The Chronicle

the kale questionwhat to call an eggspring cleaning = good karma

spring 2016

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The Chronicle Spring 2016The members’ newsletter of Karma Co-op

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 endorsed by Karma Co-op Inc. are those published as reports of the board of directors and its committees. This newsletter is printed on Enviro100 stock, which contains FSC-certified 100 per cent post-consumer fibre. The paper is certified EcoLogo, processed chlorine free, and manufactured using biogas energy. It is union-made in Canada by Cascades Fine Papers.

ContentsReport from the general manager................................3

Why is cauliflower so expensive? ............................. 4-5

The kale question ..................................................... 6-7

What to call an egg .................................................. 8-9

Soap’s dirty little secrets. ........................................... 10

Meals on a budget..................................................... 11

Grow your own sprouts ............................................. 12

Spotlight: Karma’s vegan products .......................13-14

Spring cleaning = good karma ............................15-16

Staff interview: Willow Johnson ................................ 17

Report from the board of directors ............................ 18

Report from the Finance Committee ....................19-20

Report from the Building Committee ........................ 20

Report from the Social Events Committee ................. 21

Coleslaw recipe ......................................................... 23

submissionsWe welcome submissions from any Karma member, staff, or board member!

Submissions may be sent by email to chronicle@kar-macoop.org. The Chronicle will publish material re-lated to Karma Co-op, subject to our editorial policy. Letters to the editor must contain the writer’s full name and telephone number, although names will be with-held at time of publication upon request. Published articles are eligible for work credits (letters to the edi-tor, announcements, and pieces that have already been published elsewhere are not).

ChroniCle staff for spring

CONTENT EDITOR: SYBILLE PARRYMANAGING EDITOR: MARA EKSTEINSCOMMUNICATIONS MANAGER: KAREN FLIESSDESIGNER: ELLEN PAUKERCOPY EDITOR: LEIGh SALSBERGPhOTOGRAPhER: ELA LIChTBLAUPROOFREADER: MORGAN JOhNSONWEB MANAGER/BOARD E-NEWS: MARA EKSTEINS

ChroniCle Committee

ANN BENEDEKMARA EKSTEINSKAREN FLIESSMANDY hINDLEMORGAN JOhNSONELA LIChTBLAU

EILEEN LOUIE -CARRUThERSCALEY MOORESYBILLE PARRYELLEN PAUKERAMY STEINLEIGh SALSBERG

Cover photo of the Howick Community Farmers barn by Amy Stein

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2016 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Pulses. Chickpeas, beans, lentils, and peas are all pulses that are nutritional powerhouses as well as great sources of protein. In addition, pulses play an important role in sustain-able agriculture and food security. They are water-efficient, nitrogen-fixing crops that enrich the soil. Canada is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of dried peas, lentils, and other pulses.

Karma carries pulses in many forms. In addi-tion to the usual canned and dried pulses (of which Karma carries 17 varieties!), we also carry: chickpea flour, pulse seeds for home sprout-ing, pastas made from pulse flours; chickpea miso; assorted pulse tempehs; canned, frozen, and freshly prepared meals featuring pulses; and bean chips.

Pulses can be used in many interesting ways. A mem-ber recently shared a cooking tip with me. Instead of using cream or flour to thicken sauces, she uses pureed white beans. To celebrate the year, I encour-age you to try a new pulse. If there is a pulse missing from our product line, let us know! We’d love to try it. And I would love to hear more pulse tips from you. We’ll be sure to share them with our membership.

Since the last issue of The Chronicle, we have made some more improvements to the store. Have you noticed the kitchen renovations? Thank you to the Building Committee for their efforts!

As most of you will know, sales are down. This trend is affecting smaller retailers in the natural health and organic industry in both the U.S. and Canada. With this knowledge, staff, the board, and Karma

committees are taking steps towards ensuring a successful and thriving co-op: a membership drive is in the early planning stages; a communication and marketing strategy is un-derway; a pricing strategy is on the horizon, including an in-depth price

comparison with some of our key competitors, as well as a revisiting of operational strategies to im-prove efficiency. Our goal is to keep Karma viable. We welcome suggestions from members, as well as any help you can offer as we implement these changes. Please contact us if you have ideas or time to assist us. Thanks to everyone who has been work-ing so hard these past few months to make Karma the best it can be! This is co-operation at work.

See you all in the store.

Report from the GM

by Talia McGuire

Photo by Ela Lichtblau

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Why is cauliflower so expensive?!by Nat Williams

I am sure many of our shoppers and members have noticed the recent increase in the price of cauliflower. Last year’s “trendy vegetable” has become this year’s “object of ridicule.” The recent at-tention being paid to this edible flower has resulted in articles, viral videos, and even some people resorting to converting food into jewellery or “bling” for aesthetic appeal and satirical relief. Cauli-flower has been the most obvious indicator of rising food prices.

Food prices are expected to rise approximately 4 per cent this year. High prices are likely the new normal until the Canadian dollar rebounds or more local products are available in grocery stores. The University of Guelph’s annual food report re-leased in December 2015 showed that, on average, Canadians spent $325 more in 2015 over the previ-ous year. We are projected to spend $345 more on food in 2016. Why is this?

Most of the food we eat comes to us through international and interconnected chains of supply. These chains rely on many moving parts that must all work in unison. A disruption higher up in the chain translates to a change in the amount the retailer pays, and in turn the price the consumer pays. The earth is constantly changing and we are increasingly dependent on each other. Simple things like the cost of fuel, or the amount of water

Photo by Ela Lichtblau

California drought photo from nbcnews, CityVisions

California drought crisis takes toll on Lake Oroville, 2014

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that falls halfway across the world, can have a significant effect on the food on our plates. For ex-ample, approximately 80 per cent of the food sold at most Canadian stores is internationally sourced, with clear implications.

