As a co-operative grocery store, we have an insatiable curiosity about what other co-ops around the country are doing.  Fortunately in this era of social media, keeping up with our co-op cousins is as simple as clicking “Follow” on Twitter – and as a result of a few hundred such clicks, we continually run across interesting stories, nutritional resources, and fun food facts worth sharing (or, to use the SM vernacular, “retweeting”).

We thought it might be nice for our customers to have access to some of the best links we’ve discovered over the previous week.  So, grab yourself a cup of coffee or beverage of choice, settle back, and prepare to be challenged, entertained, inspired, amused, or whatever other emotion takes you away from the humdrum and into the wonderful world of natural food.

Welcome to the Boise Co-op Weekly Reader!

The Wheatsville Co-op Rocks!

If you had any doubts about the vibrancy of the music scene in Austin, Texas, this little ditty from our fellow co-operators at the Wheatsville Co-op should remove them.  As we enter another year of the My Co-op Rocks! contest, this winning video from last year’s competition might just be the inspiration you need to come on down to your own local grocery store and work your magic.  Follow this link to learn more!

It Takes a Village to Raise a Village

With 2012 being the International Year of Co-operatives, poet Mary Pinkoski offers this spoken word tribute from Edmonton, Canada.

From Farm to Table: Importance of Produce

Matt Habash, President and CEO of Mid-Ohio Food Bank discusses the importance of sourcing more fresh produce to help feed the 49 million Americans at risk of hunger, and the role of farmers in helping the Feeding America network meets its goal of sourcing a total of one billion pounds of fresh produce by 2015.

The Right to Know

One of the biggest challenges any grocery store or consumer faces in making the decision to purchase genetically modified foods is simply identifying them to begin with.  That’s where Just Label It! comes in.

Getting “All The Dirt” on Small Scale Farming

A new book by three Vancouver Island organic farmers is both an inspirational account of modern agricultural life and a cautionary tale of long hours and low pay.  All the Dirt: Reflections on Organic Farming is a memoir and an instruction manual written by a trio of young women who each started her own small-scale farm about 10 years ago.

Getting Back to Basics at Farmers Markets

Notice how much Boise’s Capital City Public Market has grown over the years?  Turns out that the City of Trees is not alone in creating venues to get people closer to where their food comes from.  Here’s a story from Southgate, Michigan.

20 Uses for Leftover Fruit and Vegetable Rinds and Peels

It’s not like we’d ever want to discourage you from shopping in our grocery store for green cleaning products, but with Earth Day coming up, here are some timely tips for using fruits and veggies before they find their way into your compost bin.

Starting this month, the Co-op is introducing a new program that will further benefit everyone who walks into our store, member and non-member alike: Co+op Deals.  Beginning in April, we will distribute coupon books at our checkout lines with page after page of special offers that are good until May 31, 2012 – offers that include $1.00 off any boxed cereal from Nature’s Path, $.75 off any non-dairy beverage from Westsoy, $1.00 off Napa Valley Naturals cooking oils, and $.75 off Santa Cruz Organic applesauce.

In addition to grocery items, our Co+op Deals coupon books include discounts on frozen food items from Cascadian Farms, Amy’s, and Kashi, as well as supplements and health & beauty products.  In fact, you’ll find about 40 coupons in each book – and customers are not limited to the number of coupon books they can take.

Combined with the sale items advertised in our monthly flyer, as well as our member specials, Co+op Deals (which comes out six times a year) represents yet another way we’re making the Boise Co-op shopping experience more affordable, as well as more fun and nutritious.  Shop smart, save money, and live well.

As a co-operative grocery store, we have an insatiable curiosity about what other co-ops around the country are doing.  Fortunately in this era of social media, keeping up with our co-op cousins is as simple as clicking “Follow” on Twitter – and as a result of a few hundred such clicks, we continually run across interesting stories, nutritional resources, and fun food facts worth sharing (or, to use the SM vernacular, “retweeting”).

