Organic co-op rolls forward
By Scott Nicholson

The New River Organic Growers is poised for a bountiful year, with a strengthening of the local-food market and more organic goods on restaurant menus.

NROG is a cooperative network of local farms that’s seeking to connect fresh produce from the field with consumers, either in stores or through restaurants. Angie Pate, NROG’s marketing director, said there were eight new members covering Ashe, Watauga, Alleghany and Wilkes counties.

That brings the total membership to 18 in an era where most traditional farming is in decline.

“The expansion will create diversity from the variety of microclimates that are represented,” Pate said.

“Adding Wilkes County will help us extend our season longer to keep up with demand.”

Last year the organization received $100,000 in Golden Leaf tobacco-settlement money, with the funds used for marketing, a refrigerated truck, and several pieces of farm equipment. NROG has a new logo and also has funds available for Web site development.

Using the Internet will create even faster connections between farms and consumers, because one section of the site will allow chefs to directly place product orders.

NROG formed about eight years ago and for several years it was primarily an educational resource, helping growers learn about organic techniques, pest control, certification, and markets.

However, as interest in both local and organic food grew, NROG was ready to take the next step.

“The last four years have been focused on selling produce locally,” Pate said. “We’ve gradually built up more clients and more chefs that we send food out to. We’re focusing mostly on Watauga County right now, but soon we’ll be reaching out to surrounding counties.”

The addition of the refrigerated truck has opened up new markets, as some produce is shipped to Greensboro and then distributed regionally. Pate said most farmers would prefer their produce and goods to stay in the High Country, but that will require more demand. Pate believes the interest is already there, and that it’s just a matter of connecting the dots.

“Right now we are focused on supplying the restaurants in our area,” she said. “I don’t want to spread us too thin. I would like the restaurants we already have to see that we can supply more to them. I think we’re at the point in our growth that so many of the restaurants are interested in buying local, and we want to make sure we can supply them.”

The refrigerated truck makes weekly stops in each county so the farmers can deliver their produce, and Pate then routes it to the specific restaurant or food outlet. Right now there is no central distribution point, and traditionally restaurants rely on one or two major food vendors, so adding smaller producers has created a learning curve for those who order, sell, and prepare food.

“Right now we have approximately 20 restaurants that are seriously interested,” Pate said. “The chefs are really stepping up and adding another layer to their ordering system. We’re finding a lot of customers are looking out for local food and demanding it. A lot of chefs this year are marketing the local angle.”

Some restaurants are promoting the farms that produce the food by listing them on the menu or showing photographs of the farms and fields where the crops were grown. This reinforces the notion of local buying and helps provide assurance of quality.

Pate said despite the challenges of the climate, the High Country is in good shape to build a larger-scale local-food and distribution system.

“The local-food movement has been growing by leaps and bounds,” she said. “The slow-food movement is strong up here. Western North Carolina is developing an identity and it’s making a difference.”

NROG not only serves the consumers, it is adding another market for growers who often sell at the local farmers’ markets or have their own arrangements with outlets. Many of them are involved in the new High Country Community-Supported Agriculture project, with consumers buying seasonal shares that entitle them to a box of fresh food each week from the participating farms.

“It’s a safety net,” Pate said. “If one person’s crop fails, we have someone else who can pick it up.”

Pate said while the supply is stabilizing, demand could increase as more people start their own gardens or become interested in sustainable living and organic crops.

“We’re in such a deficit of knowing where all the food comes from,” Pate said. “The more people have gardens, the more interested they are in knowing where their food comes from.”

The staple crops of the High Country tend to be cool-weather plants like lettuces, green, potatoes, cabbages and broccoli, but in-season produce is abundant and diverse. Heirloom tomatoes, squashes, beans are popular, with a lot of specialty crops geared toward the chefs. Pate foresees a balance of staples with specialty crops, while other organizations also work on consumer education to build new markets.

For instance, Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture is working to open a new community kitchen that is certified so that farmers can find new ways to deliver and market their products, through sauces, canned goods, or other value-added products. Pate said such relationships are important in the overall goal of food system.

NROG’s Web site is www.newriverorganicgrowers.com.