4th of July

The store will be closed on Friday July 4th. We will be open on Saturday, July 5th as usual.

Due to the 4th of July landing on Friday this year we will be delivering milk on Thursday July 3rd. Please call or email if there are problems with this time. 577-5564 or lissa@justlocalfood.com

Thank You. Have a great holiday weekend!

This Saturday, June 28, 11-3pm – Anderson Farm Samplefest

Lynn Anderson from Anderson Farm is going to be at the store this Saturday, sampling her delicious all-natural hot dogs, kielbasa, and corned beef. They were a hit back in December when she was at Just Local, so we hope you’ll stop by to give them a try.

To help you stock up for your summer grilling pleasure, you will save 10% on the purchase of 2 or more Anderson Farm products (Saturday June 28 only).

Produce 6/24/08

This week in produce we finally received local strawberries. Also local this week we have tomatoes, crimini mushrooms, mississippi greens, heirloom lettuce, spring mix lettuce, asparagus and kale. New this week we have watermelon, cantaloupe, figs and leeks. We have a lot of stone fruits like nectarines, plums, pluots and peaches. The green beans we have been receiving have been excellent.

Rising Milk Prices

For the first time since we opened over 4 years ago, we have to change our milk prices. Because of our unique and close relationship with Crystal Ball Farms, we have remained sheltered from the rising milk prices until now. This change is due to the increased costs of feed prices and fuel. On the upside, and also because of our extraordinary relationship with the farm, our prices are still much lower than other organic milk which retails from $4.50 to $6 a half gallon, much of which is not local and may be homogenized or destroyed by over-pasteurizing!

As of July 1, our new prices for premium fresh organic milk from Crystal Ball Farms will be:
1/2 gallons of whole, reduced and skim milk - $3.50
1/2 gallons of chocolate milk - $4.00
Quarts of whole, reduced and skim milk - $2.60
Quarts of chocolate milk - $3.20
Quarts of half and half - $3.50
Pints of chocolate milk and half and half - $2.25
Pints of cream - $3.50

Butter will stay at $7.00 a 1 pound tub.
The bottle deposits will remain the same as well. $1.50

Thank you for your understanding and continued support of our hardworking local farm neighbors!

Ahhh, Safe Cans

Direct from the Eden Website:

Are Eden Beans packed in cans with enamel lining that contains bisphenol-A?

No. Eden Organic Beans are packed in steel cans coated with a baked on oleoresinous (a natural mixture of an oil and a resin extracted from various plants, such as pine or balsam fir) c-enamel lining, that does not contain bisphenol-A. These cans cost 14% more than the industry standard cans, which do contain bisphenol-A.


One question we get a lot is "why does organic food cost more". Well, now you know why you might be spending a few more pennies on organic canned beans at our store. These are not the cheapest "organic" beans they can import from China, these are regionally grown beans, handled carefully, cooked properly, and put in a can that won't contaminate or poison the food. There isn't really a comparison!

This Week in Produce

New this week we have purple tomatillos, red peppers,cilantro and jalapenos(I must have been in the mood for salsa when I made the order). We also received; leeks, avocados, grapes(black,green and red), mangoes, nectarines, peaches, pluots, plums, apricots, mediterranean cucumbers, green peppers, potatoes(red, yukon and russet), rainier cherries, bing cherries, broccoli, green beans, yellow beans, roman beans, cherry tomatoes, cantaloupe, yellow onions, coconuts and bananas. Local this week we have hydro tomatoes, white mushrooms, mississippi greens, asparagus, kale, chard, heirloom lettuce and cilantro.

sad ending, new beginning

I'm posting this with a bit of sadness and lots of hope - thanks to Nathan and the wonderful people at Native Bay who have done our local farmers well the past three years, and been an exemplary partner in local food education...

The following is from Native Bay:

Hello Everyone,

It is with great sadness that we must inform all of you that after three years of business, Native Bay will be closing at the end of this month. Our last day of business will be Sunday, June 29th.

This was not a decision that was reached lightly. We struggled very hard for (exactly) three years and all of us here at Native Bay have put in more hard work than you can imagine keeping our restaurant afloat. However, mounting debts, uncertainty towards the future and some severe burnout on behalf of many of us have forced us to throw in the towel.

We would like to thank all of you who have supported us throughout our run here. It was those of you who truly understood our mission of incredible fine dining and local food that kept us going strong as long as we did. Even though we're closing the doors, we don't consider what we did here at Native Bay a failure. We helped bring the notion of local food -- and all that that entails -- to this community and we made plenty of people happy along the way. We've made connections with a host of fine folks -- whether they be farmers, producers, customers or our own staff -- and these are relationships that will continue long after Native Bay is a mere memory.

Here in our last two weeks of business, we hope that any of you who are interested will take the time to come out and enjoy one (or maybe three) last meal(s). We would like to raise as much money as we can in our last days to make sure that we get as many of the bills paid up as possible. Even if you can't make it out, any kind words or feedback you might have for us would be greatly appreciated.

