The Board is Starting a Book Club

Join the People's Board of Directors' Book Club! The Board of Directors' Book Club focuses on books that explore topics related to our Co-op's Ends Statement, and everyone is welcome!

This year, the Board is uplifting this End: "Thriving cooperative and local economies." All the books we'll read this year will relate to this End, and the first book we're reading is Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants by Jon Steinman.

This book is an excellent start to the book club as it truly identifies the power and potential of co-ops as an alternative grocer, and “shows how co-ops spur the creation of local food-based economies and enhance low-income food access.” (Steinman) Steinman visited us on August 13th for an author talk and workshop for our Co-op Board, Collective Management, and wider community.

Our first Book Club meeting will be on Thursday, August 25th at 6:00pm via Zoom.

There's no need to bring the book to this first meeting, but come prepared to meet new folks and to help select future meeting dates.

You can purchase a physical copy Grocery Story from our neighbors at Third Eye Books by placing a special order or choosing their store on bookshop.org. Or you can support them by selecting their store when buying the audiobook on libro.fm. Options to purchase the book directly from Jon are available on the book's website.

RSVP and receive the Zoom link by emailing bod@peoples.coop. If you're one of the first to RSVP, you could win a free copy of Grocery Story!*

Please join us! We're excited to co-create this book club with you, our community.

*While supplies last. Winners will be notified via email.

Store Reopening Celebrations at the Farmers Market

After a 9 day closure, we will reopen starting tomorrow, August 3rd, at 9 am. We refinished the floors, repainted our walls, installed some new shelving, and rearranged some things! We are excited to show off the beautiful, bright, and refreshed Co-op. Our staff have been quite busy building, prepping, and painting areas of the building.

Join us for a reopening celebration tomorrow at the Co-op! We will hand out special coupons, treats, and exhibit information about our renovation in the Courtyard and the Farmers Market. Follow the schedule below for specific giveaways and doorbuster deals.

 11a - 12p in the Courtyard

• Complimentary coffee, tea, and breakfast treats

• Coupon giveaway (only 30 available, 1st come 1st serve)

2p - 3p in the Courtyard

• Free Ice Queen popsicles (limited supply, first come first serve)

• Coupon giveaway (only 30 available, 1st come 1st serve)

2p - 3:30p at the Farmers Market

• Live music by Dumpster Joe

3:30p - 5:30p at the Farmers Market

• Live music by Gabe Kreb

4:30p - 5:30p in the Courtyard

• Happy Hour! Free homemade agua fresca by Sara Tamales

• Coupon giveaway (only 30 available, 1st come 1st serve)

5:30p - 7p at the Farmers Market

• Live music by Manzanita Joe

6p - 7p in the Courtyard

• Free Rawdacious vegan/gluten free cheesecake

• Coupon giveaway (only 30 available, 1st come 1st serve)

Bounty Baskets 2018

For those in our community that need support this November, People’s Food Co-op and some local vendors have partnered to provide 80 free, vegetarian, food baskets.

We donate these baskets every November to support those with limited access to healthful foods. Around Thanksgiving especially, we are called to address the harm caused by colonization. Settler colonialism and white supremacy limit many of our community members' access to resources, and we aim to share the abundance and generosity of local vendors to directly support those at the intersections of these oppressions at this time of year. This work fulfills our Ends of social and economic justice as well as progressive land stewardship.

Bounty Baskets will be allotted on Friday, November 16th by a random number generator. You must have completed an application to be eligible for a basket. We will update this post if any baskets are still available after November 16th. As we have a limited quantity of baskets available, please assess your personal need before applying for a basket.

Applications are now closed.

Only 80 baskets are available, and baskets are limited to one per household. A link to the online application is available above, and paper applications are available at the register in the store. If there are still baskets available after that Friday, Nov. 16th, the remaining baskets will be allotted first-come, first-serve based on application date and time.

Basket pick-up will be on Wednesday November 21st from 4-8pm in the Community Room. The Community Room is located up a flight of stairs. It is accessible by elevator lift as well – just let a cashier know that you need to use it and they will help you.

Food baskets are designed to feed about 4 people and will likely include:

• Tofurky and Tofurky Gravy

• Organic produce: yams, potatoes, squash, onions, garlic, greens, apples

• One pie crust & one can of pumpkin pie mix

• $10 voucher for the People’s Farmers Market on Wednesdays 2-7pm

• Other food items: 1 can cranberry jelly, a loaf of bread, and tortillas

Basket contents may vary. If you have any questions, please email marketing_membership@peoples.coop. If you need any help in filling out an application, please feel free to call the co-op, and a worker will walk through the application and fill it out on your behalf.

Many thanks to our generous vendors who donated! We couldn’t do this without them.

Apply for the Winter Craft Fair!

Every December, we invite artists, crafters, and artisans to help us put on a winter craft fair in the Community Room! This year, the fair is on Wednesday, December 12th from 2-7 pm during the Farmers’ Market. We’re hoping for a diverse array of offerings, and are inviting potential vendors to apply for the Winter Craft Fair by Wednesday, October 24th. If you are interested, please apply!

