Cheers To Our Gourmet Wine Dinner Fundraiser Sponsors!

Cars fill the Adobe parking lot at the Sierra Vista Natural Foods Cooperative gourmet wine dinner fundraiser. Photo by Lyle Ford.

The Sierra Vista Natural Foods Co-op board of directors would like to thank the Adobe Southwestern Cuisine and chef, Donnie Libasci, for the wonderful fundraising wine dinner held on October 29th.

We also want to thank the co-sponsors of the dinner:

Apple ($250 or more): Sulphur Springs Valley Elective Cooperative, Dr. William Elliot, and David & Helen Patterson.

Pear ($100 or more): Dr. Jody Jenkins, Jim Landwehr—Gateway Studio Suites, and Summit Fitness.

Pumpkin ($50 or more): S&S Tours, Sierra Vista Area Gardeners Club, and We Frame It.

The donors for the very special raffle held at the dinner were Adobe Southwestern Cuisine ($100 gift certificate), Roberts Chiropractic ($100 certificate), Patricia Peterson, The Art of Massage Healing Therapy (chair massage), Elizabeth Balke (spa basket), Lynda Young, Alternative Health & Hypnosis (hypnotherapy certificate), We Frame It (framed Chili poster), and Betty Eldon (wine and cheese picnic basket).

Thanks to Amanda Baillie for organizing the dinner and publicity.

Thanks to the local growers and suppliers that provided ingredients for the dinner, and whose products can be found at the Sierra Vista Farmers’ Market every Thursday: Beatty’s Orchard, Miller Canyon, Sierra Vista, Gray’s Garden of Eat’n, Palominas, and San Ysidro Farm/Josh’s Pastured Whole Chicken.

Thanks to Coronado Vineyards, in Willcox, and Canelo Hills Vineyard and Winery, Sonoita, for providing the wine for the dinner.

Thanks to Valerie McCaffrey and the vendors at the Sierra Vista and Bisbee Farmers Market for their support and donations for the baskets of items which were raffled at the end of October, National Co-op Month.

Thanks to Randy Bourn, Arizona Imaging Solutions, for copying membership forms and flyers for us.

We really appreciate the community support for opening a natural foods co-op in Sierra Vista.

Get Raffle Tickets At Farmers Market On Thursday!

Steve Fletcher assists James and Bridget Durham as they enter the raffle. Photo by Lyle Ford.

Come on down to the farmers market in Sierra Vista on Thursday from 1 PM to 5 PM and stop by our Sierra Vista Natural Foods Co-op booth.

October is National Co-op Month and to celebrate, we are raffling off two baskets of natural and organic products donated by vendors at both Sierra Vista and Bisbee farmers markets. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5 and are available at our info booth. The drawing will take place at the co-op's October 29th gourmet wine dinner at Adobe Southwestern Cuisine.

We have friendly volunteers who staff the booth at the farmers market every Thursday. Learn more about the natural food cooperative store we will be opening soon and how you can help bring healthy natural and organic foods to Sierra Vista.

We are all about reducing the carbon footprint, supporting local producers, and helping the community work together to improve everyone's health! See you at the farmers market in Sierra Vista on Thursday!

Food Co-op Board Meeting

Join us at the Sierra Vista Natural Foods Cooperative board of directors meeting tonight at 6 PM, Tuesday, October 16, 2007 in Room 201 in the Plaza San Luis office building at the southeast corner of Snyder Blvd and Paseo San Luis.

Art in the Park Success

Member volunteer Betty Eldon discusses co-op membership benefits with the fellows from the local fishing club. Photo by Lyle Ford.

The Sierra Vista Natural Foods Cooperative info booth at the Sierra Vista Art in the Park last weekend was a success. Art festival goers stopped by the booth and purchased raffle tickets, gourmet wine dinner tickets, and purchased co-op membership.

To add to the great publicity we've been getting lately, Sunday morning during Art in the Park the Sierra Vista Herald published a great article about the Sierra Vista Natural Foods Co-op.

Come out and see us at the farmers market from 1pm to 5pm every Thursday during October. Raffle tickets for the natural foods baskets are available at our info booth for $1 each or 6 tickets for $5. Also available are tickets to the gourment wine dinner at Adobe Southwestern Cuisine. Dinner tickets are $6 per person for a four-course meal and all wine included. The dinner is October 29th at 6pm and all proceeds benefit the Sierra Vista Natural Foods Cooperative.

To join the co-op and help us open Sierra Vista's only major natural/organic/local food store, download a membership application today!

Fans Admit Organics More Costly, but Worth It: Consumer Poll

OCTOBER 09, 2007 -- ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Organic food shoppers mostly see the category as safer, better for the environment, and healthier, but more expensive, according to the findings of a poll of 2,392 adults surveyed by Harris Interactive. The overwhelming majority of organic food buyers polled found such products to be worth the additional cost, however.

In the poll, conducted online between Sept. 11 and Sept. 18, just 7 percent of all adults said they purchase organic food "all or most of the time." A further 31 percent said they buy it on occasion.The consumer segments more likely to buy organic foods on a regular basis are college graduates (11 percent), Liberals (11 percent), Westerners (10 percent), echo boomers (those aged 18-30; 10 percent), and Gen Xers (those aged 31-42; 9 percent).

