Under My Hat - February, 2008

—by Helen DuFault

It seems hardly possible, but spring is beckoning. The seed packets announce it. The bedding plant order has been placed; seedlings will arrive at the end of April. We are always looking forward!

Return of a Favorite

Often when an item is discontinued, it’s gone for good. But that's not the case with Curt’s Salsa. It's back in production, and we have it! The company was bought by Montero Distributing of Stillwater. Curt’s Salsa is one of the few local salsas available. Many of you have missed it, so we are glad to have it for you again.

Production Problems

Our winter growing areas have been cold this year: Mexico, Florida, California, and Arizona. We are being warned that prices are up and some items are in short supply. Not only that, but the transportation costs are all up. I'm really looking forward to being able to buy produce locally this spring and summer.

You may have noticed we’ve had trouble getting organic oatmeal. The reasons are complicated. The Canadian processor that supplies our oats is operating at capacity. Even though the demand for organic oats is at an all-time high, the company only processes them for one week each month. Also, the trains that carry the organic oats to the plant haven’t been operating in a timely fashion; they arrive at a time when conventional oats are being processed. Fortunately, organic oatmeal is back in stock now. But this gives you an idea of how complicated food production can be!

Not a Slave to Fashion

Hampden Park Co-op seems so often to run the opposite of trends. Our suppliers often discontinue items because of low sales, yet these are items that sell well in our store. This winter, newspapers have been reporting poor sales at many businesses, especially during the past holiday season. Again, we proved to be different. Our sales were up about 11% over the previous November and December.

Thank you for your patronage. Your presence makes us a stronger store. Tell your friends and neighbors about us!