We’ve had a wide array of vendors in the past, including:

• Woodworkers

• Clothing makers

• Zinesters, card makers, journal crafters and other paper product creators

• Candle creators

• Folks that make body care products

• Ceramicists

• Knitters

• Stained glass makers

• Jewelers

• Jam makers

• And more!

If you have any questions or concerns, please email gabi@peoples.coop.

October is Co-op Month!

Own it this October!

It’s Co-op Month, the best time to invest!

Member-Owners are the reason that our Co-op exists. From the very beginning, People’s has been formed and molded by folks that saw a need to put in the time, work, and money to make this place get started and keep going. Member-Owner investments in the Co-op mean that we can tend to the needs of our space, our business, and our community.

We’re able to keep this special kind of business going because of all of the people that show up and invest in their belief in an alternative and the difference People’s offers. Every year during October, we take a moment to appreciate the work that we all do to keep this place going: whether that’s shopping, working, or purchasing a share of the Co-op.

To say thanks for being here, for investing, and for sharing this Co-op with us, there are some special incentives for investing in People’s:

• Invest $15+: Equal Exchange Chocolate Bar + Reusable Stainless Steel Straw

• Invest $30+: Chocolate + Straw + Reusable Produce Bags designed by local artist Tess Rubinstein

• Invest 60+: Chocolate + Straw + Produce Bags + Equal Exchange Palestinian Olive Oil

& Golden Tickets!

Three lucky Member-Owners will find a golden ticket in with their chocolate, straw, bags, or olive oil. If you find a golden ticket, you will get some amazing prizes:

• A locally made, heirloom quality cast iron skillet from Finex

• Your choice of a pair of panniers or hardy tote bags made in the neighborhood by North St. Bags

• A People’s tote bag filled with our favorite fall essentials to ease you into the season

Plus!

→ Be one of the first 50 folks to invest in your share, and you’ll get a free bottle of Dr. Bronner’s!

→ We’re having a 10% off sale on October 20th! Let’s celebrate Co-op Month by saving on all our favorites, and maybe even trying something new.

→ Join us for a screening of the film Food for Change all about the history of co-op’s in America on Saturday, October 13th at 7pm! We’ll have popcorn and time afterward for discussion.

→ Get to know other folks here! Come to the Co-op Community Potluck on Tuesday, October 30th at 6:30pm.

All you have to do to become a Member-Owner or invest in your share is to ask a cashier next time you are at the Co-op. It’s quick, convenient, and you’ll get to go home with a bunch of great stuff!

If you’ve already invested $180 (the full cost of a share), don’t worry! You can invest up to $300 in the Co-op and still get all of these great incentives. Those extra dollars mean a lot here!

Grow Your Own Produce Classes Are Back!

Interested in cultivating your own food? Join us for our annual Grow Your Own Produce Workshop Series! 

By Brita Zeiler, Community Room Coordinator & Co-Manager

Many of us are looking forward to warmer weather, longer days, and the opportunity to get our hands dirty in the garden. New gardeners may be looking for resources to learn how to plan and create a vibrant garden. While experienced gardeners seek to get expertise and questions answered. All are welcome to the Grow Your Own Produce Workshop Series where they will learn to develop their own Permaculture Gardens!

Educator and Designer, Marisha Auerbach answered a few of my questions about her unique workshop series:

What will new gardeners & experienced gardeners walk away with from your Permaculture Series?

Each month, we discuss the key things to do in the garden to help keep us on track with the seasons.  New gardeners will find the information on when to plant and how to tend to your plants each month as a valuable guideline to help them learn how to have a good harvest.  By gathering together each month, I provide "bite sized" information to help new gardeners avoid being overwhelmed by the vast amount of possibilities in the garden.  Experienced gardeners seem to always find something new that they learned in each class.  This is why some people choose to take the series more than once!  Experienced gardeners enrich the discussion by asking more advanced questions and providing insight based on their experience.  This helps our class understanding deepen into the differences that we may experience by having different microclimates in our yards and living in different microclimates of our region. 

We have enough time for everyone to get their questions answered.  This allows for customized information to support participants in their gardening endeavors.  

There are so many things to consider in the garden that there is always something new to learn.  From reading the landscape, proper harvest techniques, varieties bred for our region, pests & diseases, and how to develop a resilient garden in an unpredictable climate, we cover many different topics in the garden throughout the workshop series.  

What are some of the highlights and not-to-miss moments of your series?

The first class helps students with site analysis.  We go over how assess the offsite influences (sectors) and microclimates on your site.  Offsite influences and microclimates can help us identify how to develop a garden layout that matches our unique considerations of our site.  We also talk about how to design a garden based on your relationship with your landscape.  These considerations help us enhance our localized conditions to put the right plant in the right place.  

I consider each class to have highlights, depending on what each participant wants to learn most.   

Each month, we cover the top vegetables for the month and there is a theme for each month.  I love talking about how to build soil, edible flowers, saving seeds, and food preservation.  Many people find the section on pests and diseases to be very useful.   

