Buffalo Ridge Orchard
The best thing about being an apple farmer is that, unlike a ripe tomato, [an apple] doesn’t have to be picked right now. It can wait until tomorrow. It is a nice pace.”
Central City, IA
Echollective Farm & CSA
Type: Farm
Produces: Vegetables
Location: Mechanicsville, IA
Miles from Coop: 21
Echollective Farm feels more like a family than a business. Members of this collective garden and CSA make their decisions gathered around the kitchen table.
Farm manager Derek Roller says,
“The more people get invested and help make decisions, the more likely they are to do good work, especially if they feel what they say has merit.”
Derek extends the local growing season through his use of hoophouses, allowing customers clamoring for local food to savor the season earlier and later.
Derek’s innovative methods continue to promote sustainability, collaboration, and cooperation.
Echollective Farm & CSA Products
Checkout these great products from Echollective Farm & CSA
Garlic
Leek
Snap Peas
Shallots
Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
Baby Bok Choy
Spinach
Red Leaf Lettuce
Fingerling Potatoes
Daikon Radish
Other Local Producers
Be sure to check out these others great local producers!
Marvin's Corn
Marvin and his son harvest each ear of corn by hand, cutting it from its stalk with a sharp serrated knife, so that delicate kernels won’t get bruised.
Iowa City, IA
Zaza’s Pastas
Julie Parisi handcrafts her flavorful pastas in small batches, cutting her ravioli by hand, in Cedar Rapids.
Cedar Rapids, IA
Thousand Hills Cattle Co.
Thousand Hills sources beef from small Midwestern independent family farms that must meet the most stringent requirements around.
Cannon Falls, MN
Grimm Family Farm
Jason and Hannah's Black Turtle Beans have a special, earthy flavor and creamy texture, and can actually be cooked without pre-soaking.
North English, IA
Early Morning Harvest
Earl, Ronda (above), & son Jeff Haffner grow organic grains and stone grind them whole – germ intact (unlike commercial flour). Their organic grains are in many of New Pi’s breads, prepared foods, and on New Pi shelves
Panora, IA
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
Dirty Face Creek Farm
Farm owner Jessica Stutsman and her late husband, Mike, shared a commitment to clean soil and water conservation. Their farm is a shining example of sustainability and environmentally-friendly farming practices.
Hills, IA