California exported $271 million in strawberries to Canada alone in 2014. In the same period, the state experienced drought, unusually cold weather, and El Niño weather systems. Mexico has recently been affected by cold weather, damaging staple items like tomatoes and zucchini. In Guatemala, heavy rains hurt melon crops. Each of these factors lowers the quality of produce while increasing retail costs.

Commodities also interact with food prices. High demand in China for soybean and corn have raised the price of eggs in the United States. Grain costs amount for approximately half of the 23 per cent rise in egg prices.

Government policies have a huge effect on food prices as well. U.S. government crop subsidies have shifted away from food and towards crops (like corn) that can be used to create biofuels (like etha-nol). Fewer farmers growing food results in higher prices at the market.

The world runs on water and so does the agricul-tural industry. In parts of the U.S., the government is paying farmers not to farm in an attempt to save water for the growing urban populations. When water becomes a commodity, farmers start selling it because they can make more money doing so than producing and selling food.

How are our suppliers responding? Many of our produce suppliers are local. By using locally sourced inputs in their farming practices and trav-elling shorter distances to deliver products, prices stay low. Pfennings Organics, one of our biggest

produce distributors, is working to keep costs low by buying land in Florida and Georgia. These areas are more climate-stable and less prone to drought. They have also removed costlier items like celery from their order forms when it is too expensive.

So what can we do about it? We still need to eat! One option is to change the way we eat by reduc-ing our reliance on imports. Changing the way we eat should not be troubling but exciting and fun. It may also require a little creativity.

Here are some ideas: During the winter months, switch to frozen fruits and vegetables grown in Canada (Karma has a great selection of these!). Eat Canadian-grown root vegetables like carrots, ruta-baga, parsnip, beets, potatoes, and sweet potatoes (Karma has these too!). Eat squash (great roasted, in soups, steamed/boiled, and even as dessert). If lettuce is too expensive, make slaws using cabbage, carrots, and beets. Crave the taste of celery? Use celeriac, and for celery texture, use radishes. Green onions are easily substituted with white. Swap hothouse-grown, Mexican tomatoes with the less expensive and often better tasting canned tomatoes (Karma sells local canned tomatoes!). Cooking and eating is fun, so try new things! It will taste great and you can save a buck or two.

Sources: New York Times, Empty Fields fill Urban Basins and farm-ers’ pockets http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/24/science/earth/24water.html?pagewanted=allaForbes, Why are food prices so high?http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveodland/2012/03/15/why-are-food-prices-so-high/#113735124575Toronto Star, Why you can’t always get what you want at grocery at the grocery storehttp://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2016/01/27/why-you-cant-always-get-what-you-want-at-the-grocery-store.html

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The kale question: local or imported?

by Martyna Krezel and Suzanne Methot, on behalf of the Food Issues Committee

During the winter months, Karma Co-op offers both fresh and frozen organic kale. Fresh kale is available in two varieties: green kale grown by California-based Cal-Organic and Ontario-based Sprouts for Life, and black kale grown by California-based B-Organics and Ontario’s Sprouts for Life. The frozen kale is grown and pro-cessed in Ontario by Pfenning’s Farm.

At last October’s AGM, a member asked if Karma could prioritize local kale during the winter to reduce our reliance on imported kale. The Food Issues Com-mittee has been researching the issue using the store’s Product Policy as a guide.

All of Karma’s kale is organic, which meets the Product Policy’s core value of Environmental Con-siderations. Because Karma’s kale is a whole food, the imported and local kale also meet the Product Policy’s core value of Nutritional and Health Con-siderations. That’s two good things we can be proud of as a store: we have high standards for both the

health of the earth and the health of consumers.

Under the core value of Political and Economic Consid-erations, Karma’s Product Policy supports small, lo-cal businesses over large, multi-national or foreign-owned businesses. Under Environmental Considerations, the Product Policy also supports local food over imported food whenever possible, because transport-ing imported food contributes to

climate change. The frozen kale meets both of these core values, as Pfenning’s grows its kale locally in a family-owned business under the direction of Wolf-gang and Ekkehard Pfenning. The fresh kale grown by Sprouts for Life also meets these core values: the company is owned by Kathryn and John Gorzo, a local couple who produce their kale in a greenhouse. With the recent addition of the Sprouts for Life fresh bagged kale, Karma members have greater choice and there is greater availability of local kale.

The Product Policy’s core value of Ethical Con-

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siderations condemns the exploitation of labour. However, the Product Policy core value of Political and Economic Considerations also mandates that we make decisions that ensure Karma’s continuing success as a business. This is where Karma mem-bers and staff have to enact a finer balance.

With the exception of Sprouts for Life — which uses only family labour — all of Karma’s kale sup-pliers hire migrant workers to grow and pick their kale. The true difference between the California suppliers and Ontario-based Pfenning’s Farm is one of transparency and respect.

The Food Issues Committee contacted California-based Cal-Organic on two occasions with specific questions regarding workers’ rights, and both times our inquiry was met with a formulaic statement: “Cal-Organic complies with all state employment laws.” No additional information was offered, and a Google search revealed articles that claimed repeated abuse of employees at the multi-million dollar company, including a $175,000 settlement for sexual harassment by a labour sub-contractor. The Food Issues Com-mittee did not hear back from California-based B-Organics.

In contrast, the Organic Compliance Officer at Pfenning’s Farm was

very forthcoming and informative about the limi-tations of the protections offered to their migrant workers. He commended Karma for investigating agricultural labour practices, and explained that market competition does not allow Pfenning’s to include third-party inspection of employer compliance with worker rights, as this would make their product more expensive. Karma Co-op has a longstanding relationship with Pfenning’s Farm, so despite lacking third-party inspection, we can state that the company is respectful and conscientious of their employees, including seasonally employed local resident workers and Jamaican migrant work-ers. A Google search did not reveal any complaints against Pfenning’s Farm.

