Happy Holidays from Local Roots!

Our holiday farmers' markets ended Saturday with a fantastic tasting market. Several producers brought items they hope to sell at Local Roots once we have our store license, and if you weren't able to make it to the market, you missed excellent cheesecake, coffee, hummus, and so much more!

Local Roots is now closed for the holidays, with plans to reopen sometime in mid-January. We'll take advantage of this time off to renovate the space in preparation for having an actual store: pulling up carpet, scraping and refinishing the concrete floor, purchasing and moving in coolers and freezers, setting up shelf space and a bakery case, and getting final approval from the county health department. We don't have a re-opening date yet but will keep you posted as our plans move along. (We'll also try to post progress reports here with sneak previews!)

In the meantime, all of us at Local Roots wish you the happiest of holidays and hope you will join us in celebrating a Local New Year!

Local Roots Gift Certificates Now Available

It's mid-December, and maybe you're already tired of the Christmas rush. Maybe you've finished buying gifts (we haven't), but maybe you're still stumped as to what to get some of the people on your gift-giving list.

If there's anyone on your list who loves to eat, you might want to consider giving them a gift from Local Roots. We now have gift certificates available -- in whatever denomination your choose -- to help family and friends enjoy the delicious local foods you can find in the market.

Stop by Local Roots on Saturday, December 19, from 10 AM to 3 PM, for the final holiday farmers' market of the year and for your Local Roots gift certificates. There's a little something for everyone here!

Holiday Market Continues December 12th

If you've missed the excitement down at Local Roots, you've still got two more chances to check out our special holiday farmers' markets! Come to Local Roots this Saturday, December 12, from 10 AM to 3 PM, to find excellent local food and locally-crafted gifts from these producer members:

Adagio Alpacas
Adonai Acres
Boii Gardens
Boston Woodworks
Breezy Hill Farm
Broken Rocks Bakery
BW Farm
Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese
Chandra Phelan
Crestwood Farm
Crow Hill
Dogs and Country
Fiber Arts Guild
Gale J Farm
Gortner's Maple Syrup
Grain Maker
Green Vista Farm
Harvest Hill Farm
Jen Hugon Art
Karen's Garden Delights
Killbuck Valley Mushrooms
Lily Bean Gardens
Long Meadows
Moreland Fruit Farm
Muddy Fork Farm
Nature's Best
Peacock Lane
Recycled Tees
Sam Yoder
Schmidt Family Farms
Secrest Arboretum
The Shepherd's Market
TLC
Trinity Woolen Mill
Weavers' Truck Patch

We'll also have music from Tim Wilkinson, and children can visit Angie Beil of Lily Bean Gardens for fun activities.

Stop by, enjoy a cup of coffee or local cider, talk with your favorite farmers, and pick up some great local foods and gifts for your family holidays!

Come join us!

Market Day December 5

Don't forget to stop by Local Roots this Saturday, December 5, from 10 AM to 3 PM. Our holiday market will continue with a wide selection of producer members offering local food and gift items for sale, including:

Adonai Acres
Autumn Harvest Farm
Boii Gardens
Breezy Hill Farm
Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese
Fiber Arts Guild of Wayne and Holmes Counties
Green Vista Farm
Jen Hugon Art
Moreland Fruit Farm
Muddy Fork Farm
Peacock Lane Farm
Sofie Dittmann Photography

...and many more!

We'll also feature Tim Wilkinson for music (around noon), and Karen Geiser will have kid-friendly activities available for families to enjoy between 10 AM and 1 PM.

So what are you waiting for? Come join us!

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

All of us at Local Roots wish you a wonderful feast with family and friends today, and we hope that you'll join us in giving thanks for all the farmers and food producers who brought that food to our tables.

We're also giving thanks today for all the people who have supported our dreams and our plans over the past year and more. We've had many generous benefactors along the way and appreciated the ongoing moral and other support from our families and friends as we worked through the details to make our dream of a year-round farmers' market a reality.

We're thankful for the kindness and support of people around the community and beyond -- like our recent special guest, Gene Logsdon, who wrote about our endeavor on his web site -- for carrying our message of fresh local food near and far.

And we're thankful for all of the enthusiastic shoppers who have walked through our doors in the past month and helped us launch Local Roots with a tremendous financial push.

