odd jobs at the coop

We missed you so. So, work credit for sitting on

folding chairs listening toauditors and Joe for 2 hoursand 45 minutes. I wasn’t sure ifthis was going to be such agreat deal, actually, given theway the office staff laughed at

me when they heard I was cov-ering this as my first Gazetteassignment. I thought for sureI was going to need to liquorup, like I imagine teachersmust in advance of runningthose obligatory fifth- gradesex ed discussions.

As it turned out, I, for one,was actually interested tofind out what a well-oiledmachine and cooperativemonster we are. First off, amember gave instructions onthe basics of proper micro-

Who knew that the Food Coop Annual Meeting was such adraw? Gadzooks, the line was literally around the block when Iarrived. Admittedly, true-believers were outnumbered 9 to 1

by shifty types in search of an easy work slot credit, but still. I ran into acouple I know using their “date night” to get a couple of shifts out of theway. All it lacked was a bona fide celebrity. Wherefore art thou AdrianGrenier and Maggie G? Maggie’s husband? Loved you in An Education!

Next General Meeting on July 27The General Meeting of the Park Slope Food Coop is held on thelast Tuesday of each month.* The next General Meeting will beon Tuesday, July 27, at 7:00 p.m. at the Congregation Beth Elo-him Temple House (Garfield Temple), 274 Garfield Place.

The agenda is in this Gazette and available as a flyer in theentryway of the Coop. For more information about the GM andabout Coop governance, please see the center of this issue.

* Exceptions for November and December will be posted.

IN THIS ISSUEPSFC Compost Helps Neighborhood Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Our Efforts to Eliminate Discrimination at the Coop, Puzzle . 5The Brooklyn Backyard Brigade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Coop Hours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Coop Calendar, Workslot Needs, Governance Information,

Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9GM Agenda, Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Classified Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

e are, all of us Coopmembers, bound byour share of work. And

overwhelming numbers ofus share, as part of our col-lective Coop consciousness,the experience of stockingshelves. But a cadre of Coopmembers apply quirky tal-ents and interests to fulfilltheir Coop shift. A few ofthem are featured in thisarticle.

Can You Hear Me?If you can hear a page at theCoop, even while you’re on awall phone; if you can dockyour iPod and serenade theshopping floor with your discjockey prowess; if you canhear a message over the PAsystem while the cardboardcompactor is running and afire truck is pulling out, butnot be blasted out of yourseat in a quiet office—thankZach Williamson.

Williamson, a sound engi-neer and designer, has spentthe past two and a half yearsreworking the Coop’s PA sys-

tem. He has painstakinglybroken down a monolithicsystem that blared primarilythrough the wall and deskphones (leaving folks in thebread aisle in limbo) into aweb of dozens of zonesthroughout the Coop’sbuildings. And in the courseof his work, he added iPod-docking capacity for thesometimes controversial

Standing Room Only Crowd forAnnual MeetingBy Allison Pennell

C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 3

C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 2

CoopEventHighlights

Tue, Jul 27 • PSFC JULY General Meeting 7:00 p.m.

Sat, Jul 31 • Children’s Clothing Swap 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Sat, Jul 31 • Book, CD, DVD and Video Swap 2 - 4 p.m.For Adults and Children

Sat, Aug 21 • Adult Clothing Exchange 2 - 5 p.m.

Look for additional information about these and other events in this issue.

Volume EE, Number 10 July 15, 2010

O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E P A R K S L O P E F O O D C O O P

Established1973

Odd Jobs At the Coop By Hayley Gorenberg

Sound engineer anddesigner Zach Williamson

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Read the Gazette while you’re standing on line OR online at www.foodcoop.com

phone usage and how to avoid feedback.Some thankfully brief repartee and wit from

the MCs was followed by a concise and fasci-nating financial report from a very pregnantJennifer Rambarran, the Coop’s lead auditorfrom the firm Cornick, Garber and Sandler.

The Food Coop is financially in good health,with a whopping $39.4 million in sales lastyear, up $5 million from the year before.Salaries went up by $500,000 from $2.9 millionto $3.4 million, due to hiring of new staff.

Joe Holtz announced that the mortgagewas paid off in December of 2009 to the tuneof a $700,000 check to the National Cooper-

ative Bank. The Coop’s physical plant is cur-rently valued at $4 million in real estate andequipment.

The only financial fly in the ointment is thesimmering issue of the pension fund, which isstill underfunded by $1.5 million, but $.5 million better off than the year before due toan improvement in the performance of investments.

(Can I propose a surcharge of a quarter pertransaction to go to making sure the pensionfund isn’t in the red for long? Because it lookslike a ticking time bomb vis a vis the top brass— I mean, proletariat. They better get that pension plan resolved, pronto!)

On to a vote for replacement seats on theBoard of Directors. All proclaimed that theywould be a rubber stamp for membershipvotes. John Urda (President), Imani Q’ryn (VicePresident), and Elizabeth Tobier (Secretary)were reelected. Members also rehired theCoop’s auditors for a slightly higher fee of$58,000, compared to the $55,000 we paid thefirm this past year.

Wow. It was all so speedy; I started to wonder if they’d let it end early or keep it going

so as to fill the obligatory two and three- quarter hours. In keeping with their brilliantplanning, organizers required that you sitthrough the whole deal before getting to signin for shift credit. They know us too well! Nothing gets by these folks.

8:45 pm. Yes! Early release for good behavior. 224 in attendance. 204 ‘get out of ashift’ free passes.

Really, all told, the General Meeting waskind of sweet and nostalgic. If only everydemocratic gathering were so civil. ■

Standing Room Only CrowdC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1

Jennifer Rambarran, the Coop’s leadauditor from the firm, Cornick, Garber and Sandler.

General Cordinator Joe Holtz.

John Urda, candidate for Board of Direc-tors, speaking at the Annual Meeting.

The Food Coop is financially in good health, with a whopping

$39.4 million in sales last year, up $5 million from the year before.

Need FTOP?The Brooklyn Food Coalition is looking for workers! Opportunities for parents of kids in public schools,

as well as tabling at street fairs and the new Farmer’s Market in Bed-Stuy.

Contact Laura Dawson ([email protected]) for more details.

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Please protect yourfeet and toes whileworking your shiftat the Coop by not

wearing sandals orother open-toed

footwear.

Thanks for your cooperation,The Park Slope Food Coop

Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NY July 15, 2010 � 3

music played on the shop-ping floor.

The calibrated system hehas constructed responds to

the noise levels in certainzones. Pages come acrossloud and clear in the receiving area even whenSquad One’strucks are blaring but whenthe noise level islower the pagingsystem’s soundlevel automati-cally reduces.Williamson isnow focused oncompleting workin the basement,which he esti-mates is 30 percent done.

He logs FTOP shifts in six-to eight-hour blocks (he cov-ers his wife’s shift as well).Aside from the Coop, heworks regularly around the

city at venues suchas the Irish Reper-tory Theater andCelebrate Brook-lyn, where he con-ducted this Gazetteinterview duringhis dinner break.

Who Are We;Who Have WeBeen?Art historian Mag-gie Stenz now con-tributes her share ofCoop work archiv-ing the organiza-tion’s newsletters,newspapers, scrap-books and otherhistorical docu-

ments. Her FTOPshift has includedtracking down and

taking note of papers anddocuments dating from theCoop’s beginnings in 1973that are squirreled away in

offices and boxes all over theCoop’s second floor.

She and other members ofthe small archiving squad are

attempting togather andinventory thepaper trail,sort the docu-ments intoa r c h i v a lboxes andassemble theCoop’s past.“The Coop’shistory isreally impor-

tant. If anyone wants toresearch the Coop, they’llhave to use those papers. Wewant to get them organizedso people could actually usethem. Right now they’re all

over the place!” she said.“There’s an index someone ismaking, boxes of photos weneed to go through. You’d besurprised how long it takes togo through a pile of newspa-pers. We’re really at the verybeginning phases of it.”

The team has collectedpiles of Gazettes dating backto when the newsletter wasreproduced on a copier. “It’sfun to look at really oldGazettes made on mimeo-graph machines,” Stenz said.“What struck me is [that]some of the older Gazetteshad lots of social events[like]Coop camping trips. TheCoop was a lot smaller, a lotdifferent feel than it is now.”

Coop coordinators rou-tinely field inquiries frompeople who want to startCoops, and the archives mayassist such incipient cooper-ators. Since there’s really nospace to store and use largearchives at the Coop, Stenzimagines that ultimately theCoop might seek to donatethe records to a Brooklyn his-

torical organization, library orsome sort of cooperativeinstitution.

In the meantime, Stenz,who over the course of her 15 years at the Coop hasworked a range of shifts,from shopping and receiv-ing to child care, hopes afew more members witharchiving experience willjoin her shift to help out.Membership CoordinatorCharlene Swift is the Coopstaf f contact for experi-enced archivists who wantto work the shift.

A Call for IT Know-HowCoop member John McNallydesigns computer networksfor a living. As part of the

Systems SupportGroup, he hasworked with the ITstaff at the Coop todesign the entirenetwork infrastruc-ture that allows theCoop to processdebit and EBT cardpayments, host itsown email serverand place dailyorders for deliver-ies via the Internet.

