Produce Parable, Stone Fruits
Adam Calder, Produce Manager
The smell is usually what people notice first. Is that lofty, heady scent from the peaches or the nectarines? Are the plums the ones giving the air that slightly grassy tang, or is it the apricots? Is it the white peaches that bring to mind a fresh cut rose, or is it the white nectarines?
It is nothing short of amazing that fruits with a hard stone heart could weep such sweet, tantalizing aromas, but nature ups the ante even further with the intense flavors and tastes behind those scents.
A stone fruit is any fruit with a stony pit in its center, such as peaches, plums, white nectarines, pluots, apricots, white peaches, nectarines, donut peaches and, to a certain degree, cherries. Cherries are included in my list of stone fruits as they have a similar seasonal availability of other stone fruits (late spring through early summer) and they do have a hard pit, albeit a very small one. Unlike other stone fruits, cherries require refrigeration to maximize their shelf life. All other stone fruits should never be stored in the refrigerator; this causes the fruit to become mealy.
Mealy fruit is fine for cooking, but for fresh eating it is best to store the fruit at room temperature and to use it within a couple of days of bringing it home. At the co-op, stone fruit we get on Monday is gone by Wednesday, we get a new delivery on Thursday and by Sunday that fruit is gone to make way for more the next day. We never go more than three days between deliveries, so our stone fruits should always be fresh enough to have excellent quality and also never be so old that they will be over-ripe and ruined a day after you get them home.
If you do have some stone fruits that are just too ripe to eat, but you don’t want to waste them, then you may want to try this recipe. The recipe calls for peaches, but any stone fruit will do.
Wheatsfield Co-op Alongside NCG Condemns White Supremacy and Racially Motivated Violence
Wheatsfield Co-op alongside National Co+op Grocers (NCG) is heartbroken by the senseless violence that took place on May 14, 2022 against the Black community in Buffalo, NY in a racially motivated domestic terrorist incident that took the lives of 10 people and wounded 3 more. We grieve with the families of those whose lives were taken and with everyone who is suffering in the Black community. As one grocer to another, we extend solidarity and empathy to the staff and shoppers of Tops Market on Jefferson, where this brutal act took place.
This was the latest in a series of mass shootings that have been fueled by white supremacy, deliberately targeting people based on their race, religion or sexuality. According to the U.S. Dept. of Justice, the number of hate crimes rose over 30% in 2020[1], the last date for which national data is available. Racially motivated hate crimes accounted for nearly 62% of these incidents, with the Black community being the most targeted group[2].
NCG advocates concern for community as one of our core co-op principles and advocates for racial equity. We condemn white supremacy and any ideology that suggests a race or group of people is genetically or culturally superior to another. We call on other companies to join us in standing against the continued spread of racially based oppression, intolerance and violent extremism.
We applaud Tops Market for its efforts to support its shoppers and staff during this time, and although we are competitors in business, we stand together in community.
If you’d like to support the families of those who were tragically and senselessly murdered, GoFundMe has developed a list of verified fundraisers.
Feed Buffalo and FeedMore WNY can help supply the community with food while their grocery store is temporarily closed.
If you’d like to support organizations that fight white supremacy, here are a few to consider:
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
- Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)
If you’d like to learn more about white supremacy and how to reject it, here are a few resources to consider:
- Indivisible
- Facing History
- How to Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
- Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body and Spirit by Mary-Frances Winters
About NCG
National Co+op Grocers (NCG), founded in 1999, is a business services cooperative for retail food co-ops located throughout the United States. NCG helps unify food co-ops in order to optimize operational and marketing resources, strengthen purchasing power, and ultimately offer more value to natural food co-op owners and shoppers everywhere. Our 148 member co-ops operate more than 200 storefronts in 38 states with combined annual sales of nearly $2.4 billion. NCG is a winner of the dotCoop Global Awards for Cooperative Excellence and a certified B Corp. Find map of NCG member co-ops. To learn more about co-ops, visit www.grocery.coop.
