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March 2005
| A Spring Fundraising
Challenge |
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Every year, the Feinstein Foundation in Rhode Island makes donations
to agencies that fight hunger. The size of the donation this Foundation
makes depends upon the amount of money a charity raises from its
supporters between March 1st and April 30th. Agencies nationwide
will receive a total of 1 million dollars from the Foundation. You
can learn more about this challenge at www.feinsteinfoundation.org.
The more money Local Foods Connection raises during these two months,
the larger the size of the grant awarded us will be. We ask for
your support by considering a monetary donation to Local Foods
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Connection at this time. Your donation toward this campaign will
make you a partner in a successful grassroots campaign to fight
hunger. That is something in which you can take great pride.
The wonderful opportunity was brought to our attention by the USDA
National Hunger Clearinghouse, the only centralized national database
of innovative organizations working on food, nutritional and agricultural
issues in the country. You can learn more about the Clearinghouse
at www.worldhungeryear.org
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A Look
At Our Food Habits: The New USDA Dietary Guidelines and You
by Molly Carpenter and Laura Dowd |
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It is time to throw away the South Beach diet cookbooks, Slim Fast
shakes, and Atkins carb counting. The 2005 dietary guidelines released
by the federal government will get you on the road to a healthy
lifestyle. As with any sound nutritional advice, these guidelines
emphasize the importance of eating a variety of foods in order for
you to get the energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber you
need for good health. Dietary Guidelines for Americans is published
jointly every 5 years by the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The government has been offering the American people nutritional
advice since the early 1900's. The Food Pyramid, officially released
in 1992, is the most recognized guide. The updated guidelines preserve
the five major food groups within the pyramid (bread/cereal, fruit,
vegetables, dairy, and meat/protein), but change the number of recommended
servings.
Although criticism has surrounded the government's guidelines for
years, with accusers claiming that food industry representatives
have too great an influence over the end result, critics are pleased
with many of the new changes, including recommendations that Americans
eat less added sugars and trans fats. According to the USDA, trans
fats (which are worse for the body than saturated fat) are found
in 40% of processed foods.
One of the most significant changes is the increase in recommended
daily servings of fruits and vegetables from five to nine! Doctors
and nutritionists worry that people will feel overwhelmed by this
suggestion. One step you can take towards incorporating more produce
into your diet is to join a community supported agriculture (CSA)
group! (Learn more by reading insert.) Not only does membership
in a CSA provide you with fresh, untreated fruits and vegetables
once a week for three months, but these shares contain wholesome,
unprocessed food. With a kitchen full of colorful, sweet-smelling
produce, your family will be thrilled to tackle the challenge of
eating more fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.
What is One Serving? Vegetables: 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables;
1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or chopped raw; 3/4 cup of vegetable
juice.
Fruit: 1 medium apple, banana, orange; 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked,
or canned fruit; 3/4 cup of fruit juice.
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| 2005 THANK YOUs |
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Businesses & Organizations
UI College of Law Nonprofit Clinic
Environmental Advocates
Integrated DNA Technologies
Lensing Funeral Home
McDonald Optical
White Dog Auto
da Woods Bed and Breakfast
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Families
Polly & Armond Pagliai
Randy Parks
Jennifer & Michael Schwarz
Rita Tomanek |
| 2005 Local Foods Connection
Farmers |
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Part of Local Foods Connection's mission is to support small family
farmers who use sustainable, earth-friendly farming methods. The
charity pays farmers a fair price for their goods, and only accepts
discounts if first offered by the farmer. Last year more than 90%
of your donations went directly to farmers to pay for fruit, vegetables,
bread, eggs and meat products.
If you would like to specify a particular farm for your donation,
then please let us know. Donating the full cost of a share will
guarantee that farm you choose will receive your donation.
All of these farmers are very happy to work directly with the public,
so please call them if you are interested in purchasing their goods!
Now is the time to join a CSA. Our five CSA farms are currently
accepting members. The farmers will welcome your telephone calls
or email.
Community Supported Agriculture Farms
CSA is a relationship of mutual support between farmers and
community members who pay the farmer an annual membership fee to
cover the production costs of the farm. In turn, members receive
a weekly share of the harvest during the local growing season. The
arrangement guarantees the farmer financial support and enables
many small to moderate family farms to remain in business. Ultimately,
CSAs create "agriculture-supported communities" where
members receive a wide variety of foods harvested at their peak
of ripeness, flavor and vitamin and mineral content.