Now that theCoop is about tobegin web hostingits own web site,the Systems Sup-port Group islooking for peoplewith a sk i l l setcommonly called“System Adminis-t rat ion. ” P lease contactMart in Beauchamp [email protected].

Guardian of OurVirtual PresenceDavid Hamilton Golland, anexperienced Wikipedia editor,checks the Park Slope FoodCoop Wikipedia entry everytwo to three days to ensurethat it hasn’t been vandal-ized. If it has, he purgesoffending content. He alsochecks on non-vandalizingchanges for accuracy.Wikipedia has a strict neu-trality policy, and he ensuresthat the page sticks to state-ments of fact. Finally, he addsadditional content to thepage about Coop policy, his-

tory, governance, etc.Gol land has been a

Wikipedia editor for nearlythree years. He first lookedat the Coop’s entry in early2009 when a Brooklyn-based blog accused theCoop of boycotting Israeliproducts over the war inGaza. He deleted untruestatements to that effecton the Wikipedia entry andclarified the current Cooppolicy on the subject. Hehas been checking the page

and adding to it ever since.Golland said the issue is byfar the most controversialhe has dealt with on theCoop’s behalf in Wikipedia.

Golland philosophizedthat work at the Coop neednot bore members . “Wehave an envi ronmentalcommittee and a diversitycommittee . We have ashelf-labeling committeethat hunts genetically mod-i f ied ingredients and anaudio squad that keeps themicrophones running atthe General Meetings,” hewrote . “We even have agroup that blasts the bath-rooms with heavy-dutywater cannons in the mid-dle of the night!” ■

Odd Jobs at the CoopC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1

Art historian and Coop memberMaggie Stenz.

Coop Wikipedia Editor David Golland.


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“What struck me is [that]some of the older Gazettes hadlots of social events [like] Coopcamping trips. The Coop was alot smaller, a lot different feel

than it is now.”



PSFC Compost Helps Neighborhood Gardens By Nicole Feliciano

Did you know that more than 100 items could becomposted? If you are a member for the

dedicated Coop Composting Squad, you’re alreadykeenly aware that anything from coffee grounds to rotting rhubarb can be composted right in ourBrooklyn community.

Waste Not Want NotAccording to the current US statistics, yard and foodwaste make up 30% of the trash that ends up in ourlandfills. Here at the Coop we’re taking active stepsto lighten the environmental load. In addition to trying to order the correct inventory for the members, we’re re-using waste to fertilize communi-ty gardens. Our members have come to believe thatwe can make a difference by composting.

Breaking It DownIt all starts with the buckets. The Coop staff andworkers fill five-gallon buckets with produce scrapsthat are unfit to sell or donate to the nearby CHIPSsoup kitchen. As of now, it’s only Coop-generatedwaste that can be added to the buckets. Memberscannot bring materials from home.

Hauling The buckets are stored in the backyard. Teams oftwo are designated as “haulers.” They collect thefull buckets and take them to one of six gardensin Brooklyn. Collection happens three to fourtimes a week with each team working out a sched-ule that works for them and the community gar-den they will be visiting.

The buckets collected from the Coop are emp-tied into composting bins at the gardens. Eachhauler works with a coordinator who oversees thecomposting at the garden sites.

Some, but not all, of the gardens that receiveour food waste also have “turners”—these work-ers roll up their sleeves and make sure the com-post gets the necessary mix of air and moisture tobreak down the waste and produce fertile soil.Turners come once a week to rotate the materialinside the bins. Paying attention to details isessential to building a healthy compost endproduct.

But that’s not all that’s needed to make the composting process work. Compost needs brownmaterial. And there’s a team for that too. Once acycle, the “brown” team heads to local carpentryshops to get bags of wood shavings and saw dust(carpenters seem delighted to pass along theseshavings for free). The brown team works with thegarden coordinators to deliver the shavings on aregular basis.

The C TeamSherry Showell hasbeen the compost-ing Squad Leader formore than a decade.“Our squad is veryquirky,” she says.Each job requiresworkers to be self-starters, yet alsokeenly aware of theirco-workers’ time.Sherry knows therequirements of thejob first-hand. Foryears she spent hershifts turning thesoil as a squad member. When shebecame pregnant, she took the reins as Squad Leader.

The complicated process is fraught with details.By Sherry’s estimations, the Coop fills about 2,000buckets a year. Potential new squad members needto keep in mind that a great deal of education isinvolved before a new member can fill an open slotat the gardens.

Fabrice Covelli is a designated “hauler” and hasbeen a compost squad member since he joined thecoop in 2002. Covelli knew he wanted a coveted“outside” job no matter what the weather forecast. “Igrew up on a farm, and I thought working outside ina garden would be perfect for me.” He teams up withPoul Weis to collect the buckets and deliver them tothe Garden of Union.

Compost Science LessonCompost is a nutrient-rich, dark, crumbly materialthat helps improve the health of a garden by providing nutrients. Here’s the easy recipe: Com-bine nitrogen (fresh organic material, producewaste, fresh weeds, lawn clippings), carbon/brownmaterial (wood shavings, leaves, etc.), moisture,and air. Compost is a natural process. Decomposing materials can become a soil amendment. But it’s allabout balance. Organic waste needs the chance todecompose with a proper air supply so it can beturned into valuable garden material.

The BenefitsWhy do the gardens want our waste? According toCoop composting expert Claudia Joseph, the soilin most urban areas has a compacted sub-soilcontaining little organic matter. Our composthelps communities grow food and flowers to makeour communities more healthy and vibrant. “TheGarden of Union, a rubble site, has become anincredible, healthy garden and model compostsite,” says Claudia.

As for the positive elements for Coop members,Claudia pointed out the many pluses of maintaininga composting squad. First, there are notable financial savings. All that waste would cause theCoop to incur a substantial carting fee. Food materi-al is heavy and carting companies charge by weight.In addition to saving cash, the Coop also lowers itscarbon emissions since we are using fewer trucks tocart away our trash. Then there are the gardens...

The Beautiful ResultsWhen the composting program first started, neighboring Garden of Union (a community gardenlocated at 634-36 Union in Park Slope) was the onlygarden the Coop collaborated with—now we’veexpanded to the Red Hook Community Farm, 6/15Green, Warren/St. Mark’s Community Garden,

Prospect Heights Community Farm and even theBrooklyn Botanic Garden. Still, Garden of Uniongets the lion’s share of Coop waste—about half ofthe buckets end up at this spot.

Claudia Joseph devotes her Coop shift (plus plen-ty more hours of pure volunteering) to overseeingthe composting at the Garden of Union. You couldsay she grew up composting. Claudia was raised ona pony farm in Virginia where compost from the stable was a natural by-product. “There is a differentmentality when you have to haul away all of yourown trash, as we did on the farm,” says Claudia.

Claudia and Sherry Showell work hand in hand tomake sure the process is both efficient and effective.Claudia and her team at the Garden of Union arefocused on the composting techniques that work fora small, public garden space. Thanks to Claudia andthe other workers and volunteers, the compostingprocess is running more smoothly than ever.

Garden of Union uses Open Road designed binsthat are thankfully rodent-proof with unbreakablelids. Some of these bins were obtained through theParks Department; the Coop purchased additionalbins. At each step, the Coop is involved in makingsure the partner gardens flourish.

Working with DirtThe shift has proved to be quite popular—there’susually a wait list to get an assignment. Sherryencourages anyone interested to speak with herand add his or her name to the list. What’s theappeal? In addition to helping green up our com-munity, these workers are treated to a bit of sched-uling flexibility as well as the chance to work inbeautiful outdoor gardens.

Reliability is key for everyone on the compostsquad. As Claudia tells it, “Compost is a livingorganism and attention must be paid or things willgo wrong.” Working with soil may sound intriguingin April but imagine hauling food waste in both 100degree heat and sub zero temperatures. These folksare dedicated.

Why spend all this time and effort? Claudia surmises, “I have a 10 year-old daughter and I realizethat the world she is entering here is physicallydegraded. Closing our waste loop is part of improving our environment.”

If you are interested in starting a composting system at home, visit Claudia’s site (www.permacul-ture-exchange.org) or the NYC site for compostingcollection and tips, www.nyc.gov/html/nycwaste-less/html/compost/. Also see the article entitled TheBrooklyn Backyard Brigade in this issue. ■

Compost buckets used to recycle produce.

Coop composting expertClaudia Joseph.

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Close-up of a compost pile.



DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY COMMITTEE

Our Efforts to Eliminate Discrimination at the CoopBy George Perlov and Louise Daniel

Last December the Diver-sity and Equality Com-

mittee (DEC) presented aseries of strategic recom-mendations to the GeneralMeeting to address a num-ber of findings from a surveyof Coop members we con-ducted in 2008. As areminder, some of the keyfindings of the surveyincluded:• One in four respon-

dents witnessed somesort of bias or discrimi-natory incident at theCoop; and one in sevenexperienced biastoward themselves.

• Poor behavior, disre-spectful language andarbitrary application ofCoop rules were themost cited drivingforces behind the biasincidents.

• On almost all mea-sures, people of colorin the Coop reportedhigher levels of biasand discrimination atthe Coop.

Complaint Review Subcommittee

The committee is activelyworking to implement activi-ties and programs that we

believe will begin to raiseawareness of these issues,create a more cooperativeenvironment and strengthenorganizational mechanismsto address diversity at theCoop. Members will begin tohear about these efforts inthe coming months.

