Happy New Year (almost)!

Nearly 1,100 different products listed; check out what’s new for 2015.

We are back to our winter schedule of three-week shopping cycles. Given there will be an extra week between distributions, remember to to stock up!  Our 2015 calendar is now available in a PDF (click to view).

Welcome Albia!

Thanks to IFC member Stacie Gibler, we now have a drop-off site on the square in Albia (about 65 miles SE of Des Moines). Plans are to do distributions there every other cycle, with Stacie coming up to get the orders. Thank you, Stacie!!!

Farewell to Fieldstone Farms!

Eli Kalke and Dale Fields recently moved to Minnesota to be closer to daughters and grandkids. Eli, who served on our board, said they are grateful for the many wonderful relationships they established with our members over the years. Their bees are now in California (helping pollinate the almond crop), but they’ll come back in the spring. Eli and Dale will continue to sell their fine products and plan to have their website operational this winter. To wish them well, send an email to fieldstonefarmsbiz@gmail.com.

Note: the online shopping cart is open and will close Sunday, Jan. 4th at midnight. Distribution is Thurs., Jan. 8th at our Osceola, Albia, and Des Moines area sites and Friday Jan. 9th in Ames. If you can’t make those times, our alternative pick up is Saturday Jan. 10th from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Avenue location.

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.

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New Producers this cycle!

Farm Baby Foods (Des Moines) is an all-natural baby food company. Owner Julie Burroughs began making baby food in 2010 as a way to offer her little one a hearty, all-natural alternative to commercial baby food. Absolutely nothing is added other than the produce listed… no salt, sugar, fillers or preservatives. Check out their selection of on-the-go pouches and 4-oz containers.

From Angela Johnson of Lucky George Farm (Derby): “We’ve reclaimed a 20-acre forgotten farm in the SW corner of Lucas County (just outside of Derby, IA) where we raise Large Black hogs, which is a critically-endangered breed.” They’re starting with rabbit and a selection of pork cuts from their Large Black herd; they’ll add handmade soaps in the near future.

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IFC producers have listed a wide selection of products such as cheese, milk, yogurt, meats, chicken, eggs, dry beans, apples, potatoes, winter squash, salsa, sauerkraut, olive oil, pasta, and sweet corn. Here’s a few new items:

Heart of Iowa Soapworks (Gilbert) is back with a soap making class! To be held Sat. Jan. 17 at our Franklin location, Karla will lead participants in creating their soap (you will go home with approximately 3/4#). A slew of reference handouts will be provided. Sign up through the shopping system; read more here.

Herbal Blis Soaps (Boone) listed a new shampoo bar and a bar soap called ‘Earthmother’ with cinnamon, patchouli, and ylang ylang essential oils.

Calanne of Purrfect Muttchies (Truro) notes, “We added Peppermint and Carob to the Pawrty Peppermint Carob Paws so they now have a breath freshener at playtime.”

Glenwood Century Farm (Albion) is offering popcorn that is a blend of four colored hybrids (makes for an attractive package). They all pop white and fluffy – a perfect snack for a cold winter day!

Griffieon Family Farm (Ankeny) added two new items: handmade rope baskets and peppermint lip balm. The baskets are a reuse of a heeling or heading rope that has been used on real horses and cattle by real cowboys!

The Kiowa House of Herbs (Searsboro) added two new soups (Cheesy Asparagus and Vegetarian Asparagus) plus a variety of dried herbs. Check out their listings here.

From Bob with Country View Dairy (Hawkeye): “We ended our Blackberry Custard Greek yogurt and have totally switched that flavor to Aronia Blackberry Custard Greek. We are excited to work with fellow IFC producer Harvest Moon Farms to use their aronia concentrate to make this yogurt not only delicious, but also with the added benefits of the aronia berry super-fruit. Thanks & looking forward to another exciting year in 2015 being part of the IFC!”

Happy December!

1,296 different products listed; Give local this holiday season (it’s our last cycle before Christmas)!

Finish up your holiday shopping for gifts and special holiday meals this cycle. In January we will return to 3-week cycles, so this is your chance to stock up! Our 2015 calendar is now available in a PDF (click to view).

Note: the online shopping cart is open and will close Sunday, Dec. 14th at midnight. Distribution is Thurs., Dec. 18th at our Des Moines area and Osceola sites and Friday Dec. 19th in Ames. If you can’t make those times, our alternative pick up is Saturday Dec. 20th from 10:30 am to noon at our Franklin Avenue location.

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.

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Some items to add to your shopping list:

From Becky with Threshing Floor (from Dallas Center): “I would like to encourage people to relax with some of Threshing Floor sticky pecan rolls or cinnamon rolls.” Sounds like they’d be perfect with some hot coffee or tea.

From Cindy with Audubon County Family Farms (from Audubon): “This will be the last cycle to order aronia berries and spare ribs for a while. I’ll be taking January and February off, but will return in March with the berries and other products.”

Wildwood Farms (from Wellsburg) added some new gifts including beautiful handmade wooden pens, rolling pins, wine stoppers, and letter openers. Lorna also listed two gift boxes (Holiday Breakfast and Soup & Bread), and she’s got holiday specials on nuts, trail mixes, and baking mixes.

Chris’ Custom Bakery (from Ankeny) listed incredibly detailed decorated holiday sugar cookies and a new DIY sugar cookie kit w/ cookies and frosting–a perfect holiday activity for kids!

Salama Greenhouse, Inc. (from Boone) has large red Poinsettia’s as well as potted orchids, spinach, and Swiss chard. 

Great River Maple (from Garnavillo) has their maple syrup gift baskets back in stock!

From Donna with Wagner Enterprises (from Dallas Center): “Hi. I am back online and am offering pies for Christmas: Apple, Cherry, Peach, Pecan, or Pumpkin made with fruit from this year harvest. You can freeze the pie for Christmas or for New Years. Thanks, Donna.”

Lee’s Greens (from Nevada) has salad greens, lettuce mix, spinach, red and green kale, arugula, radishes, sweet baby white turnips, and potatoes along with potted herbs this cycle. NOTE: They also listed 10″x21″ flats of 4-6″ tall wheat and rye grass: great for chickens and other animals that like grass greens!

From Jocelyn with Pickle Creek Herbal (from Brighton): “I’m excited to list for the first time what has been a pet project of mine for a long time: Herb-infused fruit vinegars; specifically, Strawberry Basil Balsamic and Blueberry Lemon Thyme Balsamic. Also, I added a Candy Cane (Peppermint) gift bag to go along with our other bath salt/soap/lip balm gift bags, and I’ve listed the Frog’s Legs Shallots again this cycle—but once these are gone, we’ll be sold out until next season. Thanks and Happy Holidays!”

WW Homestead Dairy (from Waukon) has listed three holiday gift boxes: Cheedar Cheese Sampler, Cheese Curd Sampler, and Taste of WW Homestead Dairy. As of this morning (Wednesday), they still have butter available as well!

Herbal Bliss Soaps (from Boone) is a new IFC producer, making their debut with healing hand salve and ‘Lemonchello’ bar soap–both make perfect gifts.

Kiowa House of Herbs (from Searsboro) added many, many new cakes (twelve, to be exact), from angel food to German chocolate to devil’s food. And don’t miss their new almond pastries!

Al Dente Toffee (from Adel) listed new toffee flavors–double dark chocolate and ginger snap. The ginger snap is made with molasses and has crushed ginger snap cookies on top.

Heritage Hill Farm (from Ames) introduced a new bar soap, ‘Sweet Citrus Goats Milk Bar Soap with Orange Peel & Essential Oils’, a nice scent for the holidays.