Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op / Spring 2015

Give Up! for Girls Rock in AprilCo-ops Rock!

When our co-op began back in 1971, it started from the commu-nity’s need to find things that weren’t readily available in Roanoke, things like whole grains, pure flour, pure milk. The word “organic” hadn’t attained popular recognition, yet our founders were con-cerned about the processing and foreign ingredients that had begun to spring up in the food on conventional grocery shelves. Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op’s founders decided to buy whole foods in bulk and divvied them up equally among each other. Four years later, the co-op incorporated, elected a board of directors from its ownership, and the rest, as they say, is history. So many co-ops have the same genesis story. The consumer co-op credited with starting the modern cooperative movement, The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, opened their own shop in 1844 selling sugar, flour, and oatmeal because other shop owners would overcharge for similar items by adding heavier substances like rocks and metals to their products. Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany, NY chose their name as a homage to the early Rochdale Pioneers. Today, organic foods are a big business, thanks in large part to the food co-ops that brought on the trend by opening their doors in the 70’s with the simple belief that people should get honest food at honest prices. The USDA estimates national organic retail sales reached $32 billion in 2013, according to Organic Trade Association. So, now that “organic” is all around us, our co-op’s work is done. Right? Are we all getting an honest weight? Here’s a number that helped me decide that there’s more work to be done; organic food sales of $32 billion in 2013 was a little over 4% of all US food sales. Ninety-six percent of the food we eat in the United States-over $700 billion dollars worth-still comes across the shelves and onto our plates in an unremarkable manner. There’s still room for more honesty in our food. It’s Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op’s 40th Anniversary. I invite everyone, whether you’re an owner or not, to be a part of the conversation. What’s next for our co-op? What’s next for food co-ops across our nation? Food co-ops drew attention to the fact that we the consumers deserve to know what is in the products we buy and a national focus on “organic” started trending. So, what’s next?

AdvertisingThe Co-optimist is a publication of Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op. For advertising information, please e-mail info@roanokenaturalfoods.coop or call (540) 904-5700.

Roanoke Natural Foods Co-opGrandin Village 1319 Grandin Road, SWRoanoke, VA 24015Open 8am - 9pm, Every DayPhone: (540) 343-5652 Fax: (540) 343-5711

Market Square 1 Market Square, SERoanoke, VA 24011Open 9am - 7pm, Monday - Saturday11am - 6pm, SundayPhone: (540) 904-2733 Fax: (540) 343-5711

StaffGeneral Manager: Bruce PhlegarHuman Resources Manager: Elizabeth WilsonFinance Manager: Mukesh Vora Marketing Manager: John BryantStore Manager, Market Square: Jon ShupFarm Manager: Nathan KinzieCenter Store Manager: Lisa Balkom Front End Manager: Heidi GarrabrantWellness Manager Elizabeth GoodDeli/Bakery Manager: Missy Martin Produce Manager: Emily McDonaldSpecialty Foods Manager: Diana McGuire

Editor John Bryantjohn@roanokenaturalfoods.coop

Design & Layout Joe Burge

Photography Jim Crawford

Contributors John Bryant Bob CapperJim CrawfordPete Eschelman

Board Of DirectorsPresident: Gayle Havens CooleyVice President: Bob CapperTreasurer: Ron McCorkleSecretary: Sandy TaylorAmanda CopelandSam Eakin Ian FortierBryan HantmanKerstin PlunkettKrista Stevenson

Content of this newsletter should not be used or construed as medical advice.

