Progress 08/15/06 to 08/14/08
Outputs
This CSREES grant funded project brought together partners that recognize a common problem and come together to improve the quality of food and agricultural sciences through education. Their original concept was quite simple: bring chefs together with farmers/food producers so farmers could make the connections and begin to sell to high end restaurants and resorts. Pre-grant research with focus groups pointed out that some farmers had an interest in this type of initiative but to participate they would need a good bit of information: what to grow; how to cultivate; when and how to harvest; and how to present and package. If there is to be a true buy local initiative by chefs, there is a need for common terminology, and the extension and translation of the information in the progressive secondary agricultural programs and post-secondary culinary programs. The overall impact on improving the quality of food and agricultural science education through this innovative and integrated approach is evident in the multi-level, multi-dimensional collaboration it proposes. With this project, many partners address a single problem, but each from their own perspective. Secondary education programs form partnerships within school disciplines; the community college forms partnerships with area high schools and builds a new program to address an educational need; community farmers, growers, distributors, chefs, and a variety of food service personnel form partnerships seeking ways to improve and sustain a local economy. As a result of this grant anticipated outcomes were assessed by the grant team to be 75% successful after 2 years. An estimated 25% of the projected goals fell short of being fully realized, although at the end of the grant period unexpected successes offset those that fell short to satisfy the grant team that a successful grant project had been completed. A summary of the anticipated grant successes and short comings are as follows: Anticipated outcomes/impacts successfully realized during CSREES Grant project 2006-08: 1) Modified secondary agricultural education course materials relating the history of, the value of, and execution methods for a system of sustainable agriculture from the perspective of agriculture professionals. 2) Modified ProStart course materials relating the history of, the value of, and execution methods for a system of sustainable agriculture from the perspective of a foodservice professional. 3) The integration of sustainable agriculture concepts into secondary agricultural education teacher professional development activities 4) A community education campaign has increased the number of West Virginia farmers and foodservice professionals that self report at least 10% of their overall business (farm production / foodservice purchasing) is grounded in sustainable agriculture concepts via a newly developed webpage 5) The development/enhancement of new/existing partnerships involving agricultural producers, foodservice industry professionals, and other stakeholders 6) A new one-year certificate in Agribusiness offered through the Pierpont Community College is well developed and will soon be launched for on-line learners. Products
1) Pierpont Community and Technical College has lead the development of three new on-line courses that will be available to students as articulated credit in high school agriculture education programs, and available to student at the community college interested in pursuing sustainable agriculture businesses, and to farmer and prospective farmers interested in getting into the value-added market of products marketed to state/regional restaurants. The courses are:
Agribusiness Management Course 1 ¿ completed / Agribusiness Management Course 2 ¿ in progress / Agribusiness Practicum/Field Experience Course 3 ¿ in progress, including an Asset Map with 22 resources sites.
2) There have been 4 Demonstration sites identified and made available to high schools students to provide a hands-on learning experience with farmers who are producing fruits/vegetables promoted and sold as value added products to chefs for restaurant use. These sites will participate with student to offer real experiences for sustainable agriculture.
3) Statewide farmers from West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland attended 2 Value Added Fairs at Pierpont Community and Technical College at Fairmont State University, in partnership with the Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia. The primary goal of the event is to help farmers shift from commodity producing to value added and customized growing farming concepts. Farmers will also be introduced to local chefs as part of a larger project to develop a statewide chef/farmer network. Objectives of the fair are to assist participants to: 1) develop other marketable uses for that commodity 2) develop recipes for your commodity 3) develop a story to better market your new value-added product 4) develop packaging and labeling for your new value-added product 5) learn from best practice theories and be introduced to chefs who may be interested in your product.
In many cases, the value-added alternatives can be combined to yield an even higher income to the farmer or rural community. Value-added agriculture means getting more income from your farm in innovative ways by: 1) growing for a specialty market 2) changing the form of a product before it is marketed 3) changing the way a product is packaged 4) changing the way a product is marketed 5) adding a new enterprise.
