S O U N D C O N S U M E R

PCC Natural Markets4201 Roosevelt Way NESeattle, WA 98105

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PAIDSEATTLE, WA

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Dedicated to informing and educating

members and the public about food

and agriculture, consumer food concerns,

and the cooperative business model.

No. 514 • April 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

Asparagus recipes, page 7

Make an emergency food kit, page 8

Farms go solar, page 12

by Bill Thorness

A plant-breeding team of farmers

and researchers walked Nash

Huber’s extensive purple cabbage

fields in winter 2014. Carrying

flags on stakes across the farm’s chilly

Sequim acres, they were tagging the best

specimens, selecting from two varieties to

be crossbred. The new variety will hold

high hopes. “Our goal is for it to be cold-

hardy, delicious, beautiful and vigorous,”

says Laurie McKenzie, research and edu-

cation associate for Port Townsend-based

Organic Seed Alliance (OSA).

Last December, they made the walk

again, surveying the new crop grown from

that seed and, again, McKenzie dug up the

best plants to work with in OSA’s green-

houses, which sped up the biennial plant’s

flowering stage. She monitored the cross-

pollination, then harvested the seed to get

it back to Huber for more farm trials.

In the near future, PCC shoppers could

be hefting the new, locally adapted organ-

ic cabbage into their carts. Not to mention

organic corn, purple sprouting broccoli

and other crops. Locally adapted spinach

and carrots are on the shelves already.

Such collaborative breeding pro-

grams seek to create — with farmers,

university researchers and nonprofit

organizations, such as OSA — more lo-

cal, organic versions of desirable crops.

Along with flavorful new vegetables,

more power will reside with the farmer,

participants say. A wider selection of

varieties grown organically will mean

healthier crops, a more robust market

and more farm resiliency.

But the small band of collaborating

farmers and researchers grapples with

challenges: most commercial seed has

not been developed for organic farming

practices or our region’s climate and

cool soil. So pests, diseases and field

conditions — not to mention cross-

pollination from undesirable or geneti-

cally engineered varieties on adjacent

land — are studied closely.

BREEDING BETTER ORGANIC PRODUCE LOCALLY

Power to the farmer

Localized organic plant breeding is a

growing response to unwelcome farming

trends. An OSA report shows an increase

in organic seed research to $22 million

over the last five years, compared to $9

million for the five years previous.

“It gives the grower the opportunity

to have control over their seed source,”

explains Huber. “Right now the control

is with the multinational corporations,

and their focus is not what’s best for us

or our customers.” Not only do farmers

participate in the breeding, but the result-

ing varieties are open-pollinated, which

means they will breed true to type and

farmers can save, regrow and adjust them

further to local conditions.

For OSA, putting that power into farm-

ers’ hands is the path to proper stewardship

of genetic seed resources, core to its mis-

sion, explains Micaela Colley, OSA executive

director. Breeding programs provide “seed

well-suited to the environment or farming

system that helps a farmer succeed.” The

OSA program teaches farmers how to grow

their own seed, and research partnerships

utilize the farmer’s expertise.

“Farmer participation is very valuable

because they understand their system bet-

ter than anyone does,” she says. “Farmers

drive what we’re breeding and what the

desired traits or qualities coming out of

that breeding will be.”

Huber hails the partnership as a way

to speed up the process that can take a

corporate seed company up to 15 years.

“We’re out there in the field every day

and we see changes and can adjust our

breeding program right away,” he says. “With

global warming, that’s really important.”

Organic seeds needed

Another high hurdle is that commercial

seed companies are not focusing on organic.

Farmers and scientists collaborate for food security

Organic is better

A systematic review of more

than 100 studies comparing

organic and conventional farming

finds that organic crop yields are

higher than previously thought.

University of California, Berkeley

researchers said, “With global food

needs predicted to greatly increase

in the next 50 years, it’s critical to

look more closely at organic farm-

ing because, aside from the en-

vironmental impacts of industrial

agriculture, the ability of synthetic

fertilizers to increase crop yields

has been declining.” They also

pointed out that available studies

comparing farming methods often

were biased in favor of conven-

tional agriculture, so estimates of

the yield gap are overestimated.

Researchers found no significant

differences in organic and con-

ventional yields for crops such as

beans, peas and lentils.

Proposed PCC bylaws

PCC members have the op-

portunity to support our co-op

by voting in our annual election

between April 13 and May 23.

Items of business for member vote

this year include the election of

members of the board of trustees

and nominating committee and the

approval of amended bylaws.

The proposed amended bylaws

were prepared by a task force

established by the board of trustees

two years ago to ensure that our

bylaws, which last were amended

in 2008, are up-to-date with changes

in state law, reflect the best coop-

erative governance practices, and

empower our co-op to continue

to thrive. Many provisions of our

current bylaws have been revised

or expanded, some new ones have

been added, and others were rewrit-

ten for clarity but remain unchanged

in substance. The amended bylaws

represent the culmination of hun-

dreds of hours of work by mem-

bers, trustees, PCC staff and outside

experts in consumer cooperative

law and principles.

Because they’re interconnected,

the amended bylaws are submitted

for approval in their entirety, as

one document and not as indi-

vidual provisions. The complete

proposed amended bylaws are at

pccnaturalmarkets.com/election.

The 2016 Election Guide, includ-

ing your ballot, will be in stores

on April 13 and in the May Sound

Consumer. For a summary of the

key provisions of the amended

bylaws, see page 9.

OSA plant breeders and farmer partners taste test new sweet corn bred for the maritime Northwest. Project

partners include Port Townsend Food Co-op and Northern Organic Vegetable Improvement Collaborative.

Seed will be available in the next few years.

2 PCC SOUND CONSUMER APRIL 2016

YOUR CO-OP COMMUNITYFind out more about community events at pccnaturalmarkets.com/events

ARTURO PALOMERA — A cashier in Columbia City, he has been connecting warmly with our customers for 25 years!

APRIL CUSTOMER SERVICE STAR

PCC Cooks’ spring quarter begins

this April. If you’re anything like us,

you’re craving vibrant spring produce

and all manner of tasty fare for brighter

days — and we certainly have you cov-

ered! We’ll start the quarter by celebrat-

ing spring Spanish-style with Basque

Country Cooking, then prepare for

al fresco dining with picnic-friendly

classes such as Spring Salads and

Spreads; and even enjoy our own Cof-

fee Klatch with a full menu featuring

Seattle’s favorite beverage.

May and June bring even more

exciting options to entice you

as warmer weather approaches,

from Spring Detox and Refreshing Raw

Foods to Spring Greens and How to

Bake a Cake 101. Visit PccCooks.com

or call 206-545-7112 for more informa-

tion and to sign up.

Spring food driveDid you know that your dollar can

provide up to 33 servings of oats through the PCC Food Bank Program? During the month of April, PCC is collecting contribu-tions for our 12 local area food bank partners. 100 percent of the cash donations will be used to purchase healthy bulk foods at wholesale prices.

You can donate at the register with one of the handy donation cards found at cashier stations. During the 2015 spring food drive shoppers raised more than $19,000!

Food bank packaging parties Help our partnering food banks by

donating your time to pack PCC bulk foods into family-sized portions.For more informa-tion, including addresses and dates, visit pccnaturalmarkets.com/foodbank.

Kindiependent Rock SeriesMount Baker Community Club 2811 Mount Rainier Drive S., Seattle

Start your Saturday morning with “Se-attle’s independent kids and family music scene” that featuring some of the best, local children’s entertainment groups. The concert series ends this month, so make sure to visit:

Saturday, April 9, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Johnny Bregar

Saturday, April 23, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Recess Monkey

Blood driveFriday, April 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. PCC West Seattle

One donation of blood can save three lives! Find the Bloodworks Northwest mobile truck in the southeast corner of the parking lot. Walk-ins are welcome. Remember to bring your ID.

Learn more about donating at bloodworksnw.org.

PCC Discovery DaySaturday, April 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All PCC stores

In lieu of one large member meet-

ing, we’re hosting smaller open-house

gatherings at all PCC stores. Stop by at

your convenience! Through displays,

special guests and product and cooking

demos — and PCC food, of course —

we’ll share with members and shoppers

the many ways PCC partners with local

organizations and vendors in our com-

munities. For more details see page 9.

Chinook Book saleGet ready to do your part on Earth

Day. April 15 through 17 spend $10 at

PCC and receive a free trial Chinook

Book mobile app. Use your mobile cou-

pons over the Earth Day weekend (April

22 to 24) at local, sustainable businesses

including PCC. If you like the app, you’ll

have the option of purchasing the entire

12-month mobile subscription. For each

mobile app subscription purchased, $7

will be donated to PCC Farmland Trust.

All Chinook Books and apps are on

sale through the month of April so now’s

the time to give it a try.

• Chinook Book (book) Sale price: $17 Save $5

• Chinook Book (12-month mobile app) Sale price: $10 Save $5

• Chinook Book combo pack Sale price: $25 Save $5

Save hundreds

of dollars while

supporting local,

sustainable busi-

nesses — you’ll

even find three coupons redeemable

at PCC. With the sale of each book/

app, PCC will donate all profits to PCC

Farmland Trust.

