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Welcome the 2019 Board of Directors

CBD + You

If you’re into natural wellness, you have most likely heard about CBD. You might have seen our growing selection of over 80 products on the shelf or have heard people talking about CBD as way to alleviate a variety of symptoms.  It’s relatively new and continues to gain loyal followers – but what exactly is it and how can it work for you? Here’s a quick guide to understanding this new and increasingly popular supplement.

What is CBD?

CBD is shorthand for cannabidiol, a naturally found chemical compound in cannabis plants and hemp plants. The CBD compound is the same no matter which plant it’s extracted from.

What’s the difference between THC and CBD?

Both compounds are called cannabinoids are found in hemp and cannabis plants to varying degrees.  The difference is that CBD does not have any intoxicating affects and does not have any addictive properties as noted by a 2017 World Health Organization report.

Is CBD legal?

YES! Products that are manufactured from agricultural hemp, which contains less than 0.3% THC in dry weight, are exempt from the Federal Controlled Substances Act, therefore are currently not unlawful for distribution.  We require all of our brands to submit certified lab results to verify that CBD is in the concentration stated and that the amount of THC complies with the law. 

What are the benefits of CBD?

CBD has been clinically accepted as an effective medical treatment for epilepsy and has also been anecdotally reported to alleviate physical symptoms of anxiety, pain, insomnia and inflammation.

How much should I take?

If you’ve looked at our shelves, you’ll see a variety of concentrations in a variety of delivery systems – oils, capsules, balms, lotions – and even honey. The general recommendation with all supplements is to start off with the smallest dosage and see what works for you. Consult with your physician if you’re currently taking other prescription medications, or are pregnant.

How does it work?

Your body naturally makes neurotransmitters that closely resemble cannabinoids. Discovered in 1990 by Israeli chemist, Raphael Mechoulam, CBD is thought interact with various receptor targets with varying effects by using the body’s own ECS or endocannabinoid system.

With a growing inventory of over 80 products and several brands, your co-op is one of the BIGGEST CBD RETAILERS in town! From tinctures and capsules to lotions and balms, we have loads of choices to suit your needs.

NOTE: This article is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or medical advice. As with all supplements, you should talk to your doctor and do your own research about what is right for you – especially people that are currently taking prescription medication, or are pregnant – to make sure there are no adverse interactions.

Local Vendor Spotlight: Treasured Earth

Ruth Noel, Creator of Treasured Earth Foods says, “We are a family run business. All aspects of food are very important to us. We also believe food is life. Our bodies are designed to have foods that are as close as possible to the way nature intended. Healthy food means healthy bodies. We can enjoy foods we love without worrying about guilt and temptations. Over packaged, over processed, high refined sugar foods are not the best choice for anyone. Diet should be balanced in every meal, not just at certain times of the year or when we get older or when we get sick.

“My father was a testament to what food can do for you. In the late 1990s he had been diagnosed with diabetes. After following the instructions given to him by the registered dietician, my mom got fed up with how those recommendations were causing more harm than good. Biggest frustration: Giving him the store bought cookies recommended best for diabetics and having his blood sugar register as spiked the next morning. The culprit? The wheat flour in the cookies.

“So my mom, an avid, healthy foodie and experimenter, went to work inventing alternatives for him to eat. Her first invention became the first item we launched….The Chocolate Kika Truffle. I gave the name Kika to that dessert line because that is the name my children call her and I felt the honor to be fitting!

“Eventually, after much experimentation, my father was no longer diabetic. Through careful dietary choices (no grains or severely limited in quantity, limited fruit intake, fewer carbs overall, and no refined sugars or honey) he was able to enjoy the occasional store bought dessert (pictured at right - I didn't buy it!) and still have blood sugar levels in the 80s the following morning. Having alternatives to conventional desserts and snacks, plus making conscious changes in his everyday diet, was the biggest key to changing his life. And all this without any medication treating diabetes!

“If you’re looking for a healthy lunchbox snack or an indulgent cookie for yourself, Treasured Earth has just the treat. Our chewy fudge cookies are delicious and best of all, they’re healthy! We offer some of the best gluten free cookies available, and they’re also paleo-friendly, soy free, dairy free, and vegan! Now you can finally enjoy a tasty snack without all of the guilt.

FAQ ABOUT OUR INGREDIENTS:

What is Coconut Nectar?

