West Central Initiative received a $374,000 Community Food Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to launch Growing Grant County. Through a partnership between the West Central Area and Ashby School Districts, local food shelves, and very supportive agriculturally based communities, Growing Grant County will build a system of collaboration to:
- Grow more local food.
- Provide training to students in the art of meat butchering and processing.
- Support Grant County food shelves by increasing donations of fresh foods.
- Create a more sustainable and resilient food system.
“We outlined a five-step process, which will culminate into a fully developed local food system in Grant County,” said Kate Mudge, Business Development Officer, West Central Initiative. “The first step in that process was fundraising for the new greenhouse at West Central Area High School, which led to increases in both student interest in agricultural careers beyond the ‘family farm’ and community buy-in around improving the local food system. Many thanks to all who donated time and resources into fundraising for this program, particularly the local Lions Club.”
“Lions Clubs International Foundation is proud to be a major contributor to the West Central Area Greenhouse,” said Lions International Leader, Sue Kulbeik. “Lions Clubs around the world contribute to projects that enhance the lives of people everywhere. With the greenhouse, we can address some of the Lions Club’s specific target areas – hunger, youth, environment, and community involvement.”
Many local Lions Clubs support the project. “There are six area Lions Clubs that were named in the grant application: Ashby, Elbow Lake, Grant County, Hoffman, Kensington, and Wendell,” Kulbeik said. “These communities all have children that will make use of and learn from the work that will be done at the West Central Area Greenhouse.”
The next two steps include strengthening the curriculum and purchasing a mobile food-processing trailer. “The trailer will allow us to enhance our curriculum and teach valuable food processing and preservation skills that our students can use throughout their lives,” said Bonita Oestreich, Ag/CTE Teacher and FFA Advisor, Ashby Public School. “Another exciting aspect of this project is the reduction in food waste that will occur by becoming the bridge that connects local vegetable, fruit, and livestock producers with a market that keeps their products local and gets nutrient-dense food into the hands of those that need it most.”
Local food shelves will also be involved in the process. “The two food shelves in the region are very proud and excited to be a major benefactor and/or purchaser of the by-products from West Central Area Greenhouse and processing trailer,” said Grant County Food Shelf Coordinator, Debbie Lacey. “We will be able to provide our clients with fresh quality food in a timely manner, and increased donations of fresh food will help our bottom line.”
The process will create learning opportunities for students. “This new process will help schools teach our kids how to research, market, and provide for their community,” Lacey said.
The fourth step in the process includes exploring food-related businesses, sales of project goods to the general public through grocers and institutions, and working with local growers to process cover crops or unprocessed crops (unpicked apples, for example).
“When the first four steps in the process are complete, we’ll be looking at an entirely different local food system serving these communities,” added Mudge. “This will be particularly apparent at the Grant County Food Shelf, where participants are gifted boxes of locally grown, nutrient-rich food.”
Growing Grant County is one of 29 projects selected by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant program. This funding, made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act, bolsters USDA’s food and nutrition security efforts by promoting the self-reliance of communities in providing for the unique food needs of their community members.
“Growing Grant County has been a realization of the goals and dreams of a highly supportive community,” said Eric Sawatzke, Agriculture Education Instructor, West Central Area Schools. “We still have a long way to go, but imagine how different our community will be now that every student graduating from our schools will, at some point, have actively grown, harvested, and processed fresh food and delivered it directly to the local food shelf on a regular basis. When an entire community is engaged in the fight against hunger, there’s no doubt that we will succeed!”
