eden Wakame Seaweed - Very nutritious and enhances the flavor of soups as well as
having a great chewy texture when cooked. See soup recipe on page NFN-5 of this issue.
Connie
12943 Cloud Nine Enchantmints - When friends’ kids come to visit they get a mint -
but the best part is they get a card to add to their Enchanted Species Collector’s
album. There are 36 cards to collect.
5745 Dahlgren Sunflower Seeds RWS 10# - For lunches, snacks, or as a topping on cold
pasta or ice cream.
Carla
14697 & 14704 American Prairie Black Eyed Peas/Red Beans - It is rare to find canned
products with such low sodium content! 1% salt in each. Fat content is 0% in red beans, 1%
in black eyed peas, both are high in fiber. Great Taste!
2746 & 506 Graindance Focaccia and North Farm Part Skim Mozzarella - Jan, our
manager, shared some pizza made with this focaccia and it really made an improved-tasting
pizza. I hope you try it, and I hope she makes it again!
4713 Houmann’s Fresh Frozen Cod - Darrell, who works in the warehouse here,
suggested marinating this in cilantro and lime, wrapping in foil, with waxed paper beneath
it, adding butter and onions and baking it. Garlic and lemon also are good marinades.
Sally
13451 Gentle Breeze Beeswax Candles 12” - These candles burn with a wonderful
fragrance. I keep some on hand for quick gifts.
10608 Barbara’s Rite Lite Rounds LF - Kids love them, adults like the low fat but
great taste. My favorite spreads for Barbara’s crackers are: 325 Fleur de Lait
Neufchatel Vegetable & 178 North Farm Co-op Jalapeno Cheese Spread.
5775 Rice Dream Strawberry Bar w/ Carob - Dairy and refined-sweetener free, but, how
sweet it is!
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Community
Connections for General Membership Meeting
North Farm Cooperative is excited to inform our members about the special workshops and
activities planned for the Community Connections General Membership Meeting (GMM), Friday,
April 30 and Saturday, May 1.
Friday workshops include Special Diets: Curing Cancer and Essential Information:
Essential Fatty Acids. Following the Friday workshops, we offer tours of the North Farm
Warehouse, and an Herb Walk. We’ll end the day at the Park Ponderosa Ballroom with
live entertainment, and hors d’oeuvres from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. You may make dinner
reservations at the Park Ponderosa by calling 608-838-9927—they have a nice fish fry.
A couple of cabs from Union Cab Cooperative are scheduled to make rounds between the
hotels, North Farm and the Park Ponderosa.
Saturday workshops include Women’s Health, an Organic Discussion Panel, Community
Supported Agriculture (CSA), Community Health Initiatives, an Overview of Supplements and
New Discoveries in Plant Medicine. Chez Panisse pastry chef Alan Tangren plans to speak at
the General Membership Meeting about his food foraging experiences with ecologically
responsible growers. Chez Panisse is Alice Waters’ Berkeley restaurant known for its
local, organic, fresh fare. Mr. Tangren will also discuss “Market Cooking for
Kids”, a science and cooking program sponsored by Berkeley’s Center of Urban
Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA).
A bigger and better Natural Products Show is scheduled Saturday from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m.
The show is a superlative and cost effective way to meet with vendors and manufacturers,
sample new products, and take advantage of all the great deals available only to
attendees.
Look for more detailed GMM and Natural Products Show information in your mail, in
upcoming issues of the North Farm News and Home Shopping Insider, and on
www.northfarm-coop.com. We’ve got you on our calendar because the General Membership
Meeting is our best and favorite way to say “thank you” to members, so we hope
you put us on yours! Remember to register early for securing hotel rooms and workshop
slots. It’s going to be great, see you there!
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Regional Meeting Q
& A
by Jan Torkildson
Part of the communication with our members occurs face-to-face at our regional meetings
held throughout the year. It is a great opportunity to ask questions and give suggestions.
Below are some of the questions raised at recent regional meetings:
We want to recycle the soy milk containers but they are not accepted in our
community. Can they be sent to North Farm? Unfortunately no because Madison,
Wisconsin does not offer us the option of recycling the containers.
