In this region of northern New York, access to local food is often limited by remoteness, transportation costs, a short growing season and other challenges. A new food hub will help bridge that gap between local farms and consumers. The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) has been awarded a grant to build a processing and retail facility that will expand local food access.
Led by Cherie and Dan Whitten of Whitten Family Farm in Winthrop and the ADK Food Hub in Tupper Lake, the project will create a NY 20-C–licensed retail store and processing kitchen in Winthrop, called the Real Food Hub. The $520,640 project is supported by a $468,576 grant from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Food Access Expansion Program, with construction slated to begin this spring.
“We are thrilled to be establishing this new food hub with the Whittens, who are an indispensable force in our local food system,” said Jon Ignatowski, ANCA’s Manager of Food Systems Business. “The Real Food Hub is going to catalyze the local food economy in the northwest corner of our region, resulting in more market opportunities for small farms and increased food access for residents in four counties.”
Located close to dozens of small farms and businesses, the new facility will reduce transportation costs and allow producers to process and store large quantities of vegetables that can be sold throughout the year. The Real Food Hub will support a variety of raw and value-added local foods to be sold across the region. The goal is to make it easier for North Country residents, including underserved and disadvantaged households, to purchase fresh local foods at an affordable price.
“By streamlining processing, storage and delivery systems, this facility will expand markets for farmers and increase the availability of local products in stores,” Cherie Whitten said. “It will ultimately make local food more affordable and accessible for all residents, including those who are shopping on a tight budget or through nutrition assistance programs.”
Founded by the Whittens in 2017, the ADK Food Hub in Tupper Lake is a local food aggregation site, market and eatery that carries products from more than 40 area farms. Whitten Family Farm supplies the Hub and offers vegetable and meat community supported agriculture (CSA) shares that can be picked up at the farm or at locations in Potsdam, Massena, Lake Clear, Saranac Lake, Lake Placid and Tupper Lake.
Article from the Adirondack Almanack.
