Mission:
Our mission is to support and partner with our local farms to bring you the best of local! With our Fresh Picks Farmer Alliance, we are connecting you to the land, the farmers and the freshest organic and sustainable foods in the Midwest.
What we do:
We make healthy food deliveries to homes and businesses all year-round. You get to choose from the best organic produce, grass-fed meats, farm fresh eggs & dairy, baked goods, seasonal boxes and other tasty grocery items.
Your Health Partner:
We have lots of fun, easy and delicious recipes for you! We also partner with wellness professionals to provide nutrition tips so you can eat and stay healthy.
A Community Partner:
We partner with community groups, food pantries and schools to promote access to healthy food and green living. Our support of over 100 urban and rural Midwest farms has led to expanded food production, employment and income.
Who We Are:
We are Irv Cernauskas and Shelly Herman. We have raised our kids Miles and Lia here in the Midwest, cooking and eating the bounty of our hard working farmer friends. We are passionate about good food and good health, both for our own family and all communities.
When we met at MIT pursuing our MBAs, we envisioned using our new business skills for social good—healthier people, healthier communities, a healthier planet. Shelly went off to work in community economic development for 20 years investing in underserved areas. Irv became involved in nonprofit environmental activities and creating markets for local farmers.
Why We Started Fresh Picks:
Our farmer friends work hard to grow good food; food with no chemicals, no hormones, no antibiotics, no GMOs. They wanted to spend more time farming and less time marketing, packing and trucking their food. We also realized that people needed an easier way to get this fresh healthy food in a convenient year-round way. So we started Irv & Shelly's Fresh Picks(R) to grow a better food system, one that supports our small independent farmers and feeds all of us.
Our mission is to make it easy to get great local food by rebuilding the connection between urban areas like Chicago & Milwaukee and surrounding farms. From growing the supply of organic food from small farms to our efficient packing and delivery operation, we are committed to bringing you the freshest food in the most sustainable way.
Fresh Healthy Food—It Tastes Great!
Food grown locally is picked at its peak of flavor because it can get to you quickly, unlike food that is shipped long distances and picked early for long shelf life. Not only is local food fresher and great tasting but its ripeness means it is packed with more vitamins and minerals for your good health. Being in tune with the land by eating local seasonal fare provides needed diversity in our diet and comfort from warming and cooling foods that match the seasons.
Know Your Farmer
Here at Fresh Picks, we buy from over 100 farmers we personally know and trust. We extend this real and personal connection to you and the broader Fresh Picks Community when we deliver the great food our farmers have worked hard to grow in the most humane and environmentally sound way. You’ll feel good knowing exactly where your food came from, how it was raised and that you are supporting small independent farmers rather than large corporate industrial farming operations.
Support A Better Environment
Most food in this country is grown on large corporate factory farms that use pesticides, antibiotics and hormones that pollute the soil, water supply, air and wildlife all around them. The food then travels an average of 1500 miles to a retail location where it is sold, creating significant greenhouse gas emissions along the way. Local sustainable farms preserve our environment.
At Fresh Picks we will provide the greatest choice and abundance of local food as part of our goal for a better environment. By delivering our products to your door, we hope to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from grocery shopping car traffic, saving 50-100 car trips a day for each van of deliveries. We will consolidate truck trips of food getting to our warehouse from multiple farmers and use minimal packing and reusable bins when filling your orders of fresh food.
Grow the Local Economy
When we buy local food, we are participating in fair trade and supporting the livelihoods of farm families and their local workers. They then support other local businesses creating a multiplier effect for rebuilding the local rural economy. Our small Midwest business has grown with our farmers as we have helped them increase their supply of fresh healthy food for all of us.
Come join our local food community!
