We are delighted to welcome Reinier “Tomie” Hesselink, maker of Iowa Miso, for this unique educational experience. 

What is Miso? Learn the history, types, and nutrients present in miso. 

Taste several kinds of miso, including traditional miso from Japan.

Taste miso soup from kombu dashi.

AND….MAKE YOUR OWN MISO with fresh rice koji prepared by Tomie. Then, let your unique miso ferment for 8-12 months to achieve the richest flavor. 

• When: Saturday, February 1, from 1:00-3:30
• Where: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4000 Hudson Road, Cedar Falls. 
• Cost: $50 per person, please be prepared to pay Tomie cash at class. 
• RSVP before January 25th so preparations can be made. Class size is limited to 15 people. 

Open to Rooted Carrot Co-op member-owners and friends. Please, each member-owner may bring one non-member friend only. 

The Rooted Carrot Co-op is promoting “Food Bank February” by supporting the Northeast Iowa Food Bank throughout the month. You are welcome to bring a food donation for the food bank to this member mixer event. 

This event brings together members of our community to share a table, a story, and a local food meal, while supporting our local food system. This locally sourced meal will be prepared by Diamond Event Center chefs.

February 5th 5:30-8 pm at the Diamond Events Center (5307 Caraway Ln, Cedar Falls). Social Hour is 5:30-6:30 p.m. with appetizers and a cash bar. Dinner and program begins at 6:30 p.m.

We are excited to have Daquan Campbell, founder of We Arose, as our featured speaker. He is a strategic and visionary business leader with a dynamic plan for improving community health. We Arose is a network of local farmers who supply local, affordable, healthy food options to local residents. He began this journey growing produce on a quarter-acre plot in Waterloo. We Arose has since grown and has a network of eight farmers with rural farms and urban gardens. Their mission is to elevate urban farming cooperation and vision is to inspire the younger generation to nourish themselves, their families and their communities. Campbell graduated from Waterloo East High School and earned a degree in business management with an emphasis in organizational leadership from the University of Northern Iowa. In college, he served as an Student Assistant and AmeriCorps VISTA with the UNI Local Food Program. We Arose is also the manager of the Waterloo Urban Farmers Market. 

Menu

Crostini Display (Social Hour) 

Parisienne vegetable salad (Smoked Onion, Carrots, Squash, Steeped Potatoes, Lettuce)Continue reading→

Join together in supporting the Northeast Iowa Food Bank throughout the month of February.

The Rooted Carrot Co-op is scheduled to volunteer at the food bank on Saturday, February 22 from 9:00-11:00. Bring a friend or two or three… We can accomplish a great deal when we all cooperate to help alleviate hunger in our communities. 

In order to be prepared for the size of our team, please RSVP by 2/15 at membership@rootedcarrot.coop. 

If you are unavailable on the 22nd, we encourage you to find another time to volunteer. Click here for more information. 

We want to stay in touch with you!

CFU has announced that they will be ending their email service in 2025. If you currently use @CFU for email, please update your email address by clicking the “update subscription preferences” link at the bottom of this email OR email us at info@rootedcarrot.coop with your new email address to ensure delivery of the Garlic Press and other important email communications.

Updated information available at: cfu.net/email

Account Holders with Last Names 

A-G: Email service ending July 1, 2025

H-N: Email service ending September 1, 2025

O-Z: Email service ending November 1, 2025.

Thank you for helping us keep you informed about the co-op!

Happy New Year! 

On December 10th Lisa Nelson and Dave Schachterle presented to the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors about the Rooted Carrot! You can watch the presentation here. Thank you Lisa and Dave! 

The Board is kicking off 2025 with several meetings! We are meeting with a Columinate consultant about updating our Proforma. This important document helps guide our financial decisions and shows the financial feasibility of our co-op. We also have two special meetings set up for our investors. We look forward to updating this group about our co-op.

We appreciate your support. Keep following us on Facebook and Instagram and reading every month’s Garlic Press! 

