2018 Kids Summer Camps
We’ve teamed up with Rogue Valley Farm to School to offer three different camps this summer. Each week campers will dive into food production, preparation and exploration, with a mix of farm and kitchen experiences that delight the senses and inspire the soul. Join Rogue Valley Farm to School staff as they cultivate the ability to grow and cook delicious, healthy, seasonal meals. Monday - Wednesday at the Co-op Community Classroom, Thursday & Friday at the Farm at SOU.
June 18th-22nd: Eat Your Way Around the World
During this week, campers will learn how to prepare healthy, delicious meals from scratch, inspired by foods from cultures around the world. Topics covered will include knife skills, kitchen and food safety and cleanliness, measurement, how to read a recipe, and international cooking techniques. Please send your child with a healthy, non-sugary snack each day. Lunch will be provided, prepared hands-on by the campers. Ages 7-9. Register here. A limited number of scholarships are available for Jackson Care Connect members, who must register at the Info Desk. Scholarships are available for one session on a first come, first served basis.
July 9th-13th: Food Science
This week of food fun will focus on learning about some of the science behind cooking. Campers will dive into scratch cooking with the mind of a scientist, testing hypotheses and recording results. From bread-baking to cheese making we will explore how scientific topics come to life in the kitchen and on the farm. Topics covered will include knife skills, kitchen and food safety and cleanliness, and how to conduct science experiments at home. Please send your child with a healthy, non-sugary snack each day. Lunch will be provided, prepared hands-on by the campers. Ages 8-10. Register here. A limited number of scholarships are available for Jackson Care Connect members, who must register at the Info Desk. Scholarships are available for one session on a first come, first served basis.
New dates!
August 13th-17th: Food Preservation Experimentation
From pickles to jam, fruit roll ups to kale chips this class will experiment with all kinds of ways to preserve the bounty of the summer harvest to create tasty treats you can enjoy throughout the year. Topics covered will include kitchen and food safety and cleanliness, canning, drying, fermenting, and more! Please send your child with a healthy, non-sugary lunch each day. Snacks will be provided, and campers will go home with a variety of homemade goods at the end of the week. Ages 7-10. Register here. A limited number of scholarships are available for Jackson Care Connect members, who must register at the Info Desk. Scholarships are available for one session on a first come, first served basis.
More Co-op News
Love Local with the Local Guy
Throughout September, we will be celebrating all things local. And no one loves local or is more local than our Temporary Demo Coordinator, Brighton Litjens. He was basically raised at the Co-op, has a strong passion for local farmers and producers and loves delighting shoppers with delicious samples and great deals. Who better to tell us about loving local than the "Local Guy" himself?
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Owner Benefits: Independence and Connection
By Julie O'Dwyer, Board Secretary, Chair of the Owner Engagement Committee
Meet Board of Director Trine Ostergaard
Trine Ostergaard is a newly elected Ashland Food Co-op Board of Director. She brings a world, literally, of experience to the table and has a sincere passion and love for the Co-op. We are thrilled to have her aboard and asked her to answer a few questions.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Meet Board of Director Dean Williamson
Dean Williamson is a newly elected Ashland Food Co-op Board of Director. He brings to the table a plethora of co-op experience and a love of chocolate chip cookies. We are thrilled to have him aboard and asked him to answer a few questions.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Staff Picks: Favorite Local Products
September is Love Local Month! All month long we’re celebrating our local farmers and vendors with demos, events and more. Here are some of our staff's favorite local products.
How Can I Reduce My Plastic Use at the Co-op?
By Rianna Koppel, Sustainability Coordinator
Plastic pollution today is a global dilemma. Did you know that more than 40% of plastic is used once, then tossed? In 2015, 79% of total plastic waste ended up in landfills or the environment. How can our co-op help reduce the amount of single-use plastics? Luckily, we offer a variety of options for owners.
Stainless Steel Straws
Meet Pachamama Coffee Cooperative
By Lauren Taber, Pachamama Coffee Cooperative
Pachamama Coffee Cooperative started in 2001 with a few simple questions in mind: what would it look like to take Fair Trade a step further? How can coffee farmers be in direct relationship with end consumers in the United States?
We found that the answer was even simpler: cooperative ownership. Pachamama Coffee has been 100% farmer-owned since day one, and is currently owned by 140,000 small scale family farmers across the coffee producing regions of the world.
Community Cider Backyard Fruit Drive
How often can you browse the shelf at your neighborhood grocery store, see a bottle of hand crafted, local cider and say, “Hey, I help make that!” Well, at the Co-op you can.
2018 Board Election Results
The AFC Board of Directors is pleased to announce the results of the 2018 Board Election. There were three excellent candidates running for two Board positions. In total, 905 votes were cast.
Congratulations to the following candidates who will serve three-year terms on the Ashland Food Co-op Board of Directors.
Thank you for voting!
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Meet Store Manager Barry Haynes
By Barry Haynes, Store Manager
Twenty three years ago my wife and I began our quest to relocate our family from the midwest to the west coast. We were looking for a beautiful area with an engaged community that would enable our children to thrive. Equally important, we wanted our new home to have a vibrant natural food store. When we arrived in southern Oregon, we felt as though we hit the jackpot.
Beat the Heat
When the heat of summer takes over, it can be hard on our bodies and moods. Don’t let the scorching temps get you down, cool off with one of these refreshing Staff recommendations.
Report from the Board of Directors: Strategic Plan Update
By Jeff Golden, External Relations Committee Chair
Ashland Food Co-op is striding into the future with careful intention. We’re especially focused on the three top priorities of our strategic planning process, a collaboration of our board and management team. A quick update:
Riding off into the Sunset
By Annie Hoy, Retiring Marketing Manager
Since I was born and raised in far West Texas, I cannot help but use some imagery from what is so familiar to me.