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The Latest News from Wheatsville

Wheatsville Sustainability Report

As a community owned co-op, we take our Cooperative Values & Principles very seriously. We fulfill the ideals of Principle #7, Concern for Community, in a number of different ways – one of which is being a good environmental steward. Through thoughtful, small daily actions – such as sorting our trash from recycling and compost after we eat – we can make a HUGE impact.

Thank you for doing your part – bringing your containers to refill, remembering your reusable bags, sorting your trash, composting, planting gardens, collecting rainwater, and for supporting your co-op!

Here are some things your co-op does to stay green:

1. We recycle metal, cardboard, plastic, paper, glass, food scraps, and cooking oil.
2. Break it Down, our local recyclers, estimate that we divert 20 tons of cardboard each month between both stores. That’s the equivalent of 3 elephants!
3 .Break it Down also estimates that we divert 100 tons of recycling (cardboard, glass, and plastic) each month between both stores. That’s the same as 50 full-grown cows!
4. Wheatsville is part of Austin Energy’s Green Choice program which uses the money we pay for utilities to build wind farms and help Austin reach its goal of 55% renewable energy use by 2025!
5. S. Lamar has 57 SolaTubes which use highly reflective fiber optic tubes to direct sunlight into our store so that we don’t have to use as    much electricity.
6.Ceiling lights at S. Lamar adjust intensity depending on the amount of natural sunlight coming in from our SolaTubes.
7.We only buy energy efficient coolers, refrigeration units, and equipment.
8.We offer bulk refills of wellness products like     Dr. Bronner’s soaps and lotions!
9.We use noVOC or lowVOC building materials and paint in order to have an odor-free store.
10.Our waterless urinal at S. Lamar saves 1.5 gallons of water per flush! 12 flushes per day saves 6,552 gallons of water per year!
11.Our rainwater collection tanks at Guadalupe give us enough water to irrigate all of our landscaping!
12.Our paper bags are made with 100% recovered fiber, minimum of 85% post consumer content, and are printed with water-based inks.
13.Lots of bike parking, showers for staff at S. Lamar, a bike to work benefit for staff members who ride 8+ hours/month.
14.Concrete parking lots that absorb less sunlight than asphalt and reflect less heat, light paint colors, and awnings help keep us cool through the hot summers.
15.Email receipts, double-sided receipts, and no receipts option significantly cut down the amount of paper register tape (BPA free) we have to buy.

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Vendor of the Month - Pederson’s Natural Farms

Making the best Better

Hamilton, Texas

Since 1992, Pederson’s Natural Farms has grown from just two to 92 employees. Our last 20 years have been made up of all-nighters and weekends sacrificed for the betterment of the food you consume. There’s unbridled innovation that has resulted in a five-ingredient bacon that is defined as much by what isn’t in it, as what is. It’s the story of no added sugar, no hormones, no added nitrates or nitrites, no antibiotics, vegetarian-fed, humanely raised, revolutionize-the-market bacon. Though Pederson’s is famous for bacon, we’ve followed that up with a robust line of No Sugar Added hams, sausages, and dogs.

How long have you been in business?
Since 1992

What is your origin story? Who started the business and why?
We are a family company and many folks at Pederson’s have worked there for years or even decades. 

What are your most popular products and why?
No Sugar Hickory Smoked Bacon.  We were the inventors of No Sugar Bacon and it remains our top seller.  No Sugar Old World Kielbasa.  Its incredibly versatile and easy to use.

What makes your products unique? 
Our products are unique for what they don’t have in them.  All of our products are No anti-biotics and hormones ever,  Animal welfare certified and synthetic Nitrite and Nitrate.  Many of our products are Non-GMO, Organic and /or sugar free. 

How many staff members do you have?
We are 102 people strong

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Local Vendor Spotlight:Kosmic Kombucha

What was the origin of Kosmic Kombucha?

Kosmic Kombucha is lovingly brewed in the heart of Austin by Omar and Mina Rios, who made their separate ways to UT back in the ’90s. Omar studied business administration and came from El Paso. Mina traveled even further to earn her degrees in education, as she hails from Maracaibo, Venezuela. After college, Mina pursued a career in math education, and Omar served as a paramedic. Thanks to their shared passion for yoga, it wasn’t long before the yoga community of Austin introduced them to kombucha. For years, they purchased home-brewed booch from a fellow yogi. When she decided not to brew her own tea anymore, Omar and Mina jumped in to fill the void—and in the summer of 2010, Kosmic Kombucha was born.

What is kombucha?

