Thoughts on Community

by briarcliff, September 26, 2009 | Permalink

Thoughts on Community

By: Michael Shively

As some of you may know, our company was founded on a set of Core Values.  These values guide us through the decisions we make around here.  One of those Core Values, “Supporting our communities and environment” is something that we have really focused on at the Briarcliff store and we are very pleased at the relationships we have built in the past couple of years. 

There is one particular relationship that we have here that I think is important to write about. Over a year ago our Marketing Team Leader, Kate Graham and I began conversations with some very “tuned in” moms from Morningside Elementary School (MES). These mothers are passionate about everything from rain barrel and garden education to pushing schools to carry organic milk for their children.  Each time we saw one of these ‘supermoms’ in the store we would inevitably end up in dialogue about what we could do to support the school and parents in their quest to create a garden haven for kids – in order for them to know where food comes from, how to grow it at different times of the year, and how to appreciate it after harvesting.

So we got on board and helped them here and there with the needs of the school’s existing garden through various donations, but our most recent partnership set the bar higher and made me realize what a huge role the kids and parents at MES play in the success of Whole Foods Market Briarcliff.  On September 17^th we held a 5% day to further support the school’s garden project. We host one 5% day each quarter and 5% of one day’s net sales go to a nonprofit organization in our direct community.  This 5% day was held to help fund the new gardens through the Seed-N-Feed Foundation.  With the help of the parents and faculty at MES the word spread through the community about the 5% day, and let me tell you that from the time we opened to the time we closed, the good folks in the Morningside neighborhood supported their school by shopping at our store.  It was apparent as parents volunteered at a table out front of the store all day the tight knit nature of this community.  Everyone was speaking to everyone and laughing and talking it up.  There were lots of students from Morningside with their parents and we saw a good turnout from teachers.  It was a wonderful sight to see and a reminder of how important and beautiful community is.  Through the 5% day we raised $2,640 for the Seed-N-Feed Foundation!  We are so happy to be part of such a project and appreciate being able to give back in this small way.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to appreciate those Morningside moms who reached out and started the original conversations with us and continue to work hard every day to ensure that their kids are being fed well and educated around the origin and beauty of food.  I especially want to appreciate Teresa Groshans for her tireless work in building the Seed-N-Feed Foundation.  Her energy and focus are second to none.  She is sincerely committed to the diet and education of our children. Teresa is an inspiration and a true asset to our community. 

So, thank you Morningside. Thank you for caring for your community enough to come out on a rainy day and support our store and your school.  We are proud to be a part of it!

Party Like It Opened in 1999

by briarcliff, June 10, 2009 | Permalink

The evening of Saturday, May 30, 2009 our little food empire here on 2111 Briarcliff Road celebrated its 10^th Anniversary.  Whole Foods Market, Briarcliff opened as the first Whole Foods Market in Atlanta in May of 1999, and we are so pleased about where we came from, where we are, and where we are going.  We wanted to make our celebration memorable and we thought it important to give back in some way to our community. We decided to do a farm to table style dinner celebrating our local growers and producers and donate proceeds to The Oakhurst Community Garden Project located in Decatur, GA.  We accomplished both and are still beside ourselves with excitement about how well the dinner turned out.

When the idea was conceived it all seemed romantic and wonderful-we envisioned a large white tent set up in the parking lot, bluegrass music, plates and plates of food, brimming wine glasses, and people celebrating together happy and full.  You know what?  It happened just the way we imagined.  Each grower and producer that we reached out to was happy to take part and attend.  We had our local pork producer, Thompson Farm Smokehouse, local  beef from Harris Family Heritage Farm, all of the wonderful produce came from Nicolas Dunck at Crystal Organic Farms and Andy and Hilda Byrd at Whippoorwill Organic Farms.  The amazing pasta was from Elisa Gambino of Via Elisa Pasta, the wine came from Persimmon Creek Vineyards and beer from Atlanta Brewing Company.  Even the centerpiece orchids were local, and dressed by Patricia Cagle of Botanical Couture. The founders of Fromagerie Belle Chevre Tom and Liz Parnell attended, as did Farmer D. from Farmer D. Organics. Our very own Whole Foods Market chefs Scott Crawford and Butch Raphael together with our Prepared Foods Team Leader, Robert Brunet put together the food conception and execution.

So, we had the huge white tent, the white linens, the sweet Georgia setting sun, and a nice breeze blowing-mixed with music from the Drovers Old Time Medicine Show and incredible folks sharing in it all-it really doesn’t get any better. I have been with Whole Foods Market for 10 years now, and I have honestly never been a part of something so cool.  Yes, I am tooting our horn, but it was truly amazing, and I sincerely appreciate all of those who took part.  Our team members were the servers and set up crew; without them we could not have done it. We were so pleased with the event I want to let you all now that the wheels are turning on how to do this again in the near future.  Believe me; you will not want to miss out. Stay tuned.

