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In this month's newsletter:
- A Word from the Board of Directors
- Edible Book Festival
- Boneyard Arts Festival
- Earth Week Bulk Sale
- Italian Panzanella & Risotto Virtual Cooking Class & Meal Kit
- Financial Meeting of Owners
- Bourbon & The Whiskey Sour In-person Cocktail Class
- Earth Skills Workshop at The Kalyx Center
- May Owner Appreciation Days
- 16th Annual Plant Sale
- Round Up For Good
- Recipe Features
- New Products
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By Andrew Muller
Hello Cooperators!
Once again, we will be hosting a virtual Financial Meeting of Owners (FinMOO) where Common Ground staff and Board of Directors present financials and other important information to our owners.
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Upcoming Classes & Events | |
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Saturday, April 6th 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Calling all bibliophiles, book artists, and food lovers to celebrate the book arts and the (literal!) ingestion of culture: we invite you to register for the 18th annual Edible Book Festival!
Create your own edible representation of a book and enter it into the festival or be a spectator!
Schedule of events:
9:00am: Participants may begin dropping off their entries
11:00am: Judging begins
11:30am: Public viewing begins
12:00pm: Judge’s commentary and awards
12:15pm: Let’s eat!
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April 12th - April 14th All Day
Boneyard Arts Festival is an all-weekend event showcasing the broad range of creative activity flourishing in our community. Booker T Washington 5th grade students, in partnership with Krannert Art Museum, will have a group exhibit installed in the Common Ground Flatlander Art Gallery featuring collagraph artwork!
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Italian Panzanella & Risotto
Virtual Cooking Class & Meal Kit
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Saturday, April 20th 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Learn how to make Panzanella, Asparagus Brie Risotto, and Lemongrass Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce! The class will be taught by cooking instructor Julia Paniago. Tune in for the Zoom live class and cook along in your kitchen using the pre-portioned meal kit and enjoy a delicious dinner and dessert by the end of class.
$50 per meal kit, $5 off for owners
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Financial Meeting of Owners | |
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Every spring we host our Financial Meeting of Owners (FinMOO) where Common Ground Staff and Board of Directors cover the following topics with our owners:
- Important Store Updates
- Presentation of 2023 Financials
- Current & Future Challenges
- Store Impacts & Upcoming Events
- Raffle Giveaways
Must be an owner to attend.
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Bourbon & The Whiskey Sour
In-person Cocktail Class
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Friday, April 26th 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Join us for our next cocktail class with Katie Carillo and learn all about Bourbon & The Whiskey Sour! The class will consist of a charcuterie plate, lessons on the history and making of bourbon and The Whiskey Sour, a tasting of 3 bourbons, and a demonstration on how to make the classic cocktail. Students will then make their own Whiskey Sour using a unique combination of ingredients from the Co-op.
$45 per person, $5 off for owners
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Earth Skills Workshop
at The Kalyx Center
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Saturday, April 27th 10:00 am - 3:30 pm
Celebrate Earth Week by immersing yourself in nature with a group of experts covering a range of native plant and environmental topics at our Earth Skills Workshop at The Kalyx Center for Sustainability in Monticello, IL. Learn nature skills including:
- Springtime plant identification
- Responsible foraging techniques
- Nature observation
- Native fruit planting and grafting
- Homemade plant dyeing
- Invasive species removal
Plus, participate in our annual Seed Swap!
$20/person for event and includes lunch from the Co-op
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May Owner Appreciation Days | |
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May 1st - 7th All Day
Owner Appreciation Days are our special sales celebration where all of our Co-op owners can get great store-wide deals!
All owners who shop during Owner Appreciation Days and use their 10% discount will receive a special coupon book with exclusive deals from May - August (including an additional 10% store-wide discount).
There will also be exclusive owner deals, free Golden Ticket items, and the chance to enter one of four amazing raffle giveaways!
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Annual Plant Sale Fundraiser | |
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May 1st - 7th All Day
Our 16th annual Plant Sale is happening in May! The plant sale is a full week and will feature seedlings grown by our local farmers. We will have a large selection of tomatoes, greens, herbs, flowers, and other plants available for purchase! All proceeds from the Plant Sale go to our food accessibility program Food For All.
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Last month we raised $5,230.90 for RACES (Rape Advocacy, Education, & Counseling Services)
Mission: "We provide compassionate comprehensive support to those affected by sexual trauma. We care for our communities through prevention education programs that promote consent."
Project Proposal: "In service to our vision of a world free of sexual violence, Rape Advocacy, Counseling & Education (RACES) provides free, age-appropriate, and evidence-informed prevention education programming to students of all ages. During the 2022-2023 school year, RACES staff provided programming to over 8,000 students, compared to around 5,000 students served the year before. This increase is due to RACES moving from 2.5 Prevention Educators to 3. The 2023 Round Up for Good Grant has been an essential part of ensuring the sustainability of this higher level of service. If chosen for a Round Up For Good Grant for 2024, RACES will continue to use this funding to support the cost of this higher level of prevention staffing."
