All posts by Gary Huber

Producer Profile: Rosebud Botanicals

February 23, 2017
by Gary Huber

 

Rosebud Botanicals is all about natural health + beauty.  You can shop their products online here. Thanks Mindy for sharing your story with us! 

What is the name of your farm and where are you located?

Rosebud Botanicals, LLC, located in Afton, Iowa.

Tell us a little about the make-up of your farm.

Rosebud Botanicals, LLC was established in 2009 by Mindy Skarda, Biology instructor at Southwestern Community College. The vision for this company is to provide handcrafted skin care products that utilize the power of plants to care for the skin. Ingredients are carefully chosen for their beneficial properties to the health of your skin. Organically grown and locally grown are other criteria that is considered in choosing the ingredients used in Rosebud Botanicals, LLC skin care products.

 

What does your farm specialize in?

Organic Skin Care Products

Can you tell us a few things that make your signature product(s) special?

The skin is very absorbent. Most things applied to your skin have direct access to the blood stream. To carve out a more healthy way of living with less toxins consider Rosebud Botanicals’ handcrafted skin care products. Over-the-counter products, even some of the products labeled ‘Organic’, contain toxins such as SLS, parabens, phosphates and many other chemicals that are harmful to human and environmental health. Rosebud Botanicals avoid such toxic substances

 

 

What is the most important thing for consumers to know about your products?

A new product line includes aronia berries grown in Carlisle, Iowa. Aronia berries contain the most amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants bind up free radicals that do damage to your cellular components including the genetic code (DNA) and mitochondria – energy producing organelle. Applying skin care products with aronia berries is like applying an invisible force field of protection against environmental hazards.

 

 

Shop their products online here!

IFC Distribution Today!

February 16, 2017
by Gary Huber

This is being sent via email to everyone who ordered this cycle.

Today is distribution at our Des Moines area sites (including Pleasant Hill, West Des Moines, Ankeny) as well as Albia, Indianola, Osceola, Ottumwa, and Panora. Tomorrow is distribution in Ames.

Our alternative pick up time is Saturday from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Plaza site. No need to give us a heads up if you want to come Saturday.

If for some reason you need to call, use 515-450-6812.

IFC Pick-up is Thursday!

February 14, 2017
by Gary Huber

We had 245 members order 2,047 different items this cycle. Total purchases were just under $15,000. That’s about 7% more than same cycle sales last year, so we’re back to growing our numbers.

Thank you for helping by buying your foods through your cooperative. It may not seem important, but it’s a tangible way to help build our capacity to feed ourselves.

If you are getting this as an email, you’ve placed an order. We’ll have it ready for you to come pick up this week during our distributions. Here’s your instructions:

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

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 to noon on Saturday, Feb. 18. If we don’t see you Thursday, we’ll assume you are coming Saturday.

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.

Pork, Apple + Sauerkraut Stew

February 7, 2017
by Gary Huber

Enjoy delicious Iowa flavors in this simple recipe from IFC member Lisa!

Pork, Apple + Sauerkraut Stew
Author: Lisa Bean
A wonderfully winter meal using local and seasonal ingredients!
Ingredients
  • 2 jars of Agri-cultured sauerkraut
  • One onion, chopped
  • 4 T WW Homestead butter
  • 4 carrots, roughly chopped
  • Bay leaf
  • Salt + pepper
  • 1 boneless Pork roast, 2.5-3 lbs
  • One bag Iowa Choice Harvest apples
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup water or broth
Instructions
  1. –Soak 2 jars of Agri-cultured sauerkraut in water for 15 minutes, drain and squeeze liquid out , set aside
  2. – Saute one chopped onion in 2 T of WW Homestead butter
  3. – Add roughly chopped carrots from Country Roads Produce
  4. – Add one bay leaf, ground pepper, one teaspoon of salt
  5. -Transfer all to crock pot for slow cooking or a heavy duty pot for braising in oven.
  6. – Brown one pork roast in WW homestead butter on all sides and add to pot above.
  7. -Add one bag of Iowa Choice Harvest apples
  8. – Add one teaspoon of caraway seeds and 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
  9. – Add 1/4 c brown sugar
  10. -1 cup of water or broth
  11. -Cook until done 4-6 hours in crock pot on low, or 2-3 hours in oven at 325F.

 

 

IFC Distribution Today; Nagi’s Falagel to Sample at Franklin Site!

February 2, 2017
by Gary Huber

This is being sent via email to everyone who ordered this cycle.

Today is distribution at our Des Moines area sites (including Pleasant Hill, West Des Moines, Ankeny) as well as Albia, Indianola, Osceola, Ottumwa, and Panora. Tomorrow is distribution in Ames.

Our alternative pick up time is Saturday from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Plaza site. No need to give us a heads up if you want to come Saturday.

If for some reason you need to call, use 515-450-6812.

