January 2015 Newsletter

THE GREENE HILL FOOD COOP - JANUARY 2015 NEWSLETTER

Next General Meeting: January 28th (Wednesday), 7:30-9:30pm at the store Do you have questions or concern about the Co-op? At each General Meeting (GM), there is time for members to bring up questions or issues. Join us on January 28th (Wednesday), at the store 18 Putnam Ave. from 7:30-9:30 pm (Note the change in time) and don’t hold back! We will hear from the Governance and the Design/Build Committees and get an update on the new shift leadership recruitment and training. You will probably be eligible for work credit for your attendance (members can receive credit for up to 3 GMs/year). A special bonus: even though the Co-op closes at 9pm on Wednesdays, you can shop after the GM if you attend. Of course the big, big reason to come to a GM: it’s so important that we member/owners all participate in running our Co-op. For more details, check out the meeting agenda.

Greene Hill Co-Op News Our new POS System is finally arriving!!!! Yes, you’ve all been hearing about it for ages and probably thought the day would never but come — but our new iPad based POS system will be arriving this month! We are so elated to finally see this improvement in our store. It will take a little time for the transition to happen, so please be patient! But here’s to shorter lines, faster check outs and more accurate inventory tracking!!!! Coming Soon: No-commitment “trial” Memberships Since some people aren’t sure if a working co-op is ‘for them,’ the Greene Hill Food Co-op is offering 2- month-long trial memberships. During the 2 months, trial members may shop but do not have to work or pay an investment. Once the trial period has ended they must join the Co-op in order to continue shopping. This trial program begins February 1st. Tell your friends to come check us out!

Product Spotlight: Natural Sea Frozen Fish One of the most popular items in our freezer section is Natural Sea frozen salmon fillets. In fact, you have to keep an eye out for it: it sells out almost every week! Since 1991, Natural Sea has been committed to sustainable fishing. They are proud to offer seafood products that, individually, meet the guidelines established by various independent agencies, including the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Marine Stewardship Council, Blue Ocean Institute, and Earth Island Institute. Not only is the salmon sustainably fished and GMO-free, it’s also delicious! It’s flash frozen after being caught and finds its way to our freezers as fresh as when it first emerged from the ocean. Look out for a recipe using this fantastic product in a future issue of the Newsletter.

Recipe: Lemony Red Lentil Soup Recipe by Molly Neuman This soup is such a hearty treat on a winter night. It’s quick, easy, and delicious. If you’re not a fan of the spices simply skip them. The brightness from the lemon really makes it work. I like the texture to be almost stew like. If you prefer it to be thinner, just add more liquid. All ingredients are available at the Co-op. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 medium carrots, diced small (about a cup) 1 medium onion, diced small (about a cup and a half) 2 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 2 cups red lentils, washed and picked over 5 cups vegetable stock or water 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper Juice of one lemon Serves 4-6 eaters. Total cost of ingredients: Less than $4.39 ( $0.70 - 1.10 per serving.) Directions: Add oil to a medium-sized stockpot over medium high heat. Once shimmering, add carrots and onions and let sweat, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and spices and combine thoroughly. Stir in lentils to distribute sauteed mixture evenly. Add liquid, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes. If too much liquid evaporates add a bit more to reach your preferred consistency. Once lentils are soft, add salt and pepper, and adjust to your taste. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Serve hot and garnish with chives, Greek yogurt, hot sauce, or all three!

The Co-op Q&A This month’s interview is with Betsy and Kevin, a Greene Hill couple who live just a few feet away from the Co-op. In this joint interview, they’ve shared their favorite aspects of the neighborhood, and even a few recipe ideas. Q: What is your name? Where are you from? Betsy: I moved to Brooklyn in 1979 and have lived here ever since, so I tend to think of myself as being “from Brooklyn,” but I have lived in other places, including the Kansas City area and Philadelphia. Kevin: I'm from the New York City area. I've lived in almost every borough except Staten Island. Q: What neighborhood do you live in, and what do you like about it? Betsy: We live 442 feet from the Coop, according to Google Earth! This is a great neighborhood! I enjoy the fact that I often meet my neighbors on the street. I look forward to my walk down Fulton St. to the subway; I’ll always see someone I know and it puts me in a good mood for my short trip to Lower Manhattan. This neighborhood has really changed since we moved here. There used to be a storefront church across the street from our house. In the summer the children's choir would practice on the street around noon on Sundays. It was so sweet. But there's still a mix of old timers and new families here that makes the neighborhood appealing to me. Q: How did you find the Greene Hill Food Co-op and what were some of your reasons for joining? Betsy: It’s the most convenient grocery to our house, and it’s also a social space for us. I love talking with the cashier about the food I’m buying, different ways to cook it or serve it, and the things we like best. Kevin: I used to belong to the Park Slope Food Coop decades ago when I lived in Park Slope. I missed the good food and the general wackiness of food shopping with a bunch of old lefties. It's a lot more fun than Fresh Direct. Q: Is there any special Co-op product/food that you're fond of that you'd like to talk about? Betsy: I’ve discovered so many things that are better than what I would typically buy in a supermarket, but my first sense was that the bananas were so much more flavorful. That first winter, I also discovered the best grapefruit at the Co-op, and their season seemed to last for weeks and weeks! With the fresh produce, the selections are always changing, but recently I’ve loved the organic red grapes, the little cheddar cauliflower, and the Lacinato kale, which my daughter taught me to rub with olive oil and a little salt and use in a winter salad. It’s good with walnuts and some parmesan cheese, also from the Co-op. Kevin: I really like the hot-dogs from The Piggery. Q: Do you have a favorite fall recipe? Please share! Links to recipes are welcome here. Betsy: I like to roast eggplant in the convection oven and toss it with penne pasta and the fire-roasted tomatoes with garlic and onion. Tonight I broiled some of the Piggery Farm pork rib tips rubbed with some Turkish spices and rosemary from the Co-op, and a little olive oil. Delicious! Q: What is your fondest Co-op memory? Kevin: I used to do Bread Receiving at 7am on Saturdays. Kerry, our “wonder-dog,” and I used to sit out front waiting for the bread guy. Kerry loves the bread guy!

