We appreciate the enthusiasm of those who attended the recent member/owner special meetings. Many people were eager to engage with potential Cedar Falls City Council and Mayoral candidates and requested some guidance on how to show support for the Co-op while doing so.

There will be a Cedar Falls Municipal candidate forum on October 18, 7:00-9:00 at Cedar Falls City Hall Council Chambers. (Thanks to the League of Women Voters for sponsoring this event.)

Feel free to express your support for the Rooted Carrot Co-op. Some possible themes or talking points include:

• What value do you see in bringing a Co-op grocery to Cedar Falls? How does this fit with your vision for our community?
• Are you open to a small-group or one-on-one meeting with some co-op board members/volunteers to learn about why opening a co-op grocery store requires special attention from elected officials?
• Resident surveys have revealed a strong desire for a grocery store in the downtown area. In order to accommodate The Rooted Carrot Co-op grocery downtown, would you be willing to make exceptions to some zoning rules for things like curb cuts & loading dock placement to allow delivery of goods to the store? 
• How do you define the roles city staff, planning & zoning, and the council play in the approval of development projects? The success of a full line grocery store in the downtown district will hinge on collaboration and creativity at the city staff and commission/council levels.  Are you willing to provide the extra time and energy to these kinds of conversations in order to see this project through to win/win for all?

If you have any questions or to request further guidance on these talking points, please email info@rootedcarrot.coop. Thank you for your support!

Dear Co-op Friends,

As you know from our summertime member-owner meetings, the Board is weighing two factors as we make our decision to move forward or not:  the member-owner advisory vote and member-owner’s organizational commitment. Unfortunately, we have not received enough applications for the four open Board of Directors seats. 

We need you! Please join our team. You can check out the current Board of Directors here. As community-minded individuals across the spectrum of life stages, our board members lead busy lives, just like you. Continue reading→

The Rooted Carrot Co-op Membership team shared the co-op story at the Waverly Farmers Market on September 9th. It was an engaging crowd, and we met many people who enthusiastically support local growers & makers. We also had people interested in learning more about being a vendor once the store opens!

Our next market tabling event is the Waterloo Urban Farmer’s Market on October 7th from 8:00 to noon at the RiverLoop Expo Plaza. Stop by the booth to pick up a yard sign or cards to share with friends, visit with the Membership team, and spin the wheel for prizes!

Thank you to everyone who attended the Special Member-Owner meetings in July and August. We appreciate the number of people who could attend and who were engaged and supportive.

We communicated the member-owner meetings through our Mailchimp database, social media, Garlic Press newsletter, and sent postcards to everyone. If you have not received communications from the Co-op in the past six months please send your updated email and mailing address to info@rootedcarrot.coop. Please note it is the member-owner’s responsibility to update their contact information with the Rooted Carrot Co-op Market. 

We are actively seeking member-owners to run for the Board of Directors. The application is open and you can find more information here. Board of Directors are a key piece to the Rooted Carrot Co-op organization and are the governing body of our Co-op. The Board is responsible for ensuring organizational performance on behalf of all of the Co-op’s owners. Currently, the work of the Board of Directors is geared towards establishing a physical store. Once established, the work will shift to developing clearly stated expectations for the General Manager. 

Check out our calendar of events for important dates regarding the future of our Co-op.

Jodie Huegerich,
President, Board of Directors

Rooted Carrot Co-op Market Core Organization Meeting is Wednesday, September 6th at 6:30 pm. It will be held at the River Place Co-working Space (formerly known as Gravitate Co-working Space). This location is downtown Cedar Falls above Urban Pie. There will be people to greet you when you reach the 2nd floor.

We need more member-owners involved in the core organization to help us accomplish our goal of opening a full-service grocery store. Over the past few years, the number of people interested in being on the Board of Directors and actively participating in committee work has decreased significantly.

Attend this meeting to learn how you can get involved!

The Membership Team will be at the Waverly Farmers Market on September 9 and at the Waterloo Urban Farmers Market on October 7. Stop by to say hello! Kids can spin the wheel for prizes and member-owners can pick up a yard sign or sticker to show their co-op support. We love to meet new co-op friends and to share our enthusiasm for the Rooted Carrot Co-op!

Waverly Farmers Market: September 9, 8:30-noon | 1st St. SW (along the Cedar River)

Waterloo Urban Farmers Market: October 7, 8:00-noon | RiverLoop Expo Plaza (460 Jefferson)

Thank you to everyone who attended the Special Member-Owner meeting on July 24th. If you were unable to attend, the next meeting is Tuesday, August 15th, 6:30-7:30 pm at the Cedar Falls Community Center.

The Board will share information on the progress and future challenges in developing a full-service cooperative grocery store in Cedar Falls. The review and selection of a site is a complex process. The Site Team will share the process of site selection, updates on potential sites, key features needed for a successful business and the challenges the Co-op has faced.

There will be a formal advisory vote on the future of our Co-op and how to move forward together. Now is the time to voice your opinion about the future of our Co-op! After the meeting on August 15th, members will receive an email with instructions on how to cast their advisory vote. The voting period will close on August 31st.

In addition, we will be hosting an informational meeting on how you can get involved with the core organization to help us accomplish our goal of opening a full-service grocery store. Over the past few years the number of people interested in being on the Board of Directors and actively participating in committee work has decreased significantly. Board applications are being accepted now. You can find all the important dates in our Calendar of Events.

The results of the advisory vote combined with the willingness of member-owners to become involved in the core organization of our Co-op will guide the board in determining the future direction of the co-op. This will be discussed at the October annual member-owner meeting.

We take this work seriously and we are grateful for the tenacity of this board, committees, volunteers and the community at large.

Please direct questions to info@rootedcarrot.coop.

Rooted Carrot Co-op Market Board

Jodie Huegerich, Christine Sexton, Gina Brown, Kate Gallagher Dunning, Tom Blanford, Lisa Nelson, David Schachterle, Theresa Westbrock 

The Membership Team spent Saturday morning at the Cedar Falls Downtown Farmers Market sharing information, distributing yard signs, and answering questions.

There is so much support for a co-op in the Cedar Valley! Over 50 people stopped by for information, mostly non-members and all were enthusiastic about the project. The team plans to be at the College Hill Farmers Market on 8/23 and the Waverly Farmers Market on 9/9.

If you are aware of other events where a co-op information table would be welcome, please email info@rootedcarrot.coop.

Our 2023 Volunteer Appreciation Mixer was held at the Ragged Edge Art Bar & Gallery in Cedar Falls on Wednesday, July 26. Great food, engaging conversations, and excellent drinks were enjoyed by all who attended.

Thanks to the Ragged Edge for hosting, the RCCM board members who supplied food, and especially the volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to the co-op.

The Rooted Carrot Co-op LOVES our volunteers! Help us thank the many volunteers who work on behalf of the Co-op by gathering at The Ragged Edge on Wednesday, July 26th between 5:30 and 7:30. Each volunteer will receive half off one drink. Come when you can, leave when you must. The board will provide goodies and the Edge will provide the atmosphere!