Great little video about the benefits of a cooperative

Submitted by Graham Mitchell on Mon, 21/11/2011 - 9:25am

As some of you may be aware, 2012 has been designated the International Year of Cooperatives by the United Nations, and as a result there is a huge amount of work going on in the cooperative movement to celebrate this and promote the benefits of the cooperative model. The global economic crisis shows no signs of abating, so there has never been a better time for an economic model that places people and community to the fore to gain some attention.

Of course the Green Valley Grocer is a cooperative, democratically owned and controlled by its members, and we'll be doing our bit over the coming year to raise awareness of cooperatives. As a start to that here's a great little video clip you might want to watch that was made by the Canadian Cooperative Association. It's a tad overlong to my mind, at 2 minutes, but nonetheless does a great job at communicating osme highly relevant messages.

 

 

Allotment plot available

 We have been approached at the GVG by a lady who has a section of garden which could be used as an allotment. It is on Manchester Road near Linthwaite. If you are interested, please contact us via email, Facebook or call into the shop.

Weigh your Colne Valley Garlic Crop

Submitted by Graham Mitchell on Tue, 30/08/2011 - 9:17am
Look at our garlic crop

Here's a picture of my kids taken yesterday with our freshly harvested garlic crop. All of this garlic was grown from a few bulbs bought from the Green Valley Grocer at last year's Colne Valley Local Food Festival. We planted it in the autumn, and lifted it all last weekend (end of August).

I've yet to weigh it, but it certainly compares well with the crop we grew a couple of years ago, and I estimate that this lot will see us through until next summer, saving us at least fifty quid to say nothing of having the pleasure of growing and eating our own garlic.

Last year's Garlic Challenge set out to raise awareness of the fact that depsite the fact that garlic grows well in this part of the world we continue to import large amounts of garlic from as far afield as China (much of the garlic available in the wholesale fruit and veg market does come from China, and not southern Europe as most of us might assume). At this year's Food Festival we will be holding a garlic Weigh-In, where you can bring your crop, or some of it, and get it weighed and logged so we can get some sense of the scale of what we can grow as a community to meet our own needs. Check this website for more details as we get closer to the festival weigh-in on September 18th. Send us your garlic photos and stories and we'll put the best up on the website.

There will also be a chance to pre-order seed garlic for next year. By aggregating our orders into one big one we'll get a better price. I'll be using some of my best bulbs from this year's crop, and I'll be ordering some seed garlic as well to see how the two compare.

ORGANIC PRODUCE - yes or no ??

 The great organic food debate rumbles on - whether it's better for you, whether it's worth paying a little more for it, should it be inside or outside the shop, and, from a business point of view, whether there is enough of a demand for it.

Chatting to customers yesterday, I found them to be divided about all of these issues, but eager to have the discussion.

So, spread the word, we want to know what you, your family, and friends, think.

If you are pro-organics, are you prepared to buy organic ?

Do you want a larger range of organic fruit and veg in the shop, and are you bothered by the various accreditations that are available (at some cost) to growers, or happy to buy local stuff that hasn't been treated.

You can tell us in the shop or you can email us at shop@slaithwaite.coop

And remember - its your shop  - we want it to reflect your ideas and stock what you want to buy.

Garlic Challenge Update

 Hopefully the garlic we all planted last year is growing well - don't be tempted to harvest it yet - unless that is, you want to use it as 'green' garlic, which can be chopped and cooked as a vegetable.

Garlic is generally ready for harvesting when most of the foliage has turned yellowy-brown and fallen over.  For me  this is usually around the end of August, but given the many micro-climates in the Colne Valley, your's may be at a slightly different time.

When harvesting garlic bulbs, gently ease them out of the ground with the assistance of a trowel, taking care not to bruise them.

Leave out to dry in the sun (hopefully) or in a dry place, where they can be stored for quite a while. In my experience, garlic harvested in Slaithwaite in early September has lasted my family until the following spring when stored correctly.

And don't forget, we are having a GRAND GARLIC CHALLENGE WEIGH IN during the Colne Valley Food Festival in mid September - details will follow and be advertised in the shop.

We're Redeveloping the Shop!

Green Valley Grocer retail redevelopment underway

After what feels like months of discussion and planning work started in earnest yesterday (Saturday May 28) to remove the partition wall at the back of the shop and expand the retail area.

Much dust and muck was created, as you can see, but by lunchtime on Sunday the worst was over and work began on making good, and getting the space fit for use.

A fantastic volunteer effort from all concerned - notably Mike and Ange, Jon, Jim, Susan, Tony, Pip, Carol, and Jane (apologies if I've missed anyone off).

Carol and Ange get to grips with the final remains of the partition wall

Work will continue through the bank holiday weekend with the goal of re-opening the shop as usual on Tuesday morning. We might not be fully finished by then, but the team a re working really hard to make it happen.

Green Valley Grocer Now Selling Seeds !

 We now have a selection of vegetable seeds on sale.  They are from Suttons Seeds, and are all suitable for mid-season and autumn sowing.

 

So if you haven't planted yours yet, and would like to have a go, pick up a packet.

 

Incuded in the range are purple sprouting broccoli, winter lettuce, spring cabbage, beetroot and salad leaves.

 

If these prove popular we aim to increase the range next year.

Gluten-free range

We are currently reviewing our stock and thinking of ways in which we can serve our customers better.  One range of products that we stock a limited selection of  is gluten-free.

If you, or someone you know, regularly buys gluten-free food, or would like to be able to source things closer to home, please drop in or get in touch and let us know the products you would like to see in the shop.

You can contact us by phone on 01484 598050, or via email, shop@slaithwaite.coop

Thank you !

It's growing time again !

 Please remember The Green Valley Grocer when you sow your seeds, and plant a few for us !

We hope to stock even more local produce this year, and our ability to do this is down to people like you.

Although we are always looking for larger scale, local producers to get involved with the shop, the fruit and veg patches of our customers and members have done Slaithwaite proud for the last two seasons, and will hopefully continue to do so in increasing numbers in the future.

So if your garlic is growing well, and you are planning potatoes or cabbage, tomatoes or strawberries - anything really, please plant a few for the shop, and get in touch and let us know.

You can contact shop staff through the website, or Helen Coxan, Local Food Co-ordinator, on 01484 598050/email:helen@slaithwaite.coop

 

STOP PRESS: watch out for The GVG Harvest Challenge competition which is about to be launched, giving local people the chance to have their produce cooked by celebrity chef, Stephen Jackson !  Details to follow ...

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