Co-op Table Spring 2023 Supporting Local Cooperatives
It’s an exciting time to watch cooperatives locally and around the state begin, grow and thrive! Thanks in part to the Northwest Cooperative Development Center, cooperative businesses are popping up like mushrooms, all... More »
Co-op Table Spring 2021 How can we, as the complicated group of individuals who make up the Olympia Food Co-op, contribute to healing, and what does that mean? Why do we have a sense that we all need a new... More »
Co-op Table Winter 2022 Sharing the Hot Pot Tradition By Mie Olson, Staff member
Hot pot is deeply rooted in many cultures around the globe. In Japan where I grew up, as we feel the cold wind and step on... More »
Co-op Table Fall 2022The Olympia Food Co-op Is 45 This Year! The purpose of the Olympia Food Co-op is to contribute to the health and well being of people by providing wholesome foods and other goods and services, accessible... More »
Co-op Table Summer 202245 Years of Co-op LocalA compilation of local musings by writers over the years, including Erin Majors, Grace Cox, Jennifer Shafer, Maureen Tobin, Robyn Wagoner and Tina Shubert
Co-op Table Spring 2022 Supporting a Resilient and Sustainable Food System By Maureen Tobin, Staff member In my time at the Co-op, the question of how to plan for the future, in a collectively-managed, consensus-based organization, has always been a... More »
Co-op Table Fall 2021Free Groceries to Fight Hunger By Desdra Dawning, Co-op Member Have you heard about or seen the free grocery store in Olympia? Its current location at the time of this writing is in the parking lot... More »
Co-op Table Summer 2021 Growing Diversity: A Fresh Look at Farmers
This is the farmer that comes in a Lego farm set. Here in Thurston county however, your farmer is nearly as likely to be female. The most recent Census... More »
Co-op Table Fall 2020 SOME TIPS ON COZYING UP WITH YOURSELF FOR THE LONG HAUL QUARANTINE Who thought quarantine would last this long?! What started as an opportunity to complete projects and engage in some self-care has become too lengthy... More »
RECYCLING, REDUCING, REUSING On January 1st the City of Olympia made some changes to their curbside recycling program. They will no longer be picking up glass, poly-coated materials like milk/juice cartons, frozen food boxes, etc, and aseptic containers, like soy... More »
Co-op Table Winter 2019 PDF LOCAL FARMS PROGRAM An integral mission of the Olympia Food Co-op has been its commitment to support and cultivate local producers and businesses. The Local Farms Program is a system implemented by the produce department,... More »
Co-op Table Fall 2019 PDF TIME TO VOTE! Every year at this time, the Board of Directors of the Olympia Food Cooperative look to the November ballot as a time to open their doors to incoming new directors. This process... More »
Co-op Table Summer 2019 PDF A GROCERY CO-MANAGER DREAMS OF GOING LOCAL: FOR A STRONGER LOCAL ECONOMY The local multiplier effect is an economic benefit that independent businesses bring to an area economy through money spent in the community. While... More »
Co-op Table Spring 2019 PDF BULK & PLASTIC It is pretty common knowledge that our consumer lifestyle in the developed and developing world is the source for the islands of plastic now floating in our oceans. We have come to... More »
Co-op Table Winter 2018 PDF SEED STARTING February marks the beginning of spring gardening in the Pacific Northwest because it’s the time we begin indoor seed starting. The whys and hows of this seemingly fussy process — with its many... More »
Co-op Table Fall 2018 PDF ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING Join us on November 3rd, 2018, for Olympia Food Co-op’s 41st Annual Membership Meeting, held from 11:00 am to 3:00 p.m. at the Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. NW.