Healthy Kids DaySaturday, April 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. YMCA Mill Creek 13723 Puget Park Drive, Everett 98208

Learn how to stay active and healthy

throughout the year at Healthy Kids Day at

the Mill Creek YMCA. PCC is excited to step

into the new neighborhood and will be doing

a Kid Picks taste test from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Community grant winnerAnd the award goes to …

We’re excited to announce the Graham

Hill Elementary School PTA is the recipient

of our Community Grant award. Specifically,

it’s the remarkable Food Share Table that

will benefit, along with a new “Long Break

Food Security” program. PCC’s grant will go

toward purchasing food for these programs.

The sharing table has been available in the

school every Friday for three years. Families

are asked to bring what they can and take

what they need. The adults overseeing the

program make sure it’s carefully monitored

for candy and treats so the kids focus on the

available pantry staples. Food left at the end

of the day is stored for the following week.

At Graham Hill, two-thirds of the students de-

pend on the free/reduced breakfast and lunch

program, so the foods from this table make

a notable difference at home.

The new “Long Break Food Security”

program will work toward fulfilling a larger

need during school breaks for students

when school is closed and they can’t access

the free/reduced meal program.

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Great foods.Healthy

neighborhoods.

Become a PCC member and join a

community of shoppers who value fresh, locally

grown food — plus get shopping discounts every month!

To become a member, just stop by any PCC store

and ask a cashier. Or, join online at

www.pccnaturalmarkets.com.

3PCC SOUND CONSUMER APRIL 2016

[ LETTERS to the ed i to r ]

Letters must be 250 words or fewer and include

a name, address and daytime phone number.

We reserve the right to edit. Please email letters

to editor@pccnaturalmarkets.com.

[ LETTERS to the ed i to r ]

LETTERS CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

S O U N D C O N S U M E RS O U N D C O N S U M E R

PCC neighborhood locations:

Columbia City Daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. 3610 S. Edmunds St., Seattle, WA 98118 206-466-6182

Edmonds Daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. 9803 Edmonds Way, Edmonds, WA 98020 425-275-9036

Fremont Daily 6 a.m. to midnight 600 N. 34th St., Seattle, WA 98103 206-632-6811

Greenlake Aurora Daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. 7504 Aurora Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103 206-525-3586

Greenlake Village Daily 6 a.m. to midnight 450 NE 71st St., Seattle, WA 98115 206-729-5075

Issaquah Daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Pickering Place 1810 12th Ave. NW, Issaquah, WA 98027 425-369-1222

Kirkland Daily 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. 10718 NE 68th St., Kirkland, WA 98033 425-828-4622

Redmond Daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. 11435 Avondale Rd. NE, Redmond, WA 98052 425-285-1400

View Ridge Daily 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. 6514 40th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115 206-526-7661

West Seattle Daily 6 a.m. to midnight 2749 California Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98116 206-937-8481

pccnaturalmarkets.com

Published monthly by PCC NATURAL MARKETS 4201 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105

Phone 206-547-1222, Fax 206-545-7131

The SOUND CONSUMER is dedicated to informing and educating members and the public about food and agriculture, consumer concerns and co-op principles.

SOUND CONSUMER: circulation: 58,000. Copyright 2016: All rights reserved including the right to reproduce. PCC endorses neither the services nor products of any paid advertiser. Opinions expressed in the paper are the writer’s own and do not necessarily reflect co-op policy.

EDITOR Eli Penberthy

ART DIRECTOR Sue Aho

GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION Kathy Moore

RECIPE DEVELOPMENT Jackie Freeman

ADVERTISING Rachel Welker, Fran McDonald

PROOFREADER Hana Rubin

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Cate Hardy

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR Trudy Bialic

BOARD ADMINISTRATOR Janice Parker

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Carol Binder

Michael Hutchings

Taso Lagos

Julianne Lamsek

Maggie Lucas

Karen May

John Sheller

Sandy Voit

Bruce Williams

AVOIDING CARBS?I enjoyed the interesting and thought-

provoking article by Nick Rose, “Avoiding carbs: a look at the low-carb craze” (February). I wondered, do we know how far back into prehistory humans may have added starches, such as corn, rice, the potato and beans, into their diets? Were starches adopted universally by prehistoric

peoples all over the world?

— Jonathan Freedman

PCC replies: There’s evidence that

humans were growing and eating grains

12,000 years ago, with the advent of

agriculture in the Fertile Crescent, and

that grains were the foundation of human

diets in the region. Wheat and barley

were the first grains farmed there; lentils

came shortly after.

New archeological findings suggest

humans were eating grains at least 32,000

years ago. Stone-grinding tools with residues

of cooked oats, millet and acorns suggest

grain consumption predates the agricultural

revolution. Corn and potatoes were farmed

at least 8,000 years ago in North and South

America and eaten in their wild forms for

thousands of years before that.

Carbohydrate intake varied regionally

based on what plants were available. But

whenever digestible starches were avail-

able, if they could be pounded and cooked,

they were consumed.

The dictionary defines phobia as “an

extreme or irrational fear of or aversion

to something,” which makes your recent

article and posts about carb-phobia a

bit hyperbolic.

While many people do indeed avoid

carbs for a number of legitimate reasons,

I would wager a guess that very few of

those folks are truly phobic. And those

who truly are phobic would not be

considered mainstream. In this age of

hyperbole, a more exacting use of our

language would be appreciated.

Keep up the good work — from a

carb avoidant but not phobic member!

— Cindy

SPROUTING GRAINS AND BEANSI’m reading about sprouting grain

and beans. I found some websites that

list their grains and beans as organic and

sprout-able. In PCC stores I see the bulk

bins with things labeled organic but they

don’t say anything about being sprout-

able. Do you know if grain and beans

that are labeled “sprout-able” would be

any different than what are in the bulk

bins in the PCC store?

— Fred

PCC replies: Many spices, seeds, grains

and nuts are steam-sterilized to reduce

the potential for bacterial contamination.

This process also makes the foods un-

sproutable. Some of our bulk foods may

sprout but we can’t guarantee it. If you’re

interested in sprouting at home, some

of our stores sell Botanical Interests seed

sprouters and seeds to grow sprouts, such

as alfalfa, buckwheat, lentils and more.

LIQUID SMOKEWhat is “liquid smoke” and could it

be carcinogenic or otherwise harmful?

Thank you for all your great work.

— Ali Naini

PCC replies: Natural smoke flavorings

are produced by burning wood chips, then

collecting the smoke flavor using conden-

sation, filtration and mixing with water.

They can be listed on food labels as “liquid

smoke” or “natural smoke flavor.”

There’s potential for these ingredients to

contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

(PAHs) as a result of the smoking process.

The levels of PAHs are influenced by the

type of wood used, the temperatures for

burning the wood, and the level of filtra-

tion/distillation after the smoke is collected.

It’s unclear what concentration of

PAHs end up in foods containing liquid

smoke, such as barbecue sauce, and at

what amount these compounds become

problematic. PAHs also are found in

meats cooked to high temperatures

(such as grilling), as well as any

smoked meat or seafood.

Theoretically, liquid smoke could be

carcinogenic because of the potential

PAHs, but we can’t say with certainty

that the quantity of PAHs would be a

concern as part of a product’s flavoring.

SUGAR IN THE DELI/BAKERYWhy does PCC’s deli choose to use

cane or brown sugar instead of other

sweeteners, most specifically stevia?

Knowing what we know about sugar

and its disadvantages toward health,

inflammation and mental rewards —

even in small quantities — it would be

awesome to see PCC use alternatives

in the bakery and deli. Any avenue to

reduce sugar in foods made outside of

the home always is welcome, since din-

ing out makes that impossible!

In most recipes, how much sugar is

estimated per serving? Also, could you

speak to the differences between sugar

and honey or maple syrup and why

those are regarded as the best natural

sweeteners (as opposed to brown rice

syrup or molasses)? My impression is that

they aren’t much different in their effects

on our glycemic index, inflammation and

the brain’s reward system. Also, is stevia

interchangeable with all sweeteners?

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4 PCC SOUND CONSUMER APRIL 2016

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1BREEDING BETTER ORGANIC PRODUCE LOCALLY“Organic farmers are a stakeholder

group that’s been neglected for many years”

by seed companies, says Dr. Jim Myers,

professor of horticulture at Oregon State

University in Corvallis.

You might think certified organic seed

would be required for growing certified

organic produce but, in fact, organic stan-

dards allow use of nonorganic seed if an

organic choice isn’t available. A recent OSA

survey of organic farmers showed more

growers using certified organic seed — and

more desiring to use organic — although

use is still low among larger growers.

Breeding new varieties once was the

purview of land-grant universities but not

anymore, says Myers. “There has been

a decline in public plant breeding,” he

says. “Universities have been reducing

these positions.”

