Food Hubs
The future of farming has arrived. Geared toward supporting local businesses and community involvement, The Washtenaw Food Hub is the newest trend in agriculture. 

Food Hubs, which are promoted by the USDA, are defined as centrally located facilities with a business management structure that integrate food production and distribution, farmer services, agricultural training and community involvement to help local farming and local food produce thrive in the community.

Housing a Hub in Washtenaw
Organic Tantre Farm owners Richard Andres and Deb Lentz recently purchased a historic farm spanning the 16 acres of land on Ann Arbor’s scenic Whitmore Lake Road. Inspired by Burlington, Vermont’s community agriculture movement and with the farm coming equipped with a handful of farm buildings, electrical and plumbing infrastructure and parking the Chelsea couple saw it as the perfect locale to house their hub. 

The Washtenaw Food Hub, which is comparable to a “farm franchise”, will work closely with local farmers and distributors to provide the community with Michigan grown food. They aim to attract families, retail and wholesale customers—and although it is a lofty goal—school systems, hospitals and universities. The food hub will also offer services to farmers, donations to local food banks and annual summer internships. 

To learn more about this new movement check out Concentrate’s “Cultivating a Fresh Food Hub in Washtenaw County.” 

For more information contact Richard Andres at (734)-475-4323. 

Blog Post By: Don Hart, MOVE President, Pete Ayers, Web and Video Editor, Jade Grammatico, MOVE Winter/Spring Intern and Kim Beson, Associate Writer/Project Coordinator.