The second annual Value Added Fair was held in August 2008. There were 100 West Virginia farmers and chefs in attendance the first year. The second year included 25 repeated attendees and 25 new attendees. Both Fairs were successful and were held on the Fairmont State campus. Farmers and chefs from around the State attending the fair/s used the event to gain critical information on how to connect growers and their specialized products to areas chefs. The grown locally concept was embraced by the chefs, as they began to see the local growers as vendors for their culinary needs. The newly developed website, ¿wvfarm2U.org¿ has proven to be a meeting place for farmers and chefs. As the chef continues to see the local market as an important vendor, the grower/farmer sees the need to respond to the chef with specialized products.
4) The development of a video learning module includes a short film professionally developed as a result of this grant. Chef Harve Kristie sets forth concepts of value added products in a smart, informative video. When viewed by the advisory board the following comment was made, by Allen Arnold, project co-director; we showed part of a video learning module that we are preparing on value added that is being funded by dollars from our CSREES grant--that grant is a partnership with Pierpont Community and Technical College. People were absolutely blown away by it and the question was asked repeatedly--what steps are you taking to protect the intellectual property. So I immediately called Beth Newcome our board member (remember she is dean at Pierpont) and we discussed how to do that-- and are moving forward with it. We have now secured a copyright on this film.
5) The WVFARM2U.ORG webpage publication with grant partner, Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia, is now complete and available as a resource for farmers and chefs to sell/buy WV farm products. The site will provide a variety of information available on farm products, farmers markets, seasonal produce, what to buy where, with many additional features. Also a section of Appalachian culture and tradition will be featured promoting the ties to foodways of the Appalachia culture. It is a professionally developed and managed site sponsored by the Collaborative for the 21st Century Appalachia. This website has been funded in part through multiple partners, including the CSREES grant as a resource for sustainable agriculture and value-added farming.
Outcomes
As the farm to chef concept is being integrated into the traditional curriculum, ways to connect are becoming more available to these usually disconnected groups. The culinary students, through an integrated curriculum and lab experience, now see the farmer/chef connection from theory into practice. The culinary lab at the community college is regularly working directly with area growers/farmers to integrate their local products into the culinary menus. The students are seeing first hand how the dynamics of personal relationships between chef and farmer provide a pathway for mutual benefit and through sustainable partnerships. The community college curriculum now integrates the traditional big food vendor with the local market vendor to broaden the possibilities for the chef to offer many specialized menu items that are becoming increasing popular with the consumer.
There are many partners working together to complete the objectives of this project. As is obvious throughout the timetable, the procedures or approach will emphasize broad stakeholder involvement and coordination. This proposal establishes through stakeholder involvement an extraordinarily robust systemic and integrated secondary agricultural education model with demonstration sites. The sequence of activities is as follows: Secondary and community college faculty attend sessions on sustainable economy, formulate curriculum objectives, coordinate activities, and share ideas/resources. Local growers and chefs come together for a round table to discuss sustainable agriculture concepts and begin a conversation and linkages. Participants are recruited to collaborate with the project. Secondary teachers meet with colleagues to plan curriculum updates and activities in preparation for new integrated curriculum. Community college faculty meet to plan curriculum proposals for new concepts of integrated curriculum for culinary program and certificate for agribusiness. Agribusiness specialists and instructional designers work with college faculty to begin development of on-line courses.
Stonewall Resort hosts farm to table conference for local farmers and chefs to highlight a successful collaborative in action. Students visit area farmers and chefs participating in the project and create innovative connections envisioning and planning workable collaborations. New agribusiness program is added to C&TC offerings and promoted by the college. Press conference is held to announce new articulated agribusiness program and the innovative initiative for culinary arts advocating use of local produce and farm products. Students showcase innovative agribusiness plans, displaying and competing for most promising collaboration of farm-to-table concept. At the post-secondary level Culinary Arts students make connections with local farmers to select and utilize produce and farm products in an integrated marketplace. Conference for farmers and chefs is held to further sustainable agriculture economy. Conference on farm to table concepts is held for educators, local/regional farmers, and growers, produce wholesalers, restaurant owners, chefs and food service managers to further collaboration.