By collaborating, research grants

can be sought by various partners and

the work spread to where it’s most ap-

propriate. Huber, whose local Nantes

carrot variety is so sweet some at PCC

call it “carrot candy,” says he has a dozen

breeding projects going each year and the

partnership “gives me access to people

who have knowledge of genetics and ac-

cess to resources I don’t have.”

For instance, OSA’s McKenzie tended

nearly 100 cabbage plants through their

flowering and pollination stages, selecting

the best and studying the shortcomings.

“They wouldn’t have the time or effort on

the farm to do this,” she says.

Larger collaborations extend the

work. For instance, the Northern Organic

Vegetable Improvement Collaborative

(NOVIC) involves researchers at four

universities. It includes Washington State

University and Oregon State University,

as well as OSA and farmers in multiple

states, to participate in breeding and trials

of new varieties.

The programs even extend internation-

ally. One partner, Dr. Bill Tracy at the Uni-

versity of Wisconsin-Madison, has winter

nurseries in Argentina where crops can be

grown in our off-season, thus “allowing us

to do two full cycles of breeding in one

year,” says McKenzie.

Unique needs of organic farms

The trials may be far-flung, but region-

al and organic adaptations are the goals. “There are some fundamental differences in how plants obtain their nutrients in an organic system compared to conventional,” explains Myers.

“Our focus here on organics is how we build fertility into the soil, how we manage the soil, and how we grow the plants,” says Huber. “We strive for plants that can take care of themselves and respond to conditions in the field. They’re being bred for those qualities.”

One desirable trait might be a plant’s “in-teraction with the soil biomes,” says McKen-zie. If a conventional farmer is delivering “a continuous and available supply of synthetic nitrogen, [the plant] loses its ability to have a relationship with the naturally available rhizobia bacteria, and it stops doing that.”

Another trait might be weed competition. Since weeding is done by hand or machine on an organic farm instead of pesticides, an organic farmer would benefit from a variety that emerges robustly and quickly creates a canopy to shade out weeds. Adapting varieties for such traits is cutting edge work, says McKenzie

Genetics that impact nutrition, taste and flavor also are goals, says Myers. “Evaluation of taste, quality and flavor have come out of the NOVIC program, where we’re engaging chefs and farmers in our evaluations.”

“Much of the flavor in the brassicas is due to glucosinolates they contain,” he says. “Glucosinolates have multiple

functions: pest and disease resistance,

unique flavors, and health benefits associ-

ated with them. Purple sprouting broccoli,

in particular, is going to be fairly high in

carotenoids and precursors to vitamin A.

Breeding for plants with darker color can

enhance human nutrition.”

Winter harvest potential

A grant from the Washington State Department of Agriculture put OSA on the path to find a crop that would be harvest-able January to March, a time when virtu-ally nothing comes out of local fields. Two storage crops, onions and cabbage, were studied, as were two field crops, chicory and purple sprouting broccoli.

Purple sprouting broccoli is showing commercial promise. PCC’s main produce distributor, Organically Grown Company (OCG), offered encouragement and criteria. OGC desired a crop with uniform floret size and shoot length, a juicy stem, and two months of production (needed to coax con-sumers into trying it and then coming back for more). OGC is sponsoring large-scale trials and OSA is developing it on smaller plots at OSA’s home farm in Chimacum. A stable variety could be growing commer-cially in two or three years.

Spinach growers also have a new variety well-suited to our climate, thanks to another OSA collaborative breeding project: Abundant Bloomsdale spinach. A cross between the heirloom Winter Bloomsdale and hybrid Evergreen, the new variety is cold-hardy, disease-resistant and adapted to organic growing conditions. Its development was funded by OSA, the Port Townsend Food Co-op and Seed Matters as a project of the Clif Bar Family Foundation. Abundant Bloomsdale is providing another benefit: a new farm income stream, as farmer-partners are now growing it com-

mercially for seed.

Regional adaptation of seeds is not

unique to organics. But in these days of

consolidated corporate seed operations,

one of the only places it’s occurring is on

the organic farm, with the help of collabo-

rating researchers and benefactors.

The interest in traditionally bred new

varieties and growing reverence for remain-

ing heirloom varieties also has sprouted a

crop of new regional seed companies. It’s

a trend consumers will see at the seed rack

and benefit from in the produce aisle.

A local quinoa?

A tiny grain that packs a big

protein wallop is in trials for western

Washington agriculture.

Quinoa, an ancient crop from

the same family as spinach that

originated in the South American

Andes, is being tested by Washing-

ton State University (WSU) research-

ers on the Olympic Peninsula and

in the Palouse.

The WSU team, under lead

researcher Dr. Kevin Murphy, has

been trialing seed from the U.S.

Department of Agriculture seed bank

in Pullman and from lines developed

at Brigham Young University. They

found the peninsula climate can

produce taller plants with larger seed

heads in a rainbow of colors. But

those seeds also can succumb to

moisture and sprout prior to harvest.

Researchers also grapple with a

weighty issue: honoring the need for

Andean farmers to maintain control

of their legacy subsistence crop.

The livelihood of these traditional

stewards is threatened as quinoa’s

popularity rises.

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5PCC SOUND CONSUMER APRIL 2016

[ LETTERS to the ed i to r ] CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3BREEDING BETTER ORGANIC PRODUCE LOCALLYAs a disclaimer, I understand it’s

not just sweeteners that affect our gly-

cemic index — other starches do, too.

But I’m led to believe sweeteners act

differently than starches, particularly

because of their fibers.

— C.J.

PCC replies: We use cane or brown

sugar instead of stevia in our bakery

because they produce the best results.

Sugar lends a better texture, shape and

structure than stevia, which also has a

bitter aftertaste. Stevia is best used in

beverages. We’ve tried making baked

goods with alternative sweeteners and

they don’t sell well.

Honey and maple syrup are praised

as whole, natural foods but they still will

spike your blood sugar levels if consumed

in excess. Brown rice syrup and molasses

can be used in baking, but like all liquid

sweeteners, they require adjustments in

recipes. Find more information about

alternative sweeteners in our “guide

to sweeteners at PCC” brochure in

stores and online: pccnaturalmarkets.

com/r/3907.

Sugar content in our baked goods

varies by item. You can find nutrition

facts on our website: pccnaturalmarkets.

com/r/3815.

You’re correct that carbs from sweet-

eners are worse for human health than

starchy veggies and grains that include

fiber and other nutrients.

TOXIC CASHEW RESIN? I just learned that harvesting

cashews can harm the workers who

do the harvesting, due to the toxicity

of the plant. It seems like not many

people know about it. Also, I was

wondering whether PCC’s cashews are

sourced from farms that protect their

workers from this problem?

PCC replies: The double shell sur-

rounding the raw cashew, which is

technically a seed and not a nut,

contains urushiol, a resin that can cre-

ate skin rashes and can be toxic when

ingested. Urushiol is the same chemical

found in poison ivy. People who work

in cashew processing plants reportedly

tend to exhibit greater allergies to cashew

shells over time.

About a half dozen countries export

cashews and most of those sold in bulk

at PCC could be coming from any farm

from the country of origin.

To best protect cashew workers,

who often face poor labor conditions,

choose organic, fair trade cashews, such

as those from Equal Exchange, when

they’re available at PCC.

They’re grown by cooperatives of

farmers in El Salvador and India.

ANIMAL WELFARE STANDARDSWhen reading the website standards

section, I came across this statement

about meat and poultry:

“PCC offers only natural or organic

meats sourced directly from ranchers

who are committed to humane stan-

dards. Read our vendor agreement,

which bars cloned animals or their

offspring from PCC. All PCC meat is from

pastured or free-range animals.”

I read the website and the vendor

agreements on cloned animals and

genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

but did not see anything that defines

what “humanely raised” means exactly

to PCC. What are your criteria for calling

meat “humanely raised?” How do you

determine if your suppliers are raising

beef, poultry, pork and lamb in a hu-

mane way? Do you send representatives

out to the farms to make sure they are

in compliance? Is there a policy to do

periodic checkups to ensure that pro-

ducers continue to treat food animals

humanely, without cages and allowing

for normal socialization, and that their

end is pain-free and out of sight of

other animals?

I live near the new Columbia City

PCC and love it!

— Lynn Curtis

PCC replies: Please see our August

cover story, “Animal welfare: PCC stan-

dards” (pccnaturalmarkets.com/r/3908)

to learn how we define and implement

animal welfare standards.

REUSABLE CONTAINERS

I’ve been a PCC member for a few

years and I’ve grown to love my local

Columbia City store — we know al-

most everyone who works there, shop

there every week and have taken

several classes there! I’m glad PCC

does the homework for us in terms

of selling produce that’s sustainable,

local and healthful.

Our family decided to adopt a “Zero

Waste” lifestyle. This means we buy

bulk items using our own reusable bags.

We’ve been doing so with most of your

grain bulk items and produce without

much difficulty — thank you for making

this available! What we really would

like to reduce is the plastic packaging

from the deli, meat department and pre-

pared food. When we use disposable/

recyclable plastic, we’re casting a vote

for more plastics to be made.

