Good Times in May with Your Co-op

In May, Co-op member-owners and friends had chance to gather together for two fantastic events.

On Saturday, May 20, a group of Co-op friends carpooled to Des Moines and Ames for a day of fresh food and learning. They spent the morning at the downtown Des Moines Farmers Market, something everyone should experience. With around 300 vendors, this market spans four blocks of Court Street plus three side streets from 2nd to 4th. Live music greets visitors as all of their senses come alive through delicious smells of prepared food, colorful arrays of produce, and tasty samples of cheeses, breads and other goodies. Our co-op tour group took advantage of the offerings even happening upon a business partner’s booth, Laughing Tree Tea. Members of the tour purchased a variety of products, ate great food and even did a little dancing!

After the farmers market, the group headed to Ames for a tour of the newly renovated Wheatsfield Co-op. Founded in 1974, this is a “second wave” co-op, starting small and going through several iterations and locations before landing in its current space. In February of this year, after 14 months of construction, Wheatsfield celebrated its most recent expansion which includes more check-out lanes, a larger seating area for customers to enjoy food and drink, a new multipurpose meeting room/kitchen space, a meat counter, more parking, a bigger loading dock area, and more space for food and product storage. Kim Corbin, the marketing manager graciously provided an in-depth, behind-the-scenes tour while participants asked her with questions as we consider aspects of our future store. A lot of careful thought and planning went into this expansion including repurposing old subflooring along with a tree that had to be removed. This co-op listened to member-owners and took their suggestions into consideration every step of the way. Wheatsfield has recently become a Cedar Falls Food Co-op business partner, so our tour ended with the opportunity for participants to use the same discounts provided to Wheatsfield members. Some attendees purchased house-made sourdough bread from a 12-year-old starter, others bought bulk items that were additionally discounted on that day, and a few grabbed fresh deli snacks. The tour group left the visit inspired by what the Cedar Falls Food Co-op can and will be. Seeing a vibrant cooperative grocery store in Iowa helps us all envision our future.

 

A few days later, on May 23, around 50 co-op supporters gathered in Seerley Park in Cedar Falls for a member celebration potluck. The rain clouds had parted, and people reconnected as well as met new friends over colorful and tasty dishes along with milk and ice cream generously donated by Hansen’s Dairy. Board members provided updates on how far we’ve come and where we are headed including a discussion of the June member drive and Co-op yard sign distribution. Those in attendance had such a great time that several asked if we could have more potlucks this summer – stay tuned for the next date and location!

 

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