When Jon Ramsay, Executive Director of the Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE), first reached out to us last month to discuss a short-term production opportunity with their Just Cut Program, we knew we had to act fast.
The opportunity for Salvation Farms’ Vermont Commodity Program (VCP) to trial, model, and execute our minimal processing program with a full staff has been extremely helpful in materializing our vision for the next iteration of the VCP.
Under Martha Machia, our Vermont Commodity Manager, we have scheduled four production runs with the potential for more in the new year, three of which have already occurred. The support from the Just Cut staff at the CAE, along with Yarrow Fought and Chandra Blackmer, has been invaluable in order for Salvation Farms to collect important data. And likewise, the CAE’s expertise in minimal processing and the Just Cut Program’s specialized equipment have given us the opportunity to work out our needs for the VCP’s future offerings.
This is the work of resilience in Vermont’s food system: building relationships and relying on each other. These shared values are what has made this partnership a continued success.
With the added staffing capacity and equipment, we have been able to purchase vegetables from Cabot Smith Farm (butternut squash) and Sparrow Arc Farm (gold potatoes) for minimal processing. During these production runs, Martha is able to measure the timing and capacity of a full team, essential production planning data for our own facility project.
For Martha, important “observations and conclusions can be made about where the pinch points and efficiencies exist. Leading the team is a helpful practice run for the training and development of future staff.” Overall, this opportunity has been extremely fruitful for Salvation Farms.
On our first production day, November 22nd we processed 555 pounds of winter squash. The product produced was raw diced, flash frozen squash.
On Dec. 2nd, we processed 600 pounds of gold potatoes. We experimented with three different cooking methods, diced and roasted, diced and blanched, and fully cooked, mashed potatoes. And on our third run on Monday, Dec. 9th– Martha and the Just Cut team processed over 300 pounds of carrots for coining and freezing.
The continued strength of the VCP has always been based in relationship, reciprocity, and growing together. And with partners like the CAE– it is the relational quality of this work, the knowledge sharing and labor, that builds resilience and interdependence; two crucial components for a food system that supports farmers and values all edible crops grown and eaten right here in Vermont.