Shoppers who buy organics (including those who buy them occasionally and rarely) said that their organic purchases are much more likely to have increased (32 percent) than to have decreased (5 percent), evidence that organic food consumption has been gaining in popularity.

Also according to the research, large majorities of the public said they believe that organic food is better for the environment (79 percent) and healthier (76 percent). Nearly all frequent organic food buyers believe this (92 percent and 98 percent, respectively).

Most (86 percent) frequent organic food buyers also think it tastes better, but only 39 percent of all adults feel the same way.

Almost everyone (95 percent of the public, including 88 percent of frequent organic food buyers) thought organic food is higher-priced. A little over a third (36 percent), including almost all (91 percent) frequent organic food buyers, believes that "organic food is much better for you" and that "the extra expense is worth it to have better food." While 29 percent believe it to be "a waste of money, as it is no better for you than conventional foods," 36 percent aren't sure.

The many respondents with positive attitudes to organic food suggest that the increase in organic food consumption is likely to grow and, in a few years' time, could make up much bigger share of the food market, according to Harris Interactive.

Fundraising Gourmet Wine Dinner!

The Sierra Vista Natural Foods Co-op and Adobe Southwestern Cuisine are bringing you a gourmet wine dinner on October 29th, 2007.

The dinner includes a four course meal made from locally grown and produced food. The local wine is included in the ticket price.

There will also be several door prizes at the dinner.

The gourmet wine dinner tickets are $60 per person and are available at the Sierra Vista Natural Foods Co-op booth at the Sierra Vista Farmers Market every Thursday at 1PM to 5PM, as well as at the co-op booth at Art In The Park, October 6th and 7th.

Adobe Wine Dinner sponsors include: Adobe Southwestern Cuisine, Beatty's Orchard, Dr. Jody Jenkins, Fiore di Capra, Gray's Garden of Eat'n, Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative, S&S Tours, and Sierra Vista Area Gardeners Club.

For more information, visit www.sierravistamarket.com or call 520-508-7201.

Local Food Baskets Raffle!

Sierra Vista Natural Foods Co-op volunteers speak with an interested fellow at the Sierra Vista Farmers Market last Thursday. Photo by Lyle Ford.


Over $160 worth of natural food items from local farmers and producers in a wonderful African basket.

A second smaller basket of natural foods, health and beauty aids, and natural pet food will also be given away.

Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. Tickets may be purchased at our booth at the Sierra Vista Farmer's Market every Thursday from 1PM to 5PM or at our booth at Art in the Park on October 6th and 7th.

The raffle coincides with October being National Co-op Month.

The drawing for the two baskets will take place at the Sierra Vista Co-op Market Wine Dinner Fundraiser at Adobe Southwestern Cuisine on October 29th, 2007.

If you would like more information about the raffle, the dinner, or the Sierra Vista Market food co-op, please contact us at info@sierravistamarket.com or call 520-508-7201.

When Purchasing Home Products, Consumers Get Greener With Age

According to a new report from The NPD Group, Inc., leading provider of consumer and retail information, nearly two-thirds (64%) of consumers surveyed believe it is important to purchase environmentally friendly products for their homes. Additionally, the report shows purchasing "green-related" home products becomes more important to consumers as they get older. NPD found purchasing environmentally friendly home products to be most important to consumers over age 55. Major appliances were seen as one of the leading, most important eco-friendly products by those consumers, as well as by consumers in all age groups. "The information in the report is somewhat contrary to the belief that it's the younger generation who is more concerned about going 'green.' It may be that the older generation is now looking to leave the planet in better shape for their children and grandchildren," said Mark Delaney, director, home improvement. Additionally, the research shows that while consumers are willing to join the "green" crusade, price is an important factor in their purchase decisions. Thirty-eight percent of consumers say they are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. What about the other 62 percent? Respondents tell NPD they want to purchase "green" products, but are unwilling to pay substantially more for them, especially in the current economic climate. NPD also found respondents have a "healthy skepticism" around products claiming to be "green." According to a new report from The NPD Group, Inc., leading provider of consumer and retail information, nearly two-thirds (64%) of consumers surveyed believe it is important to purchase environmentally friendly products for their homes. Additionally, the report shows purchasing "green-related" home products becomes more important to consumers as they get older. NPD found purchasing environmentally friendly home products to be most important to consumers over age 55. Major appliances were seen as one of the leading, most important eco-friendly products by those consumers, as well as by consumers in all age groups. "The information in the report is somewhat contrary to the belief that it's the younger generation who is more concerned about going 'green.' It may be that the older generation is now looking to leave the planet in better shape for their children and grandchildren," said Mark Delaney, director, home improvement. Additionally, the research shows that while consumers are willing to join the "green" crusade, price is an important factor in their purchase decisions. Thirty-eight percent of consumers say they are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. What about the other 62 percent? Respondents tell NPD they want to purchase "green" products, but are unwilling to pay substantially more for them, especially in the current economic climate. NPD also found respondents have a "healthy skepticism" around products claiming to be "green."