With Gratitude to our Member-Owners

Gratitude is especially significant at times like these, and we are grateful every day for our community and the many ways we support one another. One way we as a co-op benefit from this support is from investment by individuals and businesses in our community who purchase member shares. A member share provides ownership in this cooperative grocery store and gives the investor an equal voice and vote within the Co-op. This is unique to most other businesses. We look with hope toward our future, and believe that local businesses and community members will be the drivers getting all of us through the uncertainties to come. We can and will do this together.Continue reading→

From the Board President: What the Coronavirus Teaches Us, and Next Steps for Your Co-op

This month’s column will be brief. Like most of you, my life has been changed dramatically as a result of the coronavirus. And the changes keeps coming. How will things be different for us a month from now? Two months? No one knows.

I recognize that this pandemic is threatening people’s lives and well-being. And, yet, in the midst of all of this, we still look for those glimmers of hope for our future. Sifting through the daily stream of news and social media outlets, you should easily be able to identify a common theme that I believe provides a ray of hope: We are in this together.

Continue reading→

Grilled Lemons and Chive Potatoes

St. Patrick’s Day is always celebrated with boiled corned beef and cabbage, but I could never eat it. So over the years, I have done the traditional foods of the day in different ways. Corned beef became roasted. Instead of boiled cabbage it became coleslaw. Traditional boiled potatoes turned into a variety of options. One of my favorites is grilled lemon and chive potatoes. You can grill them alongside your corned beef.Continue reading→

Three questions about buying local for your health

What are some reasons a person might want to buy their meat from a local farm?

One reason is they might want to know how the animals were raised, and the best way to know how they were raised is to know your farmer. There are a couple of reasons people might care about how the meat was raised. One is a kindness issue. Some people care about the animals’ quality of life. Although filming inside large animal feeding operations is often against the law, there is plenty of information available that give people reason to be concerned about the possible suffering of farm animals. Some people just have a gut level aversion to the idea of animals living and dying in overcrowded, inside-only living conditions. And they do not want their money to support that. Continue reading→

Green Food Potluck for St. Paddy’s Day Fun

All are welcome to join us on Monday, March 16 from 6 – 8 p.m. at Second State Brewing in downtown Cedar Falls for a Green Food potluck in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. So get creative and bring a dish to share containing green food. And if you don’t have time/energy to cook, just grab something to go at a food store – the most important thing is your presence! Please be sure to label your dish with the ingredients for those with specific food allergies or other food needs. We also encourage you to bring your own tableware if possible to help reduce landfill waste.Continue reading→

From the Board President: What Does “Horton Hear a Who” Have to Do with Your Co-op?

This book is likely familiar to everyone. It’s been around for over 65 years:

The recognized hero in the Dr. Seuss classic Horton Hears a Who is, of course, Horton the elephant. With his incredible hearing ability, Horton is able to identify an entire planet of people, Whoville, living on a speck of dust and he then begins an adventure in protecting the Whos against the other animals in the jungle. But another hero of the children’s book is a much different character. What does this hero have to do with you Co-op? Stay tuned…Continue reading→

Cedar Falls Food Co-op 2019: The Year in Review

As February commences, I’ve had time to gather statistics and reflect upon this past year of your Co-op and what a productive year it’s been! As with any business, there are highlights and challenges and I’ve provided my take on these below. While there is still much to be done, with everyone’s support and contributions, our goals are attainable. I’m grateful to all who have joined this journey.

– Melanie Drake, Outreach Coordinator

Continue reading→