Local Women Owned Businesses We Love
International Women’s Day, March 8, 2026
We work with many woman-owned and woman-friendly businesses at the Co-op! This International Women’s Day, we wanted to highlight a few of our local women-owned or led businesses. Please join us in supporting them.
This list highlights just a few of the many inspiring women-owned and women-led businesses in our community.
La Reyna
Vinton, Iowa
Carmen and Carlos Legaspi and their family are behind La Reyna, the brand that is proud to be “Hecho en Iowa” since 1991. They are known for their excellent fresh pico de gallo, guacamole, queso sauce, and more.
CADO Ice Cream
Fairfield, Iowa
Debbie Dowd is passionate about good health. She and her family created Shaktea Kombucha before moving onto their next (and very successful food adventure) CADO Ice Cream. The brand is really making a name for itself nationwide – winning accolades on many blogs’ and magazines’ “top 10” dairy-free ice cream lists. Their avocado base provides a rich, creamy canvas for classic ice cream favorites like mint chocolate chip, dark chocolate & lemon sorbet. Enjoy a whole avocado in every pint!
Clear Creek Orchard
Collins, Iowa
Teresa Conradi and her husband Martin take pride in making jams like grandma used to make. Clear Creek minimizes added sugar and keeps batch sizes small to minimize cooking time and to preserve the aromatic fruit flavor that boils off in commercial jam production. When the business transitioned to Martin, the original owner’s nephew, they transplanted many of the original Clear Creek berry plants to the new production site for consistency.
Seed Savers Exchange
Decorah, Iowa
In 1975, Diane Ott Whealy and Kent Whealy founded Seed Savers with just two sets of family heirloom seeds from the 1870s. Today, the organization helps protect biodiversity by preserving and sharing more than 20,000 heirloom plant varieties.
Marmalade Sky
Fairfield, Iowa
Marmalade Sky is a local artisanal bakery specializing in gluten-free treats. Founder Malak Nour uses fresh, organic ingredients to create divine desserts like brownies, macaroon bars, and mini cakes.
Hanna Valley Protein
Des Moines, Iowa
Hanna Valley Protein is an organic, whole food, plant based protein powder that is free from top food allergens and is packed with nutrition. Owner Emily Hanna took great care in creating a formula that contains all 9 amino acids, is free from grains/fillers, and is loaded with fiber and Omega 3’s.
Siberian Soap Company
Ames, Iowa
Ann Staudt is the founder, chief soap formulator, kitchen chemist, graphic designer, sales manager, packaging extraordinaire, and overall operations manager behind Siberian Soap Co. She holds degrees in both chemical and environmental engineering. Soapmaking provides a wonderfully creative outlet that combines her interests in science, art, and living a simple, eco-friendly lifestyle. Check out one of the classes she teaches at the co-op!
Saltlickers
Nevada, Iowa
Jennifer Knox, a poet, a cook, and a “devoted friend to parrots everywhere” makes unique herb and spice blends with her husband Collin. What started as holiday gifts in 2011 have gradually taken over their lives. They grow some of the herbs and spices and dehydrate them and also source ingredients in bulk, but all are grown in America and are preservative free.
Maytag Dairy Farm
Newton, Iowa
Myrna Ver Ploeg joined Maytag in 2003 and is currently the President of this premier cheese making company. She herself grew up on a dairy farm in Marshall County. Myrna says the business has always operated under three basic principles: be good stewards of whatever resources they are given, be independent thinkers and follow their hearts.
Sunday Night Foods
Des Moines, Iowa
Eileen Gannon is the founder and CEO of Sunday Night Foods, an Iowa-based company specializing in premium, small-batch chocolate dessert sauces. An award-winning baker with over 600 state and national accolades, Gannon launched the brand in 2021 to create high-quality, clean-label chocolate products.
SCREAM Ice Cream
Fairfield, Iowa
Kate Vigmostad opened SCREAM in early 2025, specializing in artisanal ice cream using local, organic, and grass-fed dairy from Iowa farms. Vigmostad, a former dancer, developed the concept to offer high-quality, locally sourced frozen desserts after purchasing an ice cream maker for her son.
