On March 21, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship awarded nearly $250,000 in grants to help 13 Iowa farmers, businesses and non-profits to increase or diversify their agricultural product offerings.
“Iowa agriculture is the envy of the world as our farmers continue to lead the way in producing healthy, high-quality, affordable food. It is essential that consumers have access to the Iowa-grown products they know and love,” said Secretary Naig. “The Choose Iowa grant program makes this possible through value-added projects that help Iowans grow their businesses and access new markets. I am proud to invest in these projects that continue to position Iowa as a top place to grow, today and in the future.”
Local Harvest CSA, located near Solon, was awarded $5,750 to establish an on-farm kitchen to extend the production season and expand their market of value-added fruit and vegetable products. With the required one-to-one financial match, the total project cost is $11,500.
Secretary Naig visited Local Harvest CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) at the Sundog Farm, north of Solon, Friday, March 25, as part of his yearly 99-county tour.
The CSA runs April through December providing vegetables to over 200 families, in the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids area, and applied for the grant to help facilitate construction of a small processing kitchen onsite. Maja Black, one of the farmers at Sundog Farm CSA, along with sister Carmen, said the goal was to be able to take some of the produce they grow, process and freeze and then be able to sell it year round to help reduce food waste.
“We are very honored to have received the grant,” she said. “We’re really excited that they recognized that this is a valuable enterprise.”
Helaina Thompson also lives and works full time on the farm, after graduating with Maja from Solon High School.
“This kitchen has been a dream project, and it felt like a pretty far away dream, and this funding has allowed it to become much more of a reality,” Thompson said.
Along with Maja, Carmen, and Helaina, is Carlos Williams, who raises chickens at Sundog.
“Carlos has a very powerful story and it’s been very cool to see him grow his own business, and to see how his business works so well with ours,” Maja said.
CSA customers pay for a season worth of locally grown vegetables, delivered weekly throughout the season. There are also opportunities to visit the farm and interact directly with the farmers.
For more information on Local Harvest CSA, contact Carmen at 319-331-3957 or email [email protected]. The farm has a website at www.solonsundogfarm.com, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/localharvestcsa.
Anna Hankins, owner of Over the Moon Farm and Flowers in Delaware County, and Carmen Black, owner of Sundog Farm CSA, welcome Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.