Oak Hill Acres
Andy manages over 4,000 flower cuttings in their two greenhouses and thirty acres of organic produce.
Atalissa, 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!
Ansel's Awesome Sauce
Ansel’s Awesome Hot Sauce, founded by Ansel Cummings in Riverside, IA, creates a variety of tasty hot sauces that prioritize flavor, heat levels, local producers, and exceptional quality and practices.
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Rot's Bounty Gourmet Fungi
Rot’s Bounty is a small, family-owned mushroom farm in Iowa City that seeks to provide delicious, fresh, and beautiful fungi to local grocers and restaurants.
Iowa City, Iowa
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.
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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
Garden Oasis Farm
You realize what you’re taking care of right now is going to provide a year’s worth of produce.
Coggon, IA
Echo Valley Farms
Echo Valley Farms, just eight miles outside Iowa City, produces certified organic, non‑GMO eggs on their family‑run farm.
Iowa City, Iowa
Scream Frozen Desserts
When the pandemic had everyday life restricted, Kate Vigmostad began envisioning an ice cream brand to spark joy and humor while keeping a small carbon footprint with local ingredients.
Fairfield, IA