We'll be open again this Saturday, November 28, from 10 AM to 3 PM for a continuation of our successful holiday market, and you'll be able to find gifts from local artists and crafters as well as our usual excellent selection of local foods.

Come join us -- and help us give thanks!

Holiday Market -- To Be Continued!

We apologize for not keeping up around here, but we've been swept up in all the excitement during this first month of business.

Thanks to you, our wonderful shoppers, we are seeing steady increases in sales and in membership. Over the first three weeks of business, we've almost doubled the number of vendors selling on Saturdays (from 22 to 42).

And thanks to all of the buzz about Saturday's holiday market, we're going to continue the holiday market spirit by popular demand each Saturday through December 19.

That's right -- in addition to all the great food you can find at Local Roots, you'll also be able to shop here during the holiday season for beautiful art note cards, paintings, knitted items, yarns and other woolen goodies, fudge, cloth shopping bags, and so much more. And when you do that, you'll be helping to support local artists and crafters.


We don't have many photos from the holiday market, but board member Dave Benchoff shared a photo of our special guest, Gene Logsdon, with his lovely wife Carol. Gene and Carol sold lots of books and talked to many producer members and other admirers throughout the day, and they told us they were "really impressed" with Local Roots. We appreciate them taking the time to come to Wooster and to share in the general excitement!

For a better overview and more photos from the holiday market, please visit the Chiot's Run blog. Susy stopped by on Saturday, talked with several people, and gave us a rave review on her web site. Thanks, Susy!

And if you missed all the music, food, gifts, crowds, and generally uplifting feeling of community on Saturday, you still have a chance -- every Saturday from now until Christmas, 10 AM to 3 PM.

Don't miss out!

Film Shows "Food Where We Live"

Our "Fresh Food, Fresh Ideas" series wrapped up last night with a screening of the locally-produced documentary "PolyCultures: Food Where We Live."

Director Tom Kondilas and producer Brad Masi came to Wooster to screen the film on the back wall at Local Roots and to generate discussion about agriculture in general and the efforts in northeastern Ohio to support local farms and to make good fresh food available to all. A good-sized crowd turned out for the film and stayed well after the end of the formal discussion to continue in small group conversations about how we can get more people involved in local food systems.

Tom and Brad also indicated that they appreciated what we are doing at Local Roots and that they'll try to come back sometime soon to catch us in action. Who knows? You might find Local Roots on the big screen some day!

Thanks to everyone who made this film series such a success:

Everyone at The Big Picture for screening "Food, Inc."
Casey Hoy and Matt Mariola for leading a discussion after "Food, Inc."
Tom Kondilas and Brad Masi for sharing "PolyCultures"
Farmers State Bank of West Salem for sponsoring the showing of "PolyCultures"
All the volunteers who helped to set up for the movies and discussions and who provided refreshments
All the people who turned out to watch and discuss the films

This is what we love the most about Local Roots -- our success depends on YOU. We're building community here, every one of us, and we thank YOU for contributing to it!

Market Day Saturday November 14

After the stunning success of our opening day, we hope to repeat the excitement this coming Saturday, November 14, with a continuation of the indoor farmers' market.

Producer members who will be on hand to sell good food include:

Adonai Acres
Autumn Harvest Farm
Breezy Hill Farm
Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese
Gale J Farm
Green Vista Farm
Moreland Fruit Farms
Muddy Fork Farm
Norma's Kitchen
...and many more!

We will also have music provided by Gretchen Pleuss, a singer/songwriter from Orrville, along with cider from Moreland Fruit Farms for our guests.

Stop by between 10 AM and 3 PM, soak up the vibrant community atmosphere, and stock up on all the great local food!

Help us keep growing Local Roots!

"Food, Inc." Makes You Think

On Saturday evening, more than 50 people caught the Local Roots-sponsored showing of "Food, Inc." at The Big Picture in downtown Wooster. The movie offered a balanced and well-researched look at the modern American food system, interviewed people across the spectrum of opinion on food matters, and raised good questions about what the problematic links in the system might be and how those problems might be addressed.