Agri-Cultured
Davenport, Iowa
Sarah Underberg and her husband Eric started making fermented foods to address health problems like joint pain. Today they make raw sauerkrauts, pickles, kimchi, and kombucha – on tap at your Co-op! “We’re changing lives one gut at a time,” Sarah says.
March Mini Member Drive 2026
March Mini Member Drive
? Join & Receive a Special Gift! ?
Did you know that becoming a member-owner of Wheatsfield Co-op is a one-time, fully refundable investment that comes with amazing benefits? Your membership supports local farmers, sustainability, and a thriving cooperative community!
? Join Anytime: March 1–15
Sign up during our March Mini Member Drive and receive a FREE GIFT as a thank-you for supporting your local co-op!
Choose the Option That’s Right for You:
? Full Equity Member-Ownership – Own a piece of the Co-op!
✔ Enjoy full benefits & exclusive discounts
✔ One-time purchase of $100 (pay all at once or in 10 monthly installments)
✔ Applies to everyone in your household
✔ Fully refundable—withdraw anytime and get your investment back!
? Student Discount Program – For college students!
✔ Most of the same benefits & discounts as full membership
✔ Affordable $20 yearly fee
✔ For individual use only
Why Become a Member-Owner?
By joining, you help:
✅ Support local farmers & producers
✅ Grow a more sustainable food system
✅ Strengthen our cooperative business model
✅ Provide local jobs & community programs
✅ Keep Wheatsfield thriving for future generations!
? Sign up in minutes! Ask a cashier or download the application below.
Join today—let’s grow together! ?
March 2026 Change for Community: GNEA
Good Neighbor Emergency Assistance
Our mission is to provide emergency assistance to our neighbors in Story County, in an atmosphere of dignity, comfort, and encouragement. Good Neighbor Emergency Assistance offers services on an emergency basis to residents in Story County, providing a hand up to families and/or individuals in need. We work in partnership with other agencies and faith-based organizations throughout the County to provide rent and utility assistance, often stopping evictions from their home and the disconnection of utilities. In addition to rent and utility assistance, we offer food and gas vouchers, Cy-Ride tickets, and phone cards on an emergency basis. We also offer navigation services for our clients who need assistance navigating the various services, and systems to help improve their financial situation.
March & April Artists: Kelly Schwartz & Rob Sunderman
Rob Sunderman
Art Philosophy and Statement
My artwork has a strong connection to our natural environment and climate issues. I want the work to convey a sense of beauty but also confront the challenges we are facing with our environment. I want people to look at things in our world that are sometimes ignored or just not thought about. “We can live in harmony with nature and not dominate it. We can live within it as part of the cycle of our world. We can be sustainable.”
My work is very diverse in form. I work both in 2D and 3D. In the past I primarily have painted in oils but have been recently using other media to tell my stores. Also, incorporated painting and drawing in my 3D work continues to grow. Most of my paintings/drawings are about the movement of the paint/mark and how it feels to express a moment in time. It is an expressive and impressionistic flowing style. I have painted/drawn in plein air style, from photos and memory.
Not limiting materials is so important in my work generally. I use materials/mediums that best conveys the subject or story that I am addressing. I recently have been working on pieces dealing with renewal, fleeting moments and human intervention of natural cycles.
Specific to this exhibition and in general trees are a very important part of all my creative endeavors and life. You will find them in most of my work regardless of the medium I might be working with. I draw energy, insight and inspiration from the tree’s skeletal structures, shapes and textures. They are so important to us as humans and the cycle of the environment. They are strong and the backbone of all things that breath. I receive inspiration from them, repurpose them after death, give them importance and a new life.
A new painting/drawing/photography series I am working on is taking old ariel view photos of Iowa (1930’s – 1960’s ISU Ag Department) and painting organic elements on them. The mixed media pieces named “Aerial Iowa Revived” are about breaking out of the grid pattern created by Iowa’s farmland. These old aerial photo of Iowa are being repurposed as art eco statements. I have been drawing and painting tree/river forms on them, which are inspired by the way trees or river structures move, grow, connect through space. They are done in an illustrative style that is raw and direct. My marks gradually connect to the land. It is a response to its manmade and natural structures. These pieces are a statement of healing but also a reflection about the way we treat the Iowa landscape. The color gold is an important part of the composition of this work. It is used to repair the damaged squares that are part of the landscape of Iowa now. The square shapes of the photos themselves reflect how Iowa’s land has been so greatly altered. I also use gold pen marks to line the trees as a statement of new life and repairs. The tree/river forms move across the space to recognize the past and think about ways to create a new better path of seeing and living.