NOTE: Nagi’s Falafel is a new IFC producer from Des Moines. They’ll sample their products during pick-up at Franklin Avenue today. For our drop off sites, we’ll be sending samples from Swede’s Point Creamery goat cheese products.

IFC Pick-up is Thursday; Nagi’s Falafel to Sample at Franklin Site!

January 31, 2017
by Gary Huber

We had 222 members order 1,742 different items this cycle. Total purchases were just under $12,000. Those numbers are almost identical to our cycle two weeks ago, but it’s significantly lower lower than same cycles sales last year.

We’ve begun to do some diagnostic work to try to determine the cause of sales being lower than last year because it’s starting to draw down our cash reserves. The situation isn’t dire, but it’s obviously not one that can continue. We’ll keep working at trying to improve. Your placing orders helps. Thanks.

Anyway, if you are getting this as an email, you’ve placed an order. We’ll have it ready for you to come pick up this week during our distributions. Below are instructions.

NOTE: Nagi’s Falafel is a new IFC producer from Des Moines. They sample their products during pick-up at Franklin Avenue on Thursday. It’ll be a great way to try their Falafel products, which is a vegetarian dish made of ground garbanzo beans mixed with spices deep fried and served with a sauce made of Tahini paste.

And for our drop off sites, we’ll be sending samples from Swede’s Point Creamery goat cheese products.

Here’s your instructions:

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

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 to noon on Saturday, Feb. 4. If we don’t see you Thursday, we’ll assume you are coming Saturday.

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.

IFC Distribution Today

January 19, 2017
by Gary Huber

This is being sent via email to everyone who ordered this cycle. Today is distribution at our Des Moines area sites (including Pleasant Hill, West Des Moines, Ankeny) as well as Albia, Indianola, Osceola, Ottumwa, and Panora. Tomorrow is distribution in Ames. Our alternative pick up time is Saturday from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Plaza site. No need to give us a heads up if you want to come Saturday. And if for some reason you need to call, use 515-450-6812.

IFC Pick-up is Thursday!

January 17, 2017
by Gary Huber

We had 221 members order 1,798 different items this cycle with total purchases at just under $12,000. That’s lower than we’d like, but not bad given the time of year.

If you are getting this as an email, you’ve placed an order. Thank you. We’ll have it ready for you to come pick up this week during our distributions. Here’s your instructions:

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

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 to noon on Saturday, Jan. 21. If we don’t see you Thursday, we’ll assume you are coming Saturday.

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.

Online Shopping Cart is Open!

January 11, 2017
by Gary Huber

Time to Shop!

 

The online shopping cart is open. To shop go to https://iowafood.coop and log in. If you need help with your username or password, send an email to info@iowafood.coop.

It will close Monday, Jan. 16 at noon. Distribution is Thursday, Jan. 19 at all our sites except Ames, which is on Friday, Jan. 20. We also have an alternative pick-up time from 10:30 to noon at our Franklin Avenue site on Saturday, Jan. 21.

Below are some updates from our producers. You can click here to see new products added since last cycle. Enjoy!

 +++++++++++++++++

From Country View Dairy: “We’ve relisted our 12 packs and 4 packs of Raspberry Original Yogurt as we are now back in stock.”

From Lee’s Greens: “We have lowered our sweet potato prices and we have a good selection of salad greens. Get them before they’re gone.”

The Pet Bistro added free samples of their natural, whole-food dog food blends, a perfect chance to give them a try!

Clarion Sage Farm lowered the price on their garlic because of some green sprouting. Sprouted garlic is actually a living ‘super food’ with higher antioxidant levels than unsprouted garlic. Jenn writes: “Between the enhanced flavor and boosted nutritional value, maybe you’ll become a sprouted garlic convert!”

Country Roads Produce listed carrots from their high tunnel for a crisp sweet winter crop. They’ve also listed Swiss Chard, bunching onions, and two kinds of turnips.

Sunrise added pots of live herbs (Lime Basil, Red Opal Basil, Red Veined Sorrel) plus Pea Shoots and Radish Microgreens.

Yoke S Ranch has a sale ($6/lb) on their minute steaks from their Correinte beef herd.

Great River Maple lowered prices on their 8 oz Grade A Robust syrup (from $10.95 to $8.95) and their 32 oz Grade A Robust syrup (from $28.95 to $24.95). These darker syrups have richer full maple flavors because they come from later in the season.

Meadow Blazingstar Honey added a Pine Cone Fire Starter product, which are pine cones with beeswax-dipped cotton wicks dipped multiple times in their beeswax.

IFC Distribution Today

January 5, 2017
by Gary Huber

This is being sent via email to everyone who ordered this cycle. Today is distribution at our Des Moines area sites (including Pleasant Hill, West Des Moines, Ankeny) as well as Albia, Indianola, Osceola, Ottumwa, and Panora. Tomorrow is distribution in Ames. Our alternative pick up time is Saturday from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Plaza site. No need to give us a heads up if you want to come Saturday. And if for some reason you need to call, use 515-450-6812.