The Food Hub Journey
Significant community interest, garnered through meetings with county representatives, local/regional food producers, and other stakeholders, has led Healthy Archuleta to embark on an intentional planning process for a Community Food Hub. Currently, this project is in a one-year planning process funded by the Healthy Food Financing Initiative to gather community input and develop a project plan ready for implementation. This process involves a pre-feasibility study, needs assessment, feasibility study, business plan, and capital campaign plan that will be completed by the end of 2025.
What is a food hub?
"Food hubs are a crucial, but often invisible, part of the local food system. They help small farms grow by offering a combination of production, distribution, and marketing services… (primarily) concerned with connecting the dots between producers and consumers of food in local and regional food systems." (www.sustainableamerica.org) Beyond their economic role, food hubs can also foster a shared community space for participation in the local food system.
Why does Archuleta County need a food hub?
As a mountain community, Archuleta County can sometimes feel disconnected from larger communities in Southern Colorado, with most fresh food imported from external sources. A food hub offers a year-round alternative for accessing fresh, locally/regionally grown, and sourced foods. While farmers markets provide a seasonal outlet for some local producers, and meat producers rely on word-of-mouth or limited retail options, a year-round food hub would significantly increase the availability of local/regional foods, boost sales for producers, stimulate economic growth, and provide healthier food options for the community.
How would the food hub serve the community?
In addition to offering year-round access to locally produced foods, a food hub would serve the community in numerous other ways. Healthy Archuleta is currently developing and reviewing several conceptual ideas with the Food Hub Community Learning and Leadership Circle (CLLC), outlining potential uses for the space.
These conceptual ideas include:
What is a food hub?
"Food hubs are a crucial, but often invisible, part of the local food system. They help small farms grow by offering a combination of production, distribution, and marketing services… (primarily) concerned with connecting the dots between producers and consumers of food in local and regional food systems." (www.sustainableamerica.org) Beyond their economic role, food hubs can also foster a shared community space for participation in the local food system.
Why does Archuleta County need a food hub?
As a mountain community, Archuleta County can sometimes feel disconnected from larger communities in Southern Colorado, with most fresh food imported from external sources. A food hub offers a year-round alternative for accessing fresh, locally/regionally grown, and sourced foods. While farmers markets provide a seasonal outlet for some local producers, and meat producers rely on word-of-mouth or limited retail options, a year-round food hub would significantly increase the availability of local/regional foods, boost sales for producers, stimulate economic growth, and provide healthier food options for the community.
How would the food hub serve the community?
In addition to offering year-round access to locally produced foods, a food hub would serve the community in numerous other ways. Healthy Archuleta is currently developing and reviewing several conceptual ideas with the Food Hub Community Learning and Leadership Circle (CLLC), outlining potential uses for the space.
These conceptual ideas include:
- Space for ready-to-eat foods from local food trucks, indoor food vendors, and concession stands.
- An event space for events and communal activities.
- Indoor and outdoor growing spaces for year-round fresh produce, similar to a farm stand.
- An on-site commercial kitchen for local food businesses and cottage food producers, offering entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop products and sell them on-site.
- Educational and recreational areas for families, such as an outdoor playground, indoor and outdoor dining spaces (weather permitting), and a learning center for classes on gardening, food preservation, healthy cooking, and related topics.