Jodie Huegerich, 

President, Board of Directors 

If you have someone on your list who is interested in healthy food, building community, and/or supporting local farmers & producers, the perfect gift is only a few clicks away! Surprise them with the gift of a Rooted Carrot Co-op Membership. It will positively impact the community AND allow them to access discounts at RCCM Community Partner businesses throughout the Cedar Valley.

Click here to get started today!

Barons: Money, Power and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry is the story of seven corporate titans, their rise to power, and the consequences for everyone else. The historical home of meat packing Baron Reuben Rath of Rath Meat Packing, once the largest meat packer in the world, sits in Waterloo, Iowa. The home, which is now the home of IFSC Executive Director Chris Schwartz, will be the site for the Iowa Food System Coalition (IFSC) holiday fundraiser, featuring the author of Barons, Austin Frerick.

Admission to the event is free with a free-will donation, to be matched up to $5,000. All proceeds will go to advance IFSC’s work to create a just and sustainable food system centered around local food.

The home will be decorated top to bottom for the holidays and the party will feature Iowa made and produced foods and beverages. Join us for a fun and enlightening afternoon to support IFSC’s critical work.

Registration Encouraged: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ifsc-book-talk-holiday-party-fundraiser-with-austin-frerick-tickets-1083057998629?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Sunday, December 8 at 3:00 PM

The Old Rath Mansion
214 Highland Boulevard
Waterloo, IA 50703

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About the Iowa Food System Coalition

The Iowa Food System Coalition (IFSC) is a community of 40 organizational partners and 600 individuals with professional and lived expertise committed to advancing a thriving, sustainable, and equitable food system in Iowa. IFSC is leading the way with Setting the Table for All Iowans, a working document that outlines a strategic roadmap to increase local food consumption, build resilient rural communities, offer economic opportunities, and improve the health of Iowans. 

Gardeners in Waterloo are adapting African crops for Iowa’s climate — and feeding the community: https://www.iowapublicradio.org/ipr-news/2024-09-25/gardeners-in-waterloo-are-adapting-african-crops-for-iowas-climate-and-feeding-the-community

UNI Local Food Program website has been revamped with excellent resources: https://ceee.uni.edu/local-food-program

Farmers explore the latest in organic farming at annual conference: https://www.iowapublicradio.org/podcast/talk-of-iowa/2024-11-20/farmers-explore-the-latest-in-organic-farming-at-annual-conference

Thank you to all the member-owners who took the time to vote last week for Board Members and changes to the Rooted Carrot by-laws.

Board Members

We are excited to announce that Lisa Nelson will be serving another term and Mindy Doyle will start her first term on the Board of Directors for our co-op. Please join us in thanking and congratulating these two talented and dedicated member-owners!

Lisa also chairs the Membership/Communications committee and her team is responsible for this monthly newsletter each month, social media and events. She is also part of a new sub-committee for our new campaign, Don’t Wait, Cooperate. This committee is bringing together communications, site, and community relations and doing a lot of great work educating Cedar Falls City Council members and much more!

Mindy has been working hard behind the scenes for the co-op for many years. She also serves on the Membership/Communication committee and is one of the committee members responsible for our awesome website, social media and so much more! 

Changes to the By-laws

The amendments below passed with a YES vote. Continue reading→

Rooted Carrot is committed to values including Local Commitment and Sustainability. The Cedar Valley region has hard-working local producers and farmers that help grow our economy, feed us, and do it sustainably. Many of those producers are also Rooted Carrot member-owners! Farmers Market season may be over but you can still find local products during the winter months. Consider sourcing local for your holiday meals and weekly in your meal planning. 

Pat Beck: Beck Orchards

Local Food Listings | Cedar Valley Regional Food & Farm Network (cvfoodfarmnetwork.org)

Mallory DeVries: Woodside Acres

Gourmet Chicken Farm – Woodside Acres | Charles City, IA

Mark and Theresa Westbrock: Solstice Farm and Paha Cider 

https://www.solsticefarm.net/

Paha Cider | Handcrafted Iowa Cider

Lindsay Kaiser: Kaiser Farm Fresh

Kaiser Farm Fresh | Facebook

Eric Jensen: Yellow Table Farm

https://www.facebook.com/yellowtablefarm/

Continue reading→