Baileys Local Food Buying Club - Pickup Reminder

If you put in an order this month it will be ready for you to pick up on Monday, March 22nd from 3:30 until 7:00PM in Hilliard Hall at the First United Church at 16 William Street West in Waterloo. You can check your order by logging in at http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering. If you checked the pre-packaing option your order will be packed and ready for 5pm. Items that require refrigeration will not be pre-packed for health reasons.

Extra Spinach!
Paul called (and then later Debbie called too) and said with the lovely sunny days they both have extra spinach for us! If you've been craving a tender young salad of local greens, you're in luck.  We'll have the extra bags on the spontaneous table.  Lena has fresh parsley for us too!  Spring is the taste of fresh parsley singing in a salad.

New Pickup Slips
We have changed our pickup slips slightly. Items that are unavailable will have 'u/a' in the quantity column. There are check boxes so that you can check off items as you pick them up. Variably priced items (Meat and cheese) are highlighted in green and still need to be added to your total. We welcome your feedback on how these slips work for you and how we could further improve them.

Samples from The Nutty Bakers and Stratford Pies
If you like pie, today is your day!

Swing by and say 'hi' to The Nutty Bakers, Anna (and maybe her mom), who make us many flavours of pot pies, cabbage rolls and lasagna. If you haven't ordered and tasted their products yet, you will get a chance to try them today!

Susie from Stratford Pies says she'll try to stop in today to serve samples of apple and elderberry pie too!

Ground Beef from Traditional Foods
The ground beef from Traditional Foods has been removed from your orders due to poor quality butchering. Thank you for your understanding until we can work with a new butcher who can make ground beef of a better quality (without "gristly" chewy bits).  Noah will still bring the ground beef you ordered today. If you choose to purchase it the cost will have to be added to your total.

Items not available and things to look for on the Spontaneous Table:

• Look for Organic Spinach and Parsley on the Spontaneous Table!
  
• Vibrant Foods Bone Packages and Outside Round were not available
• Traditional Foods Ground Beef will not be offered until butchering quality issues are resolved
• Pfennings baby and regular beets will be substituted with Cylindra Beets. The price for baby beets (3 lb bag) is adjusted to reflect the lower cost of the smaller bag
  
• Flat Kamut Noodles will be substituted for Medium Kamut Noodles from J&D Peters
  
• Medium Pasta will be substituted for Medium Old Fashioned Egg Noodles from J&D Peters
  
• We will be short 2 packages of Natural Roast Beef from Stemmler's. Two frozen packages available on request.
  
• We may be short on Sunflower Oil from FlorAlp Farms
  
• We may be short on Crackers from Barrie Bros.
• We may be short of Blueberry Jam from Country Flavour
  

Self Checkout Reminder
We continue to offer a SELF CHECK-OUT option to those of you who are paying by cheque! We hope that this will help speed up the check out process for some of you who want to work out your total yourself.
We choose to trust our members. You know that if we lose money due to missing items or math mistakes, we won't survive. We will still have the regular check-out option for those of you who prefer it. If you notice an error (ours or yours), please let us know.

Pre-Packed Orders
If you indicated that you would like your items pre-packed when you ordered they will be ready after 5pm. Please ask a volunteer to get your order. Items requiring refrigeration will be added when you arrive.

Please enter through the white kitchen door off Caroline Street.
You will find a pickup slip with your name on it listing the items that you ordered this week. Pick up all your items (including those in the coolers, fridges and freezer), check out our Spontaneous Table then head to our checkout area.

We will have extra items for you to purchase on our Spontaneous Table in front of the blue cupboards just in case you forgot anything. Anyone can purchase items from the Spontaneous Table. You don't even have to be a Member!

There will be room to socialize and mingle. Expect your pick-up to take awhile. If you need help collecting your order, please ask!

In out checkout area, please help us and our volunteers by having items available to view for the checkout process. Please be patient as this area will likely be quite busy.

We accept payment in cash or cheque (made out to Bailey's Local Foods). The total from your shopping cart is always approximate. We will try to ensure that you only pay for the items available this week as local food can sometimes be unpredictable and items that are priced by the pound are approximate on the order form.

When writing cheques, please ensure that the date is correct (it's 2010!) and that the numbers you write (digits and words) match. Also, if you make your cheque out to anything other than "Bailey's Local Foods" the bank won't cash it. We need you to sign it too! Please help us to avoid these costly errors.

You need to bring your own bags to carry your items home. We have boxes, but do not have plastic bags. A limited number of cloth bags will be available for sale.