The Pasta Lady

by briarcliff, June 6, 2009 | Permalink

One of the great things about managing a Whole Foods Market is the freedom it allows to be an entrepreneur.  The freedom to manage your business the way in which you believe ultimately supports the Core Values of the company.  We at the Briarcliff location believe that one way to do that is to support our local growers and producers

Personally, I have been a huge fan of Via Elisa Pasta for a number of years.  I’ve met Elisa Gambino many times at local events where she was supplying her pasta or attending because the event aligned with her business and beliefs.  At the most recent South Face Visionary Dinner we started talking about her pasta truck.  For those who do not know, Elisa takes her truck to Atlanta neighborhoods and sells pasta directly to the customers in the community.  I never thought of doing this at the Briarcliff Whole Foods Market since we sell her pasta inside the store, but on this particular night the light bulb went off and the idea came together; Elisa and I agreed to her coming to the store’s parking lot to sell pasta directly to our customers and to folks driving by. For those of you who do not know Via Elisa Pasta I have to tell you that I find it hard to believe it possible that it is not the best pasta available outside of some grandmother in Italy’s kitchen.  It is a silky, billowy, bit of heaven.  Whether it be ravioli filled with porcini mushroom, or sweet potato gnocchi, this pasta is like the dream that you do not want to wake up from.  To those of you who do know Via Elisa Pasta, we would like to invite you to come and meet or talk to Elisa and see if she has any special treats on the truck that you may not have tried. Then of course, come inside and pick out the perfect bottle of wine to accompany your pasta. 

Elisa will be at the store today (Saturday, June 6^th) at 2:30pm so don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to get the world’s greatest pasta straight from the lady who makes it, The Pasta Lady, Elisa Gambino.  Thanks for your gift Elisa.

You Want It LOCAL???

by briarcliff, June 4, 2009 | Permalink

If you know me at all you know that I am a huge fan of farmers. I am amazed and awed by their work and genius. I go to as many farms as possible and steal as many ideas as I can for my own little back yard experiment/operation. One of the things I love about being with Whole Foods Market is the ability to work with the farmers who produce the food. I met Nicolas Dunck of Crystal Organic Farm a few years ago, and I have a great respect and appreciation for what he does and how he does it. He is a great farmer as well as an honest and respectable business man. His produce is something VERY special and highly respected in the restaurant and foodie circles of this town. I first discovered him and his wonderful mother, Helen, at Morningside Market and immediately noticed the way he meticulously merchandises his tent and the kind, inviting way that he interacts with his customers. He is truly appreciative of the folks who want his products, and he is willing to spend time giving them every bit of information they desire and need.
Well, Nicolas and I have continued to talk off and on over the years, and I have seen him and his lovely wife, Madeline at many special events partnered with Whole Foods Market, and I never asked him if he would sell his produce at our store, but when we invited him to our farm to table anniversary celebration here at Briarcliff he was gracious enough to provide us with produce and come to the event. Somewhere in the delivery process I just came out and asked him what he thought of us setting up a special space in the store and dedicating it to Crystal Organics produce. I was a bit surprised to hear him say “we could give it a try.” Well, just like that the Briarcliff store raised the bar even higher. I somehow kept my excitement somewhat at bay and proceeded to work out the details in my head and then through phone conversations with Nicolas. So, as of about 1:00 PM today (June 6, 2009), we officially have Crystal Organics Produce in our store. We set a special section in our wet rack for Crystal’s awesome baby leeks, beautiful torpedo onions, tall and luscious fennel, and the most wonderful heads of red oak lettuce that I have seen in my time. I cannot tell you how excited our team members were as we were opening the boxes and handling the goodies. We are like kids in a candy store around here. We have topped off the section with a growers profile about Nicolas and the farm so everyone will know the story and put a face with the product.
As the season moves on and the earth produces more, we will continue to dedicate more space to this farm’s wonderful creations. We are truly honored and excited about the relationship that we have built with this farmer and are totally committed to growing it and supporting it for as far into the future as we can see. Nicolas, if you are reading this, thank you; we appreciate what you do, and we are excited that you have fit us into the circle that you have created.
To all of our customers, if you want it LOCAL, come and get it! We look forward to serving you!
To learn more about Crystal Organics farm please visit out Farm to Market Slideshow: http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2009/01/crystal-organics

The Sting Of Summer On My Skin

by briarcliff, March 11, 2009 | Permalink

I Can Feel the Sting of Summer on My Skin

By: Michael Shively, Store Team Leader at Whole Foods Market Briarcliff

With a slight soreness across my shoulders from digging my home garden three times larger for this season I want to write and tell you that it makes me giddy thinking about seeing and tasting those amazing veggies that summer will soon bring.  Of course, the big one for most of us, including me, are the heirloom tomatoes.  Those beautiful, plump, delicious gifts from Mother Earth will be here before long and I am like a 5 year old with his pants filled with ants just thinking about them. My respect for the farm and the farmer started early.  I grew up around gardeners, as my mother kept a small garden, and my grandfather kept a garden so large that he fed himself and my grandmother year round.  They both grew tomatoes and I remember quite tasty tomatoes from both gardens, but I did not have a mind blowing, eyes closed, lost in the flavor experience with tomatoes until I had tasted an heirloom from the Whole Foods Market in Dallas, Texas where I worked for a bit of time. My goodness that is what a tomato is supposed to taste like. The flavor was so clean, and juicy, and TOMATOEY (I have officially created a new word) that every bit of white noise in the world went away for those few minutes that I was devouring the tomato. My love affair will resume in just a couple of months as our store here on Briarcliff Road will again be able to fill a table with local and regional heirloom tomatoes. When you pick up your favorite heirloom consider adding a little kick with some fresh mozzarella accompanied with balsamic vinegar, Sweetwater Growers fresh local basil, salt and pepper.  Oh, the anticipation!