On the Cover: Girls Rock Roanoke camper, Annabelle.Photo by Kim Bratić.

www.roanokenaturalfoods.coop

© 2015 Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op

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Welcome

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John Bryant Marketing Manager

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40THANNIVERSARY

After moving from Washington D.C. to Roanoke, Frank and Eva Jo Wu couldn’t find the natural and organic products they had grown accustomed to buying. “We realized we would have to order it and we figured we might as well get a big bag of it. Word spread that we were doing this,” Eva Jo explained. The first order was cornmeal and whole-wheat flour. That’s how Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op was born. For the first couple of years the “store” operated out of the basement of the Wu’s home on Cave Spring Lane. 

farm in the United States. The co-op has two retail locations, 51 employees and 3,919 owners, 70% of whom are active owners, meaning they shopped at least once at Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op in the last year. We plan to celebrate our 40th anniversary throughout the year with events, special sales and random acts of kindness spread far and wide across our community. We hope you’ll join us for the first event, Earth Day at the Co-op on April 22! We’ll have tons of free tastings, our annual plant sale

By 1973 the group had expanded to about 50 families and the consensus was to move to a storefront. The group rented space, about the size of a single-car garage, at Riverjack Crafts and opened its doors to the public in January 1973. They rapidly outgrew the first store and moved next to South Jefferson Street for a brief time. Then, in 1975, moved to 813 Fifth Street. It was here that the group incorporated as the Roanoke Coopera-tive Association Ltd. on May 28, doing business as Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op. Today, Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op is the largest food co-op in Virginia and operates the largest contiguous urban

and we’re giving out commemorative 40th Anniversary reusable bags to the first 100 shoppers! Next up is our 2015 Annual Owners Social & Meeting on May 3 at the Rooftop Pavilion at Center in the Square. The guest speaker this year is YOU! We want you, our owners, to be the center of attention and share your memories and stories about our first forty years and we’ll look ahead together at the next forty. Stay informed about all the happen-ings at Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, including all of our 40th Anniversary celebrations, at www.roanokenatural-foods.coop and sign up to receive our e-newsletter, The Seed, every month.

Look for lots of celebrations throughout the year! Including our Annual Owner Social on May 3 where we invite everyone to share your favorite stories at about the co-op!

Lordy, Look Who’s 40

Top, 813 5th Street. The co-op incorporated here in 1975. Middle, GM Bruce Phlegar and HR Manager, Elizabeth Wilson at the Grand Opening of Grandin Co-op, 1999. Bottom, Ribbon cutting at Downtown Co-op, 2013.

A buying group becomes VA’s largest food co-op

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is CookingLEAP

John Bryant, Marketing Manager

The group behind Roanoke’s community markets plans to open a community kitchen and roll out a mobile market in 2015.

A gravel sub-floor, exposed ceiling and walls, stacks of building materials; it may not look like much right now, but this 769 square foot room off the back of Freedom First Credit Union on Patterson Avenue in West End is growing up to be a vibrant community space. The building is owned by the West End Center for Youth. “We’re building a kitchen, but it’s not just a kitchen,” says Maureen Best, executive director of LEAP for Local Food, “it will be a community kitchen with resources to help build more local food-based businesses.” In order to sell prepared foods, those foods must be prepared in a certified commercial kitchen, ensuring a safer product for consum-ers. The kitchen must be equipped with industrial grade coolers and freezers, stainless steel prep tables, a separate HVAC system for venting stove tops and ovens, a sprinkler system, and a 3-compartment ware-washing sink. For the majority of small, prepared-food producers it is cost prohibitive to modify their home kitchen to code, or build their own commercial kitchen. Many small producers arrange with existing restaurant businesses to use kitchen space after hours, often working a third shift schedule around the restaurant’s regular hours. The LEAP Community Kitchen will be equipped with two worksta-tions, one for baking and the other for hot prep. There will also be a shared washing station and a walk-in cooler. This unique facility will be available to use 24/7. Funding for this project came in part from a $25K USDA Local Food Promotion Program planning grant and a remarkable $100K grant from the Roanoke Women’s Foundation. Space and equipment aren’t the only obstacles that confront startup producers. “Business incubator models work better in urban settings,” Best says. “Small producers often lack experience with branding and marketing, connections with buyers, as well as funding. We see ourselves as a business incubator that will connect new food entrepreneurs with all of these community services.” Some of the most significant resources LEAP provides is the exper-tise of its staff, offering a wide range of experience in food production, connections with local farmers and buyers, like the co-op. Best worked