In addition to these newinitiatives, the DEC is alsohome to the Coop’s Com-plaint Review Subcommittee(CRS), the group that has theimportant responsibility forlogging and investigatingmember-reported bias-relat-ed incidents in the Coop. Infact, it was the reporting ofbias-related incidentsthrough the CRS as well asinformal meetings with mem-bers, squad leaders and staffthat led the DEC to conductthe survey and initiate thesenew activities.

The CRS was foundedabout f ive years ago andsince then has investigatedapproximately 20 cases.While this may sound like asmall number, the DEC’svision is for a Coop in whichrespect and honor of our fel-low members is paramount.This thought is also echoedin the Coop’s official mis-sion statement, “…We are

committed to diversity andequality. We oppose dis-crimination in any form. Westrive to make the Coop wel-coming and accessible to alland respect the opinions,needs and concerns of everymember…”

Recent CRS cases haveincluded:• A situation in which

one member acciden-tally touched anothermember which led torepeated accusationsby the person touchedthat were negativelyexperienced by theother member.

• An occurrence betweena member working inthe office and PSFCpaid staff regarding themember’s response towhat she thought was abiased action by thestaff , and what shebelieved was subse-quent bias-related ret-ribution for speakingout.

• An incident in which amember called anothermember working a shifta derogatory name andthen pushed a shop-ping cart into thisother member.

How We Can HelpIn all of these cases, the

complaint reports camefrom people of color. Once acomplaint has been loggedwith the CRS, a member ofthe subcommittee will beginan investigation. This usual-ly begins with a meetingwith the complainant toclarify what exactly hap-pened and why the personbelieved that the incidentwas bias-related. If the com-plaint meets these criteria, amember (or multiple mem-bers) of the CRS will alsoschedule meetings with oth-ers mentioned in the com-plaint to understand theirperspective of the situation.In some cases, a meeting

between the parties will beorganized by the CRS toattempt to mediate a settle-ment. In other cases, thecase may be referred to theDisciplinary Committee oranother standing PSFC com-mittees that might have astake in the situation.

If you have experiencedbias or discrimination in theCoop, we want to hear fromyou. You can lodge a com-plaint by contacting the CRSby email at [email protected], by phoneat 888-204-0098 or by fillingout a complaint form avail-able in the MembershipOffice and placing it in theDEC’s mailbox. All reportsare treated as confidential. ■

SUMMERTIME

...and the living is easy.

But don’t forget your coop shift!

If you plan on being away during one of your workslots,please make arrangements to

have your shift covered.

One way to do it is to use the Shift Swap at

www.foodcoop.com!

Your co-workers will love you for it!

For answers, see page 12.



LEFFERTS FARMFOOD COOPERATIVEWe are a newly-formed group made up of residents from Flatbush, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and Crown Heights, working to develop a new medium-sized food cooperative in the area.

JOIN US: www.meetup.com/plgfoodcoop

WE NEED YOUR HELP!There’s no question Brooklyn needs more food cooperatives, but it’s not simple. Food co-ops are businesses and development projects created for and by the community.

JOIN OUR PLANNING GROUPIn order to make this happen, we need YOU! Why? Because as a member, you have experience with food co-ops. And as a worker/community member, you have experience we need—from organizational development, branding/messaging, finance/accounting, fundraising, to real estate development and community outreach. Even people you know or the groups you belong to are a valuable asset to the process!

GET INVOLVEDPSFC members will receive FTOP credit in exchange for their participation. Join our MeetUp group at www.meetup.com/plgfoodcoop or contact [email protected] for more information.

Followthe

FoodCoop

on

@foodcoop

DO YOU LIKE DESIGNING FLYERS? HOW ARE YOU AT

MARKETING? DO YOU LIKE SOCIAL NETWORKING?

ARE YOU A WEB DEVELOPER? CAN YOU WRITE PHP?

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO USE WORDPRESS? DO YOU LIKE

TABLING AT EVENTS? DO YOU LIKE RESEARCHING FOOD? DO YOU NEED FTOP CREDIT? DO YOU LIKE

COMMUNITY, EATING GOOD FOOD, AND FUN? COME

HANG OUT WITH THE BUSHWICK FOOD COOP

AND GET WORK CREDIT! A BUYING CLUB AND CSA ARE SATIATING US WHILE WE WORK TOWARDS MAKING THE DREAM OF HAVING OUR OWN STOREFRONT A REALITY. WE ARE REALLY INVESTED IN OUR COLLECTIVE GOAL OF BRINGING AFFORDABLE, LOCAL AND ORGANIC FOOD TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF BUSHWICK. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP, PLEASE EMAIL US AT [email protected].

HELP US GET STARTED AND MAKE YOUR OWN WORK SHIFT!PSFC members will receive FTOP credit in exchange for their help. To receive credit, you should be a PSFC member for at least one year and have an excellent attendance record.

CREATIVE? WRITER? TALKATIVE? LAWYER? SOCIAL-BUTTERFLY? WEB-DEVELOPER?

MOREINFO

www.GreeneHillFoodCoop.com [email protected] | 718-208-4778

The Brooklyn BackyardBrigade mission is to help

busy Brooklynites interestedin urban gardening start grow-ing organic food in their back-yards and other small indoorand outdoor spaces.

This spring you may havenoticed or talked with Coopmembers with informationabout growing food in oururban environment. Perhapsyou took one of our handoutson composting, making soil,creating a worm bin, startingplants from seed, soil conta-mination, growing indige-nous plants, making a raisedbed, container gardening orgardening with childrenamong others.

The bulk of our efforts wasspent on creating and provid-ing these educational materi-als for Coop members andanswering questions outsidethe Coop most weekends inMarch, April and May. What wefound during our tabling hourswas great enthusiasm forurban gardening, and weanswered hundreds of impor-tant questions about how tocreate and maintain growingspaces and compost bins bothindoors and outside.

One really popular topicthis spring was composting

and creating rich soil to helptyour plants thrive. Compost issimply new soil made fromdecomposed organic materialsuch as leaves, grass clippings,vegetable scraps, fruit cores orpeels, coffee grounds, andmore. Composting transformsthese unwanted yard andkitchen scraps into a fertilemedium for growing and nour-ishing plants, and savesresources and landfill space inthe process. Composting inyour yard or a local communitygarden can help you replenishyour soil with the fresh nutri-ents necessary to create vitalgardens. (For information onhow the Coop composts, seethe article “PSFC CompostHelps Neighborhood Gar-dens” in this issue.)

Composting IndoorsWhile many Coop members

we spoke with were alreadycomposting in their backyardsor community gardens, orthrough the Greenmarket pick-up sites, others wanted helpconnecting with local placeswhere their compost could betaken or were seeking directionin creating their own compost-ing bin in an outdoor space towhich they had access. Weanswered dozens of questions

about how to maintain com-post bins, what not to add toyour compost (such as meat orpet waste) and how best to usethe soil being created.

Most exciting for many ofthe apartment dwelling Coopmembers was the concept ofindoor composting in a wormbin. In Brooklyn, many of us donot have access to a backyardspace and composting at localcommunity gardens or Green-markets is not always as con-venient. Creating an enclosedhabitat for redworms to liveinside your apartment canoffer an excellent way to turnyour food scraps into some ofthe best soil available.

Vermiculture, or worm com-posting, is a clean, odorlessway to reduce your waste whileconverting your kitchen scrapsinto organic soil fertilizer forhouse and garden plants. Theworms require a dark, enclosedspace which can be made froma plastic tub, a wooden box, oreven a metal container. A bedis created from shredded andmoistened newspaper, card-board, peat or brown leaves.The worms are then fed withkitchen scraps such as vegeta-bles, fruits, and coffeegrounds. The worms consumethe bedding and the foodscraps, turning it into high-quality compost which you canremove and add to your plants,either indoors or outside. It iseasy to set-up and easy tomaintain, and NYC has greatresources for helping thosenew to indoor composting.

Is Your Soil Clean?Another topic of great con-

cern for urban gardeners, andone about which the BrooklynBackyard Brigade wants to con-

tinue informing Coop mem-bers is the contaminants inurban soils and how to mostsafely garden in Brooklyn. If youare considering turning yourbackyard into a space for grow-ing fruits and vegetables, youshould be concerned aboutwhat might be in your soil. Soiloutside residences and in com-munity gardens in New YorkCity often contains heavy met-als such as chromium, lead,nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium,and arsenic. Contaminants aremost concentrated in northernBrooklyn, including Green-point, Bushwick and Williams-burg. But wherever you are inNew York, you should assumethat your soil is contaminatedunless you test it and deter-mine that it’s safe.

Fortunately for us, there isaccess to soil testing throughBrooklyn College. Their Envi-ronmental Sciences AnalyticalCenter will test your soil for asmall fee, as well as testing forthe heavy metal content of

your vegetables, fruits andherbs so you can ensure yourpreventive measures are keep-ing your produce safe. Visitw w w . b r o o k l y n . c u n y.edu/pub/departments/esac/1535.htm or call (718) 951-5000, ext. 2647.

In addition to testing, youcan also cover your existingsoil and build raised beds (wehave a handout with designand layout options), replaceany contaminated soil, enrichyour soil with compost, plantthe foods least likely to absorbtoxins or grow plants you donot plan to eat (perhaps creat-ing a habitat garden such as abutterfly garden).

