Freshest Produce in Town

That's right I said it, JLF has the freshest produce in town. Did you know that the micro greens we receive from Dragsmith Farm on Thursdays is cut that morning? We are also carrying local organic tomatoes and two different kinds of locally grown organic mushrooms. That's pretty fresh I think. Just wait for June when we're receiving the vast majority of our produce from local farmers. Also, this week we have strawberries, dates, kiwi, mixed salad greens, red romaine lettuce, carrots from "Willey Farm in Ca.", shiitake mushrooms, zucchini, green kale, celery, cabbage, green top beets, broccoli, eggplant, grapefruit, tangelos, limes, royal mandarins, cherry tomatoes, plums, bananas, pears, mango and potatoes. I want to make a special mention to the spinach we got in on Thursday, it is the best I have ever tasted. So come on down to the store and pick up some fresh produce today.

Fatty Boombalatty

The guys from Furthermore just dropped off a fresh batch of Fatty Boombalatty. It's going quick so stop in and pick up a six pack for $7.99.

Off their website...
Fatty Boombalatty: a dangerously drinkable Belgian

Availability: Spring/Summer. ABV: 7.2%.

The conception and naming of this beer happened in one fell swoop. Unsure whether to offer a light session beer or a fun ball-buster as our warm weather seasonal, we decided on a beer that would be “a big, fatty boombalatty” version of a Belgian white. And away we went, taking a recipe for a white beer and ramping up the grain bill by 50%; we dropped the amount of wheat by 75% to keep the beer rough around the edges. We bucked tradition by steering the bitterness in the direction of a pale ale, and coupling hops with coriander in the fermenter. The resulting beer gives you all the bubblegum goodness of a big Belgian, with enough crispness to cut through the sweet profile, thus making you want to sip it again and again. Dangerous, indeed!

furthermorebeer.com
ready.fire.aim

Paper or Porcelain?

Ok. You've heard the bag debate, paper or plastic, right? Well obviously you've already figured out you should really bring your own. We collect paper bags from you, your friends and neighbors to share when you forget. It's really no problem.

You drink coffee, too, eh? So do we. And there's a debate here, too. It's styrofoam or wax coated paper, right? Not really a choice, when it comes down to it. If you drink coffee, chances are you're drinking it just about every day. So it should come as no surprise to you, if you leave your house for awhile, especially in the morning, you'll be looking for some joe at some point. Bring a mug! If you forget, and you will forget, we all do, there should be an ecological choice where you get coffee. And it's not styrofoam or wax paper or even made of genetically engineered corn. It's you - taking the time to drink your coffee "in house" so they'll give it to you in a mug, or having them fill the one you brought.

At Just Local Food Coop we've been thinking and talking about this. We are committed to being good stewards of our environment. And we want to support you in doing the right thing, too! So when you stop down and forget your mug, no problem, we've got a rack of clean mugs waiting for you. We also serve our coffee "to go" at the Farmers Market in this same fashion. Yes, we could probably sell more coffee if we gave throwaway one-use cups to folks down a the market, but thankfully we're not just about making money. We're different. We're a co-op. And we're finding new ways to make businesses work for people and the earth we inhabit!

Thanks for your support.

Alchemy is Back!

Alchemy Fine Foods is back in the business of producing high quality foods. Instead of a retail location they are again working through local groceries/specialty stores, like Just Local Food. We are proud to be carrying a diverse range of their products and look forward to the new endeavors Bradley and his family are undertaking.

In stock currently...
Russian Potato Salad 16oz $4.39
Apple/Beet Salad 16oz $4.79
Curried Yam & Walnut Salad $4.79
Hummus 8oz $3.79
Aegean Tapenade 8oz $4.99
Artichoke Antipasti 8oz $4.99

Check out this section often for new products coming in weekly, maybe even salads and sandwiches in the future.

Holyland flatbreads are a perfect way to shovel in these addictive deli items.

On the Menu: Local Hospital Thinking Local

Just Local Food Co-op workers have been working with farmers and local institutions on developing a far-reaching sustainable food system in our area. Check out a recent TV spot from WQOW on the first stages of a "buy local consortium" being developed with Sacred Heart Hospital and soon other local institutions!

Produce Thursday March 13, 2008

This week at JLF we received; plums, zucchini, celery, broccoli, kale, cabbage, eggplant, green top beets, royal mandarins, tangelos, grape fruit, shiitake mushrooms, green peppers, fair trade bananas, spinach, romaine lettuce, green beans, mangos, yellow onions, pistachios, red potatoes and yukon gold potatoes. Local this week we received; Mississippi and Wissota greens, Crimini mushrooms, White Button mushrooms and Connell Red apples. Also we have carrots and artichokes from Willey's farm in California(I know there not local but I love what they do).

New Growth

It appears the County is moving along with their plans to purchase and tear down the buildings we operate our grocery store and home delivery service from. Here's an article from today's city paper on the subject.

We want you to know that we are looking at this as an opportunity to grow and better serve our customers. We will find a new home for our Downtown Grocery store and move when it is appropriate. According to County timelines, this could be as soon as early this summer. While we are sad to leave this great spot on the river, it is clear we cannot survive much longer in this controversial location.

Stay tuned for how you can help us in this transition!

For now, please keep in mind that the County is under no legal requirement to help our cooperative move. It would be good for these County Board members to know that they do have an obligation to help businesses that their plan is directly impacting. Perhaps you'll let them know how you feel?

Thanks for your continued support during this transition!

Local Landscapes + Scottish Vistas~ Photographs by Melanie Travis

Special artist opening this Saturday 5-6:30pm!

Maple Syruping Time

Hmmm. It's a sure sign of spring when the buckets and taps get cleaned, the cordless drill gets charged, and the maple buds start popping out. Yes, it's syruping time. Not just out in the "bush", though, right here in town, too. Last year I tapped four of our neighbors silver maples and boiled 50 gallons of sap down into a few quarts. It took forever, with lots of cartloads of sap down the alley and nights at the stove boiling sap for nearly three days. That's how I did it, with some supplies from here. Check out the Beaver Creek Reserve offerings, or take a peek at a map, to make your own local maple discovery! Sap flows best with cold nights and warm days, which appear to be forecast for early next week. As soon as the local bush has boiled down, we will have a variety of local maple products for your enjoyment!

Chocolate and Tea Samples Saturday

Mark your calendar "stop at Just Local on Saturday" to visit with Dana Johnson from Equal Exchange who will be here to answer your questions about fair trade chocolate and teas. She's also bringing a box of samples for you to try, so if you've been wondering what's the difference between Green Tea and Green Magic Tea? or what is a cocoa nib anyhow? Saturday (3/8) is your day at the store, 10 to 2 is your time.