The ChronicleWelcoming our new GMProduct spotlight: Chocosol chocolateBook review: Caribbean Vegan and The Kind DietWest End Food Co-op - Don’t be scared, Karma. Open up.

Autumn 2011

•• 2 ••

Letters to (and from) the editor ....................... 3

Report from the GM ......................................... 4

Upcoming Annual General Meeting .............. 5

Welcoming our new GM .................................. 6

Chocosol product spotlight .............................. 7

Vegan book reviews ........................................... 8

West End Food Co-op ....................................10

In the aisle .........................................................12

Supporting you! ...............................................13

Photo contest ....................................................14

Apple chutney recipe .......................................15

The Chronicle is published by members of Karma Co-op

739 Palmerston Avenue, Toronto, ON M6G 2R3 T: 416-534-1470 F: 416-534-3697 www.karmacoop.org

The Chronicle is a link between members of this and other co-operative communities; the only viewpoints herein endorsed by Karma Co-op Inc. are those published as re-ports of the board of directors and its committees. This newsletter is printed on Enviro100 stock, which contains FSC-certified 100% post-consumer fibre. The paper is certified EcoLogo, processed chlorine free, and manufac-tured using biogas energy. It is union-made in Canada by Cascades Fine Papers.

SubmissionsWe welcome submissions from any Karma member, staff, or board member! Submissions may be sent by e-mail, to chronicleeditor@gmail.com. Upcoming editorial deadlines are posted on the store bulletin board. The Chronicle will publish any Karma-related material, subject to editorial policy guidelines. Letters to the editor must contain the writer’s full name and telephone number, although names will be withheld at time of publication upon request. All published articles are eligible for work credits (letters to the editor and announcements are not).

Chronicle staff for autumnEditor: Abigale Miller Designer: Ellen Pauker Copy editor: Karen Lior Proofreader: Amy Stein

Chronicle CommitteeShawn Caza, Derek Chadbourne, Melissa Dalgleish, Karen Fliess, Andrea Fonseca, Bill Howson, Karen Lior, Abigale Miller, Amy Packwood, Ellen Pauker, Amy Stein

PhotosShawn Caza (unless otherwise credited)

ContributorsShawn Caza, Karen Fliess, Nadia L Hohn, Bill Howson, Cindy Willems, Joerg Wittenbrinck

The Chronicle Autumn 2011

Contents

The members’ newsletter of Karma Co-op

Cover illustration by: Catherine Frances Frere (d. 1921)

•• 3 ••

Letter from the editor

Fresh, crisp air and shorter days means summer is ending and harvest season is beginning! Celebrate the approach of autumn with this issue of The Chronicle. Inside, you’ll find thoughts on the co-op model, updates on Karma management, and as always, plenty to read about food.

The Chronicle Committee would like to apolo-gize for errors in the summer Chronicle in both the board report and the president’s report. The correct version of the entire summer issue is available on the web at http://karmacoop.org/committees/chronicle/archives.php.

To help streamline our processes and manage the length of The Chronicle, we have instituted word limits for articles and letters to the editor. Thanks to all contributors to the autumn issue for adhering to the new guideline.

We always welcome new contributions. If you are interested in writing an article for The Chronicle, please send a message to:

chronicleeditor@gmail.com. We will keep you informed of submission dead-lines and editorial guidelines, and we are happy to offer editorial support and ideas.

Happy reading!

Abigale Milleron behalf of the Chronicle Committee

Letters

Dear editor,

My co-op won’t let me help it!

Today, I went to Alter-native Grounds to buy coffee. Again. I’ve been

doing this since buying a great new coffeemaker

two years ago. I wasn’t getting the flavour I wanted, so I experi-

mented with other grinds and coffees.

Karma sells good coffee, but the problem is our coffee grinder. Either the machine dies halfway through the grind or I inherit someone else’s beans from the last time it died. Sometimes the works are so gummed up I can’t get the fine grind I want. Apparently, it gets cleaned occasionally. Sometimes staff cajole it into starting again.

But when was the last time it was properly ser-viced? I’ve heard unofficially that we’ll be getting a new coffee grinder. The crucial question is: will it be properly maintained?