More than 40 people stopped by the Local Roots Market building after the movie for refreshments (local cider, fresh vegetables, homemade oatmeal cookies) and a thoughtful discussion of the film. Led by Casey Hoy (Professor and Kellogg Endowed Chair in Agroecosystems Management at the OARDC) and Matt Mariola (Visiting Professor of Environmental Studies at The College of Wooster), the group shared their thoughts from the film and explored the question of how the system might be changed to bring more benefit to the livelihood of local farmers and the health of consumers.

We hope to have another such fruitful discussion following the showing of "PolyCultures" on Saturday, November 21 at 7 PM at the Local Roots Market building, 140 S. Walnut Street, Wooster. Admission will be $4 (free for Local Roots members).

Join us!

First Market Day a Success!

Local Roots opened its doors for the first market day on Saturday, and by all accounts, it was a grand success!

Though we originally had 14 producers signed up to sell at the first market, 22 showed up, some with application and check in hand. Set-up time in the morning was a little chaotic as we tried to fit everyone in -- but we did it.

Board member and producer Dave Benchoff (of Banzhaf Garten Organic Farm) took the time to wander around the market and take photos before the market opened:

Killbuck Valley Mushrooms

Louise Swartzwalder, Crestwood Farm

Por-Bar Farms (Kevin and Amy Leamer)

Monica Bongue, Muddy Fork Farm

Breezy Hill Farm (Phil and Mindy Bartholomae)

Dave Benchoff, Banzhaf Garten Organic Farm

Once the doors opened, we saw a steady stream of customers coming in throughout the day, many of whom had not been seen at previous member gatherings. The word is spreading!

All told, it was a satisfying first day: lots of activity, enthusiastic shoppers, several new members, and good sales. We even found an excellent review of the day from one of our producer members over at Local Harvest (thanks!).

And guess what? Next week, we'll do it again!

So stop by Saturday, November 14 and find out what the buzz is all about!

Local Roots Now on Local Harvest!

Local Roots Market is now listed on Local Harvest, a national listing of local foods suppliers (farmers' markets, CSA farms, co-ops, etc.)! It's another way of spreading the word about what we're doing here in Wooster to a broader audience.

Producer members, if you're on Local Harvest and we've missed you, let us know and we'll help you publicize your information. Those who have profiles on the site include:

Adonai Acres, Lakeville
Mackenzie Creamery, Hiram
Moonstruck Farm, Creston
Muddy Fork Farm, Wooster
Twin Parks Organic Farm, West Salem
as well as our volunteer members from the College of Wooster Organic Farming Program

And everyone, if you feel so inclined, stop by Local Harvest and add your comments to our profile to share what we're doing.

Don't forget -- the indoor farmers' market starts this Saturday, November 7, from 10 AM to 3 PM! You don't have to be a member to shop, so come by and say hello!

House Party

Thanks to everyone who stopped by Local Roots Market yesterday for our open house! We had a steady crowd of neighbors, friends, future producers, and interested shoppers flowing through to see our work on the building and to sample some of the excellent refreshments provided by steering committee members and producers.


Our last-minute painting and sprucing up caught the eye of several people, including a number of people who appreciated the repeated carrot theme over the front door (painting courtesy of local producer member and board member Monica Bongue of Muddy Fork Farm).


A couple of thoughtful producers set up display tables with samples of their produce and other goodies for members and shoppers to get an idea about what will be available in the coming weeks. Here, Phil and Mindy Bartholomae of Breezy Hill Farm talk with a couple of guests.


Along with baked goods from steering committee members, guests sampled delicious artisan cheeses from Bryan Schlatter of Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese (in the green t-shirt). He talked with several people about the cheesemaking process, and many more people are excited that he'll be bringing his excellent cheeses to market next week.


The Local Roots information table saw a constant stream of people asking questions about the market and membership, turning in membership forms and fees, and buying our new Local Roots t-shirts. (Yes, we will expand the range of sizes as soon as we can restock on shirts and get them silk-screened by volunteers.)

We appreciate the enthusiasm our guests showed for all the work we've done in the past several months, and we hope everyone will stop back next Saturday, November 7, from 10 AM to 3 PM, for the first indoor farmers' market!

Added 11/3/09: Steering committee member Jennifer McMullen has posted another progress report about Local Roots over at The Ethicurean, so stop there and find out more about our behind-the-scenes work!

Come to the Open House

What are you doing this Saturday?