Your staff’s courteous responses

have been confusing — without fault

of their own, because law can be con-

fusing! Some have explained they’re

unable to put the salad directly into

my container. Some said they can but

they need to place wax paper between

the container and the item bought.

Ditto with purchasing things from the

meat and fish departments.

Would you please clarify the law

regarding consumers using their

own containers?

We wholeheartedly support PCC’s

commitment to embracing sustainability

and consumer education. As more and

more of us adopt sustainable lifestyles,

I hope as a community we can turn this

around and make purchasing with cus-

tomers’ own containers more accessible.

— Mariska Audriani

PCC replies: We share your

concern about reducing waste.

The Washington state Food Code,

WAC 246-215-03348 “Preventing

contamination from equipment,

utensils, and linens — Refilling re-

turnables,” limits reuse of customer

containers for deli food.

While it refers to take-home

containers being refilled and not

other containers, we have spoken with

health department personnel several

times and we’re told we cannot allow

reuse of any containers that customers

bring in. The exception is, as you’ve

learned, if we place food on a waxed

paper square and then slide it into the

container outside the deli case.

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6 PCC SOUND CONSUMER APRIL 2016

I N T H E A I S L E S

BUY HONEY, SAVE THE BEE[ W H A T ’ S i n s t o r e ]

LOCAL ASPARAGUSOrganic and conventional from Inaba

Farms in Wapato, Wash. and Anderson Organics in Othello, Wash.

Enjoy tender stalks steamed, stir-fried, grilled, roasted and in soups or atop pasta. Look for firm, thin stems with deep green or purplish, closed tips. Asparagus is high in vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, vitamin A and many other vitamins and minerals.

ALSO THIS MONTH LOOK FOR:

• Organic cantaloupe and variety melons — from Covilli Organics, Mexico

• New-crop organic Packham, Abate Fetal, Bosc and Asian pears — from Awesum Organics, Argentina

• Local, organic broccoli raab — from Siri & Sons, Clackamas, Oregon

LA TOURANGELLE OIL SPRAYS The same fine La Tourangelle avocado, cano-la, grapeseed and walnut oils at PCC in jars, now in a convenient and efficient non-aerosol spray can.

FERNDALE FARM-STEAD CHEESE

Locally produced Italian-style cheese made with milk from pastured cows raised on the farm, including fresh, delicate Mozzarella (Fior di Latte), and aged Fontina, with slight but-terscotch notes.

OLLI SALUMERIA Presliced salami made from pasture-raised pork raised on family farms. Try the spicy Calabrese, the Toscano made with Tuscan fennel pollen, or the Napoli, smoked over Applewood.

LEMONCOCCO Inspired by the lemon and coconut stands found along the cobblestoned streets of Rome, this non-carbonated drink is made with cane sugar, the flavor of Sicilian lemons, and a splash of coconut cream.

FUEL ENERGY BEVERAGES With ingredients such as coenzyme Q10, milk thistle, and ginkgo biloba, to give a focused energy lasting up to eight hours without a crash.

TRUE NOPAL CACTUS WATER Made from the prickly pear cactus, a lightly fruity water that’s a great source of antioxidants and electro-lytes. Lower in calories than coconut water and thought to help reduce inflammation from muscle fatigue and exercise.

FAUXMAGE NON-DAIRY “CHEESE” Made in Seattle with certified organic, fair trade cashews and live, active cultures, just like real cheese. Raw, vegan, Paleo, gluten-free, and made without any oils, gums, starches or thickeners.

SCHOONER EXACT “ON-SIGHT” NORTHWEST ALE Features Amarillo and Mosaic hops that perfectly comple-ment the crisp Pilsner malt with a balanced burst of hoppy goodness. Fifty cents from every bottle is donated to PCC Farmland Trust.

CARDITONE From R-U-Ved, in Redmond, run by a family of naturo-pathic and Ayurvedic doc-tors, this proprietary blend is formulated with Ayurvedic herbs with magnesium to support maintenance of blood pressure that’s already within normal range.

GLORYBEE AND SAVE THE BEE

In 2012 GloryBee® launched Save the

Bee to support organizations dedicated

to saving the honey bee and combating

colony collapse issues. Most of the funds

raised from the Save the Bee initiative go

to Oregon State University’s Honey Bee

Lab. The lab:

• Studies the effect of honey bee health

and nutrition on colony loss and runs a

master beekeeping program. It conducts

long-term monitoring of honey bee

health and nutrition of commercial bee-

keeper colonies.

• Helps growers design a bee-friendly

insecticide management protocol.

• Manages a publication for growers

and beekeepers called “How to Re-

duce Bee Poisoning” with information

on bee toxicity.

A portion of GloryBee’s profits goes to

the lab. In the past few years GloryBee

has given more than $140,000.

Learn more: GloryBee.com/SaveTheBee.

BREWED & BOTTLED BY:

SCHOONER EXACTBREWING COMPANY

3901 1ST AVE S, SEATTLE, WA 98134

ON - SIGHT NORTHWEST ALE Whether a refreshing finish to your victorious climb, or just inspiration building; On-Sight Ale is packed with Amarillo and Mosaic hop flavor and aroma to go the distance. Brewed with Pilsner and Crystal malts to create a light body with robust Northwest hop flavor. 1 PT, 6 FL OZ 4.6% ALC/VOL IBU’s 32

8 55

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2 4

ON- SIGHT NORTHWEST ALE

Each year more than $15 billion worth of essential crops are

pollinated by honey bees in the United States, and they produce

millions of dollars of honey. One out of every three bites of

food Americans consume comes from a plant visited by bees

or other pollinators. In recent years, honey bees have faced

unprecedented deaths and disappearances. The annual average

range of honey bee colony loss over the last five years has been

between 30 to 35 percent. A loss of more than 15 percent is

considered unsustainable for commercial beekeepers.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Buy honey! You’ll find GloryBee honey at PCC in jars,

squeeze bears and bulk. We carry a variety, including honey

from bees that forage on Pacific Northwest blackberries,

blueberries and buckwheat blossoms.

PCC OFFERS A VARIETY OF TYPES AND BRANDS OF HONEY INCLUDING:

• Raw honey: Honey Gardens Apiaries (Vermont), Craic Honey

(Yakima), Oregon Growers & Shippers (Oregon), BeeKing’s

(Washington), and My Local Honey (Oregon and Washington).

• Manuka honey: Produced in New Zealand

and Australia from the nectar of the manuka

tree, this strongly flavored honey is said to

have antibacterial and healing properties.

• Certified organic honey: GloryBee (Brazil)

and Heavenly Organics (Northern and Cen-

tral India and parts of the Himalayas).

• Try Grizzlie’s Bee’s Knees Organic Granola. Produced in Eugene, Oregon

with raw, whole, organic, local

ingredients. A portion of the proceeds

from Grizzlie’s granola goes directly

toward critical bee research.

Master beekeepers being taught skills through the OSU outreach program.

Learn more about what makes honey organic or raw, and tips

for cooking with honey at pccnaturalmarkets.com/r/3851.

BREWED & BOTTLED BY:

SCHOONER EXACTBREWING COMPANY

3901 1ST AVE S, SEATTLE, WA 98134

ON - SIGHT NORTHWEST ALE Whether a refreshing finish to your victorious climb, or just inspiration building; On-Sight Ale is packed with Amarillo and Mosaic hop flavor and aroma to go the distance. Brewed with Pilsner and Crystal malts to create a light body with robust Northwest hop flavor. 1 PT, 6 FL OZ 4.6% ALC/VOL IBU’s 32

8 55

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ON- SIGHT NORTHWEST ALE

7PCC SOUND CONSUMER APRIL 2016

N A T U R A L K I T C H E N

Local asparagus, global flavors

S O I L & S E A : r e p o r t s f r o m o u r p r o d u c e r sTHE PRICE OF CALIFORNIA ALMONDS PAID TO FARMERS HAS DROPPED ABOUT 20 PERCENT since late 2014 due to oversupply. When the price rose from around $2.50 three years ago to more than $4 per pound in 2014, many farmers replaced their lower-priced crops, such as grapes or cotton, with fields of almonds, flooding the mar-ket. Also, the strength of the dollar in 2015 meant it cost more for China and India to buy almonds, so they’re buying less.

A FUJI APPLE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED TO RESIST TURNING BROWN COULD BE ON U.S. TABLES SOMETIME THIS YEAR. Okanagan Specialty Fruits of B.C. has petitioned the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to deregulate sales of its Arctic Fuji. Two

other of the company’s non-browning variet-ies — the Arctic Golden and Arctic Granny — were approved last year by USDA for commercial sale.

2015 WAS A GREAT YEAR FOR AG TECH START-UPS. Despite a nationwide drop in farm income, investments in young ag tech companies jumped from $2.6 billion in 2014 to $4.6 billion.

