Tiny But Mighty Popcorn
This is the most flavorful popcorn we’ve tasted – and its hulls explode so they don’t get stuck in your teeth.
Shellsburg, IA
Crystal Forestry Project
Type: small business
Produces: Household Cleaning Products
Location: Iowa City, IA
Miles from Coop: 2
“I wanted to bring sustainable cleaning products to market that are fun to use and smell fabulous.”
May, owner of The Crystal Forestry Project, has been making natural products for over a decade for use at home and in her work cleaning professionally.
She came up with the line to help families reconsider what cleaning products can be made from. Using a combination of natural ingredients, May leaned into elements from earth, water, and plant life.
She adds,
”While cleaning for a living, I found the unique fragrances and minerals made cleaning more enjoyable than working with traditional products, without compromising effectiveness.”
“Often, people clean with products that contain lots of chemicals and artificial fragrances, that when flushed into our drains or environment can have toxic effects over time.”
The right combinations of plant extracts and natural ingredients can make powerful cleaners for everyday use with less impact on the environment.
Crystal Forestry Toilet Cleaning Crystals are made with cinnamon and rosemary, the herbal vinegar concentrates contain herb extracts, and the multi-purpose concentrates contain lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus and mint essential oils.
Crystal Forestry cleaners are also infused with quartz minerals for a clean, neutralizing solution with no abrasiveness.
From cleaner to container, May’s focus is on keeping her product line as sustainable as possible. Using reusable dark glass bottles with concentrated solutions, customers can buy the spray bottle once and purchase the concentrate when they need to fill up.
“In our grandparent’s generation there were a few home remedies used to clean around the house. Now there are literally aisles of products that are made to clean one or two things. People can reduce their cleaning supplies greatly with just a few simple products.”
Try Crystal Forestry Project cleaning solutions in your home for a naturally fresh and clean finish.
Other Local Producers
Be sure to check out these others great local producers!
Larry Schultz Organic Farm
“They have that old-fashioned flavor, the way turkeys used to taste. I think you’ll agree there isn’t a more tasty bird around!”
Owatonna, MN
Big Timber Maple Syrup
Big Timber Maple has been producing certified organic maple syrup since 2000. What began as a hobby quickly grew into a thriving family business, driven by a passion for quality and tradition.
Epworth, Iowa
Cahokia Rice
Grown sustainably on a 4th generation family farm, this certified non-GMO rice is naturally 53% higher in protein than conventional rice with a low glycemic index.
McClure, IL
Organic Greens
For James Nisly, growing organic vegetables is about fulfilling a vision of producing healthy food for a healthy community and building well balanced soil for sustainable food production.
Kalona, IA
LIFE
Levi's Indigenous Fruit Enterprise is known for their aronia berries, which are native to Iowa, through sustainable farming practices that work with nature.
Keota, IA
Kerns Homegrown
Our local source for non-GMO sweet corn! In 1999, at the age of 15, Blake Kerns rented two acres of abandoned crop land, borrowed a planter, and seeded sweet corn. Twenty years later he's still planting, picking, and delivering fresh picked homegrown produce.
Oelwein, IA
Cafe del Sol
With a passion for great coffee and sustainability, Stephen Dunham developed a line of coffees with a clean flavor and footprint.
Iowa City, IA