Dissemination Activities
Chef Brian Floyd and project consultant Allen Arnold attended the 2008 West Virginia hosted Agriculture Teachers¿/NAAE Region VI Conference that was held June 24-26, 2008 at Jefferson High School in Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia. This regional meeting of high school agriculture education teachers provided an important forum to promote the farmer to chef concepts of this project. The project presenters were able to discuss the successes of the project and provide information on how the value added sustainable partnership between farmer and chef was mutually beneficial. The presenters discussed ways to begin the bring students from the two disciplines together in joint projects to begin the partnership between the student farmer and student chef, seeing each as partners in mutually beneficial ways. The idea of the farmer working directly with the chef is new, thus exploring ways to forge this relationship can begin in the high school programs.
Modification of one or more of the four ProStart Foodservice Program Core Courses to include meaningful information regarding the value and execution of a system of sustainable agriculture from the perspective of a foodservice professional has been done. A series of videos have been planned, with the first one complete. This first video launching the farmer to chef sustainable concepts, titled, Chef to Farmer; Value Added Products with Chef Harv Christie was produced by Insight Media in New York (for National distribution). It will be a source for agriculture and culinary teachers, introducing the value-added lessons of partnerships between chefs and farmers. The West Virginia State Department of Education and the Agriculture Education unit have purchased seventy of the videos to distribute to all high school agriculture and culinary programs in the state. This distribution will have a major impact towards promoting the sustainable earth to table, farmer to chef concepts of this CSREES funded project.
Future Initiatives
Engaging Secondary and Post Secondary Student in a Sustainable Agriculture Curriculum Developed for Multiple Learning Styles Delivered through a Learning Community Model is the title of the follow-up project that will be funded under CSREES. Among the project outcomes is to fund the 3rd annual value-added fair on farm to table concepts. In addition, Chef Dale Hawkins, from Stonewall Jackson Resort will meet with farmers and they will discuss what products he will need and how it is to be packaged. At the secondary level, in late November or early December 2008, Chef Dale Hawkins will talk with the students on how to do Market Agreements. Video Conferencing can be done at the School and they can connect to the WVFarm2U website to list and sell their product. The Ag Program will also include ProStart Students. They can go to the Website and plan a menu and preparation project. However, not every product grown will be sold. The Ag students can go into the kitchen and see the size of the product, how the product is used, and measured. In the management process, the unsold product can be used to make jams. The Ag classes will help the culinary students understand the process of growing a crop. The concept is to start on a small scale within the high school, work with some chefs, and work smarter, not harder. This opens a new door for production. Over time, orders for growing and selling of the product will increase. The dollars for selling the product will stay in the local economy, adding to the sustainability of the project. Students will understand the value of the dollar. The chefs will ask the Ag students to grow the quality of product they want. The Ag Classes will also incorporate an economic breakdown of growing and producing a crop.
At the community college level, the grant curriculum development team will be working with VISTA/Blackboard (on-line delivery system) for the next on-line class development phase. They will be using video clips captured during various farm to chef activities as support media in the on-line classes. The media specialist will create an index of video snippets and clumpets where students can see a variety of content from various farmer/chefs participating in buy local partnerships. The video clips will illustrate concepts reinforcing multiple learning styles. Students will be given three college credits for taking the online College Ag Class or the Ag High School Program. The online Course will raise awareness of Agri-Business with the student. The CD Video will include: How to Do Book and Where to find the clip. The project will include multi-media strategies via video and web access.
Impacts
This grant has provided the resources that have had a tremendous ripple effect in WV and the region. The partnership to develop the website, the videos, the on-line course, the well attended conferences and demonstrations, the work with the high schools, the collaboration with state department of education staff, faculty in agriculture at West Virginia University, area teachers, farmers, and chefs, has all been connected to this grant. The funds received through the CSREES grant have brought together a team of professional that continue to look for additional ways to further this movement. In fact, this team has been so encouraged by the successes of this initial grant to now seek a second CSREES grant for FY 2008 to continue the work, which has been awarded. It will not be a direct continuation of this work, but an advancement of the work that was begun with the first grant. The objectives of the second grant will more closely be focused on the development of instructional materials to educate the new leaders in agriculture and culinary at the secondary and post secondary level.
What difference did this project make/those affected:
Video: 70 videos x 50 students = 3500 students per year;
Website: 4500 hits and participates in the initial 12 months of operation; Value-added fairs: 150 farmers and chefs; State and national meetings/presentations: 500+
News releases / publicity (8 articles, state and local news coverage)unknown; Total exposure:10,000 +
Publications
- WVFARM2U.ORG webpage publication with grant partner; Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia 2007
- Chef Harve Kristie, 2007 Value Added Products, video / learning module, Pierpont Community College; Insight Media, NY.
