Six locations of Calhoun Foods

Monday, March 19, 2012 - 00:56

Healthy Soul Choice. How would one get the federally-recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day if there is no fresh produce nearby. In the Old North St. Louis neighborhood, residents took things into their own hands--creating their own cooperative grocery store.

They work directly with nearby farmer Lee Farms at 39358 Pin Oak Church Road in Truxton for community supported agriculture (CSA). In addition to stocking the store at 2811 N. 13th St., for the last three years, it has been a pick-up point for trips to Lee Farms to pick one's own produce. Full shares are about 20 lbs/week, and half-shares 10 lbs/week of fresh, local, seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Delicacies of the Day: Long before the term CSA came in vogue, civil rights veteran Rev. Al Sampson in Chicago has worked directly with black farmers in Mississippi, Arkansas and nearby Kankakee County to hold farmers markets at churches in Chicago for the past 32 years. The farmers don't use pesticides because they are still using the techniques taught by Dr. George Washington Carver. Sampson remembers the farmers in North Carolina who put up their land to bail him out of jail after a sit-in.

At James Hooks' Metro Foodland grocery store in Detroit at 18551 Grand River, there is a deli and bistro serving salads and hot foods plus demonstrations by Healthy Cooking by Mr. Shannon Wilson. A Healthy Rewards Club encourages good nutrition through discounts and coupons. The store has been in the community for 28 years since 1984 through Detroit's worst times.

The three stores of Lena's Food Market in Milwaukee were founded 47 years ago by Bezelee and Lena Martin with a commitment to service that includes a free shuttle for shoppers and great prices like corned beef points this week for $1.99 per pound or corned beef brisket for $3.99 per pound.

Leon's Thriftway at 4400 E. 39th St. in Kansas City, founded by Leon and Willosia Stapleton in 1968, gives double coupons each day with the slogan "your home owned home operated store cares more."

The six locations of Calhoun Foods in Montgomery, Selma and Tuskegee, AL have grown from a single store in 1984 and spawned an array of businesses including a distribution center, warehouse and spirits brokerage. Owner Greg Calhoun was part of the White House announcement of an initiative to address food deserts with a pledge to open more stores in underserved communities.

Houston's Sunshine's Health and Vegetarian Food Deli, 4915 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., provides guidance in preparing vegetables without cooking, touting raw foods since 1983.

Favorite Farmer: John Thurman of Pembroke Farming Family in Kankakee County, IL

Cookbook of the Day. Healthy Cooking with Mr. Wilson by Shannon Wilson, in-house nutritionist for Metro Foodland in Detroit.