Can local community co-ops be listed in the Price List? There are
currently about 1,900 North Farm buying clubs and listing them all would constitute a good
part of the Price List. Individual buying clubs can request to be listed in the National
Coop Directory by calling (612) 332-0417. You may also request a co-op directory from this
same number.
The communication with the warehouse needs improvement. For example, who do we
call to get the correct information? You can always call the Home Shopping
Services Team (press 1) regarding any issues or questions.
Will NF-One, the product ordering software, be able to tell us out-of-stocks?
No, it will not, but any product-related notes from our purchasers such as a vendor having
manufacturing problems, or seasonally out-of-stocks until the fall, will be reflected on
NF-One.
It is very inconvenient when CAPO invoices are not on the truck. We
have had a couple of system problems that are now resolved. Our CAPO coordinator, Wendy,
is also doing some of the releasing and can therefore keep a close eye on the generation
of CAPO invoices.
Why are products discontinued? Most products are discontinued due to
slow sales. In some cases the manufacturer drops a product or goes out of business making
it impossible for North Farm to obtain the item.
Can you explain how the super specials affect our volume adjustment?
When calculating your volume adjustment we do not include super specials (items that are
discounted by 20% or more). If your average order is $2,000 but $500 of it consists of
super specials, you will receive a volume discount of .5% based on average sales of
$1,500.
When sending in credit request forms how do we figure in equity? When
we process adjustments (debits or credits) to your account, we are unable to affect your
equity account. See related article, "Credit and Debit Adjustments: Do They Affect
Equity."
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Are You Looking
For New Members?
by Jan Torkildson
If your club is looking for new members, we would like to offer our support. As many of
you know, North Farm has a Web site. We would like to provide you the opportunity to
search for new members via the Internet. If you are interested please e-mail us: the name of your club, your
city and state, contact name and phone number. Please type "looking for new
members" in the subject line of your e-mail.
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Fiber Focus
by Ben Birkett
Fiber is a vital part of our diet - yet it has no nutritional value, flavor, or aroma,
per se. Still we’re told we’ve got to have it -- why? Diets low in fiber can
lead to various nuisance symptoms of ill health, and that ill health could ultimately be
colon cancer.
There are a host of reasons to incorporate more high fiber foods into our diets, not
least of which being that they are usually more nutritious. An easy example is the grain
family. Whole grains contain more fiber, but equally important, more nutrients including
essential B vitamins and essential fatty acids. Beans are high in fiber, higher than oats,
and are also high in proteins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and in the case of
soybeans, isoflavones. Leafy greens are higher in fiber than, for example, iceberg
lettuce, but they’re also high in vitamins and minerals, which iceberg is not.
As Fiber is the carrier that holds our food together and gives it texture it also acts
as the carrier that helps us properly eliminate after we eat. Without enough fiber we
don’t eliminate completely and often, which can lead to the build up of toxins in our
system and result in weakness, fatigue, and chronic illness. Other complications include a
weak colon muscle and colon wall. Ballooning of the colon wall can allow waste to collect
and cause infection and other illnesses.
Fiber in our diet really means food in our diet, that is, less junk food and more fresh
food. Eat more apples and less apple juice, eat more potatoes and less potato chips, eat
brown rice instead if white. Simple solutions work the best to prevent big problems.
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Credit
and Debit Adjustments: Do They Affect Equity?
by Jan Torkildson
From time to time your account may have been adjusted to issue a credit for an item you
did not receive or to debit you for a purchase of product you had not ordered. When this
occurs it does not affect your equity account. If you have any questions please contact a
member of the home shopping services team or retail team.
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Home Grown: Green Mountain Gringo Salsa & Tortilla Strips
It’s been almost 10 years now since the first jar of Green Mountain Gringo Salsa
was produced in the kitchen of Dave and Christine Hume at their Chester, Vermont farm. It
was created, using fresh ingredients, chopped by hand, cooked with care and ladled into
jars. Christine sold the salsa to the local stores, and before long, the word was out.
Everybody who tried it had to have more.