Help WantedAll members work a 2 hour shift every 4 weeks. It's part of being a member /owner. Here are some opportunities to earn work credit. BECOME A SHIFT LEADER TODAY! Many shifts available -- particularly weekends! Next shift leader meeting is Saturday, January 24th at 2pm at the Fulton and Grand Bar's back room. Are you working your shift in the store and there isn't a shift leader? Do you look in the mirror and ask "Do I have what it takes to be THAT SHIFT LEADER?" Well, of course you do! So step up an d take the bull by the horns! Many shifts are available. There are no qualifications necessary to be a shift leader because we'll get you formally trained so you have the tools to lead with confidence! You'll be invited to our monthly meeting where you can meet the other leaders and contribute your ideas and opinions. Make a difference in how our store runs! Concerns or questions? Contact Matthew Talmage, Shift Leader Coordinator, at matthewtalmage@hotmail.com. Social Media Gurus Wanted! Are you an expert tweeter or Facebook user? The Co-op’s Social Media Team needs your support in writing and scheduling posts across our social media sites, and creating a publishing schedule to increase community engagement. This is a great way to fulfill shifts remotely! Please contact the Marketing Committee if interested: marketing@greenehillfood.coop The Newsletter Seeks Writers/Editors Want a great regular way to fulfill your hours from home each month? This newsletter is looking for editors and/or writers who can help share the Co-op’s latest news with our members and friends. You can come up with story ideas and assign or write them, or just help edit, making sure each issue comes out smoothly and on time. Write us at newsletter@greenehillfood.coop. Design/Build Committee Chairs Needed ASAP Within the month the Design/Build Committee will be without a Chair – we need one or more members to take on the job as soon as possible! No prior experience with the committee is necessary. As Committee Chair you will coordinate new and ongoing projects to support the Buildout of the expansion space and maintenance of the current store and storage spaces, field emails and approve time sheets, liaise with the Board of Directors and make occasional presentations to the membership at GMs. Please contact the current chair at DesignBuildout@greenehillfood.coop to find out more about the job. Seeking IT Committee Members The IT Committee is looking for new members for both in- and out-of-store tasks. We are looking for IT individuals who are willing to work in the store, to troubleshoot new and existing challenges with the POS machines and network. Individuals who have experience with LAMP (Linux/Apache/MySql/PHP) applications, Drupal, CiviCRM, Wordpress, Linux server administration, or network setup and administration would also be an asset to the Committee. If you are interested or have questions please send them to: IT@greenehillfood.coop. Merchandise committee looking for new members Would you like more say in what the Co-op stocks and sells? The Merchandise committee is looking for new members to work on the exciting task of selecting and ordering everything that goes on the Co-op's shelves. Experience in grocery or restaurant work is a plus, but not at all necessary. If you're interested, contact merchandise@greenehillfood.coop. Membership Committee Seeks Co-chairs This is an opportunity for at least two members to join a third and help collectively chair our vibrant membership committee for a given amount of time. The Committee leads several key areas, and it would be great to have at least three members lead each area. Please email membership@greenehilllfood.coop with your questions or for more information. It will be very important to fill these roles as soon as possible. Marketing Committee Coordinator & Co-Chair needed If you have experience with communications, marketing strategy, and/or community outreach and design, please consider joining the Marketing Committee as a Co-chair or Coordinator. These leaders will lead on committee admin (correspondence, meetings, approval of hours) and project management (design/branding, campaigns, website etc). A lot of this work can be done from home, but we do hope you are familiar with the neighborhood and passionate about the Co-op's mission. Email marketing@greenehillfood.coop if interested or with any questions. Finance Team Coordinator The number of members doing Co-op finance work has doubled over the past year, which means we need a member to help us keep organized, coordinate the teams doing the different financial tasks, schedule meetings, keep track of progress on projects and respond to/redirect Finance e-mail messages. If you'd like to learn more about the financial side of Greene Hill, and relish the challenge of coordinating the work of a couple dozen members, then this job's for you!! No prior financial experience is needed. And except for Finance meetings, you could do all your work from home. Please e-mail finance@greenehillfood.coop if you're interested.

Et cetera The Greene Hill Food Co-op Newsletter is edited and published by (in alphabetical order) Anna Avrekh, Carola Burroughs, Roxanne Earley, Sonia Garbesputzel, Debbie Grossman, Alexandra Miller, and Amy Nazer. Contact us with any feedback, suggestions, or requests at newsletter@greenehillfood.coop. Join or follow the Greene Hill Food Co-op! Interested in joining the Greene Hill Food Co-op? Check out our website to learn about membership, like us on Facebook, or stop by our store at 18 Putnam Ave. (off Grand Ave.) with any questions!