Impact
The impact of this project is multifaceted. This project impacts the farm by bringing in a key component (food+farm education) to the farms mission of intertwining food, farm, and wellness within nurture, nature, and nutrition by offering series of classes, workshops, and events focused on educating folks on how to source/grow/purchase/prepare/preserve + create with fresh sustainable healthy food options. The addition of this space would tie the food being grown into the community it is being grown for. This project also benefits the farm by creating new streams of revenue. One stream being income from classes and workshops, and the other being the opportunity to add value added products produced in the commercial kitchen to our list of offerings. There is also a potential for a third revenue stream; leasing out the kitchen space to other local food artisans. While this is a process to further explore, we hope to be able to offer that opportunity in the future to in turn impact local + up and coming food artisans within northern Muskegon county, as the demand for commercial kitchen space grows.
The community is also deeply impacted by this project. This project would create space for folks to come to, gather, and learn. The information and education provided under this project has the opportunity to positively impact any demographic within our community. After 7 years of using these curriculums, impacts have been seen and documented. From pre-k through senior living and an array of socioeconomics, there are curriculums/opportunities tailored to specific needs, as well as interests. The addition of partnering with local organizations in offering some of these opportunities also provides an equitable impact, making sure all folks have an equal opportunity to partake, reducing and eliminating many of the barriers that prevent folks from participating in opportunities such as these. This project has the opportunity to bring positive impacts that we are currently seeing though these edu opportunities to a whole new level. Lastly, this project has the opportunity to positively impact our local food system. Throughout these educational opportunities, local farms/food producers/etc will be highlighted. Folks will learn how to shop local based on their needs + budget. This will in turn keep more "food" dollars within the local food system/economy.
What I'll do with $5,000
I would use the $5000 to purchase the 16'x24' amish built shed. When first exploring this project, we reached out to numerous builders and contractors for quotes on this building, with the winning quote coming in at $5000. Being able to purchase the building will give us the foundation we need to complete the remainder of the project. To complete the inside of the building with electric. plumbing, commercial kitchen components, and a finished educational space is an estimated $20,000 Kitchen - $15000 Edu Space - $5000 The remainder of this project would be split into portions with plans to be fully complete by the last quarter of 2023. Once the prefab cabin is delivered, we would use up front capital that has been saved to build out the educational space. By building out the educational space this spring, it will be usable by the time we are into the main season of 2023. (projecting to have the educational space completed by mid May 2023.) This will provide space to start this project and begin to pull in revenue through educational opportunities. We then plan to add the commercial kitchen in the final quarter of 2023. Through projected sales, we will be able to save up the remaining funding needed to complete+certify the kitchen by the end of 2023, with plans to have the full building in production in the first quarter of 2024.