Our Annual Membership... More »
Co-op Table Summer 2018 PDF TIME TO GET YOUR GRILL ON! Olympia has encountered some very hot days the last few summers, and I know I’m not alone in living in a house that doesn’t have air conditioning. One of... More »
Co-op Table Spring 2018 PDF THE EASIEST GARDEN IS AN HERB GARDEN If you have any kind of outdoor space available to you – a yard, a porch, or windowsill you can hang a planter box from – I advise... More »
Co-op Table Winter 2017 PDF CELEBRATING FORTY YEARS! The Co-op celebrated our 40th anniversary at our annual membership meeting on Saturday, October 28, at the Olympia Center in downtown. If you weren’t one of the 300 or so folks who... More »
Co-op Table Fall 2017 PDF ROUND UP AT THE REGISTER 1. SUPPORTING THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT IN VENEZUELA One of the round ups at Co-op registers happening this fall supports CECOSESOLA, a cooperative network in Venezuela deeply tied to members of... More »
Co-op Table Summer 2017 PDF AN INTERVIEW WITH SARIKA IGLOI Sarika Igloi, staff member & eastside Faerie Gardener Coordinator, is interviewed by staff member, Whitney Bard.
Whitney Bard (WB): How long have you worked at the Co-op and what positions... More »
Co-op Table Spring 2017 PDF MICHELLE NOEL CHEESE PROFESSIONAL Michelle Noel, staff member & Cheese Manager, is interviewed by staff member, Whitney Bard.
Whitney Bard (WB): How long have you worked at the Co-op/been a manager of the cheese department?... More »
Co-op Table Winter 2016 PDF THE OLYMPIA FOOD CO-OP CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF CO-OP LOCAL IN 2017 When it comes to your food, the declaration of “locally sourced” is everywhere these days. You’ve seen it: local cheese, local produce, local... More »
Co-op Table Fall 2016 PDF COOPERATIVES AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY: CRUCIAL FOR SURVIVAL This July and August, several cooperative workers from Olympia are visiting CECOSESOLA, a huge network of cooperatives in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, marking the second exchange with our friends... More »
Co-op Table Summer 2016 PDF DON’T FORGET THE WATER: PADDLE TO NISQUALLY CANOE JOURNEY 2016 The Olympia Food Co-op is honored to be counted among the sponsors of the 2016 Canoe Journey, hosted by the Nisqually Tribe, taking place this... More »
Co-op Table Spring 2016 PDF MOVEMENT SOLIDARITY: THE FIGHT FOR $15 The Olympia Food Co-op, in an attempt to “support efforts to foster a socially and economically egalitarian society”, has passed a resolution to bring its starting wage for collective... More »
Co-op News October & November 2015 PDF BOARD REPORT Last month an anti-oppression training was offered to new Co-op staff and Board members. I learned that I needed to build on this training because, while a lot of us found... More »
Co-op News July & August & September 2015 PDF SO MANY DELICIOUS THIRST QUENCHING DRINKS, SO MANY HOT SUMMER DAYS! Water makes up more than half of the human body. It also helps us regulate our temperature, lubricate our joints... More »
Co-op News May & June 2015 PDF A BETTER WAY TO CASH IN ON THE COCONUT CRAZE Health conscious consumers are going crazy for coconuts. Pitched by a cast of ageless celebrities, coconut water has exploded into a $1 billion... More »
Co-op News February & March & April 2015 PDF WESTSIDE GARDEN CENTER: OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR THE SEASON Spring is coming: it’s time to get dirty. By the time this article reaches you the westside Olympia Food Co-op’s garden center will... More »
Co-op News December 2014 & January 2015 PDF A MESSAGE OF GRATITUDE: PHILIPPINE TYPHOON RELIEF ROUND UP UPDATE Daghang salamat (many thanks) to the Olympia Food Co-op community for raising $1,210 for the Philippine typhoon relief through the round up... More »
Co-op News October & November 2014 PDF BOARD REPORT As I look back on four years of volunteer work on the Board of Directors, I’m struck anew by the uniqueness and beauty of our community cooperative – a grocery store... More »