AQUABOUNTY REPORTEDLY IS DEVELOPING GENETICALLY ENGINEERED AQUADVANTAGE TROUT, which grows faster than traditional Rainbow trout. The company, known for developing genetically engineered salmon, is designing the required studies in prepara-tion for the regulatory review process.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND IS INTRODUCING A “HABITAT EXCHANGE” TO PROTECT MONARCH BUTTERFLIES. Land-owners, farmers and ranchers get paid either by corporations or government agencies that need to mitigate their impact to wildlife, or by organizations and individuals interested in protecting monarch habitat. EDF is hoping the ef-fort will keep the monarch off the En-dangered Species List.

DEMAND FOR BISON MEAT IS ON THE RISE. A few decades ago, there were only about 30,000 bison left in the United States. Today, there are closer to 500,000. Bison meat can bring in twice as much money as beef.

It’s here! First-of-the-season

stalks of fresh asparagus, bring-

ing a burst of spring to your plate.

We love them simply grilled or

blanched, but don’t let the season

pass without getting a little creative

with herbs and spices! Try these four

lively recipes with roots in India,

Vietnam, Thailand and Italy, and

find more inspiration on our website:

pccnaturalmarkets.com/recipes.

WARM ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH

GARBANZO BEANS

A well-known salad in the southern states

of India, sundal is made with garbanzo

beans, asafetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves,

whole red chiles and coconut. This version

gets a Northwest twist with fresh asparagus.

Serves 6

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon mustard seeds, roughly crushed

½ teaspoon turmeric

¼ cup water, divided

2 tablespoons high-heat canola oil

1 pound fresh asparagus, tough ends

removed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons) 1⁄3 cup shredded coconut, to garnish

(optional)

Naan, for serving (optional)

In a small bowl, combine paprika,

cayenne, cumin, mustard, turmeric and 2 tablespoons water to make a smooth paste; set aside.

Preheat a pan over medium-high heat. Add oil, asparagus, ½ teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and increase heat to high. Cook for about 3 minutes or until asparagus is tender but still retains its bright green color. Add garbanzo beans and spice paste; stir for 2 to 3 more minutes until spices have coated asparagus and garbanzo beans.

Add remaining ¾ teaspoon salt to the pan and lower the heat to medium; stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Add lime juice and remove from the heat. Garnish with coconut and

serve warm or at room temperature with

grilled or warmed naan.

— Recipe by Uma Bangalore,

PCC Cooks instructor

EACH SERVING: 170 cal, 9g fat (3g sat),

0mg chol, 420mg sodium, 18g carb, 5g fiber,

2g sugars, 6g protein

VIETNAMESE PANCAKES

Makes 12 to 15 small pancakes

2⁄3 cup rice flour

3 green onions, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon turmeric

¾ cup coconut milk

¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons water, divided

1 tablespoon sesame oil

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and grated

1 large baby bok choy, thinly sliced

½ pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced

into ½-inch pieces

1 teaspoon minced ginger

¼ cup lime juice

2 tablespoons tamari

2 teaspoons sugar

½ to 1 teaspoon red chili sauce

3 to 5 large green leaf lettuce leaves,

torn into large pieces

¼ cup fresh herbs (basil, mint or cilantro)

Combine flour, green onions, tur-

meric, coconut milk and ¾ cup plus 2

tablespoons water; set aside.

In a skillet, heat sesame oil over

medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic,

carrots, bok choy, asparagus and ginger.

Stir-fry for a few minutes and set aside.

In a small dish combine lime juice,

tamari, 2 teaspoons water, sugar and

red chili sauce; set aside.

Heat a small nonstick skillet over

medium-high heat (you may need a

small amount of oil if you find the

pancakes are sticking). Add 1 ounce

pancake batter and cook until pancake

lifts easily from the surface and is

golden and crisp.

Flip pancake over and place about 2

tablespoons filling on one half; fold the

other half over like an omelet. Continue

to cook until pancake is golden and

crisp and then flip over one more time

to crisp the remaining side. Cut pancake

in half, place on a torn lettuce leaf and

sprinkle with fresh herbs. Wrap like a

bundle and dip into sauce.

— Recipe by Lee Baker,

PCC Cooks instructor

EACH PANCAKE: 70 cal, 4g fat (2.5g sat),

0mg chol, 150mg sodium, 9g carb, 1g fiber,

2g sugars, 2g protein

PHAD GAENG KEOW WAN

(GREEN CURRY FRIED RICE

WITH ASPARAGUS)

Serves 4

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons green curry paste

1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 cup chopped asparagus

2 tablespoons coconut milk

1 tablespoon sugar, or more as needed

1 cup fresh Thai or regular basil leaves

3 cups steamed jasmine rice, cooled

1 tablespoon tamari

¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

4 lime wedges

Heat oil in a skillet or wok over high

heat. Stir garlic until golden, then add curry

paste, mushrooms, asparagus, coconut

milk, sugar and basil. Cook and stir all

ingredients until asparagus is crisp-tender

and sauce is simmering. Add jasmine rice,

tamari and salt; stir to heat through. Serve

with lime wedges.

— Recipe by Pranee Halvorsen,

PCC Cooks instructor

EACH SERVING: 300 cal, 13g fat (2.5g sat),

0mg chol, 400mg sodium, 42g carb, 3g fiber,

4g sugars, 6g protein

ASPARAGUS-PISTACHIO PESTO

Makes about 1 ½ cups

1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed

2 teaspoons minced garlic

½ cup toasted pistachios

1 lemon, juiced (2 to 3 tablespoons)

Salt, to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup olive oil

Blanch or steam asparagus until al

dente and still green. Refresh in cool

water. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces

and place in a food processor. Add

garlic, pistachios, lemon juice, salt and

pepper.

Pulse the processor to make sure

mixture is not over-mixed while gradually

adding olive oil. Process until desired

consistency.

— Recipe by Blake Caldwell,

PCC Deli Chef

EACH 2 TABLESPOON SERVING: 100 cal,

10g fat (1.5g sat), 0mg chol, 15mg sodium,

2g carb, 1g fiber, 1g sugars, 1g protein

8 PCC SOUND CONSUMER APRIL 2016

Create your own emergency food kit | Hope for the best, but plan for the worst

by Nick Rose, M.S.

A basic emergency kit

provides peace of mind

in stressful situations. An

emergency food kit should provide

enough food and water for your

entire family without power or run-

ning water for at least three days.

You can purchase an emergency

food preparedness kit, or you can

create your own, using everyday

foods that you already purchase.

WATER

Center for Disease Control and Preven-

tion (CDC) recommends keeping on hand

1 gallon of water per person per day for at

least three days, so a family of four should

have at least 12 gallons of clean water

on hand at all times. You can purchase

BPA-free plastic or glass bottles at PCC in

various sizes (1-5 gallons), or you can reuse

empty 2-liter bottles. Just be sure to wash

and sanitize them first. Do not reuse plastic

milk jugs because they’re hard to clean and

aren’t made for long-term storage.

A quality water filter can come in handy,

if you ever need more water than you are able

to store. Tap water often is not safe to drink for

several days after a flood or other emergency.

FOOD

You’ll want to store foods that don’t

require refrigeration, have a long shelf life,

and don’t require much food preparation

or cooking. Examples include peanut but-

ter, canned tuna, nuts and dried cereal. Fo-

cus on energy-dense (high-calorie) foods,

to get the most nutrition in the smallest

amount of storage space.

Avoid salty foods that make you thirsty,

such as pretzels and chips. High-water foods,

such as canned fruits, provide both calories

and hydration, making them a smart choice.

Many people rely on beans and rice as

their emergency food ration because they’re

economical, nutritious and can be stored for

years. If this is your plan, make sure you have

a way to cook them if the power goes out.

A propane camping stove allows you

to boil water, heat up canned soups, and

cook basic grains and beans even if you lose

electricity. Always use your stove outside, to

allow for adequate ventilation.

Canned foods can be eaten safely

without heating (soup, beans), so even if

you don’t have a stove, you still can eat any

canned foods in your pantry.

When the power goes out, eat up

whatever is in your fridge first then the

freezer, and then turn to your pantry

items. Your fridge will remain cold for

Food Amount Protein Calories

Canned tuna (4 oz can) 8 cans 250 1,135

Peanut butter (16 oz jar) 2 jars 224 5,500

Sunflower seeds (bulk) 1 pound 90 2,700

Crackers (6 oz box) 4 boxes 72 2,900

Per person, each day 53g 1,020*

*Additional foods such as dried fruits, cereals, honey and canned fruits/vegetables can help fill in the remaining calories.

approximately 4 hours after the power goes

out and freezers can hold their temp for up

to 48 hours. Keep the doors closed to main-

tain cold temps as long as possible.

When putting together foods for your

emergency food kit, keep in mind any

special dietary needs in your family (such

as food allergies), or special foods for

babies, the elderly and your pets.

STORING EMERGENCY SUPPLIES

It’s a good idea to assess your food

kit every six months to check expiration

dates and see what you might want to re-

place. Keeping foods in glass jars is ideal

for long-term storage — flood water can

ruin food stored in cardboard boxes.

Store emergency food and water to-

gether in a cool, dark part of your home.

