Click HERE to donate online today.
Or better yet, please make checks payable to NCGA and send to: NCGA, PO Box 4232, Arcata CA 95518
Read our Press Release for more details about this project
Or better yet, please make checks payable to NCGA and send to: NCGA, PO Box 4232, Arcata CA 95518
Read our Press Release for more details about this project
In April of this year, Humboldt Bay Packers (a cold storage rental facility in Humboldt) decided to shutter its business and gave its tenants notice that they needed to rehome their products. NCGA members scrambled to find a location where they could rehome their frozen products. After contacting numerous local companies and even starting to look at spaces outside of Humboldt for an emergency solution, a local cannabusiness offered one of their freezers temporarily until the harvest season began.
During these conversations, it became apparent that our local cold storage infrastructure was unreliable and had insufficient capacity to meet local food storage needs. In order to deprivatize local food infrastructure to make Humboldt’s local food system more resilient, NCGA (a membership based organization) will purchase a freezer unit.
During these conversations, it became apparent that our local cold storage infrastructure was unreliable and had insufficient capacity to meet local food storage needs. In order to deprivatize local food infrastructure to make Humboldt’s local food system more resilient, NCGA (a membership based organization) will purchase a freezer unit.
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After grocery store shelves were left empty last year as our national food system failed and local infrastructure proved to be inadequate to meet our area’s needs, NCGA has been participating in a local movement to create a more vibrant local food system by increasing food infrastructure and collaboration between food focused businesses. This freezer is one of the first steps we are taking to create a reliable, secure local food system.
NCGA’s goal with the purchase of a freezer unit for our members is to de-privatize local food infrastructure. By creating collectively owned and operated food structures and businesses, our region can rely less on for profit businesses who usually make decisions that best suit their bottom line and not the health of our local community. |
Chris from Woody Ryno Farm acknowledges “to collectively own such a critical piece of infrastructure will greatly improve our membership’s ability to plan and grow their businesses knowing they have safe and secure storage facilities for the quality products they raise on their farms or ranches. Working together we can ensure that we build a secure food system for the North Coast community and continue to provide the highest quality meats, fruits, and vegetables throughout the year with your help to raise the necessary funding to buy a freezer unit.”
With the help of the Headwaters Fund, we have been able to secure a $10,000 match towards our $25,000 goal to purchase a freezer unit and backup generator.
This freezer will be used by NCGA’s members to store locally raised and processed beef, pork, poultry, lamb, goat, and fish. Farmers will also use this unit to store fruits and vegetables picked during the height of the harvest season to save for future processing into various value added products or sold frozen to other artisan food producers, retailers, and schools. If any extra space is available, the freezer will be used by Food for People who has recently needed to cut back their orders of frozen foods due to a lack of available freezer space.
As a membership based organization, the freezer will essentially be owned by NCGA's members. This cooperative ownership approach will keep the freezer in our farming community, reinforcing our local food system now and for future farmers, ranchers, and community members.
What does a freezer unit mean for NCGA’s members and our local community?
1. Our meat producers can continue to run the businesses they’ve grown over the years without fear that another independently owned business will close, leaving them and their livelihoods in dire straights again
2. Our produce farmers can freeze fruits and veggies during the height of the growing season to be processed during the winter when they have more time. That means they can bring you a greater abundance of jams, jellies, dried fruit, and more!
3. Future generations of meat producers can begin their journey without needing to have access to large amounts of capital to invest in their own freezers.
4. By increasing local meat production, our community can rely less on large scale meat producers whose products are shipped in from across the country and world. This will lessen Humbldt’s carbon footprint and strengthen our local economy!
As a membership based organization, the freezer will essentially be owned by NCGA's members. This cooperative ownership approach will keep the freezer in our farming community, reinforcing our local food system now and for future farmers, ranchers, and community members.
What does a freezer unit mean for NCGA’s members and our local community?
1. Our meat producers can continue to run the businesses they’ve grown over the years without fear that another independently owned business will close, leaving them and their livelihoods in dire straights again
2. Our produce farmers can freeze fruits and veggies during the height of the growing season to be processed during the winter when they have more time. That means they can bring you a greater abundance of jams, jellies, dried fruit, and more!
3. Future generations of meat producers can begin their journey without needing to have access to large amounts of capital to invest in their own freezers.
4. By increasing local meat production, our community can rely less on large scale meat producers whose products are shipped in from across the country and world. This will lessen Humbldt’s carbon footprint and strengthen our local economy!
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Donate today to help increase Humboldt's food security! $5.00 - $1,000.00 Farm to Freezer Fundraiser Business Sponsorship Levels: $500.00 - $2,000.00 Donate online or better yet, please make checks payable to NCGA and send to: NCGA, PO Box 4232, Arcata CA 95518 |
Doug and Donna Trekell
An anonymous donation from a passionate supporter of regenerative agriculture and real
food alternatives to conventional, factory farmers meat #longlivelocal
Bayside Garden Supply
4061 Hwy 101 #6
Eureka, CA 95503
Danny Sokolsky
c/o Schwab Charitable
1337 Stagecoach Rd
Trinidad, CA 95570
Locally Delicious
PO Box 309
Arcata, CA 95518
North Coast Co-op
811 I St
Arcata, CA 95521
-and-
25 4th St
Eureka, CA 95503
NCGA is a 501 c(3) nonprofit organization who has always been dedicated to providing Humboldt with high quality, locally produced food to increase our community’s health and food security. Please join us in this mission by making a tax deductible donation today!
Questions? Contact megan@northcoastgrowersassociation.org