It has been a pleasure forour group to help Coop mem-bers compost their foodscraps and find creative solu-tions for urban gardening. Wehave been excited by theenthusiasm we have seen fromCoop members and lovedwatching people come out ofthe Coop with seedlings inhand and plans for growingtheir own herbs and vegeta-bles. This year the Coop car-ried even more seeds,seedlings, and garden startingmaterials, so it was easier thanever to encourage these gar-dening efforts.

Look for us in the fall andwinter with new handouts forthe changing seasons andexciting workshops on urbangardening. Next spring we willbe out again with even morematerials to help support yourefforts to live more sustainablyand to eat locally. If you havequestions or would like moreinformation, please email usanytime at [email protected]. ■



The EnvironmentalCommittee has a blog!

We’reblogging

about ouractivities at the Coop,

as well asenvironmental events

of interest at the Coopand beyond.

Find us at:http://ecokvetch.blogspot.com/

Please visit oftenfor timely news and

informationfrom the PSFCEnvironmental

Committee.

The Coop is looking for new membersfor the Systems Support Group!

If you’re a top notch sysadmin who’d like to earn workslot credit helping us

configure and maintain the Coop’s webservers, please contact the group at

[email protected].

We are looking for bright people who can workcollaboratively with an expert team of Coop

members and staff. We’re just starting the webhosting project, so here’s your chance to weigh in onour architecture and procedures right from the start!

SAFE FOOD COMMITTEE

The Brooklyn Backyard Brigadeby Megan Davidson



COOP HOURS

Office Hours:Monday through Thursday

8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.Friday & Saturday

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Shopping Hours:

Monday–Friday8:00 a.m. to 10:00* p.m.

Saturday6:00 a.m. to 10:00* p.m.

Sunday6:00 a.m. to 7:30* p.m.

*Shoppers must be on a checkout line 15 minutes after closing time.

Childcare Hours:Monday through Sunday

8:00 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.Telephone:

718-622-0560Web address:

www.foodcoop.com

This Issue Prepared By:Coordinating Editors: Stephanie Golden

Erik LewisEditor (development): Wally Konrad

Tom MooreReporters: Hayley Gorenberg

Nicole FelicianoAllison Pennell

Art Director (development): Mike MirandaIllustrators: Rod Morrison

Cathy WassylenkoPhotographers: Lisa Cohen

Ingrid CussonKevin Ryan

Traffic Manager: Barbara KnightText Converters: Joanne Guralnick

Andrew Rathbun Proofreader: Susan BrodlieThumbnails: Rose Unes

Photoshop: Adam SegalPreproduction: Matthew Landfield

Art Director (production): Kris BrittDesktop Publishing: Lee Schere

Maxwell TaylorEditor (production): Barbara Knight

Final Proofreader: Teresa TheophanoIndex: Len Neufeld

P L A S T I C S

RECY

LING

Monthly on the...Last Sunday

July 25

10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

Second SaturdayAugust 14

10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

Third ThursdayAugust 19

7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.

On the sidewalk in front of the receivingarea at the Coop.

What plastics do we accept?Until further notice:

• #1 and #6 type non-bottle shaped contain-ers, transparent only, labels ok

• Plastic film and bubble wrap, transparentonly, no colored or opaque, no labels

• #5 plastic cups, tubs, and specificallymarked caps and lids, very clean and dry(discard any with paper labels, or cut off)

•NOTE: We are no longer accepting #2 or #4 type plastics.

PLASTIC MUST BE COMPLETELY CLEAN & DRY

We close up promptly. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the

collection end time to allow for inspection andsorting of your plastic.

The Linewaiters’ Gazette is published biweekly by the Park SlopeFood Coop, Inc., 782 Union Street, Brooklyn, New York 11215.

Opinions expressed here may be solely the views of the writer. TheGazette will not knowingly publish articles that are racist, sexist, or oth-erwise discriminatory.

The Gazette welcomes Coop-related articles, and letters from members.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINESAll submissions must include author’s name and phone number andconform to the following guidelines. Editors will reject letters andarticles that are illegible or too long. Submission deadlines appearin the Coop Calendar opposite.

Letters: Maximum 500 words. All letters will be printed if theyconform to the guidelines above. The Anonymity and Fairnesspolicies appear on the letters page in most issues.

Voluntary Articles: Maximum 750 words. Editors will reject articlesthat are essentially just advertisements for member businesses andservices.

Committee Reports: Maximum 1,000 words.

Editor-Writer Guidelines: Except for letters to the editor, whichare published without editing but are subject to the Gazette let-ters policy regarding length, anonymity, respect, and fairness,all submissions to the Linewaiters' Gazette will be reviewed andif necessary edited by the editor. In their review, editors are guid-ed by the Gazette's Fairness and Anonymity policies as well asstandard editorial practices of grammatical review, separation offact from opinion, attribution of factual statements, and rudi-mentary fact checking. Writers are responsible for the factualcontent of their stories. Editors must make a reasonable effort tocontact and communicate with writers regarding any proposededitorial changes. Writers must make a reasonable effort torespond to and be available to editors to confer about their arti-cles. If there is no response after a reasonable effort to contactthe writer, an editor, at her or his discretion, may make editorialchanges to a submission without conferring with the writer.

Submissions on Paper: Typed or very legibly handwritten andplaced in the wallpocket labeled "Editor" on the second floor at thebase of the ramp.

Digital Submissions: We welcome digital submissions. Dropdisks in the wallpocket described above. The email address forsubmissions is [email protected]. Receipt of yoursubmissions will be acknowledged on the deadline day.

Classified & Display Ads: Ads may only be placed by and on behalfof Coop members. Classified ads are prepaid at $15 per insertion,business card ads at $30. (Ads in the “Merchandise–Non-commercial”category are free.) All ads must be written on a submission form(available in a wallpocket on the first floor near the elevator). Classi-fied ads may be up to 315 characters and spaces. Display ads mustbe camera-ready and business card size (2"x3.5").

Printed by: New Media Printing, Bethpage, NY.

What Is That? How Do I Use It?

Food Tours in the Coopokay

let's get down to the business

of peace

everybody wants peace

we protest for it

we pray for it

we despair its absence

but how to generate it

how to peel away

all that hides it from view

practice breathing

everyone know this, you say

it is cliché

and yet

the power of peace

is not

complicated

try it:

before you say the usual thing

when you step out into the fresh morning

with the start of a loud sound

before you answer

before you have another

before you make the call

when you pet the dog

when you get what you thought

you didn't want

take your breath

let it fill your toes

then let it leave

wish it well

peace will rise

its bright light

and shine on you

and travel on

with its ripple of goodness

you will see

that peace was there

all along

Park Slope Food Coop

Partnering with peace

by Myra Klockenbrink

Monday, July 26

noon to 1:00 p.m.

and 1:30 t0 2:30 p.m.

You can join in any time during a tour.

WO

RK

SL

OT

NE

ED

S

Laundry Prep and Miscellaneous CleaningSaturday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.The Coop is looking for members to collect thelaundry from around the building and prepareit for washing. After starting the first load oflaundry you’ll complete the balance of theshift with miscellaneous cleaning tasks.Instructions and checklists will be provided. Ifyou are interested or would like more informa-tion please call Jana or Annette in theMembership Office.

Receiving VitaminFriday, 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. or 12:00 to2:45 p.m. or 2:30 to 5:15 p.m.On these special receiving shifts, you will be

working with the Receiving Coordinator tocheck in vitamin orders, organize vitamin areain the basement and on the shopping floor,label product and shelves, and perform relatedtasks.

Office Data EntryTuesday, 4:30 to 7:15 p.m.Are you a stickler for details, accurate on thecomputer and like working independently? Ifthis sounds like you, then Office Data Entrywill be your perfect shift. You will receive train-ing, and Coop staff will always be available toanswer questions. Please speak to a GingerHargett or Camille Scuria in the MembershipOffice if you would like more information.Workslot requires a six-month commitment.

Our Governing Structure From our inception in 1973 to the present, the openmonthly General Meetings have been at the center of theCoop’s decision-making process. Since the Coop incor-porated in 1977, we have been legally required to have aBoard of Directors. The Coop continued the tradition ofGeneral Meetings by requiring the Board to have openmeetings and to receive the advice of the members atGeneral Meetings. The Board of Directors, which isrequired to act legally and responsibly, has approvedalmost every General Meeting decision at the end ofevery General Meeting. Board members are elected atthe Annual Meeting in June. Copies of the Coop’s bylawsare available at the Coop Community Corner and atevery General Meeting.

Next Meeting: Tuesday, July 27, 7:00 p.m.The General Meeting is held on the last Tuesday of eachmonth.

Location The Temple House of Congregation Beth Elohim(Garfield Temple), 274 Garfield Place.

How to Place an Item on the AgendaIf you have something you’d like discussed at a GeneralMeeting, please complete a submission form for theAgenda Committee. Forms are available in the rack nearthe Coop Community Corner bulletin board and atGeneral Meetings. Instructions and helpful informationon how to submit an item appear on the submissionform. The Agenda Committee meets on the first Tuesdayof each month to plan the agenda for the GM held on thelast Tuesday of the month. If you have a question, pleasecall Ann Herpel at the coop.