The classes in July and August are outdoors.  We have a field trip to look at and taste various berries that one could grow in their garden.  In August, the class is at my house and we cover Seedsaving and the Winter Garden.  This class actively teaches each student how to save seeds with hands-on activities.  September's class also has a hands-on component.  In September, we talk about Putting up the Harvest and actively do some fermentation and dehydration during the class. 

Why are you passionate about growing food?

My connection with my landscape helps me inhabit my home.  Dancing with life in this way is our birthright.  It is a beautiful way to practice coming home to planet earth, Cascadia bioregion, Woodstock neighborhood.   By having a diverse landscape outside my door, I feel in touch with the seasons.  I recognize the birds that visit at various times of the year and I get to know what they like to eat and where they like to be.  I love the seasonal harvest cycle.  I find that I look forward to the new crops as the wheel of the year turns.  Gardening is an activist practice.  By stewarding my soil and eating local food, I know that I am reducing my impact on other lands.  Food is one thing that all people need to live.  By developing a practice of gardening, it enhances my resiliency and helps me have information and surplus to share with my community.  I grow many diverse types of vegetables and fruit and I also grow my own medicine.  My surplus medicinal products are available to my community when they need some support from our herbal allies.  I know that my home garden is doing it's part to protect pollinators, both the European honeybee and the native bees through diverse flowers and seasonal blooms.  

Planning, Design & Framework

Tuesday, February 13th 7-9pm
This opening session will focus on garden planning and design. From the Macro perspective to the microclimate, we will discuss Permaculture design strategies that can maximize your yields and diversity of crops throughout the season. Fruit trees, berry bushes, and other large landscaping elements will be discussed as the framework for creating the context for your space. Each participant is encouraged to come with a base map of their site. Please contact Marisha if you need support before class to have this available.

Indoor Seed-Starting, Early Plantings & Perennial Crops

Wednesday, March 20th 7-9pm
In March, it is time to begin planting seeds both outdoors and indoors. This session will focus on those early plantings and the varieties that perform best for our climate. Perennial vegetables can be transplanted at this time. Since many perennial vegetables are new to gardeners, Marisha will share about growing and cooking some of her favorite types. Seed catalogs and other resources will be available as references for each participant to make a personalized planting calendar.

Cole Crops, Greens & Soil Building

Tuesday, April 10th 7-9pm
April is a key time for all of the Cole Crops, such as Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower, Collards, and Cabbage. It is also a time of planting greens. As many plants are being planted in the garden during this month and the months to come, we will highlight soil building strategies in this class.

Warm-season Crops, Edible Flowers and Attracting Pollinators

Tuesday, May 1nd 7-9pm
In May, the weather typically gets warmer and many flowers begin to bloom. We will discuss reliable varieties of warm-season crops to grow in your garden and ways to maximize microclimate and production. Many of these plants require insects for pollination. You will learn about pollination, pollinator insects, and flowers that are useful for attracting these special critters. Many of these flowers have multifunctions. We will highlight edible flowers, their functions in landscapes, and recipes.

Maintenance and Harvest

Tuesday, June 5th 7-9pm
June completes our planting of the summer vegetable garden and then it is time to focus on maximizing the harvest. For the urban gardener, this may mean optimizing a small space to produce as much food as possible. We will discuss strategies for optimizing yield of your vegetable crops throughout the growing season. We will highlight the best types of trellises for plants that like to grow up.

Berries, Herbs and Water Catchment

Tuesday, July 10th 7-9pm
This workshop will focus on different types of fruiting crops that are available right now. We will taste different varieties and discuss recipes and ways to put up the harvest of berries. We will talk about water catchment and how to determine what type of system would work best for your household. Handouts will include a to do list for the month, herbs for tea, and other pertinent information.

Seedsaving and the Winter Garden

Tuesday, August 7th 7-9pm
In August, it is time to save seeds. The weather has been dry and many plants are ripening their seed. This workshop will cover the basics of saving seed and offer you the opportunity to gather some hands-on experience. August is a key month to get many starts in the ground for harvest in the winter and early spring. This class will highlight what is happening in the garden in August, how to preserve your harvest and prepare for the coming month.

Putting Up the Harvest

Tuesday, September 11th 7-9pm
The abundance from the garden and orchard is coming in and it is time to put it up for storage in the winter. In this class, we will discuss the key ways to store food for the winter including canning, dehydration, fermentation, & freezing. A key component of this class will be focused on how to assess what your family will eat in the winter and the space that you have available for storage. The last of the winter crops should be in the garden by Equinox so we will cover the last of the plantings. As always, this class will highlight what is happening in the garden in September, how to preserve your harvest and prepare for the coming month. Handouts will include a to-do list for the month, information on canning and food preservation, and other pertinent information.

Garlic, Cover Crops & Compost

Tuesday, October 9th 7-9pm
October is a time for returning inward and thinking about nourishing the soil for the future garden. This class will highlight soil building method including mulches, composting, leaf mold and more. We will discuss types of cover crops for building soil tilth and fixing nitrogen. Garlic goes in the ground this month for summer harvest. We will talk about the different types of garlic and best varieties for our region. As always, this class will highlight what is happening in the garden in October, how to tend to your garden, and prepare for the coming month. Handouts will include a to-do list for the month, information on soil building methods, and other pertinent information.