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as a food safety inspector in Colorado before being hired as LEAP’s execu-tive director. Brittany DeKnight, an Americorps VISTA volunteer who will finish a year-long term with LEAP in August, specializes in grant writing, fundraising, and community outreach. Market Master, Tee Reynolds, has been the face of the community markets in Grandin and West End for many seasons, keeping customers and vendors connected. Sam Lev, LEAP’s Market Coordinator and newest employee, comes to the organiza-tion with seven years experience as a pastry chef. LEAP’s connections in the community, they call them Community Partners, will prove to be equally as important for food entrepeneurs. Freedom First Credit Union’s branch in West End, which shares the building with the future community kitchen, provides funding for health food related businesses. The co-op also eagerly anticipates the locally produced products that access to a community kitchen will bring.

The community kitchen, which is scheduled to open Fall 2015, is a new endeavor for LEAP, however, turning voided spaces into bustling commu-nity places is old hat for the organization that is now in its sixth year. The organization has founded two markets in Southwest Roanoke, Grandin Village Community Market and West End Community Market, and helps operate Lick Run Market in Northwest Roanoke. Best, who is expecting with her first child in April, admits that it’s going to be a busy year. Along with the kitchen at the West End Community Market, LEAP has secured some funding from the United Way of the Roanoke Valley to start a mobile market that will serve food deserts in Roanoke. They are also partnering with Healthy Roanoke Valley and Carilion Clinic to pilot the Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program where LEAP’s mobile market will serve as a pharmacy (or maybe it’s a farmacy) and accept prescriptions written by actual doctors for locally grown produce.

“We’re building a kitchen, but it’s not just a kitchen. It will be a community kitchen with resources to help build more local food-based businesses.”

Maureen Best, LEAP Executive Director

Interested in using LEAP’s Community Kitchen?LEAP is currently looking for startup food businesses and entrepreneurs who might have the next great thing since sliced ciabatta bread. If you are interested in learning more about renting space at the LEAP Community Kitchen, please contact Maureen Best. maureen@leapforlocalfood.org or 540-339-6266.

Top, The LEAP Staff (left to right) Tee Reynolds, Sam Lev, Maureen Best, Brittany DeKnight. Middle Left, Hot Pepper Relish from Good Food - Good People at West End Community Market. Middle Right, West End Community Market is a year round staple in the neighborhood. Bottom, David Wright of Professor’s Garden is a regular vendor at the community markets.

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New Location! WASENA PARK

Sat. April 25, 10am-5pm

FREE ADMISSION & PARKING

ROANOKE FESTIVAL!

www.earthdayroanoke.com

Roanoke’s premiere Earth Day celebration is moving from the Grandin Village to a new venue at Wasena Park! Join in and celebrate with thousands of your closest friends. Earth Day Roanoke Festival at Wasena Park has it all! The greenway, Roanoke River, local farmers, teachers, gardeners, green businesses and community organizers. Find homemade crafts, DIY backyard projects, take care of trees, walk on stilts, make crafts from reused materials, scale a climbing wall, eat good food, and enjoy fine musicians from around the valley!

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REALFOOD

Beer-Batter Tempura Vegetables with Ginger Sauce

Sauce1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup rice vinegar 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Tempura12 large broccoli florets 12 large cauliflower florets 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings 1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed 1/4 cup arrowroot 1/2 cup unbleached flour 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup lager or pilsner beer, cold 1 large egg, whisked vegetable oil for deep-frying Fine salt, optional

Stir the sauce ingredients together and reserve.

Set up an ice bath to keep the batter cold:  put ice cubes in a large bowl and pour in a cup of water. You will place the bowl of batter in the ice water while you batter and fry the vegetables. Line a sheet pan with two layers of paper towels for draining the tempura as you cook, and preheat the oven to 200⁰F, if you need to hold the finished tempura for a few minutes before serving.

