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  • From: "Brigette Leach" <afhg AT ctsmail.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] supplying restaurants
  • Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2011 12:36:49 -0400

Thanks for responding.

Your enterprise sounds interesting. Here in Michigan, one would never consider starting such a business without going through the zoning, permitting, inspection process. Even if it were to be considered agritourism. We would need to work with the local authorities on well and septic, and the building housing the food service, as well as food preparation practices. Not only are there food related issues, but building codes must be met. Our department of agriculture governs value added agriculture products, but a sit down restaurant would most likely fall under the county health department authority.

What does your liability insurance carrier think about your undertaking?

Brigette
SW Michigan

----- Original Message ----- From: "John Ehrlich" <johnkaty AT shaw.ca>
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 09, 2011 11:55 AM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] supplying restaurants


Kanada

Vancouver Island, the left coast

On 2011-04-09, at 8:35 AM, Brigette Leach wrote:

Where are you located?
Brigette
SW Michigan

----- Original Message ----- From: "John Ehrlich" <johnkaty AT shaw.ca>
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 09, 2011 11:16 AM
Subject: [Market-farming] supplying restaurants


We opened a cafe on our farm and we just went through our first winter
operating. Our menu is sparse, one salad, three soups, and indiv pizzas.

The salad in February was chickweed, (only because my ghouse was not
completed until September, and I was too late on the winter greeens
planting). (People loved it btw). Now the salad is Kale, a mild Dutch
variety, sauteed with hot sesame oil and roasted sunflower and raisins.
People love this too. Yesterday, we sold 12 salads at 5/each. It was about
2# of kale for $60. And it took me 30 minutes to harvest and prepare.

People are starving for this kind of authenticity, because there is so
much inauthenticity now in the world.
Mothers come with their children and they see a real farm.

But we have not had to buy any veggies. The cafe is well received by the
community and we are doing really well. We dont even have a cash register
yet, and everyone has to pay cash and cash is king. I make way more per
day than going to a farmers market. We are only open for lunch and now
after one year, we are usually operating at max capacity.

Except yesterday, the build inspector came and said we did not have zoning
to operate a cafe and is trying to shut us down. (largely bec he got a
complaint either from a competitor or from a redneck neighbour) There is a
funny stipulation here that farms can operate farm gate sales or
agritourism enterprises, so we are in a grey area. But this is only part
one in our battle.


Best, John
alderleafarm.com


On 2011-04-09, at 4:25 AM, Mike Rock wrote:

Within a few minutes of my posting I got a suggestion to contact these
folks. http://www.greenandgreenfarms.com/about-us.htm

It looks like there is just such a service as my quote requester needs,
at least for part of the season. And they are less than thirty miles
from me.

Mike

Mike Rock wrote:
Hi all,
I just received this shopping list from a Polish restaurant in Chicago.
How does one supply this with organic or 'responsibly' grown produce.
Obviously I cannot meet her needs for much of this from here in the
north (SW Wisconsin). A case of leeks per week? Yikes.... And this is
only ONE restaurant that needs supplies. This is a real eye opener to
me. The reality of large scale warehousing, California supply chains,
shipping and logistics all come into rather terrifying focus.

Here is her list:

"Leeks case each week from May through October, then one case every
other
week
Carrot 40 pounds a week, may through October then every other week
Zuchinni 20 pounds a week, may through October
Potatoes 40 pounds a week
Onions 20 pounds a week
Spinach, case per week, more during May through October
Mixed greens a case a week

Also I go through a lot of rhubarb, blueberries, cranberries, and apples
all
year round, I take the cranberries and blueberries and freeze them.

Hope that helps"

This is way beyond farmers market type stuff, and is the day to day
reality of vegetable supply.

I hope this becomes an interesting topic for discussion.

Most respectfully,
Mike Rock

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