Wildlife in the Garden, Nourishing Soups & Planning for the Coming Year

Tuesday, November 6th 7-9pm
In November, the weather has become cold and the garden has been put to bed. However, the birds, insects, and other critters still need habitat to keep them around. During this class, we will discuss ways to encourage these allies to stick around in your garden. By having active food webs in the garden, we invite collaboration and enhance fertility cycles on site. As this is our final class for 2018, this class will provide juicy information to help you begin planning for the 2019 garden season. We will also highlight nourishing soup recipes from local herbs, veggies, and stocks. As always, this class will highlight what is happening in the garden in November, how to tend to your garden, and prepare for the coming month. Handouts will include a to-do list for the month, information on wildlife, soup recipes, and other pertinent information.

October is Co-op Month!

Come celebrate with us!

People’s is special. In an industry aiming to squeeze every dollar out of every customer and sell you things you don’t need, our goals are a little different. We’re here to serve our community great food grown in a way that’s environmentally sustainable and cares for the land and the people that grew it while working to find prices that work for producer and consumer. We’re here to cultivate a passionate community and to talk about the values that bring us to this particular food store.

We can do all of that because of our Member-Owners: folks who care about what we’re doing together and want to see this place thrive. Investments from Member-Owners are what help us take care of this building, invest in new equipment and programs, and are positioning us to grow our Co-op and our impact with the long-term plan.

Becoming a Member-Owner is very easy and, during Co-op Month, making an investment is super fun! Invest to get these great incentives:

• $15+ Get an Equal Exchange Chocolate Bar!

• $30+ Chocolate + a People’s Tea Towel designed by local artist Subin Yang!(check out the illustration at the top of this post!)

• $60+ Chocolate + Tea Towel + a Chinook Book!

And!

• The first fifty folks that make an investment in their share get a free bottle of co-op grown and made La Riojana Olive Oil!
• Every Sunday in October, we’ll have a really awesome raffle! Everyone who makes an investment in their share will be automatically entered (but you don't have to make an investment to be part of the raffle). 
• In your Grassroots, you got a special coupon along with your quarterly 10% off. Write your name and Member-Owner number on the card, hand it to a friend who you think should become a Member-Owner, and when they do you'll both get $10 gift cards! 

We're also having a ton of great events to celebrate the Co-op and our Member-Owner, from awesome sales on staff favorites to a community potluck. Check out all our upcoming events here. 

The full price of a share in the Co-op is $180, but Member-Owners get all the benefits of membership as soon as they invest $30 in the Co-op. Member-Owners can actually invest up to $300 at the Co-op, so if you’re already at $180 and want to support the Co-op a little extra you can still get this year’s great incentives.

Coming Together to Understand Oppression

By Delphine Criscenzo, Member-Owner

I strongly believe that community cohesion and collaboration will bring about a future where we can all thrive. When we come together we are more aware, more creative and wiser -- which is why I invest a lot in community organizing. I feel extremely fortunate to be a part of two of Portland’s oldest, most democratic and ground breaking communities: our very own People’s Food Cooperative and KBOO Community Radio. I have been a Member-Owner of People’s for five years and have been a Hands-On-Owner just as long. 

Our Ends Statement declares that we are "a passionate community working together for a safe, welcoming community where all are valued." I truly believe that in order to reach this End, we must intentionally create opportunities for dialogue and for learning within our community. This weekend, I will be helping co-facilitate an Info Session during which we will create a common language and commitment for addressing how oppression shows up at People's and how we will interrupt. I am currently involved with a similar effort at KBOO that I would like to tell you about.

 I have been a community journalist for the last ten years because community radio has introduced me to the power of people-powered independent media. At KBOO, community members like you and I produce, host, investigate, report, research and fact check every story or piece of music that is broadcasted through the air. For almost fifty years, KBOO has strived to create a space for a diversity of Portland communities to come together to express their talents, doubts, and progressive perspectives. Building a safe, welcoming and just environment has always been at the forefront and for the last three years, under the leadership of Monica Beemer, KBOO has been engaging in dialogues around creating a Beloved Community.

The Beloved Community concept popularized by Martin Luther King, Jr. has given KBOO a framework for ensuring we intentionally create space for dialogue amongst KBOO community members so our radio station continues to flourish as an egalitarian space for creative collaboration. To do that, we first started offering quarterly trainings for staff, board members and key volunteers on anti-oppression issues with a focus on how these oppressions show up at KBOO and what we can do to address them. These training opportunities soon gave birth to a group that has met monthly for the last two years to study oppression and anti-oppression strategies as well as to practice interrupting oppressive behaviors. This monthly group then proposed the creation a workshop for all KBOO volunteers to learn about oppression and practice using love, compassion and humility when interrupting other community members or when taking accountability for your own behaviors. Since last August, over a hundred KBOO volunteers have attended an Anti-Oppression 101 workshop and more will be trained every month. The monthly anti-oppression discussion and action group also continues to meet.