Fresh Deals, May 18 – May 24
Everyone Saves!
Managing Your Soil Micro-Livestock for Better Crop and Garden Production
Managing your Soil Micro-Livestock for Better Crop and Garden Production
The rich, dark color of Iowa’s loess soils—not to mention its productivity—was created by the work of countless soil microbes over the millennia. While society is starting to question the sustainability of tillage and industrial chemical application, there is still uncertainty as to what, fundamentally, is Soil Health. Put another way: What’s living in my soil and what does it have to do with my tomatoes? Come to this class on the “Soil Micro-Livestock” and learn how to maximize their potential on your land.
Instructor
Michael Borucke, Owner of Black Box Soil Lab
Date and Time
Saturday, May 28, 10-11am
Special
Informational
Soil Health
Member-Owner Extras, May 17 – May 31
Extra deals just for member-owners!
Preorder sale cases by 12pm, May 26.
Co+op Deals, May 17 – May 31
Everyone Saves!
Preorder sale cases by 12pm, May 26.
2022 Summer Tiny Deck Concerts
Back for the 2022 Season! Join us for FREE Tiny Deck Concerts featuring live local music.
Fridays nights, June 24 – September 2, 6-7:30pm.
Meet us on the east deck and grab dinner, drinks and friends! Everyone is welcome!
Please bring a blanket or lawn chair too, the deck seating fills up quick.
Fri., June 24 | Miann
Michaela Thompson, under the artist title, “Miann” is a songstress weaving together ethereal themes and down to earth melodies in her work. With lyrics both realistic and spiritual, she creates a dreamlike atmosphere with beautiful vocal melodies, electric guitar, and piano.
Fri., July 1 | V Ellsbury
V Ellsbury is a local singer/song writer/multi-instrumentalist musician. Picking up their first guitar at age 11, they haven’t stopped since! V’s sound can best be described as sultry and haunting with a little soul and blues dropped in.
Fri., July 8 | TBD
TBD
Fri., July 15 | Wally Neal & the Cloud Hidden Singers
A pocket orchestra playing the cosmic, candid songs of Wally Neal. Featuring Erin Radach on clarinet, Will Pett on cello and V Ellsbury on vocals.
Fri., July 22 | Fred Love and the Bakersfield Brawl
Fred Love is a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Ames, Iowa. He released his debut solo album, “Lily of the Valley,” in 2017. A native of an isolated farm town, Fred has always thought of his music as an extension of the most primal forms in the American songbook. Joined by drummer Cal Rebuhn and bassist Pat Blair, Fred Love and the Bakersfield Brawl offers an electrified shot of cowpunk, honky tonk and Americana.
Fri., July 29 | Doomed Pioneers
Doomed Pioneers formed six years ago in Ames when Deanna and Jacqueline discovered that they enjoy the same mixture of jazz inspired folk music. Deanna has been singing all her life and is fascinated by minimalistic instrumentation and loves lyrics that employ a good turn of phrase. Jacqueline, originally a saxophone player, discovered the beauty of the guitar ten years ago and infuses songs of various genres with the feeling of Bossa Nova.
Fri., Aug 5 | Ben Schrag & the Cautionaries
Filled with the restless energy of a dedicated songwriter, rich with melodic hooks, and supported by the gut level intuitive prowess of a jazz-ensemble-by-way-of-a-street-corner-folk-band, Ben Schrag & The Cautionaries are a free-wheeling acoustic throwdown, channeling inquisitive indie-folk with plenty of musical punch.
Fri., Aug 12 | Adam Kindred
Born & (p)raised in Ames, Adam Kindred weaves his procrastination & personal failings into clever lyrics & ear worms that catch you by surprise & might just delight you.
