Just to give people a little notice before this next change happens (I was a little too busy to do this right from the start when we opened at our new location) we will be charging for bags used in the store for customer purchases – this includes plastic bags used for bulk products (2 – 5 cents), paper bags used for cleaning and bulk products (5 cents), and paper shopping bags at the check out (25 cents). This is to impress onto people that there is an environmental and economical cost to these products that many stores provide for free. Our mission is to help people shift and sometime people need an incentive – so if you wish to save some money – bring your own bags or containers (please have someone weight a container before refilling). Reduce is the first ‘R’ but many others are Rethink, Refill, Reuse and Respect… oh and if you really need to – Recycle.

This change will take place on April 1^st, 2010 to give people some time to get used to it.

Several people over the past many months have said things that would imply we are in ‘competition’ with Planet Organic. I don’t like competition. Planet Organic is serving a segment of our city and a segment that may never wish to visit our store. These people should have access to organic foods. I do not wish to negatively impact their business. I have a different vision and guiding mission for Earth’s General Store than Planet Organic has. It takes a variety of organisations, facilities, outlets, etc to bring about change. Sometimes people need a nice place to do it in – one that does not overly challenge them - and others are quite comfortable stretching a bit each time the go out shopping. I use the services of Planet Organic (my store will take awhile to have all the items I would like to have as part of our home diet) – but I purchase from the Farmer’s Market what I can first.

More new items at the store:

• Life Choices pasta and cheese,
• Omega Nutrition Coconut Oil,
• Yves canned vegetables (Ruth just put these out),
• Premier Japan Hoisin and Teryaki sauces (Gluten and Wheat Free),
• Plum.m’s Rice Cakes (Gluten and Wheat Free),
• Soleil d’or Olive Oil (Argentinean),
• Nature’s Path Puffed cereals (Corn, Kamut, Rice, Millet),
• Applesnax Applesauce,
• Food Merchants Polenta (4 flavours),
• Yogourmet Yogurt Maker,
• Mumm’s sprouting seeds,
• Passion Sante sprounting and tofu makers,
• San-J Tamari (also (Gluten and Wheat Free) and Shoyu,
• Choice Ban-cha tea,
• Organicville Teriyaki sauce,
• Prairie Harvest pasta in bulk (this should be out on the shelves today - Friday),
• Anita’s Hard Red Wheat Kernels (bulk),
• Anita’s packaged – Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, Whole Wheat Stone Ground Flour, Buckwheat Flour (we like this in our pancakes),
• Bulk 7 Grain Cereal
• Alter Eco Fair Trade and Organic chocolate bars,
• Taste of Nature snack bars
• and we have a few things that are stashed in the fridge in the back – Amano Miso (Aka Red, Genmai, Mugi Barley, and Shiro White), Earth Balance spread (I only brought in the organic one) so you will need to ask a staff person if you would like any of these items.(I am still working on the coolers and such for the front of the store).