Prep all the vegetables-you want nice long stems on the cauliflower and broccoli florets. Cut the bell pepper, trim the asparagus bottoms. Pat the veggies dry.

In a large bowl, combine the unbleached flour, arrowroot, chickpea flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk to mix. Just before frying, measure the cold beer, quickly stir the egg into it, and stir into the flour mixture. Don’t overmix; little lumps are okay.

In a deep fat fryer or a Dutch oven, heat 3 inches of oil to 375⁰F. Working in batches of 3 or 4 pieces, dredge broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper rings, and asparagus spears in batter to coat completely, letting excess drip off, and fry, turning, until golden, about 1 minute for asparagus and peppers, 2-3 minutes for broccoli and cauliflower. Transfer the fried tempura to the prepared sheet pan, sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately or hold for up to 30 minutes in the oven.

A Japanese favorite gets a beery twist and the bubbly beer gives the batter a lacy, shatteringly crisp texture when it’s fried. Feel free to use other vegetables, as long as they are relatively dry, firm veggies, like sliced sweet potato or whole snow peas.

Recipe by Robin Asbell . This recipe and others available at www.strongertogether.coop

Preparation

Prep Time: 40 Minutes, Serves 6

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T I T L E

Scott got a job, initially so he could buy Cassie’s wedding ring, but it turned into a fortuitous 15-year upper-management career, that spanned the births of their two children, Leah and Ben. While living in Greensboro, NC, and their children entering middle school, “We realized we didn’t feel connected any more to our job and to our community,” Cassie says. “We really yearned for a deeper connec-tion to nature.” Synchronously, they’d gotten to know some folks from Floyd, and soon they took a “leap of faith” and moved to Floyd. They rented a farmhouse while building a yurt at the base of Buffalo Mountain. One evening, sitting around the living room brainstorming their next money making venture, it came

to them out of the clear blue sky: “Lets start a kombuchery.” For Cassie, the birth of Buffalo Mountain Kombucha was a by-product of their personal growth. “We’ve always just really trusted in the universe,” she says. From that day four years ago, they have taken steps toward their vision with the full support of the Floyd community. They sublet a couple of commissary kitchen spaces, then a year ago they leased the facilities at Sweet Providence Farm on Rt. 221, six miles north of the traffic light. It is a place they can grow into. Kombucha is an ancient Chinese drink, essentially a fermented brew of tea and sugar. What makes Buffalo Mountain Kombucha unique is a combination of factors. The Pierces use only yerba matte tea, a tropical medicinal plant, along with the highest quality herbs and flowers they can source to add to their kombucha. “We think of it as medicinal moonshine,” Cassie says, smiling. They work with a local farmer to supply them with ginger for their “Ginger Fizz” and are planning to develop other partnerships with local farmers to provide goji berries and elderberries. There is an even more potent ingredi-ent they add to their kombucha. After they brew the yerba matte tea and sugar, add their medicinal herbs and fruits, put them into five gallon glass fermenters,

add the culture of bacteria and yeast - the Scoby - seal cheesecloth over the jar tops and cover them with “up-cycled” t-shirts (mainly Scott’s), they then add a final special ingredient: loving intentions. Each t-shirt covered fermenter gets its own intention printed on strips of paper, such as; Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude, Flow in the River of Allowing, and Please Don’t Feed the Fears. Scott explains, “We believe that putting loving intentions on all of our fermenters helps to bring them to life even more.” Demand for their product has grown beyond current capacity. In fact, they held a successful Kickstarter campaign this year in order to buy the equip-ment necessary to double their current production of 140 gallons a week. Their growth has been consciously guided by their commitment to their ultra micro-batch philosophy. “This really lets us nurture and take hold of every single batch that we create, so we can keep it up to the highest standards,” Scott explains. “We are the ultimate taste testers of our product.” Buffalo Mountain Kombucha’s Elder-berry Jam, Ginger Fizz and Hibiscus Pomegranate, is carried by Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op. “It is such a beautiful store,” says Cassie. “It has fierce devotion by its customers, you can tell. If our product is off the shelf, they want to know when it will be coming down.”