Kombucha is a fermented tea with a rich history that began in China, where it has been celebrated for millennia as an “immortal health elixir.” The heart and soul of this living drink is a layered culture of yeast and bacteria (called the scoby) that grows on top of the tea throughout the fermentation process. After a short period, fermentation yields raw kombucha, a lightly effervescent tea with unmistakable notes of vinegar. The flavor of raw kombucha can range from tart to sweet based on the amount of sugar fed to the culture, the duration of the fermentation process, and other factors that are tremendously interesting to those who brew the beverage and tremendously dull to those who simply enjoy it. The key takeaway for people who want to know what they’re putting into their bodies, however, is that raw kombucha is made with nothing but tea, water, sugar, and the all-important scoby.

Is kombucha good for you?

Skeptics doubt that kombucha is an “immortal health elixir” because it’s tough to find people who are celebrating their two thousandth birthdays. Okay, so maybe “immortal” is a bit hyperbolic. Nevertheless, kombucha contains beneficial acids, probiotics, antioxidants, and amino acids. Kombucha is claimed to promote digestive health, support liver function, and alkalize the body. Some proponents of the drink even believe that it may help fend off cancer, arthritis, and other degenerative diseases, but you don’t have to verify any of the more grandiose claims to feel refreshed by a glass of kombucha after a bike ride or a long walk.

How are the flavors developed?

As Kosmic’s brewmistress, Mina goes through meticulous testing (and tasting!) procedures when developing new flavors with a variety of fresh, organic, and delicious ingredients. Kosmic developed an exclusive flavor just for Wheatsville. It’s called “Wheatsville’s Pear of the Dog” and it’s got a prickly pear Mexican martini flavor that was named and flavor tested by the Wheatsville staff. With its beautiful dark pink color and refreshing flavor it’s a staff favorite!

photos by Kelly Stevens

Visit Kosmic Kombucha's website at https://kosmickombucha.com/ !

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2022 Wheatsville Wrap-up

As we bring the year to a close, we want to take a look back at some of the events that helped shape a truly memorable year at your co-op. 2022 was not without its challenges but with the help of a great staff and a supportive community we achieved some truly wonderful things.

Here's a few things from this year that we're proud of:


Community

  • This year Wheatsville customers donated $121,000 to 12 different local organizations by rounding up at the register.
  • We gave over $5,000 to local, Black-led organizations for our second annual Juneteenth giving.
  • Wheatsville’s Let’s Feed Austin Program donated over $8100 in quality products to local food banks.

Shop

  • Vegan donuts returned to our delis and are available 7 days a week.
  • Our kitchens made over 17,000 items with popcorn tofu!
  • We launched a completely new counter menu at our South Lamar store. Have you tried it?
  • We currently have over 200 local vendors and are bringing in more each day. Here’s to a strong local economy!

Ownership

  • In 2022 we gained 750 owners to bring our total to 26,765 fully invested owners.
  • This year we returned more than $75,000 in the form of patronage rebates to our owners. This is the first time a rebate has been offered since 2013!

Sustainability

  • This year we diverted over 751 cubic yards of compostable materials away from landfills.
  • We helped recycle 738 cubic yards of glass, metal, and plastic.
  • With the help of Save the Food and Keep Austin Fed we were able to save 164,250 pounds of food and help feed Austinites who need it most.
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New Years Eve -  Black-eyed Peas

It is a long-standing Southern custom to eat black-eyed peas and greens on New Year’s Day to bring fortune in the coming year. The black-eyed peas are sometimes said to represent coins and the leafy greens folding money. Two common theories on the origin of this tradition stem from the American Civil War. Some claim that Union soldiers left behind the peas and greens when pillaging the food supplies of their Confederate opponents, considering them food only fit for livestock, so Southerners considered themselves lucky to have these supplies. Another theory posits that black-eyed peas were eaten by African-Americans on January 1, 1863, the day that Lincoln declared that all enslaved people would be freed.

Black-eyed peas and greens are traditionally made using some kind of cured pork. Pigs represent prosperity in numerous cultures around the world, and during the winter months, cured meat would have been the only available option in the American South. The smoky flavor of such meats is a great complement to the earthy peas and slightly bitter greens, but if you want to keep your dish vegan, omit the meat and add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or a drop or two of liquid smoke to your dish!

The WHEATSVILLE DELI will be cooking up several dishes featuring these traditional ingredients to help you get your good luck on for 2023:

LUCKY BLACK-EYED PEA SOUP—tender peas and a whole array of fresh vegetables and herbs simmered in a tasty tomato-based broth. This soup goes wonderfully with our own Bakehouse-made cornbread (in spicy Southwestern or vegan varieties), yet another traditional New Year’s dish in the South.

TEXAS CAVIAR—a black-eyed pea salad with crisp colorful peppers and a tangy vinaigrette dressing.

