Oasis Street Food
When owners Naftaly and Ofer were unable to find the Mediterranean food they craved and grew up with, they decided to use their own family recipes to bring authentic falafel and hummus to Iowa City.
Iowa City, IA
LIFE
Type: Farm
Produces: Aronia Berries
Location: Keota, IA
Miles from Coop: 36
Farmer Levi Lyle believes taking care of one's own health is the first step in caring for the soil.
That's why LIFE (Levi's Indigenous Fruit Enterprise) began over a decade ago. When looking for crops to diversify their family farm, Levi wanted to grow fruits known for their healthful qualities.
“I wanted to promote something that is native to the Midwest.”
Tart and juicy, aronia berries look similar to blueberries, but with three times the antioxidants and a much more astringent flavor.
Aronia berries contain more antioxidants than any other fruit tested by the USDA.
“My kids eat them by the handfuls. They aren’t supersweet, but as a native and wild fruit, they have more nutrition.”
Levi's farm now boasts other native Iowa fruits like paw paws, sour cherries and honeyberries.
By diversifying with indigenous plants, the Lyles are able to lean into the seasonality of their crops and connect even more to nature.
“Growing aronia berries has become a great analogy for how we can work sustainably with nature to grow food.”
Levi is a leader in conservation no-till farming practices and carbon sequestration.
Other Local Producers
Be sure to check out these others great local producers!
Hue Hill
Hue Hill crafts farm grown vegetables into vibrant, live cultured, powerfully probiotic fermented foods.
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Beeler's Pure Pork
Their Heluka® breed and method of farming focuses on keeping their hogs stress-free: raising them with compassion, plenty of access to spacious bedded areas and sunshine, vegetarian feed, and no antibiotics or hormones.
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Iowa Miso
Tomie, owner and creator of Iowa Miso makes delicious miso with Iowa grown soy beans.
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Hedge Apple Kombucha
Lindsey and Kyle operate their kombucha micro-brewery with sustainability and harmony with the land in mind. Using locally sourced medicinal plants, they aim to celebrate 1-2 ingredients in their recipes.
Fairfield, IA
Cedar Witch Goods
Katie's handmade soaps are made from scratch in small batches using high quality ingredients like aloe vera, cocoa butter, and mango butter.
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
Marmalade Sky
I had a mission: to find a way to bake everyone’s favorite treats without sacrificing anything to taste or texture. Malak Nour is a local artisanal baker specializing in gluten-free baked treats.
Fairfield, IA