We thought it might be nice for our customers to have access to some of the best links we’ve discovered over the previous week.  So, grab yourself a cup of coffee or beverage of choice, settle back, and prepare to be challenged, entertained, inspired, amused, or whatever other emotion takes you away from the humdrum and into the wonderful world of natural food.

Welcome to the Boise Co-op Weekly Reader!

Kiddies in the Kitchen

There is a contagious excitement from kids when they begin discovering the joy of cooking. Simple tasks like cracking eggs or stirring a soup can engage children, leading them on a learning adventure and helping them try new foods through flavor exploration.  This blog from PCC Natural Markets will inspire parents of young children to make the kitchen a place where learning and magic…as well as nutrition… happen.

Putting Food Scraps to Work

Organics make up a huge part of the overall waste stream, and while recycling is more commonplace than ever, composting is still catching up. Municipalities throughout Canada are at various stages of implementing residential kitchen-scrap-pickup programs, and most restaurants and hotels have long been eco-conscious about their organic trash.  Learn more about what they’re doing in this story that Eating Locally shared with us.

Sowing the Seeds of Change

Local people growing and selling their own food products, improving the environment and helping low-income residents eat better are the goals of Seeds of Change Appalachia Coalition.  Yet another dispatch from the local food front.

Coming to the Big Screen: The Co-op Story

The co-operative business model is set to hit the big screen in a new film telling the story of the birth of the movement now headed by a Bradford-born retail boss.  The 52-minute feature film is being funded by The Co-operative Group, now headed by Bingley-based Peter Marks, whose origins go back to the original ‘Rochdale Pioneers’, to celebrate the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives, 2012.  You’ll find organic popcorn on Aisle 2.

Food Hubs: How Small Farmers Get to Market

Ask most small and mid-sized farmers who sell food to a local audience what they like least about their job and they will probably say marketing and distribution.  Enter the Food Hub.

Pop Up Farms

Here’s a story from the UK that made me think of our Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS) program (our Shop for Good recipient for April).  If nothing else, efforts to connect kids to the soil as part of the learning process make it less likely that when asked, “Where does your food come from?”, the answer will be: “The grocery store.”

The Benefits of Pasture-Raised Meat

If you still find yourself wondering, “What’s the big deal about grass-fed beef?”, here’s an article from the San Francisco Bay Area that will help explain why we’re proud to feature local producers such as Homestead Natural Foods and Aldersprings Ranch.

Planning a home or office party? Tired of fried foods and chips? Now you can have delicious and healthy Sushi at your next event! Made to order, your sushi platter will be prepared with the freshest fish and all organic produce.

All platters come with wasabi, pickled ginger, soy sauce and chopsticks. Please mention any allergies when calling and provide 48 hour notice. Prices listed do not include tax and are for pick-up only. Drop-off platters are available for an extra charge.

The #1: 50 Pieces–$49.95
California Rolls–Spicy Tuna Rolls–Philly Rolls–Dynamite Prawn Rolls–Avocado Rolls

The #2:  75 Pieces–$74.95
California Rolls–Tuna Rolls–Southside Philly Rolls–Samurai Rolls–Spicy California Rolls–Eel Rolls
Shrimp Nigiri–Smoked Salmon Nigiri–Tuna Sashimi

The #3: 75 Pieces (Vegetarian)–$50.95
Spicy Veggie Rolls-Sunflower Rolls–Avocado Rolls–Cucumber Rolls–Sweet Tofu Inari Pockets

The #4: 100 Pieces–$99.95
California Rolls–Tuna Rolls–Spicy Tuna Rolls–Philly Rolls–Dynamite Prawn Rolls–Eel Rolls–Samurai Rolls–Dynamite Tuna Rolls–Shrimp Nigiri–Smoked Salmon Nigiri–Tuna Nigiri–Tuna Sashimi

We also offer on-site sushi preparation, for your party or event.