If possible, consider walking, biking or bringing a wagon to pick up your order. If you are driving, please park in the Waterloo Town Square Public Parking Lot. You can access the Waterloo Town Square Parking Lot by Caroline Street, Alexandra Avenue, Willis Way or King Street by the LCBO. We have been asked not to park in the church parking lot.

**Please don't forget to pick up your order! At approximately 6:30PM, if you have not picked up your order, we will call the number you provided (when you registered) with a friendly reminder. At 7:00PM we will pack up your order and add the $15 packing fee to your order total. If you have not picked up your order by 7:30PM (or when we finish cleaning up) your order will be donated - and you still get the pleasure of paying for it. We need to receive payment for this week's order before you can order for the following week.

If you are not happy with what you receive, all claims for missing/damaged items must be made at the pick-up site before 7:00PM that same day. After 7:00PM all sales are final.

Thank you,
Rachael and Nina
Bailey's Local Foods
www.baileyslocalfoods.ca 

P.S. We can use your fruit baskets and boxes as well as jars from preserves again if you return them.

Is this your first email from us? Read more at baileyslocalfoods.blogspot.com.

You are receiving this notification because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.
If you do not wish to receive Notifications in the future, please uncheck the Notifications box associated with your email address in Account Settings at https://www.100milesystems.com/baileyslocalfoods.ca/account.php

Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in.

Ordering for March 22 ends Thursday at 8:00 PM

This is your reminder that you should place your order before Thursday at 8:00PM for pickup on March 22.
 
Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.

Please Note!
This month we have shortened the ordering period. Ordering will be open until this Thursday at 8 pm. Pickup is still March 22.

Shakespeare Pies
Were you looking for the Dutch Apple pie on our order form? It's there now!

Also, We asked Susie to use cream, milk and butter in her pies and she is! Tasty ingredients are online at http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ingredients and below:

• Apple Pie Filling: Apples, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon.
• Dutch Apple Pie: Filling: Apples, sugar, flour, Harmony Organic cream, cinnamon. Crumb topping: Oatmeal, brown and white sugar, flour, butter.
• Elderberry Pie Filling: Elderberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice.
• Pastry top and bottom: Unbleached flour from wheat, butter, farm fresh eggs, Harmony Organic milk, sugar, vinegar, salt.

Cheese Oops!
While updating the website I incorrectly put smaller than bulk sizes on the BULK cheddar cheese from Millbank. Please note that the bulk cheese is a 5 kg portion and a great deal if you love cheese or want to split a big block with a friend. We can get almost any variety of cheese in th bulk size, so if you don't see the cheese you like, just ask!

Some Apple Creek Products unavailable
Pete called me on the weekend (after the order form went live, unfortunately) and updated his list of available apples. We have eaten through much of his 'stock' already!
Still available are:

• Organic McIntosh Seconds
• Conventional Cortland
• Honey
• Apple Sauce
• Apple Cider
  

We do not have Organic Cortlands or Spartans, and no organic apples in 3 L baskets. Sorry!

Transpire Organic Community Shared Agriculture (CSA)
With so many great CSA options in the region, how do you choose? Another CSA option is now available! Candace, one of our members, has details of her new CSA at http://www.transpireorganic.ca/

Donations
We have a convenient option for you to donate to local food programs through Bailey's. We will be providing local beans to the Waterloo Region Food Bank with the money you donated in January and February. Donations over $10 (through the 2010 year) are eligible for a tax receipt. We will be donating 100% of what you give to the food bank directly or by sending local food from our suppliers in the coming months.

Some of our donated beans will be used for Leadership Waterloo Region's CANstruction Team. More details are at  https://www.thefoodbank.ca/Canstruction1.shtml.

Items that you have placed in your shopping cart will be ordered on your behalf on Thursday at 8:00PM. There is no checkout button. If you do not intend to order, please ensure that your shopping cart is empty.

Enjoy this weather!
Rachael
Bailey's Local Foods
baileyslocalfoods.ca

Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.

Is this your first email from us?
Read more at baileyslocalfoods.blogspot.com.

You are receiving this notification because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.

If you do not wish to receive Notifications in the future, please uncheck the Notifications box associated with your email address in Account Settings at https://www.100milesystems.com/baileyslocalfoods.ca/account.php

Bailey's Buying Club - Ordering is now open for March 22, 2010

Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.

Please be sure to read the wavier on our website when you log in. It reminds you that items placed your shopping cart are automatically saved (there is no 'checkout' button).