LOCALFOCUS

Buffalo MountainKombuchaStars aligned in 1997 when Scott and Cassie Pierce met at Kent State University. They knew immediately they were meant to spend “many moons together.”

Jim Crawford Marketing Specialist

What is S.C.O.B.Y?Scoby stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.” It looks like a thick, rubbery, cream-colored disk, yet it houses all the bacteria and yeast that go into brewing kombucha. The same scoby can be reused in each batch of kombucha.

- from True Brews by Emma Christensen. Sold at the co-op.

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T I T L E

B O D YC O P Y

Fermenting station One hundred and forty gallons of kombucha ferment for a week on heated shelves adjacent to the ample kitchen space at Sweet Providence Farms in Floyd.

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Loving Intentions A five gallon glass fermenter jar, its mouth capped with cheesecloth and body shrouded with an “up-cycled” Bob Marley t-shirt, displays its own loving intention: Please Don’t Feed The Fears. “We feel that love is definitely nurtured into our product as a natural extension,” Scott says. “We truly do love what we are doing.”

Trust in the Universe Cassie and Scott Pierce, Buffalo Mountain Kombu-cha owners; four years and counting. “We get approached all the time by kombucha drinkers that are feeling better physically because they are drink-ing our product,” says Cassie, “and that is the fun part, to really get to educate people about how to help heal themselves. I really enjoy that aspect.”

Our Elixir “You know these are moonshine runnin’ hills,” Cassie says, “our ‘bootch’ (instead of ‘hootch’) has more of a medicinal quality to it. We think of it as medicinal moonshine.”

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This year’s election will fill four seats on the board of directors. Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op’s owners will receive their 2015 Board Elections Ballots in the mail. Each owner receives one ballot and may vote for up to four candidates! Ballots must be returned before the votes are counted at the Annual Owners’ Meeting and Social on May 3 at the Rooftop Pavilion at Center in the Square. We would like you to meet the 8 co-op owners running for a seat on the board of directors.

Johannes “Joe” Hobson Joe earned an Associate Degree in Electronics from Danville Community College, and further studies in Electri-cal Engineering at Hampton University. Joe’s career took him from sales and management with Williams Supply

to his recent retirement as a department manager at Lowe’s. He serves as a deacon at Shiloh Baptist Church in Salem and volunteers every week in the kitchen at the Rescue Mission. He is married with two children and six grandchildren and enjoys playing golf and following college football and basketball.

Matt Clark Matt is the manager of the River House complex in Wasena, overseeing the operation of the adaptive-reuse apartment and com-mercial building. He has held various management positions, from crew boss on wildfire assignments to

owning and operating a construction firm that specialized in speculative real estate, sustainable construction, and historic restoration. He has experience in committee governance from his service on the board of directors of the Roanoke Regional Homebuilders. He also brings experience in budgeting, sales, marketing, customer service, real estate and many other areas of business operation. Matt enjoys an active lifestyle, learning about new things, and tackling new projects.

Patricia Graham Pat’s work experience includes mostly office work in the legal field, having been a legal secretary and a Circuit Court deputy clerk working in the court-room. Pat grew up in Roanoke but was away for forty years. Upon

returning to the valley and discovering Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, she became an owner and a regular customer. She has a keen interest in all things healthy and a desire for others to pursue healthier, well-informed, and balanced lives.

Bryan Hantman (incumbent) Bryan has served on Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op’s board since relocat-ing to the area from Baltimore, MD, in 2011. He has served as nominations committee chair and has been active with communications initiatives of the

board. In addition to his work with the co-op, Bryan has experi-ence working in and with various cooperatives and collectives in College Park, MD, Washington, DC, and Madison, WI. Bryan has an interest in organic and biodynamic farming, cooking, and holistic health and nutrition. He is currently marketing manager at the Taubman Museum of Art. Bryan is also on the media team and a competitive athlete at Brickhouse CrossFit.  Bryan lives on 4-acres in Southwest County with his wife Doreen and can be found most weekends working on some fancy-pants recipe.

