I've enjoyed sampling and buying local cheese, baked goods and local fare at the QC Food Hub in downtown Davenport. Sometimes I could barely make my way through the booths and table displays because it was jammed with other shoppers like me. It's sad the organization will be closing its doors in December.

Apparently there is less of a need for the hub since we now have more grocery and health food stores in the Quad Cities that now carry local produce, meats and items you could previously could only find at the QC Food Hub. That's good news.

I'll personally miss our weekly trips there and the vibe. We had a ritual of buying our favorite things and stopping by the local brewery and sipping a pint before we headed home.

According to leaders at the QC Food Hub, any planned training and prior obligations will be honored by the end of the calendar year. The retail market will reduce its hours to weekends only, with its final closing in late October.

The QC Food Hub started in 2010 to support local food production, connect producers and consumers, cultivate education and training programs, preserve and expand sustainable agriculture, foster local economic development; and promote healthy lifestyles through use of local foods. I will miss it and applaud those who've made it a success for the past 7 years.

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