Karma members purchase a lot of kale, which contributes greatly to the financial viability of our store. Therefore, using the Product Policy as our guide, the Food Issues Committee “strongly sup-

ports” the kale pro-duced and supplied by Pfenning’s Farm and Sprouts for Life and “supports” the continued sale of California kale until we are able to meet consumer demand using only local suppliers.

For more informa-tion, go to pfen-ningsfarms.ca and sproutsforlife.ca.

Photos by Ela Lichtblau

Winter kale

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What to call an egg: a visit with the Howick Community Farmersby Amy Stein

What do you want to know about the eggs you buy? This is no idle question. I set out to interview some of the people behind the Howick Community Farmers (HCF or Hoff-nung) eggs; but they interviewed me, too.

HCF is a three-year-old partnership of farmers in an old-order Mennonite community near Wing-ham, created to share infrastructure (such as an egg grading station) and sell the combined output from their farms. Besides eggs, HCF sells certified organic flour from their new mill, certified organic maple syrup, pastured beef, ketchup and more.

Since their church community made the collective decision not to use any genetically modified inputs on their farms, the starting point for their egg brand-ing is a clear non-GMO message. Beyond that, how-ever, the labelling gets tricky. Each farm – there are roughly 15 delivering eggs to the grading station each Tuesday – is different. Most of them have flocks of up to 100 laying hens, the maximum allowable number without buying quota. Two farms were grandfathered when quota rules took effect, so are allowed 500 hens. Together, they sell over 15,000 eggs per week.

On the day I visited, they were about to print new labels for their pastured organic eggs, while keep-ing the original label for the conventional eggs. They wanted to hear my perspective on wording, as a city-based consumer.

Organically fed. Elias Brubacher grows organic chicken feed, which most of the other egg producers buy from him. And they buy certified organic miner-al supplements, even though the eggs are not certified organic. But a few farmers opt to buy conventionally-produced non-GMO chicken feed instead, which was grown with pesticides and costs less. Until now, with only one label for all the eggs, they have not made any claim to organic. But HCF keeps track of the con-ventional eggs and, despite the identical label, sells them at a lower price to a few customers in Toronto (not Karma) who just want cheaper eggs.

Elias Brubacher & chickens

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That confusing practice will change with the new label for eggs from the organically fed hens. This label will not say “non-GMO,” because it’s encompassed by the word “organic.” (I am doubtful that many consumers will get this logic, especially since the eggs are not certified as organic. It took me awhile in the conversation to adjust to “non-GMO” as shorthand for conventionally-grown eggs, versus “organic” – which are also non-GMO.)

Pastured. The hens are on pasture in warm months, with access to pasture in winter. Access does not mean the hens want to go outside – chickens will brave the cold, but they don’t like to walk in snow. At Adam Brubacher’s farm, the hens range freely around the property (he says foxes got quite a few this year), while Elias’s flock of 500 birds is enclosed in the barn beside other livestock when I arrive. Some hens surge outside when Elias opens the doors, but most are content to hang out at the feeders inside the airy barn. Patches of snow keep any from venturing far beyond the doorway.

Small flocks. If you do not think of 500 as a small flock, consider that industrial egg producers jam tens of thousands of hens into windowless barns. Last month, Elias’s hens did start pecking each other. (Henpecking can occur even in backyard flocks, but is exacerbated in enclosed space.) He and some helpers clamped little pieces of plastic in front of each hen’s eyes, eliminating aggressive behaviour by preventing them from seeing directly ahead. It feels surreal to walk among the hundreds of active, curious birds…all seemingly decked out

in bright red and yellow sunglasses.

Harvested forage in winter. After detailed discus-sion, I am certain that most consumers do not know its meaning or significance (preserved greens, for high nutrient quality in eggs). Adam notes that the amount of harvested forage they get varies across farms, which concerns him even though it is not a focus of consumers.

Quality and integ-rity are paramount. For example, Adam tells me that one of the farms does not offer enough pasture to sell their eggs under the new pastured organic label. It’s a good-sized barnyard, but

he feels there is not enough grass for the size of flock. Adam has also run experiments to improve yolk quality, which is how they determined that sunlight in winter is a key factor.

As we talk, it becomes clear that Adam is a driving force behind HCF. He is not just working to build the customer base for their farm products, he is working to persuade all the other farmers in his community of the benefits – and the viability – of farming organi-cally. Understanding what their customers value is not just a marketing exercise, it’s part of the mission.

Amy Stein visits Ontario farms whenever possible. If you want to offer feedback to the farmers on any of the above, please email Amy via chronicleeditor@gmail.com. Your constructive comments will be passed along to them.

Adam Brubacher’s free ranging hens

Chicken with “sunglasses”

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DIY shower gel and body wash or... soap’s dirty little secretsby Tracy TieF

If I could eliminate one sneaky ingredient in body care with a blast of my Kitchen Witch magic wand, it would be sodium lauryl sulfate – SLS – and its evil twin, sodium laureth sulfate – SLES. These ubiquitous ingredients aren’t re-ally soap. They are actually detergents, foam-ing ebulliently in water of all temperatures, and contaminating our water supplies, rivers, and oceans with toxic chemicals.

Not long ago, you could find SL/ES in many products in health food stores, but the tide has turned. Still, there are less infamous ingredients lurking in “natural” prod-ucts in our quest for big glossy petro-leum bubbles over soapy soft lather. Cocamidopropyl betaine (known by its sounds-like-your-pet-chihuahua abbrevia-tion, “coco betaine”) is another detergent that is a skin irritant, has a high risk of being contaminated with carcinogens, and is rated a hazard 4/10 on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep® Cos-metic Safety Database. Even trusted brands Druide and Oneka use it in their “washes”. Does it sound like a good idea to you to pair it up with iterations of famed brake fluid propylene glycol dicaprylate/di-caprate (“propylene glycol”), a penetration enhanc-er? Does it make sense to you to use a “human skin toxicant or allergen with strong evidence” (potas-sium sorbate hazard 3/10) in a baby wash?

