What an interesting couple of presentations this week. I learned so much.
On Thursday, I made many new friends at the Midwest Value Added Agriculture Conference in Madison. I got the chance to make a presentation about making good food entrepreneurship easier utilizing our Innovation Kitchen model.
Lots of people are interested in the idea of local and regional food processing as a way of getting good food to a wider demographic. I think our Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen made a good impression as a worthy experiment.
Joel Salatin from Polyface Farm was a great keynote. I thank the organizers for the invitation to present at this important, dynamic venue. Oh my goodness, a vast blessing of delicious local foods for lunch and dinner with old and new friends!
On Friday, the entrepreneurship energy at the Heart of the Farm Conference was inspiring. This was a regional gathering of Wisconsin women in agriculture. They packed our wonderful new Iowa County conference venue.
About a third of the group was able to visit the Innovation Kitchen after the conference.
They stayed more than 2 hours and we had a wonderful discussion. Lori, my friend and our local Farm Service Agency partner in the Dodgeville (WI) office, reminded me that every one of those women entrepreneurs had work to do, or cows to milk, but chose to invest their time learning more about this entrepreneurship and business development opportunity.
The questions were inspired, pointed, direct, and wonderful. I could not be more grateful.
Forward good, local foods everywhere!
Polyface Farm, Joel Salatin's family farm in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley they describe this way: Polyface, Inc. is a family owned, multi-generational, pasture-based, beyond organic, local-market farm and informational outreach in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.
USDA's Farm Service Agency. whose societal vision they describe this way: A market-oriented, economically and environmentally sound American agriculture delivering an abundant, safe, and affordable food and fiber supply while sustaining quality agricultural communities.
Iowa County Area Economic Development. Come Grow With Us
Our Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen
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