The Latest News from Wheatsville

Local Vendor Focus: SRSLY Chocolate

SRSLY Chocolate (pronounced seriously) is our Vendor Focus for May. Bob and Robin Williamson are the owners of SRSLY Chocolate, a bean to bar chocolate company located in Taylor, TX! Bob and Robin were nice enough to answer some questions about their lovely chocolates!

How did you get started making chocolate?
Bob used to bake baguettes and pastries for the farmers markets in Tallahassee, FL. One day, he decided to make chocolate from scratch for a croissant recipe. After pulsing cacao nibs in a food processor and watching the transformation to chocolate, he was hooked. From that moment onward, we’ve focused on making really great handcrafted bean to bar chocolate.
With a commitment to produce the finest chocolate in a sustainable manner, we use organic & fair trade cacao and cane sugar to handcraft each bar. Our cacao comes from a cooperative in the Dominican Republic that reinvests back into the community, building roads, clinics and schools. Our cacao beans are sorted, roasted, cracked, winnowed and stone ground in granite mills to produce an elegant and assertive chocolate. Gentle, low and slow roasting develops great flavor while preserving delicate aromas. Stone ground chocolate has a rustic texture that reminds us of its origin. Each bar is hand wrapped with love We’re serious about what we do!

What is your favorite flavor?
Bob: Oaxacan Espresso. Cacao and chilies have been used together for millennia. This ancient combination is exciting and intriguing in our bar. Add a little locally roasted coffee from our friends at Third Coast Coffee and you’ve got a really fantastic chocolate bar that incorporates and highlights its rich Mesoamerican history with local ingredients.

Robin: 70%. Honestly each flavor has gone through a phase of being my favorite at one point or another. I’ll get stuck on one for about five months and then rediscover a new one and then get hooked on that! Right now I’m finding myself reaching for the 70% plain dark a lot more. It’s a perfect match to whatever mood I find myself in. It’s rich, dark slightly malty fruity flavor really hits the spot!
 
Is there an unusual way to use your chocolate bars?
I think there’s someone in Austin that does chocolate massage… whatever that is. So yeah, I’d think that qualifies as unusual. But really, chocolate is an amazingly versatile thing. You can eat it in so many forms from a simple, elegant chocolate bar to rich luscious hot chocolate to chocolate brownies. Chocolate is great with anything!
 
Are there any new flavors on the horizon?
Yes... too many really. In a perfect world, I’d release a new flavor every week, ad infinitum. But really, a new flavor every few months is the way to go.  Local is a big focus for us. It’s really hard to take cacao that’s grown two thousand miles away, preserve its sense of terroir and try to synthesize it with its production here in Texas.  Keep your eyes peeled for some really interesting stuff.
 
Why did you move from Florida to Texas?
Because everything is better in Texas! But really, Robin used to live here in Austin about six years ago. She loved it and when I came to visit, I fell in love instantly. No offense to our Floridian brethren. Austin’s got a great food scene and really great citizens who help foster a supportive environment. It called out to us like it has to so many new residents. We’re pumped to be a part of it!
 
Where do you see SRSLY in five years?
We see ourselves as a regional chocolate maker with deep Texas roots providing one of a kind handcrafted chocolate made with organic and ethically sourced cacao. 

Local Vendor Spotlight: Shirttail Creek Farm

PASTURE RAISED EGGS

Shirttail Creek Farm happy hens live out in the pastures, eating bugs and seeds and leafy green plants along with a custom milled supplemental feed, roosting in their mobile pasture coops at night, and enjoying fresh air and sunshine everyday! They plant forage crops for their hens (and cattle) and rotate them around their pastures regularly to ensure fresh forage and a clean environment for them, and an evenly fertilized pasture. We believe that by allowing our hens to live a natural life, with the freedom to do what chickens instinctively do they'll be happier and healthier than confinement raised or 'free range' hens, and that matters to us! The extra bonus? The BEST EGGS YOU'VE EVER HAD!

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WHAT ARE Y'ALL FEEDING THOSE BIRDS??

Good question! A large part of what their hens eat comes from the pastures. Bugs, worms, grasses, other plants (think turnips, clover, vetch, rye grass, oats), you name it! They NEVER spray the pastures with herbicides or pesticides and NEVER use antibiotics or hormones! To ensure that the birds always have the proper nutrition they also supplement them with custom milled feeds. Shirttail Creek has two flocks separated by feed type. One flock is on a regular CORN AND SOY based feed ration and the other flock is on a SOY FREE/CORN FREE/NON GMO ration. Both of our feed rations also include a mix of vitamins/minerals and probiotics to keep the birds feeling great! Both options are equal in quality and yolk color! If this is important to you be sure to look at our labels to make sure you're getting the variety that you want! 

