IOGOP Newsletter 3

INDOOR ORGANIC GARDENS OF POUGHKEEPSIE

 Welcome to the many new Friends of our Center City Project and Thanks to all for the great Support and Encouragement!!!

With the Help of everyone who has a Local Stake in the “TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE” we will be a Major Contributor in the future Vitality of The City of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County and the Region.

Triple Bottom Line:   This is the characterization of an Entity that addresses Three Components of a Successful Endeavor.

1. Environmental Sustainability — Is it Planet Friendly?   Organic Ingredients (Compost, Seeds, Water), Fertilizer Free, Pesticide Free, Energy Efficient, No Effluent, etc.
2. Societal Sustainability – Is it Society Friendly? Employment for at risk Local Residents (walk to work), Fresh Nutritious Food Source, Generates Commerce, Use of Local Unoccupied Space, etc.
3. Financially Sustainable – Can it support itself Financially?   Existing use of Micro Greens in the Mid Hudson Valley (currently mostly being brought in from outside the area by Food Distributors, Institutions, Restaurants, etc) is sufficient to generate adequate demand to meet our Profitability Estimates based on our Phase I capacity.   Future expansion of the use of our Products locally, especially for their Nutritional Value, and new demand outside the area through developing Distributor Relationships gives us tremendous potential for Growth.

Community Supported Agriculture: (CSA):   There are various forms of CSA Groups from members being involved with the actual growing of the product, to simply signing up to have it delivered to a central location for pick up, delivered directly to a home or place of business or picked up at the Source.

IOGP is looking to “partner” with CSA Groups in adding our Micro Greens to the Offering Menu.   If you are part of a CSA or know of a CSA, let us know so we can explore the possibilities of a Strategic Alliance.

Recent Activities:  Another Successful Adam’s Fairacre Farm event with a table at the Garden Show – Poughkeepsie Store.   Don’t miss this incredible display, created entirely by the Adams Employees (Wappingers Store also).   It will really get you in the “mood” for Spring.   Thanks Mark Griffin, Poughkeepsie Store Manager and his Team for the opportunity. We joined forces with our Good Friends from Hudson River Housing and Middle Main Initiative for this event.

We will be at the Adam’s Food Show next Sunday, March 13^th from 11-3 , Wappingers Store!!!   There will be Samples while they last including a product display of unharvested “living flats”.   (BTW thanks for the tip from Gaye Mallet, Adams HR Director, we are all now using Micro Greens in our newly acquired Bullet Juicer.

Based on comments from our growing legion of users we will also be offering a larger size container.   The current container of .4-.5 oz ($3.99), will now be joined by a 1.3-1.5 oz container ($6.99).   We are passing on the savings in packaging, labeling and handling for the larger quantity for a much greater value option.

Quattro’s in Pleasant Valley and Marona’s of Millbrook will also have IOGP Microgreens in the new size.   Contact Karole at IOGP directly for larger quantities for Special Occassions.

Visitors in the past couple of weeks include Bob Ryan of Kingston, Vince Pangia, CPA, David Dell, Cathi Tegmeier of Dutchess County Health, Chef Dave of Poughkeepsie Schools, Kevin Schneider of Mother Earth Stores, Trish Gandolfo, Eric Fath of Family Services after school programs, Michael Muyot of Re.Think Local, Sean and Brooke Fedigan (check out befedagain on twitter and facebook),Patricia Wind of Farms2Tables and many others.

We have the distinct pleasure of scheduling two Prominent and Prestigious Groups for tours.   Poughkeepsie Garden Club (Jane Fisher and Phebe Banta coordinating), and the local Master Gardeners Club (Susan Kavy coordinating). Needless to say our own Master Gardner Earl Crum in anxious to show off his Growing Process and gather some tips as well.

Finally, we were graced by an invitation from John Lekic of Le Express for an evening at his Restaurant for a “Food Is Medicine” gathering hosted by Health Quest that included Dr Sarah Levin of the Heart Center, Roufia Payman, Nutrition Counselor at Northern Dutchess Hospital, John Lekic and several other Experts who offered comments regarding and emphasizing the critical importance of a Healthy Diet for a Happy Life.   Also commenting was the Famous, recently Retired Chef John Novi, of the Depuy Canal House. Chef Novi has been a Champion of Locally Sourced Food and Nutrition from the beginning of the Buy Local movement.

We encourage you to come see us if you haven’t.   Schedule a time with Karole Mundell of our IOGP Team.   790-8075 or email iogopk@aol.com.

see Daily updates to our Face Book Page.

Brud, Lori, Earl, Ginny, Karole and Rahman.