Good food. Good jobs. Great idea.

I've been working to help develop the Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen in Mineral Point since it was a construction site.  They've now been open for 3 years.

The kitchen creates many great opportunities for food and farm entrepreneurs.

Each opportunity represents a chance to make good jobs for people with disabilities.  Each new opportunity opens new markets for our regional farms.  All of these events help bring great food to customers in our region. 

Last week the opportunity was Sugar Snap Peas.

My co-workers with disabilities prepped the peas.  Even friends in difficult wheel chair situations could participate.  Once ready, the Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen team blanched the peas lightly, then quickly froze and packaged them.

This batch of Sugar snaps was grown on a local farm that we love.  We make other great products for their wonderful farm store and for sale at their weekly farm market stands and CSA boxes.

The buyer of these peas is an organization in the Chicago area that distributes good local foods to restaurants and consumers in that market.

Extending the good food movement to include good jobs for people with disabilities a great idea that works for all involved.

If you would like to have products made at the Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen or buy delicious products made there, let me know.

Thanks to Annette Pierce, Food Service Director at the Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen (and Mistress of the Universe) and all my friends and co-workers there!