ABOUT THE FARM

In the mid 1800s, Wilhelm and Mina Kramer emigrated to the US from what was then Prussia. They built a sturdy wood frame house, worked the land, and raised a family at a time when Texas was still very much a wild frontier.Today, Shirttail Creek Farm continues that tradition with the goal of bringing local and wholesome beef, chicken, and eggs to people in South Central Texas (and beyond!), while raising their own family in the very same house built by the Kramers so long ago.Shirttail Creek Farm remains completely intact after more than 150 years and sits on the rolling Blackland Prairie just outside Brenham, TX, about halfway between Austin and Houston.The farm is a vibrant and busy place! When they're not working the cattle or collecting eggs from the hens, you can typically find the family repairing fences or other infrastructure on the farm, stacking hay, or shredding the pastures. ​They endeavor to run the farm in the most simple, environmentally friendly manner possible. As such, they do not spray the pastures with chemical herbicides or pesticides. No hormones, preventative antibiotics, or steroids are used on the animals.

Local Vendor Spotlight: El Milagro

When it comes to making tacos and scooping queso, the tortilla makes all the difference. Founder Raul Lopez learned how to make tortillas in Mexico from his uncle who owned a tortilleria. After coming to the US in the 1940s working for Santa Fe railroad, he soon started his own business in Chicago selling tortillas to restaurants. El Milagro, “the miracle”, quickly became a growing family business.

Production began in Austin after El Lago, the former tortilleria factory on 6th St., decided to sell. The Lopez family loved their visits to Austin and decided it would be a good base for production. While the storefront moved from it’s 6th St. location a few blocks over to 7th St. in 2017 and production moved to San Marcos, Manuel Lopez says the Austin market is still their biggest.

For scooping chunky guacamole and smooth ribbons of queso El Milagro’s thick salted tortilla chips are by far the most popular choice. Just try and get those chips to cave under a pile of nachos – won’t happen. For migas and spicy salsa thin chips reign supreme.

Of course, as any good Texan know, the secret behind a great chip is an outstanding tortilla and El Milagro serves up a great one. Made with just high-quality nonGMO corn, water, and lime – sometimes simple is just better.

Local Vendor Spotlight: CLEAN Cause

What does an alcoholic and drug addict from Austin, Texas do after he hits rock bottom? He gets sober and starts a business selling sparkling Yerba Mate energy drinks and water, then donates 50% of profits to recovery from alcohol and drug addiction.

CLEAN Cause’s mission is to create a sustainable source of funding to help individuals recover from alcohol and drug addiction. 50% of their profits fund their giveback initiative coined “CLEAN Kickstarts.” They're 30-day sober living scholarships in high-accountability homes intended to give individuals fresh out of rehab the opportunity to focus on finding a job and establishing a recovery support system, this bridge between rehab and reintegration into everyday life is critical.

As with most startups, profitability is seldom realized in the early growth stages. In an effort to maintain the authenticity of our mission and giveback initiative, we have chosen to donate 5% OF GROSS REVENUES on a monthly basis until we reach profitability (or whichever is greater at that time).

Wes, CLEAN Cause founder’s story

I began drinking and smoking pot in my teens - sound familiar? Shortly after high school I started experimenting with hard drugs. Daily drinking was already the norm, but my drug use started gaining momentum. For the next decade I used almost anything put in front of me. Let’s be honest, most people experiment in their younger years – but the difference between myself and “most people” is that once I started, not only could I not stop, I didn’t want to stop.

Throughout my late 20’s and into my early 30’s, I somehow managed to build a successful cupcake business (yeah, cupcakes!), under the influence of drugs and alcohol almost everyday.

So what was the turning point? It was in the wee hours of the morning. I was in that office, lying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. My heart did something I had never felt before, an eery fluttering for some time. For the first time, I honestly thought addiction would take my life, that night or eventually.

The next day, I told my wife I didn’t think I was going to live much longer. She had taken the tough love position and had refused to watch me die around her…but that night, she asked me to come home “right now” if I wanted to get CLEAN. I’m not certain exactly why she did, but I feel as though she felt my desperation on a different level. And although the voice of my addiction screamed “no,” I knew it was time.

I’ve found purpose and joy in my work with CLEAN Cause.

