New Local Snack at Our Near West Store - Fat of the Land Potato Chips!

New Local Snack at Our Near West Store - Fat of the Land Potato Chips!

We’re excited to welcome a new, local, seed-oil-free snack maker to our Near West Store: Fat of the Land! Founded by nurse and dad Donald Ridings, this Indiana-based brand was created with one goal: bring back snacks made with real, simple ingredients that families can feel good about.

Fat of the Land chips are kettle-cooked in 100% premium beef tallow, a traditional animal fat prized for its rich flavor and stability at high heat. Unlike conventional chips made with industrial seed and vegetable oils, these snacks focus on wholesome, time-tested ingredients you recognize and trust.

What makes Fat of the Land special is their commitment to real ingredients: made without seed oils, artificial additives, or added sugars, using just potatoes, sea salt, and traditional fats. Created by parents who wanted a snack they could feel proud sharing with their own kids, Fat of the Land focuses on clean, nourishing, nutrient-forward recipes inspired by ancestral cooking practices.

Whether you’re shopping for family snacks, looking for a cleaner alternative to mainstream chips, or just curious about traditional fats, Fat of the Land brings a fresh yet time-tested snack choice to our shelves.

We’re currently offering two flavors of their kettle-cooked chips at our Near West Store: Simple Sea Salt and Salt & Vinegar.

Stop by and grab a bag (or two) on your next visit!

Welcoming a New Local Vendor: Poppin’ Cobs Popcorn

Welcoming a New Local Vendor: Poppin’ Cobs Popcorn

We’re excited to welcome Poppin’ Cobs Popcorn, a truly Hoosier-grown snack maker whose story, values, and delicious flavors are now part of our local vendor family. Poppin’ Cobs isn’t just another popcorn brand–it’s a family farm’s passion project turned into a unique snacking experience. What started in the fields of Indiana as a simple, playful experiment to pop corn straight from the cob has become a proud small business rooted in local agriculture and shared joy.

The founders, Josh Pottschmidt and his college friend, Adam Bechtel, grew up around farming and soil, and that connection shows in everything they do: from hand-harvesting and drying the cobs to crafting products that celebrate real, wholesome food.

At the heart of Poppin’ Cobs is a commitment to simplicity, sustainability, and delight. They believe that snacks should be:

• Real and clean: made with real ingredients and zero guilt, with no additives, preservatives, or artificial anything.

• Sourced with integrity: grown on family-owned farms in the Midwest where they know the land, the people, and the process.

• Designed for delight: fun to make and share, from the surprise of watching kernels pop off the cob to the laughter and joy of friends and family gathered around snack time.

They describe themselves simply: farmers, snack lovers, and people who believe food should be fun, real, and good for you.

Poppin’ Cobs has deep roots in Indiana farming. The team grows their popcorn cobs on their family farm because they’re invested in every step of the journey, and they believe you can genuinely taste the difference when something is made with care. Their mission is clear: reimagine everyday snacks in ways that are cleaner, smarter, and more enjoyable, while staying true to quality, community, and joy.

We’re currently offering two of their standout flavored varieties at our Near West Store, each reflecting that same dedication to quality and fun:

• Buttery Garlic – rich and savory with smooth buttery notes balanced by a flavorful garlic punch.

• Dill Pickle – tangy and vibrant with the classic pickle zing that keeps people coming back for more.

These flavors bring the farm-fresh joy of Poppin’ Cobs into a bold, crave-worthy snack perfect for customers seeking something both wholesome and delicious.

Please join us in celebrating Poppin’ Cobs Popcorn–where farm, flavor, and fun meet in every pop!

Nearly 3,000 Meals Donated: Thank You for Helping Feed Our Community

Nearly 3,000 Meals Donated: Thank You for Helping Feed Our Community

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our shoppers, both of our stores provided nearly 3,000 meals to neighbors in need throughout November and December–one meal equals approximately 1.2 pounds of food.

Together, our community made a powerful impact: both stores collectively donated over 2,500 pounds of food in December (1,224 lbs for East & 1,312 lbs for Near West) and over 1,000 pounds of food donated in November (about 600lbs at East & 400lbs at Near West).

None of this would be possible without you. Thank you to everyone who placed donations in the Hoosier Hills Food Bank (HHFB) donation barrels at our stores. Your kindness continues to make a real difference for families across our community.

We remain deeply committed to supporting access to healthy food for everyone and are continually exploring ways to help those in need. Every contribution, big or small, helps strengthen our community.

We also want to ensure that anyone in need knows where to find support. The Hoosier Hills Food Bank has compiled a helpful guide to food assistance resources throughout Monroe County.

Additionally, you can call 2-1-1 for help with food, shelter, clothing, childcare, transportation, legal services, education, employment, healthcare, and substance use resources.

We’re proud to be part of such a compassionate community, one that consistently shows up to care for one another.