Meeting FormatWarm Up (7:00 p.m.) • Meet the Coordinators • Enjoy some Coop snacks • Submit Open Forum items • Explore meeting literatureOpen Forum (7:15 p.m.) Open Forum is a time formembers to bring brief items to the General Meeting. Ifan item is more than brief, it can be submitted to theAgenda Committee as an item for a future GM.Reports (7:30 p.m.) • Financial Report • Coordinators’Report • Committee ReportsAgenda (8:00 p.m.)The agenda is posted at the Coop Community Cornerand may also appear elsewhere in this issue.Wrap Up (9:30-9:45) (unless there is a vote to extendthe meeting) • Meeting evaluation • Board of Directorsvote • Announcements, etc.

A l l A b o u t t h eG e n e r a l M e e t i n g

Attend a GMand Receive Work Credit

Since the Coop’s inception in 1973, the GeneralMeeting has been our decision-making body. At theGeneral Meeting (GM) members gather to makedecisions and set Coop policy. The General-Meeting-for-workslot-credit program was created to increaseparticipation in the Coop’s decision-making process.

Following is an outline of the program. For full details, seethe instruction sheets by the sign-up board.

• Advance Sign-up required:To be eligible for workslot credit, you must add your

name to the sign-up sheet in the elevator lobby. The sign-ups sheet is available all month long, except for the day ofthe meeting when you have until 5 p.m. to sign up. On theday of the meeting, the sign-up sheet is kept in theMembership Office.

Some restrictions to this program do apply. Please seebelow for details.

• Two GM attendance credits per year:Each member may take advantage of the GM-for-

workslot-credit program two times per calendar year.

• Certain Squads not eligible:Eligible: Shopping, Receiving/ Stocking, Food

Processing, Office, Maintenance, Inventory, Construction,and FTOP committees. (Some Committees are omittedbecause covering absent members is too difficult.)

• Attend the entire GM:In order to earn workslot credit you must be present

for the entire meeting.

• Signing in at the Meeting: 1. After the meeting the Chair will provide the

Workslot Credit Attendance Sheet.2.Please also sign in the attendance book that is

passed around during the meeting.

• Being Absent from the GM:It is possible to cancel without penalty. We do ask that

you remove your name if you know cannot attend. Pleasedo not call the Membership Office with GM cancellations.

Park Slope Food CoopMission Statement

The Park Slope Food Coop is a mem-ber-owned and operated food store—analternative to commercial profit-orientedbusiness. As members, we contribute ourlabor: working together builds trustthrough cooperation and teamwork andenables us to keep prices as low as possi-ble within the context of our values andprinciples. Only members may shop, andwe share responsibilities and benefitsequally. We strive to be a responsible andethical employer and neighbor. We are abuying agent for our members and not aselling agent for any industry. We are a partof and support the cooperative movement.We offer a diversity of products with anemphasis on organic, minimally pro-cessed and healthful foods. We seek toavoid products that depend on theexploitation of others. We support non-toxic, sustainable agriculture. We respectthe environment. We strive to reduce theimpact of our lifestyles on the world weshare with other species and future genera-tions. We prefer to buy from local, earth-friendly producers. We recycle. We try tolead by example, educating ourselves andothers about health and nutrition, coopera-tion and the environment. We are com-mitted to diversity and equality. Weoppose discrimination in any form. Westrive to make the Coop welcoming andaccessible to all and to respect the opin-ions, needs and concerns of every member.



C O O P CA L E N D A RNew Member OrientationsAttending an Orientation is the first step towardCoop membership. Pre-registration is required forall of the four weekly New Member Orientations. To pre-register, visit www.foodcoop.com or contactthe Membership Office. Visit in person or call 718-622-0560 during office hours.

Have questions about Orientation? Please visitwww.foodcoop.com and look at the “Join the Coop”page for answers to frequently asked questions.

The Coop on the Internetwww.foodcoop.com

The Coop on Cable TVInside the Park Slope Food CoopFRIDAYS 2:30 p.m. with a replay at 10:30 p.m. Channels: 56 (TimeWarner), 69 (CableVision).

General Meeting InfoTUE, JUL 27GENERAL MEETING: 7:00 p.m.

TUE, AUG 3AGENDA SUBMISSIONS: 8:00 p.m. Submissions will be considered for the Aug 31General Meeting.

Gazette DeadlinesLETTERS & VOLUNTARY ARTICLES:

Jul 29 issue: 7:00 p.m., Mon, Jul 19Aug 12 issue: 7:00 p.m., Mon, Aug 2

CLASSIFIED ADS DEADLINE:Jul 29 issue: 7:00 p.m., Wed, Jul 21Aug 12 issue: 7:00 p.m., Wed, Aug 4

Blood DriveFact: Less than 3% of the population donates blood, and90% will use blood some time in their life. Presented in coop-eration with New York Methodist Hospital. For further infor-mation about blood donation, call 718-780-3644.

Adult Clothing ExchangeThis is your opportunity to trade gently used and beautiful

clothes that you no longer wear with other Coop members.Bring items that you think others might enjoy—and a snack toshare. Do not leave clothing in the Coop before the hours of the

exchange; bring up to 15 items only; bring gently used, clean clothing that you areproud to be able to exchange with a new owner. Unchosen items will be donated to alocal shelter.

What Is A Doula?If you’re pregnant, chances are you’ve heard of doulas…but you may not be sure whatthe fuss is all about. Doulas are childbirth professionals trained to support women dur-ing the emotional ups and downs of this important period. This workshop will discussthe differences between labor and postpartum doulas, answer common questions aboutthe doula’s role and provide tips on finding a doula. Presented by Coop members LilyDalke, CD (DONA), and Julia Willis, a DONA-trained doula.

PSFC JULY General MeetingItems will be taken up in the order given. Times in parenthesesare suggestions. More information on each item may be avail-able on the entrance table at the meeting. We ask members toplease read the materials available between 7 and 7:15 p.m.

Meeting location: Congregation Beth Elohim Social Hall (Garfield Temple), 274 Garfield Place at Eighth Avenue.

Item 1: Disciplinary Committee Election (20 minutes)Election: “The committee will present new candidates for the committee to fill open-ings. These candidates will serve three-year terms.”

—submitted by the Disciplinary Committee

Item 2: Suing for Injunction in Regard to Barney’s Co-op (40 minutes)Proposal: “To authorize the General Coordinators and/or the Coop’s Officers to reportthe violation of New York State law in regard to Barney’s use of the word ‘co-op’ and/orto sue for an injunction.” —submitted by the General Coordinators

Item 3: Credit Union Affiliation (30 minutes)Proposal: “Allow the Coop to affiliate with the People’s Alliance Federal Credit Union,therefore, allowing members to join a cooperative banking institution.”

—submitted by Christian Smith-Socaris

For information on how to place an item on the Agenda, please see the center pages ofthe Linewaiters’ Gazette. The Agenda Committee minutes and the status of pendingagenda items are available in the Coop office and at all General Meetings.

Weigh Less, Live MoreExplore the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off without any restrictivediets or calorie-counting. We will speak about the overall health benefits associatedwith a plant-based diet. Easy and delicious recipes will be distributed. Coop memberJordan Melissa Sachs is a holistic health coach and certified yoga teacher who receivedher training through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Children’s Clothing SwapBring your child’s outgrown clothes to the Coop to trade with other members. Pleasebring only items that are in good condition. Collect clothes for your own children, only.At 12:15, any remaining clothes will then be available to anyone. Attention moms-to-be: Come to the swap to find newborn clothes! Do not bring clothing to the Coop beforethe hours of the exchange. Drop off clothes by 12:00.

Book, CD, DVD and Video Swap for Adults and ChildrenDo you and your kids love to read, listen to music, watchmovies? Bring your old books, CDs, DVDs and videos to theCoop to swap with others! All donations must be dropped offby 3:30 p.m. Please follow these guidelines when choosingwhat to bring: Books must be in good condition. We cannotaccept magazines, journals, textbooks, computer books or out-

dated guide books. If you have these unacceptable items, you must throw them away inyour recycling bin. CDs, DVDs and videos must be commercially produced. We cannotaccept home recordings.

Agenda Committee MeetingThe Committee reviews pending agenda items and creates theagenda for this month’s General Meeting. Drop by and talk withcommittee members face-to-face between 8 and 8:15 p.m.Before submitting an item, read “How to Develop an Agenda

Item for the General Meeting” and fill out the General Meeting Agenda Item SubmissionForm, both available from the Membership Office. The next General Meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 31, 7 p.m., at Congregation Beth Elohim Social Hall (GarfieldTemple), 274 Garfield Place at Eighth Avenue.

Film Night: Media That MattersScreen. Act. Impact. Join us for a special screening of thisyear’s 10th-annual Media That Matters collection: the premiereshowcase for short films on the most important topics of theday. Local and global, online and in communities around theworld, Media That Matters engages diverse audiences andinspires them to take action. From health care to the injustices

of Guantanamo, this year’s jury-selected collection represents the work of a diverse groupof independent filmmakers. What all the films have in common is that they spark debateand action in 12 minutes or less. This year’s collection features two films from Brooklynfilmmakers, I Am Sean Bell (dir. Stacey Muhammad) and Lessons from a Tailor (dir. GalenSummer). For more information about Media That Matters, visit mediathatmattersfest.org.To book a Film Night, contact Faye Lederman, [email protected].

