Davis, WV— The Highland Market in Davis will now be able to purchase more ingredients from local and regional farmers in order to offer wholesome & healthy prepared foods thanks to the installation of their new Certified Kitchen and walk-in cooler/freezer. “This will allow us to serve a broader audience due to many folks not having the time, skills or interest to cook from scratch,” states Manager Kimmy Clements. “We’re going to do it for you by making ready-to-eat foods, picnic items and meal staples using the highest quality ingredients available. Remember… it’s all about good food.”
The Potomac Highlands Food & Farm Initiative (PHFFI) was launched in January 2013 to increase access to quality food and farm products to Tucker and surrounding counties. To accomplish this goal, they have been offering workshops to inspire folks on how to be more creative in the kitchen and field, early and late season farmers markets, and garden plots to those without viable soil or sunlight via the Community Garden in Thomas. They’ve also hosted events to build relationships between farmers, restaurant owners and chefs in the region and made basic, full-diet ingredients available at the Highland Market. Since opening in October 2013, the Highland Market has strived to fill the void of quality local food in our remote mountain communities. Once their kitchen is complete, they will be able to add affordable, pre-made healthy meals to their offerings.
The kitchen is expected to be complete in late April. The Highland Market plans to begin preparing seasonal, ready-to-heat meals, such as casseroles and sauces, and picnic/lunch foods, including dips, soups, salads and other to-go items. They will also prepare ingredients like bone broth, lard, ghee, and ready to bake items, like spelt biscuits, for your convenience. Additionally, they will be able to purchase perishable items in surplus, to prevent farmers from having to throw their hard work to the pigs or compost pile.
Katharine Dubansky, a farmer in Garrett County who sells to the Highland Market, stated, “Backbone Food Farm is thrilled to know that the Highland Market is going to be expanding into a certified kitchen! This will be a great opportunity for our local farmers, local eaters and the Market! The walk in cooler will also allow them to increase their volume of sales, which is a win-win situation. Working with the Highland Market keeps getting better!”
In 2015, the Highland Market purchased over $150,000 of regionally and locally produced goods and, with the addition of their new kitchen, they anticipate their purchases to increase. They currently source from over 75 producers, over 70% of them within a 100 mile drive of Davis, and they anticipate this number increasing as they learn what items need more supply. This will open doors for producers to build a more sustainable farming business via increased sales. Also, with the additional cold storage, they will be able to purchase items in bulk, in hopes to offer more affordable pricing to their loyal customers. As always, they accept EBT.
The addition of the kitchen and walk-in were made possible via a USDA Rural Business Development Grant received in 2015. If you would like to stay in the loop on the happenings at the Highland Market and other PHFFI projects, visit their website www.phffi.org and the ‘Potomac Highlands Food and Farm’ Facebook page.