All posts by Gary Huber

IFC Pick-up is this Thursday!

October 6, 2015
by Gary Huber

216 members ordered 2,253 different items this cycle. Total purchases were about $13,500, which is about $2,000 more than sales for the same cycle last year. That’s about an 18% 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 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. 

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. 10. 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.

Ames Distribution Now at Wheatsfield Coop!

October 5, 2015
by Gary Huber

Iowa Food Coop is excited to announce our Ames pick-up location is now at Wheatsfield Co-op! Starting this Thursday Ames members can pick-up their order from 4:30-5:30 PM.

“Wheatsfield Co-op is a convenient location for our members,” said IFC’s General Manager Gary Huber. “We’re also excited to be affiliated with another great cooperative business that has such a strong presence in Ames.”

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It’s fitting for the Co-ops to come together in October, since it is National Cooperative Business Month. “Since 1930, co-ops across the United States have convened every October to celebrate the cooperative movement’s history and economic impact on communities nationwide,” says the National Cooperative Business Association’s website. “The annual awareness month provides a key opportunity to reflect on the legacy of cooperative impact and celebrate the many ways co-ops are building better businesses, better communities and, ultimately, a better world.”

Thanks to members of both the Iowa Food Coop and Wheatsfield Co-op we are able to provide more fresh, healthy, and local food to families in central Iowa and continue to support farmers growing food sustainably. 

Wheatsfield Co-op has been a part of Ames since 1974, when a group of people with similar desires in food quality and whole food availability banded together to form a buying club. In 2002 they became a part of National Cooperative Grocers, which helped them grow their business and thrive. In 2009 they moved into a larger location at 413 Northwestern Avenue, where they are located today. You can read more about the history of Wheatsfield Co-op at their website.

IFC Distribution Today (Tomorrow in Ames)!

September 24, 2015
by Gary Huber

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). 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.

IFC Pick-up is this Thursday!

September 21, 2015
by Gary Huber

219 members ordered 2,2425 different items this cycle. Total purchases were just overt $14,000. Last year’s number for the same cycle was also right at $14,000, so we held steady. Hopefully we can get back to growing again, which is what we want so our producers can be successful.

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 quite points of info on distribution:

1. We’ve moved up the end of distribution on West Des Moines to 6 pm from 6:30 pm. Pick-up there is on Thursday of this week, as is all our other drop off sites except Ames, which is on Friday. Details on times and locations 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, Sept. 26. 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.

Online Shopping Cart is Open!

September 16, 2015
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!

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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 (Tomorrow in Ames)!

September 10, 2015
by Gary Huber

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). 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.

Pick-up is Thursday – Note New WDM Pick-Up Time!

September 7, 2015
by Gary Huber

204 members ordered 2,134 different items this cycle. Total purchases were just almost $12,500. Last year’s number for the same cycle was just over $11,000, so it looks like about a 13% increase 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 quite points of info on distribution:

1. We’ve moved up the end of distribution on West Des Moines to 6 pm from 6:30 pm. Pick-up there is on Thursday of this week, as is all our other drop off sites except Ames, which is on Friday. Details on times and locations 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, Sept. 12. 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.

Cart is Open – New Producers, New Products!

September 2, 2015
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. The online cart will close Sunday, Sept. 6 at midnight. Distribution is Thurs., Sept. 10 at all our sites except Ames, which is on Friday, Sept. 11.

Below are updates from our producers. As we move through the growing season, producers continue to add new items throughout the week, so be sure to check back often. You can click here to see new products added since last cycle!

NOTE: We have home delivery in the Des Moines area. Three home delivery products (based on your distance from our Franklin Avenue location) are listed under Iowa Food Cooperative products. Deliveries are from 6-9 pm on distribution Thursdays. If you want home delivery, choose “Franklin Plaza (Delivery)” as your Pickup/Delivery location when you open your shopping basket and put the appropriate product in your shopping cart. Here’s a map to help know which product to purchase.

Also, our 2015 calendar is available in a PDF (click to view).

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The Pet Bistro (Des Moines) is a new IFC producer selling natural, minimally-processed pet foods made from locally-sourced ingredients. They’ve started with a dog treat that has oat flour and oat meal from Early Morning Harvest, peanut butter from Butter Me Up!, and sorghum molasses from Maasdam Sorghum Mills.

Jeremiah Coñejo Farm (Des Moines) came on board in July. Their 80-acre south-central Iowa farm has been in the family for close to 100 years. New this cycle are Waltham butternut squash (an heirloom variety) and Table Queen acorn squash.

Autumn’s Garden (Des Moines) is another new IFC producer who also came on board in July. This cycle they’ve added acorn squash and two eggplant products to go along with their tomatoes, peppers, okra, and basil.

Berry Patch Farm (Nevada) added Honeycrisp apples, which Dean says is “everybody’s favorite; keep in your fridge and they’ll last for months and still be crisp (if you can wait that long)”.

SalAmander Farms (Bondurant) added four kinds of onions, hot peppers, and a heirloom tomato product.

From Ryan with Wild Rose Pastures (Van Meter): “We have updated our products with a restock of beef and the addition of hot dogs, beef sticks, and summer sausage.”

Wilted Leaf Farm (Cambridge) added Kennebec and “Magic Molly” blue potatoes – blue skin, blue flesh with (Jason says) an awesome taste. 

From Melanie with Country Roads Produce (Moravia): “We listed snack peppers, onions, jalapenos, red and yellow tomatoes. We are uncertain of how things may ripen, so our inventory numbers are lower, but we’ll add more as we see how things grow.”

Harvest Moon Farms (Saint Charles) added beets and carrots to go along with their aronia berries and aronia berry products

From LaVon with Griffieon Family Farm (Ankeny): “We added pasture-raised (but supplemented with non-GMO feed) antibiotic-free chicken in packages of thighs, drumsticks, backs, wings, and bone-in and boneless breasts. This is a trial run to see if we can sell all the parts (and not just the breasts).”

Our Global Greens growers (refugee farmers from around the world) continue to add new products. Bucumi Simon added butternut and acorn squash, Ta Kaw Paw added prisma shallots, and Eating Well Farm added Desiree potatoes.

Wilted Leaf Farm (Cambridge) added certified organic Midnight Sun potatoes.

Yoke S Ranch (Russell) has their ground beef patties on sale for $6.00/lb (just in time for all of those tailgate parties this fall.

IFC Distribution Today (Tomorrow in Ames)!

August 27, 2015
by Gary Huber

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.

Pick-up is Thursday

August 24, 2015
by Gary Huber

219 members ordered 2,542 different items this cycle. Total purchases were just over $15,000. Last year’s number for the same cycle was just about $11,200, so it looks like about a 35% increase over same cycle sales. That is good.

Anyway, if you are getting this message as an email, YOU’VE ORDERED SOMETHING that will need to be picked up (each cycle one or two people don’t realize they’ve ordered because our system doesn’t use a check-out step). Three things about distribution:

1. Pick-up is Thursday at our Des Moines-area sites, plus Osceola and Albia. Our Ames pick-up is on Friday. Details on times and locations 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, Aug. 29. 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.