Buying Local Supports the Local Economy

 Interested in selling your produce to local restaurants and schools?  Have a fantastic family recipe that you just know will be a big seller on the market?  You might consider attending this low-cost all -day workshop on How Buying Local Helps Support the Local Economy.  Louise Mikesell-Wireman,  Direct Marketing Specialist for The Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT) sent us this workshop announcement the other day.  We are planning to attend and thought others in the Michigan/Ohio area might be interested in participating.    

From the  CIFT(www.eisc.org):

How Buying Local Food Helps Support the Local Economy 

It seems local is no long a buzz word. Everyone is touting buy local, from the bank, appliance centers and of course fresh local foods. Come and hear ideas on how to get local into the schools, how you can purchase from a farm, hear local farmers and producers tell their story about selling to those who live around them.  

So save Wednesday November 18th, 2009 for this workshop.

Toledo, OH – The Center for Innovative Food Technology, CIFT, is sponsoring a day long workshop for farmers, producers, food service venues, and those interested in buying and eating local. It will also be of interest to business and economic development professionals exploring local food connections. The workshop will be held on Wednesday November 18, 2009 in the Ward Pavilion at 5100 W. Central Avenue at the east end of Wildwood Preserve between Corey and Reynolds roads.

This workshop will focus on multiple areas: how to connect local produce to the restaurants and other food service venues, how to get more local foods into the schools, selling directly to the consumers, niche markets, community support agriculture, and how to produce the family recipe into a product to sell.

Presenters at this workshop will include retired chef, restaurant owner and local food advocate Parker Bosley from the Cleveland area, Deb Eschmeyer an Ohio advocate of the Farm to School National Organization along with presentations from participating members of the Northwest Ohio Fresh Network.

This workshop fee is $20; bring two canned goods for the Toledo Seagate Food Bank and the fee is $15. The event will start at 10:00 a.m. with walk in registration starting at 9:30 a.m. and will adjourn at 4:00 p.m. Local refreshments and lunch will be served. Registration to this event is required. To register for this workshop or for additional information, please call Nancy Hansen at 419-535-6000 or email lmikesell-wireman@eisc.org.

The Center for Innovative Food Technology provides technical solutions to companies involved in the nation’s largest and most economically significant industry – food processing. 

Hope to see you there!

Louise Mikesell-Wireman

Direct Marketing Specialist, CIFT