Need a customized or larger platter? We can do that as well. For pricing or to place your order, please call Scott at the Boise Co-op Meat & Seafood Department. Phone-472-4516

To see our daily sushi menu, please click here.

Freshness and flavor matter to us!

• We use only the freshest organic produce available.
• We use only real Chilean Rock Crab (never imitation!), fresh sashimi grade Yellowfin Tuna, and feature several unique, house-made sauces.
• You may get your roll made with whole grain brown rice upon request.
• All orders come with natural pickled ginger (no food coloring or aspartame), washabi and light soy sauce.
• Design your own roll (list at the bottom of this page), or order from our menu.
• Beautiful, affordable party platters are available! Click here for our Catering Menu.
  

Veggie Sushi -$5.99

• Spicy Veggie Crunch- Leaf lettuce, Sriracha, Carrot, Green Onion, Sesame Seeds, Cucumber.
• Sunflower Roll- Sunflower Seeds, Carrot, Roasted Red Peppers, Green Onion, Cucumber and Avocado.
• Inari Roll- Inari Tofu, Carrot, Green Onion, Sesame Seeds and Avocado.
• Rice Pearl- Inside/Out Roll. Cream Cheese, Green Onion, Carrot and Cucumber. Topped with rice pearls.
• Linda’s Roll- Sunflower Seeds, Mango, Cream Cheese, Roasted Red Peppers, Carrots and Avocado.
• Fire Roll- Inside out Roll. Carrot, Avocado and Cucumber. Topped with Togarashi Chili Spice.
• Inari Box- Six Sweet Tofu pouches, filled with seasoned Brown Rice, Green Onion, Sesame Seeds and Carrot.
• Veggie Chirashi Bowl- Made with brown or white rice. Carrot, Mango, Cucumber, Avocado, Carrot, Roasted Red Peppers, Green onion, Inari Strips. Topped with Sesame and Sunflower Seeds.
• Inari Combo- Half of any roll above with three Sweet Inari Tofu Pouches.

Seafood Sushi/Cooked – $6.99

• California Roll- Chilean Rock Crab, Avocado, Sesame Seeds. Rolled Inside Out.
• Spicy California Roll- Tobiko, Chilean Rock Crab, House Made Spicy Mayonnaise, Avocado. Rolled Inside Out.
• Dynamite Prawn Roll- Shrimp, House Made Spicy Mayonnaise, Carrot, Lettuce, Avocado.
• Samurai Roll- Chilean Rock Crab, Sriracha, Shrimp, Carrot, Green Onion, Avocado.
• Philly Roll- Cold Smoked Salmon, Organic Cream Cheese, Green Onion, Cucumber.
• Southside Philly Roll- Cold Smoked Salmon,Organic Spicy Cream Cheese, Green Onion, Cucumber.
• Kabayaki Unagi Roll- Freshwater Eel, Green Onion, Avocado.Topped with House Made Eel Sauce and Sesame Seeds.

Seafood Sushi/Raw – $6.99

• Tuna Roll- Yellowfin Tuna and Avocado.
• Spicy Tuna Roll- Yellowfin Tuna, Sriracha, Tobiko and Cucumbers.
• Dynamite Tuna Roll- Yellowfin Tuna, House made Spicy Mayonnaise, Carrot, Green Onion, Avocado.
• Hamachi Roll- Yellowtail Tuna and Avocado.
• Spicy Hamachi Roll- Yellowtail Tuna, Tobiko, Sriracha, Cucumber.

Chirashi & Combos – $7.99

• Chirashi (Scatter Sushi Bowl)- Rice Topped with Yellowfin & Yellowtail Tuna, Chilean Rock Crab, Cold Smoked Salmon, Shrimp, Avocado, Cucumber, Carrot, Sesame Seeds.
• Nigiri Combo- Half of Any Roll with your choice of Four Piece Nigiri.
• Nigiri Options: Ebi (Shrimp)
• Maguro (Yellowfin Tuna)
• Hamachi (Yellowtail Tuna)
• Sake (Cold Smoked Salmon)
• Unagi (Freshwater Eel)

Create Your Own Roll – $7.99

Let your creativity run wild!