M ore about Yerba Mate

Consumed for thousands of years in South America, it contains 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids and is packed with polyphenols. Quite possibly the “CLEANest” source of natural caffeine, this tea will make you feel legit without the…crap. Our beverages are formulated with the highest quality USDA Certified Organic ingredients. Only 30 calories per serving. Healthy and energizing refreshment never tasted so good. 160 mg of natural caffeine.

When it comes to an energizing ingredient without the jitters, nothing comes close to yerba mate.

Co-op Month Vendor Spotlight: Equal Exchange

What is your origin story? Who started the business and why?

Equal Exchange started with an idea: what if food could be traded in a way that is honest and fair, a way that empowers both farmers and consumers? Our founders – Rink Dickinson, Jonathan Rosenthal and Michael Rozyne – asked this question as they envisioned a trade model that values each part of the supply chain. So they took a big risk and plunged full-force into changing a broken food system. In 1986, they started with fairly traded coffee from Nicaragua and didn’t look back.

Three decades later (and with several product lines in the mix), we still face vast challenges. Consumers have been overloaded with labels and certifications, while the Fair Trade movement has been watered down in favor of corporate interests. The whole food industry has continued to consolidate into the hands of just a few big players, allowing concentrated power and deception of choice.

Tell us about Fair Trade.

Fair Trade is a voluntary program utilized by coffee importers and food companies to create an alternative market for traditionally disadvantaged producers in developing countries, usually small scale farmers. The components include:

• Targeted purchasing of coffee through democratically organized farmer co-operatives.
• Agreed upon commodity floor prices that provide for a dignified livelihood.
• Direct exports by producers.
• A promise by importers to make affordable credit available to the farmer cooperatives.
• A world-wide network of non-profit certifying organizations.
• A fee paid by importers and wholesalers to cover the cost of certification.
• A seal that assures consumers that the product was fairly traded.

Your purchase of fairly traded coffee helps build pride, independence and community empowerment for small farmers and their families. A coffee processing plant in El Salvador, community stores in Colombia, the training of doctors in Mexico, new schools in Peru – these are examples of initiatives co-ops have taken in their own communities with the income from Fair Trade.

Is your coffee certified organic?

All of Equal Exchange’s organic coffee is certified by Oregon Tilth. Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) is an internationally recognized symbol of organic integrity. The purpose of organic certification is to ensure that the agreed upon conventions of organic agricultural systems are being practiced not only by growers, but also by all the people who handle and process organic food on its journey to the final consumer. To accomplish this, OTCO provides a system which combines strict production standards, verifiable third party inspections and legally binding affidavits to protect the producers and buyers of organic products.

What steps does Equal Exchange take to ensure top quality coffee?

Our concern for the quality of farmers’ lives is matched by our concern for the quality of our coffee. Through our long-term relationships with the farmers and yearly visits to the co-ops, we maintain an intimate knowledge of the coffee harvest and the quality of the beans.

We have a rigorous system for quality control from bean to cup. Each pre-shipment sample is evaluated to meet our standards. When the approved shipment arrives, it is evaluated again for consistency and preparation. After each coffee is roasted, it is individually “cupped” to ensure consistency in the roast and the flavor profile needed for that particular coffee.

Other than coffee, what other products does Equal Exchange produce and what makes them unique?

Most teas come from large plantations where workers have little say. Our delicious organic, Fair Trade teas are sourced from small-scale farmer co-ops in India, Sri Lanka, and South Africa. We are helping to build a different system that values the voice of small farmers, their products, and democracy in trade.

Equal Exchange tea, bag, tag and string are compostable. Or if tea leaves are removed, the bag, string and tag can be recycled. No glue or staples are used in our tea bags.
Our Fair Trade chocolate bars are rich in flavor with a smooth, creamy texture that melts in your mouth. Our organic cacao and sugar are sourced directly from small-scale farmers co-ops in Latin America.

Anything else we should know?

At Equal Exchange we believe that we should expect no less from ourselves and each other than we demand of our farmer partners. For that reason we have organized ourselves as a democratic worker cooperative, now one of the largest in the country.

A worker cooperative is an alternative for-profit structure based upon standard democratic principles. It is not designed to maximize profits, nor returns to investors, but rather to bring to the workplace many of the rights and responsibilities that we hold as citizens in our communities.

Organic Month Vendor Spotlight: Organic Valley & Organic Prairie

What is your origin story? Who started the business and why?

