Blog & Latest News

Blog & Latest News2017-01-19T21:01:10-06:00
2509, 2023

Board Election

September 25th, 2023|Categories: Blog|0 Comments

Vote for your 2024 Board of Directors!
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2023 Board of Directors Election

Claim one of your most powerful rights of Co-op Member-Ownership!

2024 BOARD ELECTION

Wheatsfield’s Board of Directors represents all 7,175+ Member-Owners and ensures the needs of the membership are being met. The directors work as a team to set policy, hire and evaluate the General Manager, maintain the fiduciary responsibility of the Co-op and represent the membership as it creates the vision that guides the Co-op into the future. Each director serves a three year term, with three seats up for election every fall.

Voting will take place through this secure, online portal. All Member-Owners are eligible to vote.

VOTING DIRECTIONS

Voter ID = Member number
Voter Key = Member-Owner’s last name
Enter your member number with the preceding W as listed on your owner card. Single, double, and triple digit member numbers must insert zero(s) before the number to create a 5 digit Voter ID. i.e. “W0005, W0055, W0555.”
Trouble logging in? Call the co-op at 515-232-4094 or email [email protected]

Please make sure to vote for three (3) board candidates.

Voting is open Tuesday, October 2nd at 7am

Voting concludes Tuesday, October 17th at 9pm

2009, 2023

Starting Solids: Purees and Baby-Led Weaning

September 20th, 2023|Categories: Blog, Classes|0 Comments

Starting Solids: Purees and Baby-Led Weaning

Preparing your baby to start solid foods, or in the midst of it and struggling with baby eating enough or eating the right things? Not sure if you want to try traditional weaning or baby-led weaning? Register for this intro to starting solids class with a registered dietitian to learn about your baby’s nutrition needs, and evidence-based techniques to help your child build a positive relationship with food!

Instructor

Kimberly Baishnab (Korff) is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified lactation specialist, specializing in infant and child feeding (starting solids, picky eating, and everything in between!), cultural foods and culinary nutrition. Kimberly provides nutrition counseling and local workshops to promote a positive relationship with food for everyone in your family. Join Kimberly in the kitchen and the classroom to learn more about your child’s health and raising adventurous, well-nourished eaters!

Date and Time
Monday, Oct 23, 6-7:30pm

Special
Nutrition Education
Baby Feeding

2009, 2023

2023 Annual Meeting of the Members

September 20th, 2023|Categories: Blog, Classes|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE MEMBERS

October 17, 5:30-8PM, Torrent Brewing Co.

We look forward to seeing you, sharing the latest from the co-op, and hearing your questions and feedback. As a member-owned cooperative, your participation in our governance is important, and we welcome you to join us for this year’s annual meeting.

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This year’s shared meal will be co-op made chili complete with grazing table! Meat and vegan chili options available.

Cash bar available from Torrent Brewing.

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Please RSVP in advance. Please register for the total number of people in your party.

Email [email protected] or call 515-232-4094 for further assistance or questions.

2009, 2023

The Art of Zen

September 20th, 2023|Categories: Blog, Classes|0 Comments

The Art of Zen

Join Zen practitioner, Daishin McCabe for guided meditation, Zen calligraphy demonstration, and a walking tour of his art on display.

Daishin’s art is on display through the month of November at the co-op.

Instructor

Eric Daishin McCabe was first inspired to write Zen Calligraphy when he saw a demonstration by a Japanese Rinzai Zen Master, Fukushima Keido Roshi, at Bucknell University in 1993. His first teacher of calligraphy is Mariko Tachihara, a Japanese teacher of English, whom he met while teaching English in Kakogawa, Japan in 1995. Since then he has had the opportunity to study with several calligraphers including Nonin Chowaney of the Nebraska Zen Center and Kaz Tanahashi.

Date and Time
Saturday, Oct 14, 4-6pm

Special
Zen Meditation
Calligraphy demo

1509, 2023

September Member Appreciation Day!

September 15th, 2023|Categories: Blog|0 Comments

Stop into YOUR Co-op on Saturday, September 16 from 10am-2pm to celebrate YOU! We’re kicking off the day with a giveaway!

Giveaway: 100+ Mini Succulent Candles!

Starting at 10am. We want to thank you with a gift of warmth and light to remember the summer season and look forward to fall!

1 per person. While supplies last.

Vendor Sampling

Raccoon Forks Farm 10am-12pm
(Redfield)

Barsy’s Almonds 10am-2pm
(Minneapolis)

Jenuenly Pure 10am-12pm
(Ames)

Zero Loop 12pm-2pm
(Ames)

READ Health 10am-2pm
(Ames)

Red Barn Wines 1pm-3pm
(Story City)

Live Music

1:00pm-2:00pm
Reggie Greenlaw

Kids Activity

10am-2pm
Storewide Scavenger Hunt!