FISH:

• Chilean Rock Crab
• Cold Smoked Salmon
• Freshwater Eel
• Hamachi (White Tuna)
• Maguro (Red Tuna)
• Shrimp
• Tobiko (Flying Fish Roe)

VEGGIES:

• Asparagus (seasonal)
• Avocado
• Cucumber
• Carrots
• Green Onion
• Jalapeno
• Roasted Red Pepper
• Mango (seasonal)
• Lettuce
• Sesame Seeds
• Sunflower Seeds
• Togarashi (Japanese Five Pepper Spice)
• Rice Pearl (Crisp Tapioca)

EXTRAS:

• Brown Rice
• White Rice
• Kabayaki Sauce
• Spice Ponzu Sauce
• Spicy Sweet Sauce
• Wheat-Free Tamari
• Sriacha
• Spicy Mayonnaise
• Cream Cheese
• Soy Wrapper (add $1.00)

(We have to say this: Consuming raw or undercooked meats, seafood, shellfish or eggs, may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.)

Please click here to read the agenda for this meeting.

Our Board can be reached at boardofdirectors@boisecoop.com

Ben Kuzma

We recently took time to do an after event postmortem of the Boise Co-op election process shortly after the ballot results had been tallied. Not surprisingly there are many aspects of the election process that could have gone more smoothly, but we are very pleased with the process overall. Some highlights of our analysis:

There were more votes than necessary to have a valid election:
The new bylaws put into effect last summer by the Board, established a quorum requirement to conduct Co-op business during an election (ballots from 1,000 or 3% of eligible member-owners, whichever is less).  We were concerned about a low voter turnout – we needed at least 784 valid ballots, but we received 967!

Member-owners voted overwhelmingly for the changes to our Articles of Incorporation:
The most substantive change to the Articles may have gone by unnoticed because even for anyone with a good understanding of the nature of the cooperative business model, it’s more complicated than what meets the eye. Although the newly changed bylaws gave the Board the language they needed to issue patronage rebates to member-owners, the old Articles of Incorporation did not give the Board the authority to issues shares which is necessary to act upon the new language in the bylaws. With this election we are – in the eyes of the law – a consumer cooperative entitled to all of its advantages; we now operate under the 7 cooperative principles; we are required to return at least 20% and up to 100% of the Co-op’s profits generated from member-owner purchases back to our members in profitable years and it will take a vote by a quorum of member-owners to make further changes to the bylaws or the Articles of Incorporation.

Board meetings and annual Member-owner meetings will be regularly scheduled and announced well ahead time to encourage participation:
With so little time between when the new bylaws that took effect at the end of the summer and when the election took place, there was little time to thoroughly plan for this event. The Board will develop a planning calendar that will lay out the important dates during the year – deadline dates for the election process; when the annual Member-owner’s meeting will take place; when and where regular Board meetings will take place. Forums will be arranged before the election so that member-owners may meet the election candidates. Committees that may include member-owners will be used for activities such a reviewing our financials or conducting an annual election. Our member-owners will be better informed about what’s happening at the Co-op during the next election.

The voting process will be streamlined:
The election process itself was adapted from the way several other food co-ops conduct their elections. It had high integrity with the use of double envelopes and with precise procedures about how the votes were counted and verified, but there is much that can be done to improve the process. It was at times cumbersome, fairly expensive (mailing ballots to ~24,000 households is costly!) and not very intuitive. We are looking at electronic voting, which is allowable under the new bylaws for potential future voting. If you have any ideas about how the voting process can be improved please let us know.

Thank you to the 974 member-owners who participated in this learning experience which was accomplished by courageously going forward and just doing it. In certain areas, the election could have gone better but it will improve as we gain experience with more practice. I look forward to the next Co-op election cycle with even more member-owners participating.