A few notes from Rachael:

• The website has been updated. You will notice that items that are priced per pound or kilogram have the prices per unit and estimates indicated. If you ever notice that something isn't working right, please send us an email!
• Sarah has offered to grow seedlings for us! Tell her what you are interested in buying by filling out her survey at http://snipr.com/seedlingsurvey
  
• Ordering closes on Thursday, March 11 at 8:00PM. Please order early so you won't be disappointed!
  

Have a great Week!
Rachael

-----------------------
 

Hi Folks,

Happy almost Spring!  We made it through the deep dark days of Winter.  I hope you got a chance to hibernate.  I kind of hibernated last weekend during my weekend silent retreat at the Loyola Retreat Centre in Guelph.  Silence for 36+ hours in a quiet world surrounded by snowy fields... 

 

The bad news is that asparagus is still a long wait away. The good news is that a few dear farmers are extending the season with greenhouses so we can offer local grape tomatoes and salad mix (from Soiled Reputation and Paul Bowman)!!  My kids will be so happy to see those grape tomatoes again.  They've not been complaining abut the lack of them.  The two older kids are still eating coleslaw well. I added fresh cilantro to the coleslaw today (from the buying club) and it was such a poignant flavour of summer.  Delicious. Last year Matthew made a winter hothouse cucumber salad with frozen dill which was ALMOST as good as fresh dill.  Too bad we used our many bags of dill in borscht already.

 

Winter Eating

I asked a neighbour for a photo of her freezer and canning jars for a powerpoint presentation I gave at the Bring Food Home conference.  Her freezer is so beautifully organized I wish I could include a photo of hers and one of mine just to make you smile at the contrast.  My freezer is getting empty these days so I filled it with bags of flour to keep it more efficient.  Are you still finding treasures in your freezer?  I tell myself that now is the time to go ahead and enjoy them.  This stretch of March to May is when we need the freezer to expand our local food options and help us wait until the spinach, asparagus and strawberries come in.  I think I'll pull out some frozen rasperries tomorrow. The kids like eating them frozen and then we can stir them in yogurt when they thaw.  In the summer I was wondering why I was putting so much steamed kale in the freezer (extras from the buying club) but they've been like gold this winter.  If we cut it up fine enough, the kids don't blink an eye at little bits of leaves floating in their soups or in the pasta.

 

I pulled out a roast from Vibrant Farms yesterday for an easy crockpot supper with baby potatoes and carrots.  It was the perfect convenience food for a day when I was juggling the conference, parenting, yoga and a meeting for the buying club.  I think it is amazing that a roast can taste so good with absolutely no seasoning. It was so tender and flavourful it made my gums ache.  The beauty of a crockpot meal like that is the super easy stew it makes for the next day.  I set the leftovers on the backporch overnight to chill and then added black beans, onions, garlic and peas and turned the crockpot back on this morning (didn't even have to wash it!).  When I came back from the conference we had supper waiting.  Crockpots are an ingenius and timeless invention from the 1970's that make eating local (i.e. from scratch) more convenient.  I often use mine to simmer bones overnight to make rich broths.  I also use it a lot to soak and then cook beans.  What do you use yours for?

Slide Show of the Future

I'm so inspired from being at the Bring Food Home conference yesterday and today. I was asked to speak about Bailey's Local Foods, the supports and barriers to running a local food buying club, and how we are "taking back the middle" of the food value chain between producer and consumer.  I was surrounded by foodies who were just as passionate about changing the local food system as I am!  I focused my talk on my vision for a relocalized food system. I believe that having a clear and beautiful vision of what we are working toward is so important to give us the energy to do the work that needs to be done to make the vision happen.  I wish I could share that presentation with all of you. I included photos from the buying club, cute photos of my kids in the garden, our hens, sexy fresh produce and other inspiring visuals.  Maybe we could have a potluck at the church and I could share the photo slides... If you're interested send us a quick email and we'll find a date. Let us know what night of the week works best for you.

 

New Pies

I found a baker of wonderful pies (well, she found us)!  To be honest, I was not happy with the quality of the other pies we carried (I'm a pie snob).  Susie Wagler, owner of Shakespeare Pies, is offering us three kinds of local pie this month: apple, dutch apple and elderberry.  We had a pie fest at supper today tasting all of the samples that Susie dropped off this morning (6!)  Fortunately both sets of grandparents were visiting and could help us eat the pies.  We all agreed that the pies were divine.  The elderberry pie is a unique texture and not my favourite pie but if you like elderberry pie, Susie makes a really good one!

