Hubbing with Food Hubs!

Hi! Rachel B here - I wanted to share an update about an exciting training opportunity I've had. I'm a member of the 2016 cohort at the University of Vermont's Food Hub Management Certificate Program.  This exciting program launched last year, and boasts an incredible roster of instructors who have been working on food hubs and local food supply chains since before they were cool.

(What's a Food Hub?)

As part of the program, I traveled to Vermont in early January for a week of intensive classroom time and field trips. Here I am (seventh from the left) with my classmates at Mad River Food Hub. The group was from all over the country and world - as far away as Hawaii and Finland - and brought a huge range of backgrounds and skills (even four-month-old Zadia, from Las Vegas... she was an expert napper!).  And I'm proud to say, the Michigan contingent was the strongest, with six of us attending!

Now that I'm back in Michigan, I'll continue the online portion of the course until May. I'll be learning about supply chain logistics, business planning management, financing and fundraising, food safety, risk management, and many other topics that I'll be able to immediately apply to the operations of KVCC's Food Innovation Center Food Hub - and, hopefully soon develop some similar courses at KVCC for our students, food industry professionals, and budding entrepreneurs! 

Are you interested in a career in the food system? Come talk to me - we are looking for lots of student input as we develop the degree offerings at the FIC, and I'd love to hear from you.

My email: rbair@kvcc.edu

My phone: 548-3305

My office: Food Innovation Center, room 104

Find your farmer at March 4 CSA Fair!

This is a guest post from Mariel Borgman, Community Food Systems Educator with MSU Extension. 

Mariel is based in the Food Innovation Center at the BHLC, and you can contact her at mborgm@anr.msu.edu.

The Bronson Healthy Living Campus is excited to announce that we are partnering with Michigan State University Extension to host a CSA Fair on Friday, March 4 from 6-8pm in the lobby of Anna Whitten Hall.

CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture” and provides an opportunity to invest in a local farm by purchasing a share of its products at the beginning of the season and receiving regular portions of fresh food as it is harvested. This transaction helps the farm by providing income to cover operating expenses at a time of the year when cash flow is lower. CSA members enjoy a varied menu of seasonal, fresh products, like what's in the box at left.

                   

CSAs come in different sizes, season lengths, styles, and options. Kalamazoo Area CSA Fair attendees will have the opportunity to meet local farmers face-to-face, learn about CSA programs, and find out if a CSA is right for them. Participating farms have delivery or pickup sites in Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Benton Harbor, Dowling, Galesburg, Lakeview, Marshall, Pennfield, Portage, Richland, and Texas Corners. A variety of CSA options are available for produce, meat, eggs and more.

The list of farms that will be attending in person includes:

• Agropraxis Farm at Tillers International
• Bonamego Farms
• DeLano Farms at the Kalamazoo Nature Center
• EarthSmith Food & Forest Products
• Green Gardens
• Lake Village Homestead
• Molter Family Orchards
• Scobeys Produce
• Soil Friends Farm
• Sprout

Information on CSAs from Koelbel Farm and The Organic Gypsy will also be available.

The CSA Fair is being held in conjunction with Art Hop and the KVCC Fretboard Festival at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. This is a free event and anyone is welcome to attend. An educator from Michigan State University Extension will be on hand with information on factors to consider when shopping for a CSA and ways to use and store your fresh Michigan produce.