Crane Creek Farms
Jeff and Jesse Eichenberger are sugaring the old fashioned way, with wholesome-looking metal taps and pails on each tree they empty every day the sap flows.
Lawler, 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!
Maestro Empanadas
When Christian Bejarano and Marta Hamity moved to Iowa from Argentina, they had trouble finding their favorite food: the empanada. They got cooking and quickly earned a cult following.
Coralville, IA
Verve Kombucha
Andy & Alex started brewing kombucha and dreaming about a project that would see Verve bottles and draft lines in grocery stores, restaurants, and breweries across Iowa.
Waterloo, IA
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
Lion Bridge Brewing
Since 2014, Lion Bridge Brewing Company has produced beers that are delicious, complex, and most importantly, approachable, and highly drinkable.
Cedar Rapids
Wake Up Iowa
What we love is what we do best. “I’m a light roast single origin guy – no blends.
Iowa City, IA
La Quercia, LLC
Herb & Kathy set out to elevate humanely raised Iowa pork to a top-class Italian delicacy, and they’ve done just that.
Norwalk, 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