Carrot Soup

If you're looking for a meal idea, I'm making carrot soup on Monday and you can join me. I have a big bag of carrots that did not fit in my fridge so they are a little sprouty from being in the basement so they'll be perfect in the soup. I think I'll add a celariac, onion and a small bag of frozen butternut squash from Lena Burkhardt to round out the flavours. I'm making a huge vat and freezing half for an easy soup in a week or two.

 

Nina's March Order

Here's what I'm ordering for my family this week (even though my freezer and pantry are full from the last buying club):

 

HUGE block of old cheddar (to grate and freeze in bags for pizzas, burritos and such)

sundried tomato cheddar (kids' favourite)

chevre

12 plain yogurt (I know, I should make my own)

crema la vaquita 

butter

beef roast

Turkey breasts (sooo handy)

roasting chicken

hot dogs (yes, kids' favourite)

roast beef deli x3

 

chinese cabbage

potatoes

carrots

celariac (sublime in any soup where you might put potatoes)

grape tomatoes

salad mix (YUM!)

greenhouse lettuce

greenhouse cilantro

frozen butternut squash

 

half bushel of organic apples (thank goodness for the canned peaches and pearsause, as well as frozen blueberries, cherries, raspberries, currants, apricots, and strawberries)

 

LOTS of whole wheat tortillas (at least 10 packages - gotta make up for not having them this month)

two kinds of tortilla chips

pork hot tamales

 

8 loaves of bread (my dad - our bread baker - is leaving town)

peanutbutter (goes fast when we make pb cookies)

popcorn

red mexican beans (my favourite)

 

Order before Thursday the 11th 
Marg says to let you know that April will be the last month to order lamb for a while.  Let us know if there's something else you'd like to see your buying club offer and we'll work on it.

Don't forget to order right away this month as the ordering closes early (Thursday at 11 PM) so that Rachael can help phone and email the farmers before she leaves for March Break.

 

Happy cooking and eating,

Nina

Bailey's Local Foods
www.baileyslocalfoods.ca

P.S. We can use your fruit baskets and jars from preserves again if you return them.

Is this your first email from us? Read more at baileyslocalfoods.blogspot.com.

You are receiving Nina's messages because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.
If you do not wish to receive Nina's messages in the future, please uncheck the Nina's messages box associated with your email address in Account Settings at https://www.100milesystems.com/baileyslocalfoods.ca/account.php

Baileys Local Food Buying Club - Pickup Reminder

If you put in an order this month it will be ready for you to pick up on Monday, February 22nd from 3:30 until 7:00PM in Hilliard Hall at the First United Church at 16 William Street West in Waterloo. You can check your order by logging in at http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering. If you checked the prepackaing option your order will be packed and ready for 5pm. Items that require refrigeration will not be pre-packed for health reasons.

Items not available and things to look for on the Spontaneous Table:

• Red Cabbage and Jerusalem Artichokes from Soiled Reputation are sold out. 
• Spinach from Pfennings is not available.
• I just got a call from Doug McKechnie and due to the weather in London he may not deliver the tortillas and pasta (from J&D) today. Do you know anyone with a van driving from London today?
  

Check out our website for another new recipe from Dinah!

Self Checkout Reminder
We continue to offer a SELF CHECK-OUT option to those of you who are paying by cheque! We hope that this will help speed up the check out process for some of you who want to work out your total yourself.
We choose to trust our members. You know that if we lose money due to missing items or math mistakes, we won't survive. We will still have the regular check-out option for those of you who prefer it. If you notice an error (ours or yours), please let us know.

Pre-Packed Orders
If you indicated that you would like your items pre-packed when you ordered they will be ready after 5pm. Please ask a volunteer to get your order. Items requiring refrigeration will be added when you arrive.

Please enter through the white kitchen door off Caroline Street.
You will find a pickup slip with your name on it listing the items that you ordered this week. Pick up all your items (including those in the coolers, fridges and freezer), check out our Spontaneous Table then head to our checkout area.

We will have extra items for you to purchase on our Spontaneous Table in front of the blue cupboards just in case you forgot anything. Anyone can purchase items from the Spontaneous Table. You don't even have to be a Member!

There will be room to socialize and mingle. Expect your pick-up to take awhile. If you need help collecting your order, please ask!

In out checkout area, please help us and our volunteers by having items available to view for the checkout process. Please be patient as this area will likely be quite busy.

We accept payment in cash or cheque (made out to Bailey's Local Foods). The total from your shopping cart is always approximate. We will try to ensure that you only pay for the items available this week as local food can sometimes be unpredictable and items that are priced by the pound are approximate on the order form.