The way we see it, there are only two correct answers to that questions:

1. You're stopping by the Downtown Farmers' Market for the final day of their season.
2. You're coming by Local Roots Market for our open house!


Don't forget, this Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM, Local Roots will have the doors -- yes, even that funky bright carrot-colored front door! -- wide open to the community. Stop by and warm up with some hot coffee or cider, home-baked cookies from our volunteers, and maybe even a few samples from our producer members.

Members of the steering committee will be on hand to give tours of the building and answer questions about membership and upcoming events. We will also have tickets available for the first film in our film series, "Food, Inc." (showing Saturday, November 7).

We've spent time in the past couple of weeks sprucing things up, so stop by, check out the new look, and share in the excitement. (Not sure where we are? Click on the "Location and Hours" link to the right!)

And join us in growing Local Roots!

Getting Ready for the Holidays

Are you looking for ways to celebrate the holidays in a more local fashion? Local Roots has ideas for you!

On Friday, November 20, from 7 to 9:30 PM, Local Roots will join in the festivities of downtown Wooster's Window Wonderland with a community open house. Stop by to see our decorations, then step inside for hot coffee or cider, home-baked goods, and festive music to enhance the holiday spirit. Members of the steering committee and other volunteers will be on hand to answer questions about Local Roots and to welcome new members.

On Saturday, November 21, during the regular indoor farmers' market hours of 10 AM to 3 PM, Local Roots will host the first annual Holiday Market. Along with the excellent food you'll want on your Thanksgiving table, you'll find specialty baked goods, gifts made by local artists and crafters, lively music, and information about Local Roots membership.

We're also welcoming a very special guest to the Holiday Market: Ohio writer and farmer Gene Logsdon. Gene and his wife Carol work a "small-scale experimental farm" in Wyandot County, specializing in grass-fed livestock, sustainably grown grains, and fresh produce. Gene has written numerous books and magazine articles on farm-related issues, and eight of his books -- including All Flesh Is Grass, The Last of the Husbandmen, and Small-Scale Grain Raising -- will be available for purchase and for signing. Gene also writes at The Contrary Farmer blog, sharing his ongoing insights into modern agriculture and the state of our world today.

Come and join us, and make your holidays local!

"Fresh Food, Fresh Ideas"

Do you really know what you're eating? The Wooster Local Foods Cooperative, Inc., doing business as Local Roots Market and Cafe, will host a film series in November that will provide some food for thought.

On Saturday, November 7, at 6 PM, Local Roots will sponsor a showing of "Food, Inc." at The Big Picture, 116 E. South Street, Wooster. This film examines the nationwide food system, shining a light on some of the problems of the system and offering ideas for improvements. A reception and discussion of the film will follow at 8 PM in the Local Roots Market building at 140 S. Walnut Street.

For those who are unable to attend the November 7 screening, The Big Picture will be showing the film as a regular feature from Friday, November 6 through Thursday, November 12.


On Saturday, November 21, at 7 PM, Local Roots will screen "PolyCultures" at the Local Roots Market building. This locally-produced documentary offers a contrasting view of agriculture today by featuring various businesses and organizations around northeast Ohio that have chosen to reassert some local control over our food systems and to offer healthier, more sustainable choices. Director Tom Kondilas and producer Brad Masi will share additional thoughts after the film and take questions from the audience.

Tickets for both films will be $4, but Local Roots members will be able to attend the screening for "PolyCultures" for free with a valid membership card. Tickets for both films will be sold in advance at The Big Picture (for "Food, Inc." only) and at the Saturday markets (10 AM to 3 PM) at Local Roots.

Open House October 31

The Downtown Farmers' Market season is drawing to a close, and we salute Main Street Wooster and especially all the farmers, bakers, craft sellers, and other friends for another great year!

But the end of the outdoor farmers' market season doesn't have to mean the year's end for good local food. Why? Because we have the news you've been waiting for... Local Roots is almost ready to open!

On Saturday, October 31 -- the final day for the Downtown Farmers' Market -- Local Roots will hold an open house from 10 AM to 3 PM. Come and get a tour of the building, sign up for membership if you haven't already, and join us for coffee, hot cider, baked goods, and maybe even some good local music after you've stocked up on good produce at the farmers' market.

