It’s easy to join online or download the application and mail it in. http://rootedcarrot.coop/join-today/

Local Harvest Bounty October Co-op Membership Incentives:

Week 1 (10/1-10/7): Country View Dairy (Hawkeye, IA) – $25 gift certificate to the farm store. Perhaps you sampled this yogurt at Fall Food Fest and have been craving more. Enjoy some delicious yogurt along with other products sold in the store.

Week 2 (10/8 – 10/14): Solstice Farm (Waverly, IA) – Variety pack from their pasture-raised chickens: 1 dozen eggs, 2-pack chicken breasts, 3-pack chicken thighs.
If you tasted this chicken at Fall Food Fest, you’ll know you’re in for a treat if you win this delicious gift.

Week 3 (10/15 – 10/21): Ten pounds of apples from Blueridge Orchard (Denver, IA).
We hope you tried these tasty treats at Fall Food Fest, and you’ll enjoy even more variety when you visit this orchard to pick up your winning bag of apples.

Week 4 (10/22 – 10/28): Whistling Thistle Farmstead (Shellrock, IA) – soaps and tea variety pack: 3 bars of soap, 2 bags of tea.
A new addition to our Fall Food Fest this year, this farm’s booth featured refreshing beverages being served along with soap samples and other goodies that many attendees enjoyed.

For the past year, various member-owners have been gathering monthly to discuss the latest CFFC Book Club read. The book choices are not necessarily food related, but are titles suggested and voted on by the group. For the past few months, the group has been meeting at Overman Park to enjoy the outdoors while connecting over the latest read. One of their first outdoor gatherings ended in this unique story as related to us from Sharon Silva, one of the book club attendees:

“The weather was perfect for a meeting outdoors at Overman Park. The Necklace by Cheryl Jarvis relates the true story of 13 women who went in together to buy a diamond necklace, how they decided how they would share it, and the ways it affected each one’s life. Prior to the entertaining discussion and keeping with the theme, the book club group of 11 women each brought the special story of a necklace which she wore. They shared many nods and smiles over each unique piece and remembrance. It turned out that one woman had not looked for her special necklace until the last moment, so she never found it. While she was looking, though, she found a long-forgotten tiny jeweled drawstring purse and brought it instead. When she hung it around her neck the group promptly accepted it as a creative, acceptable substitute. However, when she discovered three hundred-dollar bills tucked inside, also long-forgotten, cheers erupted. Who says procrastination doesn’t pay?!”

“There’s going to be a cooperative grocery store in or near downtown Cedar Falls? Sign me up!”

This was what was most often expressed several weeks ago at a Co-op gathering in the lobby of the 250 State Street building located in the heart of downtown Cedar Falls.

Hosted by Co-op member-owners Jim and LeAnne Sprau, who are residents of 250 State, attendees sampled delicious food and beverages the Spraus purchased from Second State Brewing and spoke with other member-owners along with Outreach Coordinator, Melanie Drake to learn more about this grassroots effort to bring a full-service locally-focused grocery store to the downtown area. While anyone can shop at the Co-op when it opens, there are many advantages to purchasing a member share and consequently becoming a member-owner, including having a vote and say in how this store will be run. Party attendees certainly realized these advantages, and we hit a record that night, signing up the most member-owners we have to date at a house party.

Are you ready to help your Co-op spread the word in this important way? Whether you want to host a small or large gathering, we are here to help. We will provide a co-op representative to present or just talk individually to attendees, such as we did at 250 State Street. Your gathering can be as informal as you wish; we just ask that at some point, we get a chance to provide information about this growing business and be able to take memberships from interested individuals.

And, if you are not into party-hosting, we can come to any regularly planned event you have whether a book club or other discussion group, present to an organization of which you are a part, or come to your work and do a lunch and learn. We have many ideas, so contact our outreach coordinator (Melanie Drake: outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop) and she can help you put your idea into action. Thanks to the many individuals who have already hosted house parties, and we look forward to many more successful events!

And when we talk about a community-owned business, we’re not talking about a business that is run by a select group of shareholders. We’re talking about a business in which every owner has an equal vote. This is democracy at its finest (and one of the guiding principles of cooperatives).

Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. And the members do this primarily by electing representatives to serve on the board of directors. Are you board material?

If elected to serve on the board, you will be part of the leadership of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op as it journeys through the single most important event in its history: The grand opening!