Co-op News August & September 2014 PDF LOCAL AT THE OLYMPIA FOOD CO-OP The Olympia Food Co-op has a well established local buying program that we are very proud of. We carry locally and regionally produced items in every department... More »
Co-op News April & May 2014 PDF A VISIT TO COLVIN RANCH Walking around Colvin Ranch for the first time was a surreal event to say the least. I was coming to the end of a three day long Evergreen... More »
Co-op News February & March 2014 PDF WHAT’S NEW AT THE CO-OP THIS YEAR? The staff collective put a lot of plans on hold in 2013 as we worked to resolve an unbalanced budget and build our cash reserves. Therefore,... More »
Co-op News December 2013 & January 2014 PDF STAFF PROFILE: GRACE & HARRY Grace Cox and Harry Levine are coming up on their 30th anniversaries with the Olympia Food Co-op. Both admit that back in 1984, when they first signed... More »
Co-op News October & November 2013 PDF LABELING GM (GENETICALLY MODIFIED) FOODS: LOCAL FARMERS REACH OUT TO CO-OP MEMBERS So much is determined by seeds – a plant’s vigor and suitability to our soils, climate and palates. Seeds which are... More »
Co-op News August & September 2013 PDF WHERE DOES THE CO-OP STAND ON GMOS? Human history is replete with cautionary tales about our interactions with natural systems. From decimating salmon runs to introducing Cane Toads to Australia to dealing with... More »
Co-op News June & July 2013 PDF FOOD: SECURITY OR SOVEREIGNTY? When I think of “security,” I think of deadbolts, the faux cops that patrol parking structures, alarm systems, and the Department of Homeland Security. Perhaps the meaning has been... More »
Co-op News April & May 2013 PDF WHO INVENTED CO-OPS? In December of 1844, a man wheeled a wagon across the fourteen cold and muddy miles from Manchester to Rochdale, England. Inside the wagon were a few pounds each of... More »
Co-op News February & March 2013 PDF UNION STRIKE AT CO-OP DISTRIBUTOR As you may have gathered while shopping in our stores in November and December, the Co-op has been engrossed in ways to support union workers striking against United... More »
Co-op News December 2012 & January 2013 PDF INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF COOPERATIVES When we heard that the United Nations designated 2012 to be the International Year of Cooperatives, the Board and staff felt immediate excitement. Finally, co-ops would get some... More »
Co-op News October & November 2012 PDF STRATEGIC PLANNING As folks who read last issue’s board report know, in June the Co-op Board of Directors spent two days together thinking about the future. This event grew out of a feeling... More »
Co-op News August & September 2012 PDF CECOSESOLA COMES TO OLYMPIA As I take in the familiar surroundings – the melon green walls of the Olympia Food Co-op’s main meeting room (which is about a third the size of the... More »
Co-op News April & May 2007 PDF ENVISIONING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE CO-OP As some of you may have read in last year’s Co-op News, an Ecological Planning Committee has formed here at the Olympia Food Co-op. We are... More »
PRODUCT IMAGES AND THE CO-OP, AN EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE February and March honor the cultures and legacies of African Americans and women by declaring these months as national heritage months (there are also other heritage months throughout the year). So it... More »
SHOULD THE CO-OP ACCEPT CREDIT & DEBIT CARDS? The Co-op does not accept credit or debit cards for payment. Back in 1999, we did extensive research to explore whether or not we should add this option at the cash registers.... More »
ORGANIC: FROM THE GROUND UP Summer is here again, and along with it, the local growing season. A time of year when the amount of sun is measured instead of rain; when people can be seen spending time outside, in... More »