Make sure they’re safe from mice and

flood water. Keep food in sealed contain-

ers and label and date each item.

How Much Food?

The most important nutritional consideration for your food kit is calories, and after that is protein. Adults require 50g of protein and at least 1,600 calories each day, so a three-day food kit should have at least 150g of protein and 4,800 calories per person.

SAMPLE FOOD KIT (family of 4)

Smart choices for your emergency food kit

Energy-dense foods:

Nuts, seeds, nut butters, mayonnaise,

granola, candy bars, dried fruit

Shelf-stable liquids:

Organic Valley shelf-stable UHT pas-

teurized milk, protein shakes (Fuel,

Balance), milk alternatives (soy,

almond), fruit juice

High-protein foods:

Beef jerky, canned seafood/meat,

nutrition bars, hempseeds, protein

powders/meal replacers

Honey:

Never goes bad, can serve as a

sweetener, source of calories, and

can be used topically due to its

antiseptic properties

Instant foods:

Coffee, hot chocolate, soup, oat-

meal, mashed potatoes, meals in

heatable pouches, canned fruit

Sanitizing products for when running water isn’t available:

Cleansing towelettes, hand sanitizers,

baby wipes, grapefruit seed extract

View the Federal Emergency

Management Agency’s (FEMA)

emergency supply checklist to see

other non-food items you should

have in case of an emergency:

pccnaturalmarkets.com/r/3909

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9PCC SOUND CONSUMER APRIL 2016

board of trustees | report

Proposed PCC bylaws: key revisions REFERENCED ON PAGE 1

Member initiatives: For a member to

bring an item of business before the mem-

bership for a vote, PCC’s current bylaws

require the physical signatures of 3 percent

of active members (about 1,710). As mem-

bership increases, so does the number of

signatures required. To reduce the burden

of signature gathering, the proposed

bylaws lower the requirement to 2 percent.

The current bylaws also require votes of

5 percent of active members to act on a

member initiative. The proposed bylaws

reduce that requirement to 3 percent.

Notice of meetings: PCC members

are notified of member meetings pri-

marily through the Sound Consumer.

The proposed bylaws would allow

PCC the additional flexibility of an-

nouncing meetings through electronic

notification or on the PCC website.

Quorum for member meetings:

Currently 3 percent of active members

must participate in the transaction of

business at member meetings, the major-

ity of which involve annual elections,

for meeting outcomes to be valid. As

PCC’s membership has increased, it has

become increasingly difficult to reach

quorum. The proposed bylaws would

allow the transaction of routine busi-

ness at member meetings to take place

without a required minimum number of

members participating at the meeting.

Number of board of trustees: Currently

PCC’s board is comprised of nine member-

elected trustees. PCC’s Articles of Incorpora-

tion allow for an increase or decrease in

the number of board seats. The proposed

bylaws stipulate that the board of trustees will

continue to consist of nine trustees elected

by members. They also provide for up to two

additional trustees who could be appointed

by the board to serve for one-year terms,

with voting privileges. This would give PCC

the flexibility, if needed, to utilize the service

of members who may be unable to commit

to a full three-year term, or who have specific

knowledge and expertise not otherwise avail-

able from elected trustees.

Voting for the election of trustees: This

revised provision follows an increasing

trend in good governance practices by pro-

viding that in uncontested elections each

trustee will be elected by majority vote. A

majority vote means that the number of

votes cast “for” a trustee must exceed the

number of votes cast “against” that trustee.

If a candidate does not receive a majority

vote, then he or she would not be elected

as a trustee. If a candidate is not elected,

the board may appoint a trustee to that

seat until the next election, at which time

that appointed trustee will stand for a

majority vote by the members. This provi-

sion does not change the plurality voting

established in the existing bylaws and

currently used by PCC in contested elec-

tions. If there are more candidates on the

ballot than open seats, those candidates

with the most votes are elected.

Bylaws questions or comments?

Visit with a board member at one

of these bylaws feedback meetings. No RSVP required:

Wednesday, April 6, between 6 and 8 p.m.

West Seattle classroom

Saturday, April 9, between 9 and 11 a.m.

Issaquah classroom

Tuesday, May 3, between 6 and 8 p.m.

Greenlake Village classroom

A former board member’s thoughts on the bylaws proposal

This is a much needed update of

the bylaws. Having chaired the Task Force when the articles and bylaws were updated in 2005, I am well aware of the work it takes to do a full bylaws review. Clearly the board of trustees has invested a lot of time and effort to bring the bylaws in line with the current needs of the co-op. Please vote yes to support these changes.

— Mary Simon, PCC Trustee 2002-2005

Board chair 2005

Board report

The agenda for the March

board meeting, which occurred after this paper went to press, was slated to include a report on the 2015 financial audit.

There is no board meeting sched-uled in April.

Family Caregiver Support ProgramCaring for an aging loved once can be tough. That’s why we’re proud to offer services for family caregivers, including…• Respite care.• Support groups and classes.• Counseling.• Limited financial assistance.• And more!

To see if you qualify, contact Adam Halpern, (206) 861-3141 or ahalpern@jfsseattle.org.

jfsseattle.org

Come to an open house at our stores!

Saturday, April 23

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., all PCC stores

For many years a highlight of

each April has been a member

gathering featuring updates on

the progress of our co-op, the

start of the annual election period

and great PCC food.

This year we’re reinventing

the April member gathering,

giving it a new name, new day,

new time, and a whole new way

to experience PCC. We’re calling

it “PCC Discovery Day — Here’s

what local looks like.” For

convenience, it will be held on

Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m.

to 4 p.m. at all PCC stores.

Through displays, special

guests and product and cooking

demos — and PCC food, of

course — we’ll share with mem-

bers and shoppers the many ways

PCC partners with local organiza-

tions and vendors in our commu-

nities. State-of-the-co-op reports

from the board and management,

as well as board candidate cam-

paign statements, will be available

on video throughout the day.

Members will be able to vote

during the event and help their

home store win a prize for bring-

ing in the most ballots.

Please plan to join us to

discover and enjoy the very

best of what makes PCC the

greater Seattle area’s truly local

grocery store. We look forward

to seeing you!

Meet the candidates

The election dates are April

13 through May 23. Voting is by

mail and in all stores.

You will receive your Elec-

tion Guide in the mail with your

home delivered May Sound

Consumer. Ballots also will be

available in stores after April 13.

Meet the candidates on

Saturday, April 16 at PCC

Edmonds, from 10 a.m. to noon.

HERE’S WHAT LOCAL LOOKS LIKE

PCC DISCOVERY DAY

10 PCC SOUND CONSUMER APRIL 2016

member marketplace | classifieds

ATTENTION ADVERTISERS:

Naturopaths, massage

practitioners, chiropractors,

acupuncturists, day care pro-

viders and general contractors

must submit a current copy of

their Washington state license

number with ad. Mental health

care practitioners, counselors

and hypnotherapists must

submit a current copy of their

Washington state registration

or certification number with

ad. Registration, certification

and/or license numbers need

not appear in ad (except for

general contractors and mas-

sage practitioners) but must

be on file at PCC.

Classified Ads are accepted for goods and services only; no personals or singles ads. Cost is $6 for each set of 39 characters, including spaces and punctuation. Cost for less than 39 characters is the same as a full set. Use the guide below to figure your cost, or attach a typewritten or neatly printed copy of your ad. The guide below is used for counting purposes only; your ad will not appear exactly as it looks below. DEADLINE for the next issue is the 10th of this month at 5 p.m. PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY AD COPY.

Name Phone ( )

Address

Classification Total enclosed Number of issues to run ad

$6

$12

$18

$24

$30

$36

Bring your ad and payment in person or mail to: PCC Classified Ads • 4201 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105 Questions? Call 206-547-1222.

C L A S S I F I E D A D O R D E R F O R M

$10 Visit for New Clients Who Mention This Ad*

SIOM -Affordable acupuncture, tuina and shiatsu massage, and Chinese herbs -Conveniently located on Ravenna Blvd close to Greenlake -Evening appointments available Tuesday - Thursday

Call or use our on-line system to schedule.

*Applies to intern clinics only - does not apply to faculty clinics - does not include the cost of herbs.

(206) 517 - 4541 www.siomclinic.org

444 NE Ravenna Blvd.

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In Downtown Bellevue The Best Selec on of Organic & Non-Toxic Ma resses, Adjustable Beds, Bedding & So Much More! Organic & 100% Natural (Produced By Nature!) For All Budgets!

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Over 30 years’ experience in mercury-safe, biological dentistry Fellow and Master, International Academy of Oral Medicine

and Toxicology (IAOMT) Charter Member, International Association of Mercury Safe Dentists Sign up on our website for a free e-newsletter

Choosing a “holistic” dentist?

Dr. Paul Rubin, DDS, MIAOMT

HOME SERVICES

Reliable housecleaning: 30 yrs experi-ence. Refs. View Ridge/Wedgwood area preferred. Please call Sarah 206-525-1673.

