This month’s product spotlight is on our beautiful chickens from Cascun Farm, and a new product, Organicville sugar-free tomato sauce. Cascun Farm, located in Greene, New York, is a family-run farm that raises chickens without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones. They also have a state-certified facility on the farm where all their chickens are processed. This results in some of the freshest chickens you can get. Don Cascun himself delivers the chickens every other Friday to Greene Hill Food Co-op.

Organicville’s Marinara Pasta Sauce combines the highest quality organic vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh basil, oregano, onions, and garlic. Made with 100% extra virgin olive oil and agave nectar, this fresh tasting pasta sauce is great for all your meals. And naturally, Organicville’s Marinara Pasta Sauce is certified organic, gluten free, vegan, contains no added sugar and tastes great, too!!

With Cascun Farm chicken and Organicville sauce, you can make a quick, easy, and delicious chicken cacciatore.

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken thighs (assuming that you’re serving 4 and each person will eat 2 thighs)
• 1 cup flour
• 5 tablespoons canola, grapeseed or other neutral cooking oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 ½ cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 cup wine
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat the oil in an oven-safe deep saucepan or Dutch oven. Salt and pepper the thighs and dredge in flour. Fry the thighs until the skin is golden brown and crunchy (you might need to do this in more than one batch -- give the thighs plenty of room in the pan!). Save the oil in the pan. Sauté the onion and pepper slices in the leftover oil, until soft and a little browned. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Since you’ll be cooking them longer in the oven, don’t worry about cooking any of the vegetables all the way through. Add the thyme and oregano, and up to a cup of wine (white will make the dish lighter, red will make it more robust). Pour in about half of a 24-ounce jar of marinara sauce. Stir and cook all of this for a minute or two, and then place the chicken, skin side up, on top of the vegetables and sauce.

Put a lid on the pot and put it in the oven. Cook for 45 minutes, then remove the lid, crank the heat up to 400° and cook for another 15 minutes to make the top of the chicken crispy. Serve over pasta, egg noodles, rice, or other grain.

Have you noticed our bright and cheery new posters? They’re all over the Co-op and have also been incorporated into our website. Well, this week we had a chance to talk with the designer behind them: Sara Cornish, a longtime Co-op member who is the co-chair of the Marketing Committee (which she’s served on for about 4 years!). Find out more about Sara and our current marketing initiatives below:

Q: What is your name? Where are you from?

A: Hi, I'm Sara Cornish. I grew up outside Philly.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about our new marketing materials and how you were involved?

A: I designed and illustrated the new posters -- you’ll see them near the root vegetables and onions and elsewhere in the store. These designs are also used on the website and throughout social media.

The big push with these more recent posters and images has been all about reinvigorating the store and the Co-op member community. The posters remind members why we invest our time and money here, and what to be proud of. They echo the word "we," which is of course the core value of our entire operation!

Q: What neighborhood do you live in, and why do you like living there?

A: I've been living in the Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy neighborhoods for about six years -- and love it. If you make an effort to get to know the people around you, to learn some history and respect it, you'll realize just how remarkable this community is.

Q: How did you find the Greene Hill Food Coop and what were some of your reasons for joining?

A: I heard about the Co-op when I first moved to Clinton Hill after college. A friend of mine had helped get it off the ground, and so I got involved when it was just starting out as a buying club. I loved the idea of neighbors designing, building and using a store -- and it's been wonderfully gratifying to stay in the neighborhood and be part of that process.

Q: What is your job/position here at the Coop?

A: I've been a co-chair of the Marketing Committee, off and on, for about four years now. After working in ad agencies, nonprofits, and even the U.N. doing communication strategy, it's super fun designing campaigns for the Co-op in my neighborhood.

Q: What are the essential foods that you get pretty consistently?

A: The usual suspects are Seven Stars yogurt, Ethiopian coffee, yams, eggs. The hidden treasures -- ricotta, radicchio. The when-I'm-feeling-naughties -- cider doughnuts!!!

Q: Where would you like to see The Coop in 5 years? 20?

A: I'd love to see the Co-op grow into much more than a grocery store. As more members join, which will keep the store running, we can put energy toward community events, classes and partnerships. Imagine the expansion space as a test kitchen that doubles as dance floor, greenhouse and reading room!

Substitute Store Coordinators Needed for May

Lauryl is taking a vacation in May and we need substitute store coordinators for her time away. We are only hiring from within membership -- please see job description for application details. Applications due April 30th.

Sunday Store workers needed

As you may have noticed, we’re open from 10-6pm on Sundays now! Great right? But we need members to help operate the store for these new hours. Please consider picking up a Sunday shift to keep things running smoothly!

Interim Board Members Wanted

The Board of Directors has open seats, and any member with a minimum one-year membership at the Co-op is qualified to join. You can help shape the direction of our store. The Board of Directors is involved in all aspects of running the Co-op from maintenance and store management to strategic planning. Individuals must commit to regular attendance at both the monthly general meetings and the monthly Agenda Committee meetings.

If you’re interested or have questions, please contact Allison at allisonstew@gmail.com

Outreach Committee Seeks New Members for Canvassing and WinWinWin Program

You can spread the word! Tell our Co-op neighbors and friends about this incredible member-owned business and let them know how they can join and support Greene Hill. The Outreach Committee is seeking new members for regular canvassing, distributing flyers in the neighborhood, as well as assisting with special events and open house days on site. This position is great for members seeking a flexible schedule and who can work independently. We’re also seeking one member to spearhead and oversee the fantastic WinWinWin program. You’ll solicit new local businesses to join the program and give discount offers to all Greene Hill Co-op members. This is a perfect job for someone that wants to work from home! Contact Alix and Juliana at outreach@greenehillfood.coop for more information.

Design Build Operations (DeBOp) Co-Chairs & Members wanted.

Are you an avid project manager? Do you like to get things fixed? Do you want to work behind the scenes at the coop? Then, join the Design Build Operations team. As a Design Build Operations co-chair, you will be designing, building and planning the operations of the store. Contact Jeannie Hamilton with inquiries at mintjellyjeannie@gmail.com

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.

Become a Shift Leader Today!

Considering becoming a shift leader? Take the plunge! We’re looking for good people, especially for leading shifts on the weekends, Sundays in particular. There are no qualifications necessary. 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. You can make a difference in how our store runs! Concerns or questions? Contact Matthew Talmage, Shift Leader Coordinator, at matthewtalmage@hotmail.com. Shift leader training sessions take place every Monday evening from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Also contact Matt to find out the date of the next Shift Leader meeting.

Love social media?

Well, Greene Hill also has a Social Media committee that helps spread the word about the Co-op. If you’re interested in finding out more, contact them at socialmedia@greenehillfood.coop.

Credits:

The Greene Hill Food Co-op Newsletter is edited and published by (in alphabetical order) Carola Burroughs, Roxanne Earley, Sonia Garbesputzel, Alexandra Miller, Amy Nazer, and Gitta Zomorodi. 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 Avenue) with any questions!