Time moves so fast that we rarely take time to notice a single beautiful moment. I want to preserve the pure glimpse of time on the move with in all my work. It is about reflection and then a more positive move forward.
One of my favorite quotes is from Leonardo Da Vince “Art is never finished it is only abandoned”.
Kelly Schwartz
Artist Statement
My art focuses on small detail and the playful whimsy of lines. Using the finest tip artist pens I explore the twisting and combining of forms seeking new ways to see things. My drawings are fluid and changing as I go, often uncertain how they will end. My inspiration comes from nature, the beauty and delicacy – yet robust circuitry of tree roots; the seeking curls of vining plants grabbing hold of anything in reach to climb higher; the one flower that manages to flourish in one small crack amidst a sea of concrete.
Conceptually, the seeking and the growing of these living structures mirrors us. As I draw, I aim to create an interesting and thought provoking design that is not only beautiful, but stretches our understanding of who we are, what we can do, and how it’s all related to each other. And, like life, it’s complicated.
February 2026 Board Meeting Highlights
February 18th Board Meeting Highlights
- The Board’s strategic discussion focused on strategies for increasing overall sales, both among members and non-members. Efforts to increase sales included talk of emphasizing value versus cost of products.
- Co-op events for the remainder of the year have been booked, including upcoming events next month: Cheese Madness and Member Appreciation Day (March 28th).
- The Education and Outreach Committee reported the need for more members or non-members to assist as volunteers for co-op events throughout the year.
- The Co-op is excited that sushi will be offered again starting in early March. This is something we are confident our members are highly anticipating as well.
- Wheatsfield added nearly 20 new members last month (compared to 35 last January). We hope to boost membership during the co-op’s Mini-Member Drive in early March.
- The Board reviewed overall satisfaction percentages in the Brand Performance Report from the Customer Experience Program; the co-op values this data, so encourages customers to provide feedback on the surveys printed on customer receipts.
February 2026 Produce Parable
The Russet Potato
By Adam Calder, Wheatsfield Produce Manager
The Russet potato, our 9th top-selling item in the produce department, seems ordinary enough. This is what many people conjure in their mind’s eye when they think “potato.” As it turns out, this American classic has a fascinating history that easily could have never happened.
The year was 1872, in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, and a plant breeder named Luther Burbank was walking through a patch of Early Rose potatoes, a popular New England potato. Burbank noticed something one does not usually see on a potato: a maturing seed-ball. Potatoes usually propagate from their underground tubers, but will very rarely make an above-ground fruit that looks like a tiny tomato.
This is what Burbank saw, and he marked the plant so he could keep an eye on it. One day, he noticed his prized seed-ball was no longer on the plant. He spent days scrutinizing the surface of the soil in the potato patch on his hands and knees, until he found and retrieved the seed-ball. There were twenty-three seeds inside.
Burbank saved them all, and planted them the following spring. Every seed sprouted, and each plant was unique. Tiny Tubers, large ones, and all the sizes between. A variety of colors, shapes, and textures. Some plants yielded few tubers, but some grew many. Of these twenty-three plants, two produced distinctly large potatoes with shallow eyes. Burbank saved these potatoes all winter, and noted that they stored well. He planted them in the spring, and of the two varieties, one had a much larger yield, and also coincidentally happened to be resistant to the late blight that had recently devastated Ireland. Burbank knew he had stumbled onto something valuable, and he named this the Burbank Russet Potato.
With shallow eyes and a consistently large oval size, these new potatoes were easier to peel than most potatoes on the market. This plant readily grew huge (two to three pound) potatoes, producing a large yield from small plots of land. Its starchy white flesh had just the right amount of moisture in it to bake and mash up fluffy, and also fry up crispy without over-browning. Russets are also high in protein, minerals, and vitamins, and low in fat/cholesterol. They have a pleasant, nutty flavor that was immediately popular when it hit the market.