The goals of CSAs are to support a sustainable agriculture system
which:
1.) provides farmers with direct outlets for farm products and
ensures fair compensation;
2.) encourages proper land stewardship by supporting farmers in
transition toward low or no chemical inputs;
3.) strengthens local economies by keeping food dollars in local
communities;
4.) directly links producers with consumers allowing people to
have a personal connection with their food and the land on which
it was produced;
5.) makes nutritious, affordable, wholesome foods accessible and
widely available to community members. -Robin Van Eyn Center www.csacenter.org
Local Harvest CSA
The idea for the charity Local Foods Connection was created
during conversations between Susan Jutz, Simone Delaty and Laura
Dowd. Susan and Simone feel strongly that all people should
have access to the nutritious, wholesome food they produce.
Susan gave the charity reduced-cost shares for the first two
years, to help us during our growing stage. Local Harvest CSA
clients were our first financial supporters.
ZJ Farm
Susan Jutz
5025 120th St NE
Solon, IA 52333
(319) 624-3052
www.localharvestcsa.com
General Farm Info: Susan and her four children (Frances,
Reuben, George and David) all share in the work of their 80-acre
farm. Growing vegetables for Local Harvest CSA is only one
component of their small, diversified farm. The diversity
of the ZJ farm extends beyond the products they sell to the
environment they promote and maintain with field crop rotations,
cover cropping, hedgerows and permanent plantings for beneficial
insects, snakes, toads and other "wild" life.
Share Season: 20 weeks May through October. CSA since
1997.
Contents: Over one hundred fifty varieties
of more than forty types of organic vegetables. Almost all
vegetables are harvested the same day as delivery. Produce
includes: spinach, lettuce, carrots, green and filet beans,
peas, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, beets, salad turnips,
peppers, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, Swiss chard, collards,
Asian greens, red and yellow onions, sweet potatoes, sweet
corn and eggplant. Email newsletter.
Sizes: Full Size feeds a family of four (two adults
and two children); Half Share feeds two vegetable loving adults.
Delivery: ZJ Farm on Mon, Weds or Fri; Weds Iowa City
Farmer's Market; Cedar Rapids drop off site.
Cost: Contact Farm. Staggered payment and volunteer
exchange options.
Other Products: Meats such as pork and lamb.
Simone's Plain & Simple
Simone Delaty
(319) 683-2896 Phone / (319) 631-0146 Cell (voice mail)
1478 470th Street SW
Wellman, IA 52356
www.simoneplainandsimple.com
General Farm Info: When you visit Simone's farm, you
immediately see the evidence of the French country way of
life in the way she has designed and nurtured her gardens.
Her wood-fired brick oven is a functional and beautiful little
building used weekly for artisan breads and pizzas. In 2003,
Simone planted 5 acres of her land in prairie seed.
Share Season: May through October. CSA since 1997.
Contents: Bread & Egg: dozen brown eggs from free
range chickens and a loaf of hand made French Country bread.
20 weeks; Fresh Flower: bouquets of fresh cut flowers. 16
weeks.
Delivery: Wednesday Iowa City Farmer's Market. Email
newsletter.
Cost: Contact Simone.
Other Products: Dinners in the countryside.
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Choice Earth CSA
Jocelyn & Tim Engman
1270 Jefferson-Washington Rd
Brighton, IA 52540
(877) 271-0612
www.ChoiceEarth.com
General Farm Info: Certified organic, heirloom vegetables
grown in a 6-acre vegetable garden for Fairfield, Washington
and Iowa City. We believe that you deserve healthy, earth-friendly
and society-friendly food. The dominant system of industrialized
agriculture is harmful to the farmer, consumer, and environment.
At Choice Earth, we strive toward a growing process that is
health-conscious, community-conscious, spirit-conscious, and
earth-conscious. Our goal is to nourish you with better vegetables
and a better way of life.
Share Season: 20 weeks June through October. CSA since
2004.
Contents: Vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, brussels
sprouts, celery, eggplant, garlic, green beans, lettuce, spinach,
potatoes, tomatoes and many more. Email newsletter.
Sizes: Taste: sampling for one or two people. Gourmet:
Two veggie lovers or a small family. Gourmet Salad: weekly
pound of gourmet salad greens and trimmings, from edible flowers
to red carrots. Family Gourmet: for a family of four or more,
includes Gourmet Salad Share and flowers.
Delivery: Distribution points located in member neighborhoods
(often local farmers markets).
Cost: Contact Farm. Staggered payment and volunteer
exchange options.
Gooseberry Hill
John & Dianna Fuhrmeister
3310 Lynden Heights Rd.
Iowa City, IA 52250
(319) 354-7260
General Farm Info: 2 to 3 acre ever-expanding vegetable
garden. An orchard with several varieties of apples and plums.
We love making a connection both with our CSA members who
eat the food we prepare and the soil in which it is grown.
We view our farm operation as a cycle of life; for example,
we feed garden scraps to our animals, and then compost the
animal manure to enrich our soil. The farm is home to a few
cows, small flock of sheep, chickens and our daughter's horse.
