Common Ground Natural Foods
January 17, 2012

Winter squash
Celebrating local foods, supporting local businesses
 
Greetings!
We are so grateful for fresh local produce in the middle of winter!  Produce is just the beginning of the local products you can find in our store.  This week's newsletter features information about other products that come from Central Illinois!   
 
We love seeing your faces in the store, make sure to mark your calendars for our first ever, SAMPLING EVENT!  (details to the right)  
 
storefront
In This Issue
Local Dairy, Meats and Eggs!
Local Popcorn and Mill Products
Sampling Events!
Featured Recipes
Winter Market
A look ahead
Local Dairy, Meats and Eggs!
Our coolers in the back are chock full of eggs, dairy and meats that were raised right here in our back yards!  At times we run low on certain items such as eggs and milk but it is important to remember that part of supporting local, sustainable businesses is knowing that there are times of the year that chickens don't lay as many eggs as we would like to eat and that farmers have many things to juggle and aren't always able to deliver as often as larger productions.  Here is a rundown of what you can enjoy from our store and know that you are supporting the local economy and sustainable farming practices:
 Farm Fresh Dairy and Eggs
  • Kilgus Farmstead milk: Fat Free, 2 % and Whole
  • Ropp Jersey Cheese:  Soft spread, Swiss, Tomato Basil Garlic Cheddar, Raw Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, Gouda, and Natural White Cheddar
  • Dearing Country Farms Grade A eggs:  Large, X-Large and Jumbo
  • PrairiErth Farm Grade A eggs:  Medium, Large and Jumbo. PrairiErth also offers 1/2 dozen packages of the Large size eggs.
  • Wettstein Organic Farm Grade A eggs:  Large

Meats/Proteins

  • Dearing Country Farms:  Cut-up fryer chicken and whole fryer chicken
  • PrairiErth Farm:  Whole chicken, ground beef, bratwurst, t-bones and soup bones (coming later this week!)
  • Made in-store HUMMUS:  Rich n' Rustic, Garlic, Roasted Red Pepper Chipotle , Sundried Tomato Basil, and Sesame Lemon (no-garlic). Available varieties change each week, we take requests!  
 
Local Popcorn and Mill Products
Local, organic mill products are not easy to find, we are fortunate that Ron and Angie Ackerman have a passion for providing this ancient food source! You can find these vegan-friendly mill products by Ackerman Certified Organic Farm within or near our bulk section:
  • Yellow Corn Meal
  • Soy Flour
  • Whole Wheat Flour
  • Polenta Style Coarse Corn Meal
  • Hard Red Spring Wheat Berries
  • Soy Beans
  • Popcorn

The Week in Produce
This year has been exceptional for the amount of local greens we have been able to receive in the middle of winter!  We are grateful to PrairiErth Farm and Ackerman Certified Organic Farm for their planning and hard work that allows us access to greens at this time of year!  Katie Bishop of PrairiErth Farm recently posted a blog about how this is possible.  Check it out here:  The Farmer's Wife Blog: 365 Day Harvest

On the Common Ground shelves this week:
  • Local Carrots
  • Local Salad Mix
  • Local Turnips
  • Local Collard Greens
  • Local Garlic
  • Local Sprouts (sprouted in the store!)
  • Fresh Dill (recipes available on the fruit stand)
  • Eggplant
  • Bagged Celery
  • Bagged Carrots
  • Kale
  • Red Onions
  • Yellow Onions
  • Red and Yukon Gold Potatoes
  • Lemons
  • Limes
  • Clementines
  • Navel Oranges
  • Comice and Bosc Pears
  • Ambrosia, Granny Smith, Cameo and Honeycrisp Apples
  • Acorn and Butternut Squash
  • Kiwi
We have been offering "produce boxes" since November 2010.  Our next newsletter will offer more details about what they are and how to get one...or you can stop by the store, pick up produce that we currently have in-stock and ask one our friendly staff to tell you all about it.  
STORE HOURS:
Monday-Friday          9am-6pm
Saturday                    9am-5pm
Sunday                      12pm-4pm
 
LOCATION:
516 N. Main Street
Bloomington IL 61701
 
PARKING:
There are designated but limited parking spots on Main Street as well as in the parking lot  next to the store.


SAMPLING EVENT! 

Join us for the next Downtown Bloomington First Friday!  We will be open a little 
later than usual and  launching our new Sampling Night!  Stop in and enjoy samples of products throughout the store! 
Friday February 3
4-7pm
 




Featured Recipes
Cooking foods that are in season is good for our local farmers, the environment and your health!  Check out these seasonal recipes!





 


Winter Market!

 
This Saturday, January 21 at the McLean County Museum of History.

Yet another way to fill your pantry and support local business!

Click here for more details:



 


Next time in the Common Ground newsletter...
  • Produce Boxes
  • Eating what's "in Season"
  • First Friday Sampling Event
  • Recommended Reading
  • and much more!