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Greetings members,

We are thrilled to announce the nominees for the 2011 Board Elections.  Elections will be held at our 2011 Annual Membership Meeting on Monday September 19th at 7 pm at the Co-op.

Currently there are two Patron Member seats open on the board.  Patron Members serve a two year term and provide critical leadership to our growing organization.

In addition, two Producer Member seats are also open.  At this time, there are no Producer Member nominees.  These two seats will be filled provisionally by Patron Member nominees, until which time as a Producer Member is nominated and elected by the Producer Member constituency.  At that time, the provisional Board member would become a Board member ex-officio for the remainder of the term.  These two seats will be open for re-election at the Annual meeting in 2012.

Remember: all LIFETIME members are eligible to vote.  If you are a New or Subscribing Member, and have not completed your application and payment for Lifetime Member Status, please stop by our Farm Store between now and Sunday, or arrive a few minutes early to our Annual Membership Meeting to complete your payment and paperwork.

If you have any questions, please email membership@homegrowncoop.org.

NOMINEES

1. Mark Garrett
2. Michael Hirsch
3. Shawn O’Brian
4. Stefanie Shames

Mark Garrett

1. Why would you like to serve on the Board of Directors Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

I have experience and skills developed over 30 years in this community that will help the organization move forward and it deserves to succeeded.

2. What experience or involvement have you had with Homegrown Local Food Cooperative or other cooperative enterprises?

At Homegrown I’ve only supported the market by buying.  A look at my resume will reveal my other involvements in many different organizations.

3. What opportunities and challenges do you see in the future for Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

The most recent issue of Edible Orlando has an article about bringing local produce to our schools.  I’d like to see how that can happen and work to do it.  Also the not-too-recent 60 Minutes episode about homelessness and hunger in our community is an area that I think Homegrown should explore.  We need to bring growers, charities, and business groups together to work on this issue, and Homegrown is perfectly poised to do that, and to help our local growers at the same time.

4. With reference to the “Criteria” for serving as a Homegrown Local Food Cooperative Board Director, what skills, formal training or education would you bring that directly contribute to the mission of Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

I’ve been a practicing lawyer for 33 years now (a partner in a multi-state firm and an owner of a small firm) and have represented many community groups and served on their boards, often as an officer.

5. Describe any professional or volunteer experience you have had that would provide insight or skills on the Homegrown Local Food Cooperative Board, including having served on a board or a governing committee of other organizations.

I was a founding member of the Orlando Shakespeare Festival and president of the board.  We created that organization and board from nothing to the success it became.  Homegrown can be just as vital an organization in this community.

See Resume

Michael Hirsch

1. Why would you like to serve on the Board of Directors Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

I would like to serve on the board because I think the co-op offers an invaluable service to the community and the products offered enhances peoples’ lives.

2. What experience or involvement have you had with Homegrown Local Food Cooperative or other cooperative enterprises?

I have been a loyal member of the co-op for 1.5 years. I have also co-chaired international conferences,and I understand how to collectively work with others to meet the needs of large common goals.

3. What opportunities and challenges do you see in the future for Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

As the demands increase (via continued increased membership and awareness), maintaining the quality of products and suppliers is of paramount importance. In addition,the increased demands will require smart organization of the limited space available at the co-op location. This is both an opportunity and a challenge.

4. With reference to the “Criteria” for serving as a Homegrown Local Food Cooperative Board Director, what skills, formal training or education would you bring that directly contribute to the mission of Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

I earned my PhD in Operations Research, and understand the theoretical and practical underpinnings of the supply chain, including efficiencies, organization, and systems optimization. In addition, I have a passion for providing healthy food for my family and spreading the word that food can be as pure as the co-op offers.

5. Describe any professional or volunteer experience you have had that would provide insight or skills on the Homegrown Local Food Cooperative Board, including having served on a board or a governing committee of other organizations.

I have co-chaired large, international conferences. I have led large research and development projects, necessitating the management of large budgets, schedules, and teams of diverse personnel.

See Resume

Shawn O’Brien

1. Why would you like to serve on the Board of Directors Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

I love the coop. I am passionate about the mission of providing sustainable, local, healthy alternatives that are severely lacking locally and in our country. The conventional supermarkets have few healthy choices and the control of large corporations over our food supply is sad. Clever marketing and inferior and unhealthy food products dominate our supermarkets and culture. True consumer demand, food
production transparency, food production accountability and educated minds should prevail to drive our food supply to meet and support healthy lifestyles. Our country was founded on agriculture and local farms are the future of sustainable agriculture and
healthy eating choices. I want to continue to support this great initiative and spread the word the vine and tree ripened fruits and vegetables grown locally and responsibly will always prove to be better choices and healthier choices than “transport ripened” unsafe
varieties and genetic modifications.