Safe Food Committee Film Night:The Coca-Cola CaseA searing indictment of the Coca-Cola empire and its allegedrole in the kidnapping, torture and murder of union leaderstrying to improve working conditions in Colombia, Guatemalaand Turkey. The Coca-Cola Case: The Truth That Refreshes!follows labor lawyers Daniel Kovalik and Terry Collingsworth,along with Ray Rogers (founding director of the Stop Killer

Coke! campaign), as they attempt to hold the giant U.S. international beverage compa-ny accountable in this taut legal/human rights procedural. Directed by Carmen Garciaand German Gutierrez (Canada, 2009, 86 minutes). Host: Mario Murillo: http://mama-radio.blogspot.com/; department chair, associate professor, Radio, Television, Film,Hofstra University; WBAI 99.5 FM radio host. Guest speaker: TBA.

jul 16-17fri 11 am–6 pmsat 11 am–6 pm

jul 24sat 10 am–2 pm

jul 25sun 12 pm

jul 27tue 7 pm

jul 27tue 7:30 pm

jul 31sat 10:30–12:30

jul 31sat 2–4 pm

aug 3tue 8 pm

aug 6fri 7 pm

aug 10tue 7 pm





Adult Clothing ExchangeThis is your opportunity to trade gently used and beautifulclothes that you no longer wear with other Coop members.Bring items that you think others might enjoy—and a snackto share. Do not leave clothing in the Coop before the hours

of the exchange; bring up to 15 items only; bring gently used, clean clothing thatyou are proud to be able to exchange with a new owner. Unchosen items will bedonated to a local shelter.

Babywearing 101This is a hands-on workshop for participants to learn about the five basic types of carriers(wraps, ring slings, pouches, mei tais and soft-structured carriers), focusing on safe and com-fortable carrying for newborns through toddlers. Carriers will be demonstrated, and parents areencouraged to bring the carriers they already have to get help with fit and positioning. Coopmember Lisa Brundage is a Brooklyn co-leader of Slings in the City and has been trained inbabywearing techniques by Die Trageschule of Dresden, Germany. Amy Takemoto is a baby-wearing mom of two children and has been a Brooklyn co-leader of Slings in the City.

PSFC AUG General MeetingMeeting Agenda to be announced. For information on how to place an item on theAgenda, please see the center pages of the Linewaiters’ Gazette. The AgendaCommittee minutes and the status of pending agenda items are available in theMembership office and at all General Meetings. Meeting location: Congregation BethElohim Social Hall (Garfield Temple), 274 Garfield Place at Eighth Avenue.

Food Class: The Secret of The Sea Vegetable

Vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free dishes. What are sea vegetables?What do they look like? Learn the nutritional benefits of eating seavegetables, how to prepare them safely and how to cook sea vegeta-bles once and eat them twice. Hideyo Yamada is a trained sushi

chef from Japan, who specializes in allergy-free pastries. Her unique health counseling, alongwith customized recipes and cooking classes, enable her clients to prepare delicious healthymeals, adding more balance and energy into their lives. She is a certified Holistic Healthcounselor and graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, working as a private chef.Menu includes kombu stock, basic miso soup with tofu, wakame garlic sauté, quinoa hijikisalad, dulse dip and chocolate-banana mousse with agar. Materials fee: $4.

Film NightFilm title to be announced.To book a Film Night, contact Faye Lederman, [email protected].

Agenda Committee MeetingThe Committee reviews pending agenda items and creates theagenda for this month’s General Meeting. Drop by and talk withcommittee members face-to-face between 8 and 8:15 p.m.Before submitting an item, read “How to Develop an Agenda

Item for the General Meeting” and fill out the General Meeting Agenda Item SubmissionForm, both available from the Membership Office. The next General Meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 28, 7 p.m., at Congregation Beth Elohim Social Hall(Garfield Temple), 274 Garfield Place at Eighth Avenue.

Food Drive to Benefit CHIPS Soup Kitchen

CHIPS Soup Kitchen, located at 4th Avenue and Sackett Street, is the recipient ofmuch of our edible but unsaleable perishable food. They also need donations ofnonperishable foods. This food will go to CHIPS to help them feed people in theneighborhood who are in need of a nutritious meal. Consider contributing nonperish-able foods and commercially packaged foods; canned fish; canned fruits and veg-etables; pasta sauce; pasta; pre-packaged rice; pre-packaged beans; canned beans;canned soups; Parmalat milk; dry milk; peanut butter; cooking oil; or boxed raisins.Give donations to the collection table outside the Coop.

Safe Food Committee Film NightFilm title to be announced.

Book, CD, DVD and Video Swap for Adults and ChildrenDo you and your kids love to read, listen to music, watch movies?Bring your old books, CDs, DVDs and videos to the Coop to swapwith others! All donations must be dropped off by 3:30 p.m.Please follow these guidelines when choosing what to bring:Books must be in good condition. We cannot accept magazines,journals, textbooks, computer books or outdated guide books. If

you have these unacceptable items, you must throw them away in your recycling bin. CDs,DVDs and videos must be commercially produced. We cannot accept home recordings.

aug 21sat 2–5 pm

aug 29sun 12 pm

aug 31tue 7 pm

sep 2thu 7:30 pm

Susan Baldassano, Coordinator

sep 3fri 7 pm

sep 7tue 8 pm

sep 11-12sat-sun 9 am–7 pm

sep 14tue 7 pm

sep 25sat 10 am – 1:30 pm

PSFC SEPTEMBER General Meeting

Film Night

Agenda Committee Meeting

Food Class

Safe Food Committee Film Night

The Very Good Coffeehouse: Coop Concert Series

oct 7

oct 5

oct 1

sep 28

oct 12

oct 15

For more information on these and other events, visit the Coop’s website: foodcoop.com

All events take place at the Park Slope Food Coop unless otherwise noted.Nonmembers are welcome to attend workshops.

Views expressed by the presenter do not necessarily representthe Park Slope Food Coop.



VALET BIKE PARKING IS HERE

ON SUNDAYS!Every Sunday through Nov. 21,

from 3:30 – 8:00 p.m., Coop members can leave their

bikes with our valetparking service, whichis like a coat check for

bikes. Workingmembers willcheck in and

watch your bikefor you.

Just drop off your bike,do your shopping or your shift,

and hop back on.No locks, no worries, no theft.Service operates rain or shine.

Look for usin front of the yellow wall.

(Note: no bike check-in after 7:30 p.m.)

Valet bicycle parking at the Coopis brought to you by the PSFC

Shop & Cycle Committee.

The Ecokvetch is now on Facebook,

representing the Park Slope

Food Coop’s Environmental

Committee.

Interested in Engaging Coop Work?Disciplinary Committee Seeks NEW Members

The DC is seeking new members with experience in inves-tigation, writing, and conflict-resolution. Mental healthprofessionals encouraged to apply. Use of a computer andemail is ESSENTIAL. Join us to make the Coop the bestplace it can be for everyone.

Some of our work includes:• Investigating allegations of misbehavior by members.(i.e. failing to report for or to complete shifts, bringing innon-members to shop, shopping while suspended, steal-ing, using racist, sexist, homophobic or nasty languageagainst other Coop members and staff )• Engaging in problem-solving and policy issues related tothe DC’s work• Participation in disciplinary hearings• Daily email contact with DC members to discuss issues

Requirements:• Must be a member for at least a year• Have good attendance record• Attend an evening meeting approx. once every six weeks

We recognize the importance of various points of viewwhen considering cases brought to us. WE ARE SEEKINGA CANDIDATE POOL THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OFTHE COOP’S MEMBERSHIP.

Interested? Please call Jeff: 718-636-3880

If you are good at:Communicating • Problem solving • Dealing withdifficult situations • Investigating We need you!

�

The Diversity and EqualityCommittee’s

is starting a monthly event series to promote diversity awareness and

education at the Coop.

The series will include film screenings,moderated discussions, presentations

and workshops. Events will addressissues related to race, gender, sexual

orientation, disability, age, culture, eth-nicity and socio-economics.

We are soliciting event ideas and potentialspeakers. Please send event proposals to:

[email protected].



COORDINATORS CORNER

On International Cooperation By Joe Holtz, General Coordinator

Park Slope Food Coop:Expanding to Beijing,China?

Can the Park Slope FoodCoop be replicated in China?That question was recentlyasked at an internationalforum held in Beijing. Theparticipants included localChinese farmers, communityactivists, concerned con-sumers, and professors, aswell as representatives fromcoops in Taiwan, Germany,The Wedge in Minneapolis,Minnesota and, of course,Park Slope, Brooklyn.

The reason for the meetingwas obvious. Food safety is amajor concern in China. Inthe past several years therehave been numerous scan-dals, including one in whichchildren died drinking milktainted with melamine. Herein Beijing, various communi-ty-supported agriculture(CSA) groups have been cre-ated, farmers’ markets arebeginning to sprout andfarms have recently begunoffering organic produce.

