Welcome to the Northfield Community Kitchen Forum. We welcome your ideas and comments.
What is it?
We are working to create a community kitchen here in Northfield. This kitchen will be "certified" so that the products made there can legally be sold to the public.
The space and equipment will be available for rent on an hourly basis. Along with the kitchen facility itself, we are hoping to be able to offer technical assistance to small business owners who may benefit from support in areas like business planning and safe food handling.
Who will use it and why?
The kitchen will be used for a variety of purposes by people from throughout our community. Local farmers will use the kitchen to make value-added products (jams, salsa, pies, etc.). This will create another source of income for them, and make more local foods available to the community. Caterers who do not have their own certified kitchens will be able to use the space to prepare food for events. Gardeners who enjoy food preservation will have the space to tackle large-scale canning and freezing projects. Children and adults will use the kitchen for cooking classes. The Just Food Co-op may have a deli there too. We want the kitchen to be used by many people, for many different kinds of projects.
Where will it be?
At this point in the planning process, we are exploring several options for our kitchen. One possibility is that it could be housed in the same building as the Just Food Co-op. If you have ideas for other possible locations, please contact us!
Who are we?
We are a small group of volunteers who are passionate about good food, local business, and a strong community in Northfield. You are welcome to join us! Contact Erin Barnett at 645-7432 for more information about getting involved. As we move forward we will be looking for organizational partners as well. If your group might like to play a role in bringing a community kitchen to Northfield, we would love to hear from you.
Needs Assessment
- Demand side:
- Artech: 120+students and teachers, need a kitchen to prepare lunch during school year.
- Just Food Co-op: limited cooking facilities.
- Catering opportunities for special events
- Carleton and St. Olaf College students not in regular meal plan
- Households who want freshly cooked, healthy food but don't have time to cook
- People who want to learn how to cook
- People with special dietary preferences or requirements
- Local food supply activists to bolster sales and distribution of locally produced products
- People with weight problems (about 25% of adult population) Reference: MN study on obesity
- The prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults doubled from 12 percent to 25 percent between 1990 and 2006. Many experts now agree that obesity is an "epidemic" in the United States.
- If the state (Minnesota) does nothing, by the year 2020 less than a quarter of the population, approximately 23 percent, will be at a healthy weight.
- The obesity epidemic may best be understood as an epidemic of inadequate physical activity and unhealthy eating. Our social and physical enviroments consistently promote poor eating choices and less activity -- that is "what's normal" right now in Minnesota.
- Supply side
- General and Hispanic community: aspiring entrepreneurs without a cooking facility
- Farmers who want to create value-added products
- People who know how to cook and can teach
Vision, governance, and potential funding statement
Why we want this? - Erin B.
What will it be? - Erin B.
The Northfield Community Kitchen is
- a certified commercial kitchen
- that is used by individuals and organizations
- on a time-sharing basis
- to prepare food that can be sold
What is it used for?
- Enable local farmers to produce value added products
- Provide space for catering businesses
- Host cooking classes
- Enable large scale canning and preserving
- Create deli for co-op
- Enable commercial production of cooked/baked food
- Create a place for people to socialize
Where could it be located? - Erin B.
- adjacent to Just Food Co-op
- near Just Food Co-op
- downtown Northfield
- light industrial area
- rural area
Governance: What are other community kitchens like? - Luigi S.
How will it be funded? - Kirsten
Physical description of potential kitchen
What will it look like?
Who are developing this idea?
Erin Barnett, 507-645-7432,
Vera Chang, <veraliangchang@gmail.com> Carleton College student
Angel Dobrow, <adobrow@hotmail.com>, 612-216-1206, mom and food activist
Regi Haslett-Marroquin, <regi@latinoenterprisecenter.org>
Erin Johnson, < openhandsfarm@gmail.com>, 507-645-2871, owner-farmer, Open Hands Farm
Kirsten Lindquist, <kirstenmlindquist@gmail.com>, 612-770-5352, Deli Manager, Just Food Co-op
Ann Occhiato, <abate52374@cs.com>
Luigi Sison, <lsison@yahoo.com>, 612-281-2551, teaching chef, luigicooks
Schedule:
Date |
Task/Milestone |
2/3 |
First drafts will be posted on wiki site |
2/8 |
Remaining committee members will comment. |
2/11 |
meeting at Kirsten’s house at 7 pm (403 Nevada St.Nfld) |
|
Finalize white paper |
|
Conduct needs survey |
|
Prepare business plan |
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