We are not Alone: Together, We are Making this a Reality

From the Outreach Coordinator
We are not Alone: Together, We are Making this a Reality

 

Did you know that there are more than 125 new cooperative grocery stores starting up across the U.S.? Did you know that even more than that are already open and running? Throughout the nation, cities understand the value of this community-grown enterprise and are experiencing the countless benefits that come their way when co-ops form and become full-fledged businesses.

Wild Root Market member-owners discuss their vision of their future storefront.

 

Recently, Wild Root Market (Racine, WI) hosted a “Dream UP” event, inviting Jacqueline Hannah from the Food Co-op Initiative to work with member-owners in planning their vision for their future store. This co-op has a site selected and are now eager to get underway with their bricks-and-mortar establishment. What do they want in their store? How do they want the store to be set-up? The voice of member-owners is crucial for the future of a co-op. This past month, our member-owners had the opportunity to fill out a survey to start this dreaming process, and we are grateful to those who gave us their opinions. Co-ops are vibrant places within communities BECA– USE their communities create them.

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Member Spotlight: Jacquelyn Berggren

Jacquelyn (Jackie) Berggren and her husband Kevin live in Cedar Falls. Jackie is one of the newest Co-op board members and has also been a member of the Communications Committee since she became a founding member/owner about a year ago. Jackie has been attending Huntington College of Health Sciences for the last two years and will graduate in March with her AS in Applied Nutrition. She recently became an Independent Sales Consultant with Norwex. She is interested in Nutrition coaching and is studying with a Reiki Master Teacher. Kevin works at Aramark in Waterloo. Kevin and Jackie dated in High School and reconnected some years later and married. They just celebrated their 20th anniversary together. They have two daughters, a daughter-in-law, one son, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren (three boys, and one girl). About five years ago, they rescued a sweet little Jack Russell Terrier mix from the Cedar Bend Humane Society and named her Macy. She is adorable and loves to go for walks with Jackie. Kevin is an avid golfer, so spring cannot get here fast enough for him!Continue reading→

Eat Seasonal: March

The birds are chirping louder, the temperature is a bit milder, and the sun has been shining! March brings spring, and this year spring begins on March 20, 2018. What better time than to start thinking about fresh produce? Think green. St. Patty’s Day? Nope, in season green produce! There are definitely some other gorgeous fruits and vegetables popping out this time of year, like oranges, radishes, lemons, mushrooms, and leeks.

Eating fresh produce in season offers healthy sources of vitamins and minerals at the best price. When produce is allowed to ripen naturally, it brings out the full flavor and nutrition, which means it’s healthier for you and the environment. Eating seasonally helps support local producers and is better for the environment because the food doesn’t have to be transported from another part of the country or imported. Supporting local keeps our food dollars local. Here’s the list of fresh produce for March.

 

Photo credit: A Healthy Life For Me.

For a more extensive list of produce by season visit: https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/seasonal-produce-guide.

Board Happenings: February 2018

– We had a great turn out at our Member Mixer in January, and we even gained 4 new members that evening!
– We’ve really enjoyed hearing from you! We’ll be taking this input into account as we work through the decisions of designing our store.
– It’s that time of year when we start putting together our budget. It’s not the most exciting work, but rest assured that we carefully plan our year in order to use your investments as responsibly as possible.
– We’re sending 4 representatives to the Up and Coming Conference this year. This is the largest conference for startup food co-ops and each year we learn so much! Be on the look out next month for a conference update.

From the Board President: 9 Things about the Co-op You Probably Didn’t Know

“How many members do we have now?” is a question I’m asked frequently (729 as of writing this). The number of member-owners is a gauge; it helps tell the story of how close we are to opening our doors. But there are other numbers that also tell the story of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op. In the spirit of the “Love Your Co-op” month, let’s dive into some of them. How many of these do you know?

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Chocolate and Theatre: Now is a great time to become a Member-Owner and encourage others to join your Co-op!

Chocolate and Theatre: Now is a great time to become a Member-Owner and encourage others to join your Co-op!

 What do Chocolate and Theatre Tickets have in common? Both are going to be given away this month to a few lucky new member-owners or possibly to current member-owners who encourage someone to invest in an owner share. During our Love Your Co-op campaign (January 20 – February 14), you can join as a member-owner or if already a member, can have your name is written in when someone joins regarding how they heard about the Co-op, then you will be entered into the drawing for a yummy treat from Chocolaterie Stam in Cedar Falls. From baking chocolate to cocoa mix to truffles and even a gift card, this mouth-watering gift basket is sure to please any chocolate lover. And anyone can sample free chocolate on Thursday, February 8 during the Downtown Delights event on Main Street Cedar Falls. Participating businesses will be offering free wine and chocolate pairings. The event goes until 9, but stop by Chocolaterie Stam anytime between 5 and 7 p.m. to get your co-op questions answered while sampling some chocolate and wine and listening to live harp music courtesy of co-op member-owner Sheila Benson. You’ll be able to purchase member shares and/or Co-op t-shirts too!