For the next few years the farm kitchen produced salsa 3 or 4 days a week, with the
help of a few friends and relatives, chopping and cooking, ladling and delivering the
finest salsa on the planet. As the orders grew, the Humes moved into larger quarters,
still in Chester. Now in their new oversized kitchen, equipped with two kettles, the
possibilities seemed endless. The recent addition of an automated capper and a pump
carrying the delectable concoction from kettle to jar are the only technological advances
that have been added to the operation.
Between the laughter and clatter of knives, you can catch up on some of the latest news
around town while the crew of nine peel onions, wash tomatillos, chop jalapenos, stir,
rack and pack…all the while with the music cranked up--because that’s how they
like it. Now, because of those dedicated few, the world can have Green Mountain Gringo
Salsa.
Green Mountain Gringo has gained national recognition. In the August 1995 issue of
"Consumer Reports" Green Mountain Gringo Salsa earned the #1 rating for
ready-to-eat salsas.
We hope you’ll try all five flavors: Original recipe in Hot, Medium and Mild and
our Roasted flavors, Roasted Garlic and Roasted Chile. Both of the roasted varieties are
in a medium heat base and have that delicious ‘fired on an open grill’ flavor.
And don’t forget the Green Mountain Gringo Tortilla Strips, the perfect companion for
our Salsa. Made long and sturdy, they can take as much salsa as you’d care to dip!
Enjoy, and think of us while you’re dipping.
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Home
Shopping Price List Improvements for 1999
by Dottie Dykstra
Back in the May/June 1998 Home Shopping Price List, there was a survey asking
members to give their input for improving the price list. Since that time, we have been
receiving completed surveys (several hundred), tallying survey results, meeting with the
Home Shopping Services Team over enhancements and collecting quotes on potential changes
to the book.
Beginning in 1999, you will slowly see your Home Shopping Price List
transform. From the survey results, most members have a high overall rating for the price
list; there weren’t many changes they’d like to see. Many members were
interested in accessing more accurate, up-to-date information, so we decided to offer
real-time information on the North Farm Web site (see related article, North Farm’s
Value Added Web site).
Here are some of the price list enhancements you’ll see coming your way over the
course of 1999:
- Expanded and Updated Cross Referencing Section
- All forms relating to doing business with North Farm in one easily accessible area
- More data within the Super Specials: prices, minimum picks, product descriptions
- New Product Ingredient Section and Index to receive a new easier-to-read structural
layout
- The addition of a “How to Read Your Price List” section
- Better visual organization of the price list’s contents
In addition to these enhancements, the price list will also undertake a new
‘look’: updated forms, easier-to-read typefaces, better formatting. These and
other changes will take place over the course of 1999. We will inform you in each price
list of changes you’ll see in the upcoming issue.
New to the January/February issue: More Super Special Details. Many members would like
the Super Special pages to include more information so they may order directly from these
pages. Starting with the January/ February issue, you will be able to see all the details
you need from the Super Special pages. No more searching through the book to get the rest
of the details before adding that product to your order.
What to look for in the March/April issue: Ingredient Section Format Changes. Many of
our members tear out the New Products section to keep for future reference. Starting in
the March/April issue we will help these customers by revising our indexing structure. For
example, the March/April index of New Products will have a qualifier in front of the index
page numbers. Additionally we will index the new product stock numbers. So months later,
when you are looking for a particular product’s information, you may reference the
indexes you kept and immediately know in which price list the product was introduced, be
able to go to that issue and find the information you need.
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Pre-Orders
By Jan Torkildson
We are aware that many of our customers are ordering large quantities of food in
anticipation of the year 2000. North Farm is asking for your support in reducing the
potential for out-of-stocks when ordering large quantities of products. If your club will
be ordering 20 or more cases of a specific product, we ask that you pre-order the product
at least one month in advance. If you do pre-order large quantities of 20 cases or more,
you will receive the following discounts: 20-49 cases (of the same product) receive 2%
off; 50 cases or more (of the same product) get 5% off.
Pre-ordering will allow our purchasing team to stock up on the particular product, and
thus limit the number of out-of-stocks to all of our members. If you are planning on
stocking up on supplies, please give us a minimum of 4 weeks’ notice. The sooner we
get your pre-order, the better opportunity we will have to secure the product throughout
the year. North Farm will notify you when the items are shipped so that you can arrange to
have adequate help to unload the order.
