Food Storage/Processing Opportunities for Small-Scale Farmers

A forum about new marketing opportunities for small-scale farmers in St. Lawrence County

Thursday, April 3, 2008
10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
SUNY Potsdam - Thatcher Hall

On April 3, GardenShare will host a forum to present its proposal to build a refrigerator/freezer storage facility where area farmers can store produce and meats for sale throughout the year.

Last year GardenShare won a Sustainable Community Grant from the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program of the USDA to explore whether a food-processing facility of some sort could widen market opportunities for small-scale farmers in St. Lawrence County, New York. Since then we have used surveys and focus groups to ask the advice of more than a hundred key people in local agriculture and food retailing. We have also taken field trips to visit food-processing operations elsewhere.

Our research suggests that a refrigerator-freezer storage facility could help farmers expand their sales beyond the growing season.

On April 3, GardenShare will host a public forum at SUNY Potsdam to present these findings. Interested farmers and food buyers can ask questions and learn how such a facility could benefit them. The event will also include presentations for people interested in producing and marketing their own food products.

The forum is free, but reservations are required because space is limited. To reserve a place, email info@gardenshare.org or call (315) 347-3778. The deadline for registration is March 28.

Who Should Attend:

• Market growers who want to increase sales beyond the growing season
• Meat producers who need extra freezer space for their meat products
• Food retailers ready to source more locally grown food
• Food entrepreneurs with an idea for a new specialty food product
• Community leaders pursuing economic development in St. Lawrence County

You are invited to register for either or both sessions:

10:00-12:00 Morning Session: Benefiting from a Cold-Storage Facility
The morning session will be devoted to a presentation and discussion of GardenShareís proposal to build a refrigerator/freezer storage facility where area farmers can store produce and meats for sale throughout the year. This cold-storage operation can later expand into food processing (such as blast freezing or shredding). Learn how such a facility can benefit you. Ask questions and make suggestions.

Noon Complimentary Lunch
For people attending either session, a complimentary lunch featuring locally grown food will be provided by PACES Dining Services.

1:00-3:30 Afternoon Session: Developing Your Own Food Products
The afternoon session will be devoted to a workshop about developing your own food products. Dave Evans of Nelson Farms, Morrisville, will present the services his organization offers to help you transform your family heirloom spaghetti sauce (for example) into a specialty product for retail sale. The Nelson Farms staff can guide you every step of the way: initial concept; converting recipes for mass production; bottling and labeling; and finding markets. In addition, Olga Padilla-Zakour, director of the Northeast Center for Food Entrepreneurship, will discuss the technical assistance her center provides to beginning and established food entrepreneurs. She will also answer your questions about equipment, product development, regulations, and more.

This event is made possible by the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which offers Sustainable Community Grants to reconnect rural revitalization and farming. More information at www.uvm.edu/~nesare/.