In this month's newsletter:

• A Word from the General Manager
• A Word from the Board of Directors
• 4th of July Hours
• Summer Caprese Virtual Cooking Class
• Preserving Herb Harvest Virtual Class
• Music on the Porch: The Paw Paws
• Solar Power Hour
• Link Match at the Co-op
• New Artist Installation
• Round Up For Good Update
• Recipe Feature
• Local Produce Feature
• New Products

By Gary Taylor

Hello Cooperators!

I hope you have all recovered from the power outages and downed trees the last few days! Here at the Co-op we were able to weather the storm without loss of very much product. We lost power from around 1:15 pm to 4:20 pm and were able to reopen the store at 5 pm on Thursday. We were preparing for a much longer power outage and I want to shout out Sola Gratia Farm for being willing to send us a refrigerated truck to use to save a lot of food. Thankfully we did not end up having to use it but we were so grateful to have that option!

By Robert Taylor

Hello Owners!

Now that half the year has passed and we enter July, planning for two of our most important annual events is upon us: the annual Meeting of Owners (MOO) and Board elections. 

For the MOO, the Board is very excited to announce that we intend to hold the MOO in-person as well as online.

Summer Caprese Virtual Cooking Class

Preserving Herb Harvest Class

Learn how to preserve fresh herbs and make your own herbal products for around your home! This virtual class will cover skills including drying and preserving herbs for maximum flavor retention, infusing herbs into culinary oil or vinegar and creating herbal oils (for use in home products like lip balms, lotions, and salves - all skills featured in classes later this year!). This class will be taught by Amy Wertheim of Wertheim's Gardens, a longtime herbal expert and farmer of educational, culinary, and medicinal gardens in Logan County. Class registration is free with an option to purchase a class kit to use during the live virtual class. This class will feature fresh rosemary and Thai basil and dried calendula and rosemary. The $15 base class kit includes six plastic containers for infusing, 18 oz of grapeseed oil, balsamic vinegar, cheesecloth, twine, rubber bands, and kitchen gloves and require participants to source their own herbs from their garden or local farmer. There is also an option to select a $30 class kit that includes everything in the base class kit plus bundles of fresh and dried herbs that are featured in the class.

Music on the Porch featuring

The Paw Paws

Join us on the Co-op front porch to hear music by the Paw Paws on Saturday, July 22nd from 10:00 am - 10:45 am during Saturday market! This talented music duo features local songwriters Paul Kotheimer and Emily McKown. This will be a kid-friendly performance with materials for sidewalk chalk drawing.

Solar Power Hour

with Midwest Renewable Energy Association

Thursday, July 20th 5:30 pm

Link Match at the Co-op

Stop by the Flatlander Classroom to check out our newest featured artist, Marissa Sylvester!

Artist Biography:

I am an abstract acrylic pour artist of two years. I found the passion during lockdown and have been learning and growing my craft ever since. I love using bright colors and interesting color combinations. I love the unpredictability of pour painting. No matter how much you try and control the outcome, there is still some things you can't control. I hope to inspire and spread joy through my artwork, life is too short to be anything but kind.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

with Local Ice Cream

We've got local rhubarb from Brackett Farms and beautiful organic strawberries at the Co-op! We decided to pair that with local Kilgus vanilla ice cream and make a delectable strawberry rhubarb crumble. This is a quick and easy dessert that packs a juicy fruit flavor with plenty of oats and cinnamon.

Co+op Basics: Garlicky Smashed Chickpeas with Corn & Fried Egg

We've put together a simple dish that you could eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! This is an easy salad made of chickpeas, corn, onion, and poblano and topped with a local fried egg. The best part? This recipe features 4 Co+op Basics products and comes out to $3.03 per serving!