2. What experience or involvement have you had with Homegrown Local Food Cooperative or other cooperative enterprises?

Other then placing orders and visiting the store, I have none.

3. What opportunities and challenges do you see in the future for Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

Continuing to spread the word and grow, to educate the community on healthy eating and responsible sustainable agriculture. People need to understand and be able to taste the difference in quality of locally grown vine ripened products and responsible products.

4. With reference to the “Criteria” for serving as a Homegrown Local Food Cooperative Board Director, what skills, formal training or education would you bring that directly contribute to the mission of Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

I am an attorney and have been licensed to practice law in the state of Florida since 1999. In my undergraduate education I received a Bachelors of Science in Accountancy. I have experience in development and management of legal entities that are similarly structured to our coop. I currently work in the hospitality industry and am involved in the management of cooperative and condominium legal structure resorts, residences and mixed-use projects in multiple jurisdictions throughout the United States and abroad. I manage, participate in, and facilitate in excess of 250 membership meetings and board of directors meetings each year. I am directly involved with the operations, long term planning, budgeting, facilities, experience, cash flow and finances of these similarly structure organizations.

See Bio

Stefanie Shames

1. Why would you like to serve on the Board of Directors Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

I have devoted my life to serving others through education. My vocation is not separate from my personal life. My purpose is fulfilled by serving to help others reach their potential. My passion has been helping students, faculty and staff members reach new levels so that they in turn will have the skills and knowledge to make our community a better place. Serving on the Board of Directors of Homegrown Local Food Cooperative is an extension of that passion to serve for the betterment of our community at large. Locally grown food helps stimulate our local economy and protects our environment from unnecessary product packaging filling up our landfills and fumes from the transport of our food polluting our air. For the past 15 years I have walked the aisles of supermarkets looking in vain, until recently, for just one loaf of bread without High Fructose Corn Syrup to feed my children. It is now time for me to give back in another way to make the food and environment in our community better for our children. I would be honored to have the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors.

2. What experience or involvement have you had with Homegrown Local Food Cooperative or other cooperative enterprises?

My involvement has been as a purchaser of food.

3. What opportunities and challenges do you see in the future for Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

I see numerous opportunities to educate the public and provide the Greater Orlando community with fresh and organic locally grown foods. I see a challenge in convincing others that perhaps a higher cost for locally grown and/or organic foods stimulates our local economy and contributes to healthy living. I see the opportunity for partnerships with other community agencies to use the products of Homegrown’s producers and to hold joint events to promote healthy living.

4. With reference to the “Criteria” for serving as a Homegrown Local Food Cooperative Board Director, what skills, formal training or education would you bring that directly contribute to the mission of Homegrown Local Food Cooperative?

My education and experiences as a middle school principal, professor of educational budgeting, and member and officer of numerous committees and boards, have given me a variety of opportunities to participate in activities requiring group processing skills that lead to collaborative decision-making. I facilitate the work of departments, teams, Professional Learning Communities, the School Advisory Council and the PTSA at my school. I am a systems thinker and understand maintaining a professional attitude and maintaining confidentiality. I manage a multi-million dollar school budget and use the funds to provide needed services to our students. I analyze the school budget and make major financial decisions for materials and supplies, services, purchased goods and personnel. In addition to being the instructional leader at my school, I am responsible for the total operation: facilities, maintenance, custodial, cafeteria, technology and personnel. I would equate my position to that of a CEO, but in the public sector. I have a duty to act with integrity, flexibility and common sense. I would love to participate in financial statement training, if it is offered, because I may not be familiar with the format used by the Homegrown Cooperative. I have an understanding of natural foods and nutrition, a commitment to sustainable and/or organic farming practices and experience with email as a means of communication.
5. Describe any professional or volunteer experience you have had that would provide insight or skills on the Homegrown Local Food Cooperative Board, including having served on a board or a governing committee of other organizations.

This is my second year as president of the Orange County Middle School Principals’ Association. I am a Board Member for my school’s PTSA. I am also a member of numerous committees, all with the purpose of leading students to success with the support of families and the community. I would also like to add that as a mother of three children ranging in ages from 12 to 25, I have had years of researching healthy eating. About 15 years ago, when my middle child was young, I read an article in the Journal of Pediatrics about the effects of food dyes on the behavior of children. This was confirmed by our pediatrician and I immediately attempted to eliminate this from the diet. I was then led to the Feingold diet for him, with mixed results, but I became keenly aware of the number of artificial flavors, colors and preservatives in our foods and set out to eliminate them from my home. The road has been difficult with the easy accessibility of convenience foods and the allure of the school lunch vs. what I have packed in the lunchbox. I do not have time to plant my own garden, but thanks to the Homegrown Local Food Cooperative, I now have healthy food options for my family. When I hear about recalls I don’t have to worry about the place of origination of my food. I would like to serve to help ensure the long-term growth of the Cooperative for our community.