2015BOARD ELECTIONS

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Your vote matters, so make your voice heard! It’s as easy as 1 - 2 - 3:1. Get your ballot in the mail or pick it up at either Grandin Co-op or Downtown Co-op.2. Vote! Use a pencil, pen, crayon, marker...anything! Vote for Up to Four candidates that you would like to see on your board!3. Turn in your ballot at either co-op location or mail it in before May 3. Or bring it in person to the Owner Social on May 3.

Shannon Shaffer Shannon is an Employment Specialist and Area Coordinator at Rehabilitative Services and Vocational Placement, Inc. She is a job coach and manages five other job coaches in their work. Shannon holds a BA in Sociology from Universi-ty of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Currently,

Shannon serves on the board of the Junior League of Roanoke Valley as President-Elect and will serve as President for the 2015-16 year. Shannon grew up in Pennsylvania on a dairy farm, complete with a country store that sold milk in glass jars, animal feed, supplies, candy, ice cream, and fertilizers. She has lived in Roanoke for twelve years and loves the mountains, the people, the arts and the opportunity. She and her daughter, Adair, are animal lovers and share their home with their two dogs, Cloey and Cocoa.

Sandy Taylor (incumbent) A member of the co-op’s board for over eight years, Sandy has served as an officer, and works with the co-op’s Give Up! program. She is a vegetarian and supports cruelty-free products, educa-tion regarding healthful food and life-styles, and sustainable farming practic-

es. Sandy is a graduate of UNC, a Licensed Professional Counselor, and has worked in social services, hospitals, and schools. She ran an on-line business, served in various managerial positions and is an experienced writer and editor. Volunteer work includes counseling in sexual assault and suicide prevention programs, and at the Roanoke Free Clinic. She also served on the board of Children, Youth, and Family Services in Charlottesville. In her spare time, Sandy enjoys music, gardening and family beach trips.

Leah Humerickhouse Leah is a graduate of the University of Mary-land with a BS in psychology. She has worked at Total Action for Progress providing counseling and support as well as preparing and teaching a nutrition workshop for TAP clients. Leah is now a Master Level Therapist at

Lewis Gale Center for Behavioral Healthcare where she provides support for individuals with emotional, behavioral and men-tal health needs. Leah is passionate about mental health and providing quality mental health services to our community. She is very interested in the effects of nutrition and exercise on both physical and mental well-being. In her spare time, Leah likes spending time with her husband and two children, while enjoying running, kickboxing and is an avid cook and baker.

Devona Sherwood Devona has 20 years of national and international professional experience in program design and management with a focus on sustainable agriculture, and enter-prise and economic development. As Senior Program Officer with the Wallace Center, she focuses on building local,

sustainable agricultural models, including food hubs. Devona developed and manages technical assistance and training programs for farmers, food hubs, cooperatives, and organizations that focus on food. She holds a masters in Natural Resource Policy and Administration. Along with her husband, two daughters and three dogs, Devona runs a small organic farm in Check with a small fruit orchard, free-roaming pastured chickens, and grows food using organic, sustainable and regenerative practices.

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BOARDTALK

Bob CapperBoard Vice President

In cooperation,

Well it’s early 2015, a brand new year and spring will soon be upon us! With much of the board work required as a result of our recent expansions now behind us, the board is beginning to turn back to its obligations to be continually looking 5, 10 and even 15 years down the road to visioning the course of our organization’s long term plans and future direction. An essen-tial part of excelling at our role as a visioning entity is to ensure that we have both the skills and the information needed to meet that challenge.