Co-op News June & July 2006 PDF GARDENING SEASON IS HERE! With the warm weather of spring and summer comes the height of the gardening season. Beginning each year in February, our garden centers start filling up and brimming over... More »
Co-op News April & May 2006 PDF THE HIGH COST OF NEW BAGS March was National Waste Awareness Month, and the staff members want to honor our members who already contribute to the reduction of waste. You are the ones... More »
Co-op News February & March 2006 PDF ANTI-OPPRESSION AND THE CO-OP The subject of anti-oppression is multifaceted and makes every person think of something different. Even though there are many researched and documented facts on the subject, it inevitably triggers... More »
Co-op NewsDecember 2005 & January 2006PDF CO-OP DONATIONS There are many joyful things about working at the Co-op, and one of the most joyful things that I get to do is coordinate the donations budget. I love giving... More »
Co-op News October & November 2005 PDF FAIR TRADE WITHIN YOUR REACH It’s easy to sink into political depression these days. The news is bad, from the ongoing war against Iraq to the horrible bungling of the Hurricane Katrina relief... More »
Co-op News August & September 2005 PDF LEFT FOOD ORGANICS: MORE THAN LOCAL PRODUCE Do you ever wonder where those robust heads of lettuce, spicy bunches of mustard greens, and deliciously crunchy bundles of bok choy come from? Have you... More »
Co-op News June & July 2005 PDF THE CO-OP GARDEN CENTERS HAVE GROWN! Summer is here, and nowhere are people more happy than in the coastal Pacific Northwest, where the winter (and spring and fall) usually consists of one long,... More »
Co-op News April & May 2005 PDF LOCAL PRODUCE AT THE OLYMPIA FOOD CO-OP Did you know that the Olympia Food Co-op works in partnership with local farms and orchards to bring you the freshest produce available? In addition to... More »
FAIR TRADE United Farm Workers are teaming up with small orchardists in Washington state to produce what will be the nation’s first fairly traded apples and pears. Recognizing that farmworkers and small farmers have more economic commonalities than differences, the... More »
Co-op News Summer 2000 PDF ASSISTED SHOPPER PROGRAM At long last, the Olympia Food Co-op is proud to now offer an Assisted Shopper Program to its members! What is an Assisted Shopper Program? Well, at the Co-op, it means that... More »
Co-op News April 2000 PDF HELP NEEDED TO INCLUDE ORGANICS IN WASHINGTON’S WIC PROGRAM Did you know that 44% of the infants in the United States receive vouchers from WIC, the joint state and federal Women Infants and Children supplemental... More »
Co-op News November 1997 PDF EDITORS NOTE As press time drew near, and I still hadn’t written my column, I searched my thoughts for what message I wanted to share in this “holiday” issue of the Co-op News. In past... More »
Co-op News July 1997 PDF EASTSIDE Author and international lecturer Quentin Crisp once said, “My function in life was to render clear what was already blindingly conspicuous.” In my case, though, that isn’t necessarily so …
The problem over the... More »
Co-op News November 1995 PDF EASTSIDE My goodness! Would you look at those leaves turning colors! I just love this time of year! We’ve bid a fond farewell to September and rushed head long into October with nary a backward... More »
Co-op News September 1994 PDF THE GREEN STAR AWARD Every morning, I hear the crash of glass outside my bedroom window. It’s not a car accident or a demolition crew, it is the sound of a local restaurant bar’s bottles... More »
Co-op News September 1993 PDF A DEAL IS BORN Have you heard the big news yet? The members approved the recommendation to buy the property at 3111 SE Pacific Ave. The vote total was 665 in favor of the recommendation... More »
Co-op News Winter 1987 PDF HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US! The Co-op celebrated its 10th Birthday in 1986, and a rousing evening of entertainment and dancing was held to honor a decade of hard work, steady growth and cooperative spirit.