Though it is hard to admit that oppression happens in our community, we must realize how much we have been programmed to accept the racist, sexist, homophobic, size discrimination, ableist, (and the list goes on) realities of our current society. Unless we learn and reflect on the subtle ways we perpetuate oppression, change will never come. The good news is that we are a community, and therefore we are more aware, more creative and wiser together! At KBOO, the opportunity for volunteers to learn from each other has strengthened our community. I look forward to seeing how monthly conversations at People’s can help us grow as well!

Get all the details on the event page, linked below. 

Weekend of Resistance, Self Care + Community

I, for one, don't feel entirely prepared for this weekend. It would seem like I should have had plenty of time to prepare for the reality of Donald Trump's inauguration, but there are things that I thought would have happened by now. I thought I would have figured out what form my resistance would take these next four years: done more organizing, had more tough conversations, stood up more for people I care about, planned more ways for the People's community to gather around our Ends and talk about what they mean to each of us. 

But I still feel caught off guard that this — what the past few years of campaigning, the election, and month of appointments have been leading up to — is happening. 

Maybe you feel similarly unprepared. Maybe you are ready to stand up for your values. Maybe you're scared. Maybe you feel ambivalent. Or some combination of those, or none of them. 

However you feel or whatever this weekend is to you, we want the Co-op to be a resource. We've planned some events (find the details below!), are hosting round-up donation drives at the register for Unite Oregon, Planned Parenthood, and 350PDX, and are going to have free tea on hand all weekend. If you have ideas for how the Co-op can be a beacon of justice, hope and light in the years to come, please don't hesitate to be in touch with me. Just email sofie@peoples.coop. 

See you this weekend, at the Co-op, and perhaps in the streets, 

Sofie Sherman-Burton, Marketing + Membership Manager/Comanager

Friday

Round up at the register for Unite Oregon, which works to build a unified intercultural movement for justice across Oregon. People's will match donations up to $200.

Inauguration Day Meditation + Despacho Ceremony

10:30-11:30am

Join us during the presidential inauguration, as we take this opportunity to sit in stillness and ceremony. Together we can use the chaos and unrest we feel on the planet, as a vehicle for great change.

In the ancient Andean traditions of Peru, a despacho is a ceremonial offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth) and spirit, or the organizing principles of the universe. You could perhaps think of it as a focused, formal way to "dispatch" or "ship" your prayers off to the powers that be.

The intention of this ceremony is for personal and collective healing. To bring us back into "Ayni" or a right relationship with all life. Using our gratitude to steer our collective journey in the direction of the greatest good for all. Everybody will have the opportunity to add their prayers to the Despacho (all the supplies will be provided). Afterwards Rami will take the despacho home to be burned in a fire ceremony. Come sit with us, and create some time in your day to just be. Free and open to all! RSVP on Facebook.

Lead by Rami Abu-Sitta, a Portland-based Shamanic practitioner, trained in the Incan healing tradition of the Andes by Alberto Villoldo Ph.D and The Four Winds Society. In his healing practice he works one-on-one with clients to help them correct toxic patterns, and release the energy of the past, so that they are free to move in a new direction.

Sign Making for These Times

3-5pm

Come make signs for the Women's March, other marching, your yard, your window, or any other sign needs that you have. Materials, snacks, and inspiration will be provided. You're certainly invited to bring your own sign materials and slogans, too. RSVP on Facebook. 

Saturday

Round up at the register for Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette, which offers essential health care services in our region. People's will match donations up to $200.

Grounding Before the March

10-11am

Before we hit the streets for the Women's March, let's take a moment to come together to center, ground, and use our infinitely powerful creative minds to affect change on psychic and energetic planes. We will visualize and send healing light, speak affirmations of protection, hold space for each other to share and process, and join our hands and voices in unified, improvised, cathartic, atonal song (it feels really good). This will be love-based, heart-centered magic, and our circle is open to all beings. Free and open to all! RSVP on Facebook. 

Lead by Johanna Warren, a local songwriter, Reiki master and herbalist. She is the founder and facilitator of the Portland chapter of Moon Church, a lunar coven of female, trans, queer and nonbinary people exploring and breathing new life into the archetype of the witch.

Sunday

Round up at the register for 350PDX, which words to address the causes of climate disruption through justice-based solutions. People's will match donations up to $200.

It's Back! Grow Your Own Produce Series

Have you been wanting to start a garden, but don't know where to start? Are you a seasoned gardener looking to incorporate some more permaculture techniques? Either way, you're in luck! Marisha Auerbach of Permaculture Rising is back in the Community Room this year with a full series of permaculture class. Each of the ten monthly class focuses on a seasonally relevant topic, from planning to growing to maintaining to harvest. 

You can register for each class individually for $25 each, or get in on five classes for $100. Better yet, People's Member-Owners get 20% off classes -- just be in touch with Marisha to get the discount code. 

About the Course

This workshop series is designed to help you maximize your yields and endeavors in the garden by providing an overview of key activities to engage in at the right time each month from February through November.

