Winter is a prime time to turn up the oven and put it to good use. Bake up something delicious that also supports the producers who most closely align with Seward Co-op’s values. Whether you’re perfecting a pie or crafting a cake, look for the purple shelf tags that identify the following Community Foods producers, which have at least two of these five attributes: small-scale, local, sustainable, inclusive, and/or cooperative.
The Community Foods Baking Guide
Larry Schultz Eggs
Small-scale, local
Larry Schultz started his chicken farm in Owatonna, Minn. in 1992, and Seward Co-op has been selling his eggs ever since. The fourth-generation business has never been farmed conventionally with herbicides, insecticides, or artificial fertilizers, and their free-range chickens get lots of fresh air and sun. Schultz’s organic and locally produced eggs can be bought by the dozen or in bulk if you only need a couple for your recipe.
Rochdale Farms Butter
Small-scale, local, cooperative
Rochdale Farms’ hand-rolled butter makes a rich and creamy addition to baked goods. Founded in 2009, Rochdale Farms is a cooperative of small-scale farmers including nearly 300 Amish farmers who practice traditional grass-based dairying and hand-milking from Wisconsin’s Driftless region. Purchases from Rochdale Farms help to invest in lives of hundreds of farm families in Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as helping to strengthen a cooperative food supply chain.
Frontier Co-op Vanilla
Small-scale, local, cooperative
Brighten your baking flavors with vanilla from Frontier Co-op. Focused on responsible sourcing, Frontier Co-op offers a wide range of herbs and spices to bring color to your recipes. The Iowa-based cooperative is owned by more than 50,000 stores and organizations, like Seward Co-op, that sell their product wholesale.
Flour
Whether you’re buying in bags or bringing your own container and buying in bulk, you can find a wide variety of locally produced flours at Seward Co-op. Availability of certain flours may vary by store.
Baker’s Field Flour and Bread
Small-scale, local
Minneapolis-based Baker’s Field Flour and Bread works with local farmers to create a demand for quality grains, which strengthens our local grain economy. Baker’s Field grinds these unique artisan grains into flour using stone mills. From all-purpose flour to whole grain rye and many more varieties, Baker’s Field is a hyper-local option for your next bread or cake recipe.
Whole Grain Milling
Small-scale, local
Based in Welcome, Minn., Whole Grain Milling has been growing and processing certified organic grains since 1989. The family-run mill takes great care to retain the quality and nutrition of the grains they process. From millet to buckwheat to corn and oat flour, there are many options to choose from in the Bulk department and in the baking aisle.
Squash
Add some savory to your breads and pastries with locally grown squash. Whether you go for butternut, kabocha, dumpling, or acorn, Seward Co-op is brimming with seasonal varieties this winter.
Featherstone Farm
Small-scale, local, sustainable
Squash from Featherstone Farm is grown in the bluff country of Rushford, Minn., where their organic farm has been since 1994. Featherstone Farm is dedicated to creating a truly sustainable agriculture system. That includes geothermal heating and cooling for the packing shed and a solar array that generates about 60 percent of the farm’s energy.
Wisconsin Growers Cooperative
Small-scale, local, sustainable, cooperative
Wisconsin Growers Co-op was founded in 2006 to help 20 families maintain ownership of their farms. Its members are dedicated to the idea that if farmers take “good care of the soil, the soil will pay back with high-quality produce.” Wisconsin Growers Cooperative produces around 50-60 varieties of certified organic crops using minimal fossil fuels.
Equal Exchange Nuts
Inclusive, cooperative
In and around the Bulk department, find a variety of nuts from Equal Exchange to add to your baking. Equal Exchange works with over 40 small-scale farmer organizations worldwide to provide fairly traded products directly from producers. A worker-owned cooperative itself, Equal Exchange has been working towards building an alternative supply chain model since 1986, one which values equity and democracy for all participants.
Seward Co-op Deli and Bakery
Small-scale, local, cooperative, sustainable
Looking for all the rewards of baking without having to steam up the kitchen? Seward Co-op has you covered. Stop by the Grab n Go coolers in the Deli for house-made pies, cakes, bars, and other sweet treats that’ll hit the spot without requiring any cleanup after. The bakery case is also full of sweet and inventive Seward-made cookies, if that’s what you’re craving. Pro tip: buy cookies in bulk and get a discount!
If you’re up for pre-heating the oven, try Seward-made frozen Deli entrees, including savory enchiladas, hearty pot pies, and cheesy lasagna. These scratch-made meals are an easy solution to dinner when you’re running low on time but want all the flavor and comfort of homemade. Find them in the freezer section.