Thank you for continuing to support our neighbors and help ensure access to healthy food for all.

Forget to Place a Pre-order? We Got You!

Forget to Place a Pre-Order? We Got You!

We will have the following turkey, ham, and duck available at both of our stores on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last!

• Fresh turkey options include:

• Bowman & Landes (Fresh, Free-Range, Vegetarian-Raised, No Antibiotics, Uncooked) – AVAILABLE IN-STORE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST!

• D’artagnan (Organic, Fresh, Free-Range, Vegetarian-Raised, No Antibiotics, Uncooked) – AVAILABLE IN-STORE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH!

• Frozen turkey options include:

• Becker Farms (LOCAL, Pasture-Raised, No Antibiotics/Hormones & Uncooked) – AVAILABLE IN-STORE NOW!

• Ferndale Farm (Uncooked) – AVAILABLE IN-STORE NOW!

• Ham & duck options include:

• Beeler’s Boneless Half-Ham (Vegetarian-Raised, No Antibiotics, Cooked) – AVAILABLE IN-STORE NOW, LIMITED SUPPLY!

• Beeler’s Spiral Bone-in Ham (Vegetarian-Raised, No Antibiotics, Cooked) – AVAILABLE IN-STORE NOW, LIMITED SUPPLY!

• Fischer Farms Whole Smoked Ham (LOCAL, No Hormones & Hickory Smoked) – AVAILABLE IN-STORE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH!

• Maple Leaf Farm Duck (LOCAL, Frozen, Uncooked) – AVAILABLE IN-STORE NOW!

Our plant-based options include, while supplies last!:

• House-made Vegan Wellington – AVAILABLE IN-STORE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH, LIMITED SUPPLY!

• Tofurkey Holiday Feast ­– ONLY AVAILABLE AT OUR EAST STORE!

• Tofurkey Roast with Gravy – AVAILABLE IN-STORE NOW!

• Tofurkey Roast & Wild Rice Stuffing – ONLY AVAILABLE AT OUR NEAR WEST STORE!

• Tofurkey Plant-based Ham Style Roast – ONLY AVAILABLE AT OUR NEAR WEST STORE!

• Gardein Savory Stuffed Turk’y – ONLY AVAILABLE AT OUR EAST STORE!

• Gardein Turk’y Roast – ONLY AVAILABLE AT OUR EAST STORE!

• Field Roast Sage & Garlic Celebration Roast – ONLY AVAILABLE AT OUR NEAR WEST STORE!

We will have the following house-made sides and pies available in our Grab-N-Go coolers starting Monday, November 24th, on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last:

• Turkey Gravy

• Mushroom Gravy

• Creamy Mashed Potatoes

• Green Bean Casserole

• Mac and Cheese

• Roasted Root Vegetables

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• Cornbread Stuffing

• Sweet Potato & Apples

• Cranberry Relish

• Vegan Wellington

• Holiday Cheeseballs: Bacon Cheddar, Cranberry Blue Cheese, and Goat Cheese & Apricot

• Pies: Apple, Pumpkin and Pecan

Cooking instructions for our house-made sides are listed on our 2025 Thanksgiving Pre-order page.

Learn more about our in-store offerings in our 2025 Pre-order Catalog!

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We have everything you need for your holiday meal!

Rake in the savings and save on Field Day Items and Support Native Foodways!
November 5th through December 2nd!

For each Field Day product sold, 5¢ is donated to NĀTIFS!

Read our blog to learn more!

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We will be modifying our hours of operation during the upcoming holidays:

Thanksgiving Day: 8am-12pm – hot bar, salad bar & deli will be closed
Black Friday: 11am-7pm – hot bar, salad bar & deli will be open 11am-6pm
Curbside will not be available from Monday, November 24, through Sunday, November 30.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Save on Field Day Items & Support Native Foodways!

Save on Field Day Items & Support Native Foodways!

In recognition that the story of the first Thanksgiving perpetuates an inaccurate and harmful version of history, our co-op is joining food co-ops across the country to make a collective donation to North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NĀTIFS) this November. Food co-ops will donate $0.05 for every Field Day product sold during this promotion (November 5-December 2).

NĀTIFS (pronounced nay-tihfs. Sounds like "Natives") is a nonprofit organization founded by Lakota Chef Sean Sherman (known as the Sioux Chef), dedicated to revitalizing Indigenous food systems and promoting cultural preservation within Native American communities. Through initiatives like the Indigenous Food Lab, NĀTIFS offers training programs, educational workshops, and support for Indigenous entrepreneurs to empower individuals and foster economic development.

By addressing economic disparities, food insecurity, and the loss of Indigenous food knowledge, NĀTIFS aims to restore health, wealth, and cultural identity to Indigenous populations. The organization's commitment to promoting Indigenous foodways education, facilitating food access, and revitalizing ancestral knowledge underscores its mission to create positive social impact and support underserved communities.