As we head into November, Local Roots Market will first look like an extension of the Downtown Farmers' Market, with producers setting up their tables and selling their goods individually. Once we have final approval from the Health Department, we will also have the online order system up and running so that cooperative members can order online and producers can keep their foods safe in in-house coolers or freezers.

(Remember, we'd love to have you join us! If you haven't signed up for membership yet, we'll have information and forms on hand on market days.)

November will be a busy month with other special events -- a film series and a holiday market -- so stay tuned for more news!

Why It's Good to Support Your Farmers

In the latest issue of Farming Magazine, Local Roots secretary Jennifer McMullen published an article outlining the history behind Local Roots and explaining the many reasons why the steering committee came together to develop a new year-round farmers' market in the area.

That article caught the eye of Ohio farmer and renowned author, Gene Logsdon (author of books such as The Contrary Farmer and All Flesh Is Grass). Logsdon found himself inspired by steering committee member Jessica Barkheimer's quote that, "No one without land should be without a job." Logsdon's thoughts on the importance of learning how to find sustenance from your land -- and we can support that growing part of our economy -- appear on the OrganicToBe.org web site.

We're pretty tickled! Not only is the word about Local Roots really starting to spread, but we're really at the cusp of a strong grassroots-driven push to return agriculture to its place of importance in local economies -- and to make local communities a little more self-reliant.

As always, we here at Local Roots salute our producer members, current and future. We recognize that you're doing a challenging job, but we appreciate all the effort you give.

And it won't be long before you find our producers' good food at the market!

There's Still Time to Become a Member!

We're in the last stages of getting everything ready to open Local Roots Market in early November. But we're still missing something absolutely critical to the success of our business:

YOU!

We invite you to become a member of Wooster Local Foods Cooperative, Inc. (if you haven't already). We've made it easy: all the information about membership is available online, with a simple one-page membership agreement.

Memberships cost $50 for one year ($25 for students with valid ID), and if you sign up now, that year won't begin until we open. Lifetime memberships are available at the $1,000 level. (We are still accepting volunteer members -- 5 hours gets you a year's membership -- but we really do need the money to cover the cooperative's operations.)

What benefits do you get from your membership?

--A share in the year-end profit distribution at the co-op
--Use of the online order system
--Reduced or free admission to events and workshops

But there are deeper benefits, too: you can take an active part in revitalizing the local economy, in supporting local agriculture, and in bringing healthier and more nutritious food to your family's table.

If you think, as we do, that there are serious problems with our food system in America today, here's your chance to become part of the solution!

Won't you join us and help us grow Local Roots?

Kudos to Mackenzie Creamery!

One of our new producer members, Mackenzie Creamery of Hiram, OH, creates a variety of delicious goat cheeses made from local goat's milk. The Creamery's cheeses have won awards and will be featured at the upcoming "Earth to Table" event at the Culinary Vegetable Institute in Milan on September 26.

The event's menu will also feature Scandinavian-inspired dishes made from local foods by Icelandic chef Einar Gustavsson, with Mackenzie Creamery cheeses adding that extra little touch of savory elegance.

The event begins at 6:30 and costs $65 per person. Call (419) 499-7500 for more information or for reservations.

Once Local Roots opens its doors for business, you'll be able to find a selection of Mackenzie Creamery cheeses here, too, and you'll be inspired to create your own gourmet meal.

Congratulations to Mackenzie Creamery!

NOTE to all producer members: Got special news you'd like to share about your farm or your products? Email us at news (AT) localrootswooster (DOT) com!

Local Roots at the Wayne County Fair

A big thank to the Wayne County Sustainable Energy Network for sharing some of their booth space with us this year at the Wayne County Fair!

Steering Committee member, Jen Hugon, talks to fair goers about Local Roots. (photo by Paul Hugon)

Jodi Robinson, a WCSEN member, was generous in providing us with some beautiful imagery of award winning produce at this year's fair. Thank you Jodi!





Have photos of local food you would like to share? Send us an email! Happy eating!

Volunteers for Marketing

If you missed our August 31 community meeting but wanted an opportunity to help us spread the word about Local Roots, here's your chance!

We invite you to meet with us at the Market (at 140 S. Walnut St., Wooster) on Tuesday, September 22nd at 6:00 PM to discuss and sign up for helping with specific marketing-related tasks including website, writing projects, promotion, event planning and more.

