by Amy Miller, Des Moines

Driving along Iowa’s stretch of I-35 last fall, I considered the view of agriculture most motorists see as they drive along Iowa’s interstates.  They’d see the crisp fall air filled with dust trailing behind massive combines, hear the roar of huge tractors pulling tanks of anhydrous ammonia, and the smell of the livestock confinements periodically fills the air.

This view of corporate agriculture as seen from Iowa’s interstate highways is in stark contrast to the reality of the Iowa’s thriving local food production known to my family.  We purchase much of our food locally and in the past year, we have been quite excited to meet many producers through the new Iowa Food Cooperative.

The Iowa Food Cooperative is a coalition of producers and consumers in central Iowa.  It currently operates one distribution day each month from a location at Merle Hay Mall in Des Moines, Iowa.  Consumers order locally grown food online, which the farmers then deliver to the distribution site for the consumers to pick up.  It is an efficient cost effective distribution system for both the producers and consumers.  Iowa Food Cooperative has just completed its first year with over $66,000 in annual sales.  The cooperative has grown to include 65 farms supplying 205 consumer families.

As I drive along the interstate, I think of the food in my home purchased through the Iowa Food Cooperative that was produced from some of the small farms not too far from interstate including eggs from Foxhollow Poultry Farm in Elkhart, apples from the Berry Patch in Nevada, winter squash from Wilber’s Northside Market in Boone, carrots from Huber Family Farm in Maxwell, beets from Small Potatoes Farm in Minburn.  These are just some of the farmers we know that produce healthy food in manner that is sustainable for the environment.  Driving along the interstate, I think of “my” farmers completing fall harvest and other tasks; digging the last of their root crops with a pitch fork and washing them by hand, tilling with small scale equipment and seeing fall cover crops. 

My view of agriculture in Iowa is a vision of hope.  I’m content with the knowledge of small farms across the state producing healthy food for local residents using sustainable farming practices.  I know that with the growth of farmers’ markets and cooperatives like the Iowa Food Cooperative, that it really is possible for most Iowan’s to enjoy locally grown foods.  I only wish other motorists passing along Iowa’s interstates shared this view.

For more information about the Iowa Food Cooperative, call 800-775-9815 or visit their website by clicking here.