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!

A positive TV editorial about our economic development work.

Thanks to Madison (WI) WISC TV's Editorial Director Neil Heinan for a positive editorial about our economic development work in the Iowa County area.

"Positive attitudes, willing support and assistance, and an obvious desire to help people succeed, which Terrien exemplifies."

Thanks Neil Heinan and WISC TV.


Link to video on WISC site

ICAEDC celebrates four and a half years of promoting Iowa County

Thanks to the The Dodgeville Chronicle.  They just publishing a positive new article about our economic development work in Iowa County, WI in their 4th of July edition.

I'm grateful for the article's focus on entrepreneurship and job creation in our recent business development report for the area.

"ICAEDC celebrates four and a half years of promoting Iowa County" 

"The Iowa County Area Economic Development Corporation (ICAEDC) proved last week that it has a lot to be proud of as it released a report on the organization's successes over the past four and a half years." 

"The organization's executive director, Rick Terrien, has played an influential role at the ICAEDC and many of their successes can be traced back to his committed work."

"'Positive momentum is a powerful force',  Terrien said. 'There are many great new entrepreneurship and business opportunities for our area...'"

 

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Thanks to the Dodgeville Chronicle for the article and recognition!

Link to the ICAEDC business development reports

Link to the Dodgeville Chronicle article.  July 4, 2013