Simply put, coconut nectar is the nectar of the flower from a coconut tree. It can then be used in liquid form or dried to resemble brown sugar in taste. Our Coconut Nectar is the dried version so we list it on our label as Dried Coconut Nectar. Coconut Nectar is considered low-glycemic and safe for diabetics. It also has trace minerals. Sometimes it can be called Coconut Sugar, Coconut Palm Sugar or Coconut Palm Nectar. We cannot guarantee the variations, alterations or modifications a different company might use.

What is Paleo or Paleo Friendly?

A basic version of paleo is no grains, no refined sugar, no dairy and no legumes. From there different diets can add or eliminate certain food groups depending on the desired outcome or intention. Basic paleo encourages meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds which helps lower carbohydrate intake if that is one's goal.

Why are your products also Gluten-Free?

Paleo, by default, should be gluten free since no grains are acceptable. We only use nut and seed flours in our recipes.

Can I lose weight eating your products?

We have had people tell us they develop more self control and fewer sugar cravings when they ate our products in place of other sweets. We cannot guarantee what effects you may notice but we love hearing your stories!

What about the calories?

Nuts and seeds are naturally high in calories from the higher protein and fat content when compared to grains. Our products are a fraction of the sugar levels vs traditionally made grain based baked goods. The majority of the calories in our products are from the nut and seed flours.

Local Vendor Spotlight: CLEAN Cause

What does an alcoholic and drug addict from Austin, Texas do after he hits rock bottom? He gets sober and starts a business selling sparkling Yerba Mate energy drinks and water, then donates 50% of profits to recovery from alcohol and drug addiction.

CLEAN Cause’s mission is to create a sustainable source of funding to help individuals recover from alcohol and drug addiction. 50% of their profits fund their giveback initiative coined “CLEAN Kickstarts.” They're 30-day sober living scholarships in high-accountability homes intended to give individuals fresh out of rehab the opportunity to focus on finding a job and establishing a recovery support system, this bridge between rehab and reintegration into everyday life is critical.

As with most startups, profitability is seldom realized in the early growth stages. In an effort to maintain the authenticity of our mission and giveback initiative, we have chosen to donate 5% OF GROSS REVENUES on a monthly basis until we reach profitability (or whichever is greater at that time).

Wes, CLEAN Cause founder’s story

I began drinking and smoking pot in my teens - sound familiar? Shortly after high school I started experimenting with hard drugs. Daily drinking was already the norm, but my drug use started gaining momentum. For the next decade I used almost anything put in front of me. Let’s be honest, most people experiment in their younger years – but the difference between myself and “most people” is that once I started, not only could I not stop, I didn’t want to stop.

Throughout my late 20’s and into my early 30’s, I somehow managed to build a successful cupcake business (yeah, cupcakes!), under the influence of drugs and alcohol almost everyday.

So what was the turning point? It was in the wee hours of the morning. I was in that office, lying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. My heart did something I had never felt before, an eery fluttering for some time. For the first time, I honestly thought addiction would take my life, that night or eventually.

The next day, I told my wife I didn’t think I was going to live much longer. She had taken the tough love position and had refused to watch me die around her…but that night, she asked me to come home “right now” if I wanted to get CLEAN. I’m not certain exactly why she did, but I feel as though she felt my desperation on a different level. And although the voice of my addiction screamed “no,” I knew it was time.

I’ve found purpose and joy in my work with CLEAN Cause.

M ore about Yerba Mate

Consumed for thousands of years in South America, it contains 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids and is packed with polyphenols. Quite possibly the “CLEANest” source of natural caffeine, this tea will make you feel legit without the…crap. Our beverages are formulated with the highest quality USDA Certified Organic ingredients. Only 30 calories per serving. Healthy and energizing refreshment never tasted so good. 160 mg of natural caffeine.

When it comes to an energizing ingredient without the jitters, nothing comes close to yerba mate.

Local Vendor Spotlight: Matr Boomie

What is your origin story? Who started the business and why?

In 2006, Manish Gupta embarked on a journey to create opportunities for marginalized artisans in India to realize their creative, economic, and leadership potential. Through grassroots efforts with a team in India, he and his wife, Ruchi, found master artisans and created workshops to transform unskilled men and women into skilled artisans. We gathered a team in Austin, Texas to create modern product designs inspired from traditional Indian art forms. Today, the little company launched in our Austin apartment is a leading wholesale and retail company in the ethical, sustainable, fair trade market. In 2018, Matr Boomie was awarded the People & Planet Award from Green America. This award is given to small businesses who show dedication to a green economy and worker empowerment.

What makes your products unique? Why should someone buy them?

