Just Ask LaVerne

Hello, from Cottage Hill Farm!

Tonight,I did my first interview for Foodie Fridays hosted by Lonely Gourmet and sponsored by Savalots. We had a few audio problems. I am assured the problems will be fixed.

Just wanted to talk to you about our conversation. Talking about Cottage Hill Farm is easy for me to do,since I love this place and all its' history.

Cottage Hill Farm has always been a working farm, uninterripted since 1795. Growing everything from sheep to hops and now barley and corn for dairy cows.

My Grandmothers recipes were scaled up for production and thus began Cottage Hill Farms Certified Organic Breakfast and Dessert Mixes.

I wanted to make a difference and give consumers a quality, good tasting product. When I tried other mixes that touted they were organic, I found that alot were not what they said they were.I decided mine would be different. First,I would only use the best products available and secondly, make Cottage Hill Farm products in a size that could feed a family and still have some left for a snack. Third, use packaging that was environmentally responsible.

I did my due dilegence and found using the best certified organic raw products were very expensive,but shopping around and making the right decisions allowed me to do this. Next, experimenting with recipes, (this was a scientific experiment,I should have listen in chemistry in college) But, with trial and error I got it right and was able to make mixes that could feed a family of four to five. Next,finding the right supplier for packaging and labels was a little tougher. Vegetable dyes were just coming on the market again, expensive. But, I knew this was important to me and more so to the environment. So, wanting to do this right, I bit the bullet and ordered my first shipment.

I quickly ran out of room in my first production facility and was lucky to find a facility closer to the farm. We were off and running.We did well right off the starting gate and I feel blessed.

I have learned alot, met wonderful people along the way and hope to help others like me who would like to take their recipes from "Kitchen to Market". I was blessed and need to "pay it forward". So, if there is a dreamer out there who would like to get started with their ideas, I would love to help you. No question is too big or too small. Just Ask LaVerne