Schools + Potatoes Upper E. Tennessee Development System (SPUDS)

Project Overview

CS06-048
Project Type: Sustainable Community Innovation
Funds awarded in 2006: $39,762.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2009
Region: Southern
State: Tennessee
Principal Investigator:
Steve Hodges
Clinch Appalachian Farm Enterprises

Annual Reports

Commodities

  • Agronomic: potatoes

Practices

  • Education and Training: demonstration, extension, networking
  • Farm Business Management: cooperatives, marketing management, value added
  • Sustainable Communities: partnerships, urban/rural integration

    Abstract:

    A frozen potato wedge product made from potatoes grown by local farmers was developed and produced by Jubilee Project in the Clinch Powell Community Kitchens as a healthy, oven-baked replacement for frozen French fries made from non-local potatoes and bought from a commercial distributor . Schools purchased the partly cooked, spiced frozen potato wedge product in 5-lb bags. Large-scale purchasing by local schools was delayed because of slow adoption of new procurement patterns enabled by federal and state legislation passed in 2008 which encourages local procurement and increased flexibility in bidding to enable small farms to bid on school food needs.

    Project objectives:

    1. At least 7 local farmers will increase income to their farm microenterprise in the first year of the project, and at least 15 farmers by the second year of the project, by producing potatoes for sale to local schools.

    2. At least 4 FTE jobs will be created in the local community by the end of the first year of the project, and at leastt 12 FTE jobs by the end of the second year of the project.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.