Please RSVP and let us know if you will be able to attend. If you have any questions prior to the meeting, feel free to send us an email at news (AT) localrootswooster (DOT) com!

We look forward to seeing you!
The Local Roots Marketing Team
Jessica Barkheimer
Jen Hugon
Jennifer McMullen

Fair Weather, Friends!

The Wayne County Fair -- billed as Ohio's premier agricultural fair -- starts today and runs through next Thursday, September 17. Amid all the fun and fried food on the main routes through the fairgrounds, you'll also find the barns where local 4-H members display the results of their hard work, from cooking projects to animal husbandry.

And along with this tribute to our rich agricultural region, you'll also find Local Roots represented at the Wayne County Sustainable Energy Network tent, across from the Junior Fair goat and poultry barns. (Hey, location, location, location, right?)

Come and say hello! Pick up a brochure or any of our other flyers, and let us know that you're interested in learning more about supporting local agriculture and local foods.

See you at the Fair!

Community Meeting a Success!

Thanks to everyone who attended our community information meeting last evening! We appreciate the enthusiasm and ideas you brought to share with us.


Thanks to all the equipment contributions we've received from Buehler's and to all the colorful and delicious produce shared by steering committee members Monica Bongue and Bill Boyer (with additional produce from Weaver Truck Patch), the displays we set up in the front windows can give you an idea of how we hope the market will look once we're up and running.


We were very pleased with the turnout -- well over 80 interested people -- as well as with the number of volunteers who signed up to help with construction, painting, marketing, and staffing the pickup days. We'll get back to you very soon to let you know about work days at the market so that you can get your volunteer hours counted.

Among the handouts we had available for attendees were the September newsletter (PDF) and a list of potential events for the market. As always, if you have ideas, please drop us an email to share them!:

--To share news, articles, or ideas, email news AT localrootswooster DOT com
--To help plan events, email events AT localrootswooster DOT com


In the meantime, stop by your local farmers' market and find out if your favorite producers will be selling at Local Roots this winter. We're always happy to bring new producers on board!

Reminder: Public Meeting Monday

Don't forget, we're having a public information meeting this coming Monday about Local Roots:

Shoppers Meeting
Monday, August 31 at 7 PM
the Local Roots Building (140 S. Walnut St., Wooster)

Whether you're already a member, you're interested in membership but haven't signed up yet, or you just want to learn more, come to the meeting. The program will include:

--a review of the Local Roots concept
--overview of membership
--demonstration of the online order system
--discussion of future visions
--ideas for future community events
--a tour of the building

We will allow plenty of time for questions and answers, and we will have applications available and encourage everyone to fill out their forms at the meeting.

Refreshments will be provided by the steering committee. Since the building is still mostly empty, please bring a chair. Parking is available in the lot south of the building as well as across the street at the Wayne County Public Library.

We welcome all interested members and shoppers, and we hope to see you there!

Come join us!

Let Them Eat Cake!

The Wilderness Center held a "Savor the Flavor" fundraiser Friday night at Quailcrest Farm, and they invited Local Roots to participate and show off some of those delicious local foods from local farmers and producers.

How could we resist?


If you were there, you met our treasurer, Marlene Barkheimer (pictured here) and her daughter Jessica (our intrepid photographer) dishing up slices of a luscious carrot cake made by steering committee member Betsy Anderson.


Jessica reports that the cake was so popular, it disappeared by 7:15 PM, and even then, people wanted to lick up the remaining frosting!


A sign at the table listed all the local food producers who contributed to the ingredients of the cake -- and special thanks go to Monica Bongue of Muddy Fork Farm (another steering committee member) for the lovely carrots on top of the cake as well as inside!

The turnout for the event was impressive, which just goes to show you that eating locally really resonates with us here in the heartland -- not just with the gourmet foodies on the East and West Coasts. (We've always known that truly good food is grown by local folks!) And if you missed it, the Daily Record covered the event on the front page this morning.

If you missed the event, or if you missed out on that fantastic cake, or if you're just curious, Betsy has agreed to contribute her carrot cake recipe to the September newsletter, so keep your eyes open for it.

Thanks to all who stopped by!

Meeting for All Potential Members and Shoppers

Now that we've had a meeting specifically for interested producers at Local Roots, we're inviting all community members interested in shopping at Local Roots to attend a meeting to learn more.

