The N.C. Cooperative Extension, Madison County Value Added Kitchen offers entrepreneurs and cooks an inexpensive place to create value-added products.

History

The N.C. Cooperative Extension, Madison County Value Added Kitchen began in 2009 as a means to assist local food entrepreneurs with an affordable location to produce their products. Our kitchen is designed to give small food businesses access to the space, resources, and business skills they need in order to make their culinary dreams a reality. Our kitchen has become a model for other communities investigating ways to promote local food systems. Our facility offers a variety of services and equipment that are often difficult for small farms and entrepreneurs to afford on their own. The concept of ‘shared use’ allows many people to benefit. Several grantors made this facility possible including: N.C. Cooperative Extension, NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, Golden LEAF foundation, NCDA Specialty Crops program, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, Madison County Government, Appalachian Regional Commission, and Z Smith Reynolds.

Amenities

  • Commercial electric stove/oven
  • Commercial microwave
  • Stainless steel prep area
  • Braising pan – can be used to can high acid foods
  • Two-compartment sink
  • Cuisinart 14 – cup food processor
  • Kitchen-Aid mixer
  • Ice maker
  • Vacuum packer/sealer
  • 2 Commercial dehydrators
  • 20-gallon commercial salad dryer spinner
  • Cleaning products provided
  • Trash drop off on-site
  • On-site storage when available: dry, cool, freezer

Benefits

  • N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Inspected
  • Reasonable fees