Facilitator Marisha Auerbach has spent many years observing and interacting in her garden and in the greater bioregion. She has been growing most of her own produce year round for the past decade. Each month, she will provide you with a checklist for the month ahead. We will discuss different subjects that are pertinent to the garden each month with supported handouts.

These classes are available as a five class series ($100) or as individual events ($25 each).  20% off discount for People's Food Coop members -- just be in touch with Marisha to get the discount code. 

For more information, or to register, email Marisha Auerbach or call (503) 454-6656. 

Planning, Design and Framework

Tuesday February 14th 7-9pm

This opening session will focus on garden planning and design.  From the Macro perspective to the microclimate, we will discuss Permaculture design strategies that can maximize your yields and diversity of crops throughout the season.  Fruit trees, berry bushes, and other large landscaping elements will be discussed as the framework for creating the context for your space.   Each participant is encouraged to come with a base map of their site. Please contact Marisha if you need support before class to have this available.

Indoor Seed-Starting, Early Plantings and Perennial Crops

Wednesday March 22nd 7-9pm

In March, it is time to begin planting seeds both outdoors and indoors.  This session will focus on those early plantings and the varieties that perform best for our climate.  Perennial vegetables can be transplanted at this time.  Since many perennial vegetables are new to gardeners, Marisha will share about growing and cooking some of her favorite types.  Seed catalogs and other resources will be available as references for each participant to make a personalized planting calendar.

Cole Crops, Greens and Soil Building

Tuesday April 11th 7-9pm

April is a key time for all of the Cole Crops, such as Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower, Collards, and Cabbage.  It is also a time of planting greens.  As many plants are being planted in the garden during this month and the months to come, we will highlight soil building strategies in this class. 

Warm-season Crops, Edible Flowers and Attracting Pollinators

Tuesday May 2nd 7-9pm

In May, the weather typically gets warmer and many flowers begin to bloom.  We will discuss reliable varieties of warm season crops to grow in your garden and ways to maximize microclimate and production.  Many of these plants require insects for pollination. You will learn about pollination, pollinator insects, and flowers that are useful for attracting these special critters.  Many of these flowers have multifunctions. We will highlight edible flowers, their functions in landscapes, and recipes. 

Maintenance and Harvest 

Tuesday June 6th 7-9pm

June completes our planting of the summer vegetable garden and then it is time to focus on maximizing the harvest.  For the urban gardener, this may mean optimizing a small space to produce as much food as possible.  We will discuss strategies for optimizing yield of your vegetable crops throughout the growing season.  We will highlight the best types of trellises for plants that like to grow up. 

Berries, Herbs and Water Catchment

Tuesday July 11th 7-9pm

This workshop will focus on different types of fruiting crops that are available right now. We will taste different varieties and discuss recipes and ways to put up the harvest of berries. We will talk about water catchment and how to determine what type of system would work best for your household. Handouts will include a to do list for the month, herbs for tea, and other pertinent information. 

Seedsaving and the Winter Garden

Tuesday August 9th 7-9pm

In August, it is time to save seeds.  The weather has been dry and many plants are ripening their seed.  This workshop will cover the basics of saving seed and offer you the opportunity to gather some hands-on experience.  August is a key month to get many starts in the ground for harvest in the winter and early spring.  This class will highlight what is happening in the garden in August, how to preserve your harvest, and prepare for the coming month. 

Putting Up the Harvest

Tuesday September 5th 7-9pm

The abundance from the garden and orchard is coming in and it is time to put it up for storage in the winter.  In this class, we will discuss the key ways to store food for the winter including:  canning, dehydration, fermentation, & freezing.  A key component of this class will be focused on how to assess what your family will eat in the winter and the space that you have available for storage.  The last of the winter crops should be in the garden by Equinox so we will cover the last of the plantings.  As always, this class will highlight what is happening in the garden in September, how to preserve your harvest, and prepare for the coming month.  Handouts will include a to do list for the month, information on canning and food preservation, and other pertinent information.

Garlic, Cover Crops and Compost

Tuesday October 3rd 7-9pm

October is a time for returning inward and thinking about nourishing the soil for the future garden.  This class will highlight soil building method including mulches, composting, leaf mold and more.  We will discuss types of cover crops for building soil tilth and fixing nitrogen.  Garlic goes in the ground this month for summer harvest. We will talk about the different types of garlic and best varieties for our region.  As always, this class will highlight what is happening in the garden in October, how to tend to your garden, and prepare for the coming month.  Handouts will include a to do list for the month, information on soil building methods, and other pertinent information.

Wildlife in the Garden, Nourishing Soups and Planning for the Coming Year

Tuesday November 7th 7-9pm

In November, the weather has become cold and the garden has been put to bed.  However, the birds, insects, and other critters still need habitat to keep them around.  During this class, we will discuss ways to encourage these allies to stick around in your garden.  By having active food webs in the garden, we invite collaboration and enhance fertility cycles on site.  As this is our final class for 2017, this class will provide juicy information to help you begin planning for the 2018 garden season.  We will also highlight nourishing soup recipes from local herbs, veggies, and stocks. As always, this class will highlight what is happening in the garden in November, how to tend to your garden, and prepare for the coming month.  Handouts will include a to do list for the month, information on wildlife, soup recipes, and other pertinent information.