In 2015 we will be putting renewed energy into educating ourselves about long term opportunities that may emerge as well as the ever evolving body of knowledge regarding best board governance practices. But there is one additional and most critical aspect to our visioning process, that is you, our owners. We can only be confident in the direction we set, to the degree that we engage and understand the needs and desires of you, our fellow owners, in this cooperative community we are so fortunate to reside. So we encourage you now, as always, this is your store, we are your board, come and join us with your voices, inform us of your needs and desires for a common vision of the future of this great organization!

2015 Owner Social & MeetingCelebrate 40 Years of Neighborhood Food!

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Join other owners of Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op at the Rooftop Pavilion at Center in the Square for a night of celebration and conversation. The multi-level green roof offers spectacular views of downtown Roanoke and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Your ticket includes one free drink (beer/wine cash bar all night) and a light meal. During the meeting portion of the evening, we’ll hear from general manager Bruce Phlegar, our board candidates and our current board members. We’ll also ask our owners to share their stories about the co-op as we celebrate the monumental mark of 40 years of serving the Roanoke Valley. Elections results will also be announced at the conclusion of the meeting.

Meeting: 6:30pmShare your stories about our first 40 years and hear others’ stories.

Social: 5:00pm $10 per owner, tickets available at both co-op locations. Owners may purchase 1 additional guest ticket.

Sunday, May 3, 2015Rooftop Pavillion at Center in the Square1 Market St SE, Roanoke

» Owners are welcome to attend all board meettings; the board meets on the 3rd Monday of each month.

Co-op Shoppers Give Up! Thousands

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Give Up! received 28 applications for consideration in 2015. Over to the right, check out the twelve organizations chosen by the co-op’s Give Up! committee made up of employees and board members. In April, co-op shoppers can Give Up! to Girls Rock Roanoke. The organization empowers girls and women through music, creative expression and collaboration. At their week-long Girls Rock Roanoke day camp, girls ages 8-16 form bands, write their own songs, and perform at a final showcase. They also participate in workshops on women’s history, women’s music history, DIY clothing, ‘zines, body confidence, stage performance, teamwork, tech talk, the business of music and more! Funds raised through the Give Up! program will support the Girls Rock Roanoke Camp in July 2015, including supplies and scholarships for campers who may be unable to pay the tuition fee. Rock on!

Community Change

GIVEUP!

Give Up! Recipients

Roanoke Children’s Theatre

Project Access Rnk Valley

Plenty!

Girls Rock! Roanoke

Wildlife Care Alliance

Center in the Square

Conflict Resolution Center

Girls on the Run Roanoke

Mill Mtn Garden Club

Blue Rdg Land Conservancy

Local Office on Aging

Community Youth Program

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$1,324

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(at print deadline) $390

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Organization2015 Raised

Applications for 2016 open June 1, 2015!The Co-op is looking for organizations that are making a difference right here in the Roanoke Valley to participate in our Give Up! program. We will open the online application from June 1 - December 1 and announce our 2016 recipients in December.

» Visit www.roanokenaturalfoods.com/give-up to learn more

Habitat for Humanity Roanoke Valley, November 2014

Children’s Trust of the Roanoke Valley, December 2014

Roanoke Children’s Theatre, January 2015Cour

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HEALTH&WELLNESS

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“Just the act of being outside for a few minutes can

reduce stress and increase overall happiness.” Pete Eshelman, Director, Roanoke Outside

One of the great things about living in Roanoke is the access to the mountains, rivers, and trails that crisscross the region. Getting outside and taking advantage of this access can have a huge positive impact on your health, both mental and physical. Taking a hike or breaking a sweat on a trail run has fairly obvious physical health benefits, from heart health to weight loss. Exercise is exercise after all, even when you do it outside. Outside exercise has the added benefit of exposure to natural light and thus an increase in Vitamin D levels, essential for bone and cell growth. The effect the outdoors has on mental health is less obvious, but no less important. Getting outside, even in a casual or less intense way, has a tremen-dous impact on your brain. Studies show that being outside increases brain functions like concentration and creativity. Just the act of being outside for a few minutes can also reduce stress and increase overall happiness. While the upshot of getting outside may seem like a no-brainer, these days it can be easy to neglect. This is especially true for young people who have traded outside play time for inside screen time, but the results are real and easily achievable for both kids and adults. You don’t have to be a hardcore athlete to reap the benefits; you simply have to walk out the door.

