Butternut squash from Local Harvest CSA. Scarf from “Bloomin’ Prairie Bison” and hats from “Sage House Studio”: all purchased at Iowa City Holiday Farmers Market.

Here is a testimonial from one of 2009 clients. A wonderful message to welcome in the New Year!

“As the year draws to an end, we at our Group House are very grateful for what we have had for the past 12 months. With our friend ‘Dave’ drawing near to the end of his life, we were blessed with a fussy eater, who would turn down food and lost about 30 pounds this year. He is so fussy about what we bring home and what he eats now. We, in turn, kept offering vegetables, not only because he needed them but because they were one of the few things he could eat. We got a small food chopper. The potatoes and beans became a common source of part of a stable diet that is still keeping him in high vitamin counts today. Dave’s Cerebral Palsy and his inability to swallow a lot of food keeps me running for new alternatives; this year no doubt was one of the best he has had nutritionally.

Another housemate, ‘Tom,’ has been counting the days till kohlrabi comes back in season, plus the countless extras he enjoyed. Myself, I used to be vegetarian (10 Years ago) will eat any kind of vegetable, but healthy again for the first time in four years, we would like to credit the Local Foods Connection and Oak Hill Acres with the fun and joyous attempts at putting food on our table for six months. I even have taught Tom to cook his kohlrabi and other vegetables. We are so appreciative of the generosity of your program that even with a very busy work schedule, I feel I should volunteer in some way over the winter. With that in mind please keep my phone number in your book and call me with what might be alternatives. I also would love to write Oak Hill Acres a long thank you note – I really don’t know how else to put it, you have given  us something that has been healthy, helpful and has dramatically saved life in each of us. Thank you so very much for your kindness and support.”