Chattanooga’s new “Local Food Trade Directory” connects farms and businesses to ensure more local food options are available in the community. A resource guide for farms and businesses, the directory helps local farmers like Jim Johnson of Cloudcrest Farm connect with partnering businesses.
“The ‘Local Food Trade Directory’ is helpful, especially having chefs names included,” says Johnson, who raises sustainable beef cattle, dairy cows, hogs and laying chickens on his farm in Rossville, Ga. Johnson sells his products to restaurants in Chattanooga, and uses the direct transactions, contact information and specific delivery and packaging requirements the directory provides as a resource for the businesses with which he works, and to develop new business relationships.
“It’s convenient to use, and the fact that our farm is in there is great,” he says.
Chef Erik Niel of Easy Bistro & Bar believes that resources like the “Local Food Trade Directory” provide an avenue for connecting the community with local food. “Any time local farmers, restaurants and consumers have more opportunity to work together is a great thing, in my opinion,” says Neil. “Tools like the ‘Local Trade Food Directory’ are a tremendous positive step in fostering better relationships between everyone in the local food cycle.”
Fostering relationships between local farmers and businesses that sell food is not only important to building relationships within the community, but it also strengthens the economy, says Melanie Mayo, spokesperson for Crabtree Farms, a locally owned sustainable urban farm. “When food is purchased directly from local farmers, who in turn typically source their labor, materials and equipment locally, over 75 percent of that money stays in the community, creating jobs and keeping the local economy strong.”
The “Local Food Trade Directory” is made possible by a partnership between Crabtree Farms and Gaining Ground. Free copies are available by calling Crabtree Farms at 423-493-9155, extension 10, or by emailing info@crabtreefarms.org. For more information on local food in Chattanooga, including searching for local food and farms, visit www.growchattanooga.org.