Hate to weed? We specialize in garden bed maintenance. Garden of Weedin’. 206-362-8947. Five star EnviroStar.

Mel the Painter, melparejo.com 206-819-3586 melvinparejo@yahoo.com – 25 yrs exp. Efficient, clean, all work guaranteed. Free estimates, refs. – PAREJM*980QE.

American Home Painting – Serving all your interior and exterior painting needs. Please call Damon Thompson @ 206-522-7919. Eco-friendly paints. www.AmericanHomePainting.com. Contr. lic # AMERIHPO45N9.

The Best Painters In The World – “A meticulous prep results in a beautiful finish.” Providing you with expert color advice and eco-friendly paints. Specializing in interiors & exteriors. Great references. Call Frank Diamond @ 206-547-8284 bestpaintersintheworld.com BETSPW33NS.

Housecleaning – efficient and reliable house cleaner with excellent Mt. Baker references. Arrange weekly or biweekly move in or move out, or special occasion cleaning, Call Ozzie 206-243-9680.

Organic gardening, design, stonework, maint, pruning. Nurtured Earth Gardens, NURTUEG960D4. Dan 206-234-9347.

Abella Window & Gutter Cleaning, Inc. Free estimates, Lic/Ins, 206-234-7973. AbellaWindowCleaning.com.

Silly Sisters Joyful Housecleaning. One-time or regular. It’s time for spring clean-ing -- call us to book yours now! 206-367-0375 or sillysistersjh@gmail.com.

Repairs and Remodels: Honey-dos to complete projects. Kitchens, bathrooms, and decks. Like green. Jeff-of-all-trades 206-949-8605 License#JEHOOEH963DC.

Exceptional Backhoe Service – LaValley Backhoe LLC – serving King County and surrounding areas for over 30 years. Free estimates – no job too small. Visit www.lavalleybackhoe.com for more information. Ted LaValley 425-226-0513/ 425-765-1507. Lic #LAVALBL991QR.

Fresh Breeze Window and Gutter cleaning. Refs. Free estimates. 206-760-9542, 206-280-3721.

The Cleaning Lady – There’s nothing like a clean house that smells good. I use enviro-friendly cleaning supplies. I enjoy cleaning and consider it meditative. I have 25 yrs. exp. & am hardworking, reliable & honest. Can also do ironing & laundry. I have excellent refer-ences of long-time clients. Weekly- biweekly or once in a blue moon, call me – the cleaning lady: 206-478-5736.

PlantAmnesty Referral Service — tested and vetted. Gardeners that really do know how to prune and can tell the difference between a perennial and a weed. Arborists who do great work and tree risk assessments, designers with degrees. Call or email PlantAmnesty to make the perfect match. 206-783-9813 or info@plantamnesty.org.

Looking for a seasoned gardener? I’ve been in business 15 years. I specialize in regu-lar maintenance of gardens and small trees, using organic methods and proper pruning techniques. Call Shannon 206-778-7426, www.shannonthegardener.com.

Trustworthy Green home repairs, paint wrk, elect, plbg, carpentry, window cleaning, “Fix-its” covering QA, Mag, Ballard, Grnlk, Ron 206-853-2051 REASORR989D2.

Nontoxic House Cleaning. Very expe-rienced, excellent references. Prefer regular clients. Please call Miyuki 253-246-7102.

Remodels, Additions Licensed, bonded skilled carpenter/contractor. References available. Tim Parker 206-718-1042 North end Seattle area. TIMPAC*077JA.

Eastside Handyman — Repair, replace, remodel, painting, carpentry, drywall, tile. Refs. Rob 206-817-0485 FISERAS988DG.

Tree pruning season is here! Detailed pruning of fruit trees, Japanese Maples, Rhodies, etc. Dan 206-234-9347. NURTUEG960D4.

Expert grounds maintenance and small tree and shrub pruning – Artemis Gardens Landscape Design. Since 2001. Estate referrals upon request. Plant Amnesty and Sky Nursery recommended. Contact us via website: Artemisgardens.net or call 206-403-0954. Licensed and Insured.

Carpet Install. Got wrinkles? Restretch-repair-install-sales. John 425-780-1129.

Remodeling-Carpentry-Tile. Reli-able-responsible-af fordable. Licensed-Bonded-Insured. Excellent references. 206-354-0118. L ic#L ARRYGR956J9. www.LarryGiesRemodeling.com.

Natural-style pruning & garden care. 39 years experience. Mart 206-789-0241.

GENERAL SERVICES

Roy’s Hauling. No job too odd. Dump runs, clean-up, deliveries. 206-723-2301.

Hauling – Will haul anything: dump ap-pliances, construction debris. Licensed and insured. Phone estimates. Eastside only. Ray Foley 425-844-2509.

Light Hauling. Dump/Move/Deliver 206-362-3895.

Expert Proofreader – spelling, grammar, punctuation and more. Reliable, meticulous, prompt. Call Rosie 206-854-8840.

Income Tax Preparation. Greg Parry CPA. $50/hr. 206-283-7397. gregparry@q.com.

Computer Support - Windows 10,8,7,XP & all versions of Office and Office365. Tablet & Smartphone setup, updates, syncing and training. Cloud backup & storage, home WiFi and networks our speciality. 25yrs exp/ $50 hr / 206-617-3308.

West Seattle Private Investigator. I do locates, process service, and legal re-search. Affordable and discreet. Contact me for a free consultation. (206) 902-1250 or angie@littleguypi.com. www.littleguypi.com Licensed & Bonded #3597.

Beautiful Mosaics for baths, kitchens, patios & more. Affordable quality work. www.liztatchell.com 206-853-9221.

Paper piles? Hate to file? Call the tidy-up Angel 206-601-7767.

HEALTH SERVICES

Dental Benefits for Everyone. All indi-viduals, couples, families, just dependents and any size of group or business. For a free brochure call Stan at 206-244-4040, www.SmartSmileDentalPlan.com.

Low Force Chiropractic – When you have tried everything else and nothing has worked, don’t give up! For people who want to feel better and don’t want the “usual” adjustment. See our video at: www.glchiro.com. Dr. Steven Polenz DC. 206-523-0121.

Organic Vitamin D. It is the ultimate immune health formula, containing 5 or-ganic wild mushrooms & wild bluegreen micro algae, www.organicvitamind.net or call 206-522-2422.

Eating Disorders Specialist, also food/weight preoccupations, body image concerns & general psychotherapy. Initial consultation-no fee. Northgate location. Susan P. Picard, LCSW 206-517-3643.

CluedIn Social Skills: Do you or a loved one have trouble making friends? Just don’t seem to understand the unspoken rules? We offer concrete, step-by-step instruction for young adults with social deficits due to autism, anxi-ety or ADHD; individual or small groups. Certi-fied PEERS provider. Check out our website: www.cluedinsocialskils.com.

Pedicures – In Home, Aged Adults. Experienced. Ref’s. Alexa-206-753-9027.

Massage in Kenmore by Dennis LaMasater, 17 years licensed-MA11363. Be pain free and relaxed! Call 206-322-2620.

Add oxygen to your house. Indoor plants sales and maintenance. 425-830-0082.

CLASSES/WORKSHOPS

Looking for fun, affordable classes in Seattle? We’re a small local program offer-ing classes in drawing and painting, writing, acting, filmmaking, music and more. More info: 123classes.com.

The World of Meditation Center offers OshoActive & Passive Meditations & Transformational Workshops. www. worldofmeditation.com tel: 206-772-8897.

Math & writing (including ESL) tutor. BA math, minor English. 22+ years experience at SCC. Jana Norton 206-501-7240.

WANT

Work for PCC Natural Markets. Posi-tions open regularly at all 10 of our locations. If you would like more information about jobs at PCC, visit pccnaturalmarkets.com or call 206-547-1222.

Organic Income Opportunity — We are a group of eco-preneurs who believe in organic foods and whole food supplements. Market-ing these products from the convenience of our homes has created an ideal lifestyle, right livelihood and financial freedom. Join us and become an eco-preneur. Call 206-522-2422 and ask for a free packet of information.

FOR SALE

For Sale: Organic Latex Mattress. Queen-1 year old from Bedrooms and More. Purchased for $2100. Selling for $1200. Call/text 206-276-3100 Eileen.

Ever thought of working for

PCC? Positions open regularly

at all 10 of our locations. If you

would like more information

about jobs at PCC, visit our web-

site at pccnaturalmarkets.com

or call our office at 206-547-1222.

11PCC SOUND CONSUMER APRIL 2016

news bites

Organic dairy, meat benefits

New research from The Organic Center

finds organic milk and meat contain 50

percent more beneficial omega-3 fats.

