5 Edible Plants to Start in Your Garden Now
Spring is most definitely upon us, and we are lucky enough to live in Southern Oregon where the weather during this time is usually (ahem) co-operative enough to let us get some plants in the ground in between the hail storms and rainbows. There are actually many plants that do quite well in this time of transition, as they prefer the cooler temperatures that we get here this time of year, before the real heat sets in. Here are a few that we have right now at the Co-op, direct from local, organic farms. Plant these in your garden now for best results!
Lettuce Mixes
Grow your own salad with all kinds of different lettuce mixes! These plants are super easy to grow, and it’s so rewarding to go out to the garden and harvest your very own salad right before dinner. The Co-op has all different varieties of lettuce starts, from romaine to spinach to salad blends.
Kale and Other Dark Greens
Kale is probably one of the most popular vegetables at the co-op, and for good reason. It is full of many healthy vitamins and minerals, just like most dark leafy greens are. They are also super easy to grow and should do really well in an early spring garden. We have several different varieties of kale, as well as collard greens, swiss chard, and mustard greens for sale as starts. Come and get them!
Peas
Peas are the quintessential spring vegetable, and they are really easy to grow. They do usually need something to climb on, but other than that their requirements are pretty minimal. At the Co-op we carry a variety called Oregon Sugar Pod, which are totally adapted for our region. How cool is that?
Beets
Beets are two vegetables in one, as both the root and the greens are not only edible, but totally delicious. They are also very easy to grow, and they especially like these cool temperatures that we have during springtime. Pulling root vegetables out of the ground, once they are ready to eat, is probably one of the coolest feelings that one can have. I suggest that you give it a try this year with beets!
Fresh Herbs
Many fresh herbs like to get their start in early spring. What a treat it is to go out to your herb garden to snip a little here and there for your next meal. We have several different herb starts at the Co-op, including chives, mint, dill, fennel, cilantro and parsley. All of these do well in early spring, and most will persist throughout the summer.
Growing your own food is one of the most rewarding things that you can do, and this is the time to get started! The Co-op has you covered with many different veggie starts, and the varieties will change as the seasons change. Soon we will have tomatoes and peppers and squash, but for right now, get your spring planting on!
Colleen Codekas, AFC Cashier and Blogger at Grow Forage Cook Ferment
Besides being a cashier at the Co-op, Colleen lives a double life as a blogger at Grow Forage Cook Ferment. She loves all kinds of real food endeavors, including fermenting, homebrewing, wildcrafting, mushroom hunting, cooking from scratch, and growing her own food in an urban permaculture garden. She is also a self taught herbalist, and makes her own handmade herbal products that she sells in her Etsy shop, Coco’s Herbals.
More Co-op News
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Visit Magnolia Farms and learn more about owner Elissa Thau, who the Ashland Food Co-op is so honored to partner with for more than twenty years.
A Visit with Emerald Hills
Visit the Emerald Hills Ranch and learn more about this fourth generation ranching family that the Ashland Food Co-op is so proud to partner with for more than twenty years.
A Conversation with Katie Falkenberg, Photographer and Filmmaker
Katie Falkenberg's photography and filmmaking has taken her all over the world, and lucky for us - she's been calling the Rogue Valley home for a couple years now. Exquisitely and harmoniously capturing the world around her, she is documenting not only through the lens but also through her peaceful and loving spirit. Katie reached out to us in hopes of collaborating after falling in love with the co-op soon after moving here.
March Change for Good Recipient: North Mountain Park Nature Center
March's Change for Good Recipient is
North Mountain Park Nature Center,
a division of Ashland Parks and Recreation, that encompasses demonstration gardens, a nature playground, and approximately 14 acres of Natural Area that is managed for wildlife preservation and public education.
February Change for Good Recipient: Ashland High Arts Advocates
January Change for Good Recipient: Rogue Valley Mentoring
Since 2005, Rogue Valley Mentoring (formerly the Rose Circle Mentoring Network) has trained over 500 adults who have mentored over 2,000 youth in our valley; letting young people know that they are not alone. A caring and compassionate ear shows them that they matter, and they they are experts of their own experience.
Coronavirus Preparedness at the Co-op
Update as of March 15th, 2022: Oregon Health Authority no longer requires face coverings to be worn in all public indoor settings.
Shopping Safely & Efficiently
As coronavirus cases increase in Jackson County, the Co-op is taking extra precautions to protect shoppers and employees.
To ensure social distancing in the store, the number of persons allowed in the store at once has been reduced to 50% capacity. Understandably, this may lead to a short wait outside of the store, but please be assured the line moves quickly.
In order to keep the wait as short as possible, here are a few steps you can take to help out:
10 Ways to Shine Your Light in Dark Times
By Allan Weisbard L.C.S.W.
Since 1963, autumn has been a difficult time for me. Two months shy of my 13th birthday I lost my younger brother to cancer, then shortly afterwards, President Kennedy was assassinated.
Masks Required for All In-Store Shoppers
To protect the health of Co-op staff and shoppers, all shoppers and other visitors on Ashland Food Co-op property must wear face coverings over mouth and nose except when dining in an approved area. As of November 11, 2020, face shields will not be permitted unless worn with a mask.
From the Board: Co-ops Look in the Mirror
By Annie Hoy, Board Secretary and Chair of Owner Engagement Committee
Food Co-ops around the nation proudly display signage saying EVERYONE WELCOME. Or they use the slogan, “Anyone can shop. Anyone can join.” But are food co-ops, and other cooperative businesses, walking the walk?
November/December GM Update: Overcoming Challenges
It’s probably already cliche to say “it’s been one heck of a year.” There have been challenges a-plenty for all of us, whether we’re working or shopping at the Co-op - but I’m so proud of how all of us have persevered.
End of year wrap-up on Strategic Energy Management at the Co-op
Hi there. I hope this finds you well. It’s me, Nina Friedman, Strategic Energy Management (SEM) intern for the Ashland Food Co-op. The global and local crises have only devolved into further chaos since we last spoke. As we sit with the reality of coworkers, neighbors, and friends who’ve lost their homes and businesses to the recent fires, and thousands more across the nation losing their loved ones to COVID-19, I imagine many are feeling frozen and powerless to help those that are suffering.
SNAP in the Co-op Kitchen and Thanksgiving
Use your SNAP EBT benefits for all Co-op Kitchen items through November 20th, 2020!
Recognizing the difficulties in food preparation for families who lost their homes in the local wildfires, the State of Oregon has expanded SNAP benefits to be used for hot foods, like made-to-order and hot bar meals from the Co-op Kitchen, through November 20.
And starting on November 16, you can get an early taste of Thanksgiving as the Co-op Kitchen hot bar rolls out the full Thanksgiving spread.
Black Lives Matter
We acknowledge that the Ashland Food Co-op has not had a culture where all employees and community members felt safe sharing their experiences of discrimination in our store. We apologize for this. We are on a learning journey. We have reached out for help, and are listening to our Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) employees and owners who want to be part of the positive change we seek.
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