To learn more about NĀTIFS, visit natifs.org. If you want to get involved, follow NĀTIFS on social media, sign up for the NĀTIFS newsletter, or make your own donation. You can also lend a hand by sharing their mission and vision on social media with your friends and family.

Taking advantage of low prices on Field Day items not only saves you money, but also supports the vital work that NĀTIFS is undertaking. If you are interested in doing more, consider learning about and supporting the initiatives of Indigenous people in your local community. Start by visiting native-land.ca/ to learn whose ancestral land you live on.

FairTrade Producer Story

By FairTrade America
Producers’ Names: Ediuti Mapunda, Osmane Badru, & Aquilina France
Location: Tanzania
Co-op names: Coffee Mahenge Amcos & KDCU
Commodity: Coffee

“The Coffee Mahenge Amcos cooperative in Tanzania decided to have a public nursery. The new plants need particular attention and are a special job to grow.

Ediuti Mapunda is one of the people in charge of this nursery. He has 8 children and joined the Mahenge cooperative in 2008. He has 1200 coffee plants in his 1 hectare land. He thinks that Fairtrade stimulates sustainable agriculture and better quality. All that makes the cooperative more visible.

Thanks to the better income, he was able to buy cattle to diversify his income. Since then, all of his children will have gone, go or will go to school.

Aquilina France joined the cooperative in 2003 after her husband passed away. She has 5 children and belongs to the cooperative board. Thanks to her participation in Fairtrade, she has a nice home--one she says which we couldn't compare to the small one where she lived before.

Osmane Badru produces white corn to diversify his production. He has 3 hectares where coffee, banana and corn are being produced. He joined the cooperative in 1992. Thanks to his participation in Fairtrade, he was able to pay school fees for his four children.”

Celebrate Co-op & Fair Trade Month with us all throughout October!

FairTrade Producer Story

By FairTrade America
Producer’s Name: Johnson Kihara
Location: Kenya
Co-op name: Gacharage Tea Factory
Commodity: Tea

“Johnson Kihara is one out of approximately 5,000 tea farmers and members of Gacharagae Tea Factory some 200 kilometres north of Nairobi in Kenya. Here the farmers own their own land, harvest and pluck their own tea and deliver it to collection centers before the tea is eventually processed into black tea in the large factory close to village of Mununga.

The factory is owned jointly by the farmers through a loan which they took in 2000 with the purpose of increasing the production, raising the value of their product and generating higher revenues through better access to an international market. In 2006, the farmers chose to certify their production according to international Fairtrade standards in order to achieve a better economic, social and environmental development within both the production and at the community level. Through recurrent inspections, standards compliance are being checked to make sure that development is moving in the right direction. However, sales of the Fairtrade certified tea is crucial – without sales, development may cease.

In 2015, Gacharage Fairtrade sales amounted to just three percent of their total production. The rest was sold as conventional tea and thus without the Fairtrade premium that every kilo of sold Fairtrade certified tea otherwise generates. Despite these low sales, Fairtrade premium through their sales amounted to almost 150,000 USD, funds that the farmers have chosen to invest in e.g. trainings on sustainable production, road improvements, electricity, water supply, new classrooms, school material, scholarships to students and a number of income generating projects.”

Celebrate Co-op & Fair Trade Month with us all throughout October!

FairTrade Spotlight: Canaan Palestine Olive Oil

FairTrade Spotlight: Canaan Palestine Olive Oil

October is Fair Trade Month, the month Canaan was founded in 2004, and the start of the olive harvest in Palestine. What began as a belief that farmers deserve dignity and fair access to markets has grown into a network of more than 2,400 farmers across 52 cooperatives, sustaining families and the fabric of Palestinian agriculture.

Fair trade in Palestine is more than a pricing model. It establishes collective infrastructure. A portion of every liter of olive oil sold contributes to village funds. These funds are controlled locally and support projects such as schools, agricultural equipment, and community development.

Since 2006, more than $1,210,000 USD has been invested back into farming villages through this system. These resources are decided by the farmers themselves, reinforcing leadership, accountability, and community-onented decision-making.

Palestinian farmers work under conditions that are far from ordinary. Access to land can be restricted and political realities create constant instability. Despite these obstacles, the harvest continues. Farmers remain rooted in their groves, 2 preserving agricultural traditions and protecting a way of life that has endured for centuries.

Fair trade strengthens this resilience. It ensuros stable markets, supports cooperative structures, and provides farmers with a platform to work collectively while maintaining individual ownership of their land.

To learn more about Canaan Palestine, visit: www.canaanpalestine.com

Celebrate Co-op & Fair Trade Month with us all throughout October!

