HANDS-ON CLASS: Wild Foraging
Join us for an immersive, hands-on foraging class at Ada Hayden Park, where we’ll explore the natural abundance of edible and medicinal plants growing in our local landscape. Led by Crystal Jewell, a Neuroscience Graduate Student at Iowa State and Science Communicator, this class will teach you how to identify, harvest, and use a variety of wild plants safely and sustainably. We’ll cover key identification techniques, ethical harvesting practices, and traditional uses of native and naturalized species found in the park. Be prepared for a leisurely walk on uneven terrain. Bring a notebook, a field guide (if you have one), and a sense of curiosity!
Class Location: We will meet next to the picnic shelter in the main parking lot by the lake.
If you have specific dietary restrictions, please reach out to us in advance before signing up for the class at [email protected] or by calling the co-op at 515-232-4094 and speaking with Sheba Wright, Education Coordinator.
Limited substitutions can be made during the class.
Meet the Instructor!
Crystal Jewell M.S. is a science communicator and PhD student studying the neuroscience of mindfulness. Outside of academia, she nourishes her passion for food sovereignty through foraging, gardening, herbalism, and experimenting with traditional food preservation.
Date & Time
Saturday April 29, 2025 | 5:00 – 6:30 PM
Class Location
Ada Hayden Park – 5205 Grand Avenue – We will meet next to the picnic shelter in the main parking lot by the lake.
Green Spring Cleaning with Essential Oils
Spring Cleaning, Naturally!
Recipes care of Aura Cacia & Dr. Bronner’s
With warmer weather comes the perfect time to refresh your home! Make the switch to eco-friendly cleaning with simple, effective essential oil-based recipes. Not only are they nontoxic and budget-friendly, but they also leave your space smelling fresh and uplifting.
Find Aura Cacia essential oils in our Wellness Department, along with a full line of Dr. Bronner’s soaps for your convenience. These powerful, natural solutions help tackle dirt, mold, and grime while offering the added bonus of invigorating citrus, purifying tea tree, and refreshing lemongrass aromas.
Go green, save money, and enjoy a healthier home!
Room Spray
A room and body mist featuring lavender and geranium essential oils to freshen your airspace and soothe your skin.
Ingredients
- 18 drops Aura Cacia Lavender Essential Oil.
- 18 drops Aura Cacia Geranium Essential Oil
- 2 oz Mist Bottle
- 2 oz water
How-To
1. In bottle, combine essential oils.
2. Top off with water, replace lid and shake until well blended.
3. To use, shake bottle and mist airspace.
Tile Floor Cleaner
Ingredients
- 40 drops Aura Cacia Lemon Essential Oil
- 40 drops Aura Cacia Tea Tree Essential Oil
- 1/2 c white vinegar
- 2 tsp unscented liquid soap
- 1 gallon warm water
How-To
1. Mix liquid soap, lemon and tea tree oils into vinegar.
2. In bucket, add vinegar mixture and warm water. Stir until well combined.
3. To use, dip sponge, mop or washcloth into mixture and wring out excess liquid and wipe tile floor clean.
Furniture Polish
Lift away grime while adding a protective shine using this homemade furniture oil recipe with lemon essential oil on your wooden furniture and floors.
Ingredients
- 4 oz Aura Cacia Jojoba Skin Care Oil
- 32 drops Aura Cacia Lemon Essential Oil
- 16 drops Aura Cacia Lemongrass Essential Oil
- 24 drops Aura Cacia Sandalwood Essential Oil
- 4 oz Spray Bottle
How-To
1. In bottle, combine essential oils.
2. Top off with jojoba oil, replace lid and shake until well blended.
3. To use, shake bottle, dispense 1 to 3 tsp oil into a clean, lint-free dusting cloth and gently wipe wood surfaces.
*Test on an inconspicuous area before general use
All-Purpose Cleaner
While new cleaning products hit the market all the time claiming to disinfect in “revolutionary” ways, the truth is that the best cleaning ingredients are some of the simplest and have been used for centuries.
Ingredients
- Pure- Castile Soap – Made from organic vegetable oils using a simple process, this soap contains no harmful ingredients to you or the planet.
- Optional: Tea tree essential oil is a fantastic natural cleaner. Choose Tea-Tree Pure-Castile Soap or add tea tree essential oil separately.*
- Water
- Essential oils – Tea tree, lemon, or lavender have natural antibacterial properties and leave your home smelling great
*Tea tree is not recommended for use on pets.
Mixing Instructions
- 1 qt. (1 L) water
- ¼ c. (60 mL) of Castile Soap (any scent)
Take a spray bottle and add water. Then simply add the rest of the ingredients. Shake gently to mix. Keep in mind that it’s best to add the water first and the Castile soap second so it doesn’t create too much foam.
GIY Soft Scrub
The beauty of the GIY Soft Scrub is that it clings to vertical surfaces, so it is a great aid to clearing away soap scum off shower walls, rings around the tub, mold in grout, stubborn water spots on glass. This is also great for toilet bowls and shining up kitchen sinks. You’ll probably find a bunch of other uses, too.
Ingredients
- 1 c. (240 mL) Dr. Bronner’s Castile Magic Soap OR ¼ c. (60 mL) Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds
- 3⅓ c. (800 g) baking soda
- 1 c. (240 mL) water
- ¼ c. (60 mL) distilled white vinegar
How-To
In a big bowl, combine the baking soda with the Castile Magic Soap OR the Sal Suds. Mix it with a fork until well blended and no lumps remain. Add in the water and mix thoroughly again. Add in the vinegar and keep stirring until no lumps remain. Add additional water if needed until mixture is a pourable consistency. Pour the solution into an empty quart bottle, using a funnel.