I refuse to waste my money, my time, or Karma’s coffee. I don’t need the aggravation.

If I can’t grind coffee reliably at Karma, that’s worth not $5 per month, but about $50 or more, which Karma loses.

I’d like to spend that money at Karma, but ser-vicing the coffee grinder or buying a new one doesn’t seem to be part of the financial equation at present.

Deborah Cherry

•• 4 ••

Hello Karma members,

Greetings from the new general manager! I’m Amy, and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of you since I started here in late May. Thank you all for the warm welcome, and, to those of you I haven’t met yet, I look forward to getting to know you, too.

We’ve had a lot of staff happenings here at Karma over the past several months. Our as-sistant general manager, Michael, was on parental leave for two months this summer. He was missed, and we’re glad to have him back. We had two tem-porary staffers for the summer, Tanya and Naomi, who were a huge help during the many staff vaca-tions over the season. Finally, we welcomed a new face in the health & beauty department: Annette, a registered holistic nutritionist. Annette is on hand to answer any of your questions about our health products and nutritional supplements.

As you’re checking out at the cash registers, you might notice that we have a whole new member-ship system. We no longer have the yellow and blue cards; everything has now been computer-ized. The cashier will be able to find your mem-bership information on the laptop between the two registers.

On the opposite side of the store we have a beau-tiful new four-door freezer, which is stocked with all your favorite frozen treats and staples! Thanks for your patience while we’ve been short on freez-er space, and thanks so much to member Art, of Arthur Refrigeration, for all his work in setting things up.

Because of the new freezer, you may notice that some things have been moved around in the store. If you’re looking for your favorite [fill in the blank], just ask anyone on staff, and we’ll be happy to show you where it went.

One last note: Karma thrives because of you! Help us spread the word about our amazing co-op – like the Community Development Committee has been doing lately – so that we can boost mem-bership. We currently have over 900 members, and the goal is 1,000. An increased membership means greater financial stability, and, best of all, a greater ability to accomplish our mission to “create a community of actively participating members”!

See you around the store,Amy

Report from the GM

Annette

•• 5 ••

Karma Co-operative AGM

The annual general meeting (AGM) will take place on Monday, October 17, 2011, at Friends’ House, located at 60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto. The doors will open at 5:30 pm for registration. Refreshments will be available. The meeting will commence at 6:30 pm, with the adjournment scheduled for 9:30 pm.

The official agenda for the meeting, along with the documents and reports booklet, will be available to the membership in the first week of October. Copies will be available at the store, or online at http://karmacoop.org/agm/.

If you have any questions, please contact Hilary Gibson-Wood at membersec@karmacoop.org.

New board members will be elected at the AGM. If you would like information about joining the board, please contact Kirsten Heyerdahl, the nominations chair, at board@karmacoop.org.

Join the Karma community on Twitter and Facebook!We’ll help you stay up to date on your co-op, the Annex and Toronto’s food movement.

And, you can quickly share your views with us! @KarmaCoop

•• 6 ••

by Shawn Caza

I recently sat down with our new general man-ager, Amy Andre, to get to know her a little better. Amy, who lived in San Francisco prior to taking her position at Karma, told me that she and her partner had been interested in moving to Cana-da, and to Toronto in particular, as they feel we have a greater respect for the environment and good social service infrastructure. Amy and her partner also have some family in the area.

The position at Karma seemed like the perfect opportunity to make the move as she has a strong interest in co-ops and non-profits. She explained how an earlier job with a co-op led her to pursue a business degree. She earned her MBA, focus-ing on non-profit management, from the Haas School of Business at the University of California Berkeley a few years ago.

She mentioned two things that have stood out since her first visit to the store for her interview. The first was the quality of the food. Since I think of California as a big agricultural area I was a little surprised to hear this, but she felt strongly that the produce at Karma tasted much better than what she was accustomed to. The second thing she mentioned was the volun-teer culture within the co-op. We’ve impressed her with our dedication and hard work.

I asked Amy what she hopes to help change during her role as GM for Karma. She feels

we are doing lots of things right and that we have lots to offer to the Toronto community. As such, she is very interested in spreading the word about Karma and working to grow the member-ship base.