Matr Boomie makes products that beautifully pair modern design with handmade art forms. We have a design team in Austin that creates and selects designs that are relevant for the market. The designs are then handcrafted by artisans in rural India using traditional art forms that have been passed down through generations. We prefer to work with marginalized groups like women, minorities, and rural artisans so they can have fair access to trade opportunities and fair wages.

Are your products fair trade?

Our products are all fair trade. Many of our products are made from sustainable and responsibly-sourced resources, and several of our products are made from recycled or upcycled material such as cotton, sari, or metal. As part of our mission to create a world that’s more compassionate, kind and connected, Matr Boomie goes beyond fair wages. We also invest in development projects, healthcare, education, skills training, loan programs, and scholarships for women, minorities, and people with special needs. 
Purchases of Matr Boomie’s exclusive products sustain jobs for people throughout India who have been handcrafting artisanal goods for generations. We partner with women’s groups, minorities, people with special needs, urban slums and isolated rural communities to empower artisans through dignified, sustainable employment. Above all, we value:

• Safe work conditions
• Education
• The confidence and well-being of our artisan partners
• No child labor

What are your most popular products and why?

1. Jewelry – handmade, unique, India-inspired styles that are affordable, lightweight, and colorful
2. Bells – handcrafted bells made from recycled tin that are hand-tuned and have a distinct sound that is unlike most bells
3. Puzzle Boxes – handcarved wood boxes in fun designs that are a puzzle and a small storage space in one

Do you have a special tagline or slogan?

Made by hand. Made with love. Made for good.

How many staff members do you have?

28 – 14 in Austin; 14 in India

Where are your items sold?

Matr Boomie products are sold in fair trade and boutique stores nationwide as well as in several popular online stores, museums, and zoos.

SOCIAL NETWORK
WEBSITE:  https://matrboomie.com
FaceBook @MatrBoomie — Followers: 3,536
Twitter @MatrBoomie — Followers: 4,037
Instagram @MatrBoomie — Followers: 1,977

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup with Lime Crema and Roasted Seeds

This is an adaptation of a soup I made at Thanksgiving a few years back that was the star of the meal! It can easily be made vegan by substituting olive oil for the butter and coconut or almond milk for the milk—omit the crema or use non-dairy sour cream and milk. Best of all, all components of the soup can be made at least a day in advance! Enjoy!

Ingredients

Lime Crema:
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup sour cream
1 Tbs fresh lime juice

Soup and Seeds:
2 med. to large butternut squash
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
6 Tbs butter or olive oil
6 cup finely chopped onions
2 cups whole milk
2 tsp crushed red pepper
8 cup chicken or vegetable stock
Additional salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment and set aside.
2. To make the lime crema, whisk together heavy cream, sour cream, and lime juice. Cover and chill for at least two hours. The crema can be made up to a week ahead of time.
3. To prepare the squash and seeds, cut each squash in half lengthwise (it is easiest and safest to cut from about the middle of the squash to one end, then turn the squash and repeat on the other side). Scoop out seeds and fibers from the inside of each half and set aside. Place the squash halves cut side down on a prepared baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes (it may take a bit longer if your squash are very large). Meanwhile, remove fibers and pulp from seeds (they do not need to be completely clean!). Discard fibers. Rinse seeds and pat dry, then toss with olive oil, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Spread in single layer on second baking sheet. Once squash is tender, remove from oven and lower oven temperature to 325°F. Put seeds in oven and roast, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, until seeds are golden and starting to pop. When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh from the skin and place in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
4. Melt butter or heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Mix in butternut squash puree, milk, and crushed red pepper. Working in batches, puree mixture, then return to pot. Add broth and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
5. To serve, ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with crema, and sprinkle with
6. pumpkin seeds. Serves 12 as a starter.

Adapted from Epicurious

2nd Annual Big Co-op Fair & Owner Meeting

What a show! Our second annual BIG CO-OP FAIR was kicked off by our neighbors, The Ann Richards School Marching Band, Drum Line and Color Guard! Over 100 young women assembled in our S. Lamar parking lot and kept sunshine turned up to an ELEVEN for our BIG EVENT! DJs from KOOP took over for the rest of the afternoon, with a magical range of music that gave everyone a smile while getting their face painted or riding the Ferris wheel!

Inside the store, aisles were stuffed with 25+ of our favorite local vendors. We had longtime partners such as Celeste’s Best Cookie Dough (for real, the BEST), mmmpanadas dishing up savory pastries, La Riojana showing off their fair-trade, cooperative, and (soon to be official) organic wine, and Equal Exchange giving bites of some of their finest chocolates. We also welcomed some co-op newcomers that already have quite a following such as Mammoth Creamery low-carb ice cream, Bee Tree Farms local goat cheese, Treasured Earth gluten-free desserts and so many more!

