LI HomeGrown Open House

Last night, I was excited to attend the LI HomeGrown Open House at The Congregational Church of South Hempstead -- even the building that hosted the meeting is taking green initiatives!

LI HomeGrown is a proposed project of LI Launchpad, a business accelerator that works to start up sustainable social enterprises on Long Island. LI Launchpad is headed by Chuck Schwartz of LI Green, Rev. Patrick G. Duggan of Abundant Communities Together, and Francis Fragola of Collaborative Energy Group.

LI HomeGrown will collaborate with local growers on Long Island to facilitate the production, market development, distribution, and sale of local foods. They would also like to establish commercial kitchens, so that growers can add value to their produce by canning, jarring, prepping, and freeze-drying their fruits & vegetables. Kitchens could also provide a space for cooking classes, healthy food access, and value added processing for entrepreneurial residents of LI. Marketing these locally grown foods will also encourage educational programs about the existence and benefits of small-scale agriculture in Nassau County and western Suffolk.

To download LI HomeGrown's slideshow presentation 

from the 12/6/11 meeting, click here. 

This kind of venture is just beginning to be recognized nationally & internationally as a "food hub". A food hub, according to the USDA's working definition, is "a centrally located facility with a business management structure facilitating the aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and/or marketing of locally/regionally produced food products." These facilities have an amazing potential to make small- and mid-scale agriculture a competitive option for the average consumer in the marketplace.

Usually, if small-scale farmers want to sell their produce, they can do so through a  farm stand, CSA, or co-op. However, these methods can often be an inconvenience for both a busy, small-scale farmer and a potential buyer, who might have to travel far out of their way to support local agriculture. Food hubs can solve this problem by making locally-produced food more convenient for both farmers & buyers. Food hubs' services can include picking up produce from farms to cities, sorting & grading produce, marketing and advertising, and coordinating sales.

The USDA has a great resource for
food hub news, information & research.

On Long Island, LI HomeGrown is working with Abundant Communities Together, Friends & Farmers, The Congregational Church of South Hempstead, Hobbs Community Farm, Westbury Divine Congregation & Unified New Cassel Community Revitalization Corporation (UNCCRC), and is looking for more partners.

To get involved, contact Rev. Patrick Duggan
at 516-489-3610 or pd@actogether.net .

Locally LI will also post updates for future LI HomeGrown meetings.