My last question was something everyone will want to know: what’s her favourite food at Karma? She mentioned her excitement around the buf-falo mozzarella and meat we now carry, and a chocolate treat that is very popular with the staff. Ultimately, she came back to Karma’s produce as her choice.

Welcoming our new GM

Amy

•• 7 ••

By Bill Howson

Looking for a little bit of chocolate to sweeten up your day? One of Karma’s products just might fit the bill. Chocosol has been in the chocolate busi-ness for nearly 10 years. They remain true to the original indigenous concept of chocolate as a food of the gods rather than a candy, which it has become under the corrupting influence of modern society.

The chocolate is made from the highest-quality organic cacao, it is 70 – 80 per cent pure and stone-ground to preserve the maximum amount of anti-oxidants and nutrients (magnesium, zinc, iron, and pro-tein). The raw nibs, of course, are the real thing: roasted and crushed cacao beans.

In a recent interview with founder Michael Sacco, he described Chocosol not as a company but as a “learning

community social enterprise”, based on three prin-ciples: a healthy profit, a healthy environment, and a healthy community. These principles extend beyond the six people on payroll here in Toronto and into the more than 20 indigenous communities in south-ern Mexico where the products are sourced.

Chocosol grew out of Michael’s master’s thesis on solar technology. In 2000, he was invited by indigenous elders in Chiapas to build a so-

lar powered roaster for their coffee and baking. By 2005, he began to work

with a number of communities roasting chocolate. From these

humble beginnings, the con-nections were made through a web of progressive civil organizations with over 200 producers — individual

Product spotlight: Chocosol chocolate

Continued on next page

•• 8 ••

by Nadia L. Hohn

As I explore the world of vegan cooking, I have discovered a wonderful cornucopia of dairy-, egg-, and meat-free scrumptious goodness. Sev-eral times each week, I have fun cooking dishes and discovering a wide variety of flavours. My spring introduction to veganism this year was filled with flavour. As I tried to develop my culi-nary prowess by rarely repeating a receipe (I get bored very easily), I ventured to tastier dishes that would appeal despite my lack of appetite and temporary lack of gustation, both a result of radiation treatments. I share with you two gems that helped me stay nourished and satisfied.

Caribbean Vegan, by Taymer Mason

“I can’t believe it’s not meat!” could be the working title of this book. That’s what I said as I made and tried my very first smoked vegan ham. Many of the dishes are of Bajan (also known as Barbadian) origin, leaving a want for more Jamaican dishes by yours truly. (I am a first-generation Canadian of parents from Jamrock.) Nevertheless, Barba-dos-born author Taymer Mason impresses the tastebuds with traditional dishes such as doubles, macaroni pie and roti. From the mouthwatering, never-could-get-enough vegan “beef ” patties and the gastronomical wizardry of the jerk pizza with sweet potato crust, Mason’s dishes challenge a novice but they never disappoint and actually

indigenous farmers, co-ops, and rural production societies — mainly from the southern states of Chiapas and Oaxaca.

Relationships with all of their producers are non-contractual, meaning deals are done on a handshake and the producers are free to sell to the highest bidder. But they won’t find a better deal in the international marketplace, as they are paid above organic fair trade prices directly by Chocosol. This kind of direct trade relationship is good for the producers, as it means that their profits are not bled off by middlemen and mar-

keting companies. Chocosol does not believe in paid advertising to get the word out; the product speaks for itself.

Karma currently carries five flavours of Choco-sol eating chocolate — Sinfully Raw Vanilla, Hemp Gold, Darkness, Coconut, Five Chili — as well as raw cacao nibs and bulk agave nectar. In addition to the products at Karma, Chocosol also produces raw organic cane sugar and coffee. You can find them Thursdays at Dufferin Grove Farmers Market as well as other locations in southern Ontario.

