A New Commercial Kitchen Space in Milford
Up until recently, New Jersey farmers and food producers couldn’t easily access a commercial kitchen to turn their fresh produce into value-added products such as jam, cured meats, and baked goods. And finding space for other key aspects of processing—like food safety training, recipe development, enterprise planning, packaging and labeling, and market access—was also a challenge, says NOFA-NJ (Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey) Executive Director Devin Cornia.
“We desperately needed to find a way to get more local food onto shelves, which is where the majority of food dollars are spent,” he says.
All that changed last April, when the organization announced an exciting purchase: a commercial kitchen space in Milford that will help local farms and food businesses get their products to the public.
“We also plan to feature local farmers and food producers through food workshops that keep local food at the center of the experience,” Cornia continues. “Imagine heading to a nearby farm to harvest cabbage, learning directly from the farmer, and then bringing that cabbage to the kitchen for a fermentation workshop on sauerkraut and kimchi!”
Now called “Farmers Process,” NOFA-NJ also hopes to rent the outdoor patio and indoor space of the 1800s property on Bridge Street to other groups or businesses to use. The building previously housed local favorites such as the Milford Oyster House, The Lovin’ Oven, and, most recently, The Potager.
The facility will be available for use in February 2025.
To learn more about Farmers Process, visit the NOFA-NJ site. To help renovate the kitchens, offices, and garden, donate at GiveButter.