You can approach shopping for shampoo and bath and shower gel with a magnify-

ing glass and the free Skin Deep® app

(not a bad idea), or you can ...

DIY shower gel and body wash100 ml. castille soap 10 drops peppermint essential oil optional: 1-2 spoonfuls of vegetable oil for added moisturizing

Shake up in your pump bottle – repurposed glass, or metal, or plastic if you must. It will gel. It’s cool. And cheap. You can special order pep-permint ($8.94/30ml.) or peppermint Japanese ($5.37/30ml.) essential oils from Anarres.

Tracey TieF is a Certified Natural Health Practitioner and owner of Anarres Natural Health Apothecary, 749 Dovercourt Road (N.E. corner at Bloor). A Karma member since the 1980s, she teaches the DIY Body Care Workshops the second Tuesday of every month, 7-8:30 pm (suggested donation $10 per product you take home).

Photos by Ela Lichtblau

Tracy TieF

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Meals on a budget: a day in the life

by Kate Tessier

breakfast: super morning oats Total cost per serving: $1.38 | Prep. time: 12 minutes

ingredients (for one serving):• ½ cup bulk organic rolled oats – $0.16• Small handful of bulk organic nuts/seeds (e.g. walnuts, • filberts, pumpkin seeds) – $0.57• Small handful of bulk organic black currants – $0.15• Drizzle of bulk Temple’s Sugar Bush maple syrup – $0.20• Sprinkle of bulk ground cinnamon – $0.05• Splash of milk (of your choice - ours is Hewitt’s goat milk) or yogurt – $0.25

DireCtions:1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add oats, smallest pinch of salt. Stir. Reduce to medium heat.2. Immediately add the nuts/seeds and currants. Stir.3. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.4. Add the syrup, cinnamon, and milk/yogurt.

lunCh: karma-style instant ramen nooDle soup Total cost per serving: $4.07 with kimchi ($3.82 without)Prep. time: 8 min.

ingredients (for one serving):• 1 package Lotus Foods Jade Green Ramen – $2.49• 1 small bok choy (or ½ large bok choy – $0.75• 1 Homestead free-range egg – $0.58• (optional) 1 tbsp. Ontario Natural Food Co-op Organic Kimchi Style Sauerkraut – $0.25

DireCtions:1. Follow directions on package to make ramen.2. While ramen noodles are cooking, boil the egg in a separate pot until medium soft. 3. Break apart bok choy and slice leaves lengthwise. Add to water when ramen noodles are halfway done.4. Serve in your favourite soup bowl. Add boiled egg and (optional) kimchi.

Dinner: fish on kale anD squash total cost per serving: $5.23 | prep. time: 50 min.

ingredients (for four servings):• 1 Kabocha squash or 2 small acorn squash – $3.00• 1 bunch organic kale – $3.50• 2 small portions frozen wild caught salmon – $13.14• Zest of 1 lemon – $0.50• Sprinkle of dill – $0.15• (optional) 1-2 tsp. coconut sugar or maple syrup – $0.10• Olive oil

DireCtions:1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Chop squash in half. Drizzle olive oil inside squash and on pan. Place halves upside down on pan. Bake for ap- proximately 40 minutes. Remove cooked squash from skin and mash with a fork. Add optional toppings. 3. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Blanche chopped kale in water for 3-4 minutes. Remove kale and rinse under cold water.4. Place thawed fish in a pan with a little olive oil. Cook fish on low-medium heat with lid on. Add lemon zest and sprinkle dill to taste. When internal temp is 70°C (158°F), it’s ready. Cut each cooked portion of fish in half. Check for bones.5. First plate the squash, then the kale, and lastly place the fish on top. It looks pretty and tastes good!

The challenge: to produce healthy meals on a tight budget, using all-Karma ingredients

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Grow your own sprouts (beat the winter veggie blues, too)

by Ela Lichtblau

In Toronto, we rely on fresh fruit and vegetables grown thousands of kilometres away all winter long. Local greens are scarce and fresh produce is extremely expensive. It is not until late spring that fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables finally reach grocery store shelves again.

Maybe you are bored after months of recycling root vegetable recipes, and you are craving the taste of something crisp and sweet. Growing your own sprouts is an easy way to have fresh greens at any time. Sprouts are seeds that have just germinated, when only the first leaves (cot-yledon) have grown. Sprouts are eaten whole: roots, stem, hull, and all. They add a refreshing crunch to any sandwich, and they are full of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Ready in just a couple of days with almost no work, seeds can easily be sprouted in a jar on your kitchen counter. No soil needed.

Photos by Ela Lichtblau

How to grow your very own sprouts:

First, measure 1/4 cup of seeds into a 1 litre jar and fill the jar with cold water. (If you prefer to try a smaller or larger batch, the ratio should be 1 tablespoon of seeds to each cup of water.) Instead of a lid, fasten a piece of netting or screen on top with an elastic or a metal screw band.

Leave the seeds to soak. Small seeds, like broccoli, radish, or alfalfa only need to soak for two to four hours. Peas, lentils, and other bigger seeds need six to 12 hours.

Afterwards, pour out the water and leave the jar inverted at an angle to allow all the water to drain. Rinse the seeds with cold water twice a day until they have germinated.

After the seeds have sprouted, transfer them into a container. Mist them with cold water to keep them moist for two or three days so the sprouts continue to grow. Remove the sprouts by handful, rinse and allow to dry, and store them in the fridge.

