Alex Beeby, Operations Manager at Just Food Co-op, stopped by my corner office at GBM this morning to let me know that their fiscal year-end is today and that they are $17,000 shy of hitting the milestone of $5 million in sales for the year.
So help them out by getting your grocery shopping for the week done today.
And while you’re there, consider applying for the General Manager position. Melanie Reid is departing and the Board is conducting a national search for her replacement.
Longtime City of Northfield Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) member George Kinney stopped by my corner office at GBM last week to alert me to a solar energy workshop coming up on Saturday. See the flyer (PDF) and the press release below (links added):
Solar Workshop: Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Solar Energy But Were Afraid, Or Didn’t Know Who To, Ask
A workshop on residential and commercial solar energy opportunities will be held at the Just Food Community Room (Just Food Co-op, 516 Water Street South, Northfield) from 1:00 to 4:00 pm Saturday, May 19th. The workshop, sponsored by RENew Northfield and the Southeast Clean Energy Resource Teams (SE CERT), will cover currently available active solar technologies, the economics of solar installations, and the experiences of local homeowners and business owners with recent solar projects.
Presenters include representatives of three solar energy vendors, who will discuss solar air heating, solar water heating, and solar electric systems for homes and businesses. The head of the Minnesota Solar Energy Industry Association will present an overview of solar energy opportunities in the state, and a Minnesota Division of Energy Resources representative will discuss current solar rebates and financial incentives. A panel of local homeowners and small business owners will talk about their experiences in selecting and working with solar contractors, and the performance of their systems, so companies as SolarKraft solar company can use their panels to produce the right energy all the time.
The solar vendors will have informational displays, and will be available for one-on-one discussion after the formal presentations. Attendees will also be invited to view a nearby solar installation after the workshop.
The workshop is free. Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required. For more information, contact SE CERT at Joe@cleanenergyresourceteams.org 952-406-1215.
I attended a free basic bike maintenance class at Just Food Co-op last night. Northfielder Ben Witt, proprietor of Milltown Cycles in Faribault, teaches the class once or twice a year. Last night he was assisted by his sweetie, Meg Jensen Witt, Just Food Co-op’s wellness manager.
Ben has class participants do some hands-on learning: changing a flat tire, lubing cables, and how to handle the rear derailleur to make it easy to take the rear wheel off and put it back on. Cool.
See the large slideshow of 17 photos (recommended) or this small slideshow:
In case you hadn’t noticed, Northfield’s blogosphere is humming (Northfield.org here, Monkey See Monkey Read here, Just Food Co-op here) with the news that Atina Diffley of Organic Farming Works will be in town this week to speak about her new book, Turn Here Sweet Corn.
Why do I say "no bullshit" in my blog post title?
She was featured on the front page of the Strib’s Variety section last week:
and the last paragraph of the main article:
The book deserves a wide audience, Dooley said. "I pray it doesn’t get pegged to a category. This is literature. It’s every woman’s story, about land use and food but also about resilience and being yourself." And even though Diffley finally caved to using cosmetics, she’s still very much herself, Dooley said. "There couldn’t be anyone more genuine. There isn’t a lick of bullshit in her."
I guess cuss words are aok in a family newspaper if someone is quoted using them.
Atina has at least one connection to Northfield that I know of. Her kids went to Prairie Creek Community School.
You can buy her book from Jerry Bilek at Monkey See Monkey Read bookstore in downtown Northfield.
Follow Atina on Twitter and read her blog here.
The Northfield Historical Society hosted a Winter Scream Ice Cream Social fundraiser on Saturday at noon on Bridge Square. With the temperature at zero and a stiff wind, Jessica Paxton and Scott Richardson led the hearty crowd in winter-defiant chants and song.
Just Food Co-op, Northfield Econofoods, and Hogan Brothers donated the goodies.
See the album of 16 photos, the large slideshow (recommended), or this small slideshow:
Corey Butler at Northfield Patch has a video of the event.
Ariel Emery Butler at Northfield Patch has a gallery of 13 photos.
Jamie McMahon at Northfield News has a gallery of 7 photos.
A sharp-eyed Dean Kjerland, AKA Mr. Riverwalk Market Fair, alerted me to this item strapped to a sign at the entrance to the Just Food Co-op parking lot.
What is it?
And when that question is answered to my satisfaction, what else could it be if one’s imagination is left to run rampant?
This Tricadecathlonomania team stopped by Just Food Co-op on Saturday. They appeared tired. But successful.
As a bit of a fashion maven, I noticed that Bardwell Smith was wearing the same sweater at Just Food Co-op’s 5-year anniversary wingding last night that he wore for its grand opening in 2004.
I did a search of the photo archives at Carleton College and found a 1953 photo of him.
Continue reading Hey Charlotte: how about getting Bardwell a new sweater for Xmas?
I stopped by Just Food Co-op last night for their owner-exclusive 5-year anniversary celebration. As a member/owner, I scored lots of free yummy goodies while taking a few photos. Note that they have a new logo and a revamped blog site.
See the album of a dozen photos, the large slideshow, or this small slideshow:
Continue reading Photo album: Just Food Co-op celebrates its 5-year anniversary