Departments

**As the temperatures dipped and all the social gatherings of the holidays subsided, an unwelcome guest traveled with me into 2016. I’m sure this unwelcome guest is familiar to most people this time of year as it brings congestion, sinus pressure, leading to headaches, along with a minor sore throat. Yes, I am talking about the common cold. Although I stocked up on various homeopathic products from the co-op’s wellness department, which helped to varying degrees over a couple days, it wasn’t until I discovered Garden of Life’s raw organic extra virgin coconut oil on the third day of my cold that I truly felt relief. I thought that now is the time to try it as it is almost half price through January 31, 2016 at $9.99 for 16 ounces. I simply swirled around a teaspoon of coconut oil

Chad's thinking of a New Year's grab & go party idea: his Smoked Salmon Dill Dip, sold in the meat department. When you meet Chad, who works in our meat department, be ready to laugh until you cry because this guy is beyond entertaining and hilarious. He perhaps missed his calling as a stand-up comic because his witty, amusing stories could brighten even the dreariest of days. To say that his humor and flair for amusement may have gotten him into a bit of trouble as a young country boy growing up on a farm, perhaps is an understatement. However, his now 92-year-old Grandma was always there to keep this country boy in line. Chad recalled fond memories of Grandma going around the kitchen with a spoon in her hand saying, “Get to work or get out of the kitchen!” When

Jane Gess, who works in the HR Department at Valley Natural Foods, may be the first self-proclaimed cheese ball fanatic. Her fascination with cheese goes back to childhood where she used to make pictures on the table and floor using cheese puffs! Her love for cheese as an adult has become a bit more sophisticated as she relishes in coming up with creative ways to serve the co-op’s holiday cheese balls at gatherings with family and friends. Now is also a great time for you to be creative with the deli’s holiday cheese balls because they are only $5.99 through January 5 as part of our Fresh Deals program! “Working at Valley Natural Foods, it is fun to be creative and explore new foods, not only for health reasons, but just to learn how to do fun things to good food,” adds Gess. This

Add Susan's  fruitcake, sold in our deli, to your LOVE LIST this December. It makes the perfect gift to give this holiday season! Each loaf is $12.99. “There has always been a stigma around fruitcake; either you like or you don’t,” said Susan McGaughey, Valley Natural Foods’ General Manager. One of the most severe cases of disliking fruitcake that McGaughey can remember is when one of her pastors lambasted it from the pulpit several years ago! So in defense of fruitcake, she decided to present him with her homemade version as a gift, and guess what -- he liked it! People have enjoyed McGaughey’s fruitcake so much over the years that they have prodded her to go into business but she shies away from that by saying “it takes some of the joy out of it.” For McGaughey, it is all about having a giving,

A grin lightens her face and her eyes open wide with excitement when I ask her about her meal planning skills. The one thing you will soon learn when you are around Brittany, who has worked in the co-op’s grocery department for two years, is that she is always bubbly and enthusiastic.  What’s great is that her effervescent personality is infectious and you will find yourself smiling and laughing more when talking to her. Brittany’s wonderful sense of humor bleeds into how she talks about meal planning, proclaiming that she has almost no ability to cook. This inability has made her gravitate toward easy-to-make meal products at Valley Natural Foods. One of her absolute favorites is Near East rice pilaf, of which select varieties are on sale December 2-15 and select varieties of Near East couscous are 3 for $5 during that

Over the last six years she has been working as a deli shift lead, Sandy is amazed at the amount of food the co-op’s little kitchen produces and the large amount of customers it is able to serve daily. Now she feels the deli’s breakfast options, which include breakfast sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, and hot oatmeal, fill a nice niche that was missing before. It pleases Sandy how the co-op seeks to meet more and more needs over time, which relates to the store’s mission of helping to create a healthy community. And when you are driving to work in the morning, hopefully the deli’s breakfast options can meet your need for food fast! The deli’s drive thru opens at 6:30 a.m. Monday thru Saturday and at 8:00 a.m. on Sundays. Besides the breakfast options already mentioned, you can also stop by to get your coffee, juice,

Courtesy of National Co-op Grocers: • Remove the giblets from turkey cavities after thawing.Cook separately. • Set oven temperature no lower than 325° F. • Place turkey or turkey breast on lower rack in a shallow roasting pan. • For even cooking, bake stuffing in a separate casserole dish,versus in the bird. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the stuffing. The center should reach 165° F. • If you choose to stuff your turkey, the ingredients can be prepared ahead of time. Separate wet and dry ingredients, and chill wet ingredients (butter/margarine, cooked celery and onions, broth, etc.) until ready to prepare. Mix wet and dry ingredients together just before filling the turkey cavities.Fill the cavities loosely. Cook the turkey immediately. Use a food thermometer to make sure the center of the stuffing reaches 165° F. • Whole turkeys should be cooked to 165° F. To check for doneness, insert a food thermometer in

Over the last six years she has been working as a deli shift lead, Sandy is amazed at the amount of food the co-op’s little kitchen produces and the large amount of customers it is able to serve daily. Now she feels the deli’s breakfast options, which include breakfast sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, and hot oatmeal, fill a nice niche that was missing before. It pleases Sandy how the co-op seeks to meet more and more needs over time, which relates to the store’s mission of helping to create a healthy community. And when you are tired from getting up at 3:00 a.m. to do your Black Friday shopping, hopefully the deli’s breakfast options can meet your need for food fast! The deli’s drive thru opens at 6:30 a.m. on Black Friday, November 27 to give you that boost you need to do

The farm has been in the family for just over 100 years. Tim’s parents, Jon and Lisa Zweber took over the operation from Jon’s father in 1984. A couple of years ago, Tim and his wife Emily joined a long standing tradition by becoming partners in Zweber Farms. Tim’s younger siblings, Sarah, Steven and Samantha still help out on the farm, and one day, Tim and Emily’s children might decide to do the same. Meanwhile, Tim and Emily’s three children ages 7, 5, and 2 like to do the chores with their Papa, and already know all about chopping corn and making haylage. There are always challenges with running a farm; however, the Zwebers have learned to create positives out of negatives. Sited in the Big Woods Area, much of their acreage is characterized by rolling hillsides that taper into tight

And the time to plant is quickly arriving.  In our area, potato planting happens mid-April, as soon as the soil warms and 1-2 weeks before the last frost date.  The ideal potato-planting soil is loose, well-drained and slightly acidic.  At least six hours of sunlight are needed. The day before you plant, cut the larger potatoes into pieces with one “eye” (dormant bud) per piece.  Let the pieces dry overnight.  Small potatoes (1-1.5” diameter) can be planted whole. Dig a shallow trench (6-8 inches) and mix compost into the bottom of it.  Replace some of the soil, in order to set the potato pieces 3-6 inches deep, with the eye facing up. Plant each piece 12 inches from each other, and if you’re planting more than one row, keep 30-36 inches between the rows.  Cover the potatoes with the soil you took