Karma sells an array of Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds you can experiment with. For a burst of bright colour, try sprouting red cabbage, beet, or swiss chard seeds. Or try growing the Spicy Lentil Crunch seed mix or mustard-seed sprouts for extra spice.

•• 13 •• Continued on next page

Spotlight: Karma’s vegan products

by Mandy Hindle

Whether you’ve chosen to go vegan as an ethical lifestyle decision or are just trying it out for health reasons, Karma’s got you covered for all of the tough-to-cut favourites and alternatives to items you might be surprised contain animal-derived ingredients.

Sunflower Kitchen pesto

Pesto is a product many new vegans don’t realize contains animal

products. While primarily herb- or tomato-based, it’s parmesan that gives it the smooth texture it’s famous for. Thankfully, Toronto locals Sunflower Kitchen have created a delicious line of pestos that have all the flavour and texture of traditional pesto, but none of the cheese! In addition to their classics like Basil or Kale & Oregano, Zest-oh Cilantro will please those looking for a little more kick. Sun-flower Kitchen also provides Karma with a range of vegan-friendly soups, dips, and pasta sauces, all of which are free of preservatives, nuts, and GMOs.

Culture City tempeh

Toronto fermenting masters Culture City are changing the game when it comes to vegan protein alternatives. Typically a soy-based product, tempeh is one of the healthiest forms of soy and is incredi-bly versatile. While Culture City does make a tradi-tional tempeh, they’ve also expanded their range to include soy-free options, including chickpea, navy bean, black turtle bean, and even a buckwheat, sunflower seed, and oat mix. Each of these tem-pehs has its own unique texture and flavour, giving you a wide range of choice to perfect your tempeh bacon or protein-rich crouton alternatives.

Maison Orphée Caesar dressing

Lighter in consistency than a typical Caesar dress-ing, Quebec cold-pressed oil purveyors Maison Orphée have cut both the animal products and the guilt from your Caesar salad addiction by turning this dressing into a vinaigrette without sacrificing taste. The most authentically flavoured vegan Cae-sar dressing yet, it combines perfectly with savoury tempeh croutons, coconut bacon bits, and your favourite faux parmesan.

Pleasantville Creamery ice cream

If their tag line Better. Than. Ice Cream. isn’t enough to get you to try it, the unique flavours in this Toronto-based dairy-free range definitely will. With wild combos like the Elvis (sunbutter, ba-nana, cookie dough, and potato chips!) alongside classic flavours like vanilla bean and mint choco-late chip, this hemp heart and coconut oil-based vegan ice cream has all of the creaminess of dairy.

•• 14 ••

Continued from previous page

Photos by Ela Lichtblau

You won’t even know the difference. Pleasantville’s small batch processing ensures you get the most ice cream for your buck, but this also means it’s a bit denser than conventional ice cream. Leave it on the counter for five to 10 minutes before serving in order to get that classic ice cream texture you’re craving.

Field Roast sausages and Chao Slices

Ask a vegan their favourite brand of meat alternatives and without hesitation many will say Field Roast. High-quality nutritious ingredients, well-balanced flavours and a pea protein

base are part of the magic formula taking these sau-sages far beyond your average veggie dog. Karma carries three Field Roast sausage flavours – Mexican Chipotle, Smoked Apple Sage, and Italian – along with their famous Chao coconut ”cheese” slices. Due to government regulations on vegan “meats”, Canada doesn’t yet have the full range of Field Roast products – which includes small ham-like loaves, breakfast sausages, and roasts – but keep an eye out for new arrivals in this popular line.

It’s Not Bacon! coconut snacks

But you might be surprised how similar it is! Now that the WHO has listed bacon as a carcinogen,

it’s not only vegans who may be seeking al-ternatives to everyone’s favourite processed

meat. Coconut flakes lend themselves perfectly to the crisp texture of bacon and are mild enough to welcome the sweet hickory flavour of the tradi-tional smoking process. Karma currently stocks two flavours of It’s Not Bacon! bits – Canadian Maple and Zesty Cheddar. Try them on your next BLT or baked potato, or even by the handful – it’s not bacon after all!

MegaFood supplements

Karma’s only completely vegan B12 supplement, MegaFood Balanced B Complex is made from fortified S. cerevisae, better known as the yeast in nutritional yeast. To ensure adequate intake of essential nutrients that are often lacking in vegan diets, this multivitamin also contains folate and B6, and even a healthy dose of spinach.

Gabriel vegan cosmetics

Brand new to Karma, Gabriel Cosmetics are a favou-rite with vegan and non-vegan makeup enthusiasts alike. Their Zuzu Luxe line offers a range of colours inspired by the European spa tradition, and we’re currently stocking mascara, eyeliner, and lipstick. In addition to being vegan, all products are free of para-bens, propylene glycol, and hydrogenated oils. Try them out and let us know what you think!

•• 15 ••

Spring cleaning = good Karma

by Sean Carruthers

Just the basicsCleaning products don’t have to come in a fancy package to be worthwhile. In fact, sometimes the simple choice can be the best choice:

Eco-Pioneer cleaning products

Available in plain cardboard boxes (2 kg.), Guelph-based Eco-Pioneer offers classic clean-ing staples, including baking

soda, washing soda, soap flakes, and borax. You can use them on their own or in various combinations depending on the job. The company sells other products, including cleaning-strength vinegar. The company’s website, eco-pioneer.com, has a guide on how to use each of its products for a wide range of cleaning tasks.

Soap Works laundry barSlightly larger than a typical bar of soap, the laundry bar from Toronto-based Soap Works is phosphate-free and doesn’t contain sodium lauryl or laureth sulphate. Rub it directly onto a stain, or lather it up a little bit and give the stain a bit of a mas-sage before throwing into a wash. At under $2, this is still one of the best cleaning deals Karma offers.