Craft Fair Applications Are Now Available!

Applications are due Monday November 21st! 

We're excited to be hosting the Holiday Craft Fair again this year on Wednesday, December 7th from 2-7pm in the Community Room. 

Vendor spaces are available in two sizes:  Large (~6ft x 6ft) for $30 or Small (~ 3ft x 6ft.) for $15. Tables are not provided, but chairs are available.  You will be required to stay within your allotted space.   

Spaces are limited.  For the most part, vendor applicants are accepted on a first-applied, first-placed basis.  However, we like to provide the community with variety at the Fair, and our Craft Fair Coordinator will have the final say on which vendors participate.

How to Apply

1. Review the Reminders, Rules, & Guidelines below before filling out the application. Please be sure you feel confident you can fulfill them before applying.

2. Complete the application below, or pick one up in the store. Payment needs to be included to secure your application. Checks are preferred and can be made out to People’s Food Co-op. You can mail them to: 

People's Food Co-op

attn: Sofie Sherman-Burton

3029 SE 21st Ave

Portland, OR 97202

If you are selected as a vendor, Sofie, the Craft Fair Coordinator, will contact you no later than Friday November 25th to discuss next steps and placement.

If all spaces are filled, you will be placed on a Wait List. In the event there is a cancellation, we will call vendors on the Wait List.

Apply

Craft Vendor Application

Reminders, Rules, & Guidelines

The fair begins at 2pm, Wednesday, December 7th, and ends at 7pm. 

All vendors are expected to participate for the entire 5 hours.

SET-UP, TEAR-DOWN, & CLEAN-UP

• You can begin setting up your booth at 12pm, but no earlier.
• Set-up must be completed no later than 1:45pm.
• Tables are not provided, but chairs are available.
• Tear-down and clean-up should be completed no later than 8:30pm.

TRANSACTIONS WITH PATRONS

People’s does not provide change for artists or craft vendors. Each vendor is responsible for bringing enough cash to complete transactions with your patrons.

We strongly, strongly encourage vendors to:

• provide patrons with receipts,
•  provide patrons with business cards or some other format communicating your contact information (this can be on the receipt).

CANCELLATIONS

• Should you need to cancel, please notify us as soon as possible by emailing sofie@peoples.coop.
• People’s Food Co-op will retain booth fees for cancellations occurring less than 24 hours before the event.
• Vendors on the waitlist will be notified should cancellations occur.

EXPECTED BEHAVIOR: People’s Safer Space Policy

People’s Food Co-op strives to create a safer and accessible space that values everyone.  When present on Co-op property, each person is expected to respect all aspects of people’s identities including their ethnicity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, religion, political affiliation, nationality, size, age, and ability. 

Physical or verbal abuse, sexual or any other form of harassment, theft, or damage of property is simply not tolerated.  Someone who is unable to meet these expectations will be asked to leave the property. 

If you feel that someone is in violation of this policy please talk to a staff member. 

Thanksgiving Baskets

All the baskets are called for, but you can still fill out the application to be placed on the waiting list. 

For those in our community that need support this November, People’s Food Co-op and some of our vendors have partnered to provide 80 free vegetarian food baskets. 

Basket pick up will be on Wednesday November 23rd from 4-7pm.

Only 80 food baskets are available. Baskets are limited to one per household.  After the 80 are spoken for, we will start a wait list. You will be notified by Thursday, Nov 17th if you will receive a basket.  Sign-ups are recorded in the order they arrive. 

Basket pick-up will be in our Community Room, located up a flight of stairs. There is an elevator available if you need it – just let a cashier know that you need to use it and they will help you.

Food baskets are designed to feed about 4 people and will likely include:

• Organic produce: yams, potatoes, winter squash, yellow onions, garlic, greens, apples
• Pumpkin Pie Fixings: 1 pie crust, 1 can pumpkin pie mix
• $10 voucher for the People’s Farmers’ Market on Wednesdays 2-7pm
• Other food items: 1 can cranberry jelly, Vegetable bullion cubes, 1 Dave’s Killer Bread Powerseed Thin Sliced Loaf, Three Sisters Nixtamal Tortillas

Basket contents may change slightly. 

Big thanks to our generous vendors that donated! We couldn't do this without them. 

Introducing: Humans of Color Yoga!

About the class

This class has been thoughtfully created by humans of color for humans of color.  Our intention is to provide a safe space for those who identify as a person of color to come together to move, learn, talk, and create community with other humans like themselves. This will also be a gathering place for connecting and building communities of color. 

We hope to create support for each other and share our experiences of being in this world with one another.  This class will include an opening circle that provides time for each person to introduce themselves, mindful movement and breathing, and a look into the history and different branches of yoga.  We will also address issues that people of color are facing in our current social climate using yoga as platform for release and restructuring.

Humans of Color Yoga will start at People’s on Saturday October 8th, and then be held every other week in the Community Room.