When writing cheques, please ensure that the date is correct (it's 2010!) and that the numbers you write (digits and words) match. Also, if you make your cheque out to anything other than "Bailey's Local Foods" the bank won't cash it. We need you to sign it too! Please help us to avoid these costly errors.

You need to bring your own bags to carry your items home. We have boxes, but do not have plastic bags. A limited number of cloth bags will be available for sale.

If possible, consider walking, biking or bringing a wagon to pick up your order. If you are driving, please park in the Waterloo Town Square Public Parking Lot. You can access the Waterloo Town Square Parking Lot by Caroline Street, Alexandra Avenue, Willis Way or King Street by the LCBO. We have been asked not to park in the church parking lot.

**Please don't forget to pick up your order! At approximately 6:30PM, if you have not picked up your order, we will call the number you provided (when you registered) with a friendly reminder. At 7:00PM we will pack up your order and add the $15 packing fee to your order total. If you have not picked up your order by 7:30PM (or when we finish cleaning up) your order will be donated - and you still get the pleasure of paying for it. We need to receive payment for this week's order before you can order for the following week.

If you are not happy with what you receive, all claims for missing/damaged items must be made at the pick-up site before 7:00PM that same day. After 7:00PM all sales are final.

Thank you,
Rachael and Nina
Bailey's Local Foods
www.baileyslocalfoods.ca 

P.S. We can use your fruit baskets and boxes as well as jars from preserves again if you return them.

Is this your first email from us? Read more at baileyslocalfoods.blogspot.com.

You are receiving this notification because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.
If you do not wish to receive Notifications in the future, please uncheck the Notifications box associated with your email address in Account Settings at https://www.100milesystems.com/baileyslocalfoods.ca/account.php

Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in.

Ordering for February 22 ends Tuesday at 8:00 PM

This is your reminder that you should place your order before Tuesday at 8:00PM to get great local food on February 22.
 
Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.

Happy Family Day!

We're planning some skating and road hockey today. Maybe a little Olympics watching too! Everyone else is sleeping as I start to write. I love a quiet house.

We've been enjoying the Watermelon Radishes from Soiled Reputation. When you cut into the light green radish the inside is a bright pink colour. It made me smile to see it. The kids are a bit disappointed as they don't taste like watermelon... oh well! They'll get their fill of the real thing in the summer!

Workshops at Little City Farm
Little City Farm offers really neat workshops that you may be interested in. The details are on their website at http://www.littlecityfarm.ca/index-2.php

"Since 2007 we have been offering ongoing workshops at Little City Farm. Our emphasis is on organic urban agriculture and traditional homesteading skills, but our workshop topics have also included simple living, slow food, natural building, eco crafting, and herbal health."

March Buying Club
In March we will be shortening the ordering period. Ordering will be open from March 6-11 (Saturday to Thursday). Pickup is still March 22.

Order Form FAQ
Are you having trouble finding items on our order form? Be sure to look for the additional menu choices such as "cheese" under the "dairy" section and "jam" under "preserves" in the "pantry" section. Don't forget the "onions" under "vegetables". We have tried to group items when there are a large range of choices for you. We also welcome suggestions on how to better organize our lists! We will do what we can.

If you are ever wondering when the current and next offering opens and closes you can check once you log in to the ordering system.

For example this month you will find:

Current Offering - Monday February 22, 2010

Edit an existing order to be picked up at First United Church (16 William Street West, Waterloo, ON) between Monday February 22, 2010 at 3:30 PM and Monday February 22, 2010 at 7:00 PM. Ordering will end on Tuesday February 16, 2010 at 8:00 PM

Next Offering - Monday March 22, 2010

The next ordering period will open Saturday March 6, 2010 at 11:00 PM and it will run until Thursday March 11, 2010 at 8:00 PM. It will be for orders to be picked up at First United Church (16 William Street West, Waterloo, ON) between Monday March 22, 2010 at 3:30 PM and Monday March 22, 2010 at 7:00 PM

Bring Food Home Conference
We are lucky that the Bring Food Homeconference is March 4-6 in Kitchener at the Delta Hotel. Nina will be taking part in panel discussions on Friday and Saturday morning.

"The conference will bring together a broad range of participants from diverse regions and sectors, including farmers, food enterprises, health promoters, community groups and government organizations. The purpose of this gathering is to facilitate our learning and working together to create food systems that are healthy, just, accessible, culturally appropriate, financially viable and sustainable."

Registration for the full conference is $325, but bursaries are available to significantly reduce costs.

All the details are online at bringfoodhome.com.

Oak Manor Update
Oak Manor has given us an updated list of where their grains are from. You can find it at http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ingredients.php.