In September 2008, mywife Jennifer Holdaway and Imoved from Park Slope toBeijing, where Jennifer runsa research program on envi-ronmental health issues,including food safety. In2009, she met SongQinghua, the director of aBeijing community-basedorganization, who was inter-ested in coops and suggest-ed that Qinghua visit thePark Slope Food Coop onher trip to New York.

Qinghua met with Joe Holtzand Ann Herpel in Novem-ber 2009 and became moreinterested in trying to start acoop in Beijing. Earlier thisyear, Jennifer and Jim Hark-ness, Director of the Insti-tute of Agricultural andTrade Policy and a memberof The Wedge coop in Min-neapolis, decided to orga-nize the meeting on coops.

Joe was invited to attendbut unfortunately had todecline because of workcommitments. Fortuitously,I was already planning a tripto New York and Joe agreedto meet with me and answerquestions submitted bylocal Chinese farmers andconsumers interested instarting coops.

Meeting with Joe andattending the Beijing forumwere fascinating. Although Iknow a lot about the Coop,there were many questions Inever considered. For exam-ple, what exactly is a “coop”?In Beijing, the developmentof two coops, recently found-ed in Germany, was discussedand they seemed like the ParkSlope Food Coop circa 1975.But the other coops in atten-dance had characteristics thatsurprised me. For example,the coop in Japan is a hugechain store with outletsthroughout the country. TheTaiwan “coop” was originallystarted by a group of house-wives who were protestingagainst McDonald’s. The coopin Minneapolis owns its ownfarm, warehouse and trucks!

One of the key questionsexplored in the Beijing forum:“How can a food coop ensureboth food producers and con-sumers get a fair deal? Isthere a conflict of interestbetween the two groups?”This was especially importantto the farmers who attended.The farmers are already strug-gling to earn a living provid-ing healthy produce. Theyfeared the idea of consumersbanding together, forming acoop and driving downwholesale prices. Indeed,some of the farmers came tolearn how they could form afarmers’ cooperative.

The Wedge opened in1974 originally as a worker-member coop. However, dueto a change in state lawrequiring workers to receivewages, members no longerwork at the Wedge. UnlikePSFC, it sells to both mem-bers and non-members. Cur-rently it has 14,000members. Moreover, it ownsa 100-acre farm, warehouseand trucks.

When asked how theWedge ensures that bothfood producers and con-sumers get a fair deal, LindyBannister, the Wedge’s rep-resentative, explained thattheir staff meets with localfarmers before the plantingseason and asks what theyexpect their costs to be, andthey then settle upon aprice. Asked if the priceswere ever adjusted after har-vest, Lindy explained thatalthough sometimes they

agreed to a price increase,they had never asked for aprice decrease. According toBannister, the Wedgebelieves very strongly insupporting local farmers andsustainable agriculture, andits members are willing topay more for their food insupport of those goals.

I explained to the meet-ing that the Park Slope FoodCoop takes a somewhat dif-ferent approach. When I hadasked Joe this same ques-tion, he told me the Coophas been buying its toma-toes from the same farmerfor years. But i f anotherfarmer were to offer a bettertasting tomato at a lowerprice, the Coop would go toour regular supplier and askher to taste the new farmer’stomato. Joe play-acted thefollowing conversation,holding an imaginary toma-to in his hand: “You knowthis is a great tasting toma-to and we can get it cheaperthan what you’re sell ingthem at. We have a problemhere and we’re going to haveto figure it out. Why is it thatthe other farmer is able togrow such a great tastingtomato?” The Coop mightgive the regular suppliertime to improve their quali-ty and lower their price andwe might buy tomatoesfrom both farmers for atime, but if the new farmercould consistently offer bet-ter tasting tomatoes at alower price, we would switchto that new farmer.

Joe also said that one timethe Coop decided to stopselling conventional kiwisbecause the organic oneswere only slightly moreexpensive. However, a mem-ber called and asked why theCoop had stopped stockingthe conventional kiwis. Themember explained he bought

a lot of kiwis every week andthat the difference in price tohim was $1, but that was $1he could not afford.

After talking with Joe andattending the meeting I feelour scale leans to the side of“low prices.” As Joe hadexplained, we won’t bargainhard with our famers, norwill we immediately aban-don a regular supplier, but ifa farmer cannot supply uswith a tasty tomato at a fairprice, we will eventually takeour business elsewhere.

A third related discussiontopic was how the “workercooperative” model helpsPSFC sell at a significantdiscount to conventionalstores and even other coop-eratives. Although I felt asense of pride when relatingour workers’ cooperativemodel to the meeting, thereis one policy the Wedge hasadopted which I believe theCoop should consider. TheWedge makes a real effort tobridge the gap betweenfarmers and consumers. Theproduce shelves offer pic-tures and a short biographi-cal description of the farmerwho grew the crop. A secondapproach the Wedge takes isto sponsor trips to farms.Perhaps the Coop couldsponsor an annual trip tolocal farms and memberscould meet the men andwomen who grow the foodwe consume.

We are currently talking totwo groups who are consid-ering developing their cur-rent collective buyinggroups into coop stores. TheBeijing meeting was helpfulin identifying some keychoices that they’ll have tomake and outlining theimplications of dif ferentoptions. We’re really lookingforward to seeing how itworks out. ■

Last year General Coordinator Ann Herpel and I met with the Presi-dent of Shining Stone Community Action of Beijing, China, QinghuaSong. We were then invited to send a General Coordinator to a con-

ference this year in Beijing to discuss starting a food cooperative there.We declined the invitation. However, our model of food cooperative wasrepresented nonetheless. What follows is an account of the conferencewritten by former long-time member Guy Padula.


To Submit Classified or Display Ads:

Ads may be placed on behalf of Coop members only. Clas-sified ads are prepaid at $15 per insertion, display ads at $30.(Classified ads in the “Merchandise–Non-commercial” cate-gory are free.) All ads must be written on a submission form.Classified ads may be up to 315 characters and spaces. Dis-play ads must be camera-ready and business card size (2" x3.5" horizontal).

Submission forms are available in a wallpocket near theelevator in the entrance lobby.

Classified advertising in the Linewaiters’ Gazette is available only to Coop members. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Coop.

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price, please call Maggie at 718-

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HAIRCUTS HAIRCUTS HAIRCUTS

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CLASSIFIEDS

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Community calendar listings are free. Please submit your event listing in 50 words or lessto [email protected]. Submission deadlines are the same as for classifiedads. Please refer to the Coop Calendar in the center of this issue. An asterisk (*) denotes aCoop member.

SAT, JUL 17

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C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 1 5



A FARMER SPEAKS OUT

TO THE EDITOR,

Iam writing this letter to the Gazette toshare more widely this letter we got

from one of our beef suppliers, KenJaffe of Slope Farms. We buy a cow aweek from Ken. Here it is.

Joe Holtz

Folks in New York City may be feelingsecure about gas drilling. After all,

New York State has bowed to pressurefrom the City and decided there will beno drilling for methane gas in the NewYork City Watershed. You should notfeel secure, because gas drilling willpoison your food shed.

The industrialization of upstate NewYork will kill the production of organicand sustainable food in this region.The area of food production is almostall outside the NYC Watershed. Mas-sive amounts of toxins will be pumpedinto our aquifers and air. These hydro-carbons and volatile organic com-pounds, known carcinogens andendocrine disrupters, are pumped intothe ground in massive quantities in thedrilling process and released into theair from evaporation tanks.

The gas and oil industry is relying onyour silence so they will be unopposed.Their current plans are for 8 to 10 wellsper square mile, pumping billions ofgallons of toxic water into the ground.They will pollute the air and water ofthe region representing most of NewYork’s food shed, threatening the agri-cultural base that you rely upon foryour food. This includes the westernCatskills, across the Finger Lakes toWestern New York.

Pollution of water, air and food fromthe gas drilling industry is exempt fromall federal pollution laws, thanks toCheney’s 2005 Energy Policy Act, andthe “Halliburton Exemption.” Gasdrillers can pollute without regard tothe Safe Drinking Water Act, the CleanWater Act or the Clear Air Act. For

instance, it is legal for gas drilling tocause drinking water to contain highlevels of carcinogens like benzene thatviolate the Safe Drinking Water Actbecause the Safe Drinking Water Actsimply does not apply if gas drilling isthe cause. With this state of affairs, thepublic and the environment have beendefenseless against gas drillers. Theyhave used the cover of this exemptionto ruin the air, water and landscape oflarge swaths of several western states,and are now moving east.

On a personal level, if gas drillingoccurs in our area, I cannot imagineSlope Farms surviving. We will not beable to produce food that you will wantto eat because of the toxins in thewater that our cattle drink (and my fam-ily drinks as well) and the massive pol-lution of our air.

As a result of contamination ofdrinking water from gas drilling inPennsylvania, Colorado and Wyomingand air in Texas the EPA has begun tostudy the risks. Proposed legislation atthe federal and state level would moreclosely regulate gas drilling. There is aproposal in NY State for a moratoriumon drilling until the EPA can completeits study of the risks. But none of thislegislation currently has enough sup-port to pass. So public awareness andpressure is critical. It is doubtful thatthe current form of gas drilling(“hydrofracking”) with its injection ofmassive quantities of water and toxinsin the ground can be done safely, evenwith regulation.

Best,Ken Jaffe

Slope FarmsMeredith, NY

www.slopefarms.com

ANIMAL WELFARECOMMITTEE?