Tuesday, November 1, 6:00 pm
The Linen Building
(1402 Grove Street, Boise)

The Boise Co-op’s Annual Member Meeting and Board of Directors election will take place on November 1. This is an opportunity for our members to discuss ideas and concerns about the future direction of the Boise Co-op with our Board, General Manager, staff and fellow members. You’ll also be asked to elect three Board members and vote on proposed amendments to the Co-op’s Articles of Incorporation. This email will introduce you to our Board nominees and address other details you’ll need to make an informed decision. Please attend this meeting and exercise your rights as a shareholder of the Boise Consumer Co-op!

Function of the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is the governance body for the corporation under which the Boise Co-op is structured. Directors are responsible for overseeing the operations and finances of the Co-op with all that entails, and each offers his or her skills and experiences toward that task. The Board hires and oversees a General Manager who is responsible for day-to-day operations.

Three of our current Directors’ terms end in 2011, so Boise Co-op members will be voting to fill those seats. All three of the incumbents are running for re-election, and we are happy to introduce two additional candidates from within our membership. Directors elected in 2011 are expected to serve a full three-year term.

Meet the Candidates

Patrick Haas (incumbent)
Pat has been a member of the Boise Co-op for over 25 years and has served on the Board since 2005. Active in co-ops for over 40 years, he was a co-founder of a chain of neighborhood co-ops in Dallas in the early 1970s. He worked as an executive in the food service business for 26 years, and feels his experience in business and management has enabled him to assist the Boise Co-op in its transition to a more professional organization both in terms of finance and personnel. During his tenure on the Board, he has worked to put the “co-op” back into the business by improving communication with members, encouraging transparency and member participation, and sharpening the emphasis on local, healthy products and community support. Pat intends to continue to work for the benefit of the Boise Co-op and its member-owners.

Steve Lester (incumbent)
Steve has been a member of the Boise Co-op since its inception in 1973, and was a volunteer at the original location in Hyde Park. He works in natural resource management, and over the past 32 years has held positions with the US Forest Service, Idaho Department of Lands, and Idaho Department of Water resources. A member of the Boise Co-op Board of Directors since 2008, Steve has been instrumental in facilitating communication between the Co-op and its members, and has dedicated himself to enhancing member benefits. He played an active role in revising the Bylaws and hiring our new General Manager, and believes that being present at the creation of our new direction makes him particularly well-suited to help build a better Co-op. Steve sees himself as an “average member,” and brings that perspective to his work on the Board.

Robert Shepard
Robert has been a Boise Co-op member since 1993, and offers a diverse background in business development and operations, economic consulting, strategic planning and college-level teaching. His years of experience have honed his expertise in feasibility studies and the creation of business plans. He understands the value of customer service and respects the need to create a great shopping experience for Co-op members. He wants to be on the Board to help ensure that our shoppers’ money stays local instead of going to a corporate office in another state, and to assist the Co-op in its continuing mission to offer quality products in a quality environment with excellent service. Robert is committed to the sustainability of the Boise Co-op and its members.

Carole Skinner (incumbent)
Carole has been a Boise Co-op member since 1983, and is the owner and operator of The Flicks, a landmark business that has enriched our community since 1984. She is the recipient of the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts (1997), Idaho Business Review’s Women’s Excellence in Business Award (2000), the United Vision for Idaho Award for Most Progressive Business Person (2002), and the Community Heroine Treasure Valley Public Access Television Award in 2009. She is a proud member of Think Boise First. Carole sees strong parallels between The Flicks and the Boise Co-op, which share many loyal customers and as well as a unique place in the hearts of our town’s citizens. She believes that her skills in marketing, resource management and community outreach over the past 27 years will be a strong asset to the Co-op’s Board of Directors.

Tara “TJ” Stevens
Tara has been a Boise Co-op member since 2004, and as an advocate of the local food movement believes the Co-op plays an important role in providing products, education and outreach to our community. She is a manager at REI, where she has developed systems and processes that ensure an efficient and profitable business, and is the Education Director for the Boise Rec Fest. Tara intends to bring to the Board a fresh perspective, a proven track record in business planning, and a passion for sustainable, local foods. She feels her distinct skills and experience as a business leader and champion of change will be an asset in keeping the Co-op relevant, competitive, and effective in the face of competition.

