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→

The Co-op SWAG Shop is open for gift giving! Shop the online store to order tees, vests, caps, tumblers and more, featuring the Rooted Carrot Co-op logo. 

Too many choices and not sure what to get? Consider a gift certificate! Call Iowa Sports Supply at 319-268-0125 to purchase a gift card of any amount and to receive a code to be used toward an online purchase. 

Place merchandise orders by November 25th in order to receive them by December 20th. 

The Rooted Carrot Cooperative Market was founded with a mission to enhance the health and well-being of the Cedar Valley by providing access to fresh, sustainable food and fostering a resilient, vibrant community. We are very encouraged that the city of Cedar Falls’ Resilience Plan closely mirrors our ideals, prioritizing walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods, support for local businesses, and sustainable practices that create a stronger, healthier city for all.

Our values—Local Commitment, Inclusivity, Education, and Sustainability—not only drive our efforts, but also directly support Cedar Falls’ goals for resilience. Here’s how each of our values intersects with the city’s plan, illustrating our shared vision for a thriving community.

Local Commitment

Economic Resilience (C4.1, E6.2)

The Rooted Carrot Co-Op’s commitment to local producers and businesses supports Cedar Falls’ goal of a resilient local economy. By sourcing from local farmers and food artisans, the co-op not only strengthens the local food network but also generates a greater economic multiplier. Research shows that every $1,000 spent at the co-op generates $1,604 in economic activity, a significant boost for Cedar Falls’ economy. A site near the city’s downtown would enhance walkability and accessibility, fitting the city’s vision of mixed-use neighborhoods and sustainable community infrastructure.Continue reading→

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! 

We look forward to continuing to work with Lisa Nelson and welcome Mindy Doyle to the Board! Thank you for volunteering your time to make a co-op a reality in our community. 

Thank you to Kate Dunning and Theresa Westbrock for their time on the board. Kate served two terms and has chaired the Site Committee during this time. She will remain active as chair of the Site Committee and she is part of our new sub-committee for our campaign, Don’t Wait, Cooperate! Theresa was appointed by the Board for the last two years to fill in the gap of board members who left their terms early. She has been our Board Secretary, worked on Operations Committee tasks, and served on the grants committee. She will continue with the grants committee. 

President of Board of Directors,

Jodie Huegerich