Fri., Aug 19 | Iowa No Mountain Boys
Don’t miss this opportunity to catch Iowa’s newest traditional bluegrass band, The Iowa No Mountain Boys. Ripping traditional bluegrass music to get you moving. Featuring Chris Myers on Bass, Kyle Murphy on Mandolin, Mark Hargrove on Guitar, and Everett Hargrove on Banjo.
Fri., Aug 26 | TBD
TBD
Fri., Sept 2 | Britches & Hose Ukulele Club
Nicknamed the “band to melt all faces” by some people on the Internet, Britches & Hose Ukulele Club is an eight-piece all-ukulele-all-the-time ensemble from central Iowa. Using a combination of ukuleles, voices, and rock-star charisma, Britches & Hose delivers a new twist on popular songs. Song selection ranges from folk to pop to arena rock – you’re never quite sure what B&H will play next.
FILL it with FRESH Sale!
Member-Owners & Student Members Save!
Thursday, May 12 – Saturday, May 14
Member-owners and Student Members enjoy 15% OFF all fresh department items in one shopping trip! You pick your shopping trip to apply the discount once between May 12-14. Load up your cart with FRESH foods! Just let your cashier know you want to use your discount.
Included in the Fill it with Fresh Sale: Produce, Meat, Seafood, Refrigerated dept. items in Aisle 1, Cheese, Bakery, Bread, Deli.
Not included in the Fill it with Fresh Sale: Bulk, Packaged Grocery, Frozen, Wellness & Body Care, Beer & Wine, General Merchandise.
The discount will not be applied to sale items, co-op basics items, or to special orders. Offer good while supplies last. No rainchecks available.
May & June Artist: Sudhanva Kashyap
Sudhanva Kashyap
Artist Statement
For more information, please contact me via:
email: [email protected]
follow me on Instagram @sudhanvakashyap
May 2022 Change for Community: NAMI of Central Iowa
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Central Iowa supports, educates and advocates for individuals living with mental illness and their family members at no charge to the participants. This non-profit 501(c)3 organization has expanded to serve Ames, ISU students, and residents throughout 14 central Iowa counties through their educational classes, support groups, public presentations and the mental health wellness center in Ames.
NAMI Central Iowa staff and dedicated volunteers provide the following complimentary services: Support groups for those living with mental illness are offered three times per week; Support groups for family members are offered three times per month; Public presentations at schools, churches, businesses and civic organizations; Individual support; Emergency financial loan assistance and so much more. Three different educational classes specifically designed for family members and individuals living with mental illness are regularly offered. There are no eligibility requirements, other than being impacted by mental illness in some way.
Every program, every support group, every presentation and every class is led by individuals with lived experience with mental illness. Each person knows what it is like to live with mental illness and/or support someone living with mental illness. Because of this organizational structure, those seeking NAMI Central Iowa assistance find they are not alone, find empathy and find hope.
Funding for NAMI Central Iowa is self-generated by direct donations to our office headquarters in Ames, IA. Generous donors, contracts and grants help NAMI Central Iowa to continue to provide free services. NAMI Central Iowa does not receive direct funding from the state or national NAMI. To make a donation please go directly to the affiliate website or direct your donation to 424 5th Street, Ames, IA 50010. An educational endowment has also been established through the Story County Community Foundation.
For more information: 515.292.9400 [email protected] www.namicentraliowa.org or follow our social media!
April 2022 Board Meeting Highlights
April Highlights from the Board:
- The Earth Day Bulk Sale is happening from Thursday through Saturday, April 21-23.
- Coffee with the Board /Plant a Seed Event is Saturday, April 23 from 10am-2pm.
- Store sales and customer counts continue to be strong each month. We appreciate the loyal support of our shoppers.
- The May Wheatsfield Board of Directors Meeting has been moved to Wednesday, May 25.
- Upcoming events for May:
World Fair Trade Day Giveaway, Saturday, May 7 from 11am – 1pm
Monthly $5 dinner is Tuesday, May 10
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