CSAs such as Grade A Gardens of Johnston offer a healthy local gift option for friends and family.
Writer: Karla Walsh
Photographer: Karla Conrad
Close that Amazon browser tab and consider these local food-related gifts this holiday season. Since they support local causes, these gifts keep on giving to have a positive ripple effect throughout the community. Plus, since they’re all locally made, the transportation-related environmental impact will be less than goods purchased online.
CSA Subscription
Supports: Local Growers
With fewer restaurants ordering at full capacity and many supply chain disruptions, local farmers have had a challenging year. Give a community-supported agriculture share to a loved one (or yourself) to help our farmer neighbors fund equipment, seeds, fertilizer and supplies at the start of the season. Then, as a CSA box recipient, they will receive a share of the farm’s products as they are grown and harvested next year. A few excellent options: Global Greens (lsiowa.org/refugee/csa), Dogpatch Urban Gardens (dogpatchurbangardens.com), Grade A Gardens (gradeagardens.com) and Wabi Sabi Farm (wabisabi-farm.com).
Gift Card to the Hall
Supports: The Justice League of Food
Ten percent of every dollar spent on food, beer, wine, cocktails and soft drinks at the Hall goes to support their culinary training programs for at-risk youths. (111 S. 11th St., West Des Moines; thehalldsm.com)
Raygun Wash Your Hands Kitchen Towel
Supports: Area Food Banks
Handwashing has never been more en vogue than during 2020. Give the person on your gift list a gentle “stay well!” reminder with this handy flour sack kitchen towel—35% of proceeds are donated to local food banks to support our food-insecure neighbors. (505 E. Grand Ave; raygunsite.com)
Heart of Iowa’s Iowa State Fair Gift Basket
Supports: The Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation
Offer a hint of summer nostalgia with a gift basket full of State Fair faves including a cookbook with ribbon-worthy recipes, white cheddar popcorn, local honey and more. Each basket helps benefit the Iowa State Fair Foundation. (211 Fifth St., West Des Moines; heartofiowamarketplace.com)
