From the GM: September 2018
by Gary Taylor, General Manager
Hello Everyone!
I wanted to take this opportunity to let everyone know that we have accomplished one of our biggest objectives when I signed on as GM at Common Ground!
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Family Meals Month: How the co-op is helping families share meals
by Mia Hanneken, Education Coordinator
Did you know that family meals have decreased by one-third in the past 20 years? Between busy work schedules and the balance of school and extracurriculars, families have less time to spend at home. Specifically, families just aren’t home at the same time. With mismatched schedules, there’s little to no time to cook together or eat together.
Teaching Kids to Cook
by Joanne Mierek, Operations Manager
“Learn how to cook – try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun!”
- Julia Child
From Your Board: September 2018
by Marissa Stewart
From the GM: August 2018
by Gary Taylor, General Manager
Happy August fellow Co-opers!
Some of the questions we get here at the coop concern the high cost of groceries these days. I think it is time we talked about this elephant in the room. I will tackle this in two parts, the first being the effects of inflation on food cost and the second being our unique situation as a small independent co-op.
New Meals from Old Food: Food Waste Solutions
by Mia Hanneken, Education Coordinator
Did you know an astounding forty percent of food in the U.S. goes uneaten? Not considering the vast quantities of restaurant foods that are wasted, it is estimated that even two-thirds of food in U.S. kitchens are discarded.
August Board Dispatch: Elections fast approaching
by Keith McKenney
Happy August, dear readers!
Not unlike last month's dispatch from your board of directors, I will remind you that we are fast approaching election season.
One of the things I love about our co-op is this piece: Owners vote for their board of directors. As an owner that has invested in a piece of equity in our store, you have a say in who represents you when it comes to governing Common Ground. That's a little different than your average grocery store. Even the smaller regional chains.
What's Your Relationship to the Food You Buy?
by Sam Ihm, Marketing
On industrial agriculture, farmer suicides, being a "consumer", eating consciously, and working toward a local food system that meets our material needs.
What's Your Relationship to the Food You Buy?
What is the ultimate decision we face when choosing what food to buy at the store? Is it what we’re going to eat for dinner, or how much money we’ll have left to spend elsewhere? Or, can it be bigger than just what happens to us today?
From Your Board: July 2018
Almost exactly four years ago, I applied to run for Common Ground’s board. At the time, I worked for a nonprofit that focused on local food and farming, and my motivation for joining CGFC’s board was mostly because I care about the importance of locally grown food and having a connection to the people who produced it. The co-op, then, was a logical place for me to find a sense of community. The Ends (conveniently painted on the walls above the registers) are things I believe in, and I am proud to be a part of them.
A morning at PrairiErth Farm
by Anne Bargar, Produce Assistant Manager
PrairiErth Farm sits a few miles outside of Atlanta, IL, about 20 miles southeast of Bloomington-Normal. It’s 350 acres of diversified farm including vegetable crops, grains, pasture, cover crops, and restored prairie. The terrain there is rolling and the whole farm is quite beautiful. Add in the dramatic clouds we had during our visit, and it was quite the visual feast.
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