The pre-order forms can be found in all Price Lists, effective with this issue. We ask
that you indicate what month you would like delivery, and request that you pay a $50.00
deposit. Please mail completed forms to us at 204 Regas Road, Madison, WI 53714. If you
have any questions, please contact the Home Shopping Services Team at 1-800-236-5880, or
locally at 608-241-2667.
Please note, we will not accept returns of these products if the request for credit is
not sent within seven days of delivery.
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Neighborhood Co-op
by Francis Murphy
The Neighborhood Co-op began in 1980 as a network of neighborhood buying clubs. A ¾
ton flatbed truck would be driven up to Madison to the ICC (North Farm’s predecessor)
and heaped with bags of whole foods. With a full load the flatbed could only go 40 mph and
the eight hour trip up to Madison became a marathon 12 hour return trip. Once safely back
to Carbondale, the food was dropped off at various people’s homes which served as
distribution points for their neighborhood. In 1985, a storefront co-op was established,
taking the place of Mr. Natural’s, which had been a privately-owned, hippie natural
food store at that location since 1969.
Carbondale is located near the southern tip of Illinois about 25 miles from the
Mississippi River and 50 miles from the Ohio. Southern Illinois is a beautiful,
un-glaciated part of the Midwest and contains the quarter-million acre Shawnee National
Forest. Carbondale is a small city with a population of 27,000 and is home to Southern
Illinois University with a student population of 200,000.
1997 was the seventh profitable year in a row for the co-op. Sales were $618,247, a 16%
increase over 1996 sales. The co-op had a net income of 3.1%. The big story for 1997 was
the relocation to the new facilities next door that took place over Labor Day weekend.
Sales increased dramatically after the move as the co-op doubled its retail square
footage. The move was an outstanding example of community effort as over 100 volunteers
relocated the co-op’s equipment and inventory and stock the shelves. The new store is
beautiful and should serve as the co-op’s home for years to come.
1998 has also been a year of changes as the co-op hired its first general manager and
struggled with increasing personnel expense and higher occupancy costs. Offering in-store
deli items caused the co-op to experience an oft-repeated struggle to make food service
work without losing a lot of money. We have begun to turn the corner on controlling labor
expense in this and all areas of the co-op’s operations. The small net loss that the
co-op showed for the first six months of 1998 should be reversed by the end of the year.
The Neighborhood Co-op will celebrate its 20th anniversary in a couple of years and
will continue its commitment to ‘serve the need of its members by providing wholesome
foods - economically, in the cooperative tradition, and in the ways that best promote the
health of the individual, the community, and the earth.’
Neighborhood Co-op Statistics General: Total square feet: 3100 Retail square feet: 1850
Membership: 1600 Staff: 28
Financial: Annual sales: $700,000 Gross Margin: 32% Labor Expense: 22%
Sales by Department: Grocery: 31%; Bulk: 17%; Refrigerated: 8%; Frozen: 5%; Soft
Drinks: 2%; Bulk Water: 1%; Deli: 3%; Bakery: 9%; Produce: 7%; HBA: 5%; Supplements; 5%;
Herbs & Spices: 2%; General Merchandise: 4%.
Store Hours: Monday - Friday: 9am to 7pm Saturday: 9am to 6pm Sunday: 11am to 5pm
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From
Idea to Cyber Reality: CGIN is Online
by Karen Zimbleman
The Cooperative Grocers’ Information Network — an organization formed to help
strengthen food co-ops by allowing them to share information — has moved from idea to
reality. CGIN was designed to use web pages to facilitate simple, easy access and sharing
of resources. We’ve moved beyond the “talking about it” stage by launching
our web pages. You can now find CGIN online at http://www.cgin.org.
