Farms.pdf

Hawthorne Valley Farm, Long Table Harvest, and the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation are partnering on a five-year effort to bring fresh and healthy food to low-income residents in Columbia County, focusing on Hudson, NY. The project aims to address the "double affordability gap" where farmers struggle to make a living and residents cannot afford fresh food.

The initiative has started a Seafood Buying Club with tiered pricing and is developing a Mobile Food Market. The proposed Community Food Hub will have various components, including aggregation and distribution, commissary kitchen, on-site retail, bakery, community kitchen, bulk cold storage, food pantry, and community/event space.

The hub will prioritize partnerships with local businesses and organizations, with a focus on shared ownership. The first year will focus on four core components, with the goal of increasing food access and supporting the local agricultural community. The project aims to provide a local sales outlet for farms, offer job training, and make high-quality, affordable meals available to residents.