OWNERS got to hear from our Board of Directors about the direction and health of our co-op at the Annual Owner Meeting, meet this year’s Board Candidates, and participate in a Q&A. Our monthly non-profit round-up campaign partners were there too – each one showing the impact we make when work together to support our community.

Kids loved taking a peek behind the scenes on our Bakehouse, Produce, Chill, and Packaged Department tours. From juice to dough – everyone loved seeing how the food we all love gets on the shelf. For others, learning more about our history from co-op docents gave a deeper appreciation for how far we’ve come!

THANK YOU for JOINING US! If you were inspired by something YOU saw at the fair be sure to pass it on. TOGETHER we make great things happen!

Co-op Month Vendor Spotlight: Equal Exchange

What is your origin story? Who started the business and why?

Equal Exchange started with an idea: what if food could be traded in a way that is honest and fair, a way that empowers both farmers and consumers? Our founders – Rink Dickinson, Jonathan Rosenthal and Michael Rozyne – asked this question as they envisioned a trade model that values each part of the supply chain. So they took a big risk and plunged full-force into changing a broken food system. In 1986, they started with fairly traded coffee from Nicaragua and didn’t look back.

Three decades later (and with several product lines in the mix), we still face vast challenges. Consumers have been overloaded with labels and certifications, while the Fair Trade movement has been watered down in favor of corporate interests. The whole food industry has continued to consolidate into the hands of just a few big players, allowing concentrated power and deception of choice.

Tell us about Fair Trade.

Fair Trade is a voluntary program utilized by coffee importers and food companies to create an alternative market for traditionally disadvantaged producers in developing countries, usually small scale farmers. The components include:

• Targeted purchasing of coffee through democratically organized farmer co-operatives.
• Agreed upon commodity floor prices that provide for a dignified livelihood.
• Direct exports by producers.
• A promise by importers to make affordable credit available to the farmer cooperatives.
• A world-wide network of non-profit certifying organizations.
• A fee paid by importers and wholesalers to cover the cost of certification.
• A seal that assures consumers that the product was fairly traded.

Your purchase of fairly traded coffee helps build pride, independence and community empowerment for small farmers and their families. A coffee processing plant in El Salvador, community stores in Colombia, the training of doctors in Mexico, new schools in Peru – these are examples of initiatives co-ops have taken in their own communities with the income from Fair Trade.

Is your coffee certified organic?

All of Equal Exchange’s organic coffee is certified by Oregon Tilth. Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) is an internationally recognized symbol of organic integrity. The purpose of organic certification is to ensure that the agreed upon conventions of organic agricultural systems are being practiced not only by growers, but also by all the people who handle and process organic food on its journey to the final consumer. To accomplish this, OTCO provides a system which combines strict production standards, verifiable third party inspections and legally binding affidavits to protect the producers and buyers of organic products.

What steps does Equal Exchange take to ensure top quality coffee?

Our concern for the quality of farmers’ lives is matched by our concern for the quality of our coffee. Through our long-term relationships with the farmers and yearly visits to the co-ops, we maintain an intimate knowledge of the coffee harvest and the quality of the beans.

We have a rigorous system for quality control from bean to cup. Each pre-shipment sample is evaluated to meet our standards. When the approved shipment arrives, it is evaluated again for consistency and preparation. After each coffee is roasted, it is individually “cupped” to ensure consistency in the roast and the flavor profile needed for that particular coffee.

Other than coffee, what other products does Equal Exchange produce and what makes them unique?

Most teas come from large plantations where workers have little say. Our delicious organic, Fair Trade teas are sourced from small-scale farmer co-ops in India, Sri Lanka, and South Africa. We are helping to build a different system that values the voice of small farmers, their products, and democracy in trade.

Equal Exchange tea, bag, tag and string are compostable. Or if tea leaves are removed, the bag, string and tag can be recycled. No glue or staples are used in our tea bags.
Our Fair Trade chocolate bars are rich in flavor with a smooth, creamy texture that melts in your mouth. Our organic cacao and sugar are sourced directly from small-scale farmers co-ops in Latin America.

Anything else we should know?

At Equal Exchange we believe that we should expect no less from ourselves and each other than we demand of our farmer partners. For that reason we have organized ourselves as a democratic worker cooperative, now one of the largest in the country.

A worker cooperative is an alternative for-profit structure based upon standard democratic principles. It is not designed to maximize profits, nor returns to investors, but rather to bring to the workplace many of the rights and responsibilities that we hold as citizens in our communities.