Donations
Last month we added an option for you to donate through Bailey's. We will be providing local beans to the Waterloo Region Food Bank with the money you donated in January. Donations over $10 (through the 2010 year) are eligible for a tax receipt. We will be donating 100% of what you give to the food bank directly or by sending local food from our suppliers in the coming months.

Some of our donated food may even be used for CANstruction Waterloo Region. More details are at  https://www.thefoodbank.ca/Canstruction1.shtml.

Everyone is now awake and we have family who travelled to spend the day with us... now it's family time!

Have a great week!
Rachael
Bailey's Local Foods
baileyslocalfoods.ca

Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.

Is this your first email from us?
Read more at baileyslocalfoods.blogspot.com.

Items that you have placed in your shopping cart will be ordered on your behalf on Tuesday at 8:00PM. There is no checkout button. If you do not intend to order, please ensure that your shopping cart is empty.

You are receiving this notification because you are a member of Bailey's Local Food Buying Club.

If you do not wish to receive Notifications in the future, please uncheck the Notifications box associated with your email address in Account Settings at https://www.100milesystems.com/baileyslocalfoods.ca/account.php

Bailey's Buying Club - Ordering is now open for February 22, 2010

Click http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering to log-in and order.

Please be sure to read the wavier on our website when you log in. It reminds you that items placed your shopping cart are automatically saved (there is no 'checkout' button).

A message from Rachael

I have a few apologies to pass on from last month's pickup.

• Noah from Traditional Foods forgot 11 bags of potatoes last month and did not have time to drive back to get them. Sorry to the 11 people who did not get potatoes. We put a sign near the pickup slips, but I think it was pushed off the table, They should have all the potatoes you order this month!
• Perry from Oak Manor is working hard to make his system work. He's trying to iron out the kinks and will try to do a better job of filling orders this month so we'll hopefully get some of the products that have been out of stock in the last few months.
• Pete from Apple Creek Farm asks that you check the jars of apple sauce from December. Mine and at least one other customer's jar (as well as Pete's stock) were not properly sealed and a bit mouldy on top. Pete will replace a jar if yours was mouldy too (please email us). Pete's Apple Sauce is now available frozen in 1L containers.

Unfortunately I found that my apple sauce had gone bad when I tried feeding my nephew a gourmet meal of pureed squash from Lena and Pete's apple sauce. Messing with a hungry nine month old isn't smart. Luckily we had some apple sauce that Andrew had made in the freezer and after a quick zap in the microwave everyone was happy again!

Meals that Heal sent me an email to let me know that their soups are now available in glass jars! They should serve two people. I also tried their Lamb Shepherd's pie last week. Mmmm! I asked them if we could sell it so you'll find it on the order from this month! It had parsnips in it! I'll put the ingredients up online soon!

I got a message from the Galapagos Islands today asking when the order form would be open. Two friends are travelling and plan to order from South America this month. They return from a month's travels on the pickup date... it's almost like they planned it that way.

Steffanie sent on an invitation to a Family Day Event - Organic Stone Soup at St. Matthews Lutheran Church, 54 Benton Street, Kitchener on Monday, February 15, 11:00 am - 1:30 pm. You can get more information at this link.

Rachael

------

Hi Everybody,

I miss you during these long winter months when we only "chat" monthly. I've started checking our Bailey's Local Foods Facebook page more and staying connected that way. Too see us there go to http://www.facebook.com/baileyslocalfoods. We're also putting events in there that are related to changing the local food system.

 

So how is deep and dark February eating going for you? Have you crawled in bed with a plate of cupcakes yet? I've never tried it but it sounds like the ultimate winter hibernating. I have cupcakes on my mind because I'm making them for my hubby's birthday this weekend. Emily, a beloved check out volunteer, made us winter squash cupcakes that were divine. I was thinking about those but everybody is a sucker for chocolate. What would we do without chocolate?? Nothing local comes even close. What is the local equivalent of chocolate for you? Creme fresca on fresh raspberries?

Farmer Changes for 2010

Okay, must think about something other than sweets. Carrots. Still loving those carrots. I found 100 lbs of carrots that Lester and Irene Brubacher stored from the Fall. They live north of Elmira and grew 4,000 lbs of carrots last year. Happens to be the same amount that our buying club members bought in 2009! I'm trying to talk them into planting and storing 1,000 lbs for us. They have a vegetable washer and a place to store them so they are well set up. Funny thing, farmers don't do whatever I want. They say, "Well, I'll have to see what the children say about planting more carrots." Or, "I'm kind of tired of growing carrots and thought I'd try tomatoes this year." But but but, we NEED more carrots! I try not to sound desperate. I almost begged Eva to grow more of her super crisp and sweet carrots but her answer - after consulting with her children - is that they'd just grow as many as they did last year. I respect that.

