Meet CCI member Marilyn
Andersen
 Marilyn
Andersen lives just outside of Story City with her husband Harold.
They have three grown children. Marilyn keeps busy with her business
– Two Cedars Weaving – where she raises her own small
herd of goats, hand spins and dyes their wool, weaves assorted creations
(fibers, woven and knitted goods) and sells her handmade goods at
local markets and festivals around central Iowa.
When she’s
not weaving, Marilyn enjoys spending time in her garden growing
a variety of organic vegetables and some flowers. In the mid-90s,
Marilyn combined her passion for sustainable agriculture and connecting
people back to the land by helping start a CSA – which stands
for Community Supported Agriculture. Originally known as the Magic
Beanstalk, Marilyn’s CSA has re-developed over the years to
become Farm to Folk. “I really wanted to create a sense of
community and build relationships among farmers and consumers. I
hoped to create a network of mutual support where the farmer cares
for the consumer and the consumer cares about the issues the farmers
deal with.”
Why did
you get involved with CCI?
Back in 1998, a hog factory was being built in our backyard. We
heard about CCI when they started holding meetings and organizing
members in our area. We got involved and decided to join.
We have stayed involved for so long because
we really feel a part of a family. CCI makes members feel important
and part of the organization.
Why do
you think it’s good that CCI has a diverse membership base?
You can learn a lot from people who have different backgrounds and
see how their issues impact not only them, but you as well. Water
pollution, for example, impacts people in cities too because they
drink water. With CCI, you see the commonalities we all have and
CCI grows by working on issues that affect many people in different
ways.
What do you think is the key to
the success of CCI?
Over the years, CCI has really become a respected voice in Iowa.
We’re a lot more sophisticated in getting our message out
and even more respected now than when I first joined.
At CCI, we are willing to grow. And,
I am excited to see what we will learn from our new strategic planning
process. It will be interesting to have someone on the outside looking
at CCI and helping us make strategic decisions for the future.
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