Thanksgiving is a great time of year to share wonderful food with family and friends and give thanks for Iowa’s rich soil and the farmers producing healthy food on it. We have producers who still have local Iowa turkey available for Thanksgiving this year! Have the best at your celebration–and don’t forget you can order a second frozen turkey for Christmas as well! Order your turkey here!
This is being sent via email to everyone who ordered this cycle and have products to be picked up. Today is distribution at our Osceola, Albia, Indianola, and Des Moines area sites, and tomorrow is distribution in Ames. Our alternative pick up time is Saturday from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Plaza site. If you need to pick up then and haven’t told us already, please let us know with a call to 515-450-6812.
224 members ordered 2,600 different items this cycle. Total purchases were just under $17,000. Last year’s same cycle sales were a bit over $15,000, so it looks like about a 12% growth in same cycle sales.
If you are getting this message as an email, YOU ORDERED SOMETHING that needs to be picked up (each cycle a few people don’t realize they’ve ordered because we don’t use a check-out step).
Some quick info on distribution:
1. Specifics on on times and locations for all our sites are available with this link.
NOTE: IF YOU ARRIVE BEFORE THE SCHEDULED START TIME, OUR VOLUNTEERS WON’T BE READY. PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY AND BE PATIENT.
2. Our alternative pick up time will be from 10:30 to noon on Saturday, Nov. 7. If you need to use this alternative pick up time, send an email to distribution@iowafood.coop.
3. We can 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
Final note: 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.
If this is your first time visiting our website you might be wondering, what is Iowa Food Coop?
To put it simply: Iowa Food Coop is an online ordering system for Iowa produced food. Our members have access to over 1,500 Iowa produced products, which they order on a bi-weekly schedule.
There are a lot of special things about Iowa Food Coop besides our selection of Iowa produced products. Here are just a few more things that set us apart.
Order Exactly What You Want From Home
Logon to iowafood.coop/shop and browse our selection. You can sort by producers or by item. You’ll find that we sell all of the staple items you need like bread, eggs, milk, cream, and meat. We also sell specialty items like Iowa produced maple syrup, soap, hummus, kombucha, dog treats, baby food, and the list goes on and on. Our producers are expected to share their growing practices and ingredients with you so you know exactly what is in the food you’re eating.
Visit our producer profiles and pick one out. You can read about their business and practices, and if they currently have items for sale you can read more about their individual products.
We Don’t Have Food Waste
We’re not a store and we don’t have inventory. When our consumer members place an order online they are ordering directly from the producer. When the cart closes the producer gets a list of everything that was ordered that cycle and brings it to our Des Moines location the day before or morning of distribution. Since we only receive what was ordered we don’t have excess food to throw away.
85% of the Money You Spend Goes to Our Farmer-Owners
When you shop at Iowa Food Coop you are not supporting corporate interests. The money you spend goes directly into the pockets of our producers and into making IFC a great alternative to the conventional food system. You can feel great about the money you spend at IFC.
Shop Less Often and Eat Healthier
Several IFC members buy at least half of the food they eat through us. By ordering on IFC’s bi-weekly schedule they cut their trips to the grocery store down significantly and know more about where their food comes from. No longer tempted by grocery aisles full of cookies and chips, they often find that their diets improve dramatically. And this is not a fad diet. An #iowavore diet (mostly local, Iowa food diet) is a way of eating that not only makes the consumer healthier, but helps local farmers and our local economy.
We Sell Iowa Grown Food Year Round
Iowa Food Coop is a year-round option for eating local. Just because the farmer’s market season has ended or your CSA is done doesn’t mean you have to stop eating local. Purchase meat, greens, milk, vegetables and more through IFC all winter long.
Step One: Check to see if the cart is open.
You’ll notice in the left sidebar of this site we list our Upcoming Order Cycles. Check here to see when the cart opens or closes. You can also check our Facebook Events page and subscribe to be notified of upcoming order cycles. When you become a member at this page you’ll be signed up for our cart-is-open reminder emails. Your first six months as a member are free, which gives you a chance to fall in love with IFC!
