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  • From: KAKerby AT aol.com
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] commercial kitchen advice?
  • Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2012 09:22:09 -0500 (EST)

We just had one of the Cottage Industry regs passed here and I had high hopes for what we'd be able to do with it.  But after reading through the list of what's permitted and what's not, we've gone back to our planning and scheming for building our own commercial kitchen here (postage stamp sized of course).  There are just too many things we'd like to be able to do, which we couldn't do under the Cottage Industry permit.

I found myself wondering whether there might be grant funds for this type of project, either at the local, state or federal level.  That would in part depend on whether you planned to make this facility available to neighbors.  If yes, that might open up a huge variety of funding options (but then you'd have to get along really well with your neighbors).  If not, the chances aren't as good but it's worth exploring.

Not exactly a commercial kitchen per se, but Sugar Mountain Farm in VT has been building an on-farm butchering facility for their own use, after getting tired of driving down their mountain to get their hogs to the processor.  While that might not have much overlap with your specific products, their fundraising method is noteworthy.  They had a substantial amount of money they needed to raise, and they did so with online fundraising tools which I really have to admire.  Their customers essentially built that facility for them.  You may want to visit their blog and read more about how they funded that building; it's a substantial building with a substantial pricetag, and as far as I know it was entirely bootstrapped with funds from their own earnings, AND donations from their own customer base.  Now THAT is community supported agriculture.  Their website is http://sugarmtnfarm.com/.  The owner Walter may also have some advice on how to work with state regulators to get something like that approved; different state but probably a universally-applicable mindset.
 
One last suggestion - there are a variety of state-specific and regional agricultural advocacy groups who exist to help get projects like these going, and provide guidance, resources and perhaps some 'grease the wheels' assistance too.  In our area, one of the more active groups is called the Northwest Ag Business Center.  If we were to move forward with our project, they'd be the first people I called to guide our development and help chart the course.  I would imagine that there is either a state-specific or regional group like that up in your neck of the woods as well.  If you haven't already contacted them, that might be a good ally to have.
 
Keep us posted on how your project proceeds; I'll be watching and I'm sure a number of others will be too.
Kathryn Kerby, who is at least 24 months behind you on something like this
frogchorusfarm.com
Snohomish, WA
 
In a message dated 11/15/2012 1:53:43 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, boulderbelt AT embarqmail.com writes:
Talk to your county health department person, if you haven't already. They will tell you exactly what they expect and will work with you to get to the goal of a licensed kitchen. At least that is true in my county in Ohio. I have not set up such a kitchen but from working on a lot of commercial kitchens I know what is required

You must have a bathroom/toilet, a hand sink, floors and walls that can be washed (no carpet), SS tables and shelves, this seems to hold no matter what state. You might also need an exhaust hood and refrigeration as well. But like I said talk to the county health district folks

What Tom is talking about are Cottage Industry Regs which a lot of states now have and they cover a lot but by no means everything. I had the idea to offer meat raised by others out of my farm store but that meant getting the facility licensed and that would have set me back at least $15K.


--
Lucy Goodman
Boulder Belt Eco-Farm
Eaton, OH
http://www.boulderbeltfarm.com
https://www.facebook.com/boulderbeltfarm
https://www.facebook.com/ifyoudontknowyourfarmeryouarenotinacsa



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