Freshening Window Cleaner
A a simple, eco-friendly, and effective solution for cleaning windows.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons vinegar
- 12 drops lemon essential oil
How-To
Mix vinegar and essential oil and combine with water in a 22 oz. spray bottle. Shake bottle before spraying. Wipe windows with crumpled newspaper to impart shine.
March 2025 Word from the Board
Greetings from your Wheatfield Board of Directors
With March being Member Appreciation Month, I want to thank you for your membership and continued support of your Co-op. In celebration, we held our March Appreciation Event on Saturday, March 15th. It was a great opportunity for Wheatsfield to thank you, and to show appreciation for all that you do for the Co-op the other 364 days of the year.
If you were at the Wheatfield Annual Meeting last October, you heard about the record sales for the year ending June 30, 2024; and I’m pleased to report that sales have continued to be strong. With your help, Wheatsfield has an excellent chance of sales being even higher than last year!
On another subject, if you have an interest in community learning, please look at the Co-op calendar for dates and time of the classes being offered this March and April. There are a variety of interesting topics. These are great opportunities to learn new things, and to meet new people.
Some more good and exciting news is that the bakery is ramping up production! We know how popular Co-op made artisan bread is and look forward to offering you the full bread schedule soon. Thanks for your patience and understanding as the bakery gets back up to full speed.
Finally, I started this article with a “Thank You,” and I’m going to end it with a “Thank You.” Please never forget or underestimate the difference you make in Wheatsfield’s success. You are Wheatsfield!
Ron Eichmeier
Board President
Fresh Deals, Mar 19-25
Everyone Saves!
Co+op Deals, Mar 18-Apr 1
Everyone Saves!
Preorder sale cases by 12pm, Mar 27.
Member-Owner Extras, Mar 18-Apr 1
Extra deals just for member-owners!
Preorder sale cases by 12pm, Mar 27.
March Appreciation Celebration 2025
March Appreciation Celebration!
Join us on Saturday, March 15 from 10am-2pm to celebrate you! Enjoy giveaways, samples, kid’s scavenger hunt, visit with local vendors and more!
Cheese Madness Final Voting!
Local Producers
10am – 2pm
Beeler’s Pure Pork, Le Mars, IA.
Dimitri Wines, Davenport
CADO, Fairfield
The Cellar Winery, Madrid
Milton Creamery, Milton
Old Capitol Tofu, Iowa City
Paha Cider, Waverly
March – April 2025 Artist on Display: Beatrice Upah
Artist Statement
My photography focuses on my
fascination with the longevity of
things around us.
I like to capture the process of
decay and change that tells us a
story about the past:
Mountains shaped throughout time
and wildfires rapidly redesigning
the landscape.
Reminders of American industry
abandoned in the woods or
preserved in the door knob of an
1800s home.
Vegetation wilting at the end of a
season and the human
transformation of the landscape.
Beatrice Upah
EARTH MONTH CLASS – Beginner Bike Repair
Curious about bike maintenance? Learn how to fix a flat, oil your chain, and keep your bike in top shape with simple preventative care. Avoid costly repairs down the road by joining the legendary Ronn Ritz, owner of Skunk River Cycles, for an engaging session on the fundamentals of bike repair. Ronn will not have time to work on each bike in the class, but you can address specific questions if you bring your bike.
Class location: Store Front Bike Racks (Rain location: East Teaching Kitchen)
Instructor
Ronn Ritz is the owner of Skunk River Cycles in downtown Ames.
Date & Time
Saturday April 26, 2025 | 9:30-10:30 AM
Class Location
Store Front Bike Racks (Rain Location – East Teaching Kitchen)
EARTH MONTH CLASS – Composting With Worms!
Join us to discover just how easy it is to turn your food scraps into nutrient-rich compost! Vermiculture, or composting with worms, is a simple and efficient method perfect for both homeowners and apartment dwellers. With just a small bin and some hardworking worms, you can compost food waste year-round—no backyard required! In this class, you’ll learn everything you need to get started, and you’ll even take home your own worms to kick-start your composting journey.
Instructor
Steve Libbey started composting in earnest in the early 1990s turning over, literally, tons of waste as the Coordinator of the Seattle Zoo’s composting/recycling program. Subsequently achieving neither fame nor fortune, Steve continues to garden and compost in hot piles and with worms.
Date & Time
Tuesday, April 22 | 6:00-7 PM
EARTH MONTH CLASS – Beginner Bike Repair
Curious about bike maintenance? Learn how to fix a flat, oil your chain, and keep your bike in top shape with simple preventative care. Avoid costly repairs down the road by joining the legendary Ronn Ritz, owner of Skunk River Cycles, for an engaging session on the fundamentals of bike repair. Ronn will not have time to work on each bike in the class, but you can address specific questions if you bring your bike.
Class location: Store Front Bike Racks (Rain location: East Teaching Kitchen)
Instructor
Ronn Ritz is the owner of Skunk River Cycles in downtown Ames.
Date & Time
Monday, April 21 | 6:15-7:15 PM
Class Location
Store Front Bike Racks (Rain Location – East Teaching Kitchen)
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