Thumbprint Soaps
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
Sobaski's Pork
Type: Farm
Produces: Pork
Location: Washington, IA
Miles from Coop: 35
Meet Aaron Sobaski and his family:
"After college, I worked at a confinement pig farm," Aaron explains. "I was sick all the time," he recalls, "and I wasn’t happy."
"I decided I was going to raise pigs my way – and I would never go back. It truly bothers me to drive past hog confinements that do not allow the pigs to have access to do what a pig wants and is supposed to do."
Aaron’s pigs have:
"Plenty of room to run, root around, dig holes, and go outside, and they just don’t get sick – they’re overall healthy pigs."
A secret:
Confinement pig farmers order pigs from Aaron, because they’re the kind of meat they actually want to eat. It’s just got a different flavor.
"It is labor intensive,” Aaron notes, “but it’s definitely worth it."
Other Local Producers
Be sure to check out these others great local producers!
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.
Le Mars, Iowa
Trumpet Blossom Cafe
When it comes to creating their entirely plant-based menu, Katy Meyer sources local and seasonal ingredients whenever possible.
Iowa City, IA
Old Capitol Tofu
Jake, Matthew, and the gang at Old Capitol Food Co. make their local organic tofu in Iowa City with organic Iowa soybeans and pure, reverse osmosis water for the freshest, cleanest tasting tofu around.
Iowa City, IA
Hue Hill
Hue Hill crafts farm grown vegetables into vibrant, live cultured, powerfully probiotic fermented foods.
Iowa City, IA
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
Mariposa Farms
Dave and Denise Conkling's greenhouse has herbs growing in it 365 days a year.
Grinnell, IA
Oak Hill Acres
Andy manages over 4,000 flower cuttings in their two greenhouses and thirty acres of organic produce.
Atalissa, IA