Canning Class
A group of us in the Madison Foodie Facebook group were talking about how great it would be to have an in-person canning class in town, and someone suggested you folks – and we said of course! So, I’m here to ask if you folks would consider offering a basic canning skills/safety course this summer/fall for home gardeners who want to put up some food for the winter? Just based on our conversation online I think you’d have a lot of interest! The Dane Co Extension and Madison College are *not* offering this so there is a definite vacuum to fill.
Thanks for the suggestion, and great timing! We’ll be planning out our summer-early fall classes soon, and we’ll add a couple of canning classes to the schedule, likely in August. -Liz Hawley, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Decaf Coffee
I buy the 5lb decaf french roast coffee. when coop deals puts 5lb bags on sale, the decaf is never included. Is there a reason why?
Thanks for reaching out about the five pound decaf bags. Unfortunately when we are offered promotions, Equal Exchange only offers the discount to select items and decaf is not one of them. The cost to produce decaf is higher than the others because it’s processed to remove caffeine and it’s generally a slow seller and not marked for large promotions. Please reach out if you have any other questions. -Nate Groth, Willy North Grocery Manager
Factory Farming
I am writing regarding Mickey Ellenbecker’s article profiling Marieke Gouda. As clearly shown in the photo accompanying the article, the “cow spa” referenced in the article is a factory farm. The notion that these are “happy and healthy cows” is, at best, naïve and, at worst, gaslighting.
Dairy cows raised on factory farms endure:
- Intensive Confinement: Cows are kept in cramped conditions and spend their entire lives in concrete-floored barns.
- Overproduction & Health Issues: Modern dairy cows have been bred to produce unnaturally high amounts of milk, leading to frequent cases of mastitis (painful udder infections), lameness, and metabolic disorders.
- Separation of Calves: Newborn calves are separated from their mothers within hours of birth to maximize milk production. This practice is distressing for both the calf and the mother.
- Female Calves: Like their mothers, female calves are subjected to repeated cycles of artificial insemination, birthing, and milk production until their productivity declines, at which point they are sent to slaughter.
- Male Calves: Many male calves are sold to veal farms, where they are confined in small crates, fed an iron-deficient diet to produce pale, tender meat, and slaughtered at a few months old.
In addition, factory farms pose serious threats to human health and the environment.
Thanks for reaching out with your concerns about Marieke Gouda. I understand your concerns surrounding factory farming, however Marieke Gouda is not a factory farm. We reached out to Marieke with your concerns so that we could get a response for you straight from the source. I hope reading through this thoughtful response (below) from Marieke herself will put your mind at ease. In regards to your questions regarding sourcing from factory farms, we do not have an official policy. We’re a consumer owned cooperative and we strive to provide a wide-range of options for a large group of people who all have different priorities and needs. You can view our Product Selection Philosophy on our website at www.willystreet.coop/about/. -Liz Muñoz, Director of Purchasing
Dear Customer,
Thank you for sharing your concerns. We appreciate the opportunity to offer more insight into our farm and our animal care practices.
We truly take great pride in the way we care for our cows, and transparency is incredibly important to us.
At Marieke Gouda, we are a family-owned farmstead creamery, not a factory farm.
Every drop of milk in our award-winning cheese comes from cows we raise and care for ourselves.
Our cows are the heart of our farm, and their well-being is central to everything we do.
To address your concerns, this is what we do to make sure our cows and livelihood is well taken care of:
Cow Comfort Comes First:
Our cows live in our “Cow Spa” free-stall barn. This isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s a barn designed for their comfort. They can walk around freely, lie down in clean sand-bedded stalls, or visit our automated cow brushes whenever they choose.
Protection from Harsh Weather:
Unfortunately, here in Northwestern Wisconsin, there are few suitable days for our cows to be comfortable outside; extreme weather is common.
Our free-stall barn keeps the cows cool in the summer and warm in the winter. We have ventilation fans, sprinklers, and curtains that adjust to provide shade and airflow.
The cows also need clean fresh water every moment of the day, as they drink a bath tub full of water.
If there is not enough shade outside (like trees) or enough clean, cold fresh drink water… just like us humans, we cannot be in the hot sun or the extreme weather, we go inside too. I agree it is nice to see a cow outside, but is it good for them?
Clean and Comfortable:
We groom and refresh their bedding three times a day and clean their water tanks daily. Our cows always have fresh water, balanced nutrition, and a clean place to lie down.
Veterinary and Nutritional Care:
A professional nutritionist visits weekly to monitor the cows’ health and diet, ensuring they get exactly what they need at every stage of life.
Calf Care with Purpose:
When our calves are born, they are carefully monitored and provided with colostrum right away for a healthy start. Separation from their mothers is done to protect both the cow and calf—ensuring individual health care and nutrition. Many of those calves grow up right here on our farm.
We Value Longevity and Quality of Life:
Our cows are not treated as commodities. We invest years and care into each one, and many stay with us for a long, healthy life. We know them by name and by personality.
This is not factory farming. We are committed to ethical, sustainable practices because we love what we do, and we love our cows. That’s why we invite anyone who has questions to visit our farm and see for themselves how we operate.
Thank you again for reaching out and caring about where your food comes from. It’s people like you who keep the conversation about ethical food sourcing alive, and we are proud to be part of it.
With sincere warm regards,
Marieke Penterman
Cooking Class Allergens
I just want to say thank you for including allergens in your cooking class listings. It helps me know if a class is safe for me to attend or not.
I’m glad you have found this recent addition helpful. We hope to see you in a cooking class soon! -Liz Hawley, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Bulk Dry Soup Mix Recipe
I bought some bulk dry soup mix but I don’t have the directions for how to make it. It’s marked with the number 2216. Thanks!!!
That looks like the Wild Rice Soup:
1 cup of dried soup, 8 cups of water, cook on stove top for 45-60 mins, yields approx 8 cups of soup.
Here is the link to our website bulk cooking guide: www.willystreet.coop/about/departments/bulk-cooking-guide. Just in case you have other bulk items. -Amanda Ikens, Owner Resources Coordinator
Oatly Creamer
I’m convinced that Oatly barista blend is the perfect non dairy cream option for the coffee bar. Other creamers are sweet and dark and curdle in your cup. gross.
Thank you for your input. We made a switch to the current option because we are not able to find an organic option of Oatly. We had a span of time where we were not able to find an organic oat option at all, but luckily found one again. Organic is a pretty important thing for many of our customers. As of yet, you are the only one that I have heard negative feedback from for the creamer switch. I will check in with the folks at the stores this week and see if anyone else has received feedback or if anyone has their own feedback about it. -Nicholas OConnor, Prepared Foods & Cheese Category Manager
Homesteading Fair
Is another homesteading fair planned for this spring?
Thanks for your continued interest in the DIY Homesteading Fair at the Lakeview Library last year, it was quite a successful event! We don’t have plans for one this spring as we are putting on other community events. We hope to bring back the DIY Homesteading Fair in 2026. -Kristi Jo McCloskey, Branding & Promotion Specialist
Equal Exchange Olive Oil
Why did you stop carrying the Equal Exchange olive oil? It tastes better than others! Also, it’s Equal Exchange and is grown in Palestine.
The Equal Exchange olive oil has been out of stock from their supplier, so we have not been able to get it the past few months. The good news is that it should be coming back soon! I will remind the Grocery Managers to bring it back in. Thank you for letting us know what you are looking for in our stores! -Dean Kallas, Grocery Category Manager