Soap Works “Safe Bleach”This non-chlorine bleach alter-native uses washing soda and hydrogen peroxide to get your clothes clean. Each resealable bag is rated for 35-40 loads of laundry.

Bulk baking sodaOne of the best cleaners available is in the bulk baking products aisle – that’s right, boring, old baking soda. You can use it to scrub baked-on gunk from your cookware: for mild clean-ing, pour in, add a bit of water, and scrub; or, for heavier-duty scrubbing, use water to turn it into a paste and then let it sit for a while. You can use it to clean your sink, or pour it down the drain with a vinegar chaser to clean and deodorize more deeply.

Multipurpose cleaners

If you don’t feel like making your own cleaners from the basic ingredients, there are some great grab-and-go options, too. Here are a few designed for multiple cleaning tasks around the house:

There’s something about emerging from a long winter and seeing green starting to peek out everywhere that makes you want to freshen up the house. Good news: the Karma aisles have some great options for scrubbing up and spring-ifying your home.

Continued on next page

•• 16 ••

Nature Clean All Purpose Cleaning LotionThis lotion is unscented, hypoal-lergenic, and non-toxic, and can be used for laundry (both regular and high-efficiency), dishwash-ing, regular all-purpose cleaning, and even cleaning your produce. Karma also carries separate Nature Clean products such as toilet cleaner, cream cleanser, and oxygen bleach. There’s also laundry powder sold in bulk.

Bio-Vert All Purpose CleanerOrange-scented, biodegrad-able, and dye-free, this cleaner is designed to be spray-and-wipe for a number of different uses around the house. Bio-Vert’s Canadian-made line-up also includes specific toilet and bath-room cleaning products.

Eco-Max Hypoallergenic All Purpose CleanerThis Eco-Max option is for peo-ple with sensitivities to the usual cleaning products. Designed as a spray-and-wipe solution, the cleaner can also be mixed with water and used to clean floors. It’s a Canadian-owned company, and its offices and manufacturing fa-cilities are 100 per cent powered by renewable electricity sources.

Citra Solv Natural Multi-Purpose Cleaner & DegreaserThe Valencia orange-scented spray-and-wipe cleaner can be used not only in the kitchen, but also as a carpet spot-cleaner, in the bathroom, or to clean your car or workspace in the garage.

Parsley Plus All Surface CleanerAs you’d expect from the name, this one is made using parsley. Free of petrochemicals, form-aldehyde, and 1,4-dioxane, this spray-and-wipe cleaner is safe for use anywhere you can safely use water.

Cleaning accessories

Once you have your cleaners, you’re still going to need some supplies to clean with. Karma’s got these, too:

Mabu multi clothsMade of wood pulp fibre, these reusable cloths are available in regular size and “big.” After using, give the cloth a rinse, and if you want to give it a more thorough cleaning, throw it in the washing machine with your whites.

Bulk J ClothsThe classic cleaning cloth. Buy one, or buy a stack … that’s the beauty of bulk!

Paper towels

Karma has several varieties of paper towels, all made with re-cycled paper, in both white and unbleached versions. Come in pre-packs and bulk.

Trash bagsFor those waste items that you’re just not able to recycle, the very least you can do is be a bit more choosy about your trash bags. Seventh Generation’s bags have 55 per cent repurposed plastic, while the If You Care bags are made from 97 per cent post-consumer materials. Then there are the NaturSac bags, which are 100 per cent oxo-biodegradable, which means that the bags you send to the dump won’t also be contributing to the problem.

Continued from previous page

Photos by Ela Lichtblau

•• 17 ••

Staff interview: Willow Johnsonby Morgan Johnson

How long have you worked at Karma?

I started working at here last May (2015), left for two months to travel in B.C., and then came back to work here in December. And I’m glad to be back!

What brought you back to Karma?

I really missed Karma when I was gone and I wasn’t able to find anything like it in my travels. I heard they needed someone to cover a few shifts so I wiggled my way back in.

What are your interests outside of Karma?

Right now I’m working on an independent research project, exploring how we can create more commu-nity-based learning structures as an alternative to the traditional education system. I think being part of a community can really motivate us to learn, and can enrich the way we engage with the world.

What is something you are excited about at Karma?

I’m excited about the events that Karma holds. It’s an interesting opportunity for people to come

together and learn about new things from other members. I particularly enjoy the sharing of practical skills such as making lotion or sourdough bread. We just started a knitting club (every second Sunday from 11 am to 1 pm, everyone welcome) which is super fun and useful too!

What are some of your favourite products in the store right now?

One of my long-time favourites is the Harmony chocolate milk because it kind of tastes like melted chocolate ice cream but way better. Our bulk honey is also delicious and inexpensive. On the non-edi-ble side, I’m super into the Parsley Plus All Surface Cleaner. It sounds geeky but it smells amazing and works really well.

Shortly after I became a member at Karma I brought my sister with me as she was just moving to the city. Almost immediately after walking through the door, she de-clared, “I need to shop here.” Willow is now one of Karma’s newest staff members, so the line between the Karma commu-nity and family is very fine! I interviewed Willow in the staff room while enjoying a glass of Harmony chocolate milk.

Photo by Ela Lichtblau

•• 18 ••

This is my first report as president and I’m delighted to let you know that your new board has found its feet. We are improving our own processes around the board table to ensure we are better meeting the needs of the Co-op. Our continuing commit-ment to accountability sees board members taking on projects and continuing to educate themselves about our business, co-ops, and food security. Our focus is on improved record-keeping and clear timelines to make the most of our time and energy, and to best serve you, our membership.

If you read our monthly newsletter, you’re prob-ably concerned about sales and membership numbers. The drop in sales month-over-month compared to last year is not inconsistent with other small natural and organic grocers in Canada and the United States. While keeping an eye on factors like rising food costs and a lower Canadian dollar at the macro level, your board – along with the general manager, staff, and commit-tees – is also considering, on a micro level, how we can adapt to these new trends in our industry and still thrive. Your board is dedicated to Karma’s long-term sustainability.