About... More »
Co-op News Fall 1987 PDF SUGAR POLICY The present policy on sugars in the Co-op was developed to support healthy eating habits and global food politics. This is outlined in the pro and con statements following the ballot question, which... More »
Co-op News Winter 1986 PDF BLUE HERON BAKERY FLYING HIGH The Blue Heron Bakery was put into granny gear in 1977 by Greg Reinemer, Carmella Courtney, and Teri Turner. Created with the ideals of creating good food, non-hierarchical working conditions,... More »
Co-op News Summer 1986 PDF CHEESELAND With the coming of the deli, there are a lot of changes in the cheese department, Some specialty cheeses are available in the new deli, as well as the display cooler. Deli services include... More »
Co-op News Spring 1986 PDF LITTLE DELI HITS THE BIG TIME For the past few months the Co-op has been conducting an experiment called the Little Deli. Every Wednesday a Co-op staff person (myself) has been whipping up approximately 40... More »
Co-op News Winter 1985 PDF INTRODUCING NEWEST STAFF MEMBERS AND… GRACE COX Born a Dallas Cowboys fan in 1951, Grace quickly switched loyalties in 1975 when the Seattle Seahawks joined the NFL. She was 9 for 13 in Wave participation... More »
Co-op News Fall 1985 PDF WATER FOR LIFE Imagine walking a mile to the river, digging a hole in the dry river bed, waiting 2 hours for it to fill your bowl, and then carrying the fifty pound bowl on... More »
Co-op News Summer 1985 PDF BEATRICE BUYS MOUNTAIN HIGH Some Co-op members have suggested that we stop carrying Mountain High yogurt since the new packaging proudly proclaims its ownership by the Beatrice (“You’ve known us all along”) Corporation. While we... More »
Co-op News Spring 1985 PDF HEALTHY SWEETS Goodies and sweets! Why do most of us, especially kids, crave them? Sweets appeal because they are immediately pleasing to the taste and offer a quick energy boost. However a drastic drop in... More »
Co-op News Fall 1984 PDF CO-OP BUILDING REALLY OURS! The results are in! For those of you who haven’t heard it through the grapevine, WE’VE BOUGHT THE BUILDING—yet another milestone in the Olympia Food Co-op’s history. Thanks to the organized... More »
WHO WILL DO THE WORK? One bright summer morning, the little read hen thought how lovely it would be to have fresh bread for her family. “Who would like fresh-baked bread?” She asked her chicks.
“We would,” they all shouted.... More »
Co-op News Spring 1984 PDF NEW STAFF FACES ON CO-OP SCENE Rapid development brought some growing pains to the Olympia Food Co-op in 1982-83. The good news for the members: increased services and product selection, along with a new financial... More »
Co-op News February 1981 PDF PESTICIDES KILL — — EAT ORGANIC Pesticides are chemicals manufactured for the purpose of killing organisms that interfere with production of commercial crops. They have been used extensively since World War II. Most of them... More »
Co-op News December 1978 PDF CO-OP STILL IN BUSINESS Whatever became of the Co-op’s financial crisis last summer? Is the Co-op going to survive? Does anybody know? Yes, some of us have some of the answers. The purpose of this... More »
Co-op News September 1978 PDF FINANCIAL HISTORY The financial crisis the Co-op has been going through actually started when the Co-op opened in March, 1977. The Co-op started several thousand dollars in debt, from initial start-up expenses and the initial... More »
Co-op News August 1978 PDF SENATE PASSES BANK BILL The National Consumer Co-operative Bank Act passed the Senate by a vote of 60 to 33 on July 13, 1978. The House of Representatives passed its companion bill a year ago.... More »
Co-op News June 1978 PDF CDC ISSUES For those who have been unable to attend any of the Wednesday evening get-togethers down at Radiance, here is a brief sketch of what the Olympic CDC has been up to:
Since the... More »
Co-op News May 1978 PDF EVALUATIONS, VISIONS AND GOALS The Co-op has been open for over a year. It has played an important role in the Olympia community by supplying a basic need; good, cheap food, within a community owned,... More »
Co-op News April 1978 PDF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE HOLDS BENEFIT On April 16th the Gnu Deli was the site of a benefit fundraiser for an Olympia Community Development Committee. The popular jazz group Gila performed, helping to make the benefit... More »
Co-op News December 1977 & January 1978 PDF AN INVITATION TO BE A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY YOU DREAM OF – NOW! The success of the Food Coop has caused a dream to reawaken within me. It is a... More »
Co-op News November 1977 PDF TOWARD BETTER, MORE LOVING CO-OP MEETINGS Every month or so since the CO-OP began, a General Membership Meeting has been held to make important announcements and come to decisions on important issues. There have been,... More »
Co-op News September & October 1977 PDF A FEW PLUGS FOR UGLY PRODUCE…. Just a reminder of the tremendous indoctrination we’ve all received which condemns any dirt or bug. We’ve been taught to see “good” fruit as that which is... More »