Shoppers Meeting
Monday, August 31 at 7 PM
the Local Roots Building (140 S. Walnut St., Wooster)

Whether you're already a member, you're interested in membership but haven't signed up yet, or you just want to learn more, come to the meeting. The program will include:

--a review of the Local Roots concept
--overview of membership
--demonstration of the online order system
--discussion of future visions
--a tour of the building

We will allow plenty of time for questions and answers, and we will have applications available and encourage everyone to fill out their forms at the meeting.

Refreshments will be provided by the steering committee. Since the building is still mostly empty, please bring a chair. Parking is available in the lot south of the building as well as across the street at the Wayne County Public Library.

We welcome all interested members and shoppers, and we hope to see you there!

The Producers!

Our meeting for producer members (current and prospective) last night went very well. We had a large crowd of local producers show up for the presentation and discussion (and coffee and cookies!), and several people raised excellent questions and ideas.

A dozen or so producers volunteered to serve on the producer advisory council, and when we have the list narrowed down, we will let you all know who you can contact for questions about the producer guidelines and the details for selling products in the market (many of which will be worked out by this council).

Thanks to all who attended!

Producer Member Meeting

A reminder to all farmers, growers, bakers, and other producers interested in selling at Local Roots Market:

We are having a meeting for prospective producer members on Monday, August 10 at 7 PM at the market building located at 140 S. Walnut Street, Wooster, OH. The meeting will cover:

--a review of the Local Roots concept
--overview of the producer guidelines
--overview of the application process
--demonstration of the online order system
--discussion of the in-market sales procedure
--call for volunteers for a producer advisory council

We will allow plenty of time for questions and answers, and we will have applications available and encourage producers to fill out their forms at the meeting.

Refreshments will be provided by the steering committee. Since the building is still mostly empty, please bring a chair. Parking is available in the lot south of the building as well as across the street at the Wayne County Public Library.

We welcome all interested producers, and we hope to see you there!

Weekly Wonderful!

If you're in the Wooster area, be sure to pick up a copy of the Wooster Weekly News on a weekly basis. (Sorry, it doesn't appear to be available online.)

The Wooster Weekly News has graciously offered us a weekly space in the newspaper -- more than an ad, a little less than a column -- for Local Roots specials, announcements, and other useful information. For the first couple of weeks, you'll find information about Local Roots in general and about how to become a member -- just in case you hadn't heard enough from us already!

We're very excited about this generous opportunity and want to thank the Wooster Weekly News for their support!

All the News That Fits

Our August newsletter is now available! You can download the four-page PDF file from our newsletter archive page and enjoy it at your leisure. This month the newsletter features:

--an update on the market progress
--news about the USDA grant we received
--a review of A Nation of Farmers
--tips for reducing your electricity usage and bills
--a recipe for fattoush, a delicious and fresh summer salad
--August's seasonal produce list

If you're interested in receiving our newsletter by email, please drop us a line at news (AT) localrootswooster (DOT) com.

And if you're interested in becoming a member, we welcome you! Stop by the web site and learn more about membership.

The newsletter is published monthly, and we welcome ideas and submissions. Drop us a line at news (AT) localrootswooster (DOT) com by the 15th of the month for inclusion in the next month's newsletter.

Going on Record

If you're in the Wooster area, check out today's Daily Record for an article about Local Roots (you can also find it online). Reporter Bryan Schaaf met with 3/4 of the steering committee on Monday to find out more about our plans and to help build up enthusiasm for the market.

We've also gotten a bit of press attention elsewhere:

• Farm and Dairy, which reaches Ohio's farming neighbors, published information from our recent press release last week.
• The Ethicurean, a web site dedicated to supporting sustainable, organic, local, ethical (SOLE) food, posted an article that steering committee member and secretary Jennifer had written as an update on our progress.

We're working to spread the word and to get more people excited about Local Roots!

Welcome!

Welcome to Digging In! Just as we're working to make Local Roots Market and Café a physical reality in downtown Wooster, we're also finding ways to spread our ideas about good local food, supporting local agriculture and the local economy, and living more sustainably.

This is a work in progress, just like the market, but we hope to post news, announcements about events, reflections, and other good things here for you to enjoy. So stay tuned!