Some of the other gifts that will soon be arriving are southern staples like blueberries from farmer Dick Byne, strawberries from Miles Berry Farm, okra, corn, peppers, and melons. Yes, you can get these items at any time of the year, but the true gift is to get them in season, close to home, with as few food miles on them as possible, and in most cases we can show you a picture of the farmer. Who knows you may even run into one of them that grew your dinner while you are in our store. Before I let the bounty of summer steal the spotlight, let me pay homage to the sometimes overlooked stars of spring. What a mundane life it would be without our Georgia grown Antioch Farm Vidalia onions?  What about the many uses for a radish or coming up with a new way to prepare carrots? Of course, salt, pepper, and olive oil in the oven for 30 minutes will make magic on both. Don’t forget the amazingly beautiful broccoli. Wow, life is good!  Get in to our store and start gathering and cooking all of these wonderful items. If you don’t know what to do with something, just ask; we will be glad to help you out.  Our staff is loaded with team members that have a passion for what the earth brings us to eat and they will be more than happy to assist you.

Here at Whole Foods Market we are committed to local and regional produce when the season brings them. I don’t know how many people out there know this, but during the peak of summer, our store has local farmers who come to the back door and sell us produce.  What other grocery store does that???  We truly appreciate what an important role these farmers play in the health of our region, our bodies, and our future.  We want our customers to have access to all of the great things being grown in our great state and across the South so we go a little out of our way to make sure that those farmers and producers can have a place to showcase their talents.  Yes, there are many places to buy “groceries”. But, I can proudly say that when you shop with us, your choice advances a movement-a movement that puts a face with your food and enhances your life through these great foods.  So, get in here and see us.  We want to help you eat better, live better, and feel the passion!

The Art of The Cattleman

by briarcliff, February 27, 2009 | Permalink

The Art of the Cattleman

By: Michael Shively, Store Team Leader at Whole Foods Market Briarcliff

I would like to take this moment to talk about a man, a farm, and the questions in many minds surrounding how to make a difference through the food that we buy and eat. I feel as though our general public has turned a blind eye and forgotten about the art of meat farming and the men and women who are passionate about their farms and work. Through stories or photos, most of us have been exposed to the realities of feedlot systems. We have witnessed the outbreaks of Mad Cow Disease and other disasters that come with corporate methods of animal farming. I find that many people struggle with how to stop contributing to this unsustainable method.

I was introduced to Will Harris of Harris Family Heritage Farms through Whole Foods Market and was immediately taken with the amount of conviction in Will’s voice when he spoke about raising cattle. He shed new light on the art of being a cattle rancher and raising animals in the simple way that Mother Nature intended. He spoke of the health of the land, and his animals in a way that made you feel it, I mean lump in your throat, lean forward on your toes, shut your mouth and listen kind of  feel it. Since meeting Will, we have had many chats in a variety of settings, and each time the conversation circles around to the art of cattle ranching. Will emerges out of bed in the morning with a mission to provide the finest beef possible by managing his herd in a humane and natural way. Will controls every aspect of his herd, from birth to the Whole Foods Market meat counter. His herd is born, raised, and processed on his own land in Bluffton, Georgia in his own USDA inspected and certified humane processing facility. To see his beef when we get it here in our store is to see some of the most beautiful beef you have ever laid eyes on. It is the purest red in color and glows behind the meat counter. Will’s herd feeds on grass, which causes the beef to have a different appearance as far as marbling and fat content.  It is much leaner then the meats you see elsewhere; that is a result of a cow that feeds on the land and a cow that has acres upon acres to roam. If I were a cow I would want to be in Will’s herd.

So enough of my raving about one of my favorite products carried here at Whole Foods Market, What I want to make sure to hit on is the fact that there is a way for the public to step outside of that unsustainable method of industrialized feedlot farming and know that their money goes to a product with meaning behind it, a product that is respected, raised by a human being that has a love for what he does and the animals that he lives with. In my opinion, and that of many customers and team members, Will Harris’s beef is as good as it gets.  Does it cost a little more? You better believe it does, and I would not want to see it any different because I know what it takes to make a product like this and my hope is that more will follow Will’s lead. So here’s to you Will Harris and here’s to Whole Foods Market, a company that supports local farmers and encourages all of us to step out, and up, and get behind something with such flavor and such soul.  

For more information about Harris Family Heritage Farm please visit our Farm to Market Slideshow: http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2008/08/white-oak-pastures