To learn more about outdoor opportunities and more, visit www.roanokeoutside.com.

HERE’S HOW TO GET STARTED

The Greenways - Taking a walk on Roanoke’s Greenway system is a great way to get outside in a low-stress, low impact way.

McAfee Knob - This moderate, 7-mile hike gets you to the most photographed spot on the A.T. and is a Roanoke classic.

Mill Mountain - Whether you are hiking, biking, or just taking in the view, the trails of Mill Mountain are perfect for a quick outing close to downtown. Carvins Cove - The second largest municipal park in the U.S. offers 50+ miles of trails and an 800-acre reservoir perfect for paddling and fishing.

Get Outside & Get Healthy

Spring 2015 15

In this month-long series from Andrea Mattioni-Willis you will learn the in’s and out’s of being a vegan. From breakfast to lunches and snacks to dinner and finally a potluck! For anyone interested in a different diet and lifestyle this is the class for you!

Summertime, and the living is easy… or is it?  The answer is Yes, when you apply a few simple principles of diet and lifestyle.  Join us as we make a refreshing beverage and see how Ayurveda can help support your digestion, improve your outlook and create your best summer yet!

Vegan for Beginners A Four Part SeriesAll Tuesdays in April, 6:30 - 8pm Comm. Room, $10/$5 Owners per class

Keeping Your Cool with AyurvedaTuesday, May 19, 6:30 - 8:00pm Community Room, $10/$5 Owners

Tasty, go-to vegetables good for your gut! Fun with Fermentation is the class to learn the basics of fermenting vegetables.  Join Carolyn Reilly of Four Corners Farm as she walks you through the fermentation process and shares her experience, including the joys and mistakes of fermenting.  Tasting included!

Fun with Fermentation! Monday, May 11, 6:30 - 8:00pm Community Room, $10/$5 Owners

Tired of buying eggs from far off locales in the refrigerated section of the grocery store? Learn how to keep your own urban chickens. Both Ian and Carolyn Reilly of Four Corners Farm will teach you how to make your chicken a happy chicken!

Backyard Chickens Monday, April 13, 6:30 - 8pm Community Room, $10/$5 Owners

Events April - May

Sign up today » Sign up for classes at the Grandin Co-op. Class seating is limited, prepayment is required.

» See Page 6 for more info.

» See Page 12 for more info.

Classes April - May

Join us for a quick cleanup of Wasena Park on Clean Valley Day. Wear work clothes, bring gloves and a friend! We’ll meet at the shelter near the playground at Wasena Park, 9am. The co-op will provide trash bags, water & a light snack.

Free samples and tastings all day long at both co-op locations! First 100 shoppers at both locations receive a free commemorative 40th anniversary reusable bag!

Wasena Park CleanupSaturday, April 11, 9am -12pmWasena Park

Earth Day Roanoke FestivalSaturday, April 25, 10am - 5pmWasena Park

Annual Owner Social & MeetingSunday, May 3, 5pm - 8pmRooftop Pavilion, Center in the Square

Earth Day at the Co-op!Wednesday, April 22Grandin Co-op & Downtown Co-op

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Join Us April 25 at the Earth Day Festival at Wasena Park!

Global Ends

Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op exists to create a vibrant, local and sustainable cooperative

community where decisions are grounded in the balance of economic, social and

environmental responsibilities.

Grandin Village1319 Grandin Road, SW

Roanoke, VA 24015 (540) 343-5652

Downtown1 Market Square, SERoanoke, VA 24011

(540) 904-2733

www.roanokenaturalfoods.coop

the valley's music place

building community...naturally.

101.5fm

www.1015tvmp.comstream us live on the internet