Hi everyone. Hoping to see you Thursday the 18th at the next meeting. Many exciting developements to discuss. 6:00-8:00 at Sporeprint office on 5th Ave (between 4th and Summit)
We may have a website/blog to use.
Hope to show support for 4 Seasons Harvest festival on Mound St in Oct. We will also be discussing a Greenhouse project for the inner city. Meeting will be brief and followed by local food potluck.
For future topics please research and think about the following.
How effective are farm organizations for the local food movement?
What’s the need for local processing facilities for small and midrange farms in Columbus?
What do you know about doing a cottage industry?
Please call for more info. Karen 614 825-4736
Here are two areas of need for small scale local food processing in Central Ohio.
1. A shared-use commercial kitchen that small food based businesses could use to produce value-added foods from local farm ingredients. The kitchen could serve as a food business incubator to foster the development of new small businesses that process food locally for nearby farms. The kitchen organization could maintain canning licenses and regulatory permits and offer classes in food processing, product development, marketing assistance. Something like what ACEnet (Appalachian Center for Economic Networks) provides in the SE Ohio region. The shared use kitchen would also be a resource for local non-profits to process and preserve local food from summer surplus for distribution later in the year.
2. Custom small scale poultry processor. Currently there is only one poultry processor that is ODA inspected where small poultry farmers can take their small flocks for processing. King and Son’s is located in western Ohio in Bradford. While they provide good service, there is a need for closer local poultry processor to serve the east-central Ohio region. Perhaps between Columbus and Newark. This is a business start up that would require capital investment.
Cottage Foods are home produced products that have special status with the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Cottage foods do not require a commercial kitchen. Cottage Foods are baked goods, jams and jellies and a few more. Pet food and treats can also be produced at home. We at Frijolito Farm (http://www.frijolitofarm.com) are familiar with some cottage food industries and would be happy to write a detailed post on the topic.
Another quick note about farm organizations of note. PASA the organic association of Pennsylvania has one heck of a conference. You can google their program of wonderful lectures. Also NOFA the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York which is happening this weekend (jan 23-25th) have one super lineup of presentations and lectures. Check out their websites!