All posts by Gary Huber

Grilled Lamb Steaks

August 11, 2018
by Gary Huber

Don’t let grilling season pass by without trying this simple but flavorful recipe–give lamb steaks a try and season it with fresh Iowa garlic + rosemary.

 

 

Grilled Lamb Steaks
Author: Robin Meadows West
Ingredients
  • 1 lb lamb chops/steaks
  • 2 TB fresh rosemary, minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 – 4 TB olive oil, divided
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, mix the rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic with 2 TB of olive oil.
  2. Rub the mixture onto the lamb, massaging it in. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30-45 minutes.
  3. If you’re cooking the lamb on the stove, heat 2 TB of oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Alternately, you can cook them on the grill with high heat. Cook 2 minutes on each side for rare, or 3 minutes per side for medium rare.
  4. Remove from pan (or grill) to a room temperature plate, cover, and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

 

IFC Distribution is Today; Farmers’ Market @ Franklin Site!

August 2, 2018
by Gary Huber

This is being sent to everyone who ordered. Today is distribution. Our alternative pick up is Saturday from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Plaza site.

At Franklin we’ll be sampling Sweet to Eat Bakery’s NEW bagels along with Swede Point Creamery’s pineapple walnut chevre. At all other sites, we’ll be sampling delicious Berry Patch blueberries.
Our Franklin farmers’ market will feature blueberries from Berry Patch, fresh eggs from Mendenhall Milling, honey + beeswax items from Meadow BlazingStar Honey, prepared foods from Global Arts Therapy, and tomatoes, cucumbers, jam, potatoes, onions, beets and peppers from Red Barn Produce.

We can’t wait to see you this afternoon if you are picking up at Franklin. All are welcome, so bring a friend.

And if for some reason you need to call, use 515.450.6812. Thanks for your orders. See you later today or Thursday.

IFC Pick-up is Thursday!

July 30, 2018
by Gary Huber

Hi. If you are getting this by email, you’ve placed an order for this week’s distribution. Thank you for your purchases.

The number of members ordering this cycle was 220. Total purchases were a bit under $14,000. Last year sales were a bit over $15,000, so we are down a bit.

We’ve got some ideas about why. We didn’t have an Ames pickup this cycle because of a conflict with schedules. We also didn’t have anyone selling sweet corn, and we ran out of some other items, including eggs and cabbage.

Unfortunately, having adequate supplies is complicated because it’s up farmers to stock our virtual shelves. We’ll keep working to get it fixed, but please know that we truly appreciate your using the IFC for your needs. 

So, now the task is to fulfill all your orders. Here’s the relevant info regarding distribution this week.

1. If you are picking up at Franklin Plaza, please check out products available for purchase in our Retail Center. There’s good stuff you can add to your online orders. We’ll also be having our Farmers’ Market again in the parking lot.

2. Specifics on times and locations for all our sites are available with this link and to the left.

NOTE: IF YOU ARRIVE BEFORE THE SCHEDULED START TIME, OUR VOLUNTEERS WON’T BE READY. PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY AND BE PATIENT.

3. Our alternative pick up time will be from 10:30 am to noon on Saturday, August 4. If we don’t see you Thursday, we’ll assume you are coming Saturday or have made other arrangements.

4. We accept EBT cards for payment ONLY AT OUR Franklin Plaza site. If you are an EBT member and are picking up at another location, please send an email to distribution@iowafood.coop so we can arrange for processing your payment.

5. It’s a GOOD IDEA to check to be sure your pick-up site is correct. You can access your invoice by logging in, going to the shopping tab, and click “view in-process invoice”. If it’s not right, send an email to distribution@iowafood.coop.

Thanks again.

IFC Distribution is Today; Farmers’ Market @ Franklin Site!

July 19, 2018
by Gary Huber

This is being sent to everyone who ordered. Today is distribution at all sites except Ames, which is on Friday. Our alternative pick up is Saturday from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Plaza site.

We’ll be sampling Radiance Dairy’s yogurt at all sites. Our Franklin farmers’ market will feature blueberries from Berry Patch, fresh eggs from Mendenhall Milling, prepared foods from Global Arts Therapy, and tomatoes, cucumbers, jam, potatoes, onions, beets and peppers from Red Barn Produce.

We can’t wait to see you this afternoon if you are picking up at Franklin. All are welcome, so bring a friend.

And if for some reason you need to call, use 515.450.6812. Thanks for your orders. See you later today or Thursday.

IFC Pick-up is Thursday!

July 16, 2018
by Gary Huber

Hi. If you are getting this by email, you’ve placed an order for this week’s distribution.