It all started in 1988. We were a handful of Midwest family farmers fed up with the state of American agriculture. Family farms were going extinct. Our friends and neighbors were discarded by a bankrupt agricultural system, and we were told to “get big, or get out!” Industrial, chemical farming was the only existing option for survival; never mind its effects on our health, our animals, and our environment.

But we didn’t want to be industrial, chemical farmers, and we didn’t want to be at the mercy of corporate agriculture. We had to do something. So one farmer, George Siemon, put up posters calling us to band together, and we did. Family farmers filled the county courthouse (photo below) and we all agreed: there had to be a better way—a more sustainable way—to continue farming in a way that protects the land, animals, economy and people’s health. And that’s how our farmer-owned cooperative was born, with George as CEIEIO.

Before a year had passed, we started selling organic dairy, and people could tell the difference. Our local communities began choosing our premium, organic milk over other options, and we realized that we were certainly right about one thing—people wanted quality food.

Organic Prairie meats are produced by our independent cooperative of organic family farms. We are pioneers of the organic meat industry. We began producing our delicious meats—without the use of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, or pesticides—back in 1996. We insisted on third-party organic meat certification long before federal organic standards were established. We were the first in the industry to ban animal by-products from our cattle’s diet, and we played a vital role in shaping federal organic meat certification standards—the strictest in the industry.

What makes your products unique? Why should someone buy them?

When you spend your milk money on Organic Valley, we give you fresh food you can trust. It all comes from the family farms of our cooperative. With your support, we make real changes in the world one small step—and farm—at a time.

At Organic Valley, we like to keep things honest and simple. Like dairy produced with no added hormones, antibiotics or toxic pesticides. Produce grown the organic way, with none of the toxins or synthetic fertilizers. And cheese made by farmers and artisans who care about the environment, the animals and you—our customers.

Organic Prairie farmers are committed to providing your family with the healthiest, most wholesome meat, raised humanely in accordance with organic principles and practices—respecting the dignity and interdependence of human, animal, plant, soil and global life. We know that meat produced organically is the safest, best choice for our families, and we’re proud to make it available for yours to enjoy!

Why is organic better?

• Organic farmers use sustainable methods of pest-control. Non-organic farms use toxic pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals are really harmful to wildlife and human health, contaminating our food, air, and water, and accumulating in our cells. Organic farming practices, however, strictly forbids the use of these chemicals—making bees happier and food more nutritious.
• Research shows that organic foods are higher in antioxidants and other nutrients, like omega-3 and CLA essential fatty acids. And organic crops have been shown to contain significantly less concentrations of cadmium—a toxic metal on par with lead and mercury. Organic food really is better for you. And it tastes better too.
• Synthetic hormones and antibiotics are frequently given to non-organic farm animals to change their reproductive cycles and speed up their growth. We believe cows are healthiest and happiest when they’re allowed to live without being pumped full of chemicals—it helps them produce the highest quality milk we pride ourselves on.
• When non-organic farmers feed their animals antibiotics to keep them from getting sick, they kill many of the pathogens—but not all of them. The germs that survive go on to reproduce, leading to antibiotic-resistant infections that pose a real threat to animals and people alike. Instead of relying on antibiotics, our organic farmers use natural holistic measures to promote and maintain animal health—keeping everyone healthier in the process.
• Genetically engineered crops are a relatively recent invention with potentially harmful impacts on the ecosystem and on human and animal health. We still don’t know a lot about them and organic standards forbid the use of genetically engineered seeds or animals—including clones.

What else would you like us to know?

• We’re The Un-Corporation Our farmers own the company. Not the other way around. (That’s why they’re on the packaging!)
• We’re a cooperative of more than 2,000 small family farms. Organic Valley isn’t a giant corporation. We’re a cooperative of farmers across the country who share the same commitment to growing food the right way. We’re not driven by profits; we’re driven by principles. To make sure we stayed true to our mission, we made our company a cooperative. That means 2,000+ small family farmers own the company, not a bunch of Wall Street suits. And our board is made up entirely of our farmers. One farm, one vote.
• We used to be a bunch of idealists. And we still are today. We believe in the idea that, if consumers demand high-quality organic food, grown the right way, we could all change the way we treat our land, our animals and our bodies.
• We’re proudly independent. And we’ll never sell. We’re a bunch of farmers. So, of course we take the long view. We never take short cuts for short-term profits. We’ve always done things our way. And we always will.

SOCIAL NETWORK
FaceBook  Number of Followers: 551k
Twitter Number of Followers:  80k
Instagram  Number of Followers:   41k

Local Vendor Spotlight: Heyday! Cold Brew Coffee

What is your origin story? Who started the business and why?