See Resume

The Red Ranger chicken is a slower growing bird which takes about ten weeks to reach harvest weight, compared to about 6 weeks for your conventional chicken.  The breast meat is on a long keel and is in natural proportion to the leg meat.  The slower growth rate of these birds results in a firmer, deeper flavored chicken similar to the chicken that our grand parents might have eaten.

Our free range birds are allowed to forage on grass and bugs in our large movable electric fenced paddocks.  They are supplemented with an all natural vegetarian feed that does not contain any antibiotics, growth stimulants, or arsenic that is present in most conventionally produced chicken.

Posted on September 13, 2010 by John Edward Burt at Food Health Culture blog

A number of people have asked me about submitting comments to the FDA regarding the genetically engineered salmon. I have finally submitted my own public comments on the matter, and I documented the steps so you can follow along. Read full article →

This article include a step by step process for submitting your comments to the FDA

1. In your web browser, go to the Federal Government’s regulations.gov website

By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The first genetically modified animal could move one step closer to the U.S. market on Monday, when a federal advisory panel makes its recommendation on whether such food — a salmon — is safe for consumers to eat.

Both Food and Drug Administration staff and the salmon’s maker, Aqua Bounty Technologies Inc, have said the faster growing fish appears to be the same as normal Atlantic salmon and poses no threat to the environment or diners.

But consumer advocates, environmentalists and others have protested the move. They say there is not enough data to show that eating it does not cause side effects such as allergic reactions or that accidental escape will not harm other fish.

On Monday, an FDA panel of medical experts will advise the FDA on whether there is “reasonable certainty” that the engineered salmon is safe to eat or if there is a potential environmental threat. The agency will weigh the recommendations before making its final decision later….

Read Entire Article.

Amy Goodman interviews Percy Schmeiser. Hear the Story of a Canadian Farmer’s Fight to Defend the Rights of Farmers and the Future of Seeds

The Corn Refiners Association appears to be taking a cue from Blackwater: After all that bad press, they are rebranding. Starting now, we are all supposed to start referring to high-fructose corn syrup by the gentler, more fresh-from-nature sounding “corn sugar.” They even havea new website up about it.

“The name ‘corn sugar’ more accurately reflects the source of the food (corn), identifies the basic nature of the food (a sugar), and discloses the food’s function (a sweetener),” the petition said.

I mean, sure. But that’s obviously not the reasoning behind the name change. One would guess that has more to do with the fact that HFCS has been fingered as obesity’s public enermy number one, the overconsumption of which has been linked to countless chronic health problems.

The FDA has yet to OK the official on-label name change, but the corn people are already at work on the rest of us. On Sunday night I saw a TV ad for the stuff that featured sweeping shots of nature, and the website has pretty pictures of corn fields, expert quotes, and information for dietitians about how not-bad-for-you HFCS is.

I find it hard to imagine that people will take the bait on this (though there’s little doubt in my mind the FDA will). What do you think?

Original Story:  http://www.good.is/post/corn-syrup-gets-rebranded-corn-sugar/

Windom, Minnesota (CNN) — Within moments of meeting Tony Thompson, you can tell he sees the world from a different tilt.

His frayed shirt pocket is stuffed so full of notes that it’s ripping at the seams. Hairy eyebrows spring off his face like grasshopper antennae. There’s a purple prairie clover stuck in the dash of his van, a bird book below the radio.

He says bizarre, eco-minded things like “I want to be a chloroplast.”

So maybe it should come as no surprise that this wild-haired, icy-eyed farmer in southwest Minnesota is among the first people at this latitude to make an important intellectual leap:

He sees people who live and work near the Gulf of Mexico as his neighbors — even though they’re 1,200 miles away…

Read Entire Article Here:

By Rady Ananda

GMO grapevines destroyed (AFP)

Early Sunday morning, French police stood helpless as sixty people, locked inside an open-air field of genetically modified grapevines, uprooted all the plants.  In Spain last month, dozens of people destroyed two GMO fields. On the millennial cusp, Indian farmers burned Bt cotton in their Cremate Monsanto campaign. Ignored by multinational corporations and corrupt public policy makers, citizens act to protect the food supply and the planet.

The French vineyard is the same field attacked last year when the plants were only cut. But the security features installed after that incident kept authorities at bay while the group accomplished its mission yesterday….

Read Entire Article Here