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Progress 08/15/06 to 08/14/07
Outputs
News Release 08/04/2007 - Fairmont State University VALUE ADDED FAIR CONNECTS FARMERS AND CHEFS This value added fair was a culminating event of the first year of the CSREES grant. It tells much about the progress of the first year; About 100 farmers from West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland are expected to participate in the Value Added Fair at Pierpont Community and Technical College of Fairmont State University, in partnership with the Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia. The primary goal of the event, is to help farmers shift from commodity producing to value added and customized growing farming concepts. Farmers will also be introduced to local chefs as part of a larger project to develop a statewide chef/farmer network. The Community College and the Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia received a 50,000 dollar grant through the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service. The grant underwrites the registration fee for all West
Virginia and Pennsylvania farmers and extension agents who participate in the Value Added Fair and will also support the offering of classes toward a new agri-business certificate at Pierpont Community College. Small family farms are dwindling, and farmers therefore are looking for ways to help them adapt to the changing marketplace. Value added and customized growing give farmers greater revenue from their products and provide chefs and restaurants with a local source of high quality, fresh products. One of the hottest trends in todays food industry is to buy local products and incorporate them into restaurant menus. Some West Virginia restaurants that support this concept are the Stonewall Resort, Provence Market, Cafe Cimino, Blennerhassett Hotel, Bridgeport Conference Center. The Value Added Fair will focus on four areas:1.Helping farmers look for new uses for their products: For example, a cucumber that sells for 33 cents on a farm stand could sell for 3.00 if it was diced and
packaged as a relish. Pierpont Community College culinary arts students and high school agriculture students will work with chefs during the event to help identify new recipes that would allow farmers to utilize their products. 2.Helping farmers put a story and a face with their products: In collaboration with the West Virginia Folklife Center at FSU, farmers will be assisted with finding resources for historical stories and photos to develop an identity for their product. 3.Working with Gourmet Central of Hampshire County: Gourmet Central will help farmers identify packaging and labeling for their new products. 4. Developing a marketing strategy for their new product: Farmers will receive marketing assistance from a retail point-of-view or from the prospective of a local chef or restaurant.
PRODUCTS: 1)Pierpont Community & Technical College has lead the development of three new on-line courses that will be available to students as articulated credit in high school agriculture education programs, to students at the community college interested in pursuing sustainable agriculture businesses, and to farmers and prospective farmers interested in the value-added market of products marketed to state/regional restaurants. 2)There have been 4 demonstration sites identified and made available to high schools students to provide a hands-on learning experience with farmers producing fruits/vegetables promoted and sold as value added products to chefs for restaurant use. These sites will participate with students as real experiences for sustainable agriculture. 3)Statewide farmers from WV, PA, and MD attended the Value Added Fair at Pierpont Community & Technical College of Fairmont State Univ, in partnership with the Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia. The goal of the event
is to help farmers shift from commodity producing to value added and customized growing farming concepts. Farmers will also be introduced to local chefs as part of a larger project to develop a statewide chef/farmer network. Objectives of the fair are to assist participants to: develop other marketable uses for that commodity; develop recipes for your commodity; develop a story to better market new value-added product; develop packaging and labeling for new value-added product; learn from best practice theories and be introduced to chefs who may be interested in product. In many cases, the value-added alternatives can be combined to yield a higher income to the farmer or rural community. Value-added agriculture means getting more income from your farm in innovative ways by: growing for a specialty market; changing the form of a product before it is marketed; changing the way a product is packaged; changing the way a product is marketed; adding a new enterprise. 4)The development of a
video learning module includes a short film professionally developed as a result of this grant. Chef Harve Kristie sets forth concepts of value added products in a smart, informative video. When viewed by the advisory board the following comment was made, by Allen Arnold, project co-director; we showed part of a video learning module that we are preparing on value added that is being funded by dollars from our CSREES grant--that grant is a partnership with Pierpont Community and Technical College. People were absolutely blown away by it and the question was asked repeatedly--what steps are you taking to protect the intellectual property. So I immediately called Beth Newcome our board member (remember she is dean at Pierpont) and we discussed how to do that-and are moving forward with it. We have now secured a copyright on this film. 5)The WVFARM2U.ORG webpage publication with grant partner, Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia, is now complete and available as a resource for
farmers and chefs to sell/buy WV farm products. The site will provide a variety of information available on farm products, farmers markets, seasonal produce, what to buy where, with many additional features.
