Your Moscow Food Co-op Board of Directors recently met with Andie Severson, Executive Director of the Moscow Smart Transit program, and heard about this wonderful program that provides safe, convenient, and affordable transportation in the Moscow area. Perhaps you are already using Smart Transit! In fact, this program is so affordable that, for riders taking fixed routes, the ride is free.
Two fixed routes are currently available. covering both the east and west sides of town, with stops at the places that community members most frequently visit including medical facilities, grocery stores, schools, recreational facilities, downtown businesses, and residential areas. The Smart Transit service currently runs a bus six days per week: Monday through Friday from 6:40 am to 7 pm, and on Saturday from 7:30 am to 2 pm. You can find the schedules and map for the bus at https://www.smarttransit.org/. All buses are ADA wheelchair accessible.
Door-to-door service is also available through the Smart Transit Dial-a-A-Ride program at very affordable fares. This service is available to all the Moscow community, with priority given to eligible ADA riders, for whom no fare is charged. For more information on the Dial-A-Ride program, refer to the Smart Transit webpage.
Smart Transit is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is supported by the United Way, the City of Moscow, University of Idaho, Idaho Transportation Department, the US Department of Transportation, and private donations. Please visit the Smart Transit website for more information on its programs, or to make a charitable donation.
On April 29th the Co-op took over Maialina Pizzeria Napoletana for the Annual Meeting. We had memorabilia from the past 50 years on display, balloons and a Moscow Food Co-op sign proudly displayed. Music from the 70’s played in the background while we mingled, grabbed a drink and found a spot a to sit. Sam Martinet, the Executive Director of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce + Visitors Center standing in for Mayor Art Bettge, read a proclamation declaring April 29th, 2023 Moscow Food Co-op Day. We then got to fill our plates with delicious food provided by our wonderful hosts.
Written by Kelsey Manning, Director
Photo courtesy of Chico Natural Foods.
What is yellow, sweet, and versatile? That’s right! GROW Program bananas! GROW (Giving Resources and Opportunities to Workers) is a nonprofit program founded by Organics Unlimited to support underserved agricultural communities in Mexico and Ecuador. GROW label bananas are ethically sourced, fairly traded and 100% organic. The Moscow Food Coop is proud to support this program by sourcing 100% organic Cavendish bananas from GROW. The mission behind Organics Unlimited is to provide the best quality organic bananas and tropical fruits in a socially responsible way. Alongside quality stands the commitment to serving customers and the community. Through the GROW program, we have provided over $2 million in services to those most in need. These include dental, vision, education, clean drinking water, access to higher education and more.
So, what makes bananas and this organization so special? For starters, bananas pack a punch with nutrients and vitamins ranging from fiber to potassium to vitamins B6 and C. As bananas ripen, the starch in the fruit turns to sugar. Therefore, the riper the banana, the sweeter it will taste. At Organics Unlimited, bananas are ready for market by using ethylene gas, a substance naturally produced by fruits that accelerates the normal process of fruit maturation. Temperature monitoring during ripening is critical to keep bananas between 58 degrees and 64 degrees Fahrenheit. Relative air humidity during ripening is also critical and must be kept over 85%. Ripening programs usually run from 4 to 8 days. The temperature inside the ripening room is initially high and then is lowered to slow the ripening. The color of the peel is used as an indicator of ripening progression. Most ripening facilities take the fruit out of the ripening rooms and ship to retailers at color stage 3.5 on the Banana Color Guide Chart. Knowing GROW Bananas help provide more than only personal nutrition is all the more reason to pick up one of our colorful, vitamin-rich fruits! Tell us how you like to eat bananas!
Learn more about GROW label bananas:
https://www.organicsunlimited.com/sustainability/
https://www.organicsunlimited.com/bananas-more/