Take another step as an owner of the Cedar Food Co-op and submit an application for a position on our Board of Directors. This year three of nine seats are up for election. Ideal candidates share a passion for helping the Co-op achieve success. They have a clear understanding of what it means to participate as a member of a board. They bring skill sets from a variety of industries and other board or life experiences, combined with a strong desire to help the Co-op succeed.

So, will YOU become a candidate for the Board of Directors? Learn more about the role and responsibilities of board members here. And if you think you’re up for the challenge, submit a completed application by email by September 8. Be sure to brace yourself for an incredibly rich and rewarding experience!

Don’t miss this chance to beat the summer heat by heading out on the cool waters in a kayak and help spread the word about joining in June. The reward is gaining a full-service cooperative grocery store in Cedar Falls – and perhaps a new kayak too!

The fine print
To be eligible to be in a drawing, you must be a member of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op and have your name clearly included in the referral section of a membership application that is submitted by June 30, 2018 or become a member-owner of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op by June 30. Individuals who start a payment plan are also eligible. Hard copies and online applications are both eligible. All names submitted will be entered into a drawing. Previous winners of the drawing are eligible for future drawings. Co-op Board members and their families are not eligible. The drawing will take place at a public Co-op event in July 2018.

There are many perks to being a member-owner of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op; One of them is that member-owners have the opportunity to sport a Proud Owner yard sign from late May through July. If you are a member-owner living in Cedar Falls or Waterloo, you may sign up for a Cedar Falls Food Co-op yard sign….so what are you waiting for? If you haven’t reserved yours yet, send an email to outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop. Please provide your current address (if it’s changed recently), and we’ll be happy to have one of our volunteers deliver and place the sign.

Would you be interested in helping with delivery and placement or pick up later in the summer? Let our outreach coordinator know when you email requesting your yard sign. We still have room for a few more volunteers.

We’re calling for Owner Investment Campaign Volunteers!

The Cedar Falls Food Co-Op is growing and site selection for our grocery store is happening! As a site becomes available, we will kick off our Owner Investor Campaign and need your help in doing so. The Owner Investor Campaign Committee is seeking Builders and Communicators—two critical volunteer roles to assist with the Owner Investment Campaign. The Owner Investment Campaign will help the Co-op raise the money needed to open our store, and Builders and Communicators will play key roles in the campaign. A description of both volunteer opportunities is provided below:

• Builders (2 to 4 volunteers): Individuals who work behind the scenes by distributing prepared communications to potential investors.
• Communicators (15 to 20 volunteers, including 1 lead): Individuals who reach out to potential investors to inform them of the investment options and follow-up to collect on pledged investments.

The Owner Investment Campaign will begin this spring and run through the summer. Because of the special investment opportunities available to the Co-op’s member owners, the campaign will be targeted and finite. The new store will be dependent upon our campaign’s success!

Please send an email to Melanie Drake, Outreach and Communications Coordinator, at outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop to indicate your interest in one or both of the volunteer roles, as well as a brief (3-5 sentence) description of why you would like to help with the campaign. Please submit your interest by April 21, 2018.

We hope to hear from you soon!

Thank you,

Andrew Morse

Vice President,

Cedar Falls Food Co-op

Board of Directors

April brings Earth Day, and we are honoring our planet in a variety of ways this month. Keep an eye out for Rooty the Co-op Carrot who is emerging from a long winter nap and is excited to celebrate mother nature with you. Thanks to the Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens, we’ll have a membership to give away, so stay tuned. We are also highlighting some reusable, recyclable items this month that some lucky member-owners will receive. Be sure to keep tabs on all of these activities via our Facebook page where you can find the most updated details.

Happy Earth Day! Happy Spring! Happy Co-op Supporting!

Besides April showers, we can look forward to some wonderfully deep rich-colored produce. Is anyone thinking about a delicious strawberry rhubarb pie? YUM! How about a ripe avocado on a bed a fresh greens? A warm breakfast idea perhaps— top that avocado with a local producer’s farm-fresh eggs, Celtic salt, pepper, cumin or other spices, some shredded cheese, bake, and top with fresh salsa. Add some orange slices and berries on the side, Viola! Broccoli and cauliflower are stars of April, too. Roast them together in the oven with olive oil and spices of your choice for a healthy side or main dish. 

The seasonal produce for April is full of flavor and color. The climate in the regions this produce grows will determine the availability of each, but most of the food listed is abundant during April. If you have a recipe you would like to share send us your contact information along with the recipe to info@cedarfallsfood.coop.  Photo credit: A Healthy Life For Me.