- Angelic Organics John Peterson Caledonia, IL
VegetablesCertified Organic
- Big Head Farm Karen & Jody Warner Benton Harbor, MI
VegetablesFruitCertified Organic
- Blue Moon Farm Jon Cherniss Urbana, IL
VegetablesCertified Organic
- Bob's Fresh & Local Bob Vierow St. Charles, IL
VegetablesOrganic Grown
- Breslin Farms John & Molly Breslin Ottawa, IL
GrainsBeansCertified Organic
- Carr Valley Cheese Sid Cook La Valle, WI
Cheese
- Castle Rock Organic Dairy Wayne & Carla Kostka Osseo, WI
MilkCheeseCertified Organic & Grass Fed
- Coldbrook Farm John Pilcher Crete, IL
Freshly Prepared Meals using Local, Sustainable Ingredients
- Co-op Sauce Mike Bancroft Chicago, IL
Hot Sauce
- Country View Dairy Dave & Carolee Rapson Hawkeye, IA
Yougurt
- Daniel Yoder's Sugar Shack Daniel Yoder Westby, WI
Maple SyrupCertified Organic
- Delightful Pastries Dobra Bielinski and Stasia Hawryszczuk Chicago, IL
PastriesBaked Goods
- Dotson's Farm Josh Dotson Lynwood, IL
Vegetables
- Driftless Breeze Levi Miller Monroe, WI
VegetablesCertified Organic
- Driftless Organics Josh and Noah Engel Soldiers Grove, WI
VegetablesSunflower OilCertified Organic
- Food For Thought Timothy Young Honor, Michigan
PreservesButtersDried FruitCertified Organic
- Frontera Rick Bayless Chicago, IL
Prepared Foods
- Full Harvest Farm Chuck Frase and Terry Vlossak Hartford, WI
VegetablesCertified Organic
- Genesis Growers Vicki Westerhoff St Anne, IL
VegetablesHerbsCertified Organic
- Genesis Breeze Eugene Woller Mt. Horeb, WI
Honey
- Goldmine Farms Jack Erisman Pana, Illinois
Beef100% Grass Fed, Organically Grown
- Growing Home Harry Rhodes Chicago, IL
VegetablesHerbsCertified Organic
- Growing Power Will and Erika Allen Milwaukee, WI and Chicago, IL
VegetablesOrganically Grown
- Green Acres Farm Brent and Beth Eccles North Judson, IN
VegetablesFruitsHerbsOrganically Grown
- Gunthorp Farms Greg and Lei Gunthorp La Grange, Indiana
Free-Range ChickenDuck & Pork
- Harmony Valley Farms Richard de Wilde & Andrea Yoder Viroqua, Wisconsin
VegetablesBerriesCertified Organic
- Hedgerow Farm Andy Kaufmann Sullivan, IL
EggsPastured Raised, GMO Free
- Hill & Valley Produce Brian Wickert Hillsboro, WI
VegetablesFruitOrganically Grown
- Hillside Orchards Paul & Sarah Thelen Berrien Springs, MI
FruitIntegrated Pest Management
- Hungry Monkey Baking Company Cindy Kienzle Lake Forest, IL
Baked Goods
- Hungry Monkey Baking Company Cindy Kienzle Lake Forest, IL
Baked Goods
Our mission is to make it easy to get great local food by rebuilding the connection between urban areas like Chicago & Milwaukee and surrounding farms. We are working with the wonderful farmers and local food makers listed here and many more to increase the supply of fresh local organic food. You can read more about them and how they farm the land to yield delicious harvests while protecting our health and the environment.
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- Angelic Organics
John Peterson
Caledonia, IL
Vegetables
Certified Organic
- Big Head Farm
Karen & Jody Warner
Benton Harbor, MI
Vegetables & Fruit
Certified Organic - Blue Moon Farm
Jon Cherniss
Urbana, IL
Vegetables
Certified Organic
- Bob's Fresh & Local
Bob Vierow
St. Charles, IL
Vegetables
Organically Grown
- Breslin Farms
John & Molly Breslin
Ottawa, IL
Grains & Beans
Certified Organic
- Carr Valley Cheese
Sid Cook
La Valle, WI
Cheeses
- Castle Rock Organic Dairy
Wayne & Carla Kostka
Osseo, WI
Milk & Cheese
Certified Organc & Grass-Fed
- Coldbrook Farm
John Pilcher
Crete, IL
Aronia Berries
Organically Grown
- Cooked Chicago
Jona Silva
Chicago, IL
Freshly Prepared Meals using Local, Sustainable Ingredients
- Co-op Sauce
Mike Bancroft
Chicago, IL
Hot Sauce
- Country View Dairy
Dave & Carolee Rapson
Hawkeye, IA
Yogurt
- Daniel Yoder's Sugar Shack
Daniel Yoder
Westby, WI
Maple Syrup
Certified Organic
- Delightful Pastries
Dobra Bielinski and Stasia Hawryszczuk
Chicago, IL
Pastries and Baked Goods
- Dotson's Farm
Josh Dotson
Lynwood, IL
Vegetables
- Driftless Breeze
Levi Miller
Monroe, WI
Vegetables
Certified Organic
- Driftless Organics
Josh and Noah Engel
Soldiers Grove, WI
Vegetables & Sunflower Oil
Certified Organic
- Flint Ridge Organic Produce
- Food For Thought
Timothy Young
Honor, Michigan
Preserves, Butters, Dried Fruit
Certified Organic
- Frontera
Rick Bayless
Chicago, IL
Prepared Foods
- Full Harvest Farm
Chuck Frase and Terry Vlossak