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April's Round Up For Good organization is Prairie Rivers Network
Mission: "At Prairie Rivers Network, we protect water, heal land, and inspire change. Using the creative power of science, law, and collective action, we protect and restore our rivers, return healthy soils and diverse wildlife to our lands, and transform how we care for the earth and for each other."
Project Proposal: "Through Prairie Rivers Network’s recent testing and research we found widespread herbicide pollution throughout the Champaign-Urbana community. Drifting herbicide pollution hinders our ability to combat climate change as it injures, weakens, and contributes to the premature death of our carbon-sequestering trees and plants. Herbicide pollution impacts the food we grow; the water we drink; the trees and plants around our homes, schools, and parks; and the state’s already imperiled wildlife. Prairie Rivers Network is using the findings to raise awareness and call for actions to address this urgent problem. The Round Up For Good Grant funding will help support that work."
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Springtime Asparagus Soup | |
It's April which means it's time for some fresh, beautiful asparagus! This soup recipe is super simple and uses fresh asparagus and spinach to give it a vibrant green color. The potatoes add heartiness, and the half & half rounds it all out. This is the perfect recipe for a nice lunch outside on a porch or patio. | |
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Co+op Basics:
Pasta with Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce
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This pasta recipe is a hearty and comforting meal that brings a little heat. Delicious and nutritious with protein-packed beans and leafy kale, this pasta is a complete meal that is easy and affordable. Featuring 5 items from our Co+op Basics line, this dinner comes in at just $2.82 per serving! | | |
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La Tourangelle Cooking Spray | |
These cooking sprays are functional kitchen essentials that are good for you and the planet. They are non-aerosol, free of preservatives, non-GMO, expeller-pressed, and recyclable.
$6.29
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Located just 40 miles south in Arthur, Illinois, Greens For You provides us with beautiful and bountiful live herb plants! Shop a variety of basil, thyme, cilantro, and more.
$4.39
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Spring is just around the corner! Stop by the Co-op and browse an amazing selection of seed packets from Seed Savers Exchange to get your summer vegetables started.
$2.99
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Applegate Naturals Frittata Bites | |
Try these delicious and satisfying egg bites that are conveniently ready in minutes. These frozen fully cooked egg minis are 100% natural and filled with vegetables, cheese, and Applegate's humanely raised meat.
$8.99
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Pasture Pride Cheese is located in Wisconsin in the heart of Amish Country. They craft their cheese with milk from local Amish dairies that is delivered to the factory in chilled milk cans, the old fashioned way. Try this beautiful new marbled colby jack cheese.
$7.99
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This peppered salame is a finely ground salame surrounded with cracked black pepper for a bold, pepper-rich finish.
$7.49
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Prairie Fruits Farm Gournay | |
We're thrilled to announce our newest cheeses from local creamery Prairie Fruits Farm! Gournay is a fresh cheese made in a similar fashion to their fresh chevre-long and slow fermentation. Available in Garlic & Herb, Spiced Cranberry, and Everything Bagel.
$9.19
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Our bakery Coconut Cream Pie is back! A fan-favorite, this pie is made with local milk, shredded coconut, and a gluten-free crust. Available by the slice or a half pie.
$3.99/slice
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Kikkerland Bicycle Accessories | |
We know that biking is an important part of life in Urbana, so our wellness department decided to stock up on some amazing bike accessories!
- Bike Lights - $6.69
- Cup Holder - $7.99
- Reflective Strap - $4.29
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Kikkerland Mini Zen Garden | |
Bring balance and serenity to your home or work environment. Creating a zen garden is a great way to reduce stress, improve your focus, channel creativity and develop a sense of well-being. Perfect for gift giving!
$6.69
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Our newest addition to our wine aisle is The Lost Poet Red Blend. This is a plush and succulent red blend with a hint of sweetness. We loved the name of this wine, and wanted to give a special shout out to the Champaign-Urbana Poetry Group! Check out their collection of poems Crows on a Line and learn more about them here.
$15.99
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Shorts Soft Parade Shandy | |
A blend of Short's flagship fruit ale, Soft Parade, and homemade lemonade. Shandy pours raspberry pink and is mildly tart, but has added sweetness from the lemonade which brightens up the berry.
$11.99
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Frecciarossa Margarita Pinot Nero | |
Excellent rose wine obtained through cold maceration and pressing, and fermentation at a controlled low temperature. Delicate aroma, elegant with floral and fruity notes of pomegranate, mandarin and rose petals. The palate offers freshness, fragrance and integrity, with a long savory finish that favors food pairing.
$16.99
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