Healthy Food
in our Communities

      Welcome to the Small Farm & Artisan Food Producer Resourcing Program! Our mission is to support and empower small-scale, beginning farmers and artisan food producers in building capacity and resilience within the local and regional food system.

      In our region, we have identified several challenges faced by our local small-scale food producers. These challenges include a lack of awareness and access to educational and business development resources, a steep learning curve, labor and supply shortages, and the need to expand sales markets through local business and community support for locally produced food.

      While there are numerous low-cost and cost-sharing resources available to our local food producers, they are often dispersed across multiple providers, making it difficult to know where to start. Our program aims to address this issue by consolidating a comprehensive range of resources, including information, programming, services, suppliers, and capital. We will provide participating food producers with the guidance, advice, and connections they need to develop, operate, and enhance the capacity of their food production businesses. By doing so, we aim to increase the availability of locally produced food within our community and the wider region.

      Our program works closely with small-scale food producers to understand their vision, goals, business models, distribution methods, resources, challenges, and growth potential. Once we have a clear understanding of their specific needs, we offer resources and facilitate connections with program partners who can provide education, capital, tools and technology, labor and materials, peer-to-peer collaboration, outreach, and engagement with local businesses and communities.

      The Small Farm & Artisan Food Producer Resourcing Program is part of the Outreach, Educational & Resourcing Programs offered by the Gold Country Food Hub, a 501(c)(3) Corporation based in Auburn, CA. Our Founder & Executive Director, Tammi Riedl, brings over 35 years of entrepreneurial business experience in technology, marketing, and finance. Tammi's passion for sustainable food production led her to transition from a corporate career to establishing and managing Lincoln Hills Farm, a small-scale farm-to-market business in Placer County. Through self-directed learning, regenerative farming practices, and building connections within the local food and agricultural community, Tammi then launched The Farmers Marketplace—an online community farmers market that provides marketing, sales, and distribution services to a network of local farmers and artisan food producers. The formation of the Gold Country Food Hub allows us to expand our impact by offering programs and services that foster local, equitable, and regenerative food systems and economies. Tammi also provides ecological land management and agricultural consulting and is highly regarded as a mentor, advocate, and leader within our local and regional food system.

      We are proud to collaborate with esteemed resource partners such as GroMatters, NorCal Small Business Development Center, Sierra Harvest, University of California Cooperative Extension, Food Finance Institute, Center for Land-Based Learning, National Resource Conservation Services, Resource Conservation District, California Certified Organic Farmers, Farmers Footprint, Soil Food Web, Briarpatch Food Co-op, and others to be determined as our program continues to develop.

      Our ultimate goal is to make a significant impact on the efficiency and growth of local farm and food producer businesses in Placer and Nevada counties. Over the course of one year, we aim to enhance their sustainability and scalability, thereby increasing local food production capacity and contributing to the development of a robust regional food system.

      Join us in this exciting endeavor as we support our local food producers, strengthen our communities, and promote a sustainable and thriving food ecosystem for all.