Building community, connections and understanding is vital to the co-op moving forward.
Brews and FAQs is the perfect opportunity to connect, learn, and ask any questions about the co-op.
Member-owners and friends are invited to Urban Pie TOMORROW, June 3 at 5:30 p.m. for some brews (or any beverage of your choice, of course). Board members look forward to connecting with you and answering any questions (FAQs) you may have!
Thank you to everyone who committed to supporting our local growers through this amazing opportunity!
This partnership and your support of it is another example of the impact we all have when we work together to fulfill the shared vision of the Rooted Carrot Co-op!
Mallory DeVries, Board Member
As I near the end of my time on the Rooted Carrot Co-op Market Board, I have been thinking a lot about what it takes to keep a project like this moving forward.
After more than a decade of searching for the right home for the co-op, it would be easy for the work to lose momentum. A long timeline can wear people down. It can make even a strong vision feel distant.
But that is not what I have seen.
What I have seen is a group of board members who continue to show up with dedication, patience, and a clear belief in what Rooted Carrot can become. Month after month, they bring their professional skills, community knowledge, thoughtful questions, and steady commitment to the work of building a cooperatively owned grocery store in Cedar Falls.
That dedication matters because this work is not only about opening a store. It is about creating a different kind of grocery model for our community.
Food co-ops are designed to keep more value local. They build stronger connections between shoppers, producers, and the local economy. Nationally, food co-ops purchase from local farms and producers at significantly higher rates than conventional grocery stores, with local purchasing estimated at about 2.5 times the conventional grocery rate.
For Rooted Carrot, that means the future store has the potential to create a meaningful new market channel for local farms, food businesses, and producers while giving Cedar Falls area shoppers more access to locally produced, nutrient-dense foods.Continue reading
We will be at the Cedar Falls Farmers Market on Saturday, June 20 from 8:30 am to noon.
Stop by the booth to say hello and pick up a yard sign!
By: Co+ophttps://www.grocery.coop/recipes/berry-shrub
You don’t have to ferment your own beverages to reap the benefits of probiotic drinks. In this easy shrub, active apple cider vinegar provides a bit of good bacterial culture as well as tartness to balance the sweet berries and sugar.
Skewer fresh berries and freeze to make a fun stir-stick that can be enjoyed with the drink.
70 calories, 0 g. fat, 0 mg. cholesterol, 0 mg. sodium, 17 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. fiber, 0 g. protein
Farmers markets are more than a shopping destination—they’re vibrant hubs of flavor, connection, and community. Every visit supports the hardworking producers and celebrates the unique food culture of your region. Check out the UNI Local Food Guide!
As we navigate the choices for our culinary experiences, here are five compelling reasons why you should make visiting your local farmers market a priority:
The Last Bite: Make farmers markets a regular part of your week and watch your meals–and community–thrive!
Source: Mallory Devries, Board Member and Communications Staff for Healthy Harvest of North Iowa and Iowa Food System Coalition, consultant for the UNI Local Food Program.
What happens when Iowans shift just a little more of their food spending locally? It adds up.
This season, we’re joining the Iowa Food System Coalition and partners across the state to take on the Iowa Local Food Challenge!
Pick a goal that works for you, whether it’s one meal a week or a portion of your grocery budget, and start building the habit. You’ll get recipes, seasonal ideas, and simple ways to find local food along the way.
👉 Join us! iowafoodsystemcoalition.org/challenge
Building community, connections, and understanding is vital to the co-op moving forward.
Brews and FAQs is the perfect opportunity to connect, learn, and ask any questions about the co-op.
Member-owners and friends are invited to Urban Pie at 5:30 p.m. on June 3 for some brews (or any beverage of your choice, of course). Board members look forward to connecting with you and answering any questions (FAQs) you may have!
The Co-op Exists NowLisa Nelson, Board President
Have you heard or read something that unexpectedly shifts your perspective, then, over time, other pieces fall into place?
I’m one of the people often seen at events, at the Rooted Carrot Co-op table – sharing my enthusiasm for the co-op, answering questions, and handing out bookmarks with information. I enjoy meeting new people, and many people are unaware the co-op exists. They are excited at the prospect of greater access to local foods, and of having the power to give input on what is on the shelves of their own grocery.
Other people have heard of the co-op and have questions about why we don’t have a store, what’s taking so long, and “Aren’t you going to build at 7th and Main St.?” All legitimate questions.
As a part of the membership team, I’ve described the RCCM as a group of people who are working together to own a local grocery, listing all of the underlying positive impacts that it will have on the well-being of myself, my neighbors, and the Cedar Valley, almost always speaking in future-tense.
Last month, I heard something at an online co-op leaders’ training that caused a shift. All of the things I’ve shared at tabling events are still true, AND the co-op exists now. We are that group of member-owners, and are having a positive impact on our community even without a brick and mortar store. Continue reading
Our Cedar Valley Pickup Site pilot for the Iowa Food Hub Online Market is coming to a close, and we want to take a moment to celebrate what this community made possible.
Because of this pilot, new connections were formed, including a meaningful partnership between the Iowa Food Hub and Hansen’s Dairy. This kind of relationship-building is exactly what co-ops are meant to do. We bring people together, test new ideas, and lay the groundwork for something stronger. A special thank you to Hansen’s Dairy for opening up their space and helping make this pilot possible.
While this chapter is wrapping up, the momentum is real. There are a lot of exciting things happening around food access and local supply chains in the Cedar Valley, and we’re actively exploring what’s next.
We don’t need to wait for a physical store to start showing up for local food. We are a co-op, and we’re already doing the work. #DontWaitCooperate
In the meantime, there are still plenty of ways to stay connected to local food. Farmers market season is right around the corner. CSA shares with WeArose are still available (link here). You can also look for local products at area grocery stores. And the 2026 Cedar Valley Local Food Guide is a great place to start exploring.
Thank you for being part of this pilot, for your curiosity, and for showing up for local food in a real, tangible way. This is what cooperation looks like.