Newsletter - February 4th, 2019

Upcoming Events

Farm Profile:   Old Copper Farm This month we’re profiling our friends at Old Copper Farm on Shaw Island! We are so excited to watch new farms take root all over the islands, and we’re especially excited to finally welcome a contribution from Shaw-it just feels good to have agriculture represented on so many of our larger islands.

Old Copper Farm is new to the San Juan Co-op family, but we were lucky at the tail end of last season to get our hands on some of their beautiful garlic, brassicas, and squash. Old Copper is run by Nick & Ellen Jones, a husband and wife team, who, along with the help of their three-year old, Angus, and his new brother Bennett, are skillfully restoring the historic farmstead at Old Copper. Nick & Ellen fell in love with the San Juan’s years ago, and as Ellen was finishing a graduate degree at the University of Washington in Ecology & Forest Science, the Jones family purchased the property where the couple now live & farm. They both wear all the hats it takes to keep a farm running and productive, though Nick is the more mechanically-inclined and has undertaken many building projects around the farm, while Ellen likes to stay busy in the dirt.

Old Copper Farm was originally started as a poultry operation, as Shaw Island was once a major supplier of chicken eggs to the region. Nick & Ellen honor that heritage by housing their flocks in the beautiful, original poultry barn, which they are carefully renovating, and offering eggs year-round at the end of their driveway. They have just under an acre in market vegetable cultivation, and supply many of Shaw’s locals with eggs and vegetables throughout the year. Old Copper also hosts WWOOF’ers (Willing Workers on Organic Farms), which draws non-professional farmhands from all over the world to spend a season working and learning at the farm. Nick & Ellen are especially proud of their garlic crops, which they have been carefully studying over several seasons in order to learn the secrets to a successful harvest. They grow two varieties: Inchaleum Red & Early Italian Purple, and we here at the Co-op can attest that they are really doing something right

Keep an eye out for Old Copper greens this coming spring and be sure to stop by Old Copper for some tasty eggs if you find yourself over on Shaw!

Gardening with Alice Deane: A Bit About Alice - Getting to know our resident Master Gardener I grew up in Southern California a long time ago, where John the Vegetable Man came to our house every week, opened up the back of his old truck, which looked like a produce section with a scale hanging off the back end. My mother bought from him and I remember John gave my brother and I peas so snack on.

No gardening going on at my house, we had a gardener who mowed the lawn and tended flowers, although I do recall we had a victory garden during WWII, which amazes me looking back on it, I think everyone did that. We spent part of each summer with my grandparents on the San Francisco peninsula, where there were orchards, and I think a little vegetable garden. I recall a hot house and a lath house, but they were always empty.  There was a gardener there too, tending the very large yard. I remember various citrus trees, also plums and almonds. But no hands on from the family. One story is that my grandmother boasted of her dill pickles, but the truth was that Louie her Chinese chef prepared the jars, grandma stuffed the cucumbers in, and Louie did everything else.

Fast forward to my hippy days and things changed a lot. I lived in Portland and tried my hand with a little vegetable garden, which I recall was pretty successful. Someone took me to a farm where I was given donkey manure which helped a lot, my first introduction to soil amendment. I had various other little plots in Portland, and took a class in plant ID at Portland Community College. I wanted to take the master gardener course but my boss wouldn’t let me off work.

It wasn’t till I moved here to San Juan Island that I went into gardening full bore. I must have had a lot of desire backed up into me because growing food is pretty much my mission in life now. Why is that? Our national health is so deteriorated, we are trashing our planet so rapidly, children can’t get the nutrition they need to grow up strongly enough to prosper as contributing citizens and become parents strong enough to ensure the survival of the human race. Anything I can do to reverse the alarming trends I see is important to me. We have a unique opportunity here in this county to feed ourselves and raise our children to be the hope of the future. And a great deal of it depends on what we eat. If that sounds lofty, I mean it to be! I finally took the master gardener course in 2005 and am very active volunteer. I’ve helped run the demonstration garden and the spring plant sale ever since. I worked in the vegetable garden at the Buddhist retreat center for several years, and will be growing starts for them again this season. I’ve worked with Roger Ellison on Grange related growing projects, the now-defunct San Juan Seed Company, and we continue to hold seed exchanges (one coming up in March.) And while I am promoting my growing endeavors, just a heads up that the Master Gardener Spring Plant Sale will be on Saturday May 11th this year.

