the kitchen
The Grange Kitchen is operated within the existing Dartmouth Grange organizational structure. The facility, a 2,000 square foot addition to the Dartmouth Grange’s historic Patron’s Hall, provides food preparation, production, and storage space. The Grange Kitchen opened in January of 2007 and offers a modern, licensed, certified, clean, and sanitary workplace to meet the needs of light small-scale food production and various food service operations. Equipment in the kitchen includes most anything necessary for light small-scale food production, such as a steam kettle, braising pan, range, ovens, and filling machine.
Great For:
- Making shelf stable foods – foods packed in jars that need no refrigeration until opened
- Making baked goods – pies, cakes, cookies, pet treats, etc.
- Making dry mixes, seasonings, spiced nuts, etc.
- Making organic cleaning products
- Assembling meals, side dishes, sandwiches, etc. for construction sites, catering events
- Preparing food to sell at farmer’s markets, such as washed and bagged greens
- The creation of a sideline of food products
- Catered events – bridal showers, birthday parties, dances, dinner theater, etc.
- Making gifts or party favors for holidays and/or special occasions
- Fundraising activities
Why the Dartmouth Grange built a shared-used kitchen:
To strengthen the community and support agriculture. Food entrepreneurs are important to economic development and sustainability of rural communities: jobs, taxes, and utilization of agricultural products = value added.