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 Community Certified Kitchen information

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Joanne
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Joanne


Number of posts : 13
Registration date : 2009-01-27

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PostSubject: Community Certified Kitchen information   Community Certified Kitchen information Icon_minitimeTue Feb 10, 2009 3:16 pm

Hello all -

The local foods group for the BS area is working toward establishing a community certified kitchen for public use. A community certified kitchen is a kitchen, inspected by the state, where folks can go to can/process their homegrown or homemade food into a product for retail sale. If you don't have your kitchen certified by the state, you can't sell your cooked/processed foods retail. The exception to that rule is foods that fall under the guidelines of The Pickle Bill (see link below).

We feel that having such a facility in our area will help folks who wish to 'add value' to their homegrown foods and thus earn more $$ for it when sold to the public. A 'value-added' food is an item that has been cooked, pickled, dried, processed, etc. in order to make it worth more $$. For example, if you grew beets in your garden, you could sell them at the farmers market for $1 a pound. But if you pickled the beets and put them in a jar, that same pound of beets could sell for $6.

The local foods group is exploring different locales for this kitchen. Ideally, it would be a place that is already certifiable, and needs no upgrading to meet state standards. Also, it needs to be a place where a pre-set schedule could be arranged for public use. Churches often have nice kitchen facilities, but it would be difficult to have a pre-set schedule, when oftentimes funeral services require the kitchen facilities on short notice.

We have contacted folks at the Armory and the Beardsley School. We will also be contacting folks at the old Appleton High School and the Bellingham School to see if they are interested. If anyone has any other ideas of possible locations, please let me know.

Also, if anyone thinks that they would make use of a kitchen like this, or knows someone who would use it, please send me a message. It's good to have an idea of how much use the kitchen would get once we have it set up.

Thanks much, feel free to ask questions if you have them. I don't check these forums every day, but I will get back to you when I can.

Pickle Bill info: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/food/business/factsheets/picklebill.htm
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nascargirl
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nascargirl


Number of posts : 236
Registration date : 2008-06-08

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PostSubject: Kitchen   Community Certified Kitchen information Icon_minitimeTue Feb 10, 2009 10:42 pm

Wow! This is exciting! Canning and food processing, in my opinion are a lost art - like making lefse and baking from scratch.

I learned how to can and freeze from my mom along with sewing and baking/cooking. A family friend taught me how to make lefse about 20 years ago. Chef Not all 'young' people have that opportunity. It would be wonderful if you could interest some young adults in the joy of canning and food preservation and could help local growers in their efforts. Could the Boy and/or Girl Scouts earn a merit badge for helping you? How about local 4-H groups? There must be some local growers that would be interested in using such a kitchen.

I think many in the community would support such a project! I wish you luck and look forward to more posts on your efforts. applause

On Computer
nascargirl
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