Product spotlight continued from previous page

Vegan book reviews: Caribbean Vegan and The Kind Diet

•• 9 ••

helped me feel like a culinary queen (sing to the tune of Billy Ocean’s “Caribbean Queen” from the ‘80s). Averaging at least 20 ingredients per entree (there are 54 different ingredients in the Jerk Pizza if you include the ingredients in the Jerk Sausage), these meals take lots of time to prepare. So turn on the roots reggae, cancel all your appointments for the next few days, and roll up your sleeves. You’ll impress your dinner guests with the tantalizing combination of flavours that are present in Carib-bean cuisine. And if you grew up eating Jamaican food like I did, you get the best of both worlds — the dishes you love and remember with that yummy blend of spices, without the use of animal products. So if you’re afraid that vegan cooking could be bland, have no fear. Caribbean Vegan lets you have your rum cake and eat it, too.

The Kind Diet, by Alicia Silverstone

Break out the granola and dust off your guitar, as we sit on the grass and feel the sunshine. This is Alicia Silverstone’s invitation to a teddy bear’s picnic that is veganism. In The Kind Diet, you too can see the “unicorns and rainbows” and en-ter the hazy sunny glow of Woodstock without LSD or marijuana. The Kind Diet is three books in one: cookbook, vegan nutrition guide, and en-viro/ethical guide for daily living. Alicia Silver-stone (and her research team) won me over to try veganism with a non-confrontational approach. In The Kind Diet, there are three levels of vegan: flirting (a meal here, a day there vegan), vegan (where I’m at), and superhero (macrobiotic hard-core vegan). With honesty, personal tales, and grainy photographs, The Kind Diet had me trying new foods like kabocha squash, shoyu and tam-ari soy sauces, and umeboshi. The foods are light, easy, quick to prepare, and very California with a Japanese or Mexican flare. Big ups to the rustic pasta, pecan-crusted seitan, veggie tempura, pea-nut butter cups, and pumpkin bread (with carob and macadamia nuts... mmmmm). According to Silverstone, you can take or leave veganism but at least give it a try because you’ll probably like it. Note: The black-eyed pea croquettes that Alicia Silverstone thought were the brilliant invention of her friend are actually widely eaten in West Africa (often called akara) and are a cousin to Middle Eastern falafels.

To learn more about Nadia’s culinary adventures in veganism and see some food photos, visit her blog at Blue Butterfly: http://nadiahohn.blogspot.com.

Continued from facing page

•• 10 ••

by Joerg Wittenbrinck

The final impulse to write this short piece came in July when I read an article about West End Food Co-op and their many activities. Founded a few years back — in no small part by Karma members — the Co-op has been the organization behind the successful Sorauren Farmers’ Market and a series of canning workshops. From the be-ginning the goal was to establish a store. A space has now been found inside the Parkdale Com-munity Health Centre at Queen and Dufferin. It seems only a matter of some months and some

more fundraising before the store will open its doors to members and the general public (see westendfood.coop for more information).

It is great to see another food co-op open up in Toronto (there once were many more), but that is not why I am writing here. What I find so in-spiring about West End Food Co-op, beyond the enormous amount of energy put into the project by many smart and creative people, is the way it deliberately and openly engages the community

Don’t be scared, Karma. Open up.

•• 11 ••

it is connected to and situated in. The co-op has different kinds of memberships (eaters, produc-ers, workers and community partners), but the store will be open to everyone. For West End Food Co-op, a sustainable food system also in-cludes ideas for allowing members to work for food and to have a kitchen that offers meals at very affordable prices.

My sense of Karma, especially in recent months, has been almost the opposite. I don’t see Karma reaching out. In fact, I see signs of turning away from the community and making things harder for members of the co-op. The well-meaning yet overly vigilant pursuit of fairness has led to an atmosphere that is not welcoming and not very inspiring. Here are some examples.

At the top of the list is perhaps the Board’s deci-sion to disallow trial shops. I cringe every time I see the “MEMBERS ONLY!” sign on the en-trance. To this day I fail to see how forcing people to commit to the co-op on their very first visit (albeit at easier entrance requirements after the latest changes) can help us increase our active membership. More recently, as another example, we all got a letter attached to our household num-ber — and cashiers now spend at least twice as long pressing buttons before they can finally cash someone out. What a frustrating experience for everyone involved.