Step Two: If the cart is open, fill up that basket!
Go to iowafood.coop/shop and login (you’ll get your login information when you become a member in Step 1). On the member panel page you’ll see your “Basket Status.” Click open a shopping basket. Select your delivery type and pick-up location. Once you’re in, click shopping and browse our list of products by category, producer, or search for the item you want!
Step Three: Pick-up the following Thursday!
Whatever is in your cart on Sunday night is ordered. You can set up payment online or you can pay when you come to pick-up on Thursday. Here’s a list of our convenient pick-up locations. Find the location closest to you and become a regular at Thursday pick-ups!
Step Four: Enjoy food and share with us on social media
We love to see what are members are eating and enjoying. Share your photos with us on Facebook and Instagram using the #iowafoodcoop hashtags.
So what are you waiting for? Click to join!
What’s in Your Basket is a new feature of “The Dirt: IFC’s Blog,” where we feature a consumer of IFC and what is in their basket that week. Want to be featured on What’s in Your Basket? Send an email to Ash.
Shelene Billups started shopping at IFC in 2013 because she wanted to support local producers and know where her family’s food came from. A few short years later she is IFC’s Consumer Vice President and feeds her family of three 80-90 percent local, Iowa produced food. Half of that comes from IFC.
In addition to shopping through IFC Shelene’s family purchases meat in bulk directly from farmers and belongs to a CSA.
1. Juan’s Supremo Habanero Salsa (Add to your cart here!)
“My husbands absolute favorite snack is chips & salsa, and Juan’s Supremo Habanero is his preferred salsa (and he’s tried so many through the years!) I order at least a few of those every cycle to keep our pantry stocked.”
2. Soap from Heritage Hill or Pickle Creek (Add to your cart here!)
3. Iowa Sourdough from Wild Yeast Bakery (Add to your cart here!)
She said her son loves this bread so it’s become a regular staple in their cart.
Recipe Idea: BLTs – with bacon from Lucky George Farm, Head lettuce from our CSA, and Tomatoes pictured from Wilted Leaf (I like to add onion and my homemade mayo) served on toasted Iowa Sourdough.
4. Seasoning Blends from Curbin’ Cuisine (Add to your cart here!)
Recipe Idea: El Taco Suave seasoning from Curbin’ Cuisine seasoning ground beef from Hickory Hills, tomatoes from Wilted Leaf, bell peppers and lettuce mix from Red Barn Produce, and salsa from Juan’s for my hubby (too spicy for me!)
5. Fresh produce! Right now they love Huber Family Farm’s Carrots. (Add to your cart here!)
“I’m always excited when there is a rainbow of fresh produce available – our favorites are bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, beautiful winter squash, and lots of greens.”
Recipe Idea: Immune-boosting vegetable soup and broth
6. Maple Syrup from Great River Maple (Add to your cart here!)
7. Agri-Cultured’s Fermented Dill Pickles and Garlic Dill Sauerkraut (Add to your cart here!)
Thanks Shelene for letting us take a peek in your basket!
This is being sent via email to everyone who ordered this cycle and have products to be picked up. Today is distribution at our Osceola, Albia, Indianola, and Des Moines area sites, and tomorrow is distribution in Ames. Note that our West Des Moines pick up today WILL NEED TO BE IN THE PARKING LOT EAST OF THE CHURCH (look for the IFC van). Also, our alternative pick up time is Saturday from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Plaza site. If you need to pick up then and haven’t told us already, please let us know with a call to 515-450-6812.
204 members ordered 2,296 different items this cycle. Total purchases were just over $14,000, which is where we were for same cycle sales last year.
If you are getting this message as an email, YOU ORDERED SOMETHING that needs to be picked up (each cycle a few people don’t realize they’ve ordered because we don’t use a check-out step).