Samples

Local Popcorn – Rosmann Family Farms

Cheese Dept. – Lamb Chopper aged sheep cheese

Deli Dept. – Co-op Made Juice Samples

Deli Dept. – Co-op Made Spinach Artichoke Dip

809, 2023

August 2023 Board Meeting Highlights

September 8th, 2023|Categories: Blog|0 Comments

Here are highlights from the August 2023 Wheatsfield Board of Directors meeting:

  • Board members received an update on Wheatsfield’s Cybersecurity Coverage from Andrew Ricklefs of Knapp Tedesco Insurance and had an opportunity to address any security questions or concerns.
  • The slate of candidates for the upcoming Wheatsfield Board election was approved and the student board member was appointed.
  • Board members reviewed and approved proposed store signage for the new Gun Ban Policy and made suggestions for changes.
  • Board members reviewed the final 2023-2024 budget, marketing, and business plans.
  • Payment of the 2022 Preferred Share Dividend was reviewed and approved to be paid out by December 31, 2023.
  • The Board heard an update on the progress and cost of this year’s financial audit which began on August 28 by Wegner’s CPA’s.
  • Board members received an informational presentation on T Bills as a potential investment option.
709, 2023

Sept & Oct Artist: Daishin McCabe

September 7th, 2023|Categories: Art Gallery, Blog|0 Comments

September – October Artist on Display

Daishin McCabe

Eric Daishin McCabe was first inspired to write Zen Calligraphy when he saw a demonstration by a Japanese Rinzai Zen Master, Fukushima Keido Roshi, at Bucknell University in 1993. His first teacher of calligraphy is Mariko Tachihara, a Japanese teacher of English, whom he met while teaching English in Kakogawa, Japan in 1995. Since then he has had the opportunity to study with several calligraphers including Nonin Chowaney of the Nebraska Zen Center and Kaz Tanahashi. Daishin is a Zen priest. His name means “Great Faith”, and it was given to him when he received the Buddhist precepts. He goes by both “Daishin” and “Eric” depending on who is asking.

He teaches Buddhist philosophy, meditation, yoga, and calligraphy to people of all walks of life and spiritual paths. He was ordained in 2004 and given permission to teach in 2009. He is fully ordained in the Soto Zen tradition and is a recognized teacher both in the Association of Soto Zen Buddhists and in the Soto Zen Buddhist Association. Daishin undertook a 15 year mentorship with Abbess Dai-En Bennage of Mount Equity Zendo, located in rural central Pennsylvania. During this time he trained at various Soto Zen Monasteries in Japan including Shogoji, Zuioji, Gotanjoji, Hosshinji, Hokyoji, and Kappa Dojo. In France he trained with Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. He also practiced in California at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and with Rev. Nonin Chowaney at the Nebraska Zen Center. He is a certified hatha Yoga teacher through Integral Yoga. Daishin studied at Bucknell University where he received a BA in Religion and Biology in 1995. He completed 5 units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Wellspan York Hospital in August of 2014, where he worked as a Chaplain in Behavioral Health. Just prior to this he taught meditation and yoga for two years to clients at White Deer Run, a drug and alcohol rehab in central PA.

Daishin has ten years experience as a Guest Teacher and speaker at Buddhist meditation retreats, yoga centers, colleges, and multi-faith gatherings. You can visit him at his website at: zenfields.wordpress.com Daishin presently resides in Ames, Iowa with his wife and family. He is available to offer Zen calligraphy workshops and retreats to individuals and groups in the Ames vicinity and beyond.

Visit him at www.zenfields.org or email at [email protected].

509, 2023

Celebrating Local Foods: Sept 2023 Word from the Board

September 5th, 2023|Categories: Blog|0 Comments

Celebrating Local Foods

Liz Kolbe, Wheatsfield Board President

It’s Tomato Season!

And melon season, pepper season… somehow still cucumber season, just leaving sweet corn season and we’re almost to leafy greens again, soon to be apples and winter squash. For those of us who ride the waves of seasonal produce, we’re on an acidic, high heat ride, quelled only by the Wheatsfield bakery baguettes and a generous portion of butter. 

And what a better way to celebrate local foods than with a potluck! On Saturday, Aug. 26th about a hundred co-op members gathered at Brookside Park for Wheatsfield’s Local Foods Potluck. Formerly an annual event, this was the first potluck since 2019! We enjoyed a pleasant evening with comfortable(!) weather, sloppy Joes, and a plethora of homemade dishes featuring local ingredients. 

From a pre-dinner hand raise, we learned about a third of the attendees grew something they brought, about another third (and some of the same), shopped at the farmers market, and the rest bought their local products at Wheatsfield. 

I’m lucky to work with a lot of farmers who direct market fruits and vegetables (meaning they sell directly to the customer). There is incredible value and resilience in this direct transaction, and at the same time, it requires an exceptional array of skills on the part of the farmer to be grower, business owner, marketer, sales and customer relationship manager all in one! 

But to take local foods beyond the garden, and even beyond the farmers markets, stores like Wheatsfield set the pace for all other stores. If you visit other parts of Iowa and other states – you might appreciate that Wheatsfield is a hub for a community around local foods, and an easy (and delightful!) place to shop for local products. What’s more hidden to us shoppers is that stores like Wheatsfield are also excellent purchasers of local foods, they play a large role in circulating food dollars to local growers, and their reliability as a purchaser allows growers to expand their businesses. If we had a Wheatsfield (and Wheatsfield members!) in more Iowa towns, we’d have a lot more money flowing through the local food systems. 

But this isn’t a lament of what we’re missing in the state – it’s a celebration of what we have in Ames! Three cheers for local farmers, local foods and potlucks, and soon… for 50 years of cooperative grocery in Ames!

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