From the instructor Ayomide Njo

When people think of yoga they usually think of the physical practice of yoga, or Hatha yoga, but there are actually six distinct branches of yoga in the Indian tradition. I have been practicing yoga in one form or another most of my life. As a movement instructor I have been studying body awareness and movement for 20 years, but only in the last 5 years have I enjoyed and felt truly centered in Hatha yoga. 

This was inspired by an encounter with an older woman of color who practiced yoga. This woman was beautiful, strong and centered in her body and I was inspired! I had never been exposed to an instructor of color except in yoga books, where they were primarily Indian men. When we talked I explained to her my disconnection to hatha yoga as practice. She then explained to me that there are many styles of hatha to choose from and that my exploration was part of the journey of finding a practice that was in harmony with my center. That moment changed my life.  Her presence showed me that anyone could be a yogi.

This is the kind of experience that I hope to share through Humans of Color Yoga at People’s. It is important for humans of color to be able to investigate what it means to be in their skin in a safe and supportive environment, and the aim of the class is to provide a place for them to do so. 

Ayomide Njo currently teaches dance at Portland Community College. You can also find her every Wednesday at The Co-op teaching Kaleidoscope community yoga. When not teaching movement she is busy raising a teen, creating art and bridging communities. 

October is Co-op Month!

What is Co-op Month?

Every year, we celebrate Co-op Month in October, as co-ops all around the country do. We offer incentives for folks to invest in their co-op share or to become a Member-Owner, decorate the store, host co-op related events in the Community Room, and take a minute to celebrate our Member-Owners, our store, and the somewhat miraculous thing we’ve built together.

And there are great reasons to invest! Employees at food co-ops make almost a dollar per hour more, on average, than at conventional grocers, and more get health insurance through their workplace. Co-ops work directly with more farmers and producers, and sell way more organic and local food – almost eight times as much as a percentage of sales. They also recycle more, and are more energy efficient. Plus, their owned by the people that use them, rather than individuals. We share in the wealth that we create, and create wealth beyond profits. 

This October in particular, as we nail down our long-term plan, the dollars that you invest in your Co-op go toward growing our store and the positive impact that it has in our community. So thanks for investing, shopping, and supporting – together, we own it! 

INVEST

Become a Member-Owner, or invest in your share! In October, there are a few extra incentives for your investment. 

$15: An Equal Exchange chocolate bar

$30: A limited edition People's mug + an Equal Exchange chocolate bar

$60: A Chinook Book + a People's mug + an Equal Exchange chocolate bar

Plus, every investment made during Co-op Month enters you to win an awesome gift basket from Equal Exchange, a worker-owned co-op!

SHOP

During Co-op Month, we're offering special sales to show appreciation for our Member-Owners and co-op community!

All Hard Cider is 10% off, all of October!

From Finnriver to Cider Riot, all hard cider is 10% off for all of October! Stock up on your favorite brands and flavors, or try all the others we have in stock! 

LEARN

Looking to learn more about the Co-op and connect with more with your co-op community? 

Pick up a Co-op Passport!

Portland's food co-ops - People's, Food Front, and Alberta - have teamed up to offer a special coupon to anyone that visits all three during Co-op Month! Pick up a passport at a register at any of the co-ops, and get it marked when you visit each one. When you've filled it out, enjoy $10 off of a purchase of $30 or more at the co-op of your choice! And relish in the feeling that you've shopped at all of these community institutions. 

Grow Your Own Produce Series, Tuesdays Monthly

Grow Your Own Produce with Marisha Auerbach

Tuesdays 7-9pm for the 2016 growing season

This workshop series is designed to help you maximize your yields and endeavors in the garden by providing an overview of key activities to engage in at the right time each month from February through November.

Facilitator Marisha Auerbach has spent many years observing and interacting in her garden and in the greater bioregion. She has been growing most of her own produce year round for the past decade. Each month, she will provide you with a checklist for the month ahead. We will discuss different subjects that are pertinent to the garden each month with supported handouts.

(Click the class for detailed class descriptions)

February 9, 2016 - Planning, Design, and Framework

March 15, 2016 - Indoor Seed-Starting, Early Plantings, and Perennial Crops

April 5, 2016 - Cole Crops, Greens and Soil Building

May 3, 2016 - Warm-Season Crops, Edible Flowers, and Attracting Pollinators  

June 7, 2016 - Maintenance and Harvest
 

Cost is $100 for the 5 class series or $25 per class.  A 20% discount is available to People's Member-Owners.  Email Marisha with any questions and to receive the discount (queenbee@herbnwisdom.com) 

Register online or call the co-op.

Make Your Own Shoes, Every Wednesday

Make Your Own Shoes

Every Wednesday 4-7pm

January 27 - March 23

The turnshoe is an ancient technology for making lightweight, flexible, and durable footwear. Mixing in some modern technology (duct tape!) along the way, this class starts by measuring your feet and ends with a new pair of shoes.

Fee: $30-60 sliding scale covers all materials, payable on the first day of class.

Sign up: Email the instructor (shoemaker@riseup.net) for inquiries and to register. Mike Glover is a teacher, father, and Monday morning produce HOO.  This is fifth year teaching turnshoes at People's.