What you find on our web pages currently changes almost daily. Our pages have been
online and members have been contributing items since June, so the types of resources is
growing. Currently, you can find the following items on CGIN’s web pages:
- three sets of board governance policies, using the Carver model
- five sets of consumer education brochures (on veggies, bulk/whole foods, herbs &
greens, the household environment, and unique grocery items)
- documents for establishing a member loan program
- sample Articles of Incorporation and bylaws
- sets of job descriptions for five co-op departments: bookkeeping, management team,
merchandising, operations, and board executive assistant
- nominating committee materials and a board candidate application packet
- a newsletter article about Frontier Co-op
- a sample general manager job description and contract
- a form for assessing the performance of a co-op board of directors
- information about staff benefits, including profit sharing plans
- and much, much more
In addition to its secured-access web pages, CGIN also offers a service open to all
food co-ops — a listserve. A listserve lets any subscriber send an e-mail message to
a lot of people at once. When someone posts a message to the CGIN listserve (e.g.
“Does anyone have any information on offering cooking classes as a member
benefit?” or “Has anyone ever conducted a successful member recruitment program
for a new store?” or “Can anyone give me idea on how to control the bug in our
bulk bins?”), the message goes to all subscribers. CGIN’s listserve is open to
anyone. (Note that listserve subscribers who are not CGIN members still don’t have
access to CGIN’s web pages.) Let me know if you want information on how to subscribe.
CGIN is designed to help support food co-ops of all types. But to restrict our benefits
to food co-ops, and not to stores that might compete with food co-ops, we only allow
members to have access to certain portions of CGIN’s information base. We hope that
we have structured CGIN in a way that all food co-ops across the country will join in and
work together to build a strong cooperative sector. We will all benefit by working
together. CGIN’s success depends on the support and participation of food co-ops. Now
is the time for your co-op to:
- join CGIN
- contribute materials to CGIN’s resource pool
Contact me at 707/445-4849 or at info@cgin.org for
information. CGIN is the embodiment of “cooperation among co-ops.” We can build
a network that will help strengthen all food co-ops IF all food co-op join and make their
best materials available for sharing. Join now so your co-op can be part of this exciting
network.
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How Stores
Handle Cold Sloppy Weather
by Ben Birkett
The best strategy for keeping your store safe and clean this winter is one that employs
an ongoing approach. Just as you might keep a bag of sidewalk salt handy at home, at work
it’s important to keep all the necessary tools at hand. It’s also important to
recognize that this job is not so small that some personnel are exempt from participating.
Try these tips:
Keep a good shovel handy by the door and have a decent jacket to go with it. Get the
jacket from a vendor or salesman.
Keep a mop and mop bucket by the door at all times and have orange safety cones to go
with it. You and everyone on your staff need to use both everyday, throughout the day.
Keep extra rags on hand and make sure that everyone coming through the receiving door
is wiping down their carts so that mud and ice don’t come in that way.
Remind personnel often about the unsightliness and especially the threat of injury if
someone were to fall on messy floors.
Let the store manager be the first one to chip in!
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USDA
Releases "Issue Papers" for Comment
Reprinted from the Organic Trade Association’s Newsletter The Organic
Report, October 1998 issue.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release a set of three papers
for public comment in the October 28 Federal Register. These papers have been reviewed by
the Office of Management and Budget and may form the basis of the next version of proposed
federal rules for organic production. The topics of the papers include: two papers on
livestock covering confinement and medication; and a paper on private certification
enforcement and decertification.
The Organic Trade Association will review these papers using OTA’s council and
committee structure and then comment on the papers, but your individual comments are
needed as well. Please read the papers (posted on the USDA Web site: www.ams.usda.gov/nop)
and comment! The 45-day comment period will end December 14. (Please contact the OTA
office about the availability of hard copies of these papers if you do not have access to
the internet.)
Tips for commenting: There may be some errors in the presentation of USDA’s
“pros and cons” listed in the papers. Before you respond, refresh your memory on
National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) positions by reading NOSB minutes and any previous
NOSB recommendations related to the issue paper subjects. NOSB minutes can be found on the
USDA web site www.ams.usda.gov/nop.
Use your own experience and records to respond to the issue papers that USDA has
presented.
Send comments by post, fax or e-mail to:
Eileen Stommes, Deputy Administrator USDA-AMS-TM-NOP Room 4007-S, Ag Stop 0275 P.O. Box
96456 Washington, DC 20090-6456 fax: (202) 690-4632; e-mail: NOPIssue_Papers@usda.gov
Look for more information from OTA as this situation develops.