Some quick info on distribution:
1. Specifics on on times and locations for all our sites are available with this link. Note that we’ve moved our Ames distribution to Wheatsfield Co-op. We’ll be in a room on the back side of their store, so if you are picking up there you need to enter the driveway on the south side of their building.Â
NOTE: IF YOU ARRIVE BEFORE THE SCHEDULED START TIME, OUR VOLUNTEERS WON’T BE READY. PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY AND BE PATIENT.
2. Our alternative pick up time will be from 10:30 to noon on Saturday, Oct. 24. If you need to use this alternative pick up time, send an email to distribution@iowafood.coop.
3. We can 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
Final note: 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.
What’s in Your Basket is a new feature of “The Dirt: IFC’s Blog,” where we feature a consumer of IFC and what is in their basket that week. Want to be featured on What’s in Your Basket? Send an email to Ash.
If the “Iowavores” were a baseball team on their way to the World Series right now, Lisa Bean would have to be our most valuable player. As board president it’s natural that she supports IFC, but Lisa feeds her family and guests almost entirely from locally produced food.
“Most of my shopping is done through IFC and I never buy meat anywhere else. I have to know that the animal was raised well outside,” -Lisa Bean
Lisa added that all of her produce comes from her personal garden or IFC, and because she buys fresh produce it lasts 2-3 times as long as food bought from the store.
Since Lisa is a long-time #Iowavore she must have it figured out. We asked her how she’s using the items in her basket for the next couple of weeks and well… we think we want to go to her house for dinner this week!
Breakfast
Raisin Bread from Threshing Floor
Milk & Butter from WW Homestead Dairy
Coffee from Corazon Coffee
Snacks
Apples from Berry Patch Farm
Yogurt from Country View Dairy
Cheese Curds from Frisian Farms
“I also love the Aged Gouda or Sneed from Frisian Farms. “It’s divine, nutty with great texture!” -Lisa Bean
Salad
Lisa says her family eats a lot of salads, and that leafy greens from IFC will easily last two weeks. They make their regular salads more exciting with additions like
Soup
Another staple meal in Lisa’s family is soup. Right now they’re enjoying creamy potato soup with kale or braising greens from Wabi Sabi, creamy squash soup with greens, and bean soup made with beans from Global Greens and greens, carrots, onions, and garlic.
Curry
“Almost any meat or vegetable can be curried. Add a dollop of plain yogurt and you have a perfect meal.”-Lisa Bean
She was nice enough to share her standard curry recipe from her old boss Rafia!
October is National Co-op Month and we want to thank our members! Thanks to all of the great #iowavores that support the Iowa Food Coop, we have been able to work with more than 150 producers since 2008 and have an amazing 1,500+ products available online. We hope you continue to help us expand our reach!
Today we are starting a promotion that will run through November 30th. It’s pretty simple, the IFC member who refers the most new members to Iowa Food Coop will receive a $25 gift card. We will announce the winner at our Annual Meeting on December 5th.Â
Three Easy Ways You Can Help IFC Find New Members:
With your help we know we can grow IFC into an even bigger community that supports more Iowa producers and gets more healthy, local food onto Iowa tables. Think about it this way, if every member brought us one new member we could potentially double our sales! And since we are cooperatively owned and not a corporate run grocery chain that growth goes directly back to our mission, which is to facilitate farmer-consumer relationships and build our farms and communities through web-based marketing of primarily Iowa products.
So really, thanks so much to every single one of you who has help Iowa Food Coop get to the point we are today. We couldn’t do it without you.
This is being sent via email to everyone who ordered this cycle and have products to be picked up. Today is distribution at our Osceola, Albia, Indianola, and Des Moines area sites, and tomorrow is distribution in Ames. Note that our West Des Moines pick up is now from 5-6 pm (use to go to 6:30 pm) and that we’ve moved our Ames pick up to Wheatsfield Co-op. Also, our alternative pick up time is Saturday from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Plaza site. If you need to pick up then and haven’t told us already, please let us know with a call to 515-450-6812.
