Final report for FNC21-1304
Project Information
Glass Rooster Cannery was conceived in 2010 as a sustainable farm teaching people how to preserve their harvest for personal use. In 2014, we became a licensed cannery and began working with farmers to preserve their excess produce. We received a S.A.R.E grant in 2015 to formalize these relationships and upscale production. Last year, we saved approximately 2,500 lbs. of produce that would have otherwise been composted.
Each year thousands of pounds of edible produce goes to waste before it reaches the consumer (Beausang, 2017). The proposed project aims to reduce waste while increasing the year-round income for farm operations by addressing these factors:
- Local farmer’s income is limited by seasonal constraints.
- Much of the produce grown may not meet visual or size standards for sale. This generates waste and results in edible food ending up as compost instead of in the hands of consumers.
- Small scale operations for preserving excess produce and creating value-added products are limited in our region, the Glass Rooster Cannery notwithstanding. Although our operation has demonstrated its value to the community, our ability to assist farmers is limited by cool storage and commercial equipment.
Our solution is to expand the cannery’s climate-controlled holding area where produce is kept until it is processed. This will increase the cannery’s operating capacity and raise the number of farmers able to bring imperfect and/or excess produce for processing into value-added products. This will extend the timetable farmers have to drop off produce and will improve the cannery’s flexibility to work with them to reduce waste and increase their income.
We plan to accomplish:
- Expanding the amount of produce that can be saved and turned into a value-added product.
- Extending the life and quality of produce from the day it is brought to the cannery through product creation.
- Reduce waste while providing additional flexibility, finished product and income for farmers.
Research
2022 Sustainability Farmer Program
The first step in our project is to build on our existing relationships and seek new partnerships with farmers through social media, outreach materials and business connections. Without farmer partnerships, this project will not succeed. We will research the most appropriate equipment, including a cooler and large food processor, with the goal of using our resources wisely and a goal of cultivating long term relationships. Infrastructure, including pouring a cement pad to accommodate the cooler unit and electrical updates will be a priority in the spring so that we are prepared for the growing season before the first crops come in. Once the equipment is purchased and installed, we will purchase supplies, hire an employee to assist, and begin to accept farmers’ excess produce. We will be equipped to handle more than one farmer at a time with the new equipment, both by providing safe storage and increasing the processing rate. Tracking the results of our project is a priority, both through the numbers and consumer engagement. The project will be considered successful if we are able to engage enough farmers to rescue 4,000 lbs. of produce to create value-added products, if we hear positive reviews from farmers concerning increased income, and if consumers express a desire for the value-added products. We hope to demonstrate that there is a local economic opportunity for farmers willing to consider value-added production for their excess produce.
2021 Season
We began by purchasing two pieces of equipment which allow us to accept more produce from farmers. Next, we advertised our program to farmers via social media and the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association (OEFFA) as well as personal email. New Albany Organics came on board in the Spring, and three other farms followed as the harvest came in. The goal of the season was to double the amount of produce we could save and return to farmers in the form of shelf stable products. By the end of the season, we had processed over 30,000 lbs. of excess produce for farmers.
Research conclusions:
- When farmers had a marketing strategy in place, they were more successful at profiting from the program.
- Some farmers brought produce near the state of spoilage. These farmers need education on how long produce lasts, and the risks/benefits of holding excess produce.
- Some farmers need education on how to transport produce to arrive to us as a safe, quality product ready to use.
Adopted actions:
- We highly encouraged farmers to brand themselves and use social media to promote their new products.
- Farmers learned to let go of their unsold produce at an earlier stage in quality.
- Farmers learned to bring produce from their safe storage to us without delay in the transportation process.
Farmer A set up a marketing program before the first harvest was processed. They used social media, their own branding, and an app to promote their new products. We processed over 2,000 lbs. of their excess cucumbers, which they sold by the middle of their season. They continue to have requests for the pickles and are seeing success in selling their other products as well.
There was a situation with one farmer who loaded a truck without climate control features with produce and ran errands through the day before drop off. The result was that well over half of the produce was spoiled by the time it arrived. This was a disappointment to all of us. However, the farmer learned the importance of transporting expediently.
