Important Store Survey & Food Shed Wins!

Survey: What's Your Vision Of Our Community-Owned Grocery Store?

As we progress further into our development stages and get closer to opening our store, we need your input for the Food Shed Co-op to be a reflection of our local community. We know your time is precious, so we’ve created a survey that is brief and to the point!

We value your input, so, please, give us your vision of the type of store we should build, by setting aside five minutes to fill out this important survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/myfoodshed

Survey responses must be completed by August 31st. We will unveil the survey results at our Annual Owner Meeting on Monday, September 10th.

But . . . you have to be an owner to attend. Are YOU an owner?

Now's a great time to join the Food Shed Co-op and become a co-owner of a grocery store founded on the values that are important to you. As an owner in a democratically-run organization like the Food Shed, you have voting privileges, and your vote counts! You can vote for Board members or run for the Board yourself.

Food Shed Wins Picnic In The Park Contest!

Although it was a typical Co-op Community Night at the Woodstock Square last month, where Food Shed owners and supporters gathered to socialize, listen to music, eat, drink and be merry - this was no typical picnic!

You may have heard that we entered the City of Woodstock's Picnic in the Park contest for the best-themed picnic setting, and you may have seen that WE WENT ALL OUT!

With the generous donations and display of more than 13 of our local merchants’ products, our "Locally-Sourced Picnic: Perfect Picnics ♥️ Local Fare" won the first place prize for creativity and best use of theme. We are proud to have been published in the Northwest Herald for our accomplishment!

Board member Liz even brought the unique conversation pieces of a monarch caterpillar and tadpoles! Our picnic was truly a peek into our future - a grocery store full of locally-sourced products, unique finds, and a community of people who care about the same things and love a good time!

A big thanks to our local merchants who supplied delicious food, drinks or perfect props:

Brook Farm Popcorn, Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters, Ethereal Confections, Expressly Leslie’s Vegetarian Specialties, Loyola’s Retreat & Ecology Campus, Mentoring Gardens, Read Between the Lynes, Rosie’s Gluten-Free Sweets, Scorched Earth Brewing Company, Silver Prairie Natural Soap Company, Sunshine Preserves, The Peacock Shoppe and W&M Land Corp Organic Nursery

Upcoming Events!

Community Expo

Saturday, August 25, 2018 | 10am-4pm | Crystal Lake OfficeMax

Volunteers Needed!

The Crystal Lake OfficeMax is thanking the community for their support by treating everyone to a day of community celebration! Radio station 103.9, The Fox, will be broadcasting this fun-filled event to include a classic car show, kids' games, raffle prizes, local vendors, food and more, so bring out the family for this fun community gathering! The Food Shed will have an outreach table with information on our community-owned grocery store, along with activities for the kids.

Scorched Earth Brewing Trivia Night

Thursday, August 30, 2018 | 7pm-10pm | Scorched Earth Brewing, Algonquin

Put on your thinking caps and Food Shed T-shirts, and join your co-op crew for a fun night of trivia at Scorched Earth Brewing in Algonquin, Thursday, August 30th at 7pm.

Scorched Earth Brewing is a hidden gem with old world charm - a local production brewery with a tap room full of industrial, rustic ambience - not to mention some great-tasting beers!

Food Shed will bring snacks, and you're welcome to purchase Scorched Earth's finest from their generous line of tap beers. Eat a little, drink a little, and play a little trivia, while getting to know your fellow Food Shed owners and supporters. Can't wait to see ya'll there! RSVP here, so we can plan accordingly.

Annual Owner Meeting; OWNERS ONLY! (Become an Owner Today!)

Monday, September 10, 2018 | 6:30pm-9pm | McHenry County College, Crystal Lake

If you are not yet an owner and would like to attend, please join today, we would love for you to become an owner and attend the meeting! And, don't be fooled by talk of a "meeting" - our Annual Owner Meeting has evolved into so much more! It's a time to have fun and catch up with your fellow Food Shedders, along with the takin' care-o-bizness!

We'll get the party started at 6:30pm, with mingling, food, drinks, Food Shed Henna tattoo station, and selfie-station. This year, we’re excited to have Jacqueline Hannah, the Assistant Director of the Food Co-op Initiative as our guest speaker! We’ll wrap up the meeting with our financial report and progress report on our journey towards opening the store. Owners, RSVP here.

Woodstock Harvest Fest & Fair in the Square

Sunday, September 16, 2018 | 10am-5pm | Woodstock Square, Woodstock

Volunteers Needed!

The annual Woodstock Harvest Fest & Fair in the Square is a fun reminder of autumn's arrival, with a cornucopia of craft vendors, food, music, and activities for the whole family. The Food Shed will have an outreach table with information on our community-owned grocery store, along with activities for the kids.

Algonquin Harvest Market

Saturday, September 22, 2018 | 9am-4pm | Riverfront Park, Algonquin

Volunteers Needed!

The 2nd annual Algonquin Harvest Market is back, with local food, entertainment & activities, crafts, giveaways, and more for the whole family! The Food Shed will have an outreach table with information on our community-owned grocery store, along with activities for the kids.

Empty Bowls MCC

Saturday, October 6, 2018 | 11am - 3pm | McHenry County College, Crystal Lake

Donations Needed!

Join us for a humble lunch of bread and soup, a reminder of the thousands of people in McHenry County who face food insecurity. Handmade bowls crafted by local artisans, including the Clayworkers' Guild of Northern Illinois, will be sold for $30, which will accompany a meal ticket for lunch.

The Food Shed Co-op will have an outreach table representing a variety of our owner/farmer's produce and food artisans products for sale*; all proceeds will be given to the McHenry County College Food Pantry and the Crystal Lake Food Pantry.

*Donations needed! If you're a local farmer or food artisan who is able to donate any of your food products to raise funds for McHenry County College Food Pantry and the Crystal Lake Food Pantry, please contact [email protected].