Fresh, Local, Sustainable Food for NE Iowa History of GROWN Locally
‘Grown Locally’ had its beginnings on a summer afternoon in June of 1999. Sunflower Fields Farm had just completed a farm tour when a group of attendees were sitting and visiting about the fact that so much of the food eaten by our neighbors was being shipped from long distances. We had just seen firsthand that much could be grown locally. The biggest obstacle was to have a system that could grow and distribute this food to those that would want it. How would this growing be coordinated? How would the distribution be done? Who would be the first that might be targeted to receive this food if available? Why would anyone want to buy this locally grown food? These were the questions pondered and talked about by these folks on that day in June and for the next several months. Monthly meetings were held and it became more evident that those attending were not just interested in discussing these issues but, were determined to try to put together a program that would implement what had been discussed. On an evening in Jan.,2000 the group was talking planting and seed ordering when the acronym “GROWN” (goods raised only with nature) was coined. It was decided to incorporate as Grown Locally Coop. Articles of Incorporation were drawn up and sent to the state of Iowa on April 23, 2000 making the group an official cooperative. By-laws followed with passage on June 5,2000. The first delivery happened on June 8, 2000 with 10 members participating. Nursing homes, two hospitals, and two restaurants were the first customers.
In May 2000 an application for a SARE grant to build a website for customers to order on line was applied for. The grant was awarded to GL and the first web/ordering site was up and running in early July 2001. Also, late 2001 discussion turned to processing in light of the slow growth in sales to existing customers. Many of the institutions being serviced indicated staff time was the restricting factor in using more raw product. Again, a grant to acquire equipment to do this was made and awarded. The decision to build a licensed building to house equipment and do processing was made. The facility would be located at Sunflower Fields Farm, was completed and licensed in spring of 2003.