2022 Season
Farmer A sold out of the pickles, and later brought tomatoes and peppers for processing. They sold a significant amount of product before the farm management changed and the program was put on hold. The previous farm manager indicated the program was profitable.
The farmer with the spoiled produce came back in 2022. They had learned to optimize the program by bringing in produce early. In 2021, they did not track the cost/benefit of the program. In 2022, they tracked progress and reported they had very close to the same profit margin on the value-added product as they would have recieved being able to sell it fresh. They chose to expand the amount of produce and variety of value-added product for 2022 and were able to sell out four out of five products created in 2021 . Tracking helped them pay themselves and be hopeful they will have even better results in 2022-2023.
Another farmer expanded from bringing apples for apple butter after selling all the value-added product from 2021. They brought peaches, which we made into vanilla bourbon peach butter. This product sold out before the end of 2022 farm market season.
Farmers who have participated in the program are highly satisfied. Their profits have risen with very little additonal costs.
Working with farmers is one facet of our business model, and has been profitable for us. I believe that this type of service could be created in other areas with success. Farmers often do not have the resources or time to create their own value-added product. Cooperation between local farmers and licensed kitchens who have an interest in creating value added products can be beneficial for both parties, the local community, the economy and the environment.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Our methods:
We invited potential farmers out to tour our facility and explain the project. We worked with Central State College Extension to get the word out and extend our reach to new farmers. Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association invited us to speak at their annual conference on the program the previous year, and we followed up with four advertisements in their newsletter. We developed a Sustainability 2022 Sustainability Farmer Program Farmer's Program Sheet which we we able to send to farmers asking about the program which explained pricing and profit potential.
We have plans to publish our results on our social media pages soon. We have general information about our project on our website. We will also follow up with OEFFA and Central State to share our results. Our farmers have published or plan to promote their products and the process of creating them on their website. The program has the potential to grow beyond our current capacity to serve our community.
Learning Outcomes
There is a widespread need for a service to create shelf stable products from excess produce for farmers. The barriers for a program like this are:
- Facility limitations. Commercial kitchens licensed through the ODA are not common in our area. It takes time and money for these facilities to get up and running.
- Farmers need facilities close enough to them to be able to transport and pick up in a timely manner without stressing other operation needs.
- Education on marketing strategies and assistance with the process is necessary for farmers to sell the new products and see success.
We were mostly successful in overcoming barriers with our farmers, but we are not large enough to service beyond a small radius from the Cannery. The advantages of implementing a project such as ours are many for the economy and environment. Farms and individuals benefit from the addition income. Being able to use the produce to feed people from otherwise wasted produce is good for our planet. This project encourages consumers to buy local, keep money local and cut the impact on travel costs.
Our advice to others who might mirror this project is to be sure to research local/state and federal guidelines. Start early because setting up and meeting regulations takes time. Partner with farmers to create clear guidelines and expectations. Market products in as many ways as are available.
Project Outcomes
Research conclusions:
- When farmers had a marketing strategy in place, they were more successful at profiting from the program.
- Some farmers brought produce near the state of spoilage. These farmers need education on how long produce lasts, and the risks/benefits of holding excess produce.
- Some farmers need education on how to transport produce to arrive to us as a safe, quality product ready to use.
Adopted actions:
- We highly encouraged farmers to brand themselves and use social media to promote their new products.
- Farmers learned to let go of their unsold produce at an earlier stage in quality.
- Farmers learned to bring produce from their safe storage to us without delay in the transportation process.
Farmer A set up a marketing program before the first harvest was processed. They used social media, their own branding, and an app to promote their new products. We processed over 2,000 lbs. of their excess cucumbers, which they sold by the middle of their season. They continue to have requests for the pickles and are seeing success in selling their other products as well.
There was a situation with a farmer who loaded a truck without climate control features with produce and ran errands through the day before drop off. The result was that well over half of the produce was spoiled by the time it arrived. This was a disappointment to all of us, but the farmer learned the importance of transporting expediently.