We are also working on a communication strategy to help us stay connected with you and to create more effec-tive ways to get your feedback. The strategy is also focused on how to reach out to the broader com-munity and attract new members. With the drop in active members over the last several months,

we are renewing our exploration of potential barriers to membership (cost, time commit-ment, knowledge) and examining how mem-bers’ contributions can be best utilized. We will continue to share ideas with you about this in our monthly newslet-ter. Members are also welcome to attend our board meetings on the first Tuesday of each month.

Regretfully, I announce that Lauren Chang MacLean tendered her resignation from the board in February. We are thankful for her

commitment and look forward to working with her in other capacities at the Co-op. We would like to encourage members interested in filling this vacancy to contact us at board@karmacoop.org, or just come talk to me in the store.

Report from the board of directors

by Paul Danyluk

Photo by Ela Lichtblau

•• 19 ••

If you thought, as did I previously, that the Finance Committee sits around having dry exchanges about Karma’s financial statements, nothing could be further from the truth. Recommendations to the board this month, rather than providing insight into our financial situation (other than to say please shop and encourage others to shop here) I am sharing questions; questions that we ask but cannot answer on behalf of the membership.

The committee felt it was time to review the vari-ous fees, such as the annual membership fee, the monthly flat fee and the percentage surcharge for non-working members and guest shopper. The backdrop to this conversation is, of course, that our membership and sales are dropping, and we don’t know if that’s a response to fee and price levels or a response to something else like recruitment ef-forts. So, despite what might otherwise be an easy recommendation based on a set of calculations, we ponder how the membership might react to fee increases, but also about what the fee represents, and where this labour and fee are “spent”.

For at least more than a decade, it seems that Karma has struggled to find enough people to do store work shifts. One could say that, as a Karma community, we have made the decision to “sub-sidize” some people by exempting them from member labour or equivalent fees, e.g. seniors, members on medical or parental leave. As more of us become seniors, what will happen to the member labour pool if the policy stays the same? Forty years ago, was 65 older than it is today? CPP will soon be paid at age 67 instead of 65. In general,

are seniors today more fit and more financially sound than young people struggling to find full employment? When I retire, won’t I have more time for a 2 hour shift compared to the person that is working, studying or raising children? Karma’s active membership includes many seniors. If we tinkered with this policy would we be at risk of los-ing membership from this part of our community? Is that a chance we would take? Maybe we should let parents choose when they take their parental leave from Karma. Should single parents be asked to commit less? Well, perhaps income could factor into that? The complexities abound.

Who might be in need of a two hour or equivalent subsidy? Students? The under-waged? Those on disability benefits? When I was in university, my summer jobs and OSAP covered all my expenses. Not so for most of today’s students. While students as a group may be physically capable of doing store shifts, can they afford the time which might otherwise be for studying or part-time work? I hear we have many students in our area. Would we have more members and sales if students didn’t have to work or pay the equivalent fee?

I sit in a committee meeting each month, exert-ing no physical effort. Is that of the same value to Karma as somebody doing a cash shift enabling members to make purchases? Theoretically, we should be indifferent to whether members work or pay a fee in lieu of working. If we have the fee set properly, we can use that money to pay staff to do what a member would otherwise have done. If two hours per month is appropriate for store work,

Beyond the numbers, questions abound: report from the Finance Committee

by Linda Doran

Continued on next page

•• 20 ••

On Monday, December 7, 2015, Karma was closed while a dedicated crew of Karma members got to work renovating the kitchen. All of the work of demolition and reconstruction had to be completed in one day so we began at 9 am and ended at 8 pm. A special thank you to Talia, who was there the entire time!

The work involved taking apart the old kitchen shelves, removing the drywall from the ceiling, and cleaning the walls. We installed stainless steel shelving from IKEA as well as drying racks so that wet dishes can drip directly into the sink. We added additional hooks for cups to allow space for larger objects in the drying rack.

Our resourceful membership found key items to improve our tiny kitchen. The microwave/toaster oven shelf was created from a piece of wood that a member salvaged from a neighbourhood yard, and the maple cabinet mounted on the wall above the toaster oven was sourced from another kitchen reno.

Future plans for our kitchen include painting the wood ceiling framework and perhaps installing ceramic tile above the counter.

If you have any ideas for projects that need to be done around Karma please contact the building committee at building@karmacoop.org. And of course, everyone is wel-come to help out with or coordinate any of the projects.

Report from the Building Committee: kitchen reno!

by Cathy Tafler

BEFORE

AFTERPhotos by Cathy Tafler and Ela Lichtblau

Continued from previous page

is the same true of committee work, washing the towels, hosting the social events, or producing the issue of the Chronicle in your hand?

We are offering no answers. The Finance Com-mittee only makes recommendations to the Board

which deliberates further. At some point you may recognize that some of these questions are reflected in changes to our policies. In the meantime, if you want to be as amazed as I was at the content that this committee addresses, you could consider join-ing the Finance Committee.

•• 21 ••

Another spring season is upon us. It was almost the winter that never was, but, as usual, Mother Nature had plans bigger than our puny expectations. We did get a late season chill and blow after all.

In January, the Social Events Committee helped warm up Karma members with Stefani’s soup pot, and in February, we featured ChocoSol at the Fair Trade Chocolate Fondue event. Soup was delicious, using Karma ingredients, and the fondue dips were outstanding, ushering in Valentine’s Day.

Who could ask for anything more? I can! See the details below for our upcoming events:

On Saturday, March 19, we will be holding our Book and Yarn Exchange. Do you have gently loved books or leftover yarn from winter knitting, or even yarns (stories) to exchange? Join us for tea, music, and ambiance.

