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Athens Locally Grown

How to contact us:
Our Website: athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/athenslocallygrown
On Thursdays: Here’s a map.

Market News

One of the things I love most about our maturing local food system around Athens is all of the small food businesses that have popped up that use the great food our farmers grow. The most visible are the many restaurants that Athens is getting known for, but just as important to the system are the bakers and picklers and preservers and all the other people who create something ready to eat using locally grown ingredients.

ALG is lucky to have several such vendors, and the recent enactment of Georgia’s “cottage food” laws means it’s easier than ever to put your talents in the kitchen to work for you. If you’re interested in doing this, there’s an upcoming workshop in Griffin, GA you might want to check out.

WHAT: Starting a New Food Business in Georgia
WHEN: October 6-7, 2015
WHERE: Room 174 of the Melton Building, UGA Campus at GRIFFIN, Georgia
DEADLINE TO REGISTER: Thursday, September 10, 2015
COST: $150 per person
REGISTER ONLINE with a credit card at https://estore.uga.edu/C27063_ustores/web/store_cat.jsp?STOREID=42&CATID=205

SPACE IS LIMITED TO 40 PARTICIPANTS, so register early!
Comments from past attendees: Informative, organized, planned, full of resources, networking. Enjoyed the interaction with the speakers & the attendees, the frank discussions & valuable advice.
The program will answer: Should I produce my product myself or have a co-packer do it? What federal and state food safety regulations will I have to meet? How do I get started?

This workshop will address many of the concerns of the food entrepreneur just getting started. The course will include presentations by Extension faculty from the UGA Department of Food Science & Technology in Athens, the Food Product Innovation and Commercialization (FoodPIC) Center in Griffin, representatives from the Georgia Department of Agriculture and FDA, and others.

Topics of concern to the food product entrepreneur, may include: Food safety and sanitation, Getting your label reviewed, Meeting GDA and FDA regulations, Record keeping and product traceback, Choosing a co-packer or shared kitchen. The program will conclude with product show & tell by attendees, and a panel discussion with experts and faculty answering your questions about the challenges in starting, running, and growing a food business in Georgia.

LODGING: Participants are responsible for their own lodging. A block of rooms at the Quality Inn & Suites, 2014 North Expressway, Griffin, GA 30223, will be available until Friday, Sept. 10, 2015. The room rate is $72.99 plus tax for either single or double room. Do NOT make your hotel reservation online for this workshop! Call 1-770-229-6001 and mention the “Starting a New Food Business” group to get the discount rate.

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown, all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Other Area Farmers Markets

The Athens Farmers Market is open on Saturdays at Bishop Park and Wednesday afternoons downtown at Creature Comforts. You can catch the news on their website. The West Broad Farmers Market from the Athens Land Trust is open Saturday mornings and their farm stand is open Tuesday afternoons. They have a website too. A new Athens Sunday market has opened up at the Classic Center, every Sunday from 11 to 4 now through October. They have a website here: http://www.sundaycentermarket.com. The Comer Farmers Market is open in downtown Comer on Saturday mornings. The Oconee County farmers market is open Saturday mornings in front of the Oconee County Courthouse in Watkinsville. The Shields Ethridge Cultivator Market is held monthly in Jefferson. If you know of any markets operating, please let me know.

All of these other markets are separate from ALG (including the Athens Farmers Market) but many growers sell at multiple markets. Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!