How Willy St. Co-op helped provide local produce through winter season

Jars of crushed tomatoes from local farms on display at Willy Street Co-op’s east side location. Frozen squash and broccoli are available at Willy Street Co-op stores as well. (Rebecca Radix/Madison Commons)

Willy Street grocery cooperative employed a new approach for providing customers with local and organic produce through the winter months this year.

The idea of having local produce in the winter is a fairly innovative, according to the Co-op's director of communications Brendon Smith.

"I think the idea of having local produce out of season it a great thing. We're not California here. ur growing season is pretty short, so the idea of having local produce in the middle of winter–and organic, local produce–is pretty exciting for a lot of people and really exciting for us," Smith said.

In addition to meeting customers' needs, the program also supports local agriculture. The produce offered is from several of the Co-op's local farm vendors and isfood that would normally have gone unsold at the end of the growing season.

This winter's program provided frozen squash and broccoli, as well as crushed tomatoes, and all these products have been met with positive feedback according to Smith. Co-op owners also were excited when a picture showing the broccoli being processed at Innovation Kitchen in Mineral Point and gave an overwhelming positive response, he said.

The Co-op also has had success this year with a longstanding program that uses local fruit sold in pies throughout the fall and winter seasons, all made with local apples, pumpkin and peaches.

Overall, Smith says the Co-op has great hopes for the program and is grateful for the chance to help co-op owners and local farmers alike.