Pecan vs Pecan vs Pecan.

When it comes to pecans, the debate over pronunciation is as rich as the pie itself. Is it puh-CAHN or PEE-can? Linguists, historians, and pie lovers alike have opinions—but the true story of this word goes much deeper, tracing back to Indigenous languages and cultures.

Dr. Michael Migizi Sullivan, an Ojibwe linguist from the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Reservation in northern Wisconsin, sheds light on the origins of this fascinating word.

The word “pecan” comes from the Algonquian language family, spoken by diverse Indigenous groups across North America. But even among these groups, there wasn’t one single way to say it:

The Abenaki pronounced it PAGAN, like Virginia’s Pagan River.

The Ojibwe called it BAGAAN.

The Miami-Illinois near the Midwest said PAKAANI.

As French and Spanish settlers encountered these communities along the Mississippi River in the 1700s, they adopted the word and … Read More »

We have exciting news! For the first time in three years, Three Rivers Market can report a profit for fiscal year 2023-2024. Our General Manager, Fadi Aboush, and our amazing staff have worked hard to achieve this, while maintaining our commitment to paying every employee a living wage and offering monthly discounts to our members. This also couldn’t have happened without you – the members and customers who continue to patronize our store, and who contribute to our cooperative not just with your money, but your time and passion as well. Thank you for your commitment, and we hope you feel proud of your co-op.

After consulting with the General Manager and reviewing our financial condition, the Board has decided to reinvest this profit into our store instead of allocating an end-of-year patronage dividend. In the course of implementing a strengthened … Read More »

October is National Co-op Month, and this year’s theme is “The Future is Cooperative”.  The Three Rivers Board is holding our annual retreat on October 13th, and this will be the perfect opportunity to reflect on where we want our cooperative to go over the next few years, and what role we want our market to play in the Knoxville community.  The first official Co-op Month celebration was declared in Minnesota in 1948, and since 1964, the US Department of Agriculture has put out a proclamation recognizing It nationally.

To help think through the important questions of our role in the local food ecosystem, the Board was proud to welcome Kimberly Pettigrew, the Director of Food Systems for the United Way of Greater Knoxville, to present at our September meeting.  Kimberly was an engaging and emotional speaker, … Read More »

Like freshly stocked Three Rivers Market shelves, this month’s Board News contains a smorgasbord of new stuff for you to enjoy! You can read about the first impression TRM made on a self-proclaimed grocery nerd, hear from a past Board member who had something encouraging to say about participating in democracy at your co-op, learn what Board committees have been working on, and finally, read a recent study and engagement article that was part of our monthly Board work.

DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THOSE WHO SHOW UP

Finding active, engaged members to serve on the Three Rivers Board of Directors is hard work, but it is also good work. In 2023, a beloved Board member, Helen de Haven, shared what makes this work so worthwhile.

Helen passed away a few months after writing the article below, and while she is dearly missed by … Read More »