PLAIN JANE BLACK-EYED PEAS--simply cooked and recipe-ready! Try them in this super-easy and very adaptable recipe for your first meal of the new year:

Southern Black-eyed Peas and Greens

YIELDS 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
2   tablespoons olive oil or bacon fat
1   yellow onion, finely diced
4   cloves garlic, minced
1   jalapeno, finely diced
2   bunches collard greens, cut into one inch pieces
1   cup diced ham cooked and chopped)
2   cups water (or chicken or vegetable stock)
2   cups cooked black-eyed peas (or 2 cans,  
     drained and rinsed)
½  teaspoon salt
½  teaspoon black pepper
2   tablespoons cider vinegar

PREPARATION
Heat olive oil or bacon fat in a large pot with a lid over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno and saute until garlic is fragrant, just a minute or two. (If you are using smoked paprika to replace the meat, add it here!). Add greens to pot, stir well, and cover pot for about 5 minutes. The greens will wilt quite a bit. Add ham, water or stock, peas, salt, and pepper, stir well, and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar and taste for seasoning. If you use a ham hock, remove it, pull the meat from the bone with a fork and stir it into the pot. Enjoy!

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Election Results

ANNUAL OWNER ELECTION

We had a great turnout this year for our annual owner election with a total of 1725 votes!  Thank you so much to our owners for using your voting power to elect directors and community action partners that will help our wonderful co-op to progress into the future.  We couldn’t do it without our ownership and look forward to collectively and cooperatively growing and sharing our successes.

We are thrilled to welcome back incumbent and current board president, Brandon Hines to the Board of Directors, along with two new first term additions, Joelle Williams and former Wheatsville employee, Cody Atkins.

In addition to voting for our 2023 Board of Directors, owners voted for 10 local nonprofits that will make up next year’s community action program.  These partner organizations will receive donations during their assigned month that are collected from shoppers who choose to round up their purchases at checkout.  Now at over 1 million dollars in total donations since its inception, the Community Action Program has made such a great, positive impact on the lives of Austinites all around our city.

Lastly, there is also another, less common item owners voted for on the ballot this year—a bylaws change. Ownership voted yes on this simple wording change that will have a positive effect on member eligibility requirements by allowing trusts and similar legal instruments to be eligible for co-op membership and introduce an option for survivorship of our outstanding investor shares.
Another fruitful election for the books!

Community Action Partners

January: People’s Community Clinic
February: The SAFE Alliance
March: Let’s Feed Austin
April: Austin Wildlife Rescue
May: Urban Roots
June: Meals on Wheels Central Texas
July: Sustainable Food Center
August: Austin Humane Society
September: CASA of Travis County
October: Cooperative Community Fund
November: Central Texas Food Bank
December: Caritas of Austin

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Spritz Cookies

By Katie Browne, Pricing Coordinator

What is a spritz cookie? Somewhere between a short bread and a sugar cookie, this delicious treat has a rich buttery flavor and tender texture that melts in your mouth. The name is shortened from the German Spritzgebäck. Spritzen is a German verb meaning to squirt. Appropriate, as these cookies are extruded (squirted) through a decoratively cut plate in a cookie press. The cookie press dates back to the 16th century, and is my favorite part of making these cookies. There is something magical about seeing the simple flat shape on the plate press out into a perfect three-dimensional animal or flower on the pan.

The spritz cookie is made from a simple dough of flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. Because the ingredients are so few, I opt for highest quality I can afford. The butter flavor really shines in this recipe. Start by creaming together the butter and sugar. Next add the egg and flavoring. I often use a mix of 1 tsp almond flavor and 1 tsp vanilla. Finally, add the flour and salt, mixing until just combined. The final dough should be soft like play dough and slightly tacky, but not so sticky it adheres to your hands. If you like, divide the dough, and add some color. I usually do red and green. A gel food coloring will give the most color with the least additional moisture in the dough.

Once the dough is ready, you can start extruding cookies! Lay out an ungreased cookie sheet. You want the dough to adhere slightly to the baking sheet, so it releases from the press when you pull away. Getting a good clean press takes a little practice. Don’t worry if your first few don’t work. If you mess up a cookie, just plop the dough back into the press. Here are my top tips for success if you find the dough not releasing cleanly. 1. Chilling your pan in the freezer for a bit to get it good and cold. 2. Before pulling the press away, allow the dough to sit for a few extra seconds on the baking sheet. 3. Give the press a light shake or twist as you pull it back to help release
the dough.

Once the cookies are on the pan, add sprinkles or other decorations. The cookies are already in festive shapes, so decorations are entirely optional. Bake the cookies in a 375° F oven for a scant six to seven minutes. These cookie brown very fast. Keep a close watch on the oven, the cookies should be just slightly golden at the edges when done. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the pan then transfer to a wire rack. Allow the empty pan to cool for an additional four to five minutes before pressing
more cookies.