Share Size: Wicker basket feeds family of four who
want to supplement meals with produce.
Season: May 20 to Sept 19, 2005. CSA since 2000.
Contents: mainly vegetables such as potatoes, green
onions, sugar snap peas, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, bell
peppers, sweet corn, carrots, tomatoes, asparagus, and many
others. Some fruits such as, strawberries, cherries, apples
and plums. Country fresh eggs and flowers. Printed recipes
and labeled produce.
Delivery: Deliveries made to your home are usually
done on Mondays and Fridays.
Cost: Call farm for details.
Other Products: Meat products: lambs and kids.
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Oak Hill Acres
Andy and Terry Tygrett
978 310th St
Atalissa, IA 52720
Home: (563) 946-2304 / Cell (Terry): (319) 560-4826
www.oakhillacresiniowa.com
oakhillacresiniowa@fbx.com
General Farm Info: 60 acres; 25 acres of certified
organic vegetables.
Share Season: minimum 22 weeks, May through October.
CSA since 2001.
Sizes: Half Share feeds a one-to-two person household;
Full Share for a family of three to five.
Contents: mainly vegetables such as asparagus, beets, broccoli,
cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, hot peppers, lettuce,
onions, potatoes, sweet corn and more. Occasionally fruits:
blackberries and raspberries. Newsletter on website.
Delivery: Iowa City members: Wednesday or Saturday
farmer's market downtown. In addition, products are marketed
at farm, by mail order, and at farmer's markets in West Branch,
West Liberty, Wilton, Davenport and Moline, IL. Shares are
packed in coolers, which members return each week.
Cost: Call farm. Payments due in spring and July.
Other Products: Small grains (oats, rye, wheat, and
barley); pasture-raised livestock and lambs; poultry (chicken,
turkeys, ducks, geese). Flowers.
Scattergood Friends School
Mark Quee
1951 Delta Ave.
West Branch, IA 52358
(319)643-7631
General Farm Info: The CSA is a program of Scattergood
Friends School (a small, Quaker boarding school serving a
diverse population of 60 students in grades 9-12). Includes
6 acres in IDALS-certified organic vegetable production. A
cow-calf beef herd and a small flock of sheep on 35 acres
of pasture; a few feeder pigs; honey bees; a laying chicken
flock as well as a few turkeys. This is in addition to 35
acres farmed conventionally by a local Quaker farmer and another
35 acres in restored prairie.
Share Season: 23 weeks May through October. CSA since
2004.
Size: Family-Sized Share will feed two vegetarians
or a family of four omnivores.
Contents: mainly vegetables, such as salad greens,
strawberries, root vegetables, heirloom tomatoes, peppers,
sweet corn, cucumbers, zucchini, peas, beans, potatoes, garlic,
onions, cabbages and more. (plus an optional egg share as
well).
Delivery: At the farm; or a central distribution point
in Iowa City.
Cost: Call Farm. Reduced cost share offered.
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MEAT PRODUCERS
Echo Dell Organic Farm
Calvin & Judy Yoder
1620 Johnson-Washington Road
Kalona, Iowa 52247
(319) 656-2372
Products: Echo Dell offers chickens (frozen) that
are free range and fed organically grown grains. Echo Dell
uses no drugs, hormones or antibiotics.
Available At: Direct from Farm.
Cost: Call Calvin.
Henry J.C. and Ila Miller
(319) 656-3518
1012 Juniper Avenue
Kalona, IA 52247
ilamiller@hotmail.com
Products: The Millers raise chemical-free, free-range
turkeys for sale with advanced order placement. Baked goods
and home-style meals prepared and served in their home (prepared
in a certified kitchen). Hay rides and cookouts are available
in the fall.
Available At: Direct from Farm; Farmers' Markets in
Washington, Iowa City and Coralville.
Cost: Call farm.
Wallace Farms
Nick Wallace
P.O. Box 446
Vinton, IA 52349
(515) 480-8763
www.wallacefarms.com
nick.wallace@wallacefarms.com
General Farm Info: Thank you for your interest and
support of Wallace Farms and Nick's Wild Fish. We take great
pride in offering the finest grass-fed beef and wild-caught
seafood to loyal customers throughout the United States. The
foundation of our family business is strengthened by our passion
for providing nutrient-dense foods. Our intention is to provide
our family, friends, and customers with food of the same quality
that our grandparents thrived upon.
Products: 25 lb. Family Samplers, 25 lb. Variety Samplers,
and wholesale and organ meat inquires by specific request.
Sockeye/Red Salmon Filets; Whole Sockeye/Red Salmon.
Cost: Call Nick Wallace.
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