Renewing the Countryside and the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture are offering four half-day postharvest handling workshops in March for fruit and vegetable farmers. Produce growers who sell at wholesale (restaurants, grocery stores, distributors, institutions); or through farmers' markets or Community Supportive Agricultures; will learn how three farms of varying size and experience handle produce from harvest and through the whole process of washing, storage, packing, and transportation to maintain the highest quality product. Additional topics covered will include produce respiration rates, harvest tips, packing areas, food safety, grading, pack sizes, packaging, on-farm efficiency, optimal shelf life, point-of-sale/retail display, and more. Each workshop will be led by one of three Minnesota vegetable farmers: Laura Frerichs of Loon Organics, Inc.; Lisa Baker of Bakers' Acres LLC; or Joan Olson of Prairie Drifter Farm.
Workshops are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., March 20, at SPROUT MN in Little Falls. The cost to attend is $20 for the first person and $10 for the second if coming from the same farm (fee includes lunch), but there are scholarships available at some locations thanks to generous support from local sponsors.
Workshop co-sponsors include Land Stewardship Project, Southeast Regional Sustainable Development Partnership, Winona County Extension, Rural Advantage, Central Lakes College, Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnership, Region 5 Development Commission, SPROUT MN and LLC Food Hub.
Register online at www.renewingthecountryside.org/calendar.
Find out more about postharvest handling at www.misa.umn.edu/Publications/PostharvestHandling/index.htm.
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Workshop participants will receive a free copy of the Food Safety Decision Tree ($10 value):
www.gaps.cornell.edu/tree.html. Workshop participants will also get a discounted rate on purchase of the Wholesale Success book: www.misa.umn.edu/Publications/WholesaleSuccess/index.htm.
Questions? Please contact Devon Ballinger, devon@rtc.org , 612-716-1706; or Jane Jewett, jewet006@umn.edu , 218-845-2832.