Proposed Changes to our Articles of Incorporation

The Board of Directors is asking members to approve amendments to the Boise Co-op’s Articles of Incorporation. The substantive changes that would be made by these amendments (number references being to the amended and restated Articles) are as follows:

• In Article II, to improve the statement of purpose, including adding the requirement that the Boise Co-op be operated on a cooperative basis and in accordance with cooperative principles.
• In Article V, to authorize the advantageous procedure of issuing shares to acknowledge the contributed capital of members.
• In Article VI, to facilitate the limited immunity of directors from personal liability.
• In Article VII, to facilitate the beneficial procedure of distributing patronage dividends.
• In Article VIII, to adopt sensible and equitible rules for liquidating distributions.

The amendments also eliminate unnecessary verbiage from the Articles, and would consolidate the original and all amendments into a single new document.  These changes have been reviewed by the Board and are believed to be advantageous for both the Co-op and its members.

To read our current Articles, please follow this link. There is also an amendment from November, 2003, which may be read here.

Click here to read the proposed updated Articles of Incorporation in their entirety.

Procedure for Voting

Voting officially begins on Monday, October 3, 2011. Ballots are being mailed to members, and you may also pick one up at the store. The locked ballot box will be located at the front of the store. The right to vote is limited to members who are current in their equity payments on September 30, 2011, or who are of low-income status. Each member number receives one vote.

For more information, please contact our Board of Directors at boardofdirectors@boisecoop.com

It’s no exaggeration to say that our members have an opportunity to determine the evolution of our store’s relationship and relevance to our community. Now is the time for all good members to come to the aid of their Co-op!

There’s a lot at stake in our upcoming Annual Member Meeting and Board of Directors Election, taking place on Tuesday, November 1. In addition to the board elections, we’re asking our Co-op members to cast their votes on substantive changes to our articles of incorporation – changes that would, among other things, ensure that our store operates in accordance with cooperative principles and, in keeping with those principles, redefine the meaning of membership.

It’s no exaggeration to say that our members have an opportunity to determine the evolution of our store’s relationship and relevance to our community. Now is the time for all good members to come to the aid of their Co-op!

The voting process is simple, and designed to guarantee electoral integrity. As a Co-op member, chances are good that you’ve already received your voting package in the mail. In which case, simply follow the instructions that accompanied your ballot and either mail it back or place it in the ballot box located next to the Member Information Kiosk located at the front of the store.

If you haven’t received your ballot in the mail, you can pick one up at the Member Information Kiosk. Make it a celebration and/or combine your right to exercise your member privilege with a shopping trip or repast. Grab a Deli sandwich, some of our fresh sushi, or maybe just a cup of fresh joe and a cookie…and rock the vote in a few easy steps:

1. Read up on the candidates running for our three Board positions and study the information on the changes to the proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporation.
2. Vote for the three Board candidates of your choice and mark “yes” or “no” to the Articles of Incorporation Amendments.
3. Fold your ballot to fit into the small white envelope at the kiosk, then seal it and insert the envelope in the pre-addressed, larger envelope (the purple one). BE SURE TO WRITE YOUR CO-OP MEMBER NUMBER AND SIGN YOU NAME ON THE LARGER ENVELOPE – YOUR VOTE WON’T COUNT WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION!
4. Place your completed ballot in the ballot box next to the Member Information Kiosk.
5. Do your happy dance!

Having exercised your rights as a member, I encourage you to stroll through our store with a newfound sense of engagement and ownership. After all, it really IS your store!

Click here to see a YouTube video detailing the procedure for in-store voting!

The Boise Co-op will close today at 4 pm in honor of Labor Day.

We wish you a restful and enjoyable holiday!