See?  Now [more...]]]> How else do you explain what happens to people who shop at the Co-op when they eat it?  They bubble over with sincerity and enthusiasm about doing something real with their meals and with their time.  A community-owned market for locally produced food is a direct tie to the real source of…well, life.

See?  Now you’ve got me doing it.

Anyway, that sense of connection—from the soil to our bodies to our minds and to our neighbors—is one of the greatest benefits that Cornwall Community Co-op members have discovered (among many others).

Here’s what some of our members wrote in a recent email thread:

Lynn started it:

As I prepared my dinner of braised kale and roasted root vegetables last night, all purchased last week at the Co-op, I realized that one of my dreams is close to coming true.  Increasingly, I shop and eat based on what’s local and available on OUR market’s shelves.

The market is encouraging me to cook more meals at home, to be creative in how I use and combine vegetables, and to turn to fruits and other fresh, whole foods for snacks.  When I cook, I spend more time savoring what I eat.  And I take time to sit down communally and share food.

It’s my hope that all our members, present and future, will be as inspired as I am by the reconnection to food, community, and well-being that OUR Co-op can help bring about–and that this excitement will help broaden the circle of awareness and passion for our mission in the dark, cold months to come!

Dorie agreed:

Both of my daughters were home for the weekend, and I was so happy to make them delicious food.  I have tried to teach them to honor their bodies—after all, we only get one, and we have to take care of the one we have. We would have normally eaten out at least one meal, if not two.

But this weekend I served almost all Co-op food. I made the lentil, pasta, and kale recipe that was in the Co-op e-mail.  That was awesome!  We had that on Friday, with “the best salad my daughter ever tasted” and vegan potato leek soup.  On Saturday we wined and dined on roasted acorn squash, salad, and root vegetables.  I also made an apple crisp served with Coconut Bliss ice cream.  Ahhh, we  really enjoyed our meals and the camaraderie in the kitchen preparing them. We used to do that more often but had gotten away from it.

Sunny said:

Ditto.  I cooked a combo of roasted cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onion, red pepper, and Jerusalem artichoke with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence, then drizzled it with maple syrup—don’t turn your nose up till you try it…it was incredible.  I also braised a red cabbage with apple, onion, spices, and red wine and then served that on a whole wheat grilled pizza—another big hit.

Lucinda wrote:

I feel proud to be able to shop for such wonderful food in our community and to have the fellowship of other members who share the same values. On Sunday I made a meal: a gratin of caramelized onions, butternut squash, Gruyère, and bread crumbs; a roasted beet salad with spinach, golden raisins, and almonds; and apple crisp. Almost all the ingredients were from the Co-op.

Tom chimed in:

I agree wholeheartedly that our joint experiences have a great value to our members and to neighbors, who we would hope may have similar experiences to share or who we would like to bring into our circle. My recent delicacy: PIZZA—one of the foods we wheat-free people crave!  Close your eyes and imagine grilled organic hot Italian sausages simmered in organic tomato sauce, enhanced with my own dried basil, sage, oregano, and a touch of sea salt.  All of this underneath a generous helping of organic cheese supported by a glorious gluten-free crust.  The only problem here is that there was my daughter and two puppies to share it with!

And Nancy concluded:

I’m sending my children to all of your houses for meals.

To summarize: Co-op + kitchen = great connections and great meals.  Come down and check it out for yourself this week.

Are you a member of our Co-op?  Another?  Do you eat as locally as possible?  Share your experience in the comments.