Thank You from Friends of the Library

Dear Bloomingfoods,

You play a vital role in helping our wonderful Library continue its tradition of excellence, opportunity, and discovery. We appreciate the opportunity to participate in your Positive Change program in August. Thank you for your generous donation to the Friends of the Library from your many loyal Bloomingfoods’ customers. We are honored to recognize you in the circle of Friends contributing to an award-winning Library for everyone in the community.

We celebrate Friends like you who make a difference for the Library every single day. Libraries are places where communities connect—to things like broadband, computers, programs and classes, meeting and study rooms, books, movies, video games, and more. But more importantly, libraries connect us. I am filled with gratitude for Friends like you who give people opportunities to learn and grow by funding Library resources. We look forward to more opportunities to read, learn, connect, and create in the year ahead. Some upcoming Friends events:

Dine out for the Friends! Try a different restaurant each month. Next up: Choose from a diverse selection of breakfast, lunch, and dinner items centered around Cajun and Creole cuisine when you dine at The Uptown Café on Tuesday, September 23, 8 am to 9 pm. Show your flyer and Uptown will donate 20% of your bill to the Friends of the Library to help make amazing Library programs possible.

Shop at the Friends Bookstore. The Bookstore offers great bargains on books, music, videos, and art. Our literary-themed tote bags, socks, and pins make delightful gifts. The Bookstore is open five days a week, Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday.

Coffee with Friends. We welcome playwright Jennifer Blackmer for a talk on her upcoming play Predictor. Join us on Sunday, October 12 from 2-3 pm in Meeting Room 1B at the Downtown Library. Our wonderful Hospitality Committee will provide refreshments. This program is free and all are welcome!

For more regular reminders of Friends programs like us on Instagram or Facebook @MCPLfriends.

We are grateful for your gift that demonstrates how you value your public library. Thank you for your donation of $8,252.47 which is tax deductible to the full extent of the law. No goods or services were provided in exchange for your contribution. Thank you for being a Friend!

Sincerely,

Neil Klein
President
Friends of the Library

FairTrade Producer Story

By FairTrade America
Producer’s name: Evelio Ricardo Garcia Cordoba
Location: Peru
Co-op name: Centro Café
Commodity: Coffee

“My name is Evelio Ricardo Garcia Cordoba. I am 49 years old. Since I was 10 or 12 years old, I have already started growing coffee. At that time I learned coffee production from my father. My father was a coffee farmer. We are seven brothers and sisters in the family. My siblings all studied and worked, only I stayed in agriculture. But coffee growing is going very well in everyday life, so it has done something positive for my life, in which I also raised my children. It is going well on the basis of coffee. And we belong to the cooperative Centro Café. We have been working with this cooperative since its start in 2001, and thank God it has provided us with the facilities. Many thanks also to you that we have Fairtrade.

Fairtrade has taught us what we did not know about coffee. Now we work with more technology, and the cooperative Centro Café even has engineers who are responsible for training and technical support, both for Gropal and for the Association, and they also help the partners. For example, we produce an organic fertilizer that we make ourselves. As you have seen, we have animals, from where we produce manure mixed with the pulp of the coffee, which is an everyday product of ours. We sow coffee and make our own mixtures, which are also influenced by our fertilizing. We have this situation here through tree shadows, from so many manageable shade trees, which are equilateral fruit trees, and we also have wooden trees that are useful to us. This is how we live. It is nice to protect the environment. We live a harmonious life with our family and friends who visit us.

Through Fairtrade we also benefit from lower costs. We take organic fertilizer to have a good production on our coffee plantations. And when it comes to fighting diseases, for example, there is a product that is easy to control. And because we are partners, we get it at a lower cost, for example, half the price. Even if we want to know which of our soils need fertilization, we also have a soil analysis. Such a soil analysis is worth 150. The partner sets 75 soles and 75 is paid by the cooperative, as a support of Fairtrade, and that is good for us, the farmers, to have this equipment.

In Centro Café we have a trial plot today, which is located in the Champol area, also within the Fairtrade framework. There are also some new varieties of seedlings that are newly produced and have a very good taste (good cupping coffees). So, as long as I am able, I would like to continue working as a coffee farmer and from there my children will see how it will be, but in the meantime I would like to continue growing my coffee varieties, now also with these new varieties that practically motivate us to plant.

I would like to tell them that we, as coffee farmers who have dedicated ourselves to coffee, are anxious to sell an even better one - with great care, under healthy, hygienic conditions and well-prepared coffee. Even before sowing and harvesting, we are concerned about ensuring that the beans are well shucked, fermented and dried so that they (the consumers) can enjoy our product, which we produce here.

Apart from the coffee, we also benefit from Fairtrade in the families. My wife used to work with small animals. Fairtrade helps us a lot that we have a certain economic income for the families by selling coffee, and that is good.”

Celebrate Co-op & Fair Trade Month with us all throughout October!