Moonflower Community Co-op would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all who participated in our extra special 10 year anniversary celebration this year! Moonflower has been a pillar of Moab since its inception as Lifestream Natural Foods, started by Conrad Sorensen in the 1970s. Over the years it’s changed management and buildings several times, but this year we celebrated the hard work that went into reinstating Moonflower as a member-owned cooperative ten years ago. Thanks to the dedicated individuals who saw this work through, for the past decade we’ve been fortunate to have a natural foods store owned by community members, support local farmers and the local economy, and to carry out our mission of providing socially responsible foods, goods, and education to promote a healthy, sustainable community.

Enjoy this recap and some photos of our anniversary celebration on August 13th, 2023 (click on the photos to enlarge)!

Co-op owners were able to take advantage of our anniversary sale, receiving 15% off across the store; all other customers received 5% off.

From 8am – 4pm, several local vendors tabled outside the store in our “parklet,” offering samples, information, and raffles. Patrons and owners were able to meet and greet with representatives from:

Customers were also treated to samples around the store provided by some of our wonderful local and regional vendors:

  • Super Salve Co. (personal care products from Mogollon, NM)
  • Beehive Cheese (artisanal cheese from Uintah, UT)
  • Belle Tige (organic skincare products from Moab)
  • Bar-U-Eat (granola bars and bites from Steamboat Springs, CO)
  • Free coffee from Fresh Moab Coffee (small batch roasted across the street from us)

Following the parklet hangout, we held our annual owner meeting in the Stage Room at the MARC, where the Board of Directors and general manager gave their updates from the last year. The Board also thanked Jess Dye for serving on the Board for the past three years and announced the results of the new Board Director election, welcoming one new member, Claire Core, and one incumbent, Brook Indries.

To conclude the celebration, we served a massive feast and drinks, provided by extremely generous members of our community:

  • Two beautiful flower arrangements were locally grown and gathered by Jess Oldham of Farm Yard
  • Josie Kovash (Moonflower Board of Directors) – Tofu ceviche
  • Brook Indries & Alison Anders (Moonflower Board of Directors) – Fruit salad and quinoa salad
  • Maggie Keating (Moonflower Community Outreach & Marketing Coordinator) – Spanish chickpea & spinach tapa
  • Grizel Williams & Jacob Lester (Moonflower’s Datura Deli) – Empanadas (chicken/mushroom)
  • Sarah Bowen (Youth Garden Project) – Seasonal veggie pasta salad
  • Mike DiBenardo – Taco bar (chicken/carne asada/portabella)
  • Adam (Red Rocks Chef) – Asian cucumber salad
  • Des Miller (Adobe Garden Apothecary) – Dairy and vegan ice cream (garden mint chocolate, lavender vanilla butterfly pea, Palisade peach/local raspberry/garden herb) and cookies (lavender earl grey + chocolate, edible flower shortbread)
  • Rachel Pollock (Baked by Rachel) – Confetti cake & cupcakes, vegan/gf carrot cupcakes
  • Tommy Mayer (Castle Valley Farms) – Carrot dogs & condiments, cooked by Misha Gomberg
  • Chris’s Cookies – Chocolate dipped almond horn cookies

Drinks were mixed by our friends from 98 Center, Shelby and Meg! They provided lavender gin & tonics, local watermelon margaritas, vodka cranberries, ranch waters, and whatever else they creatively put together. Moab Brewery generously donated a case of each of their beers!

Live music was provided by Moab staple Slim Pickins and one of Moab’s newest bands, Ancient States.

We’d like to thank all those who contributed and came together with us to celebrate 10 years as Utah’s first natural foods cooperative. Here’s to the next ten!