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

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I Love My Co-op Community

By Jane Markowitz

My partner, Max, and I moved to Cedar Falls in August from NYC. We didn’t know a soul in the entire state of Iowa and our first week moving here, we explored downtown Cedar Falls and stumbled upon the Saturday farmer’s market. While wandering around and checking out different stalls we encountered the Co-op booth. We were informed about an opportunity to volunteer at a local farm, Kaiser Farms, and were invited to come along. We showed up not really knowing what to expect and when we arrived we were met with friendly and welcoming faces. After that day I was hooked and quickly became immersed in the community.Continue reading→

A Life-changing Experience – Volunteering for the Co-op

On a winter evening, I walk into the brightly lit home and already sense the energy. Greetings ring out from the kitchen where some are already gathering, filling their glasses with sparkling water or wine, placing delectable snacks on the table, and sharing their recent news with one another. As others arrive, the jovial noise in the room increases. Soon, Joy claps her hands together and calls out, “Let’s get down to business, shall we?” Slowly the chatter quiets down as people take their seats around the table, still glowing from the conversation, invigorated to start the meeting. The next ninety or so minutes bring lively discussion, idea-generating, lighthearted banter, and much collaboration. This is the membership (newly dubbed outreach and education) committee meeting held once a month, and I look forward to it each time. Who can say that about meetings they attend? But the common cause (to bring our brick and mortar cooperative grocery store to fruition in this community) which brings this group of volunteers together is really what motivates us all, and why participating in this way is so meaningful.Continue reading→