Travis and Lindsay are excited to host a group of co-op volunteers on their certified organic farm on Tuesday, July 16, from 4-6:30 p.m. Volunteers will have an opportunity to get their hands dirty while learning about the work that goes on during the summer months on the farm. The group will help with some farm tasks and will be treated to a tour of the farm. Plus, there will be some yummy food samples to round out the evening. This is a unique opportunity to connect with the land and support the organic and sustainable food movement in our own community. Space is limited, so sign up if you would like to volunteer and learn more about one of our local farms owned by fellow co-op member-owners.

This is coming up next week – Tuesday, July 16 from 4 – 6:30 p.m. Space is limited, so sign up soon at the link below.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080F4EA8AD2DA6F94-kaiser

Carpooling is encouraged – please plan accordingly to arrive by 4 p.m. If you wish to carpool but don’t know others on the list, please email outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop.

The evening was perfect on Monday for our outdoor potluck at Washington Park in Cedar Falls. Co-op friends of all ages joined together for food, friendship and fun. Guests arrived by bicycle and car, bringing delicious dishes to share including homemade chocolates, freshly squeezed juice, and a variety of refreshing salads among other delectable delights.Continue reading→

Sometimes pictures say more than words, so this month’s column will be shorter than usual. Instead, I’ve put my thoughts in the video below.

Bottom line: This Co-op is not going to open itself. We all need to pitch in to do our share to help launch the Cedar Valley’s only community-owned and community-built grocery store.

All kinds of volunteers are needed, but we’re in particular need for people who are good with finances and communications. If you are interested in joining the growing number of volunteers who are pitching in to build the Co-op, please contact me (tomwick@sbcglobal.net) today.

In cooperation,
Tom Wickersham

June was another great month for your Co-op! We ended the month numbering 967 member-owners getting us even closer to 1000!!! Thanks to all who joined – you are investing to support this community-owned cooperative business.

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We are ready to hit quadruple digits in our member growth and thank all of you who are supporting your Cedar Falls Food Co-op. With almost 950 member-owners, we need just over 50 more to get to this goal. During the month of June, your Co-op is doing another fabulous membership giveaway: a current or new member could soon be paddling around in a new Heron 9XT kayak courtesy of the Co-op. New members who join the Co-op in June (and current members whose name is written on the membership form as the referrer) will be entered into the drawing at the month’s end. Special thanks to business partner, Crawdaddy Outdoors in Waverly for providing a great deal on this sweet ride. And if you want to see the kayak, you’ll find it hanging up in Second State Brewing – stop by, grab a brew (use your Co-op discount if you are a member-owner) and check out what you could win – help us float past 1000 member-owners soon!

Let’s pack the streets with Co-op peeps at this year’s Sturgis Falls Parade on Saturday morning, June 29.

Bring your energy and join your Co-op friends (including Rooty the Co-op Carrot) in the Cedar Falls Food Co-op Parade entry. We’ll gather at a to-be-specified location by 10 a.m. and start marching – we are typically done by noon. All are welcome – bring friends and family (and water!), wear your Co-op t-shirt, sunscreen and good walking shoes. We always have tons of fun! If you plan to join us, please let us know by emailing outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop so we have an accurate head count. Thank you for supporting your co-op in this important way!

Have you seen them? Co-op yard signs are popping up all over!

Are you a proud owner of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op? Let your neighbors know by displaying a yard sign. Hurry, they are going fast – email outreach@cedarfallsfood.coop if you would like one placed in your yard this summer. Not yet a member-owner? Join today and let us know you want a sign. We’ll bring it to you along with your founding member tote bag and member-owner card for your business partner discounts! And don’t forget, if you join in June or as a member-owner encourage a new member (who list you as the referrer), you’ll be in the drawing for a new kayak!

In late May, the board sent a letter to every member of the Co-op family that announced the Co-op is changing its name. If you haven’t seen that letter or read the Frequently Asked Questions about the name change, please be sure to take a look.

And if you have an idea for a new name, please submit it via our online survey. You can submit as many ideas as you like!

Before sharing with you some of the opinions from our members about the name change, I wanted to share with you one of my personal reflections on this.

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Potluck in the Park is back! Join us in July.

Last summer, your co-op hosted a potluck at Washington Park in Cedar Falls. Many of you requested another outdoor potluck, so we are doing just that on Monday, July 8. Please join us from 5 – 8 p.m. again in Washington Park (at the east end of 9^th Street). Bring a dish to share as well as your own picnic/table ware. If you want a blanket or chairs to sit on, please bring those as well. We’ll have water and lemonade available for you (please bring your own beverage container to help reduce landfill waste).

Everyone is welcome. There is a great playground and we hope to have kickball and other games available. If you are a member-owner or if you have questions about joining the Co-op, please come. Co-ops are all about community gathering – so help us make this another potluck to remember!

Trivia Night with the Cedar Falls Food Co-op is a yearly event many look forward to enjoying. On April 10, twenty people showed up to eat, drink, play, and support the Co-op at Lark Brewing. The participants split into four teams: 3 Peas in a Pod, Jacks, CF Golden Stars, and Strongest Avenger. Could you have answered the questions correctly if you were there?

Round one was about Iowa. “What is Iowa’s oldest city?” “What name is this famous Iowan best known as: Robert Morrison, born in Winterset?” “What is Iowa’s only island city?” Round two was about beer. “To whom did the Anheuser-Busch company send the first case of Budweiser beer produced after the repeal of prohibition in 1933?” “What ancient people are credited with having brewed the first beer?” “What are the four main ingredients in beer?”

Before heading into round three, a game of “Dead or Alive” was played, allowing everyone to join in whether they were a part of a team or not. The last round consisted of pictures of Rooty, the Co-op’s carrot mascot, visiting various local attractions, such as: Bike Tech, Oster Regent Theatre, the Ice House, Maid-Rite, the Imaginarium, and the Hearst Center for the Arts.

While the judges added up the various scores from each team, everyone was guessing which team would get to pose with the coveted golden carrot trophy. In fourth place was the Strongest Avenger, while third place belonged to 3 Peas in a Pod. Finishing in second place was Jacks. That left the CF Golden Stars with bragging rights for a year as the 2019 winners of the Cedar Falls Food Co-op Trivia Night!

We are grateful for the volunteers who created questions, took Rooty photos, and ran the event as well as Lark Brewing who hosted. Hope to see you all at next year’s event!