In 1875, Burbank sold the rights to grow his potato to James J. H. Gregory, the owner of a seed-selling company. Burbank used this money to move to a farm in California to continue his lifelong plant breeding passion. He grew his potato on the west coast, Gregory grew Burbank Russets on the east coast, and soon, so did all the states in between. Today they are grown the world over, and it all came from one tiny seed-ball that could have easily been overlooked.
Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Sale 2026
Treat yourself and someone special just in time for Valentines Day!
Shop the Co-op February 13th & 14th to SAVE 15% on regular priced Wines, Cheeses and Chocolates!
Members-Owners and Student Members save 15%, non-members save 5%**
**Save on regular prices, sale excludes Co+op Deals and Co+op Basics items.
Sweet & Savory Samples – Wine Not!
Saturday, Feb 14 from 12PM-2PM
We will be sampling in the co-op so stop by for bites and sips of our favorite chocolates, cheeses, and wines. Make DIY valentines for your besties in the teaching kitchen, and Sign Up to Win a valentine’s giveaway!
February 2026 Change for Community: IowaMMJ
Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice
Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice (Iowa MMJ) is statewide membership-based advocacy and immigration legal service organization driven and led by immigrant and refugee voices and united with allies.
Mission – to build a movement for justice led by immigrants and refugees in Iowa by providing high-quality legal services and community empowerment through organizing.
Envision – An Iowa that is welcoming and inclusive, where the rights of immigrants and refugees are ensured through access to legal services, their voices are heard and the issues that impact them are addressed.
History – In the face of unprecedented need, Iowa MMJ is building on the legacy of two trusted organizations: the American Friends Service Committee Iowa and Iowa Justice for Our Neighbors. By uniting their programs, Iowa MMJ has created a powerful opportunity to address urgent needs for direct services while strengthening the movement for immigrants’ rights across the state and region.
Iowa MMJ’s diverse staff bring a combined 35 years of legal service experience and 15 years in programming, building on the 45-year reputation of its founding organizations. With a unique dual-program model, Iowa MMJ is well-equipped to fill unmet needs, build on existing relationships, lead/initiate important conversations, and win concrete victories for all communities in Iowa. As an affiliate of the Immigration Law & Justice Network (formerly Justice for Our Neighbors Network), Iowa MMJ continues to work in coalition, standing in solidarity with others to advance immigrant justice.
January 2026 Produce Parable
January 2026 Produce Parable – Year in Review
By Adam Calder
At the beginning of the new year, I like to take a look back on the previous one. In 2025, we sold an incredible $1,136,015 worth of produce! I’ve been doing this job for over two decades, and when I started, I couldn’t have imagined we would ever sell this much produce in twelve months. I am immensely proud of the hard work my produce team and all the other co-op staff did to make this number a reality.
Of that over a million dollars in produce sales, here are the top ten selling items for your statistical pleasure:
10. Green onions – 4,499 bunches.
Not my personal favorite, but clearly, they find their way into many shopping carts and baskets. A few quick chops, and you can add a handful of these crunchy, mildly flavored alliums to a wide variety of dishes.
9. Russet Potatoes – 4,696.54 pounds
This particular potato has a fascinating history, which I will visit in a future produce parable. The large size, starchy flesh, shallow eyes and uniform shape make these potatoes a household name.
8. Garnet Yams – 4,728.95 pounds
Not surprisingly, sales for these really take off around Thanksgiving. They are consistently popular, and available year-round. Some people swear by them, claiming their sweetness and softness is unmatched by other yams.
7. Broccoli – 5,319.45 pounds
When the cases of broccoli arrive at the co-op, they are topped with five to ten pounds of chipped ice to keep them fresh longer. That means we also receive and throw out about 1,500 – 2,000 pounds of ice every year!
6. Yukon Gold Potatoes – 5,328.23 pounds
Developed in Canada in the 1960’s, these potatoes quickly became a huge success. They get their name from the Yukon River (the source of which is in British Columbia) and their yellow skin/flesh. Many people claim these potatoes have a buttery taste. Great for roasting or mashing.