I'm excited to be able to buy more from Brenda Knechtal this year. She lives near Wellesley and is certified organic. The barrier has been transportation but now that her neighbours Mike and Debbie are delivering their cucumbers and tomatoes to us, they can bring her order in too. Brenda is going to grow for us a mix of cherry tomatoes that made my mouth water when we were talking on the phone. She will even grow us Matt's Wild Cherry Tomato which is a variety that is tiny and grows like a branch of currants. She has a perennial tea garden which she is considering harvesting tea mixes for us. She has dried calendula tea ready for us now!

Selema has decided not to grow lettuce heads for us this year. Too much work and one of her children is leaving home so won't be able to help out. Selema's heads of lettuce are sooo lovely. So I'm looking for another farmer. Lester and Irene grow lettuce too but they don't grow it through the summer like Selema did, just in the early summer and then in Fall.

Traditional Food Hamburger Should Be Called Steakburger?

Noah and Bruce from Traditional Foods surprised me by stopping in on Wed night. We'd just eaten so I heated up plates for them of our not-so-local supper (salmon, pasta, and white sauce with peas on the side) and they sat there for a couple hours. I think they were just too tired to get back in the truck and drive the hour home. They were telling me that they did the number crunching on the costs of raising and butchering the steers and they have to raise the price of the hamburger. The other important reason the price is higher is that they are grinding up steaks into hamburger. Most places the hamburger is made from all the lower quality cuts and so it is higher in fat and those little pieces of cartilage or whatever it is that makes those chewy bits in cheap beef. Not Traditional Foods. This is NICE hamburger. So I don't think the price is raised yet this month but it will happen soon. I asked them to offer a 10lb box of hamburger at a bulk price this time for those of us who use that much in a month or two.

 

St. Agatha Farm Workshops and CSA

If you are finding that Bailey's Local Foods ordering and pick up does not fit into your life, take heart, we're going to try to offer a Wed and Fri pick up this season. If that still won't work for you, or you want a more direct connection to a farm and farmer, consider signing up for a CSA share with Garden Party and picking up your box near St. Agatha once a week. Theresa, the farmer and owner of Garden Party is also offering some tempting farm experiences. On Feb 13 you can hang out in the greenhouse with a small group of fellow gardeners and Theresa and pick your seeds for the year. Then she serves lunch in the greenhouse and grows the seedlings for you to pick up in June. Doesn't that sound lovely!? Check out her inspiring website: http://www.gardenparty.ca

 

It looks like Stuart's greenhouse tomatoes are not ready yet. Hang in there. We should be able to taste them in March. Antony has about 18 bags of gourmet salad mix. Shall we arm wrestle for it? I love eating it in a whole wheat tortilla with chevre.

 

Look for these foods this month:

• Celeriac from Paul Bowman is excellent in soups. Use in recipe in place of potatoes or celery.
• Ham or Roast Beef from Stemmler's is great on pizza or in wraps
• Frozen butternut squash from John and Lena Burkhardt. Because it is pureed, it is super easy to make a soup or muffins.

 

Garlic

My garlic has not stored well at all. That's an understatement. 50% of it is mouldy and moths have infested it. YUCK. I talked to Paul about it (who grew the garlic) and we have several theories. #1 It was a wet year which means produce has more water in it and does not store as well (often doesn't cure as well either). #2 We should not try to store seconds of garlic because only the blemish free ones keep well. #3 Paul had problems with nematodes in the garlic roots (wormies). He thought they were only in the roots but maybe some of them got into the heads and matured into moths. Conclusions: #1 Try try again. #2 Ask Country Flavour to can minced garlic that we can buy and use all winter.

 

Help Plan the Next 20 Years
The City of Waterloo is asking for input on our 20 year plan. See their website for the areas they are looking at and how to put your two cents worth in. If you want to see Waterloo a leader in a relocalised food system, tell them. How can Waterloo lead in this? With flexible zoning to encourage local food initiatives, stopping urban sprawl, and listening to local food leaders like Foodlink and the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable.

 

Keep eating with intention. You're changing the local food system one grocery shop at a time.