OUTCOMES: 1) A new one-year certificate in Agribusiness offered through the community college including articulated credit from the agriculture education program in the secondary school has been created and is awaiting final approval for implementation fall 2008. This one-year certificate would lead seamlessly into an associate of applied science in Technical Studies for Agribusiness. 2) One new on-line course in agribusiness offered through Pierpont Community College at Fairmont State University that is included in the agribusiness program, or could be taken as continuing education credits to any interested party in West Virginia and beyond, has been developed. Two additional on-line courses are currently in the development stage and will be ready for fall 2008. 3) A sustainable agriculture community education campaign targeted to build awareness, knowledge and skill regarding a system of sustainable agriculture amongst West Virginia agricultural and foodservice professionals has
been implemented through a statewide value-added fair, on 08/07/2007, with additional follow-up activities planned for 2008. 4) One promotional, educational video has been developed, and filming for 3 additional video has been completed. These videos will be used in conjunction with on-line course delivery, educational seminars and other venues to promote sustainable concepts are being planned.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: As a result of this grant, there has been one major state/regional-wide conference/fair for farmers and chefs to highlight and educate the collaborative nature and benefits of sustainable agriculture business. This included sate-wide and regional invitations to over 100 farmers and chefs with professional marketing and advertisement. The success of the fair is evident in the increased interest in this marketing concept as reported back to the college. The development of a website has provided a huge dissemination venue for value-added concepts. It is acting as a central site for the farmer and chef. On 08/15/2007 WV Governor Joe Manchin, the First lady, and Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass were a part of the news conference for the launching. It was held at the State Fair in the area where the Collaborative 21st Century sponsored daily culinary demonstrations and got excellent TV and other coverage statewide due to Joe Stevens efforts. About those
culinary demonstrations--Rod Stoner, former CEO of The Greenbrier organized and coordinated what turned out to be a tremendous opportunity for to showcase our state's chefs and to clarify what the Collaborative for the 21st Century is all about and what it means to cook with WV ingredients. Every day of the fair a different chef, after choosing a WV ingredient to promote -artic char, goat, a whole range of WV vegetables, candies- gave 3 demonstrations. There were generally 20 to 30 people at each demonstration. Flyers provided information about the chef and his/her property as well as that days recipe, and in most cases there were samples of what the chef had prepared. The CSREES grant contributed to the development of the website and has provided continuous support of this sustainable agriculture promotion.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: There are several areas that will continue to be developed. Work on the 2 additional Agribusiness courses will continue. These courses will be available on-line to any student, any where wishing to pursue educational opportunities in sustainable agriculture and value-added marketing. Additional initiatives include expanding work with secondary programs. A high-tunnel hoop house will be placed in a partnering high school for the spring 2008 semester. This will be provided through this grant. We anticipate a demonstration site can be developed on-site at this high school. Cooperative ventures include work with high school ProStart Culinary students to incorporate produce/products growth in the hoop house with foods prepared and served in the foods program. This will provide a working example of how sustainable value-added products can be a win-win concepts for the grower and the chef.
Impacts
This grant has provided the resources that have had a tremendous ripple effect in WV and the region. The partnership to develop the website, the videos, the on-line course, the well attended conferences and demonstrations, the work with the high schools, the collaboration with state department of education staff, faculty in agriculture at West Virginia University, area teachers, farmers, and chefs, has all been connected to this grant. The funds received through the CSREES grant have brought together a team of professional that continue to look for additional ways to further this movement. In fact, this team has been so encouraged by the successes of this initial grant to now seek a second CSREES grant for FY 2008 to continue the work.
Publications
- WVFARM2U.ORG webpage publication with grant partner; Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia 2007.
- Chef Harve Kristie, 2007 Value Added Products, video / learning module, Pierpont Community College.
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