5. Carrots – 6,113.30 pounds
Their versatility speaks to their popularity. Fresh for snacking, shredded in salads, juiced or cooked, there are many ways to enjoy carrots. They keep well, are affordable, nutritious, and available year-round.
4. Yellow Onions – 6,454.08 pounds
This may seem like a tear-inducing pile of onions, but they are so useful it does not surprise me that they sell so well. Not too hot, not too mild, good for storage, these onions are a familiar favorite in many kitchens.
3. Cosmic Crisp Apples – 6,953.91 pounds
These apples have an interesting relationship to Honeycrisp Apples. The Cosmic Crisp is a cross between the Honeycrisp and Enterprise apples. Honeycrisps fruit in a bi-annual cycle, where they produce a large number of apples one year (called a mast year) and then not very many the next. The 2024 Honeycrisp crop was small, so we did not have any Honeycrisps to sell at all the first seven months of 2025. In years where there are few Honeycrisps available, Cosmic Crisps fill in the gap.
2. Avocados – 12,837
That works out to about 40 avocados every day! Sales for this fruit increase every year. They are full of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats, so I understand their appeal. I am still amazed at the sheer volume of these that we go through, and that their popularity only seems to be increasing.
1. As always, Bananas – 24,299.30 pounds
I personally stock around 15,000 pounds of those bananas every year. I’m just going to say it: bananas are not that good. It is mind-boggling how many people buy these fruits, and how often, when there are so many better tasting, longer lasting options for fresh fruit. Their power over consumers is near absolute, making them the perennial top-selling item in this produce department.
Top 10 Wellness Products for 2026
Kickstart 2026 with Wellness!
Our top ten Wellness picks highlight some of our favorite items from the Wellness aisles for 2026. Below is a specially curated list of products our seasoned Wellness staff personally use and love. The Wellness Top 10 is a perennial customer favorite, and 2026 marks our 15th year! Believe it or not, we haven’t yet run out of items to share with you. The Wellness staff wish you a healthy new year, filled with moments of joy and connection, and opportunities for self-renewal, nourishment and growth.
? Here are 10 standout picks—handpicked just for you, and in no particular order. ?
1) Fat and the Moon Sensitive Deodorant
This deo is about as perfect a natural deodorant as we’ve found. (And we’ve tried a lot!) Featuring coconut oil and arrowroot, it melts almost instantly on skin contact, and glides on smooth with a subtle, grassy scent of vetiver and basil. Best of all, it works great on odor and doesn’t irritate.
2) Fat and the Moon All Cream Skin Cream
An incredibly rich cream incorporating organic sunflower oil, rosewater, aloe, and shea butter into a super emollient cream for use from head to toe. Instantly absorbed into the skin, it provides a hydrating protective barrier, leaving skin super soft and supple. All Cream is truly an all-purpose product, great as a face cream or all over body cream. This is the one to pack when travelling!
3) Ancient Nutrition Multi Protein
Welcome to the next generation of protein! Ancient Nutrition has created an exceptional formula to address muscle, joint, gut and brain health. Think of it as the Swiss army knife of proteins. This one protein saves you from buying 4 separate products, since protein, creatine, colostrum, and enzymes/probiotics are all included in one sugar free formula. Multi Protein uses five premium protein sources, including grass fed whey, collagen, bone broth proteins, egg shell membrane, and A2/A2 gut friendly milk protein. Five grams of the popular creatine supplement per serving supports muscle strength and cognitive functioning. What's more, an added enzyme/probiotic blend helps ensure efficient breakdown of the protein to enable the body to use it most effectively.
4) Host Defense's Mood Supplement
Host Defense may well have created the Holy Grail of healthy mood supplements. Lion's mane and reishi mushrooms support immunity, cognitive function and gut health. Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha and holy Basil address stress-related conditions. Mood supporting L-Theanine has a calming effect similar to alpha brain waves produced during meditation. Add in 5-HTP for serotonin production and you have a comprehensive formula that gives you the extra reinforcement needed during stressful periods.
5) T-Relief Extra Strength Arnica Cream
We absolutely love this homeopathic arnica cream, made with arnica plus 12 other homeopathic pain-relieving plants. Arnica is a plant that's been used for centuries for pain relief. Great for localized pain relief and especially helpful for muscle recovery after a workout, and for achy knees. It's also effective for joint and back pain, nerve pain, and bruises. There's no strong smell like some arnica products, and they use an organic shea butter and aloe base, so it also moisturizes at the same time it's soothing pain.
