Summer is officially here and, to me, 4th of July celebrations seem like the perfect place to indulge in a bit of frozen fun.

This comment came in to John Mackey's CEO blog this week and I thought it was worth sharing here -- cool story about Mr. Moore's coffee company and what they are doing (story starts in the 3rd paragraph).

Dear Mr. Mackey -

I just visited Ron Cottle, one of the better conventional and "emerging organic" growers (and long-time vendor/partner with Whole Foods Market) in Eastern North Carolina and took a bunch of pictures to share. He is just about wrapped-up with organic and conventional blueberries and is just now starting his blackberry harvest (they're awesome!), and in about 8 to 10 days will be full-speed ahead with his organic grape tomatoes.

For about a year, we've been giving small, local producers low-interest loans to help them grow their businesses. You can learn more about Whole Foods Market's Local Producer Loan Program.

Hear from our local foragers on how to find locally grown and produced foods. We'll also share some recipe ideas for those delicious local peaches available this time of year.

Learn about the benefits of locally grown foods, find out what’s fresh in our stores and get some quick and simple recipe ideas.

Learn about the benefits of locally grown foods, find out what’s fresh in our stores and get some quick and simple recipe ideas.