The number of members ordering this cycle was 256, which is 25 more than two weeks ago. You bought product from 83 different producers, and total sales were about $17,750. That’s about 30% above last year’s same cycle sales of $13,687.

That’s nice growth, which really helps our producers. We are happy and we deeply appreciative of your purchases. Thank you.

Now it’s time to make it all happen. Here’s the relevant info regarding distribution this week.

1. If you are picking up at Franklin Plaza, please check out products available for purchase in our Retail Center. There’s good stuff you can add to your online orders. We’ll also be having our Farmers’ Market again in the parking lot.

2. Specifics on times and locations for all our sites are available with this link and to the left.

NOTE: IF YOU ARRIVE BEFORE THE SCHEDULED START TIME, OUR VOLUNTEERS WON’T BE READY. PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY AND BE PATIENT.

3. Our alternative pick up time will be from 10:30 am to noon on Saturday, July 21. If we don’t see you Thursday, we’ll assume you are coming Saturday or have made other arrangements.

4. We accept EBT cards for payment ONLY AT OUR Franklin Plaza site. If you are an EBT member and are picking up at another location, please send an email to distribution@iowafood.coop so we can arrange for processing your payment.

5. It’s a GOOD IDEA to check to be sure your pick-up site is correct. You can access your invoice by logging in, going to the shopping tab, and click “view in-process invoice”. If it’s not right, send an email to distribution@iowafood.coop.

Thanks again.

One piece of beef: TWO dinners!

July 10, 2018
by Gary Huber

Robin, our local recipe wizard, is back in action with a 2 for 1 dinner combo. Buy one cut of beef and get two unique dinners.

Korean BBQ Beef

  • ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
  • ½ cup lemon-lime soda (7Up, Sprite, Sierra Mist, etc.)
  • 4 TB sesame oil
  • 5 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 1 TB grated ginger
  • 2 TB packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 ½ to 2 lbs beef (flank/flat iron/skirt/hanger steak)

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, mix all ingredients except the beef.
  2. Place the beef and marinade in a resealable bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days, turning the bag a few times during the marinating process.
  3. Remove the beef from the marinade and discard the marinade. Thinly slice the beef across the grain and thread onto presoaked wooden skewers.
  4. Grill over high heat until cooked through and serve with kimchi for an easy, weeknight dinner.

 

 

Bloody Mary Tacos

  • 1 cup Bloody Mary Mix
  • ½ cup vodka
  • 1 TB prepared horseradish
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 ½ to 2 lbs beef (flank/flat iron/skirt/hanger steak)
  • 1 cup Bloody Mary Mix, additional, for serving.
  • If making tacos, soft tortillas, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc., for serving.
  • If making sliced steak salads, salad greens, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, etc., for serving.

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, mix all ingredients except the beef.
  2. Place the beef and marinade in a resealable bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days, turning the bag a few times during the marinating process.
  3. Remove the beef from the marinade and discard the marinade.
  4. Grill beef over high heat, until desired doneness (I suggest nothing more than medium). Remove the beef to a platter and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.
  5. While the beef is resting, bring the additional Bloody Mary mix to a simmer and reduce by at least half.
  6. Thinly slice the beef across the grain and toss with the reduced Bloody Mary mix. Serve in tacos or in a dinner salad.

Grab a skirt steak here and plan to enjoy these for dinner soon!

IFC Distribution is Today; Farmers’ Market @ Franklin Site!

July 3, 2018
by Gary Huber

This is being sent to everyone who ordered. Today is distribution at all sites except Ames, which is on Thursday. Our alternative pick up is Thursday as well from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Plaza site.

We’ll be sampling Lost Lake Creamery’s Mozzarella Cheese Curds at all sites.
Our Franklin market will feature berries from Berry Patch, green beans + black raspberries from Lee’s Greens, baked goods from Sweet to Eat, fresh produce from Red Barn Produce, artisan teas from Red Dragon Herbs, honey + beeswax items from Meadow Blazingstar, fresh eggs from Mendenhall Milling, and prepared foods from Global Arts Therapy.

We can’t wait to see you this afternoon if you are picking up at Franklin. All are welcome, so bring a friend.

And if for some reason you need to call, use 515.450.6812. Thanks for your orders. See you later today or Thursday.

IFC Pick-up is Tuesday; NOTE Schedule Change!

July 1, 2018
by Gary Huber

Hi. You placed an order for this week’s distribution. Thanks much.

Because July 4th is Wednesday, we moved our schedule forward two days. Everything that normally happens on Thursday will happen on Tuesday instead, with pick up times Tuesday being the same as our Thursday schedule.