On Saturday, April 30, Karma’s health practitio-ners will display their healing talents at our Spring Health Fair. Past presenters have included Tracey TieF of Anarres Natural Health Apothecary, prepar-ing and explaining body care formulas, Susan Green teaching us the Mitzvah Technique (hands-on body realignment for rejuvenation and relaxation), and Laura Coramai, our house homeopath, to name a few. If you would like to participate, please contact me at tomsmarda@gmail.com.

On Saturday, May 28, we will have our Plant Ex-change. Bring cuttings and seedlings to share and transplant. There should be another fresh batch of compost ready to caress some young roots.

Lastly, on Saturday, June 18, it’s the Everything Else Exchange. By then, we’ll be into the glorious expanse of summer. We’ll be outside. Bring some-thing/anything to share – whatever you feel would benefit others. Bring music. Bring yourselves.

All events are free! Saturdays, from 11 am to 3 pm.

Report from the Social Events Committeeby Tom Smarda

Chocolate fondue!

Stefani’s soup pot

Photos by Tom Smarda

•• 22 ••Photo by Ela Lichtblau

•• 23 ••

At our last Chronicle meeting we were talk-ing about the challenge of eating seasonal vegetables, specifically in the shoulder months of March, April, and May, before the first new local produce starts to appear on the shelves.

A farmer I know shared an interesting bit of folk wisdom with me. She said that it is best to avoid lettuce in the colder months as it is a warm climate vegetable that actually thins your blood. She said that this can contribute to making you more susceptible to colds.

I have experimented with using cabbage along with other seasonal vegetables to cre-ate different coleslaw recipes when lettuce is not available locally. Any root vegetable would work well. Kohlrabi has a distinctive nutty flavour, watermelon radish a bright pink crisp tang, and a sweet carrot is just that. Experiment to see what works for you.

Solve your winter veggie blues with coleslawby Karen Fliess

IngredIentS:

1 large carrot1 small kohlrabi (or substitute daikon, watermelon radish)1 crisp local apple¼ head of a large cabbage (napa, white, or red)1 tbsp. finely chopped raisins Sea salt to taste

dreSSIng IngredIentS:

⅓ cup yogurt¼ cup olive oil½ tsp. mustard2 tsp. lemon juice¼ tsp. salt

dIrectIOnS:

Grate the root veggies and apple. Finely chop the cabbage. Mix all ingredients together with the sea salt and finely chopped raisins in a bowl. Stir all dressing ingredients, then add enough to thoroughly coat the coleslaw.

Make extra and you will have a ready-made salad for lunch and dinner for the following day.

OPtIOnal enHancerS:Add 1 tbsp. finely chopped and toasted pecans or pumpkin seeds. Substitute dried apricots or dates for the raisins.

Photo by Karen Fliess Drawings from Wikimedia Commons

•• 24 ••

karma staff

GENERAL MANAGER: TALIA MCGUIRE

ASSiSTANT GENERAL MANAGER, PRODuCE MANAGER: NAThANIEL WILLIAMS

BREAD BuyER, GROCERy BuyER, RETAiL ASSOCiATE, MEMBER LABOUR COORDINATOR: PAUL DIxON

BuLK BuyER, GROCERy BuyER, MEAT BuyER, RETAiL ASSOCIATE: JAMES BYRNE

GROCERy BuyER, RETAiL ASSOCiATE: RACHEL yANCHySHyN

HEALTH & BEAuTy BuyER, GROCERy BuyER, RETAiL ASSOCiATE: KAT CAMFIELD

RETAiL ASSOCiATES: WiLLOW JOHNSON, COLETTE SLONE

BOOKKEEPER: DENISE STAPLETON

MEMBER RECORDS SECRETARY: KIRSTEN hEYERDAhL

boarD of DireCtorsPRESIDENT: PAUL DANYLUK

ViCE PRESiDENT, SECRETARy FOR STAFF RELATiONS: DANIEL DUNDAS

TREASURER: ALICE BARTON

CORPORATE SECRETARy, TECHNOLOGy SECRETARy, FOOD ISSUES COMMITTEE LIAISON: BRAYDEN LOWERY

COMMUNITY DEvELOPMENT COMMITTEE LIAISON: MELISSA BERNEY

BuiLDiNG COMMiTTEE LiAiSON, CHRONiCLE COMMiTTEE LIAISON: KATE RUSNAK

ORIENTATION COMMITTEE LIAISON: ERIN LAWSON

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT SECRETARY: SUSAN WRIGhT

BOARD MEMBER AT LARGE: ALEx SPEERS-ROESCh

mission statement Our aim is to:

• create a community of actively participating members;

• foster a healthy connection to the food we eat, the people who grow it, and the other organizations who share our beliefs;

• co-operatively educate ourselves on environmental issues; and

• exercise political and economic control over our food

by operating a viable co-operative food store.

ContaCt your Co-op get involveD!BOARD OF DIRECTORS: board@karmacoop.org

BUILDING COMMITTEE: building@karmacoop.org

ChRONICLE COMMITTEE: chronicle@karmacoop.org

COMMUNITY DEvELOPMENT COMMITTEE: community@karmacoop.org

FINANCE COMMITTEE: finance@karmacoop.org

FOOD ISSUES COMMITTEE: foodissues@karmacoop.org

MEMBER LABOUR COORDINATOR: mlc@karmacoop.org

ORIENTATION COMMITTEE: orientation@karmacoop.org

SOCIAL EvENTS COMMITTEE: socialevents@karmacoop.org

store hours:

monday: CloseDtuesday: 9 am – 9 pmWednesday: 9 am – 9 pmthursday: 9 am – 9 pmfriday: 9 am – 9 pmsaturday: 10 am – 6 pmsunday: 10 am – 6 pm