Organic meat contains lower concentrations

of two saturated fats, and organic milk also

has more iron, vitamin E, selenium and

carotenoids. (organic-center.org)

FDA revises raw-milk cheese stance

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration

(FDA) has revised its stance on raw-milk

cheese following a public comment period,

taking a new, supportive tone for “the great

care many take to produce raw-milk cheeses

safely.” PCC submitted comments to the

FDA (see pccnaturalmarkets.com/r/3852),

citing research that suggests the microbial

environment of raw-milk cheese inhibits the

growth of pathogens. (www.fda.gov/food)

Obama’s action on slave labor

President Obama says he’ll sign a law

to ban all imports of fish caught by slave

labor in Southeast Asia, closing a loophole

that has allowed such seafood to enter the

United States for decades. Hundreds of

people are thought to have been traded

as slaves to support Thailand’s $7.3-billion

seafood industry, and U.S.-sold shrimp and

pet food recently have been linked to slav-

ery. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration also has proposed new rules

to crack down on seafood entering Ameri-

can ports that has been caught illegally or is

fraudulently labeled. (The Guardian)

New study: fish good for brain

A study in the Journal of the American

Medical Association shows that even

though mercury levels in the brain

increased with seafood consumption, the

elevated levels may not be associated

with increased harm to the brain. Studying

postmortem brain autopsies, the researchers

found that seafood consumption was asso-

ciated with less Alzheimer’s disease neuro-

pathology despite increased mercury levels.

The level of seafood intake in the study

population was moderate, so the findings

cannot be generalized to populations with

higher seafood consumption or populations

with high mercury exposure. (Journal of the

American Medical Association)

Lead in water

While Flint, Michigan’s lead-poisoned

drinking water continues to make

headlines, studies show children in areas

with fluoridated drinking water also have

significantly higher levels of lead in their

blood. Data from the Centers for Disease

Control found that children drinking

water with fluorosilicates are 20 percent

more likely to have dangerous levels of

lead. The National Institutes of Health

and the FDA determined in the 1970s

that fluoride facilitates uptake of lead and

magnifies lead’s toxic effects on the body,

but did not take follow-up action. Recent

experiments confirm that fluoride “consis-

tently increases concentrations of lead in

blood.” (National Institutes of Health)

Pesticide combinations more toxic

Pesticides often are studied individu-

ally, but a new report by researchers

at the University of California, Los

Angeles took a rare look at several

pesticides — all fumigants — that often

are combined when applied. It found

that when mixed together, the chemi-

cals chloropicrin, 1,3-dichloropropene

and metam salts can interact and become

more toxic, endangering and leaving

farmworkers, neighbors and children

without adequate protection. Millions of

pounds of these pesticides commonly are

combined to grow non-organic strawber-

ries, tomatoes, peppers, grapes, nuts and

other crops. (Civil Eats)

Parmesan cheese fraud

The grated Parmesan some consumers

buy at other stores is not the real thing.

Bloomberg News had an independent lab

test a variety of grated Parmesan cheeses

and found significant amounts of cheap

substitutes and fillers, including cellulose,

an anti-clumping agent made from wood

pulp. Some brands contained no Parmesan

at all. PCC has verified its Parmesans are real.

(Bloomberg.com)

Testing for glyphosate in food

The FDA says it will start testing some

foods for residues of glyphosate, the

herbicide commonly used on genetically en-

gineered (GE) crops. World Health Organiza-

tions experts declared glyphosate a probable

human carcinogen last year and there’s grow-ing public concern about its safety since the Government Accountability Office rebuked the FDA for failing to do safety assessments and not disclosing this shortcoming to the public. Private companies, academics and consumer groups launched their own testing and found glyphosate in mother’s milk, in-fant formula, cereal, wheat flour, honey, soy sauce and other foods. (Civil Eats)

Maple syrup labels

Maple syrup producer groups have

sent a letter to the FDA arguing that foods labeled “maple” should contain real maple syrup. The groups say products such as Quaker Oats Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal and Hood maple walnut ice cream are in violation of FDA regulations because maple syrup is not listed on their labels as an ingredient, and that the misbranding deceives consumers and hurts those pro-ducing real maple syrup. The FDA says it’s reviewing the letter. (Associated Press)

Controversial GE banana trial

57,309 petition signatures were present-ed to Iowa State University officials and the Gates Foundation to stop a human feeding experiment with GE bananas. The University plans to pay female students $900 to eat the GE bananas, which have not been proven safe. Critics say the study also is not being conducted in a transparent manner and they have not gotten answers about the research design, risks or the nature of informed con-

sent. (desmoinesregister.com)

A Teamwork Approach to Caring for Aging ParentsJFS Caring for Our Aging Loved Ones Series

Caregiving takes good cooper- ation and communication — learn to keep the team strong.

Thursday, May 26 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.Temple De Hirsch Sinai 1441 16th Avenue, Seattle

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RSVP online: familycaregivingteam workatjfs.bpt.me.

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Center

by Laura Brady

Farmers always have been acquainted

intimately with the power of the sun.

“As far as clean energy, we are in the

solar business ourselves,” says Mike Shriver

of Rent’s Due Ranch in Snohomish County.

“We’re farmers.”

While he once may have been referring

to photosynthesis, where plants convert light

energy from the sun into chemical energy,

solar processes have taken on new meaning

for farmers in recent years.

In response to decreased solar panel

prices and increased incentives across the state

and nation, local farms are beginning to ex-

pand into the “business” of sustainable energy.

For many organic farms, installing solar

or wind power has long been a goal in line

with their sustainability ethos. Dan and Kim

Hulse of Tahoma Farms — a PCC Farmland

Trust farm that supplies carrots, cabbage and

greens to the Columbia City PCC — have 25

percent of their barn roof in panels, supply-

ing one-third of their energy needs.

“It’s in line with our broader mission of

trying to have as little impact as possible on

the environment in our farming activities,”

says Dan Hulse. “If we’re able to replace

an energy source with a renewable option,

we’d love to do that.” Savings from the solar

panels will help fund their newest project:

conversion of an old tractor with a bad en-

gine from petrol to battery-powered electric.

According to Mia Devine, project

manager at Northwest SEED, up until about

seven years ago, prices for the new tech-

nologies were prohibitive for most farms.

While some farms invested, they rarely

could afford to power a significant portion

of their activities with sustainable energy.

This was the case for Shriver, who says

he looked into installing solar panels at

various times. In addition to the sustain-

ability benefits of panels, he explains that

“[farming] is not a real lucrative business

and there are high costs in running refrig-

eration. So we’re always looking for ways

to offset that overhead.” At the time, panels

were out of reach.

Making it affordable

Then the technology changed. The

newer systems didn’t require batteries or

the level of maintenance of prior models, “a

big factor” in Shriver’s decision to install 88

solar panels on the barn this December.

Equally important to Shriver are the gov-

ernment subsidies. While the average home-

owner can expect to wait six to eight years

to see payback from installing solar panels,

grants and subsidies can reduce the wait for

farmers to as few as three to four years.

At Rent’s Due Ranch — a PCC supplier

of organic produce and plant starts since

1988 — Shriver says the newly installed pan-

els on the dairy farm should “get close” to

eliminating their electrical bill after the five

years it will take to pay off the investment.

The two main funding sources for farm-

ers are the U.S. Department of Agriculture

Renewable Energy for America Project

(REAP), established in the 2014 Farm Bill,

and the Washington state incentive program,

which rewards individuals and businesses

that install solar panels using Washington

state manufacturers. Local utilities pay these

customers for every unit of electricity they

produce, starting from whenever the panels

go online until June of 2020. In return, the

utilities receive a state tax credit. So far more

than 7,000 residents and businesses have

taken advantage of the program.

While this number is encouraging and

reflecting growth across the industry (state-

wide the industry employs 2,400 people),

program costs are approaching the incen-

tive/tax credit cap for some utilities. This

makes farmers, such as Shriver, nervous,

since it could reduce the return on invest-

ment down the road.

Proposed legislation by Washington state

representatives Jeff Morris and Norma Smith

would combat this problem by expanding

program funding. This could encourage

Learn more

Northwest SEED works with com-

munities in Washington to assist with

renewable energy development and

efficiency upgrades. In collaboration

with Tilth Producers, Northwest Seed

also hosts public farm-walks that

explore renewable energy solutions.

Upcoming farm walks are:

• April 4: Wind Energy on the Farm – Bassetti Farm & Ranch, Klickitat County

• April 25: Solar Energy on the Vine-yard – Badger Mountain Vineyard, Benton County

For more information, visit pccnaturalmarkets.com/r/3849.

more farmers to transition to solar.

Northwest SEED provides support to

farmers looking to convert, and farmers

who have made the transition to solar are

doing their best to spread the word. Says

Shriver, “We’re the first: the biggest system

in Snohomish County. But we’re trying to

get other ones on.”

The growth in the solar industry marks

an exciting new direction in the “local”

movement. Consumers can buy not just

local produce but also produce grown or

refrigerated with local energy. Solar energy

reduces petroleum use that exacerbates

climate change and keeps more money

in the pockets of hardworking farmers —

the original solar energy extractors.

FROM VEGGIES TO PANELS: SOLAR ENERGY FROM FARMS

Dusty Williams of Broadleaf Farm in Everson, Wash. showcases his farm’s solar panels. The 8.6 kW electric system, installed in July 2014, provides about 25 per-cent of the farm’s energy needs.

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