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.

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.