The cookies will keep in a sealed tin for one week, assuming they are not eaten first. You can also freeze some or ship them off in a box as a gift. Despite their delicate appearance, spritz cookies store and travel well.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter, softened to
      room temperature
•  ¾ cup sugar
•  1 large egg
•  2 tsp flavoring
•  2 ½ cup all-purpose flour
•  ½ tsp salt
•  Food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Cream together butter and sugar until light
    and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and flavorings, mix well.
4. Add flour and salt until the dough
    is combined.
5. If adding colors, divide the dough and  
    knead in the coloring.
6. Put the dough in the cookie press and press  
    out cookies onto the baking sheet. Decorate
    with sprinkles if desired.
7. Bake cookies for 5-6 minutes until just golden
    at the edges.

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When you shop the Co-op, the Co-op pays you back!

By Bill Bickford, General Manager

I am very excited to announce that your Board of Directors has approved a patronage rebate for our fiscal year ending in May 2022. This was announced in person at our Annual Owner’s Meeting in late October, and the stores began distributing rebates to eligible owners on Monday, December 5.

This is the first patronage rebate we have been in a position to pay since 2013, which means even folks who have been co-op owners for a good stretch of time may not be familiar with how they work. Patronage rebates are a unique tax privilege available only to cooperatives, wherein we can return a portion of our profits to owners rather than treat it as taxable income. This is one of the many ways co-ops benefit our local economies by ensuring more of our collective wealth stays within and prospers our own communities.

Your board approved the maximum allowable rebate of $388,000 based on our profitability last fiscal year. Of that amount, 80% will be retained by the co-op to ensure our ongoing financial sustainability and potential growth, while the remaining $77,600 is being distributed back to owners in proportion to their purchases during the fiscal year. We have set a minimum rebate of $1.00 to minimize the administrative burden of rebate distribution, which results in 9,181 owners receiving a rebate!

Eligible owners who have a valid email address in our owner database received notice of their rebate via email on the first day of distribution. However, there are several eligible owners who do not have a valid email address on file. So for those folks, this article may be your first notice of the rebate. If you are unsure if you qualify for the patronage rebate, any cashier should be able to tell you whether a rebate is available for you   at checkout.

There are a few issues that tend to pop up whenever we issue patronage rebates. And because it has been nine years since we last did so, we’re all likely a bit rusty. So I would like to take a moment to address those  issues here:

First, we have a number of customers who shop using their partner’s or another household member’s co-op ownership. And while we are very happy to welcome and serve each owner’s entire household, our legal and fiduciary responsibilities lie with the owner on record—the person who signed the ownership agreement upon enrollment. As such, rebates must be issued to that person, even when another person may do the majority of the actual shopping. This can cause some confusion or even frustration when a person other than the owner—most often their partner—wants to redeem the rebate.

We are obligated to ensure rebates are redeemed according to the actual owner’s wishes. And while we fully trust that the vast majority of folks in this situation are acting in good faith, our responsibility to the owner requires that we perform due diligence prior to redeeming a rebate to someone other than the  named owner.

But fret not—we have created a process for owners to duly authorize another person to redeem their rebate at checkout. The owner on record can simply email [email protected], and we will be happy to issue the rebate to their authorized individual at the next opportunity. This does create an extra step that may seem unnecessary; please keep in mind that we are simply seeking to fulfill our obligation to our owners. While the overwhelming majority of these situations are perfectly innocent, we have also seen situations where someone the owner did NOT wish to redeem the rebate was attempting to. Those are the situations that this due diligence is intended to avoid.

Second, as noted above, there are a number of owners without valid email addresses in our system and probably many more with outdated information. If this article is the first time you are hearing about the rebate, it is likely we have either no email address or an old or invalid email on your account. Because it is important for us to be able to communicate with co-op owners in a variety of situations, we would love it if folks in this situation would take a moment to update their email address. You can either email our Ownership & Outreach Coordinator, Julia Barron, at [email protected], or you can provide the email address at the Hospitality Desk at your store of choice.
And finally, there is a deadline for redemption of rebates. Under IRS regulations, we must redeem  rebates by February 15. Because this is a government-mandated deadline, I have no ability to be flexible with it. Any rebates not redeemed by February 15 must be cancelled and taken back into taxable income. This should be plenty of time for folks to redeem their rebate, but I would encourage you not to wait until the last minute. You can redeem your rebate any time you check out, so please come and see us at your next opportunity!

Thank you so very much for your patronage of the co-op! Patronage rebates are not possible without strong financial performance, which ultimately results from the loyalty and support of our co-op owners.

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