Dear Members and Supporters,

We’re excited to share an update from the Site Selection Team as we continue our journey to bring the Rooted Carrot to life!

Over the past few months, our team has been actively touring potential sites in the downtown district, narrowing our focus to three promising locations. Each space offered unique possibilities—charming storefronts, walkable neighborhoods, and vibrant surrounding businesses that reflect the community spirit we hope to cultivate.

However, despite the initial excitement, we encountered a shared challenge across all three sites: insufficient parking.

As a member-owned grocery cooperative, accessibility for all our members is key. That means making it as easy as possible for families doing their weekly shop, older adults, and folks commuting from nearby neighborhoods to reach. Unfortunately, each downtown site we visited had either no dedicated parking or limited shared lots that wouldn’t reliably accommodate our needs.

Here’s a quick summary of what we found:Continue reading→

Farmers Markets are a great way to support your local economy. In other words, put your dollars into a local hard-working farmer’s pockets! Plus, you purchase high-quality, dense nutrition food for yourself and your family. Find a market that works in your schedule and find them on social media for updates on products, vendors, and more. 

It’s time for Farmers Markets! | Cedar Valley Regional Food & Farm Network

Check out the UNI Local Food Program’s Guide to Successful Shopping and the What’s In Season guide. 

The Rooted Carrot Co-op is buzzing with purpose and community spirit this summer! From tabling at local farmers’ markets to planning member events and strengthening the Co-op’s foundation through policy work—there’s a lot to be excited about.

We are looking for a policy-writing volunteer. It’s a great opportunity for someone who wants to make a meaningful contribution to our co-op on their own schedule. Pairing writing skills with community impact is a win-win. If you are interested please reach out to us at info@rootedcarrot.coop. 

We are seeking member-owners interested in serving on the Board of Directors. A seven-member board with staggered three-year terms provides a balance of continuity and fresh perspectives. Reach out to a board member to learn more or email us at info@rootedcarrot.coop. 

Enjoy these summer days and continue to support our local farmers by attending farmers’ markets or purchasing their products at locally owned businesses like Hansen’s Dairy. Check out our calendar of events and save the dates for Volunteer Appreciation, Fall Festival, and the annual meeting.

The Rooted Carrot Co-op partnership with We Arose is excited to be facilitating a mid-week Cedar Falls CSA delivery location this season!

THANK YOU to the 14 people who committed to supporting our local growers through this opportunity by purchasing shares. Pick-up times continue to be 2:00-6:00 every Wednesday, with half-shares delivered every-other week.

Thanks, also, to member-owners who have volunteered to be present at the pick-up location. 

This partnership and your support of it is another example of the impact we all have when we work together to fulfill the shared vision of the Rooted Carrot Co-op. If you have any suggestions for other ways the co-op can support local growers, please email info@rootedcarrot.coop today! 

The Rooted Carrot Co-op is partnering with We Arose to provide up to 30 people the opportunity to access local produce through a produce share! 

The deadline has been extended to June 4th and shares are still available!

Order Now! 

This is a great opportunity to support a network of beginning and small-scale farmers while accessing locally grown, fresh, and healthy food. Each box is curated with 6 to 8 of your favorite in-season vegetables.

This program is open to the public and offers convenient mid-week delivery to the ThreeHouse Campus Ministry building at 2422 College Street in Cedar Falls. 

COST:

The season is June 15-October 29.  

Full Season Share: 20 weeks offered every week for $600

Half Season Share: 10 weeks offered every-other week for $300. 

NOTE: If you’d prefer a half share every week, consider purchasing a full share with a friend and sharing the goodness every week! 

DISTRIBUTION:

The shares will be delivered on Wednesdays to ThreeHouse, 2422 College St, in Cedar Falls. The boxes will be kept in an air conditioned room. Each box will be labeled for each member to pick up. Participants can pick up their boxes from 4-6 pm. 

Boxes that are not picked up by 6:00 will be considered forfeited, and donated to ThreeHouse Campus Ministries. 

Order at https://we-arose-rooted-carrot.square.site/

If you have a CFU email and your account holder’s last name begins with A – G, your email service ends July 1, 2025. CFU has information available to migrate your email.

We don’t want you to miss your Garlic Press or important Member-Owner information!  Please let us know if you have a new email address, and we will get it updated for you. Just shoot us a note at info@rootedcarrot.coop.

We need YOU! We need member-owners to run for the board. The term would start in November and be for three years. 

We also need finance committee members and governance committee members. Do you enjoy numbers? Writing grants? Writing policies? 

Please consider volunteering with us and reach out to info@rootedcarrot.coop and let us know what you are interested in! Or reach out and let us know if you want to meet a board member for coffee to chat more. 

In case you missed it, check out our board message from last month. CSA shares are still available from We Arose. The deadline has been extended to June 4th. Sign up today and support local farmers! 

Jodie Huegerich, 

President, Board of Directors 

Continue reading→

Hot Honey Bell Peppers
By: Co+op

Honey is delicious, but chili-infused hot honey is something special. Gently heating honey with chili peppers gives it a warm, smoky flavor that complements these colorful peppers perfectly.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 jalapeño pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Pour the honey in a small microwaveable bowl and add the red pepper flakes. Heat until the honey starts to bubble.
2. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes, then strain to remove the pepper flakes. Stir in the vinegar.
3. Remove the stems and seeds, then slice the bell and jalapeño peppers in thin, vertical slices. Place a large saute pan over medium-high heat and let heat for a minute, then drizzle in the olive oil.
4. Add the peppers and saute, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly browned in spots, about 7 minutes. Drizzle half the honey over the peppers and serve the remaining honey on the side.

Article Link: Hot Honey Bell Peppers 

Every spring in the Cedar Valley, there’s a quiet frenzy that begins the moment the ground thaws and the lilacs bloom. People disappear into ditches and wooded edges, ducking under branches and scanning the soil. They’re not lost — they’re looking. For mushrooms.

Morel mushrooms are a Midwest obsession. They’re delicious, hard to find, and wildly expensive if you try to buy them. But around here, we don’t usually buy them. We hunt. On public land. With neighbors, kids, cousins. There’s no admission fee, no password, no receipt. Just a deep knowing that the land can still feed us.

It’s one of the last ways regular people gather high-value food for themselves. No middleman. No branding. Just trust in the process and a little local knowledge.

That same spirit lives in the Rooted Carrot Co-op.

We call it grocery democracy: the idea that communities should have a say in what shows up on their shelves, where it comes from, and who benefits from it.Continue reading→

The Rooted Carrot Co-op is partnering with We Arose to provide up to 30 people the opportunity to access local produce through a produce share! 

Shares are still available! 

Order Now! 

This is a great opportunity to support a network of beginning and small-scale farmers while accessing locally grown, fresh, and healthy food. Each box is curated with 6 to 8 of your favorite in-season vegetables.

This program is open to the public and offers convenient mid-week delivery to the ThreeHouse Campus Ministry building at 2422 College Street in Cedar Falls. 

COST:

The season is June 15-October 29.  

Full Season Share: 20 weeks offered every week for $600

Half Season Share: 10 weeks offered every-other week for $300. 

There will be 30 shares available for Cedar Falls Delivery. If a minimum number is not met, We Arose reserves the right to cancel the partnership and will issue refunds. Continue reading→