That’s all brought me to where I am now, eating well, helping people to grow their own food, enjoying other foods and markets when I travel. I have no thoughts of slowing down, although the body is not as willing as the spirit these days! Next month I’ll be back discussing seasonal topics. And a heads up that Linda Gilkeson sent out a special bulletin that we’re in for some very cold weather at the beginning of the week, so get out those plastic sheets and tarps to protect your crops. -Alice Deane

Member Spotlight: Stan Mayhew Stan and his wife Karen have owned our property on San Juan Island since 2000 and have both been living on the island since 2012. They first came to San Juan Island on a whim following an antique buying trip to Vancouver Island for Karen's antique shop in Fairplay, Colorado. Stan was born on an island, Marthas Vineyard, and wondered what San Juan Island had to offer. His career was in law as a practicing attorney and as a municipal, county and part time district court judge, living for the most part in Fairplay Colorado. After retiring, Stan spent four years on circuit as a sr. judge in Colorado and lived in Silver Plume. Stan has been volunteering in the bulk department at the co-op since 2013, and also volunteers at the library doing book mending and shelving. He is on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the San Juan Island Library. For fun, Stan sings with the San Juan Singers and the Island Chordsmen Plus. When not singing, volunteering, riding herd on grandchildren etc., he spends a lot of time working around our property.

In The Store

Welcome To Our New Team Members! We're excited to welcome two new cashiers to the store - Stephanie and Michela.

Stephanie moved to San Juan with her family in 2007 and graduated from Friday Harbor High School in 2010. She's a new mom to three month old baby McKenzie, and it looking forward to being part of the co-op community, meeting new people, and supporting a small business. When she's got extra time, Stephanie enjoys snowboarding at Mt. Baker.

Michela has lived on San Juan Island for the last five years. She's excited to be part of the co-op's friendly atmosphere and appreciates the store's values of reusing things, low-impact living, and eating locally. Outside of work, Michela loves spending time with her cats.

And a very special welcome to the newest and smallest member of the co-op team - Sloane Eloise Richards

Born on January 28th to our general manager, Paul, his wife Monique, and big brother Sam weighing 8 lb, 14 oz. Baby Sloane and family are doing great!

Produce

Local: Aurora Farm (San Juan Island): salad mix, arugula, Asian braising mix, Chinese kale, spinach (Friday delivery) Horse Drawn Farm (Lopez Island): Carrots, purple sprouting broccoli, yellow onions, Amarosa potatoes, kabocha & butternut squash (carrots and broccoli delivered  FRIDAY ) Dog Island Farm (Guemes Island): Shiitake mushrooms Lost Valley Farm (San Juan Island): Red Russian Kale Sweet Earth Farm (San Juan Island): Delicata & Red Kuri squash Zach's Fresh Sheet (San Juan Island): Shokichi Shiro mini & Robin's Koginut squash

Regional: Boldly Grown Farm (Skagit Valley, WA): spaghetti & acorn squash, savoy cabbages, rainbow carrots Ralph's Greenhouse (Skagit Valley, WA): Leeks, parsnips, radicchio, red & golden beets Misty Mountain Mushrooms (OR): Maitake mushrooms Top Hat Mushrooms (OR): Shiitake mushrooms Rick Sonnin Farms (OR): Purple brussels sprouts Winter Greens Farm (OR): Burdock Local Roots Farm (Duvall, WA): Golden Turnips, purple daikon Willowood Farm (Whidbey Island, WA): Japanese turnips, sunchokes, red kuri kabocha squash, German butterball potatoes, lacinato kale, collards, hearty braising mix ( greens are weather dependent! )

Beyond: OrganicGirl Salad Mixes (CA): Arugula, Spring Mix, & Baby Spinach Eggplant (MX) Celery (CA) Broccoli (CA) Cucumbers (MX) Bell Peppers (MX) Spinach (CA) Cauliflower (CA) Brussels Sprouts (CA)  Friday Kale (CA) Chard (CA)  Friday Fennel (CA) Parsley/Cilantro (CA) Oranges (CA) Murcott Tangerines (CA) Blood Oranges (CA) Lemons (CA) Limes (MX) Grapefruit (CA) Bananas (MX, Ecuador) Mangoes (MX) Avocados (MX)

HABA Silverbiotics

A couple of weeks ago my dog developed a swollen spot above her right eye. It looked as though she may have gotten something stuck in it, or scraped or punctured it, and it was festering into an infection. I looked around my house to see what was readily available and spotted the bottle of SilverBiotics Daily Immune System Support. I made a warm compress, and applied the nanosilver liquid. That particular version is meant for internal use, but I thought I'd give it a try. I compressed a couple times that day and by the next morning the spot had opened, drained and was no longer swollen. It was well on its way to healing. I then purchased the SilverBiotics Gel, that is actually meant for such circumstances and started applying it a couple times a day. She was completely healed from the event in three days!   This is not my first experience with nanosilver, and I am well aware of its healing potential. However, it occurred to me that many of you may not be aware of this spectacular product. SilverBiotics products are manufactured by American Biotech Labs, a 20 year old company located in Utah. SilverBiotics are nanosilver products, meaning a tiny (nano) particle of silver is bonded to water so that it can penetrate the cell. While both nanosilver and colloidal silver carry all of the benefit of silvers' anti viral, anti bacterial and anti microbial properties, only nanosilver is a small enough particle to be delivered into the cell. Due to this form of delivery, much less silver is required for healing. SilverBitotics is patented with FDA approved technology and is odorless, colorless, tasteless and non toxic. Additionally, it has no known contraindications. SilerBiotics can be used internally or externally. Internally it can help maintain a healthy immune response, and is safe for daily use. Externally SilverBiotics can be used for healing cuts, scrapes, burns and wounds. SilverBiotics Tooth Gel is excellent for oral health and a very gentle alternative to some of the more abrasive pastes that can wear away enamel and gum tissue. There are many studies available on the benefits of this type of silver technology, including its use in the treatment of cancer. While that information is beyond the scope of this article, there is information out there, should one be curious about such things.  Your co op carries SilverBitotics Advanced Healing Hand Cream in grapefruit, lavender and unscented, SIlverGel, Silver Lozenges with Manuka Honey and Daily Immune System support. The Immune Support is a wonderful product to help the body stay well during cold/flu season, while the lozenges work great to heal and soothe already sore throats and upper respiratory conditions.  Adrienne