With respect,

Nina

Bailey's Local Foods
www.baileyslocalfoods.ca
P.S. We can use your fruit baskets and jars from preserves again if you return them.
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Baileys Local Food Buying Club - Pickup Reminder

If you put in an order this month it will be ready for you to pick up on Monday, January 18th from 3:30 until 7:00PM in Hilliard Hall at the First United Church at 16 William Street West in Waterloo. You can check your order by logging in at http://baileyslocalfoods.ca/ordering. If you checked trhe prepackaing option your order will be packed and ready for 5pm. Items that require refrigeration will not be pre-packed for health reasons.

I want to thank all our members for supporting local farmers and producers in 2009 and into 2010. If you have suggestions on what you want to buy this year, please let us know. It's seed ordering and planning season. I'm also quite surprised that we have 14 new members this month (January!) Welcome!!! Thank you to all those who have helped to 'market' Bailey's Local Foods.

Thank you for your generosity. We will be donating $220 to a local food based charity on your behalf. The House of Friendship and the Food Bank are both worthy causes we are considering donating to. Now I need to call them!

Items not available and things to look for on the Spontaneous Table:

• Grimo Hickory Nuts (are very tasty) and are in 1.5 lb bags to reflects the true cost. There will be extra nuts on the Spontaneous Table
• There will be extra 4 lb bags of unwashed carrots on the Spontaneous Table from Fertile Ground.
• Paul Bowman only has about 12 butternut squash available. Look for Delicata and Sweet Dumpling squash on the Spontaneous Table
• Soiled Reputation is sold out of Savoy cabbage, Large leeks, fingerling potatoes, and salad greens (I know... I'm sad about this too!). Baby carrots will be substituted with regular carrots.
  

Check out our website for another new recipe from Dinah. The recipe for Turkey Cutlets with Rosemary and Shallots sounded pretty yummy to me!

Self Checkout Reminder
We continue to offer a SELF CHECK-OUT option to those of you who are paying by cheque! We hope that this will help speed up the check out process for some of you who want to work out your total yourself. We started with self check-out in 2008 and now we are returning to our roots.
We choose to trust our members. You know that if we lose money due to missing items or math mistakes, we won't survive. We will still have the regular check-out option for those of you who prefer it. If you notice an error (ours or yours), please let us know.

Pre-Packed Orders
If you indicated that you would like your items pre-packed when you ordered they will be ready after 5pm. Please ask a volunteer to get your order. Items requiring refrigeration will be added when you arrive.

Please enter through the white kitchen door off Caroline Street.
You will find a pickup slip with your name on it listing the items that you ordered this week. Pick up all your items (including those in the coolers, fridges and freezer), check out our Spontaneous Table then head to our checkout area.

We will have extra items for you to purchase on our Spontaneous Table in front of the blue cupboards just in case you forgot anything. Anyone can purchase items from the Spontaneous Table. You don't even have to be a Member!

There will be room to socialize and mingle. Expect your pick-up to take awhile. If you need help collecting your order, please ask!

In out checkout area, please help us and our volunteers by having items available to view for the checkout process. Please be patient as this area will likely be quite busy.

We accept payment in cash or cheque (made out to Bailey's Local Foods). The total from your shopping cart is always approximate. We will try to ensure that you only pay for the items available this week as local food can sometimes be unpredictable and items that are priced by the pound are approximate on the order form.

When writing cheques, please ensure that the date is correct (it's 2009!) and that the numbers you write (digits and words) match. Also, if you make your cheque out to anything other than "Bailey's Local Foods" the bank won't cash it. We need you to sign it too! Please help us to avoid these costly errors.

You need to bring your own bags to carry your items home. We have boxes, but do not have plastic bags. A limited number of cloth bags will be available for sale.

If possible, consider walking, biking or bringing a wagon to pick up your order. If you are driving, please park in the Waterloo Town Square Public Parking Lot. You can access the Waterloo Town Square Parking Lot by Caroline Street, Alexandra Avenue, Willis Way or King Street by the LCBO. We have been asked not to park in the church parking lot.

**Please don't forget to pick up your order! At approximately 6:30PM, if you have not picked up your order, we will call the number you provided (when you registered) with a friendly reminder. At 7:00PM we will pack up your order and add the $15 packing fee to your order total. If you have not picked up your order by 7:30PM (or when we finish cleaning up) your order will be donated - and you still get the pleasure of paying for it. We need to receive payment for this week's order before you can order for the following week.

If you are not happy with what you receive, all claims for missing/damaged items must be made at the pick-up site before 7:00PM that same day. After 7:00PM all sales are final.

Thank you,
Rachael and Nina
Bailey's Local Foods
www.baileyslocalfoods.ca 

P.S. We can use your fruit baskets and boxes as well as jars from preserves again if you return them.

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