For those of us doing committee work, things have become more complicated, too. Commit-tee members used to have four hours credited per month, no matter how much work they ac-tually did. That was enough to cover the hours

needed for a two-adult household, and so com-mittee members didn’t need to worry about ac-counting how much time they spend on Karma business. There is no doubt that the members of my committee have put in many times the hours they were credited — even if there was a month here and there when one of the members didn’t do any work at all.

As chair of a committee, I am now expected to accurately account for and to report every month the hours worked by each committee member. I am also required to read all board minutes (and ostensibly the many attachments, though I have never dared ask). Those are not the tasks that in-spired me to contribute to our co-op life by work-ing on a committee, and I am taking my liber-ties overlooking some rules in an effort to use my time wisely.

Yes, when rules are not quite as strict, there tend to be a few free riders and not everyone will be held to the same standard. No doubt, a few neighbours and kids from Palmerston school came to the store again and again without ever signing up. And I have heard of committee members at times not putting in as many hours as they were automati-cally credited. But what is the bigger harm? We are a community and we are part of a larger commu-nity. We should strive to work cooperatively with one another and with a healthy amount of trust rather than suspicion. We have to recognize that too many rules designed to hold everyone to the same standard make us too rigid an organization. It can easily squash the spirit, the enthusiasm and the creativity that we need for our co-op and that we should carry into the larger community.

Continued from facing page

•• 12 ••

by Karen Fliess

Vital statisticsName: Rikke Krabbenhoft Length of membership: two months Status: working member(signed up for cash training)

How did you discover Karma? I live nearby and saw the sign outside on Palmerston. Also some friends told me about Karma.

Why do you shop at Karma? Because I like it here. I don’t like big supermarkets. I like to shop here where I don’t get confused. I like to buy good products and organic food. Karma is a nice place to shop.

What is in your basket today? Eggs (the cheapest I could find), ginger, radishes, bananas (the half price ones), green lentils, peanut hazelnut butter and one onion. Some-times I photograph what I buy. I like the colours; I paint and like the sense of colour and form.

What is one product you discovered at Karma? Nothing new that I haven’t seen before, but I like everything in here, the big honey jar, all the bulk, the soaps, the flours and grains. I bought barley flour here and I haven’t seen that in other places. I made a really nice Tibetan bread with it.

Is there a product you would highly recom-mend to other members? The different flours.

Is there a memorable experience that you have had at Karma? I bought an octagonal-shaped beeswax candle here once and gave it to a friend. I had a lot of dreams about the unusual shape of this candle.

What book are you reading right now? The Source of Music: Music and Mantra for Self-Realisation (I’m a music teacher.)

Other than Karma, what else do you think is one of Toronto’s little known gems? The yoga institute where I study, The Yidya Institute.

In The Aisle

Rikke

Photo by: Karen Fliess

•• 13 ••

by Cindy Willems

We have only one body in this life, so it’s impor-tant to treat it well. Feed it good food, keep it clean, keep it strong and well-rested. Chinese medicine be-lieves we all have two energetic qi (chee) within us, one that we are born with (pre-natal qi) and one that we acquire as we age (post-natal qi). Think of a savings account that you in-herit when you are born and then one you open when you get older. If you withdraw more than you deposit into these accounts, eventu-ally they will be emptied. There will not be enough for you to live on later in life. Depleting your qi will make you more susceptible to illness, injury, fatigue, and/or depression.

Supporting the following three components will help you maintain as much pre-natal qi as possible, while investing in your post-natal qi. In simple terms, it could help you live a longer, better-quality life.

1. Diet Eating a whole foods diet, balanced with fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes and good quality/small quantity of meat, poultry or fish is the key. Avoid packaged or processed food and enjoy meals cooked with simplicity, love, and attention. Don’t overindulge, but enjoy a small treat now and then. Be mindful of eating slowly and chewing your food well to optimize digestion.

2. Lifestyle A stressful lifestyle may be a significant contributing factor to many

diseases. Do you know when you’re feeling stressed? You may feel hot,

have an increased heart rate, feel anxious, have trouble sleeping,

have shortness of breath, and/or suffer from headaches. Rec-ognize your stressors and find tools to help you deal with them. One of the simplest tools... a deep breath. Slow down, breathe, and give your

body some down time — even five or ten minutes will help.