Finally, our closing does not come without a few silver linings. Primarily, please know that we won't quit our core mission of fine dining and local foods. Soon after we get our whole aftermath squared away, we will be in search of a new building where we can start anew and focus on what we did best. We are firmly committed to the Chippewa Valley, since we've come to believe that the farmers and producers in our region are some of the most progressive and amazing people in the whole country. Certainly, our next endeavor will be a smaller venture and in a location that doesn't bring with it such a seasonal fluctuation of business, which will in turn allow us to focus even more energy on our goal of creating a dining experience that's worth writing home over. We may need some help along the way too, so please don't be afraid to contact us if you feel you can be of assistance.

If anyone would like to send us comments, please either mail or email them to the addresses below (this account doesn't get checked frequently) or, as mentioned before, come and join us during our last little run.

A heartfelt "Thank You and Goodbye For Now",

The Staff at Native Bay

Native Bay Restaurant and Lounge
9504 County Hwy S South
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
715.726.0434

info@nativebayrestaurant.com
www.nativebayrestaurant.com

new in packaged goods

We're exploring new suppliers, and deeper relationships with existing local and regional suppliers. These products come in through Vern's Cheese, a distributor that has been serving us reliably for some time. His route stops every two weeks, on Mondays. We'd be happy to place a special order for you as well.

The products pictured here and described below are not the backbone of our business, but they are folding into our purpose in finding "as local as we can" and "as good as we can". There are no local farmers making organic pretzels in packages we can sell in our store; this is the best we can find, through businesses and co-ops we trust. Made in Wisconsin or Michigan. And these aren't "health food" either, necessarily. Nobody's perfect and we all like a pretzel or some cheap kraut now and then too...

East Shore Specialty Foods
Pretzels and dippin' mustards made in Wisconsin. When I called to ask about hydrogenated oils in their pretzels, the nice woman said "Oh we took those out a few years ago." The mustards are simple. If you have favorites you think we'd like to sell, let me know! (silver spring organic line mustards will be coming in soon)

Venus Crackers
We've got a lot of requests for crackers. Here's a shot, let us know what you think.

Flanagan's Kraut
Made in Wisconsin. A conventional product at a conventional price.

Mro-Cos Sex Olives
Garlic stuffed sicilian olives. Pretty good, not local or organic...

Berghoff Root Beer
Made in Wisconsin, one of the few root beers made with sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup.

Blue Nectar Blueberry Lemonade
100% juice.

We also received some cranberry juice cocktails made in Wisconsin from Door County cherries, but I tossed them in the "clearance cart" right away because of the high high fructose corn syrup content, great cherries, not so great and overly sweet drink...

this Saturday: Farmers Market and Art Fair!

Just Local Food workers will be abuzz in Phoenix Park this Saturday. Laura, Aaron, Ash and Zac will be split between the Farmers Market stand with Laura's great food samples, cheese and beverages; and the OAFA food court with our new Fruit Stand - fresh delicious organic fruits like grapes, cherries, pluots and more! Please stop down, say hi, and take part in these great events in our community.

Safe Local Tomatoes

Are you looking for safe tomatoes? I would like to inform you that our major produce supplier, Co-op Partners, has theirs tested at a lab and has assured us they are safe. Also, you should know that we can always trace back where all our produce starts. So you should always feel safe to shop with us. A side from tomatoes we have been receiving a lot of stone fruits from California. They include plums, pluots(plum apricot mixed), peaches, nectarines, apriums and apricots. Other fruits we are getting right now would include strawberries, rainier cherries, honey dew melon, bananas, kiwi, citrus and grapes. For now they are all coming from California but soon they will be local. We also have avocadoes, atualfo mangos, hayden mango, pears, garlic, onions, kabocha squash, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, shiitake mushrooms, portabella mushrooms, green peppers, carrots, cucumbers(Mediterranean), zucchini, celery, beets, broccoli, meyer lemons, limes, grapefruit, tangerines, kumquats and fair trade apples. The green beans are so beautiful I need to mention them seperately. Local, we have micro greens, red leaf lettuce, spinach, mixed lettuce greens, kale, chard, crimini and white button mushrooms. Did I mention our tomatoes are also local and certified organic? (pictured: PLUOT)

mushrooms

We always have a great supply of fresh mushrooms. They are almost always from Wisconsin, if not, from Minnesota, and only occasionally Pennsylvania. Shiitake, portabellas, crimini, white button...

Have you heard of umami? Mushrooms have it, especially shiitakes, morels & criminis. Sorry we haven't had many morels in this year, the ones through our distributor would have been forty bucks a pound, and the wildcrafters haven't brought in much.

Portabellas work great on the grill, I recommend you soak them in oil and tamari or your favorite marinade to keep them moist. Have you ever brought out a little cast iron pan to the grill? You can set it on the grate and saute some onions, garlic and shiitakes or criminis while you've got the rest of your meal going...

This Saturday, June 7: another Kubb Friendly

From our friends on campus:

The Eau Claire Berserkers and UWEC Foodlums are hosting kubb friendlies on the first Saturday of each month from noon to 2pm at Peace Park (across from Just Local Food on 1st and Grand). The friendlies consist of kubb and food. They are not tournaments, rather friendly, open matches for learning and fun. If you are a rookie or if you are the world champion, if you have a couple hours or only 15 minutes, regardless of age or sex, you are more than welcome. The grill is always hot and the lumber is always being tossed.

If you'd like to have a great afternoon (or practice for our August 2nd Midwest Kubb Championship & Fundraiser!) invite friends, bring some serious hunger and a kubb swagger!

Come on down to see why we think Eau Claire is "Kubb City USA"... this is how we create community.

sister city project: Miramar Costa Rica

A few weeks ago, Just Local Food was asked to help host a delegation of representatives from Eau Claire's sister city in Costa Rica. Our role is helping to make agricultural and cooperative connections during the "agriculture weekend" July 5 and 6 (that's in just a few weeks!). Among the folks coming up to visit our area is a representative from a coffee cooperative, and they'll be joining th Coffee Grounds at the Farmers Market on Saturday the 5th, hopefully sharing fresh brews of coffee beans from their area. On Sunday, Just Local Food will be hosting the entire delegation for a quick tour of our store, then embarking on a farm tour to visit a few local farms. We're also planning on stopping in Augusta for the Bean and Bacon days parade around noon, then embarking on further tours and ending with dinner at a restaurant in the area.

Are you interested in helping out with our visitors? We are looking for donations to cover meal expenses for these wonderful people, transportation, translators (spanish/english), farm hosts and more. Let Aaron know if you have any ideas or would like to contribute.

farmers market

The Downtown Eau Claire Farmers Market has been off to a wonderful start this year. Just Local Food is proud to continue our tradition of setting up alongside many of our suppliers and representing farms and fair-trade products at our own booth.

Like last year, we are bringing down fresh organic fair trade coffee every Saturday. Stick a travel mug in with your reusable shopping bags so you can enjoy a fresh cup while you peruse the pad. You are also very welcome to use one of the many ceramic mugs that we offer for wandering and to-go. We bring fresh coffee for a few reasons, one of which is to offer samples of different coffees for you to try. So please don't feel bad grabbing a mug and giving our daily brew a try, it is why we bring it. You'll notice we don't charge for coffee, we only ask for a donation. Why? We trust you.

By bringing our mugs to the market and avoiding styrofoam cups we are accomplishing several goals. We're reducing the overall waste that the Market produces. We're conserving landfill space. We're saving money for our co-op that allows us to keep our prices down. We're setting an example for other businesses. And we're retaining the genuine flavor and overall integrity of our fair trade organic coffees by not exposing them to plastics, waxes or styrofoam. Thanks for your support, and we look forward to seeing you on Saturday to share a cup of Joe, a delicious sample prepared by our staff, or just a simple wave & smile.

We also bring down bottled artesian water from a local family farm. This is not the kind of bottled water that's just tap water or from a Coke bottling plant. It truly is fresh, clean Wisconsin groundwater that is bottled near Osseo on Glenn and Bev's farm. I've been to the plant and they are doing the right thing. They would love to bottle in glass returnables, but they can't afford the bottles and equipment yet. This is the next best, and a far step above the corporate waters available elsewhere and keeps money in our area.

Crystal Ball Farms aged cheddars, small chocolate milks and Eau Galle Italian cheese are a few other products we try to bring each week. We're also featuring new products and inviting suppliers to join us, so you'll see a variety. We're trying to make it worth your visit every Saturday. See you there!

Art Reception this Saturday evening

“Longing Exists within the Night Sky”

Interpretive paintings of Tsunami survivors by Johanna Sinz

Artist's Opening Reception: Saturday, June 7 5:00-6:30pm

Show length: from June 1 – June 31

From Johanna:
Spring 2005 I began to research the Tsunami crisis particularly the disaster in Bande Ache. Thousands of women were left widows, more than one million left homeless and one in three had lost a job. Women had to share tents with strange men, they had no privacy to wash or to breastfeed. 150,000 women were pregnant when this tragedy struck. They struggled to find adequate health care. Many girls were unable to go back to school because nearly all of their teachers died and their college was destroyed in Bande Ache. Over 1,100 children were left orphaned and over 3,600 homes were destroyed. Women had to be strong and resourceful. They developed amazing bonds and friendships courageously surviving together in this male dominated society. I felt a connection with these particular women in Bande Ache the more I learned about them. Relating my pain with theirs allowed me to release emotions through painting.

I deal with situations and feelings that I am going through by painting; it has been an outlet for my emotions. Painting helps me to heal from past experiences that have happened in my life. I can let myself go through painting, putting what's in my heart and head out onto the canvas. It is essentially my escape from reality. It is a form of release, physically getting images out of my head onto the canvas releases me from being tied to the emotions.

When I started to research and study the Tsunami crisis this past spring, I began to incorporate natural disaster into my work. The water, layers, wind that I create is a grounding spot and metaphor of the events in my life. Texture is very important in the paintings, it represents how deep the emotions run. The layers that I create symbolize not only landscape but time elapsing over the landscape. Healing and washing over the destruction that has happened. By using layers and textures I form a personal language to convey my message.