Reprinted from the Organic Trade Association’s Newsletter The Organic Report,
October 1998 issue.
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Member Survey
Produces New Services
by Dottie Dykstra
In 1997 North Farm surveyed its buying club customer base, asking questions to
understand their service needs and requirements. From this survey, it was calculated that
74% of North Farm’s customers own computers. While only 9% of that customer base had
visited the North Farm Web site at that time, it was apparent that with the overwhelmingly
high rate of computer owners, the percentage of Web site hits would increase over time.
North Farm chose to utilize its Web site to communicate, educate and inform its
membership for several reasons. First, the relatively low cost of maintaining a Web site
appeals both to the financial planners of North Farm and its owner-members. Second, real
time information is sure to satisfy those members interested in knowing the latest details
about promotions, product issues and service enhancements. The Web site’s interactive
capability for communication offers North Farm the ability to quickly respond to member
requests in an efficient and practical manner. And, more importantly, many of our members
have requested this service.
We hope you will agree that this form of communication complements the services that
North Farm provides. If you have a suggestion to enhance the website, please contact
webmaster Dottie Dykstra.
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Buyers' Edge
Unveiled
by Gillian Pomplun
Are you wondering what this “Buyers’ Edge” is all about? “Buyers’
Edge” is the successor to North Farm’s publication, “Retail Update.”
“Buyers’ Edge” is printed bi-monthly in the second month of the
Retail Price List, in tabloid format, with a nearly tripled circulation. All
retail, restaurant, and producer customers who currently get the Retail Price List
will also receive the “Buyers’ Edge”!
Like the “Retail Update,” each issue of “Buyers’ Edge”
will contain essentials like the “Product News & Notes,” a between price
list update about vendor out-of-stocks and production problems, North Farm discontinued
products, price list printing errors, and label and pack size changes. You can also find a
complete and up-to-date listing our outside sales team. Like its predecessor, it will also
contain special “unadvertised” promotions. The “Manufacturer’s
Profile” offers a minimum 30% discount, and “Unadvertised Specials,” a
minimum 25% discount.
The Manufacturer’s Profile features a particular manufacturer, and provides
information about the company and the people who bring the products to the marketplace.
This profile article is accompanied with an advertisement featuring selected items from
the manufacturer’s product line and a deep discount. This is a great way to learn
more about the origins of the products we offer our customers, and help to make informed
decisions about the products you stock on your shelves.
The “Unadvertised Specials” (as many as six per issue) are a combination of
promotions which came in too late to make the price list, and discounts added to
promotions already published in the price list. You won’t find these discounts
anywhere else, so be sure not to miss them! The bottom tier of any cases stacks published
(or the basic discount) will come up automatically in the computer for the duration of the
promotion. This is a great opportunity for forward buying!
A major advantage of the new format is that it allows us much more room for articles of
interest to the membership. Each issue will contain one to three articles of interest to
retail customers. We also hope to implement a reader comment column as well as reader
classifieds. If you have a question or a comment you would like to share with us and the
rest of our readership, you can forward it to Lorraine Reise at (608) 241-2667, extension
2027,or by e-mail to lorrainer@northfarm-coop.com.
If you want to buy or sell something, or are looking for resources or information,
consider placing a classified ad. Rates are available upon request. We hope the “Buyers’
Edge” will provide you with timely, useful information, and help support the
distributor link between you and the natural foods marketplace!
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Sub-Drop Minimum
Order Increases
by Jan Torkildson
As North Farm grows, we are finding that more and more of you are requesting special
delivery arrangements to accommodate small orders. We are finding that this process
impacts both North Farm and many of our members. To help ensure our continued ability to
provide adequate service to all of our members, we find it necessary to increase the
minimum amount for sub-drops to $300. This change will be effective for all orders placed
after January 1, 1999.
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- Meating Out
- General Manager's Message
- Employee of the Month Profile
- Community Connections Contest
- General Membership Meeting & Natural Products Show
- Plus much, much more!
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