6) Aller-Aid by Oregon's Wild Harvest
Oregon's Wild Harvest, a brand the staff is especially fond of, offers a wide selection of high-quality organic herbs and herbal blends, many of which are cultivated on Wild Harvest's own farmland in Oregon. One especially effective blend is Aller-Aid, beneficial for seasonal allergies that affect many Iowans. The formula includes nettle, quercetin, vitamin C and NAC, all players to support respiratory health and regulate the body's response to seasonal allergies. This blend may also reduce histamines released by the body, making it a non-drowsy alternative to over-the-counter allergy products. Additionally, nettle and NAC support liver health. We personally use this product whenever experiencing allergies and find it to be very helpful.
7) Mad Hippie Vitamin C Toning Mist
Mad Hippie is a super clean, vegan skincare line free of the bad players like parabens, phthalates, perfumes, and PEGs. The company is known for formulating high performing skincare with bioactive ingredients to successfully address skin issues. One of their new products in 2025 was the Vitamin C Toning Mist. This three-in-one product tones, protects, and hydrates – for use not just on the face, but also neck, chest and arms. we use this versatile product both as a skin refresher on a hot day and as an effective toner in skincare routines. Vitamin C brightens and tones, while the milk thistle helps reduce redness and inflammation. We love all Mad Hippie products, but with this product we notice almost immediate results, leaving skin feeling moisturized, nourished, and shining.
8) Komoni Recovery Ayurvedic Bath Salts
Komoni is a small woman-owned brand out of Minnesota that offers a high-quality line of body care products. A popular product here at the co-op is the Recovery Ayurvedic Bath Salts. Made with Epsom salts and healing essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, rosemary, and wintergreen, this blend adds an incredibly refreshing scent to your bath. Overdid it at the gym or as a weekend warrior? These lovely essential oils also support healthy inflammation levels to soothe and calm overworked muscles. Now you can experience the best of both worlds, luxuriating in an herbal bath with no harsh chemicals, while at the same time soothing your body and muscles.
9) CuraMed by Terry Naturally
Chronic inflammation is a contributor to health problems such as arthritis, Alzheimer's, heart disease and cancer. Curcumin, a compound found in turmeric root, is a powerful tool for supporting healthy inflammation levels. Curcumin doesn't just cover up symptoms; it works to prevent symptoms in the first place. Staff like CuraMed because it is the company's primary focus and we have experienced a significant decrease in pain levels.
10. Moon Valley Lotion Bars
These lotion bars are made with a handful of organic ingredients, including calendula, comfrey, beeswax and vitamin E. We tried the lemon vanilla bar because of its wonderful aroma, like a subtly flavored vanilla cookie warm out of the oven. We appreciate that it comes in a sustainable tin container instead of a plastic bottle. Bonus—you can recycle or repurpose the tin and compost or recycle the box for a zero-waste option. It's also really easy to use: just warm it in your hands to soften it slightly, then apply to dry or chapped areas for nourishing skin replenishment.
By Kim McDermott, Wheatsfield Wellness Manager
Kim McDermott is Wheatsfield Co-op’s Wellness Manager, holds a B.S. degree in Nutritional Science, and has been interested in natural foods and vegetarian cooking for over 30 years. She enjoys experimenting in the kitchen to create down-to-earth, healthy recipes. Kim previously co-managed a small vegetarian restaurant, and also taught vegetarian cooking classes for the first CSA in central Iowa, the Magic Beanstalk.
January 2026 Change for Community: ISU SHOP Food Pantry
SHOP – Students Helping Our Peers
Founded in 2011 by Iowa State students in the Food Science and Human Nutrition learning community, The SHOP works to combat food insecurity on campus. Its mission is to raise hunger awareness and improve food security by providing free, confidential access to non-perishable food and personal care items for ISU students. Supported by volunteers and community donations, The SHOP continues to build partnerships to better serve students and reduce hunger.
Thank you for your support.
https://www.facebook.com/iowastateshop/
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