local – Houghton STAR

The Allegany Harvest Cooperative Market (Co-op) is struggling financially, and without significant improvement in their sales by December, it will be forced to close.

Dr. Sunshine Sullivan, co-op board president, said that one cause for the current situation is the fact that half the members did not renew their membership for another year. Part of the reason for this is that many members have moved out of the area and no longer find it practical to shop at the co-op. But, another reason may be that the co-op does not sell all that they need to keep afloat. Rather than being able to go to the co-op and get all they need, customers often must make a trip there and then to another store, often the Shop-n-Save in Fillmore, to finish buying all their necessary groceries.

Vice-president of the board Peter Meilaender stated that residents in the area were not as interested in organic items in the area as the board members initially thought that they would be. Therefore the number of families included in calculations for weekly organic sales were much lower, resulting in profits that were overall lower than expected.

Another problem the co-op faces is accommodating the diversity in what customers want and need, according to Meilaender. It has proven more difficult than expected to meet the diverse demands of the people in the area. Though some may shop at the co-op just for the fresh produce, others come for the organic food or for various other reasons. Keeping up with these demands continues to be a struggle for the co-op.

Further down the list of difficulties the co-op has faced include issues with its building and with store maintenance. “We’ve had repeated problems with the floor, problems with cooling systems, [and] two changes in management,” Meilaender explained. “All these things cause at least short and sometimes longer problem periods where we have to shut the store temporarily, or sell out (or throw out) stock at a loss, or re-design systems.” In addition to cutting into its sales during closed days, these problems have cost the co-op money that it cannot afford to spend.

The board members’ ultimate goal, in order to remain in business in the long term, is to earn $4000 more in sales per month. For now, the board members have a target amount of $150 to $200 more monthly. This would be enough to hire a part-time manager and alleviate much of the current volunteer duties from the board members.

One of the ideas that board members have implemented to increase income is the practice of allowing co-op members to order and pre-pay for items. That way, members can purchase specific items not on shelves and purchase them in bulk.

Sullivan encourages student participation, saying that “students can help by shopping there more and putting suggestions in the suggestion box.” Although non-members cannot make pre-paid orders, they can advise board members as to which items of which they might like to see more in the co-op. All in all, what the co-op needs more than anything is patronage.

Closure of the co-op, if necessary, will affect many. The store still has loans from the bank and from about forty members who will not be repaid if it closes. The vendors who currently sell to the co-op will also have to find other venues through which to sell their goods. In addition, the customers in the Houghton area who depend on the co-op for much of their shopping will be forced to go elsewhere. Rebecca Rowley stated on Alleganyharvest.coop that, “ The [Allegany Harvest Cooperative Market] will provide a way for me to both get the quality of food I desire and support the local economy without having to track down individual farmers – a win/win situation!” Closing the co-op will force customers like her to either travel greater distances to acquire the same goods or settle for unwanted food.

Although those who enjoy the benefits of the co-op are many, the store will most likely have to close if it does not gain business soon. The members do not wish for this to happen; however, a realistic view of the co-op’s current state is required. Until forced to close, it is their wish to keep the store running.

Hunting is important for many reasons, many of which I will not be able to fully explore. One is to control the herd, and if you noticed, the herd in this area around Houghton is very large. Especially in areas where the nutrition is high, deer reproduction is very high. What people tend to overlook is that if we don’t reduce numbers from the herd, there can become too many animals and not enough resources, such as food and water, to sustain all of them. Herd management is the responsible approach contributing to the sustainability of both the deer population and the natural resources at stake.

Herd management is much deeper for me though, because I don’t look at deer as numbers. Deer management is an art in my mind. Myself and several friends put forth significant efforts in providing the deer on our property with the nutrition in the form of food plots. We provide the deer with the nutrition and help create ideal habitats on the property through proper forestry practices. We have a management plan for our property which basically means that the senior members of our party are only allowed to shoot bucks with six points or more or any doe they wish.

So why do I hunt? I am not out for blood, and that would be a serious misconception of hunters. I care more about taking care of deer and the land than any pencil pushing PETA member will ever do by protesting hunting. The act of killing is not always fun, but killing is only a part of the overall whole. When you have the larger whole of a hunting group (as close as a family) together, the fellowship and the bonds created between people by the activity of the hunt are nearly indestructible.

Here in New York, deer hunting is rooted deeply in the culture especially in the area we find ourselves attending college. Did you know that in 1939 Calvin Roosevelt Lucky killed the state record buck that stood for over 70 years right in Fillmore? The deer sported over 200 inches of antler on its head. Even for anyone not particularly familiar with deer, you have to admit, having over 200 inches of bone sticking out of the top of an animal’s head is a lot.

Ways to prepare venison.

1) Jerky- The key to jerky is how you prepare it. First step is to make sure you cut it into thin strips that can dry thoroughly, and also remember with jerky that you are not cooking the meat, but are drying it. Second, you want to make up the spices you wish to cure the meat in. Many quality jerky cure kits can be bought at any sporting goods store. Let the meat sit for several days in a cool area to really let the cure do its job. The drying part of the job can be done in an oven, but I prefer to use my dehydrator at home. If you are going to use an oven, heat the oven between 150 and 200 degrees, and I tend to let it dry for 12 or more hours.

2) Venison stew in a crockpot. What I do is take a few nice haunches of venison, chopped vegetables like peppers, onions, potatoes, and carrots throw them into the crockpot with gravy seasoning packet and slow cook it all day.

3) Grilling- If you have the opportunity to grill your venison, I would suggest finding a marinade that you prefer and pre-soak it. Keep a close eye on your steaks; take my word for it especially if you want to eat your venison off the grill medium rare, trust me. And sautédvegetables to go with your venison steak is always an excellent choice.

I don’t know how many times I’ve eaten at the dining hall with a hollow appreciation for my food, and I am sure that you have felt the same. Every time I eat a piece of venison I can still feel that same joy and thankfulness for the animal as the same moment I knelt by its side and praised God.