Beer and Wine of the Month  As a philosophical question, is the entire month of February defined by Valentines Day? From a wine perspective it often feels that way, but I wanted to find something that would play well with all 28 days and not just the one with a marketing budget. Turns out I got two, one of which is a beer. Plus a couple of seasonal hard ciders making their debut at the cider tasting we’re hosting on the 14 th  at the Grange.

Cantina Coviolo’s Lambrusco Biologico (organic) is one of my favorite festive wines. Bright berry fruit, black cherries, fine tannins and hints of forest floor after a fall rain. Dry, intense, full-bodied with a long harmonious finish. Also, bubbles, which make it one of the most festive reds out there. Lambrusco, like some other likeable wines, went through a long, dark time when it was pretty much treated as a commercial alcoholic sweet soda. But over the last couple of decades the real wine has been making a comeback, as smaller producers and co-operatives in Emilia-Romagna pushed back against commercial mediocrity. The Cantina Coviolo is the wine co-operative for the town of Coviolo, population 2,386 (as of 2009). They make four wines, all lambruscos, 2 sweet, 1 dry and 1 dry and organic. Think of this as a love letter from one little town to another.

Or if that’s not your thing, let’s talk dark. Really dark. Fort George’s One Thousand Years of Silence Mexican Chocolate Imperial Stout is a stunningly intense, brooding, layered beast of a beer, smooth and dense and deep with a fiery fringe of Pasilla and Ancho peppers peeking out around the edges. Light? No. Festive? Maybe, certainly worthy of celebration. Wintery? Very. Jeremy

Grocery

New on the Shelves NW Ferments San Francisco Sourdough Starter Kit Makes a great gift! Includes starter, flour sack, towel, bench scraper, and a decorative jar lid cover. Dried Cannellini Beans from Azure Back in Stock Heavenly Honey Mint Chocolates **Barn Owl Bakery Bread has a new delivery time** From now on it is expected on Tuesday and Friday afternoons.

Volunteer at the Co-op! In addition to the rewards of donating their time, volunteers earn co-op cash to spend in the store. Any hours worked within the quarter will count towards co-op cash. All cash earned during the quarter is to be used during the following quarter, with transactions recorded at the check stand.

Contact Information If you would like to volunteer, please email Sarah at the co-op with "VOLUNTEER" in the subject line:  sanjuancoop@gmail.com .   Or phone the co-op at 360-370-5170. You can also leave a message with the cashier.  Thank you!       -- Sarah

SPECIAL ORDERS   Special Ordering is a  Member Benefit . Save on items you use often--bathroom tissue, pet food, canned goods, pasta, bulk beans, and even chill or frozen items. The markup on member special orders is 20% over wholesale for taxable and non-taxable items. You can request a special order information sheet at the store or via email:  sanjuancoop@gmail.com

UNFI orders are every week. Order deadline is Midnight Saturday Pickup: after  3pm  on Tuesday  Please be prompt for chill and frozen items.

Azure Standard orders are every other week. Orders due Saturday midnight Jan. 12 Pickup Friday after 10 am Jan. 16

Store Hours Monday - Friday: 10 - 7       //       Saturday & Sunday: 10 - 5    Phone: 360-370-5170       //      Email:   sanjuancoop@gmail.com Upcoming Board Meetings  6:30 pm in the Heritage Bank Conference Room Monday, February 18th Monday, March 18th

Shop in store [ADDRESS] [STORE HOURS]

Thank you for supporting the San Juan Island Food Co-op

Mission Statement The San Juan Island Food Co-op strives to provide access to local and regional food and goods that are organic, sustainable, and fairly produced, with the smallest carbon footprint.  The Co-op encourages conscientious consumption  and nurtures community connections.

San Juan Island Food Co-op - Friday Harbor - 360-370-5170

‌ ‌

To unsubscribe from all correspondence,  please click the  SafeUnsubscribe  link below the newsletter.