Inspired by work in specialty coffee, and recognizing a need for great tasting natural energy, Kelly & Bart partnered with their good friends to create HEYDAY - smooth and strong cold brewed coffee. They started brewing in their kitchen and perfected delicious recipes that are refreshing, motivating, and best enjoyed anytime. Heyday officially launched in Spring 2017

What are your most popular products ?

Our flagship line of cold brews celebrates whatever good times means to you.  Every can of HEYDAY Cold-Brew Coffee (Original Black, Espresso, Salted Mocha or Vanilla)  is a permission slip to relax and squeeze the good times out of life.

What makes your products unique? Why should someone buy them?

Our goal is to bring a new lens to the coffee category in terms of vision, voice & taste. We want to answer the call from consumers that seek out better-for-you products from brands they trust. Our original line of low calorie cold brew bridges the gap for people looking for natural forms of energy and are unwilling to sacrifice flavor. HEYDAY is a dynamic brand that is all about celebrating the good times and inspiring people to make better drinking decisions through design, authenticity and joy.

Are your products fair trade, organic, co-op made, non-GMO?

Our coffee is Fair Trade Certified, Organic and non-GMO.  We do our best to source organic, non-GMO and fair trade (when applicable) ingredients for each recipe.

How many staff members do you have? What would they say is the best part about working at your company?

12 now.. we are growing! “It is much more than working for a coffee company, it is an inspirational brand, where we are encouraging people to live their best life and make every day their HEYDAY.” Taylor Denman, Area Sales Manager

What do you love about Wheatsville?

Wheatsville was our first account! Big shout out to Adrienne for giving us a shot.

Anything else we should know?

Brewing the best, most delicious coffee is more than a passion. It's why we get up every morning. Because if we can make your day better, then you've made ours.

CONNECT TO HEYDAY

WEBSITE: drinkheyday.com
FaceBook @drinkheyday
Twitter @drinkheyday
Instagram @drinkheyday

This Month’s Vendor Spotlight: Sjaak’s Organic Chocolate

Many thanks to Jessica Holten for answering our questions!

Who started Sjaak’s Organic Chocolates?

Jacques Holten and his daughter Jessica started Sjaak's Organic Chocolates in 2003, after discussing their passion for organic foods, they both felt like it was the right direction to go. They wanted to create a delicious chocolate that was also organic, thus being healthier for the consumer, farm workers and the earth.

How long has Sjaak’s been in business?

Jacques has been creating culinary confections since the age of 12, when he began trade school in his native country of Holland. We joke that he has been making chocolate forever, which is somewhat true. He has been in the confectionery and culinary industry most of his life; either working for himself in various businesses or for chocolate houses throughout Europe.

What is the meaning of your windmill and tulip logo?

The Sjaak’s logo is rooted deep in family history. Jacques, the owner and creator of Sjaak’s Organic Chocolates, was born in the Netherlands and grew up next door to the family grain mill. The original wind mill that is represented in the   Sjaak’s logo was named Antonius Mollen, a family name to this day. This mill was destroyed in World War II, but it was   replaced by a mechanical mill. The tulip in the forefront is iconic of Holland, the largest producers of tulips in the world.

What makes Sjaak’s Organic Chocolates different from other chocolates on the market?

Most importantly, what sets Sjaak's Organic Chocolates aside is taste.  We pride ourselves on creating incredibly delicious chocolates. Sjaak's is also completely organic, vegan, kosher and is a small family owned and operated business.

Does Sjaak’s use Fair Trade and non-GMO ingredients?

All of Sjaak's ingredients are organic, therefore non-GMO. We use Fair trade cocoa and sugar. Sjaak's Organic Chocolates aims to create the highest quality gourmet organic chocolates possible while simultaneously supporting a positive work environment, fair trade practices and encouraging sustainable agriculture through the use of organic, non-GMO ingredients. It is also the goal of Sjaak's Organic Chocolates to build a socially responsible, profitable business that can be carried on for generations to come.

Are your chocolates vegan and Kosher?

All of Sjaak’s Organic Chocolates are vegan products, including chocolate bars, gift boxes and Holiday treats. This means they contain no animal ingredients, such as milk, butter, eggs, and gelatin. We have created a vegan 'Melk' chocolate that that is completely dairy free and is delicious! Even the sugar that we use is non bone char.  Our products are certified Kosher by Earth Kosher.