Iowa Food Hub - Popular program now in NE Iowa
Holly Loan, Executive Coordinator, ISU Extension and Outreach, checks in bags for food box participants.
A typical food “box” with green beans, sweet corn, zucchini, whole grain bread and eggs.
By Pam Reinig
Register Editor
A popular food box program launched by the Iowa Food Hub in metro areas has been expanded to rural communities with solid success. Midway through the 10-week pilot effort, the subscription-based food box delivery program is getting rave reviews from its participants. Elkader accounts for the largest enrollment of the pilot sites with 13 subscriptions. I’m one of them, and I have been impressed with the quality and variety of produce in my food box.
The Iowa Food Hub is sponsored by Allamakee New Beginnings, a non-profit organization that links farmers and families to give consumers a chance to purchase food that’s grown close to home. Local partners include the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The Clayton County Extension Office, located in Elkader, is the drop-off site for area participants. Food boxes (which are really filled grocery bags) are delivered there and available for pick up on Wednesdays.
According to Teresa Wiemerslage, who is the Regional Program Coordinator with ISU Extension and Outreach, the program offers four different options ranging in cost from $3.99 to $41.50 per week. Subscribers can choose milk, free-range eggs, locally baked artisan breads and a selection of seasonal, locally grown produce. Meat can also be added for an additional charge.
“The Hub works with suppliers within 150 miles of West Union,” Wiemerslage said. “Two-thirds are within the six counties supported by the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative: Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Howard, Fayette and Winneshiek.”
She added that the Hub also partners with more than 50 farms and food businesses.
“The food box program is about 25 percent of the Food Hub’s business,” Wiemerslage continued. “The majority of Food Hub sales are wholesale, local food distribution to colleges, schools, restaurants and grocery stores. Central Community Schools is a customer, for example.”
Participants have significant flexibility within their subscriptions. “People can upsize, downsize, suspend or change the options each week by logging into their account,” Wiemerslage explained. “For example, if the box is too large, a person can downsize to a half-box. If a person is leaving on vacation, the box can be suspended for a week.”
An email notification of the contents of each box is sent several days in advance of weekly delivery, giving subscribers ample opportunity to make changes. And though the pilot program is half done, people can still join. (www.iowafoodhub.com)
Wiemerslage hopes the project will continue beyond the pilot stage and into February when all sites will be suspended until spring weather arrives and more local food becomes available.
“We already know that the refrigerated cooler we are using for the program is not big enough for too many more customers,” she said. “The ISU Extension office has been a great host, and I am hoping that we will outgrow that space. We are open to suggestions for other locations where refrigeration is available. Other communities have used wellness centers, community centers and churches.”
“We are also interested in incorporating more local flavor into the boxes. If there are Clayton County farmers that would be interested in selling product to the food hub for the boxes, they should contact the Iowa Food Hub.”
