Cottage food industry on growth trend in California

A little more than a year ago, a California law went into effect that gave small farmers and even home gardeners a new opportunity to sell value-added products. The California Homemade Food Act permits individuals to produce certain foods in home kitchens to sell in limited quantities to the public.

That sounds simple, but like most laws, there are plenty of caveats. The legislation has stipulations about the types of foods allowable, registration, permits and labeling requirements. UC Cooperative Extension has been helping farmers and home gardeners who produce fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, and honey take advantage of the new opportunity at workshops around the state, reported the Stockton Record.

Shermain Hardesty, UC Small Farm Program extension economist, is coordinating the project. Hardesty thinks that marketing may be the hardest part of creating a successful cottage food businesses for many farmers and other entrepreneurs. At the workshops, Hardesty teaches the basic "Four P's" of marketing: product, place, price and promotion.

In other news ...

Also catching the entrepreneurial spirit is UC Master Gardener Janet Fletcher, reported Paul Franson in the Napa Valley Register. Fletcher - an author, cheese expert and editor of the Napa County Master Gardener newsletter - is launching her own new online newsletter, called "Planet Cheese."

Fletcher wrote a cheese column for the San Francisco Chronicle for 10 years. The column was discontinued with the upcoming coalescence of food and wine coverage in the newspaper's home section, the Register article said.

Planet Cheese is a way for Fletcher to keep writing and learning about her favorite subject. The weekly newsletter on all things cheese - products, people, places and news - includes seasonal recipes, class announcements, and commentary on food, wine, beer, gardening and culinary travel. Sign up for the free newsletter at http://janetfletcher.com.

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