TO THE EDITOR, We’re a group of Park Slope Food

Coop members who came togetherafter realizing during our PSFC shop-

ping trips that, while there are a lot ofanimal-friendly products on the Coopshelves, there was still a lot of room forimprovement!

In our conversations with othermembers, some were surprised to hearthat we still carried any items that aretested on animals (even though ourpolicy says the PSFC avoids such prod-ucts) and others expressed confusionregarding animal-treatment labeling(“What’s the difference between grass-fed and free-range?”).

After having these conversationsand wishing for a way to help informPSFC shoppers who are interested inanimal welfare, we thought we wouldenlist other PSFC members who sharethese concerns to join us in creating aworkslot credit committee to specifi-cally address these issues and be inservice to the PSFC membershipregarding animal welfare.

We invite you to learn more about theproposal for a PSFC Animal WelfareCommittee and share your ideas with usat http://psfcanimals.blogspot.com orvia email at PSFCanimals@ gmail.comThank you.

Jesse Oldham Patrick Kwan

MY FIRST JOBI was 14, and high snow Had fallen in a cascadeWhen a Park Slope neighbor calledAnd pleaded for my aid.“I’ll pay you handsomely,”Mrs. Jones impressively said,So using my parents’ shovelI eagerly went ahead.I dug and dug and dugTill aching bent my bones.And my handsome reward? A framed Picture of Mr. Jones.I’ve kept it all these years,A reminder how work began, And it sits in a place of honorAt the bottom of a garbage can.

Leon Freilich

LETTERS POLICY

We welcome letters from members.Submission deadlines appear in theCoop Calendar. All letters will beprinted if they conform to the pub-lished guidelines. We will not know-ingly publish articles which are racist,sexist or otherwise discriminatory

The maximum length for letters is500 words. Letters must includeyour name and phone number andbe typed or very legibly handwrit-ten. Editors will reject letters thatare illegible or too long.

You may submit on paper, typed orvery legibly handwritten, or via emailto [email protected] oron disk.

AnonymityUnattributed letters will not be

published unless the Gazette knowsthe identity of the writer, and there-fore must be signed when submit-ted (giving phone number). Suchletters will be published only wherea reason is given to the editor as towhy public identif ication of thewriter would impose an unfair bur-den of embarrassment or difficulty.Such letters must relate to Coopissues and avoid any non-construc-tive, non-cooperative language.

FairnessIn order to provide fair, comprehen-sive, factual coverage:

1. The Gazette will not publishhearsay—that is, allegations notbased on the author's first-handobservation.

2. Nor will we publish accusa-tions that are not specific or are notsubstantiated by factual assertions.

3. Copies of submissions thatmake substantive accusationsagainst specific individuals will begiven to those persons to enablethem to write a response, and bothsubmissions and response will bepublished simultaneously. Thismeans that the original submissionmay not appear until the issue afterthe one for which it was submitted.

The above applies to both arti-cles and letters. The only excep-t ions wil l be art ic les by Gazettereporters which will be required toinclude the response within thearticle itself.

RespectLetters must not be personally

derogatory or insulting, even whenstrongly criticizing an individualmember's actions. Letter writersmust refer to other people withrespect, refrain from calling some-one by a nickname that the personnever uses himself or herself, andrefrain from comparing other peo-ple to odious figures like Hitler orIdi Amin.

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CLASSIFIEDS (CONTINUED)

C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 1 6

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1 4



MORE ON ISRAEL

TO THE EDITOR,In view of some misleading state-

ments about Israel in recent letters, I’dlike to clarify one of the issues: theflotilla attack.

In late May the Israeli governmentimposed a maritime blockade to pre-vent the convoy from reaching Gaza.They did so because Israel is in a stateof armed conflict with Hamas, whichcontrols the Gaza strip. (Under interna-tional law, maritime blockades arelegitimate measures that may beimplemented in international watersas part of armed conflicts so long asthey don’t bar ships from neutral statesfrom reaching other states.)

The ships were to be directed to theport of Ashdod to unload their cargo,then sent back to their countries of ori-gin. Food, clothing and constructionmaterials from the ships would be trans-ferred to Gaza after undergoing a securi-ty inspection. Days before the convoy’sarrival the Israeli navy held drills to pre-pare to redirect the convoy, includingpreparing for possible violence.

The navy intercepted six ships aboutseventy miles off Gaza’s coast in inter-national waters. They were among afleet of nine carrying humanitarian aid

and hundreds of pro-Palestinianactivists. The “Freedom Flotilla” wasorganized by the pro-Hamas “FreeGaza” group.

As the flotilla approached, Israelradioed the ships repeatedly, request-ing that they head to Ashdod wherethey could unload their aid materialswhich would be transferred to Gazaafter inspection.

The first five ships were steered qui-etly to Ashdod—which means that nei-ther their passengers nor the Israelforces who had boarded were provoca-tive. The sixth ship, the Mavi Marmara,was different. Its sponsoring organiza-tion, called “The Humanitarian ReliefFund” (I.H.H.), reportedly has ties to AlQaeda, an ally of Hamas.

When the sailors boarded, they wereattacked with metal clubs, knives andlive fire. (Smoke bombs, bulletproofvests, gas masks, wrenches, gun sightsand rifle cartridges were found later.)One sailor was stabbed. (Videotapesshown on CNN and other stationsrecorded this attack.) The sailors thenused riot dispersal methods, includinglive fire.

Clearly, those aboard had preparedweapons to attack sailors who board-ed. Their intent and methods wereviolent. Unfortunately, so were theresults. If their intent was truly for

humanitarian purposes, they wouldhave accepted Israel’s offer to deliverthe goods to Gaza. If Israel’s intentwas to attack the people on the con-voy or deny help to Gaza residents,the first six ships would not have beenallowed through to Ashdod.

Last year after my visit to Israeli andPalestinian areas, I realized that theirsituation is far more complex than Icould know or understand. It is all tooeasy to hold opinions based on half-truths or distorted information.

Having said all this, I want to pointout that the Coop is a food store, not apolitical forum. Besides, many politi-cal Gazette letters are not nearly asentertaining as the one urging the Coopto ban Sabra hummos products (whichare in fact manufactured in Queens).

Please let’s agree to ban politicalLetters to the Editor instead.

Ruth Bolletino

REDUCE THE USE IN DISTRICT 39

TO THE EDITOR, The New York State Energy Research

and Development Authority (NYSER-DA), Con Edison, and CouncilmemberBrad Lander have teamed up to createan exciting energy savings competition

in Brooklyn founded on the idea thatincreased knowledge about one’s ener-gy usage leads to increased energyconservation. Join the competition bysigning up online at www.surveymon-key.com/ ReduceTheUseD39

As a participant, you will see howyour household’s energy data com-pares with your neighbors’ (and CMLander’s). You’ll also get energy sav-ings tips specifically tailored for yourhome to help you cut your waste everymonth while competing for greatprizes. In addition to competing onyour own, you can help your neighbor-hood win the title of greenest in D39.District 39 is made up of Carroll Gar-dens, Park Slope, Kensington, WindsorTerrace, Borough Park and Cobble Hill.

We can’t do it without you, so signup while there is still time. If you wouldlike to be a part of the competition andsee how well your household comparesto your peers, please visit www.survey-monkey.com/ReduceTheUseD39 andfill out a registration form before theAugust 1 deadline and launch date.

Also, the participant that recruitsthe most people will win a $50 gift cer-tificate for Aunt Suzie’s on 5th Avenueand Carroll Street, so get your friendsand neighbors to sign up!

Thanks,Emma Bassein

THANK YOU!

Thank you to the following members for referring friends who joined the Coop in the last two weeks.

Maribeth BatchaJoseph VictorineDamian DominiqueDages Keates

Soraya OdishooRemle Stubbs-DameSusannah Cole CallaghanAaron Wolfe

Betsy FaginBeth RuckSteven Scott HenstrandJames Halliday

Jean-Francois HamantFrauke GlaubitzMichael PaoneJillian Johnson

Lucas ShapiroCourtney ScheelNaomi Singer

WELCOME!

A warm welcome to these new Coop members who have joined us in the last two weeks. We’re glad you’ve decided to be a part of our community.

Helen AnstisMiachael CallaghangnTed Christensen

Margo Cohen RistorucciVictor DanzingerDonna Dominique

Samuel EmkeSuzanna FinleyRoxanne Henry

Wilfred LeeLisa MackieLawrence Marcus

Michael MeagherElizabeth ThomasJacob Victorine

The Park Slope Food Coop Agenda Committee (“AC”) is seeking qualified nominees tostand for election and serve on the committee.

The AC was established by the General Meeting (“GM”) to help facilitate the timely presentation of Coop business to the members attending the monthly meeting.

In addition to assembling the monthly agenda and maintaining records of items submitted, the AC works with members whosubmit items for consideration by the GM and may need assistance formulating proposals and discussion points.

The AC meets the first Tuesday of every month at 8PM at the Coop. Committee members are also required to attend five (5) GMs per year.

In addition, committee members caucus by telephone and via e-mail as needed to facilitate committee business.

Qualifications include a cooperative spirit, experience working in a committee environment, and an ongoing interest in thebusiness of the Coop. Interested members, please contact Glenn Brill at [email protected]

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1 5

odd jobs at the coop

Documents