But wait – the giving continues…. Waterloo Community Playhouse has generously donated tickets to their upcoming show, The Full Monty. Tune in later this month to our Facebook page or contact us for full details regarding when you can be in the drawing for a pair of tickets. To be eligible you must be a new member-owner who joins during the specific giveaway timeframe or be a current member-owner who is written in on the member application as the person from whom the new member heard of the Co-op.

 

We are grateful to you for supporting your Co-op. As we grow in membership, we grow in community and get even closer to opening the doors to our store!

 

 

From The Outreach Coordinator: February 2018

On January 31st, we experienced a unique lunar phenomenon termed a super blue blood moon. Try to say that 10 times fast! What does it mean? Well, there was a lunar eclipse (blood moon) during a blue moon (the second full moon in the same month) at the same time as a super moon (when the full moon is at its closest proximity to earth). Incredible!

 

Whatever you believe about moon energy, I imagine you feel some sense of awe when gazing at the moon, and perhaps if you saw this phenomenon that feeling was intensified. This is what I’m feeling about the Co-op right now – an amplified sense of awe and wonder.

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Recipe: Best Broccoli Soup

This time of year in Iowa a healthy pot of warm soup takes the winter chills away. A great vegetable to start with is broccoli. It can always be found in the produce section, and broccoli is packed full of nutrients. Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable and is related to cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. It’s full of vitamin C which may help boost the immune system. A nice crusty bread pairs well with this soup. This recipe was found in the Taste of Home Books One-Pot Recipes and was submitted by Carolyn Weinberg, Custer, Montana.

Best Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups water

4 cups chopped fresh broccoli (about 1-1/2 pounds)

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped onion

6 tablespoons butter 

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1teaspoon onion salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Carolyn’s directions:

In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, celery and carrots; boil 2-3 minutes. Drain; set vegetables aside. In the same kettle, sauté onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour to form a smooth paste. Gradually add the broth and milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 1 minute. Add vegetables and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Yield: 6-8 servings (2 quarts).

Member Spotlight: Jim O’Loughlin

Jim O’Loughlin and his wife, Julie Husband, have three children, Nic (19), Devin (16) and Ian (11). Julie and Jim have both taught English at UNI since moving to Cedar Falls in 2000. Jim is the host of the Final Thursday Reading Series at the Hearst Center for the Arts, a forum for creative writers that is now in its 18thseason. He recently edited and published, Planting Red Geraniums, a collection of previously unknown James Hearst poems that he discovered.

As a downtown resident and bike commuter, Jim really appreciates all that can be done within a short walk or ride. Since they bought their first house here, there’s been a new library, a new Lincoln Elementary School, an expanded Recreation Center, not to mention the investments made in the trail system. So, they have come to appreciate that a changing community can become a community with more to offer its residents.

Jim is a regular customer at Hansen’s Farm Fresh Dairy and makes use of the Co-op discount on milk there all the time. Hansen’s Dairy is one of the many Co-op business partners that offer discounts to our members.

Jim feels that a Co-op can focus on the kind of farm-to-table initiatives that Iowa needs and is well-suited to offer.  Diversified farming can lead to safer waterways and healthier eating. It’s a win-win situation. But a Co-op can do more than just provide food. It can become a community resource that offers cultural programming and education.

Jim is a runner and a biker and loves to cook.  He was a co-founder of the Overman Park Neighborhood Association and is currently the group’s President. Last summer, he and his friend, Jon Taiber, made the inaugural SingleSpeed kayak loop, paddling from downtown Cedar Falls to downtown Waterloo and back, which is sure to become a regular summer event.

Between Julie’s ambitious vegetable garden and Jim’s modest herb garden, they can eat salads with ingredients they mostly grow themselves throughout the summer. Nothing tastes better than food you grow yourself and pick just before eating.

Jim loves spring in Iowa. When the calendar says spring has started, it’s like the word goes out to nature and everything begins to turn a vibrant green. It’s an amazing transformation to see every year.

Board Happenings: January 2018

Take a minute to see what your board has been up to!
– Our committees have been hard at work getting ready for the co-op’s best year yet!
– Operations has worked hard to put together a General Manager (GM) job description. Hiring a GM is one of the most important task a start-up co-op undertakes, so we’re making sure to take the time to get the best one we can.
– The Membership Investment Campaign is putting together all the materials needed for our upcoming campaign. This ranges from loan paperwork, to legal documents, to marketing materials. This is a HUGE undertaking, but we’re plugging along and will have everything set once we’re ready to launch.
– It may only be February, but it’s never too early to start planning next year’s budget. We take our fiscal responsibilities very seriously, so we make sure to be thoughtful that we’re spending the co-op’s money in ways that benefit our members.
– Our next meeting is February 21st, at 7pm. Board meetings are always open to our membership and we encourage anyone interested in learning more about how your board is functioning to attend.