Producers Band Together to Make Fresh and Healthy Easy

CLEAR LAKE, IA May 2, 2019 – North Iowa local food producers are working together to make fresh and healthy choices easy.  North Iowa Fresh, LLC. (NIF) was formed in 2014 by a group of produce farmers who focused mainly on marketing wholesale vegetables to grocery stores and restaurants in north Iowa. Recently they’ve added sales to schools and an innovative program for consumers called The Bounty Box.

The Bounty Box Program started in 2018 primarily as a partnership with work-sites who wanted to offer healthy food options to their employees.  But it’s not just for worksites. In 2019, NIF has added many convenient pick-up locations for the general public in Mason City (Jitters, Pinoy Asian Market in Willowbrook Mall, YMCA and CG Public Health), Clear Lake (Simply Nourished and Furleigh Farms), Garner (Vet’s Memorial Rec. Center) and IA Specialty Hospitals in Clarion and Belmond.

The Bounty Box is essentially a “Farmers Market in a Box”. North Iowa Fresh farmers combine their products to provide a seasonal journey of produce that is not only super fresh but also delicious and nutritious. Boxes vary weekly but contain a nice variety of produce (mostly familiar vegetables but also some fruit and a few more unique items).  Information about box contents is available on the North Iowa Fresh website. A weekly newsletter provides recipe ideas, information about the farmers, and more. Periodic opportunities to add-on meat, honey and more will also be available this year.

“Making it easy for people to eat healthy is a great way to  support North Iowa’s wellness goals,” says Andrea Evelsizer, Broker  for North Iowa Fresh , “and what could be easier than being able to pick-up your groceries as your leave work or at a convenient location in your community? Since we offer a variety of flexible options, and online ordering, everyone should be able to find a subscription that fits their needs.”

Main season deliveries begin May 22 and run through Oct. 9. Two late season options are available in November and December.  To sign-up for the Bounty Box or learn how your worksite can get involved, go to www.northiowafresh.net  or visit us on Facebook!