NOTE: Our alternative pick up (for folks who can’t make Tuesday) will be on Thursday (July 5th) from 10:30 to noon at Franklin Avenue.  Ames pick up will be Thursday as well (4:30-5:30 pm @ Wheatsfield Co-op).

We had 231 members order this cycle, and they bought from 81 different producers. Sales totaled a bit over $15,000, which is a respectable number considering how we changed up our schedule.

We are deeply appreciative of your purchases. Now it’s time to make it happen. Here’s some additional info regarding distribution this week.

1. If picking up at Franklin Plaza, check out products available for purchase in our Retail Center. There’s good stuff you can add to your online orders.

2. Specifics on locations for our sites are available with this link and to the left. Note that the days in this info have not been corrected for this week’s schedule.

NOTE: IF YOU ARRIVE BEFORE THE START TIME, OUR VOLUNTEERS WON’T BE READY. PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY AND BE PATIENT.

3. We accept EBT cards for payment ONLY AT OUR Franklin Plaza site. If you are an EBT member and are picking up at another location, please send an email to distribution@iowafood.coop so we can arrange for processing your payment.

4. It’s a GOOD IDEA to check to be sure your pick-up site is correct. You can access your invoice by logging in, going to the shopping tab, and click “view in-process invoice”. If it’s not right, send an email to distribution@iowafood.coop.

Thanks.  Looking forward to seeing folks later this week.

Member Survey Results + Happy Thoughts!

June 25, 2018
by Gary Huber

 

Greetings!  My name is Brant Kassel and I’m a member of the board for the Iowa Food Cooperative.  We recently sent our members a survey asking their responses on number of items regarding the coop.  We loved hearing your feedback and we always encourage you to reach out and share your thoughts with us.  We’re all in this together and we want to have a coop we can all be proud of.

 

We learned some interesting things about our members from this survey.  Did you know that over 50% of our members have a garden? This helped explain some of the sales slowing down during the summer months.  One way members can support the IFC is by purchasing your plants from IFC members or at our plant sale. (May 10, 2018 – sorry if we missed you!)  I use plants from the coop in my own garden and have loved the results.

 

Another interesting survey result was that around 60% of members are a 1 or 2 person household.  If you increase that to 3 people, it becomes 81%. If you know a family that could benefit from being a coop member, let them know!  One the things I like best about the coop is that folks can be as much or as little as they need or want. Maybe someone just buys eggs or someone else gets nearly everything from the coop.  It all matters and it all helps our coop grow.

 

We also found a higher than expected numbers of folks consume meat on a regular basis.  We hope that our members will choose meat from the coop for a multitude of reasons. Members can ask questions and see how our farmers raise and harvest their meat.  Ingredients are clearly listed online and on packages. Our meat is processed at local lockers that help support rural communities. The production impact of meat purchased the coop is less so than with supermarket meat.  Plus, I think it tastes better!

 

Lastly, I want to share some of the positive notes our members left for the coop.  We have a great group of people that love what they do and that shows in how our coop runs.  We hope these positive thoughts put you in a better mood and get you excited for your next shopping experience at the Iowa Food Cooperative!

 

  • The IFC is the best! It makes me feel good that I’m helping local producers make a living and I’m eating foods that come from nearby. Also it is so much healthier! Thank you.
  • Thank you all for the hours you put in to make this possible. Thank you to all the producers who provide great food. Thank you to all the volunteers because you especially make this possible. Thank you to all the customers for supporting our local producers
  • We love you, Iowa Food Co-op! You’ve made cooking so much more fun.
  • IFC food is the best I’ve found.

 

Thanks for supporting the Iowa Food Cooperative.

IFC Distribution is Today; Farmers’ Market @ Franklin Site!

June 21, 2018
by Gary Huber

This is being sent to everyone who ordered. Today is distribution at all sites except Ames, which is on Thursday. Our alternative pick up is Thursday as well from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Plaza site.

We’ll be sampling Lost Lake Creamery’s Mozzarella Cheese Curds at all sites.
Our Franklin market will feature berries from Berry Patch, green beans + black raspberries from Lee’s Greens, baked goods from Sweet to Eat, fresh produce from Red Barn Produce, artisan teas from Red Dragon Herbs, honey + beeswax items from Meadow Blazingstar, fresh eggs from Mendenhall Milling, and prepared foods from Global Arts Therapy.

We can’t wait to see you this afternoon if you are picking up at Franklin. All are welcome, so bring a friend.

And if for some reason you need to call, use 515.450.6812. Thanks for your orders. See you later today or Thursday.