Living a clean lifestyle and resting is important for repairing and rejuvenat-

ing your body. Getting to sleep before 10:00 pm is optimum. Try this for one week and see how you feel!

3. Exercise Finally, moderate exercise (30 min-utes, two – three times per week) keeps your struc-ture or frame strong, while supporting physiologi-cal functions like your cardiovascular system. A strong heart transports nutrients throughout the body and the lymphatic system, and, strengthened by movement, gets rid of toxins and by-products. Another benefit of moderate exercise is how you will feel about yourself. Your muscles will become toned, your energy will increase, and your overall health and wellness will improve.

So eat well, live simply, and enjoy life.

Cindy Willems Holistic Nutritionist Pilates Instructor www.nourishingvitality.ca

The Importance Of Supporting You – Now!

•• 15 ••

Member Labour Blues? Member Labour Rules!

Karma has a new online Google calendar for members to find and sign up for work shifts! Click on over to http://www.karmacoop.org/work/memberlabourwork.php and check it out today! Please send any questions to: member.labour@gmail.com.

Recipe adapted from http://www.opensourcefood.com/people/makemethod/recipes/apple-chutney.

*Karma members – we welcome any original recipe submissions!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.

Autumn Apple Chutney

• Simply put all ingredients together in a large stock pot

• Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer

• Simmer for one hour, then let cool

• Pour into glass jars and refrigerate

1-1/2 lb. apples, chopped

1/2 large red onion, chopped

1 medium clove garlic, minced

1/4 c. lemon juice

1/4 c. water 1 tbsp. ginger 1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves 1 tsp. salt 1 c. honey (or your favorite vegan sweetener)

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

1/2 c. water 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Apple drawing by Candy P.

Karma staffGeneral Manager: Amy AndreAssistant General Manager: Michael ArmstrongProduce Manager: Michael ArmstrongBulk Buyer: Talia McGuireGrocery Buyer: Greg MillerBread Buyer: Paul DixonCoffee & Tea Buyer: Zoltan VaradiHealth & Beauty Buyer: Annette AngellRetail Associates: David Chivers, Rachel Climenhaga, Paul Dixon, Frank Norquay, Zoltan Varadi, Greg Miller, Annette Angell, Talia McGuireBookkeeper: Denise StapletonMember Records Secretary: Marilou LawrenceMember Labour Coordinator: Greg Miller

Board of directorsPresident: Howard KaplanVice-President: Hilary Gibson-WoodBuilding Liaison Officer: Arel AgnewCommittee Secretary: Angela LeeCorporate Secretary: Kirsten HeyerdahlLiaison with the GM: Arel AgnewMembership Secretary: Hilary Gibson-WoodStrategic Planning Secretary: Corey BermanTechnology Secretary: Rick ConroyTreasurer: Howard Kaplan

Mission Statement Our aim is to:• Createacommunityofactivelyparticipatingmembers;• Fosterahealthyconnectiontothefoodweeat,thepeoplewhogrowit, and the other organizations who share our beliefs;• Co-operativelyeducateourselvesonenvironmentalissues;and• Exercisepoliticalandeconomiccontroloverourfood by operating a viable co-operative food store.

Contact your co-op — get involved!

Board of Directors: board@karmacoop.orgBuilding Committee: building@karmacoop.orgChronicle Committee: chronicleeditor@gmail.comCommunity Development Committee: community@karmacoop.orgFinance Committee: finance@karmacoop.orgFood Issues Committee: foodissues@karmacoop.orgMember Labour Coordinator: mlc@karmacoop.orgOrientation Committee: orientation@karmacoop.orgWeb Committee: web@karmacoop.org

Hours of operation

Monday: 11:00 am – 7:00 pmTuesday: 11:00 am – 9:00 pmWednesday: 11:00 am – 9:00 pmThursday: 11:00 am – 9:00 pmFriday: 11:00 am – 9:00 pmSaturday: 10:00 am – 6:00 pmSunday: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm