Fresh Deals, Oct 14-Oct 20
Everyone Saves!
October 2026 Wellness Savings
Everyone Saves!
October Member Drive!
Help us reach 100 new Member-Owners!
In coordination with National Co-op Month and other food co-ops across the country, we are holding our annual member-owner drive during October! At Wheatsfield, you’re not just a member, you’re an OWNER! Join 8,000+ others in member-ownership!
Not a member-owner?! Did you know that member-ownership is a one-time refundable purchase with some excellent benefits?!
Why join the Co-op? Since 1974 Wheatsfield Co-op has been cooperatively owned by individuals in the community. Today, join more than 8,000+ of your friends and neighbors in owning Wheatsfield Co-op. Although you don’t have to be a member-owner to shop, we think the benefits are outstanding. Receive member-owner coupons and discounts, keep more money in our community and invest in a business that will always be locally-owned. Join us!
Bonus for Joining in October: Limited Edition “I Own My Grocery Store” Tote!
How to Join: A one-time, fully refundable, $100 investment. Not a yearly fee! You can pay in $10 installments over 10 months if you choose. It’s quick and easy to join! Just talk with a cashier. You’re moments away from owning a grocery store!
Student Discount is a $20 yearly fee vs a one-time refundable $100 investment. Student Discount Program Participants receive all the same benefits of equity membership except: patronage dividends and voting in elections.
CO-OP MONTH FUN FACTS
- Minnesota was the first state to declare an official Co-op Month proclamation in 1948.
- Co-op Month has been a nationally recognized celebration since 1964, when U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Orville Freeman, a former Minnesota governor, proclaimed October Co-op Month.
- The first national Co-op Month theme, in 1964, was “Cooperatives: USDA Helps Build a Better America.”
- The U.S. Government sponsored Co-op Month from 1964-1970.
- Every October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture releases its annual Co-op Month proclamation.
October is National Co-op Month
October is Co-op Month
By: Co+op
Let’s celebrate everything that makes cooperative businesses unique! In today’s world where corporate decisions are governed by profits and individualism is the norm, cooperation is truly radical. Now is the time to lift up the people-centered businesses at the heart of our communities and economies.
Co-op Month is a chance to highlight cooperatives’ contributions to sustainable development across social, economic and environmental dimensions and emphasize the unique ability of cooperatives to foster inclusive growth and strengthen community resilience. Co-ops continue to be organized by communities across the U.S. and the world, anywhere people are interested in exercising more control over the kind of products and services they’re able to buy.
Here are several facts that highlight co-ops’ impacts on communities and our world:
- There are more than 30,000 cooperative businesses in the U.S.
- The food co-op communities across the country that own National Co+op Grocers (NCG) work together collectively to strengthen our ability to positively impact our food system and grow the cooperative economy in an inclusive and environmentally regenerative manner.
- Thirty-seven percent of food co-ops’ sales come from organic products (compared to 3% at conventional grocers), and 24% of sales at co-ops are from local products (as opposed to 2% at conventional grocers).
- Annually, $9 million was collectively donated to local community organizations by NCG co-ops.
- Co-ops work within our supply chain and industry and with the federal government to advocate for product labeling, disclosure of potentially harmful ingredients or contaminants, and protections for workers within our supply chain.
Want to know more about how to support cooperatives?
Here are a few ideas:
• Look for the Co-op Trade signs around food co-ops to find cooperatively owned brands.
• Learn more about the history of food cooperatives.
• Read the Cooperative Values and Principles, which serve as guidelines to provide a democratic structure for co-ops around the world.
• Find a co-op near you and start shopping there!
October 2026 Change for Community: Food Co-op Initiative
Food Co-op Initiative is a 501(c)3 non-profit, dedicated to enabling a faster and more efficient start-up process to develop new retail grocery co-ops. Food Co-op Initiative works with community groups across the United States and provides direct services and workshops, webinars and online resources. New co-ops start here.
Vision: We envision a world where every community has the power and ability to build a thriving cooperative food system that provides them with the food they need and want.
Mission: Food Co-op Initiative partners with communities to build a more just food system, providing critical support as they organize and open community-owned grocery stores.
Board Election
Claim one of your most powerful rights of Co-op Member-Ownership!
2027 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION
Wheatsfield’s Board of Directors represents all 8,000+ 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 CEO, 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. If you didn’t receive your voting information in your email, please update your member information at the cash register or on our online form so we are able to contact you about important co-op business.
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 Thursday, October 1st at 8am
Voting concludes Tuesday, October 20th at 8pm
Fonduementals: Chocolate, Cheese & Wine
Celebrate National Chocolate Covered Anything Day with an indulgent evening of fondue! Fondue is simple, fun, and great for sharing. This demonstration class covers two classics: a savory swiss fondue and a chocolate dessert fondue. You'll leave knowing how to make both at home. We'll cover cheese and chocolate selection, how to get the right texture, and good dippers. You'll also sample a few wines chosen to pair with each fondue, so you know exactly what to serve when you recreate it. Must be 21+ to attend.
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 Crystal Jewell, Education Coordinator.
Limited substitutions can be made during the class.
Instructor
Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen is a native of Emmetsburg, Iowa. She moved to Ames to study Political Science at ISU, and is happy to call Ames home. Bronwyn is the Operations and Human Resources Manager, and one of the Wine & Beer Buyers for Wheatsfield Cooperative. In addition to working at Wheatsfield, she has served for 9 years on the Ames City Council.
Date & Time
Wednesday, December 16, 2026 | 5:30-7:00PM
Class Location
Community Room
Nature’s Relief: DIY Zero-Waste Acorn Cap Salve
Discover the simple magic of turning acorn caps, herbs, flowers, roots, and beeswax into your own nourishing salve! In just one hour, you’ll learn to infuse, blend, and pour your salve using 100% natural, zero-waste ingredients. Each attendee will leave with their personalized salve—perfect for relieving unbroken skin or as a tiny gift from nature. No experience needed, just curiosity and a love for wildcrafting! Class is limited to ages 18+.
Meet the Instructor!
Crystal Jewell, M.S., PhD is a neuroscientist, science educator, and wildcrafter who specializes in alternative and complimentary medicine. She is also Wheatsfield’s Community Education and Outreach Coordinator!
Date & Time
Tuesday, December 08, 2026 | 5:30PM
Note
In-Person
Wheatsfield Community Room
Hands-on
Second Chances: The Art of Repurposed Cards
Join Ames artist Lisa Kuehl for a fun evening of trying your hand at greeting card repurposing! Give those cute cards you receive a second life by easily turning them into a brand new card to share. There is no fee for this class and all supplies and tools will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring in several of your own greeting cards to work with. Snacks will be provided!
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 Crystal Jewell, Education Coordinator.
Limited substitutions can be made during the class.
Meet the Instructor!
Ames resident and artist Lisa K. Kuehl of Heartland Scrapbooks is a 1982 graduate of Iowa State University, where she earned her B.A. in Graphic Design. Though her career path led her into professional aviation, Lisa never lost touch with her creative roots. Throughout her student years at ISU, she produced and preserved an extensive collection of original designs—and her current scrapbook projects continue to reflect her lifelong love of art and composition.
Since retiring from United Airlines in 2006, Lisa has devoted much of her time to animal welfare advocacy and more recently, to promoting pollinator habitat. In recent years, she has presented a creative “Memories Into Masterpieces” class through the ISU Alumni Association’s OLLI as well as at the Sixty Forward Center in Ames. Lisa is excited to be back at Wheatsfield Cooperative to share her newest passion of repurposing greeting cards.
Date & Time
Thursday, December 03, 2026 | 5:30PM
Note
In-Person
Wheatsfield Community Room
Hands-on
Indigenous Knowledge & the Roots of Regenerative Agriculture
Contemporary regenerative agriculture draws on principles that have long informed Indigenous food and farming systems around the world. This presentation examines the historical and ecological connections between Indigenous agricultural practices and modern approaches to soil health, biodiversity, crop diversity, and ecosystem stewardship to understand farming as part of a larger ecological and cultural system. Together, we will consider how honoring Indigenous knowledge can help shape more resilient food systems grounded in reciprocity, responsibility, and respect for the land.
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Please RSVP in advance. You will receive an email from Eventbrite that contains a Zoom link to join the class. Please ensure you are able to receive emails from Eventbrite here*.
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* If you have not received a link prior to class, please check your spam folder. If you have previously unsubscribed to Eventbrite’s emails, you may also not receive a Zoom link email. If you are still having issues receiving Eventbrite emails, try their troubleshooting guide here.
Please email [email protected] or call 515-232-4094 with any questions.
Meet the Instructor!
Corbin Scholz is currently serving as the Farm Director at Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa. She has been working in the food system for almost a decade owning and managing organic vegetable farms and food hubs, serving on several ag non-profits board of directors, and participating in leadership committees to organize support programs for young farmers. After graduating from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology on the pre-medical track, Corbin pivoted to creating healthy communities through thriving food systems.
Date & Time
Thursday, November 12, 2026 | 6:00-7:00PM
Class Location
Virtual – synchronous
Secondhand Sunday “Free Thrift”
Browse remaining items donated during the clothing swap. No new items accepted! Any clothing remaining after the free thrift will be donated to Overflow Thrift Store.
Date & Time
Sunday, November 08, 2026 | 11 AM – 1 PM
FREE
Note
In-Person
Wheatsfield Community Room
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