This year’s heavy rains have significantly impacted many of the farms that supply natural foods cooperatives. Damage to crops is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and several farmers are facing the prospect of losing their farms. Impacted farms include such long-time Seward partners as Featherstone Farm, Heartbeet Farm, Hoch Orchard, Driftless Organics and…  Read More →

Summer Squash Did you know summer squash is not really a vegetable? The many varieties of summer squash are a type of “pepo”, or hard-walled berry that are harvested while the rind is still tender and edible. Summer squash is in season now and we are carrying at least five varieties (green and gold zucchini,…  Read More →

Summer Squash Did you know summer squash is not really a vegetable? The many varieties of summer squash are a type of “pepo”, or hard-walled berry that are harvested while the rind is still tender and edible. Summer squash is in season now and we are carrying at least five varieties (green and gold zucchini,…  Read More →

One of my absolute favorite fragrances is the scent of a fresh ripe tomato still on the vine. It’s the vine itself that carries the smell I love, and during the spring, Living Water Gardens’ fresh picked tomatoes arrive with pristine green vines. Living Water Gardens, located in Wells, MN, is a hydroponic growing operation…  Read More →

Blue Fruit FarmThis year we began working directly with Blue Fruit Farm (Winona, Minn.) to bring us a selection of berries and fruits unavailable elsewhere on the market. Earlier this season, they brought us black currants and, in the next few weeks, we will be receiving a few deliveries of aronia berries and elderberries. Native…  Read More →

Spring is moving quickly this year. Availability lists from local farms have been getting longer each week with the help of greenhouses and warm, wet weather giving plants a little boost. We’ve already had a few deliveries of green and red tomatoes from Wisconsin Growers Co-operative (Mondovi, Wis) which taste more like summer than early…  Read More →

It has not been truly hot so far this year, and for that I am grateful. Where I grew up in central Kansas, you could count on the mercury hitting 100 by the first week of July and staying that way for two months. We adapted our cooking to fit the season — that is,…  Read More →

I heard a couple of days ago via the radio newscast, that, because of the chilly spring, Minnesota’s strawberry crop has been quite delayed. Indeed. By my calculations, we’re maybe two weeks behind schedule, but we did get a good supply in from Hoch Orchard this week. Hallelujah-there is really nothing like local berries. Fragrant…  Read More →

We’re excited to be part of the Seward Winter Frolic! Join us for a holiday fair at the co-op on Saturday, Dec. 1 to sample holiday foods from local producers: Featherstone FarmBarsey’s AlmondsAlemar CheeseGudbar Browse the aisles for gift ideas and warm up with live music, hot beverages, local art and prize drawings. Seward Co-op…  Read More →