Hartford, WI
Vegetables
Certified Organic
- Genesis Growers
Vicki Westerhoff
St Anne, IL
Vegetables, Herbs
Certified Organic
- Gentle Breeze
Eugene Woller
Mt. Horeb, WI
Honey
- Goldmine Farms
Jack Erisman
Pana, Illinois
Beef
100% Grass Fed, Organically Grown
- Green Earth Institute
- Growing Home
Harry Rhodes
Chicago, IL
Vegetables, Herbs
Certified Organic
- Growing Power
Will and Erika Allen
Milwaukee, WI and Chicago, IL
Vegetables
Organically Grown
- Green Acres Farm
Brent and Beth Eccles
North Judson, IN
Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs
Organically Grown
- Gunthorp Farms
Greg and Lei Gunthorp
La Grange, Indiana
Free-Range Chicken, Duck & Pork
- Harmony Valley Farm
Richard de Wilde & Andrea Yoder
Viroqua, Wisconsin
Vegetables & Berries
Certified Organic
- Hedgerow Farm
Andy Kaufmann
Sullivan, IL
Eggs
Pastured Raised, GMO Free
- Henry's Farm
- Hill & Valley Produce
Brian Wickert
Hillsboro, WI
Vegetables & Fruit
Organically Grown
- Hillside Orchards
Paul & Sarah Thelen
Berrien Springs, MI
Fruit
Integrated Pest Management
- Hungry Monkey Baking Company
Cindy Kienzle
Lake Forest, IL
Baked Goods
- Igl Farms
- Illini Pasterized/Grassfed Poultry
- Intelligentsia Coffee
Doug Zell and Emily Mange
Chicago, IL
Coffee
- Jake's Country Meats
Nate and Lou Ann Robinson
Cassopolis, MI
Fish
- John Hochstetler
- Windy Prairie
Keith & Anne Clute
Fowler, IN
Vegetables
Certified Organic
- Katherine Ann Confections
- Karma Kombucha
Susan Fink
Vernon Hills, IL
Kombucha
Certified Organic
- Keewaydin Farms
- Kilgus Farmstead
Paul and Carmen Kilgus
Fairbury, IL
Dairy
- Kinnikinnick Farm
- Lamer's Dairy
Appleton, WI
Dairy
rGBH Free
- Larry Schultz Organic Farm
Certified Organic
- Lilybel Microgreens
Beth Spatz
Lake Bluff, IL
Microgreens
Certified Organic
- Living Water Farms
The Kilgus & Schneider Families
Strawn, IL
Specialty Greens & Micro Greens
Organically Grown
- Local Folks Food
Steve and Anita Spencer
Sheridan, IN
Prepared Foods
Organically Grown
- Lonesome Stone Milling
Dave Dolan, Dennis Dochnahl, and Tom MartinLone Rock, WIFlour, Corn Meal, other GrainsCertified Organic
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Manna Organics
Lisle, IL
Breads, Dried Fruit & Nut Butters
Certified Organic
- Metropolis Coffee Company
Jeff and Tony Dreyfuss
Chicago, IL
Coffee
Organic
- Mick Klug Farms
Mick Klug
St. Joseph, MI
Fruit & Vegetables
Integrated Pest Management
- MightyVine
Rochelle, IL
Tomatoes
Integrated Pest Management
- Morris Mast
- Nichols Farm & Orchard
- Nordic Creamery
- Old Plank Farm
- Organic Matters
Orion, Akeisha, & Jaden Lane
Fairfield, IA
Vegan Popcorn
Certified Organic
- Organic Valley
- Oriana's Oriental Orchard
Oriana Kruszewski
Winslow, IL
Fruit
Certified Organic
- Otter Creek Organic Farm
Gary Zimmer
Black Earth, WI
Cheeses
Certified Organic
- Phoenix Bean
Jenny Yang
Chicago, IL
Tofu
GMO Free
- Plainview Turkey Farm
Cashton, WI
Turkeys
Certified Organic
- Pleasant House Bakery
- Pleasant View Turkey Farm
- Plow Creek Farm
- Prairie Fruits Farm
Leslie Cooperband & Wes Jerrel
Champaign, IL
Goat Cheese
Organically Grown
- PrairiEarth Farm
Hans Bishop
Vegetables & Herbs
Certified Organic
- Pristine View Farm
- Quiver Creek Farm
- Red Hen Bread
- River Valley Ranch
Eric Rose
Burlington, WI
Mushrooms & Prepared Foods
Certified Organic (Mushrooms)
- Sandhill Cranberry
- Sandhill Organics
- Smits Farm
Carl Smits
Chicago Heights, IL
Vegetables & Herbs
Organically Grown
- Springdale Farm
Peter & Bernadette Seely
Plymouth, WI
Vegetables
Certified Organic
- Stateline Produce
Harvey
Lime Springs, IA
Vegetables
Certified Organic
- Stover Farm
- Stoltzfus Farm
- Sunny Side Produce
- Tempel Farms Organics
Chris Cubberly
Old Mill Creek, IL
Vegetables & Eggs
Organically Grown
- The Eating Well
Daniel Sikorski
Hillside, IL
Veggie Patties
- TJs Pastured Free Range Poultry
Tim & Julie Ifft
Piper City, IL
Poultry
Free Range
- Traders Point Creamery
Fritz & Jane Kunz
Zionsville, IN
Dairy
Certified Organic & Grass Fed
- Triple "S" Farms
Stan Schutte
Stewardson, IL
Meat, Poultry, Vegetables & Eggs
Certified Organic & Organically Grown
- The Urban Canopy
Alex Poltorack
Chicago, IL
Vegetables & Herbs
Organically grown
- Vosges Chocolates
Katrina Markoff
Chicago, IL
Chocolatier
Certified Organic
- West Loop Salumi
Greg Laketek
Chicago, IL
Salumi
- Windy City Harvest
Chicago, IL
Vegetables
Certified Organic