Nathan Dietzenbach, board candidate
I’ve been a member of the Oneota Community Food Co-op for six years. I joined shortly after moving back to the area after attending college. Being a part of this cooperative, with its focus on local food and supporting community partnerships, aligns perfectly with my values and passion for sustainable eating. My enthusiasm for local food and cooperative structures initially drew me to the Co-op, and I’ve seen firsthand its positive impact on our community. Serving on the board would allow me to further contribute to these causes. As a dedicated cook, I deeply appreciate the Co-op’s extensive selection of fresh, local produce and unique ingredients, especially its variety of seasonal produce and robust vegan options. My own culinary journey thrives on the Co-op’s diverse stock, and I believe my knowledge and experience could be valuable to the board.
What I treasure most about the Co-op is its dedication to both local sourcing and community building. Knowing my food comes from nearby farms fosters a deeper connection to the land and my neighbors. It’s not just about groceries; it’s about supporting sustainable practices and nurturing our local food system. I also admire the Co-op’s commitment to creating a vibrant community. I often run into friends and neighbors at the Co-op and find it a great hub of community. The democratic structure, where members have a say in the Co-op’s direction, further strengthens this sense of belonging and shared ownership.
I bring a diverse set of skills and experiences that would be valuable to the Oneota Co-op Board of Directors. My five years on the Oneota Film Festival board honed my collaboration skills, as I worked with board members to plan and execute successful festivals. Additionally, leading a unionization campaign at a local non-profit provided me with valuable insights into building consensus and motivating others in complex situations. My passion for local food and sustainability is evident in my work starting a food production business focused on utilizing local produce. This business is being formed with the intent to be a worker cooperative. Furthermore, my experience in the kitchen at Blazing Star has provided me with a practical understanding of food service operations and customer interaction, which I believe would be valuable in the Co-op’s retail setting. I am confident that my skills and passion for local food and cooperative values would be a valuable asset to the Co-op board.
My vision for the Oneota Community Food Co-op is one where it becomes a catalyst for a thriving local food system. I envision us leveraging our strong membership base to actively partner with local farmers, producers, and distributors, not just as suppliers but as co-creators of a sustainable food future. The Co-op has the potential to foster deeper connections between members and the land, support community food programs ensuring everyone has access to fresh, local produce, and member-driven initiatives tackling challenges like food waste and environmental impact. I envision a community with increased access to nutritious food, empowered farmers earning fair livelihoods, and a thriving local economy fueled by sustainable practices. By harnessing the collective power of our members, the Oneota Community Food Co-op can be a beacon of hope, demonstrating that delicious food, a flourishing environment, and vibrant community can go hand-in-hand.
Outside the Co-op, my passions lie in exploring the bounty of local food sources. I love foraging for wild plants and mushrooms, visiting the Decorah Farmers Market to discover unique seasonal produce and cultivating friendships with local vegetable farmers. These experiences not only fuel my love for cooking, but also inspire me to make positive changes in our food system. I believe my passion for local food, vision for collective action, and my connection to the community would be valuable board assets. I’m eager to contribute to the Co-op’s mission of providing fresh, local produce and building a stronger food system for our community.
Piper Wood, board candidate
I have been a member-owner of Oneota Co-op since I started at Luther College in 2017. I started my membership to feel a connection to the farmers who feed me, to the broader community, and because I saw the great impact that my local dollars could have in a cooperative ownership model. Since starting my membership, I have had the joy of being employed by the Co-op on two different occasions, watching our community come back to life after lockdown, and seeing the power of our compassionate community come together in moments of strain on Co-op staff.
As a former Co-op team member, I could bring a needed perspective to the board, and serve my community from a new vantage point. I feel that the Co-op is in a moment of blooming, a re-ignition of its role as a community hub, whose absence was felt so dearly in the past few years coming out of pandemic lockdown. I want to lend my energy to this board as a way to meet this moment in our community and ensure that our co-op can be a place for connection for our next generation of member-owners.
My favorite thing about the Co-op is the role it plays as a community connection space. On any given day, the aisles host conversations from shoppers catching up during their grocery runs, staff members getting to know the local farmers who stop by daily to drop off produce, and students offered a safe place after school to do their homework. Working at the Co-op in 2020 and 2021 was my first glimpse into the power of community in Decorah. At a time where there were few gathering spaces, a quick shop at the Co-op offered folks needed social connection, and brought me closer to the community as I navigated living in Decorah full-time at the height of a pandemic. In my time as a staff member, I was introduced to so many community members and local producers and brought into the fold of the community. The Co-op’s role as a connection space and commitment to cooperation over competition are values that sets it apart from other grocery stores in our community, and I want to be a part of nurturing that connection.
I have two-plus years of experience in food systems work as a local foods aggregator with the Iowa Food Hub, Oneota Co-op fresh department staff member, and volunteer for the Decorah Farmers Market. I am trained in multiple styles of group consensus facilitation methods and have had success writing local foods and sustainability-related grants for organizations and colleges in our region. I feel that these skills, in addition to my experience as a Co-op employee, would be an asset to the Co-op board and to our wider Co-op member community.
When I am not at the Co-op, I find community singing in the local Decorah Chorale, serving on the board of the Decorah Farmers Market, volunteering my time during market season, and gardening when the sun is out.
