1. Adding Value to the Sustainable Farm Learnings from a SARE Appalachia Initiative Grant 2007

2. The Need Commodity agricultural production demands high efficiency and high volume. Family living costs continue to increase. Farmers must grow their business to provide the necessary return to owner’s labor and management. Value added processing and marketing offers an option for growers with limited acreage to grow their business.

3. The Problem Value added production/processing provides the opportunity for increased income and profit. Farmers are reluctant to invest, due to uncertainty about their ability to sell a value-added product. Farmers never know if they can sell the product, because they don’t have one to sell.

4. The Grant was the Solution $25,000 Grant awarded in Spring 2007 9 farmers received $1,200 towards the cost of processing - $300 for jars and $900 for labor to grow the crop. Additional funds used to provide marketing assistance, education, and product ideas from chefs.

5. The Players Collaborative for 21 st Century Appalachia Gourmet Central, Romney, WV 6 farmers in WV 3 farmers in PA Brian Kelly, Penn State Extension

6. Products Made Somerset Sweet Onion and Garlic Jelly Dilly Beans Bloody Mary Mix Spaghetti Sauce – two kinds Blackberry Jelly Jonagold Chunky Applesauce Hot Sauce Pumpkin Syrup

7. Results Unsold tomatoes were transformed from “pig feed” into spaghetti sauce and production was sold in a month. Un-harvested sweet onions were “rescued” and processed! High school boy, with help from his Grandmother, created Pumpkin Syrup

8. By the Numbers CropValueProductQuantityCostSelling $ Tomatoes$4.00Spaghetti Sauce 169 qt.$2.86$6.00 Tomatoes & Peppers $175Hot Sauce160$3.46$4.00 Tomatoes$300Bloody Mary Mix 250 (25 oz)$4.60$8.00 Apples$125Chunky Applesauce 437 qt.$2.30$4.95 Green Beans $101Dilly Beans125$3.26$6.00 Pumpkin$150Pumpkin Syrup 293$2.86$4.00

9. Calvin – Bigg Rigg’s Original product a Vodka Sauce Over $5 production costs. Retail $8. Pasta Sauce $.50 Tomatoes + $3.50 processing cost = $8 Retail Price

10. Calvin’s Bank Account!

11. Laurel Vista Farm

13. Sell Everything Current market means grading for sale. So, they have a lot of “less than first” What do we do with the extras? Value-Added Processing uses the good, but not perfect.

14. For example…

15. Key Learnings Use over production or second quality Growers with an established market Price as a premium product; it is! Make a unique or specialty product! Product tastings and recipe ideas 7 of the 9 invested their own money in 2008 in Value Added Processing

16. Questions? Brian Kelly Extension Educator Penn State Extension, Blair County 301 Valley View Blvd., “E” Wing Altoona, PA 16602 bmk12@psu.edu 814-940-5989